Brokeback Med School, Kids and Weed, and Beheading Doctors

Lecture is about to begin. That should be fun.

This morning in PBL, the student in charge of bringing breakfast, forgot the goods for the second time. What a jerk. In anticipation of eating this morning, I didn't eat breakfast, and now I am hungry. "My stomach feels like it is eating itself", as some might say.

Right now there are two girls from my class practicing giving high fives to each other.

Some people tell me I am an urban cowboy/cowgirl, I agree with them.

Links of Note
Child Health Family International
International Medical Volunteer Association
International Health Medical Education Consortium

BROKEBACK MED SCHOOL



News YOU Should Know About
(clizk quotes)

1. Beheading Threat Makes Doctor Flee
"Dr. Nafie Abtan once operated a thriving medical clinic in Baghdad, but one day last June he received a hand-delivered letter threatening to cut his head off if he remained."

2. CT Scans May Not Prevent Lung Cancer Deaths
"A new study suggests that screening smokers and former smokers for lung cancer doesn't save lives or prevent advanced disease and may lead to unneeded and harmful treatment. But it's not the final word on CT scans."

3. Are Orange Tomatoes Better For You?
"Food scientists at Ohio State University in Columbus have grown a special variety of orange tomatoes that may be healthier than garden-variety red tomatoes. The orange tomatoes contain a type of lycopene that is more readily used by the body than the type found in red tomatoes, they report."

4. FDA Chief: Regulating Tobacco Could Be Harmful
"Government regulation of tobacco could backfire by inadvertently forcing smokers to light up more and inhale more deeply, the head of the Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday...."

5. A Perfect Storm For Creating Drug Addicts
"The scene was a shocking one: Children, 2 and 4, inhaled deeply on a marijuana cigarette with encouragement from their 18-year-old uncle. The incident, recorded on videotape by another juvenile, aired widely on cable news stations and eventually led to the two Fort Worth, Texas, toddlers being sent to foster care....."

String Cheese, Medicinal Rice, Non-stop Pain, and Drugs

The Light, Nonfat Yogurt I am eating right now has a really weird, thick consistency.

AMSA National Convention This Weekend. Hey-oooooh.

Does anyone want to be a Vulvologist when they grow up?

I am now eating String Cheese.

Another type of String Cheese, the String Cheese Incident.


Websites of Note
Foxy Vegetables
The Future of Food
National Geographic
Being There: September 11 Volunteers Working in Morgues


News I Want You To Know About
(click quotes)

1. Girl's Nonstop Sneezing Baffles Doctors
".... In what her doctors have dubbed a "medical mystery," Owens' sneezing spell has defied diagnosis time and time again. Doctors have ruled out allergies and neurological disorders."

2. Medical Mystery: No Fingerprints
"Imagine touching glass and not leaving a mark — virtually no trace of the complex lines and ridges that make up each individual fingerprint. Most of us take these identifying traits for granted. After all, everyone has fingerprints, right? Wrong."

3. Personal Problems Become Back Pain
" The following is what modern medical science currently understands about the most common kind of low back pain, the backache that bedevils working-age adults who are otherwise totally well. This is a pain that does not involve the legs — unlike many back pains — and that comes on for no apparent reason."

4. Prescription Drug Abuse Exceeds Illicit Street Drug Use Worldwide
"Abuse of prescription drugs is about to exceed the use of illicit street narcotics worldwide, and the shift has spawned a lethal new trade in counterfeit painkillers, sedatives and other medicines potent enough to kill, a global watchdog warned Wednesday."

5. US mulls backing 'medicine rice'
"Authorities in the United States have given preliminary approval to a plan to grow rice genetically modified to produce human proteins."

Wallege, Tofurky, a 93lb Tumor, and Erectile Dysfunction

We are both the world and the people.

A wise man once told me that college=wallege. When I asked him what that meant, he didn't give me a response. When I asked him why he wouldn't give me a response, he told me "For you, to understand my young ninja, you must go to college, because college=wallege."

I just ate Chicken Pad Thai. The person I ate with, had Peanut Chicken w/ tofu.

Is Tofurky good? I can't imagine that it is.

How come people who only eat Vegetables are called Vegetarians but people or animals who eat only meat aren't called meatatarians?

News Storiesis
(click quotes please)

1. Art classes teach docs-in-training new ways to see
FYI: My school, Yale, and other schools have been doing this for years.
"Lessons on drawing and poetry aren't typical requirements for medical students. But a doctor who teaches at the University of Nebraska Medical Center thinks they may help young physicians pay more attention to the little details. "Observation is a skill," said Dr. Bill Lydiatt, a specialist in head and neck cancers. "The key here is to learn how to observe....."

2. Obesity surgery triples among U.S. teens
SWEET.
"The number of U.S. children having obesity surgery has tripled in recent years, surging at a pace that could mean more than 1,000 such operations this year, new research suggests."

3. Woman's 93-pound tumor mystery
I mean, SERIOUSLY!
"Tipping the scale at 360 pounds, Kayla Hilton is seriously obese and has major health issues, but the Oklahoma woman's long-term prognosis is encouraging now that doctors have removed the 93-pound ovarian cyst that grew undetected inside her for years."

4. Nerve grafts may restore erectile function
YAY!
"In men who have become impotent following prostate cancer surgery, implantation of nerve grafts into the penis allows some men who were potent before surgery to recover erectile function, researchers report."

5. Retired NFL players focus of health push
"Before the echocardiogram or the prostate exam, before blood was drawn or body fat measured, the patients had a simple task amid the nearby Super Bowl pomp: Sign the football."

Anal Sex, STD Dating Sites, and the Miracle Baby

Finalmente. I am able to post on the blog again. My sincerest apologies for a lack of posting over the past few days. I had a cardiovascular exam today (not on myself) and I now have free time again. Phew.

Over the past few days, the following thoughts have come to mind.......
1. Are photos of animals considered nude photos since they usually aren't wearing clothes?
2. Why I am I on a sugar cereal kick right now? I have been eating lots of cocoa pebbles and Cap'n Crunch.
3. Whilst it medical school, why don't they teach you about Medicare, Medicaid, Insurance Companies, etc? After all, it is the system we are going to be entering!!??!
4. Why does the coffee at the medical center cost so much? Seriously.
5. Are there canaries on the Canary Islands?
6. If their not there, then who is where and who is there?

Peter's Health Visit



Peter's Prostate Exam



Going, Going, Back, Back, To College, College, Websites:
Bloody Penguin Game
Virtual Beirut/BeerPong
Napster
College Humor

Medical Newssssss
(click quotes for stories)

1. Business Booming for STD Dating Sites!
"...But John and his date are far from alone. And the growing number of people in similar situations has created a new industry: Internet dating sites just for people with STDs."

2. Antibiotic linked to serious bleeding condition
"An antibiotic often used in hospital intensive care units to treat serious staph infections resistant to other medicines may cause a sometimes-fatal bleeding condition, researchers said Wednesday. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine linked the antibiotic vancomycin to a disorder called thrombocytopenia."

3. Virginia to Require Vaccine for Girls
"Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said Thursday he would sign legislation requiring all sixth-grade girls to be vaccinated against the sexually transmitted virus that can cause cervical cancer."

4. Miracle Baby Dies and then Comes Back To Life After 30 Minutes
"Doctors say they've never seen anything like it: A little boy who was pronounced dead came back to life 30 minutes later."

5. The last lovemaking taboo lifted?
"According to results of a federal study released two years ago, 40 percent of men and 35 percent of women surveyed in 2002 said they have had anal sex with an opposite-sex partner. An earlier study published in 1994 showed that among heterosexuals, 26 percent of men and 20 percent of women had ever engaged in anal sex. And if anecdotes by experts are to be believed, the numbers have boomed in the last few years."

To My People

Sorry for not writing over the past few days. There is lots of action going on in the homefront. When I say a lot of action, I mean A LOT. I have been applying for grants, both year-out and research, receiving really poor exam scores back, writing differentials, reading for a final exam, and crying. So, bear with me. There will be more Anonymous writings tomorrow (Friday).

On the good side of the bridge, you can now Digg, e-mail, send to facebook, subscribe, and still comment on each day's entry. Give it a go!

One Love.

Celebrity Health Awards, Green Tea, and Self Centered Patients

And it all comes down to this.....

I don't know why people sometimes make drastic changes in their appearance....

First I used Prodigy, then AOL, and now I just use high speed internet.

What if a medical student has narcolepsy? Would that affect their clerkships?

Standardized Tests. Are they really standardized?

Extreme people probably shouldn't be allowed into medical school. Right?!

Recommended Sites
Green Tea
Black Tea
Medical School Resources

News
(klik kwotes)

1. Greater Quality Control Needed For Overseas-trained Doctors
"The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has urged the Federal Government to toughen visa entry requirements for overseas-trained doctors if States and Territories continue to drag their heels on the implementation of national assessment standards."

2. Capitol Hill Press Conference: Statement From The American Medical Student Association President On Student Debt
"The following remarks were delivered by AMSA president Jay Bhatt to members of Congress, the media and collegial and community organization members as a part of the Campaign for College Affordability Day of Action....."

3. Nine secrets to a healthier heart
"Health gathered the latest tricks -- all backed by solid research -- to take care of your heart."

4. Are Today's Students Too Self-Centered?
"Today's college students are more narcissistic and self-centered than their predecessors, according to a comprehensive new study by five psychologists who worry that the trend could be harmful to personal relationships and American society."

5. Dr. Manny's Good Health Awards: Celebrities Who Live Healthy Lives
"Take away the glitz, the glamour, the television cameras, the after parties with their certainly taxable, obviously extravagant goodie bags, the highly paid comedian to host the ceremony; subtract Joan Rivers and her couture commentary since there's no red carpet in cyberspace... and you've got The First Annual Dr. Manny Awards."

HIV, Circumcision, Hotter Sex, and Tamponade

Tamponade
1. Tamponade is a condition of blood flow stoppage either by insertion of a tampon (a wadded cotton plug) into a blood vessel or by a constriction of the vessel by an outside force.
2. Collection of fluid between the heart muscle and the pericardial sac
3. A yummy drink that tastes good on a hot, sunny day.


In the Hospital

In the Hospital, the mighty Hospital,
Patients sleep tonight.

In the Hospital the mighty Hospital,
Patients sleep tonight.

Drugs and plugs, and docs in scrubs,
Drugs and plugs, and docs in scrubs.

Drugs and plugs, and docs in scrubs,
Drugs and plugs, and docs in scrubs.

To be continued........

Websites of Note
American Medical Students Association
Medical Notes From BBC
Genpets
Med School Ready

News Stories of Note
(click quotes)

1. The Grassroots Abortion War
"Wood is the CEO of Asheville Pregnancy Support Services in Asheville, North Carolina, one of the thousands of crisis pregnancy centers in the U.S. that are working to end abortion. Hers is the new face of an old movement: kind, calm, nonjudgmental, a special-forces soldier in the abortion wars who is fighting her battles one conscience at a time....."

2. Assembly Gives 14-Year-Olds A Say on Key Medical Care
"Virginia lawmakers passed a bill called "Abraham's Law" yesterday after agreeing that 14 is the appropriate age for a teenager with a life-threatening condition to have a hand in making medical decisions."

3. Walgreens-based medical centers offer limited care at fixed prices
"Take Care Health Systems LLC, based in a Philadelphia suburb, plans to open five clinics in Walgreens drugstores this spring."

4. Circumcision cuts HIV risk more than thought
"In an “extraordinary development” in the fight against AIDS, a medical journal article published Friday says that conclusive data shows there is no question circumcision reduces men’s chances of catching HIV by up to 60 percent."

5. One preacher's message: Have hotter sex
".... I have come here expecting exactly this scene. The occasion is a seminar called “Love, Sex and Marriage,” being given by Joe Beam, a Southern preacher out of the old school, a self-described “book-chapter-and-verse guy,” who runs an outfit based in Franklin, Tenn., called Family Dynamics. So I’m anticipating condemnation of American culture — especially America’s sexual culture — that has made conservative Christians feel besieged."

The Model That Smells Like Dead Fish

Birthday Cake Tastes Good Any Time During The day.

Ice Cream Sandwiches Are Loaded With FAT.

Rice Wine From Laos Tastes Interesting.

I Wonder How Many New Foods/Snacks Are Introduced to Consumers Each Day?!

Functionality is Functional.

I HAVE HEARD RUMORS OF DOCTORS AND MEDICAL STUDENTS USING IV'S TO CURE HANGOVERS. IS THIS FACT OR FICTION? ANY THOUGHTS?


Newsie News
(click quotes)

1. The Model Who Smells Like Dead Fish
"No matter what she does, Camille says she can't cover the smell. Neither showers nor perfume helps. Camille has a medical mystery that she's struggled to understand for nearly 30 years. It took her self-esteem and was taking her profession. She says she was often in a state of panic."
2. Line between overeating and binge disorder is a thin one
"While many of us overeat but never reach this extreme, doctors are becoming alarmed at the number of Americans who are becoming binge eaters. Binge eating has now become America's most common eating disorder, affecting one in 35 women, making it three times as common as anorexia nervosa, according to new research."

3. FDA approves ADHD drug Vyvanse
"A new amphetamine-based drug to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder won federal approval Friday. It's harder to abuse than older stimulants, the manufacturer says."

4. Energy drink banned at Colorado school
"A high school banned a caffeine-packed energy drink after students complained that it made them sick and shaky and caused their hearts to race."

5. Nearly Half of Indian Women Have Not Heard of AIDS
"More than 40 percent of women in India have not heard of AIDS, according to a government survey that has alarmed activists."

Poetry For The Soul, Med School Romance, and Pot

I'm just a student, what do I know?
I have no answers and my brain works too slow.

Please don't pimp me,
I hate how it feels,

Show me the light,
Teach me to heal.

Give me a chance,
Guide me along,

I want to learn stuff to help people and things of the similar also know to show people feel nice and good.


I am a medical student. This is a scenario that happened to me at clinic yesterday:
A patient came to the office because she was "pregnant". She had 4 positive home pregnancy tests in November and last week she had a serum pregnancy test. She was at the office for follow-up and to hear the results of the serum pregnancy test. My preceptor gave me the results. They were negative for HCG. So, the patient really wasn't pregnant. But, she actually thought she was, since November. I HAD TO DELIVER THIS NEWS ON MY OWN. NOT FUN.

Sites of Note
http://www.wholefoods.com
http://www.urbanoutfitters.com
http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/medical-student.html
http://www.peets.com

Medical School Romances

News
(click quotes)

1. Gay men seek 'female cancer' jab
"Homosexual men are requesting a controversial "sex disease" vaccine designed to prevent a female cancer. Gardasil protects against the most common of sexually transmitted infections, human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause cervical cancer. But HPV also causes genital warts and anal and penile cancer, and men argue the jab would guard against these."

2. Expert says ban all alcohol ads
"A leading doctor says all advertising of alcohol must be banned in a bid to curb Britain's growing drink problem."

3. 10 years after Dolly: Clones, crooks and crazies
"Ten years ago today, the birth of the first cloned mammal — a sweet-faced sheep named Dolly — was announced to the world. Her creators, a team of veterinary scientists at Scotland’s Roslin Institute, approached their landmark scientific achievement with a sense of humor: They named the lamb after Dolly Parton. (The DNA they used to clone her came from a breast cell.) Much of the rest of the world, however, was not amused....."

4. Group sues feds over medical marijuana claim
"Armed with a new study showing the drug can ease pain in some HIV patients, medical-marijuana advocates sued the federal government Wednesday over its claim that pot has no accepted medical uses."

5. Eat Smart: Five important goals to improve your diet
"You can make a fresh start with a few easily attainable nutrition goals of your own. Pick one, two, or all five that we suggest, and make an effort to incorporate the changes into your eating routine. We'll give you everyday ideas for ways to meet these goals -- and keep in mind that even incremental improvements count toward your overall goal."

Squash, Flatus, and Pre-Eclampsia

Power Point has ruined the current state of higher education. It also makes the presenter look like they don't really know their material.

Why do beans cause flatus? Any thoughts?

Squash is both a sport and a food.

Many medical terms have no valid roots and as a result, are difficult to memorize.

The automated maps on www.weather.com really make you feel like a weatherman.


Sites of Note
Medical School Rankings
Virtual Autopsy
Medical Palm Pilot Programs


News
(click quotes)

1. Birth weight pre-eclampsia 'link'
"Women who were underweight when they were born are at greater risk of severe pre-eclampsia in pregnancy, a Swedish study involving 6,000 women suggests."

2. ADHD drugs to carry new guides on heart, mental risks
"The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that it directed the manufacturers of Ritalin, Adderall, Strattera and all other drugs for attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, to develop the guides. In May 2006, the agency told manufacturers to revise the labels of the drugs to reflect concerns about the cardiovascular and psychiatric problems."

3. Child's trauma may affect parents' health
"The stress of having a child go through a life-threatening event may have long-term health consequences for parents, a new study suggests."

4. Herpes treatment may help HIV patients
"Treating genital herpes may slow the progression of the AIDS virus in those infected with both viruses, researchers reported on Wednesday."

5. Do Libras Live Longer?
"Peter Austin wasn't a bit surprised when he found evidence of what appears to be a strong link between specific astrological signs and life-threatening medical problems. Is it possible that our health is really determined by the zodiac, or the sign under which each of us was born?"

Britney Spears, BEEF, Foot Massage, and Size Zero Pants

To the AnonymousLawStudent:
a) Who are you and where do you hail from?
b) I don't discuss "Race", for I believe we are all multiracial.

Yesterday I was working with an OB/GYN attending who was 6 months out of residency. While working with her, she told me, "I hate my patients. I hate my practice. I hate my life."
Any thoughts on this??

Going to class isn't always beneficial for me. However, I feel guilty not going because I am paying about $50,000/year to attend these said classes. NOT COOL.

I ate some soup today for lunch. It had chicken, rice, celery, carrots, and LOVE in it. I knew it was going to be good the second it touched my lips.

I feel like the world should leave Britney Spears alone. She is going through some tough times and just wants to be alone with her babies and maybe K-Fed.

Cubicles are really welcoming if you are tired. Other than that, they can be a little bit anti-stimulatory.

HOW COME BEEF IS NO LONGER WHAT'S FOR DINNER, LIKE THE COMMERCIALS USED TO SAY?


Foot Massage Lesson by Health-Choices Holistic Massage School



Foive Pieces of Nehws
(klick quoties for stories)

1. Natural contraception 'effective'
I BEG TO DIFFER.
"A natural family planning method is as effective as the contraceptive pill, German research suggests. The symptothermal method (STM) assesses fertility levels during the monthly cycle by measuring body temperature, and observing cervical secretions."

2. 'Size zero means clothes now fit me'
SWEET!
"Half of young women say they are unhappy with their bodies, but naturally slim women find the "size zero" debate focuses all eyes on what they eat, says Rebecca Hedges in our Readers' Column."

3. Sexualisation 'harms' young girls
AGREED.
"The media's portrayal of young women as sex objects harms girls' mental and physical health, US experts warn. Magazines, television, video games and music videos all have a detrimental effect, a task force from the American Psychological Association reported."

4. Executions on Hold in Some States
DOCTORS SHOULD NOT PARTICIPATE.
"A legal and ethical bind has brought executions to a halt in North Carolina: A federal judge ruled that a doctor must monitor the condemned for signs of pain. But the state's medical board has threatened to punish any doctor who takes part in an execution."

5. University provides low-calorie cafe to students
FINALLY!
"These days Mean Green means more than the green-jerseyed football team at the University of North Texas. The campus also has a hot new cafeteria called Mean Greens. And as you might suspect, it serves up a lot of green, and otherwise healthy, food."

Cat Fecal Coffee, Better Sex, Depressed and Obese America

Question by Blog Reader: "The obesity problem of the United States sounds pretty disgusting...can you confirm that exists? I'm Canadian..."

Answer by Blog Writer: Yes. It exists. It is gross, actually. However, I have been to Ontario and British Columbia and there seems to be obese people there too, just not as many.


Question by Blog Reader: I heard a rumor about a coffee shop in San Francisco that sells a certain coffee bean for $40 per pound. The reason that this particular bean is so expensive is apparently because it is harvested from the fecal matter of some type of mammal. Can anyone confirm or deny this rumor? And either way, can anyone with medical knowledge explain the health benefits or detriments to drinking poop-coffee?

Answer by Blog Reader: First of all, I like rumors. I like spreading them, starting them, and whatevering them. Regarding this said "poop-coffee", please see the following articles:
1. Article about coffee from Cat Feces
2. Article about the most expensive coffee one can buy

I like fishes 'cause they're so delicious!
Pork, the other white meat.
Drink Water, Be Free.
Why eat apples when you can eat applesauce?
Tea has anti-oxidants in it.
I eat food because I am a hungry person.

News
(click quotes)

1. How Depressed Is Your Country?
"Picture the countries battling the highest rates of depression, and you probably think of those that are developing or poor. Think again. The U.S. tops the list, with 9.6% of the population experiencing bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder or chronic minor depression over the course of a year. That's compared with a .8% rate documented in Nigeria."

2. Doctors Who Deliver
"Have back-to-back meetings but just came down with a nasty sore throat? Don't worry about a time-consuming trip to the ER or finding a local doctor who can't fit you in. Call a doctor that will come to you--whether you're in the airport, office or hotel room."

3. All dressed up — in latex and dog collars
"This bus is full of people going to a party at a club here called The Chambers, after spending the day at the Hyatt Regency for "FetishCon," an annual convention that is part trade show, part classroom, part nighttime scene for fetish aficionados and the merely curious."

4. From pills to vacuums: In pursuit of better sex
"Perhaps because nearly one in five men in the U.S. suffer from erectile dysfunction, according to a recent study in the American Journal of Medicine. Some researchers have estimated that as many as 40 percent of U.S. women have low libido or inability to reach orgasm. Most quick fixes simply don't work, and some, like Spanish Fly — a supposed aphrodisiac derived from beetles that can cause kidney damage — are harmful."

5. Cocoa may improve brain blood flow
"A nice cup of the right kind of cocoa could hold the promise of promoting brain function as people age. In an increasingly aging world, medical researchers are seeing more cases of dementia and are looking for ways to make brains work better."

Trix, Emotions, and OTC Viagra

If Life Was A Highway, like the song says, I don't think I'd want to ride it all night long because I'd probably get tired.

Although Trix Are For Kids, adults like me like them as well.

They now make Energy Water, aka Water plus Caffeine.

Being Tired on Monday is normal for me, but, it's not cool, at all.

Some say love is like a river, but, I think it is more like an ocean of emotion.

Sites of Note
www.harvard.edu
www.yahooligans.com
www.ifmsa.org

News of Note
(click quotes for stories)

1. More young women consider donating eggs
"Human egg donation was a rarity not so long ago. But heightened demand for eggs — and rising compensation for donors — are prompting more young women to consider it."

2. Big gulp: Your Drinks May Be Making You Fat
"New findings are adding to the research suggesting that more than ever before, what and how much we drink may increase calorie intake and weight without our noticing."

3. British pharmacy tests selling Viagra over the counter
"British pharmacy chain Boots will begin a trial program on Valentine’s Day to offer men Viagra without a prescription......"

4. Don't blame him if she can't get no satisfaction
"Right off the bat, Dr. Anita H. Clayton wants to make it clear that “this is not about men.” Well it is a little, at least for heterosexual women, but Clayton exaggerates in the interest of reassuring me. She has a theory that many women are dissatisfied with their sex lives and I’m expecting the usual indictment of insensitive male fumbling, with the words “beer,” “ba-da-bing,” “foreplay,” “seventh-inning stretch” and “torn sweatpants” figuring prominently......"

5. Virtual reality used to treat soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder.
"The immersive system combines realistic street scenes, sounds and odours to allow patients to relive traumatic events in a controlled environment."

Lying Patients, Red Bull Video, and Cocoa Pebbles

The world is spinning, but we appear stationary at times.

If you have never been to a laser light show in a planetarium, you should really consider going.

Cocoa Pebbles are a great snack.

Leisure reading can be easy, but it can also be difficult.

Tarzan was a wild and crazy guy.

A Website worth checking out.....
http://www.ashoka.org/

A non-medical, but neat, video....



News Stories to Consider Reading:
(click quotes for stories)

1. Study: Fish good for pregnant women
"Eating seafood during pregnancy could help your child's development, according to a new study in the British journal Lancet."

2. Should Babies Be Scanned?
"As we were sitting there in the office, we realized we still faced an enormously difficult decision. Whenever you have a medical test, you have to ask yourself, What am I going to do with this new information?".....

3. Tests show morphine eases coughs
"The opiate drug morphine is effective in easing long-standing coughs, as doctors have suspected, a study shows."

4. Patients lie to doctors — and suffer for it
"There’s an open secret in medicine: Patients lie. They lie about how much they smoke and whether they’re taking their medicine. They understate how much they drink and overstate how much they exercise. They feign symptoms to get appointments quicker and ask doctors to hide the truth from insurance companies."

George Bush, Hoochie, Viagra for Babies

Hay May, It's The Hoochie Nay.

A friend just got off of 39 hours straight in the hospital. That's not cool.

Sleeping in class. Acceptable or not acceptable?

Pizza with bacon, cheese, potatoes, and chives? Cool or not cool?

Bunnies or Hamsters for pets? I am going to go with neither.

The Sun is Shining, The Rain is Gone.

Websites of Note
http://www.unicef.org/magic/
http://www.forgeprogram.org
http://www.fic.nih.gov/

People of Note
George W. Bush
Crocodile Hunter
Jim Carrey

News of Note
(click quotes for stories)

1. Viagra used to save baby's life
"Lewis Goodfellow was born at 24 weeks weighing just 1lb 8oz. One of his lungs had failed and not enough oxygen was able to get into his bloodstream. Doctors at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary then tried Sildenafil, also known under the trade name of Viagra, and Lewis is now home with his parents."

2. Most spiking cases 'just drunk'
"Most patients who believe they have had their drinks spiked test negative for drugs, research at Wrexham Maelor Hospital has found."

3. FDA warns consumers of online drug scam
"Consumers who thought they were purchasing sleep aids, antidepressants and other drugs over the Internet instead were shipped a powerful anti-psychotic, sending some unwitting victims to the emergency room, federal health officials warned Friday."

4. China Covers Up Detention of AIDS Doctor
"They gave her flowers. Dr. Gao, 80, squinted toward the camera, surely understanding that pictures can lie. She was under house arrest to prevent her from getting a visa to accept an honor in Washington. Her detention attracted international attention, and the photo op was a sham, apparently intended to say, “Look, she’s fine and free as a bird.”

5. Survey Puts New Focus on Binge Eating as a Diagnosis
"The first nationally representative study of eating disorders in the United States, a nationwide survey of more than 2,900 men and women, was published by Harvard researchers in the Feb. 1 issue of the journal Biological Psychiatry. It found a prevalence in the general population of 0.6 percent for anorexia, 1 percent for bulimia and 2.8 percent for binge-eating disorder."

American Idol, Anna Nicole, Dumb and Dumber

American Idol. I mean, they are not my idol. Are they yours?

The late Anna Nicole Smith. More of an American Idol that most American Idols, for her stunning looks, witty sense of humor, and likable personality. An All-American Lady, in my expert opinion.

"Poodles and Pussies". The name of the pet company in the movie Dumb and Dumber.

Classical music. It's good for puppies and babies.

Love. Boy, was it in the air yesterday.

Internet Addresses of Note
www.medicalstudent.com
www.studentdoc.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_school
"Nontraditionalmedicalstudent"



Tips from a Med School Student - Flu Shot Myths




The News.
(click quotes for stories)

1. Salmonella outbreak linked to 2 peanut butter brands
So, stick to Nutella and Jelly.
"ConAgra Foods Inc. told consumers to discard certain jars of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter after the spread was linked to a salmonella outbreak that has sickened almost 300 people nationwide."

2. Study: Office Desks A Bacteria Haven, Especially for Women!
Decide for yourself.
"Your office desk harbors far more bacteria than your workplace restroom, and if you're a woman, chances are your workspace has more germs than your male co-workers', a new research report shows. Women have three to four times the number of bacteria in, on and around their desks, phones, computers, keyboards, drawers and personal items as men do, the study by University of Arizona professor Charles Gerba showed."

3. Loving with all your ... brain
Yeah, Brain!
"Close your eyes for a minute and envision all the romantic parts of the human body. Her beautiful eyes. His strong shoulders. We'll stop there, but you go right ahead and think about all the body parts you want. Bet you didn't think about the caudate and the ventral tegmental areas, did you?"

4. Watercress 'may cut cancer risk'
Interesting......
"Eating watercress regularly could help cut the chances of developing cancer, research suggests. The University of Ulster work suggests it cuts DNA damage to white blood cells - considered to be an important trigger in the development of cancer."

5. Harley St bans abortion clinics
NOT COOL.
"Clinics offering abortions and cosmetic surgery have been banned from opening in the UK's most famous medical district. The move has been made by Howard de Walden Estate, which owns many of the properties in London's Harley Street."

Love

It's the day of Love, which is why it has taken me so long to write and which is why I won't be writing much today. I love loving things. I love food. I love learning. I love the sun. I love the snow. I love the rain. I love being outside. I love sleeping. I love being awake. I love people. I love animals. I love to love things. I love hot sauce. I love clothes. I love biting my nails. I love letting my nails grow. I love shopping until I drop and also dropping until I shop. I love when airlines cancel your flights and don't tell you. I love cartoons but I also love cars. I love world-class activities like golf and sailing. I love weightlifters who eat lots of protein. I love to love things. I love traveling. I love gateways. I love arches. I love roses. I love posies. I love sushi. I love nakedness. I love the US Virgin Islands. I love infants and children. I love foreign nationals. I love Terra Blues. I love breathtaking landscapes. I love water on a cold day and I love hot tea on a warm day. I love distractions from daily life. I love urban sophistication. I love Arizona. I love the weather.com moving radar screens. I love earning miles. I love not earning money. I love stores where people treat you nice. I love waffles with chocolate sauce. I love papyrus. I love luxury. I love low-fares. I love Grays Papaya. I love popularity. I love America. I love the World. I love making memories. I like eating rice cookies. I love the second when soy sauce hits my tongue. I love wiping. I love winning. I love sprinting. I love shooting baskets. I love being on hold and listening to automated messages. I love the smell of a puppy. I love the smell of circulating airplane air. I love the little bags people carry dogs in. I love.

Pot, Menstrual Pain, and Food Link

Question of the Day: Why do many Chinese restaurants serve Pizza on their to-go menus?

Thought of the Day: People who think they know everything are fooling themselves, but also fooling other people at times too.

Notable Websites:
Partners in Health, an organization providing care for those in need. Click here.
Food Link (UK), a guide to food safety. Click here.

Three Notable News Stories
(click quotes for stories)

1. Menstrual cycle injury risk link
"London's Portland Hospital surveyed 1,000 osteopaths, and studied 17 women with a regular menstrual cycle. The study suggests the risk of injury is linked to fluctuating hormone levels which affect the muscles and ligaments."

2. Plastic, but not fantastic
"According to all media, so it must be true, plastic surgery is a growth industry world wide. People who've had face-lifts are having their face-lifts lifted. The Taiwanese are having New Year face-lifts to bring them luck."

3. Pot-smoking eases foot pain, HIV patients report
"Smoking marijuana eased HIV-related pain in some patients in a small study that nevertheless represented one of the few rigorous attempts to find out whether the drug has medicinal benefits. The Bush administration's Office of National Drug Control Policy quickly sought to shoot holes in the experiment."

The Real Hamburger, Earthfoot, and Fake Patients

Over the weekend I had a lot of time to think about a lot of different things. Here are a few unanswered questions that remain.
1. Can dogs be gay?
2. Who would score higher on the SAT's? Justin Timberlake or Cameron Diaz?
3. Do the people who play medical identities on TV shows feel like they are doctors in real life?
4. Who really invented the hamburger? Connecticut or Texas?
5. Why are the words pilates and pirates not pronounced with a similar pronunciation?

A bizarre Craigslist posting: Klick here to see
(This is why they call it "Dirty Jersey or Dirty Jerz")

A cool Eco-tour company/network called "Earthfoot". Klick here to see

The website for the Association for Clinicians for the Underserved.
Klick here to see

Some Really Great News
(Klick quotes for stories)

1.Blacks Less Likely To Receive Certain Diagnostic Tests in ED, Study Finds
Healthcare At Its Best! Hooray!
"Blacks, women and the uninsured who seek treatment for chest pain in emergency departments are less likely than others to be given certain diagnostic tests, according to a study published in the February issue of Academic Emergency Medicine"

2. 1 in 5 women with lung cancer never smoked
Yikes! Stripes! Fruit Stripe Gum!
"Up to 20 percent of women who develop lung cancer have never smoked, U.S. researchers found in a study that suggests secondhand smoke may be to blame."

3. Fake patients help break in newbie doctors
They have standardized patients at my school......how about yours?
"Most women want to put off that dreaded once-a-year pelvic exam. Imagine volunteering to have one four times a week — by a trembling novice doctor. That's what Kat Wentworth does. She works as a stand-in patient to help train medical students how to give below-the-waist exams."

4. Beauticians cut, curl, offer stroke-prevention info
Guerilla.
"Two women in Cincinnati had better leave big tips the next time they get their hair done. They survived strokes thanks to fast action by their beauticians, who were taking part in a novel program to raise stroke awareness as they clipped, straightened and braided their customers' hair."

5. New cancer scanner could be a sun-lover's lifesaver
When is this gadget coming to America?
"For sun-loving Australians, a changing mole can mean an anxious wait followed by the possibility of sometimes unnecessary surgery. But a simple scanner that can detect skin cancer at an early stage could help save lives and stop thousands of Australians needlessly going under the knife."

Global Doctors, Fashion, and Women Who Like Sweat

My sickness is on the upswing, so that's cool. I figured since I slept more last night, I should get a puppy that would keep me up all night.

I wish my school was in Upstate NY, I heard that they got almost 100 inches of snow! That is insane and I bet they've canceled classes there.

High heels. I don't get them. Besides fashion and helping to increase calf size, what's the point of them? I mean, your toes can't go to the end of them, they are hard (not easy) to walk in, and they aren't more comfortable than say, clogs or rounded-toed shoes. You know?

Sweater vests. Another interesting fashion statement. They keep your chest and back warm but not the rest of your upper body. I mean, at least wear a turtleneck-sweater vest, right?

DOCTORS FOR GLOBAL HEALTH: check out the site (click here)

DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS: check out the site (click here)


And some news......
(click on quotes for links)

1. Mmm, sweaty! Women aroused by male scent
"Researchers at the University of California at Berkeley said women who sniffed a chemical found in male sweat experienced elevated levels of an important hormone, along with higher sexual arousal, faster heart rate and other effects."

2. Brutal Case Studies
"When Harriet Washington, a med-school graduate and former fellow in ethics at Harvard Medical School, decided to research medical crimes against African-Americans, she feared she'd turn up much more than the Tuskegee experiment. She was right."


3. Opposites attract: Compatibility's in the genes
"A new study reveals that a cluster of genes, involved in immune function among other things, could predict how sexually attracted a person is to a partner and how likely a woman is be faithful to her mate. Couples in which the individuals had dissimilar versions of so-called major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes had the greatest sexual compatibility."

4. Want a foot massage with your Novocain shot?
"So it seems odd to see “dental spa” written across the clear glass doors of a dentist’s office in Chicago’s tony Water Tower building, and to hear soothing classical music as you lie on a cushy massaging reclining chair while the hygienist readies her tooth scraper."

5. Accidental drug-poisoning deaths on the rise
"Unintentional deaths due to drug poisoning — primarily with prescription drugs — increased by 68 percent between 1999 and 2004, and is second only to motor vehicle crashes as a cause of death from unintentional injury in the U.S., investigators at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report."

My Interview w/ Tiromed.com

This is the beginning of my Interview w/ Tiromed.com. If you like it and/or you want to learn more about Tiromed.com, PLEASE go to their site and check it out! It's a great site for physicians, medical students, premeds, and anyone in the medical field! If you like "student doctor" aka SDN, then you will LOVE this site. If you don't like SDN, you will also probably like this site. It has something for everyone......

Interview with Anonymous, a Med Student Blogger

“The Anonymous Medical Student” is a blog kept by an anonymous medical student somewhere in the world. In terms of blog-life, it is still a baby in age, but is growing fast in the community of blog readers; it received just about 2000 hits in its first month of life! It’s a great blog that offers a potpourri of information, from the personal thoughts of the writer, to interesting website links, to weird and current medical news available from a plethora of different news sites!

TM: What is blogging and why do you blog? What is the future of blogging, in particular, in the medical community?

ANONYMOUS: A blog is essentially an ongoing narrative or monologue. It’s a forum for personal expression, free-writing, art exhibiting, or really whatever the “blog-owner” decides should exist on it. I decided my blog would include my internal monologue, med school videos, random medical news stories, and sometimes my own writings of poetry and the otherwise.

I blog because I like to share what is going on inside of my head. I blog anonymously because it makes things more fun for the readers, for they don’t know where I am, what school I go to, whether I am male or female, what color my hair is, or whether I am right handed or left handed. By being anonymous, it allows the reader to interpret and guess.

TM: Why do you prefer to remain anonymous as a blogger? What precautions do you take, if any, off the web? Do you worry about identity "exposure'? Why?

ANONYMOUS: To be honest, I don’t take enough precautions. I tell some of the same stories I tell on my blog to people at school, but, luckily, only two friends who have sworn to secrecy are the only people at my school who read my blog. Other students at my school don’t read my blog yet because I don’t want them too. You see, I have developed a strategy and formula for how I want to introduce my blog to the people. The formula is a cross between guerilla marketing and P=MD.

TM: Who is your ideal reader, and what are you looking for from them?

ANONYMOUS: My ideal reader is alive. That’s it. He/She/It doesn’t necessarily need to be associated with the medical profession because my blog is very easy to relate to and very easy to read. I like to say that my blog is “for the people”.


tiromed.com - - - - - CHECK IT OUT!