How Does the New Immigration Order Affect the Medical Community? – Medscape

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The suspension of most new work visas for entry into the United States, announced by President Trump on Monday, will not affect international medical graduates (IMG) who apply for J-1 visas to take up residency positions in this country, a US State Department official who asked not to be identified told Medscape Medical News.

International students who seek F-1 visas to attend medical school here also will not be impacted by the order, said Matthew Shick, senior director of government relations and regulatory affairs for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), in an interview with Medscape Medical News.

Recent US residency program graduates who hold J-1 visas will still be able to convert them into H-1B visas so that they can accept clinical positions in the United States, said Matthew Bourke, a spokesman for US Citizenship and Immigration Services. "J-1 visa holders currently in the United States are still permitted to change status through H-1B petition process to extend their stay and work in this country," he said.

The White House order is not retroactive and does not revoke visas currently held by IMGs and others.

A broad swath of foreign physicians and medical researchers who seek H-1B visas will be affected by the presidential proclamation, however. The proclamation will remain in effect through the end of this year and could be renewed after that.

Whether a physician is accorded such a visa depends on what he or she plans to do in the United States. According to the State Department official, "Physicians who are seeking entry to the United States on an H-1B or L visa to provide medical care to individuals who have contracted COVID-19 and are currently hospitalized, or who are involved in the provision of medical research at United States facilities to help the United States combat COVID-19, may be considered for a national interest exception" to the proclamation.

The AAMC said in a news release that it is "deeply troubled by this proclamation, which will hinder our nation's health care workforce and biomedical research enterprise. The medical residents, physicians, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students who work and train in the United States with H-1B and J-1 visas are integral to providing health care nationwide. These individuals are also performing scientific research that is critical to advancements in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the entire spectrum of illnesses, as well as future pandemics."

The AAMC noted that sustaining the US healthcare workforce is clearly in the national interest. Moreover, it pointed out, "Over half of the current postdoctoral researchers in this country hold temporary non-immigrant visas and fill a critical need in the US labor market by providing specialized knowledge and skills in the development of innovative and cutting-edge biomedical research."

In addition, Shick told Medscape Medical News, about a quarter of the IMGs who match to US residency programs hold H-1B visas, rather than J-1 visas. Smaller institutions sponsor these visas as a recruitment incentive, he noted, adding that if a residency graduate has an H-1B visa, they can stay here instead of having to return to their home country for 2 years.

"The ability [of IMGs who seek H-1B visas] to enter the US for training has been called into question," he said. "We're right at the time when programs start, on July 1; so if they haven't already gotten their visa stamped by the consulates, they might be stuck outside the country until there's clarification on their status.

"We're also concerned about our research enterprises at institutions that often rely on foreign talent. In some cases, the researchers who come here use H1-B visas. As our statement pointed out, they're often looking for cures for other conditions besides COVID."

In the White House proclamation, the Trump administration argued that the visa suspensions would help protect the US labor force from immigrant competition at a time of mass unemployment because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was also the argument used in an April 22 proclamation that suspended the issuance of green cards but exempted IMG physicians and other healthcare professionals.

Shick noted that US medical school graduates are matching to 96% of the slots available to them in residency programs. "So these IMGs aren't taking jobs away from US grads," he said. "They're filling a need, and we're able to recruit the best and brightest from around the world."

The restrictions on IMGs entering this country will exacerbate the existing physician shortage in the United States, Shick predicted. The cap on the number of graduate medical education slots subsidized by Medicare has kept the growth in the physician workforce below the increase in patient demand, he noted.

"Now we're talking about restricting H-1B visas on top of our current limitations. We're currently turning away 50% of the IMGs who apply for residency. That has nothing to do with the immigration rules."

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How Does the New Immigration Order Affect the Medical Community? - Medscape

These Texas doctors are running for Congress during the pandemic – The Texas Tribune

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Pritesh Gandhi had spent months courting abortion-rights and gun safety groups, hoping to win their endorsements in his congressional primary runoff.

But in late April, when his campaign adviser sent him a text to say a prominent group was ready to talk, Gandhi couldnt immediately take the call.

Covered head to toe in personal protective gear while working at the Peoples Community Clinic in East Austin, Gandhi responded with a selfie and a message saying he was tied up but would be available shortly. A primary care physician, he was spending the afternoon collecting nasal swabs from low-income patients to test for the new coronavirus.

Gandhi, who is in the Democratic primary runoff for the 10th Congressional District, is among a group of health care workers from both parties running for office in 2020, when moonlighting as a political candidate during a global pandemic has required a special kind of stamina. When those workers filed paperwork to run for office weeks before the virus was on the radar of the World Health Organization, let alone American voters many thought theyd make issues like Medicaid expansion or the Affordable Care Act central to their campaign.

Now, COVID-19 is dominating their bids and their day jobs.

For Gandhi, who is also an affiliate faculty member at Dell Medical School in the Department of Population Health, the pandemic has given front-line health care workers like himself a view of the high stakes of government decision making. At work, he said, he interacts with everyone from healthy patients to those showing minor symptoms of the virus to those awaiting what could be a deadly fate in the ICU.

Although his first priority is tending to his patients Peoples Community Clinic counts about 20,000 uninsured and underinsured Central Texas patients Gandhi said that his medical work has unexpectedly prepared him for the oftentimes grueling work of campaigning.

We are doing all this juggling because the stakes are just too high, he said. The effort were putting into this campaign is because ultimately I need to look my patients in the eye every single day and know in my heart of hearts Ive done whatever I can do to fight for them and their families.

In Gandhis case, that means sometimes starting his days as early at 4:30 a.m. and ending them at midnight or later a dramatic shift to his schedule that also carves out time to help his oldest daughter with her math homework or make dinner. During the day, hes checking his patients labs and working in the clinics respiratory center.

At night, he pivots to campaigning.

Other candidates in health care report similar experiences, though this isnt the first time candidates with medical or scientific backgrounds have entered the political arena.

Texas saw a wave of scientists-turned-politicians run for office during the 2018 midterms, and Congress welcomed nine new members into its ranks that year who had academic or professional experience in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Many of these first-time candidates entered politics in response to President Donald Trump, whose administration they viewed as hostile to scientific expertise, after he withdrew the nation from the Paris climate accord and attempted to gut Obamacare.

Now, during another public health crisis, they see an opportunity to stand out by touting their qualifications as the country confronts a global pandemic.

Christine Eady Mann, a family doctor in a Democratic primary runoff in the 31st Congressional District, said she divides her time in similar ways to Gandhi: She works full time 35 hours a week at the Northwest Diagnostic Clinic in Cedar Park while devoting another 30 hours to campaigning.

Two to three times a week, donning full personal protective gear, she tests possible COVID-19 patients before coming home at 5 p.m. After a shower, change of attire and quick dinner, shell pivot to campaigning: virtual town halls, phone-banking and texting potential donors and volunteers, and creating content for her website and Facebook pages.

Its rigorous, but its very similar to what I did when I was in residency, she said. You just do what you gotta do.

Mann, who also advanced to the Democratic runoff for the seat in 2018 but ultimately lost to Air Force veteran MJ Hegar, said her disappointment in the federal response to the coronavirus reached a zenith immediately after the March 3 primary. Now its a part of her campaign.

Her clinic, she said, was receiving little to no guidance from county, state or federal officials about how to handle the risks associated with the virus. On top of that, there was a perpetually low supply of personal protective equipment, forcing her to use and reuse N95 masks often disinfecting them in between. The clinic also had trouble accessing coronavirus test kits until a few weeks ago.

We have seen a critical lack of adherence to science and scientific principles that have led to the deaths of more than 100,000 Americans, Mann said. I dare say that if we had people in elected office who understood how to look at data and how to decide what is valid and what is not and use that data to make decisions, we would be in a different place.

Now shes working to recruit other physicians to run for public office. Mann has consulted for and helped launch Doctors in Politics, a group aimed at supporting candidates running for Congress. (The group is backing both Gandhi and Mann this election cycle.)

In the Panhandle, Trump-backed Republican Ronny Jackson, who previously served as a White House physician, has advanced to the GOP runoff in the 13th Congressional District, where hell face Republican Josh Winegarner in July.

In a statement for this story, Jackson, a licensed physician and a board-certified emergency medicine physician, played up his background as a qualification for office and made a key campaign pitch out of working to lower health insurance costs.

COVID-19 has demonstrated to us that our health care system has many vulnerabilities, some of which are now national security issues, he said. Whether its pharmaceutical manufacturing in China or the lack of resiliency and preparedness in our local hospital system, these are issues I fully understand.

Jackson has appeared numerous times as a medical expert on Fox News since the pandemic arrived, boosting his visibility in one of the most conservative districts in the country.

Not that the physicians-turned-candidates are the only ones campaigning on the pandemic or having their day jobs take on heightened relevance during the campaign.

Gandhis July opponent in the runoff, Mike Siegel, is a civil rights lawyer. During the coronavirus pandemic, Siegel said hes educating his constituents on the rules for voting by mail. The states Republican leadership has resisted expanding mail-in voting during the pandemic; the state Democratic Party has sued to try to force their hand.

In mid-March, Siegel paired up with an Austin-area Texas House member to demand the state expand voting by mail to every Texan. He says he communicated with the Texas Democratic Party about the idea that people who are vulnerable to the coronavirus should be able to be considered disabled and qualify for mail-in ballots. That legal theory was part of the Texas Democratic Partys lawsuit in state district court.

And now, after the brutal killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, Siegel said hes using his platform to talk about his background in fighting for racial justice which, among other things, includes fighting housing discrimination against Black Austin residents as a city attorney.

Now theres a lot more space to talk about these issues, said Siegel, who recently won the endorsements of both Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. Before, I thought a lot of Democratic politics was focused on health care and the environment, but the idea now is were talking about effective policing and public safety, which gives me the chance to talk about my background.

Manns challenger, Donna Imam, is a computer engineer who has included the voices of medical experts in her campaign, including hosting virtual town halls with emergency care physicians. Shes also working to inform people and businesses on how to apply for loans and access other economic safety nets if theyve lost their livelihoods during the pandemic.

In the 13th District, meanwhile, Jacksons credentials have sometimes been used against him. When he first announced his bid for the seat in December, one of his primary opponents at the time used Jacksons past as a physician to Trumps predecessor to paint him as President Obamas Doctor while noting Barack Obamas past praise for Jackson. (Jackson was White House physician under Trump, Obama and George W. Bush.)

But as the coronavirus pandemic has upended Americans lives, it has also served as a cultural moment to lionize front-line health care workers. Around the country, public shows of appreciation have included free and discounted food and flights, murals, and the ability to shop special hours at some retail stores.

Now some doctors want to turn nightly cheers into votes.

Health care is the most important issue to most Americans, and this crisis has exposed the perils of undermining expertise and science, said Shaughnessy Naughton, who founded 314 Action in 2016. Named for the first three digits of pi, the national group backs scientists and doctors running for office.

Health professionals are who Americans are looking to to help us through this crisis, said Naughton, whose group has endorsed Gandhi.

If Gandhi and Mann advance to the general election, both would be underdogs. In Gandhis case, the 10th Congressional District is a longtime GOP seat represented by Austin Republican Michael McCaul. Siegel, Gandhis runoff opponent, came within 5 percentage points of flipping the seat in 2018. The 31st Congressional District, meanwhile, has a tight GOP grip, and whoever snags the partys nomination would need to unseat U.S. Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock, who was first elected in 2002 and won reelection by 3 percentage points in 2018.

Still, Naughton believes the ongoing attention to a public health crisis could prove favorable to candidates with backgrounds in science and medicine.

These physicians running are in a unique position to talk about their experiences at a time when everyone is thinking about how to keep their families safe, she said.

For some, including Gandhi, those on the front lines have a direct line of sight into the suffering everyday families experience, whether in the public health sector or economically. That alarm has only grown in light of the governments response to the coronavirus pandemic, from failures in state testing to a lack of Medicaid coverage to people with incomes near or below the poverty line.

Because I see that failure, I feel compelled to fight for change, Gandhi said.

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These Texas doctors are running for Congress during the pandemic - The Texas Tribune

Medical school appoints new wellness lead to help doctors in training – The Sudbury Star

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The Northern Ontario School of Medicine has announced Dr. Louise Logan will lead the schools program that helps doctors in training stay well.

She will begin her duties at Lead Clinician of the Resident Wellness Program with the Postgraduate Medical Educations Wellness Office on July 1.

This is a critical role at NOSM and Im very proud to pass the baton to Dr. Logan, Dr. Jonathan DellaVedova said in a release. I look forward to supporting her transition into this role and seeing her further develop the Resident Wellness Program, said Dr. DellaVedova, the schools inaugural Lead Clinician of the program.

His term ends Sept. 30, with overlap for a transition.

Dr. Vivian Leung, the chief resident in general surgery, sat on Dr. Logans interview panel as the NOSM resident representative.

Dr. Louise Logan continues to be a strong resident advocate, qualities she has exemplified since her time as chief resident. She stands out and we are thrilled that she has accepted this critical role at NOSM, Dr. Leung said.

Dr. Logan is Francophone from Northern Ontario and the current Emergency Medicine Clerkship Lead for NOSM in Sudbury.

She is an emergency physician and Medical Lead of Continuous Quality Improvement for the Emergency Department at Health Sciences North.

Dr. Logan holds an undergraduate degree at Laurentian University, an MD at the Universit de Montral, and Family Medicine and Special Competency in Emergency Medicine training from the Northeastern Ontario Family Medicine Program.

She was a founding member of NOSMs Francophone Reference Group, as well as several NOSM administrative committees including Admissions and Learner Affairs and, sat as a member of the NOSM Board of Directors and Academic Council.

The NOSM PGME Wellness Office and the Lead Clinician of the Resident Wellness Program are available to residents for coaching and guidance on wellness issues and resources.

Any resident experiencing academic or occupational distress is encouraged to reach out for support. Visit the Resident Wellness page for more details.

sud.editorial@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @SudburyStar

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Medical school appoints new wellness lead to help doctors in training - The Sudbury Star

The pandemic has disrupted medical school admissions. I urge you to apply anyway – AAMC

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The process of becoming a physician is a journey that starts for each of us at a different point.

For me, it started with a traumatic event a life-threatening injury that I suffered in the sixth grade after a fall through a window, which resulted in substantial blood loss and progressed to hemorrhagic shock. I did not fully understand my proximity to an untimely death until many years later as a surgical intern on the trauma surgery team at Tampa General Hospital at the University of South Florida.

By then, I was far along on my individual journey, one that included catalysts as well as areas of struggle and achievement. Without question, those who are making this journey during the COVID-19 pandemic are facing challenges unlike any in the history of medicine. Many have had disruptions in their undergraduate education or gap year in preparation for medical school. They have had disruption in their ability to take the MCAT exam. And those who are applying to medical school this year will likely face additional disruptions, through virtual rather than in-person interviews.

But I would like you to know that however different the process is this year, it is being shared by premed students all over the United States. One of the advantages to the current way in which most medical schools admit students is the use of a holistic admissions process to decrease emphasis on any specific test (MCAT) or GPA and rather emphasize an individuals journey to becoming a physician and the distance traveled in getting there. Many medical school applicants will have poignant stories related to their respective journeys and, undoubtedly, most will include specifics related to the current pandemic. These stories should be included in applications as a sign of strength and resilience. And while it is true that many applicants will have missed some opportunities for in-person clinical or research experiences during the pandemic, most of the premed students I advise have taken this time to connect and grow in other meaningful ways that will contribute to their career paths and their application processes.

For those of you applying to medical school this year, I would encourage you to think about the application process as a journey that will require perseverance and, for some, perhaps another application cycle. If medicine is your passion, embrace this path forward as well as the experience and always keep learning and growing as you move forward.

In my years as dean of the school of medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, I frequently share the following insights, which are even more pertinent during these challenging times:

First, the calling to become a healer and a physician is one of the greatest endeavors that a human can embark upon. It has been this way since the dawn of time and in every culture and every era. That journey is enriched by the special trust and bond that occurs between patient and doctor, and it is strengthened by the expectation of humanism, empathy, and social justice that is at the core of medicine. I would encourage all physicians-to-be, wherever the path takes you, to ensure that social justice is rooted in your outlook for your career and more broadly your communities. As physicians, you will have the ability and opportunity to change not only your patients outcomes but also those of your communities and the broader world.

Second, the path you are choosing will include struggle but also enormous reward. The struggles will include the choices between dedication to patients or time with family. They will include the enormous difficulty around maintaining well-being in the face of many pressures, demands, and illnesses. They will include finding paths to increased health equity when so many disparities occur in our current society and systems of providing care. The rewards will include the ability to put someones arm back together (if you are a surgeon) so that they can live life to its fullest. They will include helping to heal other parts of the human anatomy in different specialties as well as knitting together hearts and souls in a rewarding and lasting way. And, in times when your skills and the current knowledge available are not able to offer a cure, you will be with your patients and their families at an incredibly vulnerable time but also a time when your words, touch, and emotion can provide bridges to healing of another sort.

Finally, the process of becoming a physician is a journey that should never end. It certainly does not end when the medical school dean hands out a diploma bearing the initials MD behind ones name for the first time. It does not end after residency or even when one feels they have mastered the craft of their respective discipline. With changing technology and information medical knowledge now doubles about every 20 to 30 days (a significant increase from approximately every five years when I was in medical school!) physicians can never be complacent. Even in retirement, we will always be doctors, possessing the responsibilities that come with the title and continuing to make those around us, and the world, a better place. For those of you just now beginning your journey, I hope it is successful and I look forward to the day, in the not-too-distant future, when we will be physician-colleagues.

Joseph Kerschner, MD, is dean of the school of medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, provost and executive vice president of the Medical College of Wisconsin, and chair of the AAMC Board of Directors.

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The pandemic has disrupted medical school admissions. I urge you to apply anyway - AAMC

Mother and daughter graduate medical school together and get matched at same hospital – FOX 13 Tampa Bay

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Mother daughter duo celebrate med school graduation together

Dr. Cynthia Kudji and her daughter, Dr. Jasmine Kudji, be working in the same hospital system beginning July 1.

NEW ORLEANS - A mother and daughter duo recently became the first to graduate from medical school together and the first to be matched at the same hospital.

Dr. Cynthia Kudji and her daughter, Dr. Jasmine Kudji, attended medical school at the same time, though at a distance.

Cynthia attended the University of Medicine and Health Sciences (UMHS) in Maine and St. Kitts in the Caribbean, while Jasmine was at Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans, according to the a blog in which they share updates on their history-making careers.

They were surprised on Match Day when they learned they would both be working in the same hospital system, beginning on July 1. Cynthia was matched in Family Medicine at LSU Health, and Jasmine also matched at LSU in General Surgery, according to UMHS which added that they are the first mother and daughter to attend medical school at the same time and match at the same institution.

Dr. Cynthia Kudji & Dr. Jasmine Kudji display their residency announcements at LSU Health New Orleans. (Photo credit: Adrienne Battistella Photography)

Cynthia, originally from Ghana, had dreamed of becoming a doctor but had to put her career on hold after she became pregnant at 23. She eventually became a nurse and later a nurse practitioner. At age 43, she decided to pursue her medical degree after a trip back to Africa to visit relatives.

My mom wanted us to have a family trip back to Ghana and there was an incident where we were in the village and somebody just walked up to us and said that their child had a fever and was sick and wanted my mom and I to help. We put the child in water, trying to get the temperature down, and thats pretty much all I remember, Cynthia told UMHS. I just remember being so frustrated that the mom had to come to a complete stranger to get access to health care. The only thing I knew that could change that situation was to be a physician.

Cynthia enrolled at UMHS in St. Kitts, and began what she calls an extremely trying yet fulfilling time in my life. Jasmine simultaneously was attending medical school at LSU.

I think initially it was difficult because my mom and I have always been really close so I had to get used to the distance, we had to learn how to FaceTime and Skype each other, so we were Skyping each other every day and whenever I had struggles and she had struggles, we just had to learn to communicate from a distance, Jasmine told UMHS. But I think over time we figured it out.

Dr. Cynthia Kudji dreamed of becoming a doctor but had to put her career on hold when she became pregnant at age 23. (Photo credit: Provided)

Being in the health care field amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Jasmine and Cynthia said they have witnessed racial disparities firsthand. Lawmakers and community leaders in cities across the country have sounded the alarm over what they see as a disturbing trend of the coronavirus disproportionately affecting black, Latino and other minority populations.

As they continue their journeys into the medical field, both stressed the importance of educating the black community about the virus.

A lot of times we kind of take it for granted, especially with the African American population, just how sensitive the topic can be regarding protective wear, Cynthia told UMHS, adding that many black men wearing masks into stores have felt unfairly targeted as criminals.

Theyre exposing themselves to prevent being profiled. Despite these unfair situations, as a provider, at the same time you still have to educate the public and you still have to get them to wear the masks and the gloves and give them the information and the rationale behind your recommendations, she said.

Democratic lawmakers want police departments to be vigilant about any racially biased policing during the coronavirus pandemic, as people in communities of color express fears of being profiled while wearing masks or other face coverings in public.

After a challenging journey through medical school, Cynthia and Jasmine said they are excited to begin the next phase of their careers and once again be living in the same state.

I always tell people we laugh together, we study together, we cry together, Jasmine said. I think medical school is one of those experiences that you dont truly understand until youre in it. Sometimes people struggle to find someone who relates to their struggles, so for that person to be my mom was extremely helpful.

This story was reported from Cincinnati.

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Mother and daughter graduate medical school together and get matched at same hospital - FOX 13 Tampa Bay

Founding dean of WMU medical school set to retire – mlive.com

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KALAMAZOO, MI -- The founding dean of the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine is set to retire next year.

Dr. Hal B. Jenson announced he will retire in 2021, and a national search for his replacement is underway at the medical school, according to a news release from WMed.

Jenson arrived to the school in 2011 and helped lead the institutions founding in 2012.

Since March 2011, I have had the honor and privilege of serving as the founding dean of WMed, Jenson said. We have accomplished significant milestones as a new medical school and focused on operational excellence to become even better. I hope you share the same sense of accomplishment that I have for the medical school that we, together, have created."

Under his leadership, WMed experienced a number of key milestones and accomplishments, including the granting of full accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, as well as certification with the U.S. Department of Education. The school has graduated three classes of doctors since its creation, the school said.

The schools Board of Directors selected the search firm AMN Leadership to lead the search process and a 13-member search committee will be led by WMU President Edward Montgomery, who also serves as chair of the Board of Directors.

The search committee includes representatives from the Board of Directors, Ascension Borgess and Bronson Healthcare, as well as medical school faculty, leadership, students, residents and staff.

Finding Dr. Jensons successor is a critical task and committee members have committed their time and effort over what will be an 11-month period to assist WMed in this important recruitment process, Montgomery said. I want to thank Dr. Jenson for his steadfast and unwavering leadership of the medical school over the last 10 years and his willingness to assist in what will be an important transition over the next year.

Nominations and resumes will be accepted throughout the summer and candidates will be presented to the search committee in September. Officials expect candidates to be on campus in late fall to participate in interviews and presentations to the community, the school said.

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Founding dean of WMU medical school set to retire - mlive.com

A double match: Black mother and daughter graduate together from medical school, placed at the same hospital – NBC News

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When new physicians Cynthia Kudji and her daughter Jasmine Kudji checked their emails March 20, Match Day, they didnt expect to set two records. That morning, the duo had both been placed at Louisiana State University Health to complete their residency training one of the first times a mother and daughter matched with the same hospital after graduating from medical school at the same time.

We were so excited, Jasmine, 26, said. Our life has never been planned, and you never know whats going to happen. It was one of the best moments of my life.

A native of Ghana, Cynthia immigrated to the United States with her family when she was two years old. It was during a family trip back to Ghana where Cynthia, 17 at the time, was inspired to become a doctor. There, she saw how egregious health conditions were when a woman she didnt know asked her to treat her ill child.

It jolted me because her only form of health care was a complete stranger, said Cynthia, 49. I thought, You know what? What can I possibly do to change that, leave an impact, and make a difference?

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Her dreams were put on the backburner when she became pregnant with Jasmine as a senior at Tulane University, where she received a B.S. in biology as an undergraduate. Instead, Cynthia attended William Carey University for nursing school and completed her masters of science in nursing at Loyola University in 2006. She worked as a nurse for nearly a decade before eventually deciding that she still wanted to become a physician.

Witnessing Cynthia constantly putting herself before others led Jasmine to follow in her mothers footsteps. Growing up, I saw that being a physician was a position of service, and I really valued that, Jasmine said. I could see myself doing that from a young age. In 2014, Jasmine graduated from Louisiana State University majoring in English while taking pre-med classes.

While Cynthia went to the University of Medicine and Health Sciences in the Caribbean island of St. Kitts, her daughter attended Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans.

Being apart was difficult at first for both of them.

We really are each others best friends and we constantly rely on each other, Jasmine said. Medical school is not set up to work by yourself.

Their mother-daughter bond was only strengthened while simultaneously attending different medical schools whether it was staying up late together studying for a test over Skype, calling each other with questions about a patients diagnosis, or crying about the compounding stress of the program.

Now, moving forward, theyre excited to be reunited for their residency programs at Louisiana State University Health -- Cynthia is planning to train in family medicine while Jasmine will pursue general surgery.

The coronavirus pandemic is a reminder for Cynthia and Jasmine of why they wanted to become doctors in the first place. This is a time when physicians can be leaders, show that we contribute, we make a difference in peoples lives. This is where we get the opportunity to serve, Cynthia said.

Im glad Ill get to do something that people need now more than ever with my daughter.

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A double match: Black mother and daughter graduate together from medical school, placed at the same hospital - NBC News

Med school grads: We need you more than ever – American Medical Association

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Graduating from medical school in the midst of a global pandemic spurs mixed emotions, including a sense of loss as in-person ceremonies are canceled and loved ones are unable to witness the accomplishment firsthand.

But the sheer joy this accomplishment generatesand the pride that is rightfully taken in such a momentous achievementhas not changed. This years medical school graduates have overcome obstacles no one imagined would be placed in their path.

Right now, the nation is relying on its doctors, nurses, scientists and other health professionals to guide us through a most tumultuous time. To that list of heroes we can add our nations graduating medical school students, as many of them joined the health care workforce to battle COVID-19 while completing their education.

It was my privilege to participate in a virtual celebration May 20 honoring this years medical school graduates. The AMA Tribute to the Medical School Class of 2020 was a joyous celebration of the talented young men and women who have answered the call to serve others at one of the most challenging moments in modern medicine.

Responding to the growing pandemic earlier this spring, medical schools in Massachusetts, New York, Ohio and other states allowed qualified fourth-year students to begin their internships early to bolster our front-line responders during a dramatic surge in COVID-19 patients

This action was not unprecedented. During World War I and again during World War II, U.S. medical students completed accelerated courses of study and graduated early to serve in the armed forces, and to help fill physician shortages on the home front.

Completing medical school is a tremendous accomplishment, one that requires intellect, perseverance, courage, compassion, and a drive to help others. This year, graduate have been put to the test amid the most severe public health crisis our nation has witnessed in decades. In 2020, those with freshly minted MD and DO degrees will enter residency with a new sense of urgency to do their part to alleviate suffering, restore patients to health, and help bring the pandemic to an end.

Overcoming obstacles is a fact of life for any physician, at any stage of his or her career. The obstacles posed by COVID-19 are as complex and challenging as any we have faced in our lifetimes. We are just beginning to understand the risks posed by this virus to multiple organs in the human body, exactly how it is transmitted, and why some populations are impacted so disproportionately.

Medical school graduates will bring new energy, fresh insight and the will to overcome to the ranks of medical professionals working so hard today to answer these and other questions. We need them now more than ever.

I know that established physicians will eagerly continue the time-honored practice of mentoring todays medical students, interns and residents. The wisdom generated by practical and clinical experience takes on even greater value when it is shared with those who are just now launching their careers.

Finally, I am encouraged and heartened to see more women and people of color joining our nations physician workforce. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the need to deliver compassionate and equitable care.

Today and far into the future, a more diverse physician workforce will help our nation meet the moral imperative to ensure that everyone, in every situation, receives access to high-quality, evidence-based medical care.

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Medical school graduate, law school graduate surprise grandfather during emotional reunion in their caps and gowns – WGHP FOX 8 Greensboro

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Two siblings got to share some major achievements with their grandfather who was on lockdown in a nursing home, KTLA reports.

The pandemic made it difficult but not impossible.

It was an emotional reunion through the glass when the proud grandpa got to see his grandkids for the first time in months in their caps and gowns.

Vana Ebrahmi, 25, graduated from Loyola Law School on Sunday, and her brother graduated from medical school.

It was a momentous occasion that they had to share with one of their biggest supports.

He takes off his mask, and I start crying. His smile is there, Vana said.

Hayrik Abnous, 86, was on lockdown at La Crescenta nursing home, so the siblings havent been allowed to see him since March.

At the nursing home before corona, we were there every single day, hours in. And it was just like, we wanted to make it feel like we were together on this, Vana said.

The siblings are the first in their family to graduate college.

Were an immigrant family. Were Armenian, Vana said.

Her grandparents and parents escaped war in Iran and eventually made it to the US in 1993.

They had little to nothing then, so seeing their grandchildren accomplish the American dream is fulfilling.

VIt almost felt like we did it. and like we did it together. We called him later, and my grandpa doesnt speak a lot of english, but all you hear him keep saying is I love you, so that was a great feeling, Vana said.

They couldnt celebrate in a traditional way, but this moment was a silver lining.

With the pandemic, theres obviously good and theres bad. And I think the good is youre able to be more intimate and have more meaningful relationships with the people around you, Vana said. I dont even know how many times Ive watched it myselfts a moment know Ill hold forever and that can live on with us forever.

The siblings have virtual commencement ceremonies, and they hope to celebrate together as a family in person sometime in the future.

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Medical school graduate, law school graduate surprise grandfather during emotional reunion in their caps and gowns - WGHP FOX 8 Greensboro

Who is Deborah Birx the doctor whose reaction when Trump suggested people inject disinfectants has gone viral? – MarketWatch

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In fact, Dr. Deborah L. Birx, 64, is a world-renowned global health official and a retired U.S. Army physician who was instrumental in HIV/AIDS vaccine research, and whose career has spanned three decades. And ever since Vice President Mike Pence appointed her as the response coordinator for the White House Coronavirus Task Force one of two women on the team shes been on national TV almost daily, often alongside Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious-disease expert.

Birx has been a scene stealer before such as when she warned younger Americans that they were not immune to COVID-19, stating, millennials are the key to stopping the spread of the virus.

But her body language as President Trump suggested bright-light treatments and disinfectants to fight the coronavirus on Thursday sitting still, taking a deep breath, blinking, setting her face still and then staring at the ground went viral on Twitter TWTR, +3.15% on Friday. Some criticized her for not standing up and refuting the presidents comments immediately.

Read more:Trump suggests disinfectant as treatment for coronavirus by injection inside or almost a cleaning later says he was speaking sarcastically

Others set the clip to the theme music from HBOs T, +0.71% Curb Your Enthusiasm, or joked about her facial expression. You can see Dr. Birxs soul leave her body, snarked one tweet.

The president has since responded that he was asking the questions sarcastically, and the White House press office accused the media of taking his comments out of context.

Related: Chris Cuomo satirizes Trumps disinfectant-injection suggestion: Take two shots of Windex, swallow this lightbulb, and call me in the morning

For those curious to learn more about Birx, however, here are five things to know about the ambassador-at-larges 30-year career, and her current role as the federal coronavirus response coordinator.

She was always a science buff

Birx grew up in Pennsylvania, where she and her two older brothers converted the backyard shed into a makeshift lab. Their most notable invention: a satellite-dish antenna that they moved around on roller skates, the Society for Science & the Public reported. When Birx was a junior at Carlisle High School in Pennsylvania, she competed in the 1973 International Science and Engineering Fair in San Diego. Her project on paleobotany in the Carboniferous period scored the trophy for girls grand champion, plus a chance to compete in the Army and Navys International Science and Engineering Fair (which she won). She eventually put herself through medical school at the Hershey School of Medicine at Penn State, the Hill reported.

She has a military background

Birx trained in internal medicine and clinical immunology at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the National Institutes of Health, according to her biography on the Department of State website. She began her government career as a military-trained clinician in immunology, mainly researching HIV/AIDS vaccines, in 1985. She attained the rank of colonel, and as Col. Birx received two prestigious U.S. Meritorious Service Medals and the Legion of Merit Award. She was named the director of the U.S. Military HIV Research Program at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, serving from 1996 to 2005. And she led one of the most influential HIV vaccine trials in history, her bio states.

Shes worked closely with three U.S. presidents and was dogged in getting George W. Bushs attention

When Bush announced his Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in 2003, Birx flew back from Kenya and waited outside of the then-director of the Office of National AIDS Policys town house for almost a week to get a meeting with him. She had been working on HIV vaccine research in Africa for almost six years at that point. So she showed him a 180-slide PowerPoint presentation until he agreed ... to let the Army also be part of PEPFAR, she told a George W. Bush Presidential Center podcast in September. I was not leaving his office, and so I wore him down.

Birx was later appointed ambassador-at-large and global AIDS coordinator by President Barack Obama, and she has overseen PEPFAR at the State Department for the past six years. Now she is also aiding the government response to the coronavirus under the Trump administration. Vice President Pence has described her as his right arm in that role.

Her signature scarves have built a following

As Birx tends to wear patterned silk scarves during the daily White House coronavirus briefings, viewers have taken note, and even fashion cues, the Wall Street Journal reported. Instagram FB, +2.66% accounts dedicated to her neckwear have sprung up, including @deborahbirxscarves and @deborahbirxscarfqueen. Some followers have posted pictures of themselves sporting similar scarves to hers on Twitter:

Why was Birx sporting scarves even before people started using them as makeshift face masks during the pandemic? Turns out, its one of her tips for packing lightly and sticking to just one carry-on bag when traveling for work. I take relatively plain dresses, black and other colors, that you can then change the scarves on, and through that it looks like its a totally different outfit, she told the Strategerist podcast last year.

She throws one heck of a Christmas party

Birx takes a hands-on approach to all of her work, including her annual Christmas Eve party. The Washington Post revealed in a lengthy profile that she hosts a 24-hour buffet for almost 100 people in her home on Christmas Eve every year, and that she and a deputy cook all of the food themselves. Its important that I do this myself, she said. We do this to show love.

The Post profile also notes that she graduated from high school at 16, got married and graduated from college at 20, finished medical school at 23 and had her daughters shortly after so shes juggled work and home responsibilities through her entire career. On weekends in the 1980s, Birxs older daughter would sit on the floor of the lab, playing with the colored caps of sample tubes, while Birx cultured HIV.

Stay up-to-date with MarketWatchs coronavirus coverage here.

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Who is Deborah Birx the doctor whose reaction when Trump suggested people inject disinfectants has gone viral? - MarketWatch

Shortened MCAT exams, extended AMCAS deadlines: How the pandemic has upended medical school admissions – AAMC

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While preparing for the MCAT exam, 2018 college graduate Lauren Pinchbeck has been working 40-hour weeks as a medical scribe to squirrel away money to apply to medical school. Her former job in a Phoenix, Arizona, hospital made it tough to squeeze in study time, and she didnt score as well as she wanted the first time she took the test.

I need to take the MCAT again, and I'm really hoping they wont cancel more test dates, she says. I cant go spending all the money I've saved for applications unless Im sure I have a high chance of getting in. Even as an undergrad at Virginia Commonwealth University, Pinchbeck worked full-time. I have to finance everything myself, she explains. My dads unemployed, and there are three other kids back home.

Applying to medical school is always time-consuming and stress-inducing in addition to the MCAT exam, there are essays to write, recommendations to accumulate, interviews to ace, and more but the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown many new obstacles into the paths of thousands of aspiring doctors. And medical schools face their own issues as they try to build classes that will serve their missions and the nations need for talented future physicians.

There are so many unknowns now, says Geoffrey Young, PhD, AAMC senior director for student affairs and programs. This causes significant anxiety for students who need information from schools, which all have their own policies. And it causes concerns for admissions deans who will be reviewing applications that wont be as complete as in previous years.

Admissions officials arent terribly concerned about 2020 applicants who already went through most of the process before the pandemic hit, but instead are worried about the many essential steps in the 2021 application cycle.

That means academic medicine leaders are scouring options to move the process forward as quickly, fairly, and effectively as possible.

On April 20, after conferring with admissions deans, college prehealth advisors, and other stakeholders, the AAMCs American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) announced that it would postpone the date that schools can access applicants files which include GPAs, MCAT scores, essays, and other key indicators from June 26 to July 10. Thats to give students more time to complete their applications before the AMCAS release date.

Due to the pandemic, this cycle is going to be like no cycle weve ever experienced before. We may not even know what some of the stages will look like until we get there.

Geoffrey Young, PhDAAMC Senior Director for Student Affairs and Programs

Individual schools are also contemplating and making COVID-19-related changes daily, and dozens of schools have posted policy changes on the AAMCs Medical School Admission Requirements page.

So far, a recent AAMC survey shows that 78% of respondents say they will accept pass/fail grades for prerequisite coursework taken between January and August this year, and 76% say they will accept online lab courses for spring 2020 and any subsequent semesters affected by the global pandemic. Other schools are also considering these options. In addition, many are considering extending application deadlines, and more than 30% of responding schools have done so. Yale, for example, has moved its secondary application meant to supplement the AMCAS package back a full month, from Nov. 15 to Dec. 15.

And more changes likely lie ahead for both students and schools.

Due to the pandemic, this cycle is going to be like no cycle weve ever experienced before. We may not even know what some of the stages will look like until we get there, says Young.

Still, he adds, the admissions community is really trying to listen to and provide support to applicants and prehealth advisors. They are doubling down on their use of holistic review to ensure they have a thorough picture of applicants.Collectively, they are really coming together to try to get through this together.

Even in ordinary times, the MCAT exam the rigorous multiple-choice test that helps schools evaluate applicants problem-solving skills, scientific knowledge, and more often tops lists of concerns about admissions.

In an attempt to protect examinees and halt the spread of the novel coronavirus, MCAT exams were suspended from March 27 through May 21. To compensate, the AAMC has announced three new testing dates June 28, September 27, and September 28. Registration for the new test dates will open on May 7. There will be a total of 21 dates between now and the end of September.

To further accommodate more test-takers, all 2020 sessions will offer three sittings per day: an early morning, an afternoon, and an evening option. To pull that off, the exam will be trimmed for the remainder of the calendar year from 7 hours to 5 hours and 45 minutes. The cuts will come from parts of the exam that dont impact scores, such as some questions that are being given a test run and an end-of-day survey. The plan is to return to the regular format in January.

In addition, MCAT officials are reducing the results-reporting timeframe from one month to two weeks for the June 19 through August 1 dates to allow examinees to include MCAT scores in their package earlier in the application cycle.

Given the unclear course of the pandemic, its impossible to predict whether all upcoming exams will be available, notes Valerie Parkas, MD, senior associate dean of admissions and recruitment for the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Each school needs to figure out how they want to handle the MCAT, she says. If they used to accept scores only up until September, maybe they will take them in October or even January, she notes. Here, one change weve made is that we will allow older scores than we had previously.

This is a rapidly evolving situation, and we thank examinees for their patience. We want to work to ensure the use of safe practices in the test centers.

Karen Mitchell, PhDAAMC Senior Director of Admissions Testing

Elsewhere, schools are considering whether they would screen applicants or even interview them without MCAT scores for now and then require the scores later in the process.

The MCAT serves as a bit of an equalizer, admissions leaders say. It allows us to compare applicants from different schools and who have taken different courses, explains Iris Gibbs, MD, associate dean of admissions for Stanford University School of Medicine, which signed a pandemic-related admissions statement together with all other California medical schools. Of course, we alwaysview the MCAT in the context of a holistic review of the entire application, she says.

Meanwhile, MCAT officials are focused on balancing speed and safety.

This is a rapidly evolving situation, and we thank examinees for their patience. We want to work to ensure the use of safe practices in the test centers, says Karen Mitchell, PhD, AAMC senior director of admissions testing. Once centers open up, they will practice social distancing measures and rigorous cleaning protocols, and they will allow test-takers to wear gloves and masks.

What about an online exam? Mitchell says that while her team has been evaluating various options to deal with the outbreak, online testing raises possible concerns, including that some students may face obstacles to an online offering, such as not having the right display resolution, reliable internet coverage, or a quiet spot to take the test. Fairness must be central to any solutions, she says.

Certainly, the MCAT exam is only one portion of the application process, experts note. Most schools take a holistic approach, looking at GPA, letters of recommendation, volunteer activities, and a broad range of other information, such as the context in which you were learning, says Steven Gay, MD, assistant dean for admissions at the University of Michigan Medical School.

Students, therefore, have many concerns about this multifaceted process. Below are some key issues.

As undergraduate institutions shuttered campuses and moved courses online, many switched to pass/fail grades or at least offered the option.

Although these changes were meant to serve students, they have also generated some stress. Kaitlyn Tindall, a junior at Ohio State University, notes that she didnt feel comfortable opting for pass/fail. Depending on the class, a passing grade can sometimes be anywhere from an A to a D, she notes. I dont know how medical schools will view transcripts, so I didnt want to take any chances.

Medical schools are taking a range of approaches to pass/fail, with some saying they prefer letter grades in prerequisite courses and others explicitly declaring no negative consequences for anyone who chooses the option this spring.

Meanwhile, says Young, the AAMC is developing resources to help medical schools and prehealth advisors understand how to work with changes caused by online courses and pass/fail grading. Above all, he says, we are encouraging schools to be flexible and transparent with students who are trying to figure out how to apply at an unprecedented time.

Some students worry about their ability to solicit all-important recommendation letters from professors, mentors, and prehealth advisors given the current circumstances.

I was hoping to have enough time to show professors that I could make a good medical school candidate, but we only really got to meet for the first half of the semester, says Tindall. Some of my classes have something like 500 people in them, so although a professor might recognize my face if I went to office hours, Im not sure that he would recognize my name in an email.

Another concern is whether students can garner gold-standard committee letters a composite document capturing an applicants overall preparation given that campuses have shut down.

In response, several schools have loosened their rules around recommendation letters. We will take a packet of letters rather than a committee letter, for example, and it wont hurt applicants, says Christina Grabowski, PhD, associate dean for admissions and enrollment management at the University of Alabama School of Medicine. We completely understand that the recommendation process has really been disrupted.

The COVID-19 outbreak has also severely limited applicants ability to access health care and research-related experiences.

Opportunities to get clinical experience, to volunteer in hospitals, and even to work in communities have been greatly reduced, says Gibbs. We are completely understanding about those opportunities not being available, and if a student is ready to apply in other areas, we will still take that person's application quite seriously.

But experts note that recent experiences might have made a significant difference for some candidates. For most students, applying isnt about the last three months, notes Grabowski. My fear is for students who are really counting on this time to make their applications more competitive. Unfortunately, those students may feel like they shouldnt apply now.

In fact, she adds, Im interested to see whether our application volumes will go down because of students who decide, Im just not ready, and Im going to wait another year to apply.

In a March 19 statement, the AAMC strongly encouraged medical schools and teaching hospitals to conduct all interviews virtually to help promote public health. While students may understand the need to move online, some consider it a setback.

I would be disappointed to do an interview on camera. I like to be able to get a sense of someones demeanor and to read them during the interaction, says John Thurber, a University of Alabama student working on his masters degree in biomedical and health sciences. Id be frustrated because I think I could crush an in-person interview.

Others, though, would welcome the shift. Taking off work and having to pay for flights, a place to stay, and food would put me in a bad place financially, says Pinchbeck. Sure, it would be great to see the campus, but Id rather do virtual interviews.

Schools have their own issues to consider. Grabowski offers one scenario: Say theres a dip in the pandemic when her school launches in-person interviews in August but then they have to switch to online interviews during a resurgence. That means we would be giving different students different interview experiences, which isnt completely equitable, she says.

The question then becomes if we should offer virtual interviews the whole season, or if it isnt really necessary to jump to that level from the get-go. Both options have disadvantages, but we want to try to mitigate the downsides as best we can.

Admissions officers say theyre committed to focusing on how the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the applications and the lives of medical school applicants.

Weve always had a question on our application asking students to describe any adversity that might have impacted their journey, notes Parkas. Now, though, we have explicitly indicated that applicants should let us know about anything they feel was impacted by the pandemic.

In addition, leaders recognize that some students are harder hit than others. We need to look through the lens of equity as we think about how this has impacted communities of color more, urban communities more, Parkas says.

In some cases, experts note, students are back home studying in increasingly impoverished conditions, in locations with poor Wi-Fi connections, or while acting as caregivers for younger siblings. I need to keep all this in mind as I try to understand what students have gone through during these last few months, says Gay. If I ignore this, I do so to the detriment of the applicant and my school.

Whats more, schools need to recognize that current concerns will not evaporate with this round of applications, Parkas notes.

Weve lost thousands of people during this pandemic, she says. Those people were parents and grandparents and parts of an applicants community. We have to remember that these effects will linger into many upcoming application cycles, too.

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Shortened MCAT exams, extended AMCAS deadlines: How the pandemic has upended medical school admissions - AAMC

Medical students share the pandemic’s effects on their education – Johns Hopkins News-Letter

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As many other U.S. schools did amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Hopkins School of Medicine pulled medical students from both their classes and clinical rotations around mid-March.

We were all looking forward to a spring of celebration, and a lot of that excitement is gone, Tym Kajstura, a fourth-year medical student, wrote in an email to The News-Letter.

For students like Kajstura who expected to graduate this year, celebration instead gave way to uncertainty and frustration.

We had a lot of questions and uncertainty early on about what our role in the pandemic would be, Kajstura wrote. Would we graduate early like some schools in NY or MA? Would there be some kind of advanced clerkship? Would our internships start earlier?

Medical schools located in hotspots for the virus such as New York made the decision to graduate fourth-year students early and offered graduates temporary employment in order to receive their help with the consequences of the pandemic. Maryland has not faced the surge in hospitals faced by other states to warrant the risk of pulling in the graduates.

In some ways its frustrating having finished medical school and being unable to help clinically, but Im grateful it never got to the point that it was necessary to pull us in, Kajstura wrote.

However, students have found other ways to help during the pandemic. For example, Lukas Mees, who is a third-year medical student, helped to address a critical lack of personal protection equipment (PPE) and medical supplies. In order to handle the shortage, students have sewn masks, driven supplies between hospitals and constructed face shields.

PPE shortages are affecting healthcare workers worldwide. As a medical student, this is a problem that hits close to home, Mees wrote in an email to The News-Letter.

For students meant to begin some of their most critical clinical training, the pandemic caused an unwelcome interruption to their education. Before the outbreak, Mees was scheduled to begin a surgical rotation. During rotations, which begin in their third year, medical students gain valuable hands-on experience by shadowing physicians and residents as they treat patients.

I was pretty excited to get into the [operation room]. While I understood the necessity of the pause, this came as a big disappointment, Mees wrote.

Students have also missed out on entering simulation suites, facilities designed to replicate hospital environments for students to practice necessary clinical skills such as CPR.

We werent able to run through rapid response scenarios, complete the in-person portion of [Basic Life Support] certifications, or work with standardized patients, Kajstura wrote.

However, students have found that they could both continue learning and contribute to the crisis effort at the Hopkins Medicine Unified Command Center, the emergency department responsible for crisis response in the Hopkins Hospital System.

Benjamin Bigelow, a third-year medical student, has been volunteering at the center since it was established in March.

It has been a huge bonus to my education as I have learned how to work within a hospital system as it responds to an emergency, Bigelow wrote.

He described his efforts handling incoming calls to the department, where he set up six call centers with over 100 phone lines. Bigelow also helped to establish a division to transport much needed medical supplies and ventilators. Currently, he volunteers in the long-term care command division. There he works to support the preparedness of skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Currently were trying to look at the data we are seeing as we test in long-term care facilities to better guide them on infection prevention strategies, he wrote.

Long-term care facilities house some of the nations most at-risk populations for COVID-19 outbreaks. Residents require close interaction for assistance with personal care, a risk for viral transmission. At the Command Center, Bigelow helps to stabilize these facilities by getting them access to testing and PPE to prevent further infections.

Despite the sobering nature of the virus, Bigelow is hopeful about the benefit his experiences will have on the nations preparedness moving forward.

I do think future research opportunities will develop from the work, since I have a deep understanding of some unique aspects of this pandemic, Bigelow wrote.

Students have also adjusted to the situation by starting remote research projects, taking online clerkships and electives, and taking advantage of access to virtual rounds and case conferences organized by Hopkins.

Ive been saddened and frustrated to watch the pandemic unfold, Mees wrote. At the same time, Ive been inspired by how the people at Hopkins have risen to the challenge.

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Medical students share the pandemic's effects on their education - Johns Hopkins News-Letter

Use of Temporary Mechanical Circulatory Support for Management of Cardiogenic Shock Before and After the United Network for Organ Sharing Donor Heart…

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The new United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) donor heart allocation system gives priority to patients supported with nondischargeable mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices while awaiting heart transplant. Whether there has been a change in temporary MCS use in cardiac intensive care units (CICUs) since the implementation of this policy is unknown.To examine whether the UNOS donor heart allocation system revision in October 2018 was associated with changes in temporary MCS use in CICUs and whether temporary MCS use differed between US transplant centers and US nontransplant centers and Canadian centers.In this cohort study, 14 centers from the Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network (CCCTN), a multicenter network of tertiary CICUs in North America, contributed 2-month snapshots of consecutive medical CICU admissions between September 1, 2017, and September 1, 2018 (prerevision period), and October 1, 2018, and September 1, 2019 (postrevision period). CICUs were classified as US transplant centers (n=7) or other CICUs (US nontransplant centers or Canadian centers; n=7).Revision to the UNOS donor heart allocation system.Treatment with temporary MCS (intra-aortic balloon pump, microaxial intracardiac ventricular assist device, percutaneous centrifugal ventricular assist device, venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or surgically implanted, nondischargeable MCS device) during hospital admission.A total of 384 admissions for acute, decompensated, heart failure-related cardiogenic shock (ADHF-CS) were included, among which 248 (64.6%) were to US transplant centers; 126 admissions (51%) were in the prerevision period and 122 (49%) were in the postrevision period. The mean (SD) patient age was 61.2 (14.6) years; 246 patients (64.1%) were male. The proportion of admissions with ADHF-CS managed with temporary MCS at US transplant centers significantly increased from 25.4% (32 of 126 admissions) before to 42.6% (52 of 122 admissions) after the UNOS allocation system changes (P=.004). In other CICUs, the proportion did not significantly change (24.5% [13 of 53 admissions] to 24.1% [20 of 83 admissions]; P=.95). After multivariable adjustment, patients admitted to US transplant centers in the postrevision period were more likely to receive temporary MCS compared with those admitted in the prerevision period (adjusted odds ratio, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.13-4.24; P=.02).In the year after implementation of the new UNOS donor heart allocation system, temporary MCS use in patients admitted with ADHF-CS increased in US transplant centers but not in other CICUs. Whether this shift in practice will affect outcomes of patients with ADHF-CS or organ distribution should be evaluated.

PubMed

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Use of Temporary Mechanical Circulatory Support for Management of Cardiogenic Shock Before and After the United Network for Organ Sharing Donor Heart...

Tolman’s top two students have their sights on medical school – Valley Breeze

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4/14/2020

From left, are Valedictorian Ethan Fleury and Salutatorian Victoria Chmielinski.

PAWTUCKET Tolman High Schools top two students for the Class of 2020 have more in common than their exceptional grades: both Valedictorian Ethan Fleury and Salutatorian Victoria Chmielinski aspire to careers in the medical field because they want to help others.

Fleurys academic and extracurricular accomplishments are outstanding, and Chmielinski is an exceptional student who has achieved remarkable academic and extracurricular successes, said school officials.

Fleury, son of Robert and Martina Fleury, earned a grade point average of 4.214 to earn the number one ranking in his class.

Im very happy, he said of the recognition. I did work hard. Its a big deal, sure, but I just did what I was supposed to do during school. Im appreciative of all the teachers who were there to help me through.

Throughout his high school career, he took Advanced Standing and Advanced Placement courses in all core subjects and was inducted into the National Honor Society during his junior year.

At Tolman, Fleury served as vice president of the student council for four years and as a co-leader of the Gay Straight Alliance during his senior year. He also participated in yearbook, mathletes, and volleyball.

In the fall, Fleury plans on attending the University of Rhode Island to study nursing after which he hopes to study cardiology in medical school.

I want to do something that helps people, he said of his career path. Hes also fascinated by science, biology, and viruses, he added.

Before the COVID-19 crisis hit, Fleury served as a volunteer at Miriam Hospital in Providence.

His favorite thing about living in Pawtucket has been how connected everyone is, he said. Its a nice community.

What will he miss most about Tolman? His friends, he said. I had a really good group. We challenged each other to be better. That group, he said, included Chmielinski.

Chmielinski, daughter of Thomas and Maria Chmielinski, was enrolled in six Advanced Placement courses, received the Principals Award during her freshman year, the Wellesley College Book Award her junior year, and was inducted into the National Honor Society in her junior year.

Its kind of crazy, she said of being named salutatorian. So much hard work has brought us to this moment.

Passionate about tennis, she was the captain of the tennis team during her junior and senior years and received the 1st Team All Division Singles Tennis Award and the 2nd Team All Division Tennis Award during her time at Tolman. When shes on the court, it gets my mind off everything around me and makes me feel better, she said.

She also served as secretary of the Student Council for four years and has been involved in the Math League, SMILE Club, and indoor/outdoor track.

She also volunteered at her church, St. Josephs in Central Falls, teaching younger children about religion, she said.

While Chmielinski recently moved to Riverside, she didnt want to switch schools for her last year of high school. Everything I accomplished was at Tolman, she said. I didnt want to give that up.

Fluent in both English and Polish, Chmielinski said she likes the diversity at Tolman and has enjoyed meeting people from different cultures.

She said her teachers and friends are what shell remember most about the high school. Chmielinski plans to pursue her bachelors degree at Salve Regina University in the fall, studying biology and pre-med after which she hopes to attend medical school.

My goal is to have a career in the medical field, she said. I dont know right now what (specific field) I want. I want to help people.

Because of the COVID-19 crisis, Pawtucket schools switched to a virtual learning model last month and canceled all events for the foreseeable future. Graduations, according to Supt. Cheryl McWilliams, are on hold as administrators wait for guidance from state officials.

Spending their last couple of months as seniors at home has been a challenge, but Fleury and Chmielinski both say theyre adjusting and talk with friends virtually every day.

We were all looking forward to prom, walking the stage at graduation, Chmielinski said.

Everyone feels bummed out by everything being canceled, Fleury said, but added that as time goes on, its getting easier.

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Tolman's top two students have their sights on medical school - Valley Breeze

Early LSU Health grad to serve locally on front lines of COVID-19 – Shreveport Times

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Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator and Shreveport Police Chief Ben Raymond explain Gov. John Bel Edwards' stay-at-home order. Shreveport Times

Young medical school graduates around the world are joining the front line fight of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The same is true for recent LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine graduateDr. Gabriel Sampognaro, who is making an early transition from medical school to serve alongside other LSU Health doctors during the coronavirus outbreak.

Though orthopedic medicine is Sampognaros area of practice, his assignment during the pandemic, places him in an LSU Health emergency room.

Dr. Gabriel Sampognaro(Photo: Submitted Photo)

With everything going on with the coronavirus, basically the school halted our rotations, Sampognaro said. We were unable to go to school. Everything at that point, things were changing by the minute. What was Tuesday at 8 p.m. was not the same by Wednesday morning. It got to the point where it looked like we were not going to be able to finish our rotations.

"In your fourth year, most people have finished their rotations anyway and met all of their requirements. I was finished and had a few electives left but it wasnt a required rotation so, I just choose to forgo that rotation basically. People who had not met all of the qualifications yethad the opportunity to finish them online.

Had it not been for the coronavirus outbreakApril 30 would have been Sampognaros graduation day, but that date was moved up to April 13.

People, especially students who matched at LSU Shreveport for residency, who went to LSU Shreveport for medical school, were able to start applying for their (medical) license early in order to help out with the coronavirus, Sampognaro said, adding, he expects to receive his license sometime in early May.

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Once he receives his license to practice medicine, Sampognaro will receive emergency room training to prepare for the time hell help out at LSU Health in a new area of medicine and a new and different time in the medical field.

We were offered start dates of May 1 and June 1, Sampognaro said. I will work in the emergency room up until July 1 and then after that will start my orthopedic residency.

A big part of a medical school graduate's life is the longstanding Match Day tradition and celebrations. But how does one celebrate during the COVID-19 pandemic?

COVID-19 changed the way Americans carry out their daily routines. It also changed the way Americans honor longstanding traditions such as Match Day, a day when the National Resident Matching Program or NRMP, releases results to applicants seeking residency and fellowship training positions in the United States.

Sampognaro, like others around the world, made the most of his big day in his own special way.

"At that point we were able to congregate in groups of 10and not under full quarantine at that point, Sampognaro said. So, my wife, myself, my buddy from school and his wife, got together and had our own miniature Match Day at my house. Our wives printed out our letters and we opened them and read them; that was kind of special.

Graduating medical school is huge deal, especially for parents.

More: LSU Health Shreveport postponing its graduation until time when it's safe for large groups

Obviously, they are very proud of me, but you know were in quarantine and we cant go to see them. Especially my dad, hes 65 years old and my moms in her mid-50s, Sampognaro said. So, I definitely dont want to be around them. Weve talked a lot on the phone and well celebrate when we can all get together.

Navigating the new normal brought on by the coronavirus pandemic is difficult for everybody, but especially difficult for the heroes who serve on the front lines, the essential, working Americans.

Its a little different, weve never dealt with a global pandemic, Sampognaro said. I dont believe my parents were ever forced to stay inside with a quarantine. This pandemic is very serious, and some people are not taking as seriously as they should. But youve got to look at the extreme measures that have been taken with shutting down restaurants and businesses and see what it could have been had we not, and if people dont follow the rules weve been given.

Sampognaro has not been around the hospital much, except to get finger printed and to have a few documents notarized.

More: LSU Health Shreveport among first in US to offer nitric oxide clinical trials for COVID-19

Sampognaro said. It definitely wont be a normal day of walking into the hospital, thats for sure. Ill be joining the front line workers. I believe ER shifts are normally 12-hour shifts. I havent been told yet, but I believe I will be working 12-hour shifts in the emergency room. Its really cool, how all the different aspects of LSU medicine in all the different fields, have come together and are working to fight the virus. The orthopedics team at LSU has started doing some ICU training. At the (core) we are doctors and have the ability to learn what we need to learn. Everybody has come together for extra training to help fight this virus.

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MedMentors On Call aims to provide guidance for premed students – Binghamton University Pipe Dream

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As a child of first-generation immigrants, Teri Lam, 17, did not know any physicians or medical students to connect with. Now, by co-founding MedMentors On Call, she aims to connect students in similar positions.

MedMentors On Call is an organization aimed at connecting the medical community by offering services from current medical students such as essay polishing, mock interviews, individualized office hours and more. Lam said stories like hers are not rare, and she is motivated to ensure guidance for medical school applicants.

I have always sought for a community of peers who can encourage and motivate me along my career, Lam wrote in an email. At Binghamton [University], I found that the study resources and mentors who have trekked a similar road were invaluable to my professional and personal growth. In building this company with my co-founder, our mission was to create a platform of guidance and connect premedical students with current medical students with the goal of strengthening the health community.

In addition to such services, MedMentors On Call has launched a seminar series that offers advice about the medical school application process to a larger, national audience. Lam said this has been especially helpful for students because it emphasizes teamwork in the premedical journey which is often perceived as a path one must take alone.

Its hard to find ways to distinguish oneself among other premedical students and sometimes, its even more difficult finding mentors, Lam said. My partner, Sharon [Lam] and I started MedMentors On Call so that students can receive help from current medical students who have recently undergone the medical school process, and, together, we can create a community of professionals helping each other.

Madison Pellnat, a junior majoring in integrative neuroscience, said she has felt this lack of solidarity within BUs premedical community.

I am honored to be able to pursue the premed track at [BU], however, at times it has been an unorganized and difficult field of study, Pellnat said. There is a whole narrative for premed students that professors have to get rid of the weak by making classes so hard that only some get good enough grades for medical school. I find that this outlook really rules out a lot of great and hardworking students and, instead of providing them with the correct tools to utilize to do well in their classes, oftentimes the students are left behind feeling inadequate.

Pellnat believes that MedMentors On Call would be helpful for all premedical students.

Oftentimes we spend so much time studying, that it is difficult to seek out these opportunities on our own, Pellnat said. Furthermore, there are rarely any occasions in which we could candidly talk to doctors about their experiences throughout undergraduate and medical school, which could be immensely inspiring to young premed students. I believe that forming this relationship can strengthen connections for future job opportunities and career advice.

By helping students find their voices, Lam said she hopes that students will gain insight into medical school and see medical school as a clear, attainable goal.

Premedical students volunteer at clinics for countless hours, conduct research even on the weekends and study all night for exams, Lam wrote. All of this boils down to an application, so these few essays must represent who they are as a person, what their motivation for medicine is and what they foresee their future may be like. This is hefty job. With our guidance, we hope that we are able to guide students to dig deeper into the sources of their values and motivation and write something that they are proud of. Confidence will come along with it.

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MedMentors On Call aims to provide guidance for premed students - Binghamton University Pipe Dream

Parks Associates: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Blue Shield of California, Care Planning Institute, Cox Communications,…

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DALLAS, Sept. 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- International research firm Parks Associates launches its seventh annual Connected Health Summit today, a virtual conference that addresses the impact of COVID-19 on the connected health market and current consumer attitudes towards virtual care solutions. The event, which runs September 1-3, will feature industry leaders from healthcare services, insurance companies, hospitals, device makers, and service providers to address emerging opportunities to serve consumers at home with new technology solutions.

The executive conference, sponsored by Alarm.com, athenahealth, Becklar, Nortek Security & Control, Softeq, and Sprosty Network, features presentations from key executives in the connected health space:

Parks Associates research finds COVID-19 is forcing seniors into new routines with smart home and healthcare technologies, which may result in new willingness to use tech-based solutions. Fifty-four percent of seniors who used a video conferencing solution during COVID-19 did so for the first time. Additionally, use of telehealth services rose five times year-over-year, with 29% of seniors reporting telehealth use in Q2 2020, compared to just 6% in 2019.

"COVID-19 is forcing consumers, smart home companies, and the healthcare industry to try new solutions and forge new partnerships to realize a complete, home-based experience in healthcare delivery," said Brad Russell, Research Director, Connected Home, Parks Associates. "At Connected Health Summit, we will examine market forces driving a range of new technologies, like virtual health assistants (voice/text/avatars), AI-powered diagnostics and navigation tools, AR and VR experiences, and robotics, and highlight industry perspectives on issues such as the potential impact on health outcomes, efficiency of healthcare delivery, market viability, expected speed of implementation, and important issues to consider when applying emerging technologies."

Registration is open, and media are invited to attend at no cost. For information on Parks Associates data, please contact Rosey Ulpino, rosey@parksassociates.com, 972.996.0233.

About Connected Health Summit: Consumer Engagement and Innovation

Parks Associates' Connected Health Summit is an executive conference focused on the impact of connected devices and IoT healthcare solutions on consumers at home. The conference provides insights on changing demands driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and the business models, IoT technologies, and deployments emerging to target these new needs. The conference addresses opportunities for new solutions, including smart home platforms, on-demand services, voice assistants, and wearables, to empower consumers, caregivers, and providers and to meet the growing demand for services in independent living, chronic care management, remote access, and wellness and fitness. http://www.connectedhealthsummit.com

Rosimely UlpinoParks Associates972.996.0233246580@email4pr.com

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Parks Associates: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Blue Shield of California, Care Planning Institute, Cox Communications,...

VIDEO: Mayor Caldwell announces COVID-19 testing partnership with University of Hawaii medical school – Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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The city has built a COVID-19 laboratory at the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine with as much as $4 million in federal Cares Act funds, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced today.

The new lab will be able to conduct up to 100,000 tests a year to support seven community health centers testing underserved populations and will initially be able to do up to 500 diagnostic PCR tests per day, with surge capacity of up to 1,000 tests per day, if necessary, Caldwell said.

The test kits are being developed and analyzed at the lab so the turnaround time for results is estimated at 24 to 48 hours.

Starting Monday you can get a free COVID test, Caldwell said during a media briefing at JABSOM in Kakaako. I encourage our residents in the community to come here and get tested. Its important for everyones health.

The tests are free for residents, with or without health insurance, with some reserved for first responders and City and County of Honolulu workers. Go to oneoahu.org for more information.

Oahu is also on track to move into the next phase of reopening in one week with restrictions on gyms, personal services and other activities being lifted as long as coronavirus cases remain low.

Caldwell urged residents to continue limiting gatherings to no more than five people and following COVID-19 precautions to ensure the number of cases and positivity rate declines or stays flat.

We all want to get there. Dont go around groups of more than five. Dont do that so we can get into tier 2, he implored residents.

Oahus seven-day average case count is currently at 68, while the seven-day average positivity rate is 3.4%, the mayor said. The islands seven-day average case count must stay below 100 and its positivity rate must be below 5% for 14 consecutive days to move into the next level of economic opening on Oct. 22.

When we get to tier 2 weve got to stay below average or we could end up moving back. We dont ever want to move back, he said. Were going into a period where we just opened up to visitors today and kids are returning to school and absolutely necessary, but because of these things we could see an increase in the number of cases, which is why we have to be extra careful right now.

Meanwhile, Ko Olina Resort has agreed to reopen all four lagoons and parking lots to the public on Friday from sunrise to sunset. The resort will also have its own standalone testing program for visitors, workers and people swimming at the lagoons. Visitors must follow masking and social distancing rules and limit groups to no more than five.

Next week on this day there will be an order entered by the governor moving us into tier 2 and hopefully then onto tier 3 and 4, Caldwell said.

Watch the briefing via the video above, or go to Mayor Caldwells Facebook page.

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VIDEO: Mayor Caldwell announces COVID-19 testing partnership with University of Hawaii medical school - Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Podcast: Racism as a public health issue – Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

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This episode of Show Me the Science' focuses on racial disparities in COVID-19, as well as protests aimed at systemic racism

Wenners Ballard III, MD, a hospitalist and an instructor in the Department of Medicine, took part in the White Coats for Black Lives demonstration on the Washington University Medical Campus in June. Ballard is providing for acutely ill patients who are hospitalized with COVID-19.

A new episode of our podcast, Show Me the Science, has been posted. At present, these podcasts are highlighting research and patient care on the Washington University Medical Campus as our scientists and clinicians confront the COVID-19 pandemic.

In St. Louis, as in much of the United States, African Americans are more likely to test positive for COVID-19. Theyre also more likely to be hospitalized, to end up in intensive care and to die of the infection. Further, protests that have erupted against police violence point to another stressor shouldered primarily by African Americans.

Lee

In this episode, we discuss systemic racism inside and outside the health-care system and how the COVID-19 pandemic has propelled the issue to the forefront of our national consciousness. We speak with third-year medical student Kamaria Lee about her life as she studies to become a doctor during a time of massive protests and a pandemic. We also speak with Wenners Ballard III, MD. A hospitalist and an instructor in the Department of Medicine, he takes care of acutely ill patients in the hospital. These days, every one of his patients has been hospitalized for COVID-19. The majority also are people of color.

The podcast Show Me the Science is produced by the Office of Medical Public Affairs at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

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Jim Dryden (host):Hello and welcome to Show Me the Science, a podcast about the research, teaching and patient care, as well as the students, staff and faculty at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, the Show Me State. My name is Jim Dryden, and Im your host this week. Weve been focusing these podcasts on the COVID-19 pandemic and Washington Universitys response. This week, we focus on race. In the St. Louis region, African Americans are four times more likely than members of other racial and ethnic groups to test positive for the coronavirus. And, as is the case in other parts of the country, theyre also more likely to be hospitalized, to be sent to an intensive care unit, and to die from the infection. But as weve all been reminded recently through the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks and others, COVID-19 isnt the only public-health issue having an impact on people of color. Well speak this week about race, public health, COVID and public demonstrations with third-year medical student Kamaria Lee.

Kamaria Lee:There is this decision that people, both inside and outside the Black community, are making of what is worse: putting myself out there and potentially getting COVID, or being silent. Everybody is still afraid, especially when we have had episodes of tear gas being sprayed, and people then are coughing and tearing and rubbing their eyes. So the fear isnt going to go away, but some people are saying, Enough is enough, and theyre kind of putting down their COVID fears to go out and protest.

Dryden:In fact, Washington University faculty, students and staff were recently among those at a White Coats for Black Lives event at the Washington University Medical Campus. Heres hospitalist Wenners Ballard.

Wenners Ballard III, MD:Were not going to stand for this. Enough is enough. And I think when you see health-care professionals, people that a lot of time you will put your life in their hands, standing up for a particular cause, it can resonate with people in a different way. And I think that touched me the most because a lot of times, you can feel like the world is against you and nobody does care. It touched people that saw the demonstration. And thats why we did it.

Dryden:In the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, as it was becoming obvious that African Americans were getting sick and dying at very high rates, medical student Kamaria Lee, who is hoping to pursue health inequities research after she graduates, wrote about the viruss effects on the Black community, and in that essay, she said, Each time I lose more of my people, I lose a part of me.

Lee:There has been somewhat of a narrative in our idea that Blacks are perhaps inherently more unhealthy. But its a narrative thats tied to Blacks having a higher rate of chronic conditions. Its this idea that Blacks are more likely to have the whole list: hypertension or diabetes and things like that. And thats really offensive when that is used as the rationale or the reason why there is a higher death rate in the Black community in St. Louis and across the country. Because a lot of that is said with this blame on the Black community, that its our fault that were just inherently unhealthy, that we could have made better choices. When really, you have to look again at history, you have to look at systemic racism and say, What is it like to undergo racism and discrimination on a daily basis? How is it possible for someone, whether its microaggressions or something more overt, to experience these things chronically throughout their life and have it not affect their health? It does. It affects your health. It has this extra load on your body. And all of that affects baseline level of health, and then it also can be amplified as were seeing in a pandemic or with many other illnesses.

Dryden:And I want to know how thats affected you as you are pursuing your training.

Lee:Being a medical student and knowing that the data is out there, that Blacks have a higher death rate, are more likely to be hospitalized and infected with COVID-19, and also already having experienced what its like to be a Black medical student. There arent many Black students in higher education in general, and thats true in medical training as well. So already having experienced, what it feels like a special bond with the Black patients that Ive interacted with in the hospital due to a cultural congruence, perhaps in some cases, but not all, increased trust. And then hearing about this public health crisis, or rather living through this public health crisis, knowing that its those patients or patients who look like me who Ive already related to on a very deep level in the hospital that are some of those that are most affected. Even just the anxiety and the mental-health aspect of knowing that your community is being more affected is also something that theyre going through and a struggle that we share.

Dryden:And you wrote youve seen extra fear in your peoples eyes when theyre in the hospital and there are few, if any, clinicians who look like them. So you also say that you felt distrust even of you sometimes because, for some, that white coat makes you a part of the ivory tower. I want to know, can you talk a little bit more about that?

Lee:Yeah. I think its important to always know the historical context in which were working. Even for myself being a part of the community, educating myself on what happened before I was here. And so just looking back, we have, from the 1930s to the 1970s, the Tuskegee syphilis study, in which Black men were experimented on in order to see what would happen with untreated syphilis. So during that time, penicillin was seen to be a cure for syphilis, but the men were not told about that, and their syphilis continued to be untreated, which is completely unethical and horrifying. There are also instances of Black bodies being robbed from graves to be used during medical dissections historically. And so not everyone in the Black community knows all of this historical detail. Some do, but some of that history is a part of the distrust. Or even more recently, segregation hospitals or knowing that your life isnt seen as the same when you walk into the health-care system because you were taken to a different hospital and some clinicians wouldnt allow you into their clinic. So all of that has created a long history and a reasonable history of distrust of, yeah, white clinicians, non-Black clinicians, but also the system. And a part of me being a clinician means that my identity is multiple things. Im a Black woman, but Im also part of the health-care system. And so sometimes skin color or even the same culture, a similar background, isnt enough to kind of negate the distrust that, like I said, is rightfully there for many reasons.

Dryden:Is this a good time to be a medical student? I mean, obviously the pandemic affects the rotations that you can do, your interaction with patients. On the other hand, this is a once-in-a-century sort of public-health crisis combined now with a public-health crisis thats been going on in the United States for at least 400 years.

Lee:Going to medical school now with the COVID-19 pandemic and with the current changes that were seeing, more people in society want to make towards or against racism. I think a lot of people in the Black community and other minority communities have been pushing for people to realize how bad racism is, which sounds silly because its been going on for decades and hundreds of years. But I feel like there has been this hope for others and enough of other people to finally be fired up to make change. And I think that while its not changing everyones minds and some people are more cynical about how much change can actually be made, I think its a critical moment for people in medical school to understand that you need to acknowledge racism and be actively working against racism in order to be an adequate clinician.

Dryden:When you finish medical school, somebodys going to make a speech and say to you and your classmates that youre part of the future, you will write the future. But you wrote in your essay that its hard not to be intimidated by the enormity of the problem here. So how can you and your classmates make that future different and better?

Lee:One thing I recently encouraged my classmates to do is to all put health inequity research as something that they do. Or if theyre interested in research, health equity advocacy is something that they do. I have a bachelors in sociology from college. And like I said, right now and in the future, I hope to continue health inequities research. And while its great that I can define myself that way and say, This is who I want to be in my academic career, its actually sad that I can define myself that way because it should just be something that all clinicians are doing. It shouldnt be a distinguishing factor. It should be, Im in the medical field. Ive taken an oath. And Im here to fight against inequities, fighting against racisms effects on health. And so thats something that I really hope my classmates will all do, is define themselves the same way I have defined myself so that its not actually a unique way to go about their careers.

Dryden:Several WashU physicians, others recently, that participated in the White Coats for Black Lives. What message was sent that day, and does it relate in any way to the inequities that you see regarding COVID-19?

Lee:I think it represents an intent, it represents an action. But as far as how large the issue is of racism and how significant racism is as a threat to public health, as weve seen with the police brutality or just several unjust murders, its a very small step. It is up to everyone, regardless of their race or ethnicity or their own background or privilege, to walk in what they did at the protests every single day. To be more cognizant of how they are treating their patients, to understand, Maybe if Im not from the same culture, that doesnt mean there is no chance of relating, and so to at least try. There is a lot of things that need to happen in the micro-level within each patient interaction, with interactions of all of their trainees, as well as in their own personal lives and how they raise their children. And so something thats a powerful image can represent intent and hopefully represents a promise. But its a very small step in what actually needs to be done both by individuals and at institutional levels. But some people are saying, Enough is enough and are kind of putting down their COVID fears to go out and protest.

Dryden:One of those young African Americans wearing a white coat was Wenners Ballard III. Hes a hospitalist at Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. That means he takes care of acutely ill patients in the hospital. And for the last several weeks, that has meant patients who have COVID-19.

Ballard:Ever since this really ramped up in about late February or early March, Barnes dedicated a certain group of physicians to only taking care of COVID patients to sort of limit the exposure to a lot of physicians. And I was one of those.

Dryden:Is that a scary thing from your perspective, or does it mean that there are certain folks in your life that you cant see because youre taking care of these patients?

Ballard:I dont know if I would call it scary. Its definitely in the back of your head where you do hear of younger people catching this and having poor outcomes. But its definitely a lower mortality rate in people in my demographic age group-wise. But it is still worrisome. And I wasnt able to my dad has multiple myeloma and hes currently on chemotherapy, so I wasnt able to go back and see him, where I probably otherwise would have. So in that way, it did affect me. But you kind of put all that to the side when you see how many people are affected and kind of need your help. It just feels like your calling and this is what you did all this for in the first place. So you kind of step up to the plate and dont really think about the other things.

Dryden:African Americans have been hit harder than many other communities. Is that what youve experienced on the floors at Barnes-Jewish?

Ballard:Absolutely. Definitely, African Americans have been hit disproportionately by COVID, especially in St. Louis. I think when you look at the statistics across the nation, what youre seeing is African Americans being disproportionately affected, but specifically African Americans that live in certain parts of the country. So for instance, if you look at New York, which is kind of the epicenter for all of this, people that lived in certain counties in New York City had a threefold higher rate of infection and a sixfold higher rate of dying. If you look in cities like Chicago thats much closer, the infection rate among African Americans, I believe, was around 50%

Dryden:Meaning that 50% of the COVID cases in Chicago involved African Americans.

Ballard: And the mortality rate among African Americans was around 70%, but they only make up 30% of the population in Chicago. Its mostly centered around on the south side of Chicago. So it has a lot to do with socioeconomic status.

Dryden:These racial disparities are not unique to COVID-19, correct?

Ballard:They are not. And I think its interesting I was actually thinking about this the other day I think COVID-19 kind of pulled back the shade a little bit and showed us like, Wow, these health disparities are real, and theres something that really needs to be done about it. Sort of like how when everybody saw that video of the knee on his neck, people said, Wow, enough is enough. Theres something that we need to do about it. And youre seeing some change occur already. I hope that same thing will happen in the health-care community and we start to do more things to try to bridge the gap. When you arent able to do social distancing because you work at the local grocery store, you work at the gas station, you work at places where youre not able to work from home, youre not able to telework, youre not really able to social distance. And also, when you live in these areas, the household density is higher, meaning theres a lot more people under one roof. And I think St. Louis is a prime example, when you look at the Delmar Divide, weve known about these health-care disparities for a very long time. I had a lady that was 50 years old. She had no medical co-morbidities. And she could not stop going to work because if she did, her lights would be cut off, her waters going to get cut off. She got COVID. She ended up on the highest form of life support we had called ECMO. Ultimately, she did walk out of the hospital. And she is one of the very rare cases that we see. And she almost didnt make it. And its just very shocking to see a 50-year-old thats otherwise very healthy that probably could have avoided this if she could have teleworked, if she had been able to not worry about her lights, if she had, you know, a lot of things.

Dryden:What can medical professionals and the health-care community in general do about this at the moment? Well, you know, on the George Floyd issue, we can say, Well, lets take some steps to monitor police in different ways. On the health-care front, what can someone like you do?

Ballard:Its complicated, and its going to take a lot and a long time, but I think what we can start doing right now is working on our own implicit biases, kind of addressing how we look at each individual patient. So I know a lot of times colleagues of mine walk into a room and see a particular patient and adjust the way they speak to them or adjust their expectations of how that interaction is going to go. I think sometimes people and I dont think people do it maliciously, honestly. I think its just because of lack of knowledge and lack of exposure. I dont think people should be ashamed to say that they dont really know how to go about these interactions or how to make sure somebody is understanding what theyre saying. Educating our patients more is a big part of this. Thats something that we can do every day when we walk into a patients room. And I think doing our best to check our biases at the door is another big thing that we can do right now. I mean, its something that we definitely need to start doing, but we also need to work on a bigger change in the country overall.

Dryden:You recently attended the White Coats for Black Lives event. What motivated you to do that? And what message were you, and the other physicians and health-care workers participating trying to send?

Ballard:I think the message that were trying to send is, overall, one, solidarity and unity and standing up for whats right and showing the people in this country and the rest of the world that were not going to stand for this, enough is enough. And I think when you see health-care professionals, people that a lot of times you will put your life in their hands, standing up for a particular cause, it can resonate with people in a different way. And I think, when I saw a lot of the people driving by, it was very interesting to see the varying reactions. There were some people in tears just being so touched by it, some people honking their horns, clapping, cheering. Some people scowling. Some people yelled out some things as they drove by. What I saw overall was overwhelming support. And I think that touched me the most. Because a lot of times you can feel like the world is against you and nobody does care, but to see that amount of people in that position caring that much, that they walk out of their jobs, they stand on the street, they hold up signs, they kneel for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, to see that many people doing that in that profession, it touched me. So I know that it touched people that saw the demonstration. And thats why we did it. We did it to show that this cant keep happening and its not going to keep happening and were going to do something about it.

Dryden:People were wearing masks. They were socially distancing. When you see some of the other protests where maybe masks arent as ubiquitous and where maybe people either by choice or because theyve sort of been corralled by police are very close together, does that worry you as the guy that might be treating some of these folks?

Ballard:Absolutely. Absolutely. Because of course, a lot of the people at these protests are 50 and younger. You would probably be asymptomatic if youve got it, honestly, or have mild symptomatology from it, but you could pass it on to somebody thats not. So I think it is important that people do, especially for the time being, keep their masks on. Especially at these protests, we get really excited, were loud, I think it is important to try to social distance as best you can and wear a mask. And if you do that, then dont let it deter you, and get out there. Get your message across. Thats also important because theyre both health-care crises.

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Dryden:Ballard and Lee say many things must change to address the health-care disparities that put people of color at greater risk for COVID-19 and other illnesses. And both say theyre committed to becoming part of the solution and encouraging their colleagues in medicine to do the same. Show Me the Science is a production of the Office of Medical Public Affairs at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The goal of this project is to keep you informed and maybe teach you some things that will give you hope. Thanks for tuning in. Im Jim Dryden. Stay safe.

Washington University School of Medicines 1,500 faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Childrens hospitals. The School of Medicine is a leader in medical research, teaching and patient care, ranking among the top 10 medical schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Childrens hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare.

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Podcast: Racism as a public health issue - Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

Board of Trustees grants faculty appointments, promotions – Washington University in St. Louis Newsroom

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At the Washington University in St. Louis Board of Trustees meeting May 1, several faculty members were appointed or promoted with tenure, effective July 1 unless otherwise indicated.

Erik Dane as associate professor of organizational behavior at Olin Business School;

Jorge Andres Di Paola, MD, as professor of pediatrics at the School of Medicine (effective May 1);

Feng Sheng Hu as professor of biology and of earth and planetary sciences in Arts & Sciences;

Jonathan Kipnis as professor of pathology and immunology at the School of Medicine;

Carolina B. Lopez as professor of molecular microbiology at the School of Medicine (effective June 1); and

Randall Vaughn Martin as professor of energy, environmental and chemical engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering;

Ying Chen, MD, PhD, to associate professor of medicine at the School of Medicine;

Brian T. Edelson, MD, PhD, to associate professor of pathology and immunology at the School of Medicine;

Malachi Griffith to associate professor of medicine and of genetics at the School of Medicine;

Irfan J. Lodhi to associate professor of medicine at the School of Medicine;

Mohamed Mahjoub to associate professor of medicine and of cell biology and physiology at the School of Medicine;

Ben Julian Palanca, MD, PhD, to associate professor of anesthesiology at the School of Medicine; and

Jiajun Zhang to associate professor of operations and manufacturing management at Olin Business School.

Excerpt from:
Board of Trustees grants faculty appointments, promotions - Washington University in St. Louis Newsroom