Social Medical Schools

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Social Medical SchoolsU.S. News and World Report’s traditional rankings for medical schools have failed to address social mission as a factor in their rubric, according  to a new survey in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The study shows that the traditional top medical schools poorly neglect important considerations like producing a sufficient number of minority physicians and adequately distributing doctors in underserved areas.

The analysis was based on responses from 60,043 physicians in active practice who bhad graduated from medical school between the years 1999 and 2001.

Top-ranked private medical schools like Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins, Duke, Northwestern, and Stanford all were in the survey’s bottom twenty. However, schools with the highest “social mission” scores include three historically black colleges (Morehouse College, Meharry Medical College, and Howard University) as well as public schools like University of Kansas, Michigan State University, and the University of Mississippi.

The Obama Health Care Plan will induct nearly 32 million newly-insured patients into the American health care system, with new, highly-trained physicians needed more than ever in traditionally underserved areas. The new health care plan will also create a much higher demand for primary care physicians and general practitioners rather than specialists alone. Let’s hope that medical schools heed the report to ensure care for all in the U.S.!

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First Do No Harm

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Hospital food is a popular butt of jokes, right alongside airplane food and other institutionally-prepared meals. The food is usually stale and stinky, and anything that actually tastes good on the tray is usually pre-packaged and pre-prepared off-site. But why shouldn’t hospitals—a place of healing—be a location for delicious, healthful food that will speed recovery?

An NGO called Health Care Without Harm, based in the U.S. in Arlington, Virginia, is working on doing exactly that.

Health Care Without Harm has sponsored meals in Baltimore hospitals. The advocacy group also continues to work with hospitals to remove  meat from antibiotic-treated livestock from their menus, as well as eliminate deep-friend foods and foods with trans fats and high-fructose corn syrup.

At Health Care Without Harm’s urging, St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth, Minnesota and Good Shepherd Hospital in Hermiston, Oregon now offer grass-fed beef (which contains less overall fat than grain-fed beef). And more than 250 hospitals in the U.S. have signed Health Care Without Harm’s pledge to serve more fresh fruits and vegetables (organic and local when possible), reduce processed foods and foods containing trans fats, and offer hormone-free milk.

Health Care Without Harm also works on reducing emissions from incinerated medical waste, keeping mercury out of hospital building supplies, and lowering use of polluting hospital practices.

So fear not: soon enough, hospitals may be where you go to get tasty, quality meals that are good for your body and your tastebuds.

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Choices In Childbirth

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My best friend is having a baby. She lives right around the corner from a hospital–how convenient! Except that she really doesn’t want to have her baby in that particular hospital, whose C-section rates are some of the highest in the city. She’s interested in natural childbirth options. She wants to have her baby in a birthing center, and our city has only two of those. Two. We have 8 million people–quite a few of those making more people–and two options for birthing centers.

One of those options is in a whole other borough where I happen to live, but my Manhattanite friend blanches at the thought of having to make her way to while, oh, IN LABOR. Sometimes I’m a little sensitive about her reluctance to schlep out here, but in this case, I guess I get her point.

So that leaves one. With a wait list. I won’t leave you in suspense–she was accepted, and is looking forward to her experience there (if in an understandably holy-#%*&-this-is-really-happening way).

If the options out there are fewer than we wish, we’re happy that there are resources online connecting women with care providers, midwives and doulas who are striving to improve maternity care. Here’s a hometown favorite: www.choicesinchildbirth.org.

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Anxiety Therapy: A Cure for Your Anxiety Disorders

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It may be surprising to know that mild anxiety might in fact be helpful to you to keep you focused and alert during circumstances which need your high attention. But a lot of times these mild anxieties grow into troublesome anxiety disorders where the person might become panicky for longer periods of time and observe symptoms like headache, stomach disorders, hyper tension etc. usually associated with excessive stress. Fortunately, treatment is available for such disorders. If you know that you have an anxiety disorder and if you seriously want to overcome it, anxiety therapy is a good and promising option. Different therapists suggest different therapies for the successful treatment of anxiety.
Major kinds of anxiety disorders:
- Generalized anxiety disorder: People having this kind of disorder develop a pessimistic attitude towards life usually. Such people have recurring fears and are constantly anxious about the future.
- Panic disorder: People facing panic; observe sudden feelings of fear and terror, which make them act abnormally at times. These people often become introverts and avoid getting involved in any activity for the fear of facing panic suddenly.
- Phobias: These are fears related to certain objects, people of circumstances.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder: The person might get obsessed with some activity, routine, or a person. They might do some things more than often example-cleaning things obsessively to prevent germs.
- Post traumatic stress disorder: These occur in individuals who have witnessed or been a part of some terrible, traumatic incidence. As soon as they are reminded of that event or incidence they experience nausea, breathlessness, trembling and uncontrollable flood of emotions ranging from anger to sorrow.
Importance of anxiety therapy: As we can observe, most of the anxiety disorders occur as a result of fear which is the root cause of most of the problems. Anxiety therapy uses different methods to eliminate that fear and teaches the patient ways to cope with such issues later on. Anxiety disorder if left untreated may have unwanted consequences. Panic attacks may increase and might prove fatal for the sufferer. The fear which is growing inside the individual might prevent him from fulfilling his social, emotional as well as professional obligations. The life turns dull and the person either becomes totally unenthusiastic or turns into a social criminal. Appropriately trained therapists can successfully cure anxiety disorders. Two most popular kinds of therapy are: Behavioral therapy and cognitive therapy. Both are known to be highly effective in providing strength to anxious minded people. Anti anxiety medications may also form a part of therapy. The dosage and proper usage of drugs must be closely monitored by the physician who prescribes it.
One must understand that anxiety therapy is not instantaneous but is a complete process. It is very important for the patient to feel comfortable with the therapist and the overall proposed method of anxiety treatment,
All individuals are unique and so are the problems associated with them. Hence the anxiety therapy must be specifically designed for any person keeping in mind hi/her comfort level and lifestyle. Anxiety therapy is the best way to recover from any kind of fear, shock or trauma which might trouble you throughout your life.

anxiety-depressionIt may be surprising to know that mild anxiety might in fact be helpful to you to keep you focused and alert during circumstances which need your high attention. But a lot of times these mild anxieties grow into troublesome anxiety disorders where the person might become panicky for longer periods of time and observe symptoms like headache, stomach disorders, hyper tension etc. usually associated with excessive stress. Fortunately, treatment is available for such disorders. If you know that you have an anxiety disorder and if you seriously want to overcome it, anxiety therapy is a good and promising option. Different therapists suggest different therapies for the successful treatment of anxiety.

Major kinds of anxiety disorders:

- Generalized anxiety disorder: People having this kind of disorder develop a pessimistic attitude towards life usually. Such people have recurring fears and are constantly anxious about the future.

- Panic disorder: People facing panic; observe sudden feelings of fear and terror, which make them act abnormally at times. These people often become introverts and avoid getting involved in any activity for the fear of facing panic suddenly.

- Phobias: These are fears related to certain objects, people of circumstances.

- Obsessive-compulsive disorder: The person might get obsessed with some activity, routine, or a person. They might do some things more than often example-cleaning things obsessively to prevent germs.

- Post traumatic stress disorder: These occur in individuals who have witnessed or been a part of some terrible, traumatic incidence. As soon as they are reminded of that event or incidence they experience nausea, breathlessness, trembling and uncontrollable flood of emotions ranging from anger to sorrow.

Importance of anxiety therapy: As we can observe, most of the anxiety disorders occur as a result of fear which is the root cause of most of the problems. Anxiety therapy uses different methods to eliminate that fear and teaches the patient ways to cope with such issues later on. Anxiety disorder if left untreated may have unwanted consequences. Panic attacks may increase and might prove fatal for the sufferer. The fear which is growing inside the individual might prevent him from fulfilling his social, emotional as well as professional obligations. The life turns dull and the person either becomes totally unenthusiastic or turns into a social criminal. Appropriately trained therapists can successfully cure anxiety disorders. Two most popular kinds of therapy are: Behavioral therapy and cognitive therapy. Both are known to be highly effective in providing strength to anxious minded people. Anti anxiety medications may also form a part of therapy. The dosage and proper usage of drugs must be closely monitored by the physician who prescribes it.

One must understand that anxiety therapy is not instantaneous but is a complete process. It is very important for the patient to feel comfortable with the therapist and the overall proposed method of anxiety treatment,

All individuals are unique and so are the problems associated with them. Hence the anxiety therapy must be specifically designed for any person keeping in mind hi/her comfort level and lifestyle. Anxiety therapy is the best way to recover from any kind of fear, shock or trauma which might trouble you throughout your life.

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About Croup With Children

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Croup is a condition that causes an inflammation of the upper airways — the voice box (larynx) and windpipe (trachea). It often leads to a barking cough or hoarseness, especially when a child cries.

Most cases of croup are caused by viruses. Those involved are usually parainfluenza virus (which accounts for most cases), adenovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Croup is most common — and symptoms are most severe — in children 6 months to 3 years old, but can affect older kids, too.

Most cases of viral croup are mild and can be treated at home, though rarely it can be severe and even life-threatening. Some children are more prone to developing croup when they get a viral upper respiratory infection.

The term spasmodic croup refers to a type of croup that develops quickly and may happen in a child with a mild cold. The barking cough usually begins at night and is not accompanied by fever. Spasmodic croup has a tendency to come back again (recur).

Symptoms are treated the same for either form of croup.

Signs and Symptoms

At first, a child may have cold symptoms, like a stuffy or runny nose and a fever. As the upper airway (the lining of the windpipe and the voice box) becomes progressively inflamed and swollen, the child may become hoarse, with a harsh, barking cough. This loud cough, which is characteristic of croup, often sounds like the barking of a seal.

If the upper airway becomes increasingly swollen, it becomes even more difficult for a child to breathe, and you may hear a high-pitched or squeaking noise when a child inhales (this is called stridor). A child also may tend to breathe very fast and might have retractions (when the skin between the ribs pulls in during breathing). In the most serious cases, a child may appear pale or have a bluish tinge around the mouth due to a lack of oxygen.

Symptoms of croup are often worse at night and when children are upset or crying. Besides the effects on the upper airway, the viruses that cause croup can cause inflammation farther down the airway and affect the bronchi (large breathing tubes that connect to the windpipe).

Read More About Croup Here

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Social Media Enhances Medical Community

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Everyone these days are benefiting from social media, especially the medical community. This blog will feature articles about how the medical community is evolving with the help of social medial.

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