Perspectives
A Word From the President
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
What Americans think about medical schools and teaching hospitals
by Darrell G. Kirch, MD, AAMC President and CEO
“That’s when I knew I wanted to be a doctor”
by Darrell G. Kirch, MD, AAMC President and CEO
Viewpoints
Monday, September 10, 2018
Healing the healers
by Jay M. Behel, PhD, and Adrienne S. Lawson, EdD
A disturbing number of students report being mistreated at some point during medical school. Restorative justice — an approach that brings together offenders and victims for honest dialogue — just might help.
Monday, August 13, 2018
“Until one day I stood on a bridge, looking down”
by Leonard Su, MD
A physician sounds the alarm on mental illness and his own escape from the depths of despair.
As a first-year resident at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), Travus White, MD, stood in a trauma bay, directing a team rushing to save a toddler with a life-threatening allergic reaction. As adrenaline coursed through his body, White scanned nearby carts for treatments. None, when administered, seemed to have any effect.
“What I remember the most was that the respiratory therapist kept saying, ‘He’s not breathing, he’s not breathing, he’s not breathing!’” notes White. But he pressed on, using the algorithm he’d learned in training. Soon the patient responded, and White shook off the stress as if waking from a dream.
In fact, the whole scenario had happened in White’s mind — thanks to a pair of virtual reality (VR) goggles and software developed with the help of CHLA educators. The patient and emergency staff were merely animations programmed to respond realistically to trainees’ split-second decisions.
Academic Medicine in the News
Friday, October 05, 2018
Immune system emerges as partner in opioid epidemic fight
Researchers at the Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research have shown that an individual’s immune system could help in the fight against substance use disorder by limiting drug cravings. While there is no single cure for substance use disorder, these findings could play a role in developing new neurological interventions.
Friday, October 05, 2018
New data science institute fuels learning and care improvements for minorities
Meharry Medical College has launched an initiative called the Data Science Institute. The institute will allow students and researchers to examine more than 3.5 million medical and dental records to gain insights into the medical and socioeconomic trends that impact the health and wellness of minorities and the underserved.
Friday, October 05, 2018
Biden Cancer Community Summit held at MD Anderson Cancer Center
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center joined 450 communities and institutions across the country in hosting a Biden Cancer Community Summit on Sept. 21, 2018. Summit organizers sought to encourage dialogue about advancements in cancer research, prevention, and diagnosis in local communities.
