A team of researchers at Harvard Medical School has found that the success of a COVID-19 vaccine will depend on not only its efficacy, but also the pace at which it is delivered, the severity of the pandemic, and the publics acceptance of immunization.

Three major pharmaceutical companies released phase three clinical trial results for their COVID-19 vaccine candidates in November, reporting vaccine efficacy rates the percentage reduction of disease in the vaccinated group compared to the unvaccinated group well above 50 percent, the threshold for approval by the Food and Drug Administration.

The study, published in Health Affairs on Nov. 19, was a collaboration with researchers at Yale School of Public Health led by Rochelle P. Walensky, a Harvard Medical School professor and the Chief of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital a Medical School affiliate.

Walensky said the group was motivated by a desire to understand how these vaccine efficacy rates translate and contribute to their true effectiveness in the general population.

There's a lot of different definitions to vaccine efficacy, Walensky said. What does that mean? Does that mean that the person who receives the vaccine doesn't get the disease? Does that mean they can't transmit disease? Does that mean they don't get severe disease?

The team sought to understand true vaccine effectiveness how well a vaccine works in the population by accounting for factors in the current backdrop of the pandemic which affect vaccine implementation, according to Walensky.

We combined all those parameters in this model that we were building to look at not only efficacy, but also parameters of effectiveness like coverage, pace, and how bad the pandemic is at the time you're trying to do a vaccination strategy, Walensky said.

Walensky said the researchers also considered the Americans willingness to get vaccinated a key factor in planning, given that recent surveys have found many would not seek vaccination if a COVID-19 shot were to become available.

The proportion of the population that receives a vaccination is just as important as the vaccines efficacy, Walensky said.

Say you have for all intents and purposes a 100 percent efficacious vaccine but it takes six months to roll out to 50 percent of the population, she said. If you only get it to 50 percent of the population, your coverage drops to 50 percent immediately.

Though the federal government has invested billions in vaccine development through its Operation Warp Speed program, only millions have been invested in implementation and scale-up, according to Walensky.

The investments in development have not nearly been matched by orders of magnitude in the investment in deployment and communication, Walensky said.While there have been a lot of plans that have been drafted, they're not necessarily funded plans, and those plans really need to have money behind them.

Walensky also said that even a highly effective vaccine will struggle to control the pandemic if infection rates continue to rise.

If you have a cup of water and it can put out a fire on your stove, that same cup of water can't put out a forest fire, Walensky said. It really may work very well, but it's only as good as the backdrop in which it is trying to work.

Practicing social distancing and mask wearing is key to lowering infection rates and creating the best environment for maximizing vaccine effectiveness, according to Walensky.

We should not be giving this vaccine more work than it already has to do, and by putting it in the backdrop of a lot of cases, we are doing that, she said.

Staff writer Virginia L. Ma can be reached at virginia.ma@thecrimson.com.

See the article here:
COVID-19 Vaccine Success Will Depend On Factors Beyond Efficacy Rate, Harvard Medical School Study Finds | News - Harvard Crimson

Long before the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe, tribal nations suffered from higher mortality rates from infectious diseases than the general population. Add to that an underfunded healthcare system, higher rates of poverty, and a limited inventory of personal protective equipment, and Native American communities could only expect the worst outcomes during the pandemic.

Thats exactly what were experiencing in Indian Country right now from the Navajo Nation, saysMary Owen, director of the Center of American Indian and Minority Health and assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health, both at the U of M Medical School, Duluth campus. They are third in the nation on being the most impacted by COVID-19, after New York City and New Jersey.

Owen has teamed up with two Native American-owned companies that help match physicians and healthcare professionals to tribal communities most in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. But its not just the immediate health problems that the disease brings to Native American communities; it's also setbacks to primary funding sources like casinos and tourism, which help support essential functions.

Now, without those economic bases, we know that health is going to be impacted for a long time to come, says Owen, who is also president-elect of the Association of American Indian Physicians.

So far, six full-time providers from Minnesota, including two family physicians, have signed up to volunteer their time and care at tribal sites.

Read the original here:
Providing health care to tribal communities in the face of COVID-19 - UMN News

An online course speedily organized for more than 300 medical school students who were abruptly sent home from the University of Virginia in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic is highlighting the often overlooked connections between medical training and the arts.

Medical school professors Marcia and James Childress put together Confronting Epidemics: Perspectives from History, Ethics, and the Arts in a matter of days after the schools sudden closure in mid-March.

To provide context, under normal circumstances, medical students start checking in on patients at 5:30 or 6 a.m., stay in the hospital until between 4 and 6 p.m., and spend the rest of the evening studying for examinations, says Lydia Prokosch, a third-year medical student who took the course. It was jarring to go from a strenuous yet critical part of our education to having little to no structure.

The course was designed to fill that crucial need, and to give burgeoning clinicians reeling from the immediate health impact of the coronavirus a broader perspective on the cultural history of plagues, from the 1918 Spanish Flu to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

In developing the course, the instructors worked with colleagues from across the university, including M. Jordan Love, a curator at the schools Fralin Museum of Art who consulted on imagery to help students understand how societies have understood prior pandemics.

Artists have responded to plagues in a variety of ways, says Love, whose training is in medieval art history. And they didnt necessarily create imagery as a plague was happening, because they were too busy trying to survive.

In the years after the bubonic plague of 134751, churches commissioned painters to create altarpieces depicting saints associated with healing. There were also poets such as Gilles Li Muisis, a Frenchman who chronicled the plague in an illustrated manuscript that included images of mass burials.

An engraving depicting a plague doctor from Rome, circa 1656. Courtesy WikiCommons.

When you look back on these images and compare them to those we see coming out of Brazil today, where weve seen stacks of coffins, it connects us to the people of the past in a profound way, Love says.

Humanities courses are a longstanding part of the curriculum for University of Virginia medical students. Early on, the interest was in keeping doctors well-rounded so they could converse with patients about something more than an antibiotic dose, says Marcia Childress, a scholar of English literature who has been at the university since the 1980s. But it has become clearer since that we can use the arts to teach and practice certain core clinical skills, including observation, analysis, and the ability to tolerate ambiguity.

Medical students are increasingly schooled to use certain algorithms when developing diagnoses and treatment plans, she says. But there are always clinical situations that are outside the perimeters of those algorithms, about which you need to be creative and imaginative about what you see.

As part of the course, students were shown images of late-Renaissance-era plague doctors, who often wore beak-like masks as personal protective equipment (PPE), and were asked to draw or design their own PPE.

We asked them, what would make you feel safe? Childress says. And some of the students were just as worried about having their own faces obscured, because they wanted to be able to communicate with their patients. Some students even imagined decorating their PPE to present their individual personalities.

Childress stresses that the importance of empathy is a big part of courses such as theseand the point is not lost on her students.

Practically speaking, empathy among medical students has been found to drop precipitously in the third year of medical education, Prokosch says. I wonder if small opportunities to pause, reflect, and make something new would help to ignite some of the compassion that drove us to choose the medical profession in the first place.

Excerpt from:
What Can Medical Students Learn From Art History? The University of Virginias New Course Reveals How Art Shaped Our Understanding of Plagues - artnet...

As the response to the COVID-19 pandemic restricted in-person activity, medical schools had to invent new ways to educate out of necessity. Some of those innovative methods may have staying power that go well beyond the pandemic, reshaping how tomorrows doctors are trained.

When you face a disruption on the order of this magnitude, it forces you to think about the principles by which we preserve the very essence of our work. We quickly learn that some strategies we assumed were the only way to do things can be changed without damaging the quality of our educational programs, said Catherine Lucey, MD. She is vice dean for education at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, one of the 37 member schools ofAMAs Accelerating Change in Medical Education Consortium.

A lot of changes were put in place to deal with COVID-19 disruption, but its also given us a new freedom to experiment with new models of education that may end up being better, Dr. Lucey said in an interview with the AMA.

Dr. Lucey and co-author S. Claiborne Johnston, MD, PhD, highlighted five potential COVID-19-related changes to medical education that may have staying power in a JAMA Viewpoint essay, The Transformational Effects of COVID-19 on Medical Education.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, medical schools have created electives giving medical students the chance to engage with the public health response. Learners also served as evidence-based ambassadors for the population at large.

The pandemic strengthened the partnership between health care delivery systems and public health professionals, Dr. Lucey said. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic was acute and dramatic, but it made people reset their idea of what it means to alleviate suffering in our patients and improve the health of our communities.

Its not just doctors operating alone, and its not just a cardiologist and a basic science investigator working alone, she added. It requires everyonethat means doctors, nurses, public health experts, policy experts, all of those people are required to solve problems.

Dr. Lucey added that this type of approach could be applied to other public health crises such as the opioid epidemic and the ongoing pandemic of health care disparities.

Find out how medical schools innovated to engage medical students during the pandemic.

The pandemics onset was a teachable moment for any health professional. In her JAMA Viewpoint essay, Dr. Lucey outlined what that meant for medical students and how it could be adapted going forward.

The pandemic helped cement the shift to a philosophy of really focusing on the role of the physician in reasoning through ambiguous and unknown problems as the focus of education, rather than teaching students that the role of physician was to memorize a body of knowledge that was already in existence and good enough for what usually happens, Dr. Lucey said. Thats a really important philosophic difference. The first approach really creates physician problem-solvers who are capable of addressing both enduring and emerging threats to health.

Learn how med schools used 3 learning models to keep students on track during COVID-19.

When the physician workforce proved to be overwhelmed in certain hot spots, states called on medical schools to graduate their fourth-year students months early to help bolster the response. The measures required navigating somewhat cumbersome red tape but demonstrated that move could be an option in the future.

The pandemic showed us an example of why we need to think about early graduation for our students, and it showed us all the hurdles we will need to jump over to do it, Dr. Lucey said. Its a shock to the system that asks the question: if we are willing to attest that our students are competent to graduate early in the pandemic, could we not also do so as a matter of usual practice?

Find out how a med school in a COVID-19 hot spot deployed early graduates.

The pandemic caused the cancellation of most away or visiting rotations. That could create a more level playing field going forward, since not all students can access such experiences.

The opportunity to go around the country and do audition rotations is a clear legacy practice, Dr. Lucey said. When you talk with people about it, its not clear who it benefits the most. Does it benefit the students or the programs?

In spite of the absence of away rotations, I dont believe that programs will see a big difference in the quality of that they recruit and match into their programs, Dr. Lucey said. As such, it is possible that we will be rethinking whether these rotations should be restarted next season.

Get four expert tips on how 2021 residency applicants can succeed with video interviews.

Medical schools were proactive in communicating expectations and restrictions with students. Going forward, Dr. Lucey envisions a more dedicated approach to student outreach during turbulence. She pointed to the civil unrest surrounding police brutality that took place on the heels of the pandemic as a potential example of a time in which that new approach had paid off in medical education.

It created another really existential disruption to the way many of our learners were approaching their education, Lucey said. Our faculty of color and students of color, and the allies that work with them, were really shaken to the bone by this vivid reminder of the elements of structural racism that exist within our communities. In situations like this, leaders of educational programs need to be facile with crisis communication strategies that support all stakeholders during these crises.

Consider how to support diverse learners during disruption.

The AMA has curateda selection of resourcesto assist residents, medical students and faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic to help manage the shifting timelines, cancellations and adjustments to testing, rotations and other events at this time.

More here:
5 ways the pandemic may transform medical education - American Medical Association

In a normal year, the residency-selection process is anxiety-provoking. Adding a global pandemic to the mixresulting in key aspects of the process being alteredmay deepen those anxieties.

A recent webinar in the AMA Innovations in Medical Education Webinar SeriesResidency Application Process: Current Challenges and Potential Solutionsexamines some of the typical challenges of residency selection and how they might be addressed during the atypical 2021 application cycle and beyond. A recording of the webinar is available in the resources area of theAccelerating Change in Medical Education Community(registration required).

Even in normal times, the process of finding a residency program can be taxing on students. As highlighted by Kathleen Kashima, PhDsenior associate dean of students at University of Illinois College of Medicinethis years cycle could add greater uncertainty to the process of distinguishing among residency applicants. Some of the milestones that are traditionally part of the process, such as away rotations, also have fallen by the wayside due to travel restrictions.

According to Kashima, areas disrupted by the pandemic include:

Because of these and other uncertainties, medical students application behaviors may change this year.

We are encouraging student applicants to apply to programs that they see as a good fit and not flood the zone with applications, Kashima said. Find out how residency programs will view applications in 2021.

Competitive specialties and prestige programs may get more applications. More students than usual may choose to do joint degrees and research programs, which will increase the number of applications next year. There are some groups of students who have more angst and may apply to more programs.

Despite those potential realities for the upcoming cycle, Kashima cited reasons for optimismincluding the quick responses stakeholders made to accommodate this years Matchon a community movement toward a healthier Match culture.

Learn about a pilot program that offers residency applicants a chance to say, Look at me.

Citing a lack of interest among applicantsand program directors, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) announced that a video interview program it had been pilotingfor emergency medicine residency programs would not continue past the 2020 application cycle.Still, the experience some faculty programs had with the standard video interview (SVI) program could inform the upcoming cycle of virtual interviews, said Fiona Gallahue, MD.

Dr. Gallahue cited research on the now defunct SVI program offers some insight on student preparation habits that is likely applicable to the upcoming virtual interview cycle. Data cited from a 2018 study shows that:

There are some take-home points from the SVI, said Dr. Gallahue, director of the emergency medicine residency program at the University of Washington. One is that its possible that unconscious bias can be limited and maybe even eliminated in an interview setting if enough time and resources will be applied. At least 10% of our applicants will have technical difficulties, so its best to offer a plan B and maybe even a plan C.

A majority of our applicants will be doing the interviews in their homes, so that they can be in a comfortable environment, she added. Certainly, it makes sense to encourage that. Students will likely prepare for these interviews better if they are given materials in advance, coaching and have expectations set. I really dont think we want anyone preparing more than seven hours.

Learnwhy the AAMChaltedthe standardized video interview.

In 2010, 18% of student applicants from U.S. MD-granting medical schools matched with a school they ranked fourth or lower on their list. In 2020, that number was at 24%. Maya M. Hammoud, MDchair for education at University of Michigan Medical Schooloffered that data as evidence that the Match is becoming less efficient with the increasing number of applications.

To help with efficiency, she offered three proposed approaches:

The third measure is one which Dr. Hammoud is pursuing via a grant from the AMA Reimaging Residency initiative grant. The projectRight Resident, Right Program, Ready Day Oneaims to improve the continuum of education between medical school and residency. The project strives to optimize the alignment and compatibility between interested applicants and potential residency programs.

We all want the same thing, Dr. Hammoud said. We all want the cycle to be a lot better and we are all working to make it the best it can be. But, clearly, the current status is not acceptable. We all can see it deteriorating year after year and we cant just stand by and watch.

Learn how ob-gyns are aiming to fix residency selection.

The AMA has curateda selection of resourcesto assist residents, medical students and faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic to help manage the shifting timelines, cancellations and adjustments to testing, rotations and other events at this time.

Follow this link:
How to confront the challenges of an unprecedented Match cycle - American Medical Association

Its no secret that medical school is expensive. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the average medical school debt for students who graduated in 2019 was $201,490.

If youre considering medical school or youre already in the thick of it, its important to understand what to expect from the financing process and what your options are for debt repayment and reduction.

The average student loan debt for doctors and other medical school graduates sits at $201,490, a 3 percent increase from the previous year. Thats a far cry from $28,950, the average student loan debt for all graduating college students during the same year, according to the Institute of College Access and Success.

Here are some more details about the average debt after medical school:

In comparison, the average student loan balance for graduates with professional doctorate degrees for the 2015-16 school year (the latest data available) was $186,600, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Graduates with research doctorate degrees and masters degrees finished school with $108,400 and $66,000 in debt, respectively.

If you have federal student loans, including undergraduate and graduate loans, interest rates are updated every year. Private student loans, on the other hand, typically offer a range of interest rates, which are dependent on the borrowers creditworthiness.

Heres a history of federal student loan interest rates from the last several years:

As of November 2020, private student loan interest rates range from just under 2 percent to roughly 14 percent, depending on the lender and your creditworthiness.

Its important to understand that most student loans accrue interest while youre in school even if you elect not to make payments, and if you choose to continue that deferral through residency, the interest will compound. Once youre ready to make payments, the lender will capitalize the interest, adding it to your principal balance and increasing your monthly payment.

The standard repayment term for federal student loans is 10 years. If youre having a hard time keeping up with your monthly payments, though, you can extend your repayment schedule to up to 30 years with alternative repayment plans:

Private student loan companies set their own repayment terms, but most private medical school loans will allow to choose terms from five to 20 years. Of course, you can always refinance your loans to new terms as well, extending the payoff period. How long it takes you to repay your med school debt ultimately depends on your salary and other expenses.

You may find it difficult to work even a part-time job while youre in medical school, so you may need to rely on scholarships and grants to reduce your reliance on debt to get you through college.

However, once you finish school, youll have a few different options to reduce your student loan balance, or at least the amount of interest you pay on the debt.

The federal government offers student loan forgiveness to borrowers who work for a government agency or eligible not-for-profit organization. To qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, youll need to work full time for an eligible employer while making 120 qualifying monthly payments.

Once youve completed all of the requirements, your remaining debt will be forgiven with no tax consequences.

You can also achieve forgiveness by getting on an income-driven repayment plan and completing the repayment term. After 25 years of payments, your remaining debt will be forgiven, although the discharged balance is considered taxable income.

Federal agencies and state governments offer a variety of student loan repayment assistance programs. These programs arent technically forgiveness programs, because the benefit doesnt come from the lender, which is the U.S. Department of Education.

However, depending on the program, you could get tens of thousands of dollars in repayment assistance. The Association of American Medical Colleges maintains a list of state and federal programs you may be able to take advantage of.

One thing to keep in mind is that these programs typically only provide assistance to borrowers with federal loans. If you have private student loans, they may not be eligible.

Student loan refinancing is the process of replacing one or more existing loans with a new one through a private lender. Depending on your income and credit history, you may qualify for student loan refinance rates that are lower than what youre currently paying, which can save you money and reduce your monthly payment.

Youll also have the opportunity to shorten or extend your loan repayment term lenders typically offer terms ranging from five to 25 years.

Note, however, that if you have federal loans, refinancing may not be the best option if youre working toward forgiveness, a repayment assistance program or an income-driven repayment plan.

Whatever you do, its important to be proactive about paying off your med school debt. Research your options, especially forgiveness and repayment assistance programs, and choose the one that best suits your needs and financial goals.

Read the original:
What is the average medical school debt? - Bankrate.com

OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) Medical humanities is something taught to medical students so they learn to understand patients more holistically. One Creighton University professor is taking an artistic and personal approach to her lessons.

Rachel Mindrup has been painting her whole life. It was her calling. But after her son was diagnosed with a genetic disorder before he even turned one, her calling changed.

Hes got an optic tumor and hes got about four tumors on his brain now," Mindrup said.

Her son Henry Mindrup has NF, or Neurofibromatosis. It's a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow all over the body. To help deal with all the complications that come with that, Mindrup did what she knows how to do best.

I didnt really set out to start painting portraits of people with the some genetic disorder, I just didnt know what I was supposed to do," she said.

One in 3,000 people are affected by NF, but Rachel says no one knows about it. So, she began her series of portraits called "The Many Faces of Neurofibromatosis" to raise awareness.

Now, the painting professor is taking on a new role at the medical school to bring together the arts and medicine with medical humanities.

So the med students are going to be drawing and observing and actually asking themselves do they trust their eyes or are they just always going to go with whats on the patient chart," Mindrup asked.

Rachel says NF is different in each person. She wants to teach the medical students at Creighton to look past the patient chart with not only this disorder but all types of cases.

Kind of caring for the whole person and also thinking more holistically. Where does this person come from? What are the background experiences? Are they scared right now? What do they need from me? And it might not always just be an in an out, six minutes, heres a prescription, see you later," she said.

This is the first role of its kind at Creighton's newly formed Department of Medical Humanities at the medical school.

Go here to read the rest:
Creighton painting professor takes on new role at the medical school teaching medical humanities - KMTV - 3 News Now

Supplied

Northland District Health Board member and Auckland University senior lecturer Mataroria Lyndon says we are generations away from worrying about Mori and Pacific students taking all the places in medical school.

Mori doctors feel unsupported and undermined as debate continues over whether Otago University medical school's admissions scheme is unfair.

The university is fighting a legal challenge to its Mirror on Society policy, which prioritises entry into first-year medical school for special category students Mori, Pasifika, rural, refugee and low socio-economic.

The legal challenge is from a man who claims the policy meant his child missed out on general entry, despite their results averaging more than 92 per cent.

Last month, a selection policy change discussion document presented to the University of Otagos medical admissions committee suggested capping the number of Mori and Pasifika special entry spaces, though the university maintains it was not a proposal for change.

Dr Mataroria Lyndon, who is a Northland District Health Board member, public health doctor, Auckland University senior lecturer and Fulbright scholar, said talk of Otago limiting progress was disappointing to say the least.

READ MORE:* Otago Uni will fight legal challenge to its med school special entry scheme* Caution urged over 'out of blue' proposal to limit special pathway for Mori, Pasifika at Otago Med School* She aspired to be a doctor at 10, to 'make a point' that Mori can

I feel for Mori medical students in these programmes who are feeling that they are being perceived negatively.As medical students, everybody sits the same assessments and comes out with the competencies expected to graduate. There is no difference there.

POOL

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield offer support to Otago Medical School's admissions policy. (First published September 4, 2020)

Lyndon, a graduate of Auckland Universitys counterpart scheme, said publicly funded medical schools were obliged to think beyond individuals and to serve the nation.

Getting into medical school is not a given. It is actually part of a broad strategy or plan.

Lyndon, a South Aucklander who was the first in his family to go to medical school, completed a thesis about why students pursued medicine. It showed Mori students were more motivated by serving their communities.

The same could be said about Pasifika and rural students, he said.

It is not just being Mori, for Mori, it is for everybody.

Pkeh benefited from coming from long lines of medical professionals.

Supplied

Professor Papaarangi Mary-Jane Reid, Auckland University head of Mori health, says medical school selection is like All Black selection, where you may think your child has what it takes but they may not be the best fit for the team.

University of Auckland Professor of Mori health and public health doctor Papaarangi Reid compared medical school selection to All Black selection in the September 20 edition of E-Tangata magazine.

A parent might think their child worked hard and had what it took but they might not be the best fit for the team, she wrote.

Most of the nation is ready to be benevolent towards Mori and our needs but many choke when it comes to affirming our rights and when our excellence may constrain their privilege.

The comments come after 785 female doctors signed a letter urging Otago University not to place any limits on the scheme.

Dr Janet Rhodes September 3 letter to Dean Professor Rathan Subramaniam said the scheme had begun the slow process of addressing [racial] disparity in a system designed by Pkeh for Pkeh.

Rhodes, a trainee general surgeon, told Stuff debate about the scheme was leaving her Mori colleagues feeling unsupported and undermined.

It is making them feel like their struggles are really unvalidated.

She was frustrated society was listening to people who have the resources to fight on a legal platform and ignoring Treaty of Waitangi legalities.

Supplied/Stuff

Northland District Health Board member, public health doctor, Fulbright scholar, and Auckland University senior lecturer Mataroria Lyndon says we are generations away from worrying about Mori and Pasifika taking all places in medical school.

Academic ability was not enough to make a good doctor.

Nobody should be trying to get into medical school without a back-up plan.

Of the 202 students granted entry from the 2019 first-year health science course, 120 came from special categories. Some argued the current policy allowed all places to be filled by special entry students.

Lets say there was an intake where that happened, I think that is something that should be celebrated as a real success, rather than denigrated, Rhodes said.

Opposition to that possibility showed underlying racism.

A spokeswoman said the university had received letters from a variety of people and organisations expressing views on the equity scheme.

The universitys senior leaders will meet medical students next week to discuss their concerns.

Read the original:
Medical school 'like All Black selection' - focus is on what is best for the team - Stuff.co.nz

When treating patients of color at a pair of HealthPartners clinics in St. Paul, Bryan Leyva said he doesnt shy away from having conversations with them about race.

I ask them how theyre doing, said Leyva, a third-year medical resident at the University of Minnesota in pediatrics and internal medicine.

Many times they say, Im OK. And then I say, Given what were dealing with, with COVID, and given all the protesting and police brutality towards Black communities, Im surprised that youre doing OK. It really speaks to your resilience and your strength.

This, Leyva said, often gets patients to open up about their experiences, including conversations like whether theyve experienced racism in the clinic. Its just one of the ways that Leyva, who was born in Colombia and grew up in Rhode Island, tries to counter systemic racism in health care.

So when Leyva first heard last week that one of his university medical peers defaced an iconic mural of George Floyd, he said he felt complete and utter outrage.

Volunteers at Floyds de facto memorial sitethe scene of his late May police killing on Chicago Avenue and East 38th Streetcaught a man on the night of August 18, spray painting black paint on the eyes of Floyds image and putting an X on his face. The man ran away. After a chase, the volunteers caught and confronted him.

Instead of calling the police, the volunteers asked the man to call a friend on his cell phone, and the friend identified him as Daniel. They then took the mans picture, published it on social media and let him go.

Soon, social media users identified the man as Daniel Michelson, a 26-year-old medical student at the University of Minnesotas Rochester campus. The Minnesota Reformer last week reported that Michelson admitted to defacing the Floyd memorial and expressing remorse.

Michelson, according to the news site, said that he was drunk and didnt remember vandalizing the mural, adding that he made a terrible mistake that just doesnt represent who I am or what I value.

Now, in a protest in front of the University of Minnesotas Moos Tower, several dozen of Michelsons fellow med studentsalong with doctors, nurses and healthcare workerscalled for Michelsons expulsion from medical school.

Its not about revenge, Leyva told the gathered crowd. Expelling Daniel Michelson is about who we are. Its about character. Its about our values. And its about our actions and how our actions align with those values.

Michelsons current student status at the university is unclear. The universitys website lists that he was most recently enrolled in the medical school this summer. University spokesperson Katrinna Dodge told Sahan Journal that a medical student by this name is not currently enrolled as of August 20that is, two days after the incident.

Dodge said that privacy laws and University Board of Regents policy prevents her from disclosing more information.

The University does not condone the defacement or damage of any public property, and specifically condemns the recent vandalism of the George Floyd mural at the site of Mr. Floyds murder, she said in a statement.

Michelson did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment sent to his university email account.

Many of the rallys attendees wore white medical coats to show solidarity with the White Coats for Black Lives student group, which helped organize the rally. Several also held signs with slogans like, Racism is a public health issue and Health care is a social justice issue.

One protester held a replica of the street-sign posts of the 38th and Chicago intersection, where police killed Floyd. Several speakers described the location and mural as sacred ground.

Jeanelle Austin, who lives just blocks from the site, explained that the mural was made out of pain, as a gift to the community to help us grieve.

What would happen if someone came into your mosque, to your church or to your temple, Austin said, and defile what you consider sacred?

Austin, who has helped maintain the memorial site at the intersection this summer, also rejected Michelsons explanation that he was drunk and doesnt remember defacing the memorial.

If you are drunk and you are driving a vehicle, you are still held responsible for your actions, she said.

Abdi Khalif, a registered nurse who helped organize the protest, made a similar assertion.

As the saying goes, a drunken mans words are a sober mans thoughts, Abdi told the crowd.

Roughly 100 people stood on the Moos Tower front plaza. Appropriate for medical students, the crowd stood far away from the speakers, wearing masks. Behind Abdi, four protesters wearing white coats held two large banners, including one that read, George Floyd, enough is enough.

Prakrithi Srinand, a fourth-year medical student, said that the historic problems with health care in communities of color, especially in Minneapolis, prompted her to attend the rally.

For someone in our own community to add to this trauma is so devastating, Srinand said, in reference to Michelson.

Srinand, whose parents immigrated to the U.S. from India, plans to practice obstetrics-gynecology. And she pointed to higher premature births among Black mothers as just one example of systemic racism within that medical specialty.

If we can take him out of the equation, I think that would be a good thing for all of our patients of color, she said.

Having someone in the medical field adding to this problem, she argued, will only do vulnerable patients more harm.

Read more:
A University of Minnesota medical student apparently vandalized the George Floyd memorial. His health care classmates want him expelled. - Sahan...

Given the unprecedented challenges of recent months, its perhaps unsurprising that many of us are experiencing sleep deprivation.

In a recent survey conducted in the United Kingdom, around 75% of respondents said that unease around the COVID-19 outbreak has caused sleep disruption, while 77% reported that lack of sleep has interfered with their day-to-day functioning.

Lack of sleep can lead to several mental and physical health problems, including depression, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity, highlighting the importance of getting a sufficient amount of shut-eye.

With this in mind, we decided to dig a little deeper into the world of sleep this month. We explored the science behind slumber and provided you with further information and resources to help you get a good nights sleep.

Within our news content, we investigated the connection between sleep and mental health, and examined why the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have altered our nighttime dreams.

Definitely, people are reporting more dream recall, more vivid dreams, more bizarre dreams, and more anxious dreams since March, Deirdre Barrett, Ph.D., an assistant professor of psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA, told us.

We aimed to dispel some of the widespread myths surrounding sleep with the first of our Medical Myths series. Does your brain really shut down during sleep? This article helps clear things up.

We also looked at racial disparities in sleep, including why Black Americans are more likely to experience sleep deprivation than white Americans. In a follow-up piece, physicians weighed in on what might explain these disparities.

To find more information and resources on sleep, visit our dedicated hub.

Continuing our coverage of racial disparities, we recently published an article on how to be an ally. This important piece highlights the need for all of us to be active in the fight against racism.

The burden of fighting against racial inequality must not fall on Black people exclusively. The recognition of this fact is necessary when fighting to keep the movement alive in demanding for tactical change.

In alignment with World Mosquito Day this month, we took an in-depth look at how climate change has impacted the spread of West Nile virus in the United States. Its certainly an interesting read.

Other content that has piqued your interest this August includes our coverage of research suggesting that an existing drug called Ebselen previously used to treat bipolar disorder and hearing loss may help combat COVID-19. You were also interested in our article on a study that suggests COVID-19 symptoms may appear in a certain order.

For those of you who wish to take a break from COVID-19-related news, the latest in our Recovery Room series looks at whats been happening elsewhere in the world of medical research.

Is there a health topic youd like to read more about? Let us know by emailing us at editors@medicalnewstoday.com. You can also reach out to us on Facebook and Twitter.

Ill return next month with more on what youve been reading.

Until then, be safe, happy, and healthy.

Honor Whiteman, Editorial Director

Visit link:
Letter from the Editor: The science of sleep - Medical News Today

Taylor Brune @heartsinbloomhealth is many things. To start, perhaps above all else, she is passionate about healthcare. Brune, who recently survived COVID-19, suffers from chronic autoimmune deficiencies, which began from a bite from a tick. As a result, she has had to learn and research much in the medical world so that she is as well equipped as possible to survive her severe afflictions.

On top of all that, Brune is also a Medical Assistant. In this capacity, she works with healthcare providers as a liaison to patients, in administrative capacities and other roles to ensure the facility operates smoothly. Brune, never one to shy away from a challenge, is also a student continuing her education. She is using her experience as a Medical Assistant to help transition to, one day, becoming a doctor. That is her ultimate aim.

We caught up with Brune to ask her about this long professional journey, her fight with COVID-19, her passion for healthcare and much more.

@heartsinbloodhealth

When and why did you decide you wanted to be a Medical Assistant?

The last ten years, I have dealt with my own health issues and my own health journey of developing chronic disease and autoimmune disease after a bite from a tic. So, when I lost my health, I was engulfed in the medical world and I was a patient 24-7 and having to do research for myself and be my own health advocate. In the process of learning how to heal myself, I grew the passion of wanting to help heal others.

While I was going through treatments, I was like, this is my calling. This is where Im supposed to be. This is why Im having my health issues and going through this huge life transition and transformation. When that realization happened, I decided to learn about medicine and how to switch my degree over to pre-med and integrative health.

Going into medical assisting school, was the first step in my path. And Im going to be a doctor one day no matter how long it takes! No matter what challenges I face, I know that everything Im going through in my own health is helping me transform into the best person that I can be so that I can be the best doctor for patients. Since Ive had the perspective of being a patient for so many years, I know exactly what theyre thinking and feeling.

If youre interested in becoming a medical assistant here is an awesome guide to start your research - it answers questions like,

After you read this interview go to the full Medical Assistant Career Guide.

Show Me Medical Assistant Programs

What was the process like for you to become a Medical Assistant?

First, I prayed a lot about it. I knew I wanted to switch my degree to pre-med but, I also wanted to work in the medical field a lot sooner. Becoming a doctor takes years in pre-med and medical school.

So, I figured the first step to completely immerse myself in the medical field as soon as possible was to complete a medical assistant program and to actually start working in the field that I love so much. Once I graduated from my medical assistant and phlebotomy program I immediately started working in the field. The experience Ive gained has just confirmed that this is where Im supposed to be and I love it!

How long did the process take, what type of schooling did you?

For medical assisting in California , I needed to go to a medical assisting school. I went to a trade school and enrolled into a medical assisting program. Medical assisting programs are more about gaining hands-on experience in an actual doctors office. This is how the program was set up,

The program style was really beneficial to help me to get on-the-job training and also land a great position right after graduation,

At the same time, though, Ive been going to Arizona State University Online to finish my Bachelors degree, which Ill be finishing in the fall. This fall, Ill have my Bachelors as well as my medical assisting diploma.

As a medical assistant its important to be certified. I took a national certification exam and every two years, I complete the required credits and retake the test to keep my certification up to date.

@heartsinbloodhealth

How did you land your first job as a Medical Assistant?

It was actually pretty easy for me because I seem to interview really well with medical places. My first job was working at a naturopathic office. Next, I went to primary care and oncology. So, thats where Ive been working the last year. Now, Im at Scripps Health Hospital in dermatology.

Theres a lot to know for the job and you have a lot of responsibilities - from first-aid to computer work to patient liaison. Do you like having all these aspects to your workday?

I love it! I have gained so much experience including,

Drawing blood is my absolute favorite because I really enjoy direct patient care. But, overall working with different modalities, systems and technologies has taught me so much about the medical field. Each private practice is completely different and the providers are unique in that they offer different specialties and treatments. Its been fun learning all these different skills.

@heartsinbloodhealth

Your long-term goal is to be a doctor. How did you choose becoming a medical assistant for that aim and how has it helped?

There are a few reasons why I chose medical assisting as my first step towards my goal of becoming a doctor,

What do you like least about being a Medical Assistant or the healthcare field, in general?

For my own personal experience, I have an immune compromised self. I just dont like that I pick up illnesses so easily. I even picked up COVID. Flu season is also difficult for me. Im thankful for the fact that everyone is now taking more precaution in the medical field. Ive observed that people are more mindful of sanitizing and patients are wearing masks. It gives me hope that at least this year I will have stronger defenses and not catch as many illnesses. But theres many great things about working as a medical assistant, too. Each person has their own experience.

As a chronic illness patient myself, the one negative that I dont like is that I feel some doctors dont have time to really hear their patients. When Im a doctor, that is something that I really want to change. However, Ive been really fortunate to work with providers who are integrative in their mindset and do give their patients time. Even now, working with providers who arent integrative, they still give patients time and hear them. Ive been really fortunate to work with good providers. But, from the perspective of a patient, I had to go through multiple providers to get to good ones - and, I didnt like that.

@heartsinbloodhealth

What advice do you have for other people looking to become a Medical Assistant today - first steps, things to keep in mind?

One of the main things is to really look inside yourself and question yourself. Ask yourself really important questions like,

@heartsinbloodhealth

As you said, you recently recovered from COVID-19. What was that experience like for you personally and professionally?

In the beginning of the year, we actually started seeing patients have lung flues and pneumonias with weird symptoms and they were just really sick in January. I believe that COVID-19 was definitely here in the United States in California in January. But we didnt know what it was yet. But then when they started announcing it in February, we definitely got more traffic in the office and we were taking care of patients - even though it was primary and oncology, a lot of the patients in the beginning stages when they were starting to get sick would come to us. So, we were being exposed to COVID-19 and it spread through the staff.

The COVID-19 symptoms started out mild for me. I just figured it was the stress from working and being the only medical assistant since we were short-staffed during that time. Then once the rest of the clinic tested positive, I was like, Oh, no! I think I may have it!

I got tested. The week after I tested positive the illness became super severe for me. I have asthma and type-one diabetes - it went straight into my lungs. I decided to just face it and not be crippled by fear. I set my mind to believe that I would not die from it. Because Id learned with my chronic illness that you just have to stay positive no matter how grim it looks. And really just focus on what you can do to heal.

During the time when it was really severe, I went to the hospital and towards the end, I was able to go home and recover.

Now, its been three months since I've been cleared. I still have lung damage. My body is still healing. My body is still recovering from it in that aspect. But I was very fortunate because Ive had over ten years of experience being a chronic illness patient and working in the medical field. With that experience in mind, I knew how to take care of my immune system and listen to my body. When I got it, it was the beginning of the pandemic when doctors really didnt know anything about it. They didnt know what to tell me. They didnt know how to help me. So, for a lot of it I was on my own. I had to figure out how to survive COVID-19.

Luckily, my knowledge and prayer and by the grace of God and blessings, I was able to fight it, survive it. I was able to apply my knowledge to quickly do a regimen of trying to boost my immune system fast. I made a point to not stress, not think negatively, not fear, and not feed into any of that. I just tried to stay calm through the whole thing. Eventually, after 70 days, I was cleared.

What was the most difficult symptom of COVID-19 for you?

I think, honestly, the worst part was not being able to breathe. Even now, its still hard to breathe. It felt like I was suffocating 24-7, there was no relief. I was even on a breathing machine, not a ventilator, but a nebulizer breathing machine every four hours and taking medication just to be able to survive. I probably should have gone on a ventilator at that point because my oxygen stats were just in the 80s and so low and I was so sick. But I just didnt want to go on the ventilator. When I went into the hospital, they gave me fluids, took all the tests to make sure there was no other organ damage.

So, it was just kind of traumatic, honestly! But I learned a lot. Im grateful to be alive. Im grateful to be able to help anyone, you know? Or to face it without as much fear, even though it is really scary. To have hope and to try to stay calm.

You seem connected with people, both in-person and digitally. How has this helped, how has Instagram helped spread your story?

Its so amazing because I just started sharing my story of being a chronic illness patient and so many people could relate to that. Then when I started sharing my story and my experiences working in the medical field so many more people would message me and connect with me. Ive met so many amazing people, its amazing whats come out of Instagram. Whats come out of this community is just so many different opportunities and abilities to be able to hear other peoples stories, share my story, be able to learn from others, be able to help others. Its made me a better person and its also helped me be able to have a stronger voice.

When youre about to start your day, what is the final thing that passes through your mind before you open the doors to work?

Every morning, I just say a prayer, walking in, in my mind. And I dont know if this is going to sound corny but because this is my calling, I really, truly want to make the most of my job.

I pray right before I walk in every single morning that God uses me as a light of warm light and love to each person that I come across so that my day is very purposeful and meaningful and that Im able to uplift someone in some way. Or help someone in another way or just comfort a patient in a way that they need. I pray every day that my light shines through to the patients and staff around me.

Still have specific questions about becoming a medical assistant? Read our ultimate guide to becoming a Medical Assistant now.

Show Me Medical Assistant Programs

View original post here:
This Is Why I'm Working as a Medical Assistant While I Advance My Education - Nurse.org

Dear fellow members of the Columbia community:

I write today to share an important change, namely that Bard Hall, the CUIMC residence hall on Haven Avenue, will be renamed.When this dormitory opened in 1931, it was named for Samuel Bard, the founder of what is now Columbias Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Bard was a significant physician in the 18th century, a pioneer in obstetrics and treating diphtheria, who served as George Washingtons doctor. He also owned slaves (the countrys first census in 1790 lists their number as three). We know about at least one instance, in 1776, in which he advertised, with a promised reward, for the return of a fugitive slave.

Bard Hall is a dormitory for our clinical students. We all understand how careful we need to be in shaping the environment, symbolic as well as physical, in which we ask our students to live and to call home. These are sites with the special resonance that comes from mixing the personal features of daily life with the formation of lasting friendships and a sense of community with a shared mission, together with a period of life involving extraordinary intellectual and professional growth. The change I am conveying here, however, also feels urgent not only for the individuals who have been asked to call Bard Hall home, but for the many students, staff, and faculty in the broader Columbia community, and especially vivid at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, where the contradiction between the egalitarian health service norms they cherish and slavery's denial of full human standing is starkly blatant and offensive.

In June, I asked Interim Provost Ira Katznelson to convene a group to consider campus names and symbols associated with matters of race and racism. As they began to fashion a longer-term process to thoroughly review these matters, work that will continue as the academic year begins, the committee forwarded to me the unanimous recommendation on which I am acting.

Of course, we cannot, indeed should not, erase Samuel Bards contributions to the medical school. But we must not recall this history without also recognizing the reason for our decision to rename Bard Hall. As the fall term advances, I will share how we will honor this building with a name that represents our Universitys values.

Sincerely,

Lee C. Bollinger

Link:
Announcement Regarding Bard Hall | Office of the President - Columbia University

Wayne State University School of Medicine-educated physician.

Institute of Culinary Education-trained chef.

ABC News Medical Unit contributor.

MTV award nominee.

Class of 2019 alumnus Nathan Wood, M.D., might have the most diverse resume of any doctor practicing medicine today.

Dr. Wood is nominated for a MTV Video Music Award in the Everyday Heroes: Frontline Medical Workers category for his performance of Lean on Me. He recorded the song for his Instagram, @drchefnate, after an exhausting 14-hour night shift on the intensive care unit at Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut. He was an Internal Medicine/Primary Care intern at the time.

The hospitals first COVID-19 patient was admitted to the unit that night in March, his last before a planned two weeks of vacation.

People in health care, we were really nervous. It was like, Okay, who knows what this is going to be like?, he said. When I went back, the whole hospital had changed.

The New Haven breakout happened in late March, around the same time as that in New York City. Entire floors had to be converted to COVID-19 units. It was pretty wild after for a long time. By July, things had gotten back to normal. We had hundreds and hundreds of COVID patients. It was pretty severe for a while, he said.

Dr. Wood, now a second-year resident, wasnt going to post the original video at all because he saw flaws in his singing and piano playing. Then singer-songwriter Bill Withers died March 30, and he wanted to honor him.

Its not perfect, but its genuine, and hopefully its a nice tribute to him, he said.

A couple of days later, he woke up to an email from a New York producer who put it on his morning show, and it went wild after that, he said.

The MTV recognition came out of nowhere as well. He arrived home from a walk, opened his computer and checked a very official-looking email from the television network.

Music has always been a creative outlet for the doctor, who took piano lessons through high school and continues to sing at churches, weddings and fundraisers. Cooking was a pastime as well, so much that he took a year off medical school at WSU to attend the Institute of Culinary Education in New York, and even spent time working in restaurants. He loves to write as well, and is in the middle of a four-week internship in the Medical Unit for ABC News, proofing scripts for ABCs nightly news and Good Morning America, and writing for ABCNews.com.

Whats his advice for juggling so many different gigs? You have to have a balance of long-term and short-term projects. And it feels much less like work if theyre things you really enjoy. You have to really get to know yourself, find hobbies you enjoy, and make them part of your daily and academic vocational life. Dont be afraid. If you really like something, share it with the world. Because people like passion.

The Muskegon, Mich., native is still not sure if the category will be included in the 8 p.m., Aug. 30 broadcast, or if the nomination is the recognition for him and the four other nominees.

Tune in to MTV or MTV.com to find out.

Read more:
Class of 2019's Nathan Wood, M.D., wins MTV nomination for viral rendition of 'Lean on Me' - The South End

AbbVie and Harvard University have signed up to a new $30 million early-stage infectious disease pact with coronavirus and hemorrhagic fever viruses two key targets of the deal.

AbbVie will stump up the cash over three years and additional in-kind support that taps its scientists, expertise for collaborative research and early-stage development efforts.

These will be focused on a series of infectious disease areas and potential therapies including antibodies and small molecules against SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, as well as the coronavirus family it comes from.

Overcoming Scalability Challenges with Autologous Therapies

Catalent presents a clinical-to-commercial perspective on autologous therapies. Join experts Prof. Gerhard Bauer and Catalents Dr. James Crutchley as they discuss challenges and an innovative methodology to commercially scale autologous therapies.

Back in June, AbbVie also teamed up with cancer and inflammation biotech Harbour BioMed, alongside Utrecht University and Erasmus Medical Center, which are now working together to develop a new antibody to both prevent and treat COVID-19.

This comes after AbbVies HIV med Kaletra (Aluvia), a combination of antiviral drugs lopinavir and ritonavir, failed across the board in a recent 199-patient clinical trial. It didnt top standard of care at improving clinical symptoms, extending life span or cutting viral shedding in patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19.

It is now betting on an experimental and partnered approach toward tackling viruses.

A key element of having a strong R&D organization is collaboration with top academic institutions, like Harvard Medical School, to develop therapies for patients who need them most, said Michael Severino, M.D., vice chairman and president of AbbVie.

There is much to learn about viral diseases and the best way to treat them. By harnessing the power of collaboration, we can develop new therapeutics sooner to ensure the world is better prepared for future potential outbreaks."

Original post:
AbbVie pens $30M Harvard University viral pact with coronavirus in the crosshairs - FierceBiotech

The center is funded over five years by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health and is headquartered at the Allen Institute, with additional projects based at UW Medicine and Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute. Their work will build off methods developed at the Allen Institute and elsewhere through the NIH-funded BRAIN Initiative that use genes switched on in individual brain cells to classify the cells into categories, or cell types.

Using these methods to study brains from people across the spectrum of early- to late-stage Alzheimer's disease should reveal the specific kinds of neurons and other brain cells that are most vulnerable at the beginning of the disease, said Ed Lein, Ph.D., Senior Investigator at the Allen Institute for Brain Science, a division of the Allen Institute, and Lead Investigator of the new center. Such a detailed understanding of Alzheimer's origins is desperately needed, as many once-promising treatments primarily aimed at disrupting the disease's hallmark plaques of beta-amyloid protein in the brain have failed to benefit patients. Currently, no therapies exist that can halt the progression of Alzheimer's, which afflicts approximately 5.8 million Americans and, together with other dementias, costs the U.S. an estimated $290 billion every year.

"We're trying to cure a disease of a complex system we fundamentally don't understand," Lein said. "Historically, the field has focused on the amyloid hypothesis, but that hasn't panned out for treatment. What's really needed is to take a fresh look at the basic progression of the disease across the brain, and we now have high-resolution cellular and molecular technologies in place to do just that."

Like all resources generated at the Allen Institute, the data from this center will be openly available to the scientific community at large. The researchers aim both to make direct scientific headway into the root causes of Alzheimer's disease and to provide a foundational data resource to catalyze progress in treating other neurodegenerative diseases.

The center's work could also uncover new insights into both the people who have a natural resistance to developing the hallmark amyloid plaques and those who develop these plaques but never develop dementia. Understanding where this natural resistance and resilience arises in the brain could point to new therapeutic pathways.

"Alzheimer's disease is incredibly complicated, in part because different cells and parts of the brain are differentially affected," said Bradley Hyman, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of neurology and Alzheimer's researcher at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital who also serves as an advisor to the new research center."This complexity makes it very difficult to model in experimental systems, and direct examination of the human brain is without a doubt crucial to understanding the disease.The technology developed at the Allen Institute provides a new approach to unravel these mysteries I can't wait to see what they discover."

Building off foundational brain scienceThe center's projects will build off recent and ongoing work led by Lein and collaborators to generate a cell "census" of the healthy human brain. In that foundational work, the researchers use single-cell technologies originally developed through genomics research to describe brain cell types by the complete set of genes the cells actively use. The new research will apply those techniques to identify how specific brain cell types and their active genes are affected as Alzheimer's disease progresses with the ultimate goal of finding new drug targets.

The experiments will rely on postmortem brain tissue from the University of Washington School of Medicine BioRepository and Integrated Research (BRaIN) laboratory, which supports brain donation from research participants in the Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) study, a long-running study of brain aging led by Kaiser Permanente and UW Medicine, and from UW Medicine's NIA-funded Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. The tissue donations will come specifically from participants in these studies who consent to donate their brains to science after they die. The research teams will analyze cells from multiple brain regions from approximately 100 people, ranging from people with normal cognition and little or no sign of Alzheimer's disease in the brain to those with late stage Alzheimer's dementia.

The new research center will also adapt brain-banking methods to allow the application of modern single-cell technologies to postmortem brains. This will provide samples ready for the analyses in this project and generate a brain tissue repository that can be used for future single-cell studies.

"This work wouldn't happen without the generous research participants and their dedication to support dementia research," said C. Dirk Keene, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pathology at UW Medicine and one of the principal investigators at the center. "We want to honor their incredible gift to science by making sure we can study their brains using the latest, most advanced technology to have the greatest impact for years to come."

Past brain census projects led by Allen Institute researchers have served as a foundation for both basic science and disease-related studies. The current award brings the Institute's total amount of external grant awards to approximately $250M since the research organization's inception in 2003, when it was launched by the late Paul G. Allen.

"Our founder was a champion for foundational research in brain science and for the importance of sharing resources openly with the community," said Allen Institute President and Chief Executive Officer Allan Jones, Ph.D. "He knew that this type of research could catalyze future advances in human health and disease. This award and the research it will support speak to the strength of his vision."

Other investigators in the center include:Michael Hawrylycz, Boaz Levi, Rusty Nicovich, Julie Harris, Rebecca Hodge, Jeremy Miller, Jennie Close and Michael Wang of the Allen Institute; Paul Crane, Martin Darvas, Laura Gibbons, Thomas Grabowski, Suman Jayadev, Caitlin Latimer and Joey Mukherjee of UW Medicine; and Eric B. Larson of Kaiser Permanente.

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number U19AG060909. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

About the Allen Institute for Brain ScienceThe Allen Institute for Brain Science is a division of the Allen Institute (alleninstitute.org), an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit medical research organization, and is dedicated to accelerating the understanding of how the human brain works in health and disease. Using a big science approach, the Allen Institute generates useful public resources used by researchers and organizations around the globe, drives technological and analytical advances, and discovers fundamental brain properties through integration of experiments, modeling and theory. Launched in 2003 with a seed contribution from founder and philanthropist, the late Paul G. Allen, the Allen Institute is supported by a diversity of government, foundation and private funds to enable its projects. The Allen Institute for Brain Science's data and tools are publicly available online atbrain-map.org.

About UW MedicineUW Medicine is one of the top-rated academic medical systems in the world. With a mission to improve the health of the public, UW Medicine educates the next generation of physicians and scientists, leads one of the world's largest and most comprehensive biomedical research programs, and provides outstanding care to patients from across the globe. The School of Medicine faculty is second in the nation in federal research grants and contracts with $923.1 million in total revenue (fiscal year 2018) according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.

UW Medicine includes Airlift Northwest, Harborview Medical Center, UW Medical Center Montlake, UW Medical Center Northwest, UW Neighborhood Clinics, UW Physicians, UW School of Medicine and Valley Medical Center.

About Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research InstituteKaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) improves the health and health care of Kaiser Permanente members and the public. The Institute has conducted nonproprietary public-interest research on preventing, diagnosing, and treating major health problems since 1983. Government and private research grants provide our main funding. Follow KPWHRI research onTwitter,Facebook,LinkedIn, orYouTube.For more information, go to:www.kpwashingtonresearch.org.

Media Contacts:

Rob Piercy, Director, Media Relations, Allen Institute206.548.8486 | [emailprotected]

Susan Gregg, Director, Media Relations, UW Medicine206-616-6730, [emailprotected]

SOURCE Allen Institute for Brain Science

Continue reading here:
Seattle Researchers Team Up To Build Hi-Res Brain Map Of Alzheimer's Disease - PRNewswire

For as long as Shellaina Gordon can remember, the word research for her has conjured images of white laboratory coats and tubes of solution. But inside those lab coats, she never saw anyone who looked like her.

And yet, growing up in a family of seven that has dealt with plenty of sickness, Gordon has always found herself drawn to the field of difficult-to-treat diseases, and specifically the study of the proteins involved in human disease, and how their expression, structure and function cause illness.

She decided early on that she wanted to pursue a career in science and medicine to help reduce the healthcare disparities that adversely affect underrepresented communities.

There is a lack of physician-scientists working at this level and especially those of color, says Gordon, a biochemistry student who is in her third year at Northeastern. My hopes are to counteract this reality by exploring disease proteomics at the molecular levelunderstanding the fundamental differences between different groups of people will be instrumental in developing useful, effective therapeutics.

An aspiring physician-scientist, Gordon says she intends to learn how the intricacies of medicine intersect with socioeconomic status and race in the development of treatments. Her research goals include learning about the onset and progression of disease in different ethnic groups. She also wants to teach and mentor undergraduate students, especially those who come from underserved backgrounds.

At some point in my career, I hope to become a tenured professor at a research-intensive university running my own lab, she says.

Gordons research career began in the lab of Teresita Padilla-Benavides, an assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular pharmacology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Under Padilla-Benavides tutelage, Gordon has published three scientific journal articles on projects she completed that explored the role of transition metalswhich include metals such as manganese, copper, and zincin the development of cells.

At Northeastern, Gordon is treasurer of the student diversity advisory council of the College of Science and of the womens club water polo team. She is also a member of the Black Engineering Student Society, where she says she has found community and interdisciplinary discussions of science.

I have been able to network and take advantage of opportunities in STEM [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics], she says.

Earlier this year, Gordon was rewarded with a Goldwater Scholarship to support her pursuit of a career in medicine and science.

Established by Congress to honor Sen. Barry Goldwater, the Goldwater Scholarship is a highly competitive, merit-based award given to college students who plan to pursue research careers in mathematics, engineering, and the natural sciences.

I am incredibly honored to be a part of such an elite, aspirational community, Gordon says. Although I aspire to be a physician-scientist, I anticipate my path to this career will not be linear. In this final year, I hope to further understand where I can make an impact on science and in the world and then act on it.

For media inquiries, please contact media@northeastern.edu.

Here is the original post:
Black people are underrepresented in medical research. She wants to change that. - News@Northeastern

Dr. Erika Myers, DO, specializes in the acute care of adult patients at Carolinas Medical Center. Shes been in practice for 17 years and currently works at CMCs main campus, where shes treated COVID-19 patients since late March. In April, we caught up with Myers, a three-time Charlotte magazine Top Doctor, to discuss the day-to-day reality of the outbreak at a major hospital: the physical and emotional strain on her team, the surge of patients, and what remains true about the doctors and nurses she counts as colleagues. Her responses have been edited for clarity and space.

Working in an acute care hospital is challenging under the best of circumstancesemotionally, intellectually, physically. We have to share a new diagnosis of metastatic cancer to someone in the prime of their life. We guide families through a loved ones terminal illness, describing the process of the body shutting down. Were at the forefront of the opioid crisis. The days are long, and the workload feels unmanageable at times. But what keeps us going is the support of our partners. Each of us helps when someone is down.

When the coronavirus pandemic began overseas, we watched from afar and thought that something of this magnitude would likely never affect us in the same way. Im in a Facebook group for Charlotte-area physician moms, and toward mid-February, we were starting to hear accounts from Italy, and local physicians were posting interviews with different doctors in Europe. Our hearts ached as we read the words of the exhausted physicians in Italy. And then their reality began to close in on our lives. First in Washington state, then New Yorkthose were the hot spots. Locally, schools began to close, businesses shut down, and before we knew it, we were at the center of a medical crisis.

We didnt plan for anything like this in medical school. In the ER, we plan for catastrophes like a plane crash or a mass shooting and simulate what we would do in situations with mass casualties coming in. But no one was ready for anything of this scale. I really grasped the weight of this crisis in Charlotte when the hospital closed down anything that was elective to focus on the surge of patients coming in for COVID-19 symptoms.

If a patient tests positive for COVID-19, they go to the COVID unit to be seen by our COVID team, which is made up of hospitalists like me. Now were seeing them with advanced technology, or virtual care, so the physical exam and all discussion, even with specialists, is held via computer, and a doctor is behind a camera to minimize the risk of contracting COVID-19.

When we first started seeing cases, we looked for fever, shortness of breath, and cough. Wed ask if theyd recently traveled to areas that were high-risk. But its evolved to include other symptoms weve learned about over time, like lack of smell or taste, COVID toes in kids (painful red or purple lesions on a childs feet that resemble frostbite), strokes, and cardiac effects. This virus can affect almost every aspect of your body.

Typically its the end of the first week that someone with COVID-19 gets sicker very quickly. So were careful to be ready on days five to seven for any change in their condition. We watch for worsening inflammation and see if the patient needs more oxygen. If a patient suddenly gets worse and requires a ventilator, the ICU team takes over. When they improve, they become our patients again.

Although theres still so much we dont know, many think this rapid decline is due to a cytokine storm, which gets active when your body knows it has to fight something and your immune system overreacts. (Ed.: Cytokines are proteins that immune system cells produce, and scientists believe overproduction in response to the virus causes lung inflammation and fluid buildup that can lead to death in COVID-19 cases.) Why it happens to one patient and not another, no one knows yet. With a COVID-19-related cytokine storm, you can have swelling of airways and severe damage to the lungs.

Our infectious disease specialists decide when a COVID-19 patient gets treatments; each one is on a case-by-case basis. Remdesivir is a drug we use for a cytokine storm. If you can prevent that, you can stop the progression (of COVID-19). Other options are Tocilizumab, which works to block the immune reaction, and we started convalescent serum this week. (Ed.: Convalescent serum is plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients that contains antibodies to fight the virus.)

When youre in hospital-based medicine, you dont have a long-term relationship with patients, so its about helping to build a system that can attack this disease better. If I were in private practice, Id get to know the patient and their family. But right now, Im helping to put a system in place. I do think the system at CMC was prepared in a sensenot for a pandemicbut weve already been doing lots of virtual care. That was already set up, and it allows resources to get to people who live further out. Other cities didnt have as much time to prepare, but we had time to ramp upmore so than cities like New York or Seattle. So far, weve had enough beds and test kits.

Theres always fear that today could be the day we have more patients than beds, though. We fear patients dying. We worry that members of the health care team will get sick. We worry about our critical care colleagues, managing the sickest of the sick. We pray that our nurses and techs, who spend far more face-to-face time with the patients, stay healthy. For the first time in our careers, we worry about our own mortality. Were terrified well bring it home to our families, our children, our spouses, our fathers who are on chemotherapy. No one went into medicine thinking they were going to give up their lives. You miss out on a lot of things in your 20s when youre in med school, sure, but you dont worry that youll die at a young age.

The support system we had built in our office has changed. Social distancing means were no longer eating lunch as a group in our office. Now we write our daily notes separately, either at home alone or in solitude at an empty nursing station. Weve lost the ability to bounce ideas off each other or share a complicated case. We line up every morning to answer questions about symptoms we may have and get our temperature taken before we can to walk into our respective units. We strap on one mask, maybe two, grab some goggles, and gown up. Then we grab our list and begin our rounds.

CHRIS EDWARDS

I get ready for work in a different manner now. One set of shoes for home, one for work. No makeup, no jewelry. The wedding ring thats been on my finger for 12 years stays in the jewelry box. I wear clothes I can wash daily. Coming home should be carefree, but now I have a different routine before dinner. Take my clothes off outside and run to the shower. Is there a small amount of virus on my hair? Did I touch my face? I wipe down the doorknobs at home. And those of us who stay at home are lucky; others live away from their families. Instead of relaxing at night, mindlessly reading or playing with our kids, we watch the news and scour the internet, hoping for a breakthrough.

Treating patients for COVID-19 symptoms makes me nervous, but once Im caring for them, its uplifting because I know Im making a difference. Bedside manner is so important right now because these patients are scared and completely and utterly alone. We have to be good at explaining their symptoms in a way that makes sense to them. Theyre hospitalized and isolated for 14 to 21 days. Its a long time to be alone and separated from family. I sent a patient to hospice recently and the family couldnt be therenot because the patient had coronavirus but because its everywhere else.

I fear that we wont get back to what normal was, that well continue to live with trepidation for the foreseeable future, that we cant just get up and travel to see our loved ones, and well constantly wonder who will get sick and when. Its hard to know the exact point when you have enough beds and resources in place and you can allow people some freedom. I worry about a second problem for the people with chronic illnesses who couldnt get their meds while they were at home and out of work. People who cant afford their blood pressure medicine anymore could have a massive stroke. Someone who needed a hip replaced but postponed surgery during the pandemic could have a fall.

Its hard to imagine this will fully go away anytime soon. I think the most exciting thing we can hope for is a vaccine. Its amazing to see scientists all over the world coming together to find this common solution. I think its important to listen to what virologists and microbiologists say, not just physicians. Creating a vaccine and understanding how a virus replicates and how to stop it is so important. And using antibody tests could change everything.

A close friend and colleague of mine gives a lecture to our physicians assistant and nurse practitioner fellows called Introduction to Antibiotics. Its a universally loved talk that ends with each fellow picking the four antibiotics they would choose to help them survive if there was a zombie apocalypse. Its about understanding what you would need to treat a widespread group of things. A decade later, I would never have imagined that zombie apocalypse would be the fight of our career, this battle against a microscopic virus.

In my best-case scenario, were able to slowly open up small sectors of our world again. Over the next six months, well figure out better ways to treat the virus and prevent it in the future. A lot of people are willing to help, donate plasma, or be a guinea pig to test vaccines. I hope kids go back to school in fall. When winter comes, I hope we dont close down the world again. I hope were better prepared than we are now. You have to jump-start the economy, but you cant do it at the risk of your people.

This experience makes me believe in the medical profession more. The majority of people who are in medicine do it because they want to make a difference. Outpatient nurses are rounding in the hospital because they want to help and they care. Others are coming out of retirement or volunteering to go to New York and help. It makes me feel more proud of who we are. One thing I still know to be true about the medical profession is that people really are in it to do good.

Its a very interesting time in the world, and I think well be better because of it. Ive felt more like a parent than I ever have after this time at home with my kids, supervising the schoolwork, doing the laundry, cooking the meals. In that way, its allowed us all to be truer because were not wrapped up in the craziness that we used to live. Its nice not to be running all the time. Ive learned that life is sacred. Slow down, spend time with your family. Cherish your elders. Remember all those that were willing to give up their life to save someone they didnt know. My hope is that this pandemic will help medicineand societyheal.

Original post:
A Charlotte Doctor on the Day-to-Day Reality of COVID-19 - Charlotte magazine

Then you need to find these courses. Some people find a post baccalaureate program that will hit all these requirements. If you work full-time like I did, though, and cant enroll in a full-time postbac program, you can collect these classes from colleges in your area. Depending on your location, you may have an undergraduate institution close by that will allow you to enroll as some type of lifelong learner to take the courses there without formal degree plans from their institution.

Another option, and what I did, is to find the courses scattered around different junior colleges in the area. This was the only way for me to meet the requirements by taking them around my full-time work schedule (early in the morning, late at night, on weekends). Some people worry that will look bad but when asked on the interview trail, it was a source of pride for me to explain that if I had to manage multiple schedules and travel hundreds of miles at odd hours to take these courses to pursue my medical dreams then that was exactly what I was going to do. I think most schools ended up seeing it as proof of commitment.

First, the AAMC is the absolute best resource and starting place to create a list of critical deliverables for your primary application, such as your undergrad transcripts, MCAT scores, personal statement, extracurricular activities and letters of recommendations, as well as dates when the primary application, secondary application, MCAT/CASPR, interview timeframes and commit dates are due.

Second, having a pre-health advisor and mentors are key for maximizing your responses. If you dont have a pre-health advisor like I didnt, you can request one from National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (volunteer.advisor@naahp.org) and get matched with an advisor who has volunteered to help nontraditional students. My advisor, Gina Camello at the University of Southern California, was critical in helping me wrap my head around the process, requirements and refining my personal statement through many, many drafts (Thank you, Gina!). Other mentors who were critical came from my involvement with theAmerican Medical Womens Association. So many physicians who charted this path before me have been so generous with their time and wisdom on how to be successful in getting into medical school and beyond.

It seems like a long time, but theres much to do and gather. The best thing you can do is get organized and know what needs to be completed by when and give yourself lots of buffer time. Things like getting official transcripts sent can take much longer than you anticipate. If youre going to ask for letters of recommendations from specific individuals, give them enough time and information to be successful in helping you. I studied for the MCAT for eight months. It took six months of drafts before my personal statement was succinct enough to be worthy of application, and I had considered myself a prolific writer before this.

A high quality application takes a lot of time and introspection so make sure you get highly organized and give yourself enough time to complete things because theres no shortage of stories of people who dropped out of the application process because it was coming down to the wire for submitting items, and the pressure was too much.

I think its important to find out what about your life experience is unique, whats your differentiator, and how does that apply to what your vision is for your future medical career.

Admissions teams highlight repeatedly that applicants who really know themselves on this level and can show dont tell stand out as the most serious candidates. This means having specific life stories and examples ready that can back up the points you want to illustrate. Anyone can say yes, I am resilient, but having a real world scenario where you proved that will be taken much more seriously. If you are a nontraditional candidate, by linear time definition alone, you may have an advantage in having had more opportunities to attain these skills and experiences.

Theres a common quote in medicine that if you can see yourself being happy doing anything else, you should do that instead. I completely agree.

Medical school is hard: mentally, physically, emotionally. But there is a Nietsche quote that, He who hasa why []can bear almost any how. And I think this is true for medicine. Your why has to be so strong to be able to keep you going through a profession that requires so much from you. For a while I had this dream but thought I was too late or too old now. I was reminded by Earl Nightingale that time passes anyway, you may as well be doing what you love. I knew that at the end of my life if I didnt try I would deeply regret it because I know I have something very important to contribute to medicine. I also was held back for a while thinking that committing to medicine would mean sacrificing family and going into financial debt. However, so many mentors (especially through the American Medical Womens Association) reinforced that many successful physicians also have rich family lives.

Like Podcasts? Add the Michigan Medicine News Breakto your Alexa-enabled device orsubscribe for updates oniTunes,Google PlayandStitcher.

My calling for medicine had grown so loud that when I was finally ready to apply I was willing to give up any amount of time, family or money to see this through. As it turns out, you dont have to be this extreme. Ive learned that life is a great balancing act and with the right strategies, planning and preparationyou can have all the things!

There are many jobs that help people so that is not enough of a reason for any admissions officer to feel confident about a candidate. You need to articulate specifically why you want to be a physician vs. another role.

This is why its important to spend some volunteer time shadowing or on medical missions so you can really be sure this life is for you. A good format to answer why medicine in conversation or your personal statement that I was exposed to is to break it down into: 1. When your interest was piqued about medicine; 2. The further development of that interest; 3. Your final commitment point.

When you apply later in life, admissions teams want to make sure youve given this tremendous thought and that your diverse life experiences have informed the natural culmination to this decision.

First, applicants should know what the requirements are from different schools because some will want science professors, some will want non-science, etc. These are key to know and identify as early as possible, especially if you will need to (re)build these relationships.

If you have spent a majority of your time in a professional career or other venture, you should absolutely consider getting letters from people in these spheres. I had letters that covered career, volunteer work, science instructors and longtime mentors. If you have been out of school for a while and your letters are as diverse as your experience, thats also okay! I would also try to identify people who can speak to a range of your attributes that youd like to demonstrate. Maybe your director at work can speak to your innovative qualities, your volunteer manager can reflect on your ability to execute, your science teacher can reflect (beyond your science aptitude) on your teamwork with classmates, etc.

In my humble opinion from observing the process, what is competitive to one school is a liability for another. What that means is that certain schools want to be known for certain values and have curriculum, opportunities and faculty who represent those interests. The most important thing is fit, not to win them all. For example, with my technology background and vision for the future of technology/medicine, not all medical schools valued or had support for that direction and thats okay. For me, good fit meant being at an institution that valued diversity, inclusion and pioneering new health technology, which is exactly what I found at the University of Michigan. Other schools may have seen my background and thought what can we offer someone who is passionate about technology if we dont really invest in that for our students or faculty?.

A great way to know if a school is going to want to invest in you and the uniqueness you bring is to do research on the projects their faculty are involved in because I think it shows what the institution values. If your dreams are surgical and a majority of their projects are mostly around primary care, no matter how eloquently you describe being inspired by the graceful gesticulations of reconstructive surgery, it may not be a match.

The other positive tip about researching projects at the institution is that perhaps you find a lab or team you want to work with if accepted, and at the interview you can speak more concretely about that particular school and your plans. That shows admissions that you will hit the ground running if admitted and have done research about their school that makes them feel that their institution is really special to you and not just a copy, paste, change name, someone please accept me. You are going to spend the next four plus years at this institution so its very important that you have done enough research about the school to know that you actually want to go and could be successful and contribute there.

Again, sort of depends on the school and what they value. Forward-thinking, tech-inclined schools will be excited about your passion for and experience with new technology or methods. Rural schools may be more impressed with your experience on topics that affect their patient populations more severely, like health care access or perhaps substance abuse. It can be a good idea to see what kinds of things the school gets research funding for because that may tell you what traits they care most about.

SEE ALSO:Reality Checks: Michigan Medical School Students Open Up

As a general blanket statement, most schools will highlight research, diversity and service. I think ultimately, though, the pre-med life experiences that ends up being most attractive are ones that are:unique(so you will have a different perspective to share),altruistic(so you are internally, mission driven) andauthentic(which shows you are introspective and resilient).

Visit link:
What to Know About Applying to Medical School as a Nontraditional - Michigan Medicine

With more than five decades in the medical field, Dr. Briggs Hopson Jr. touched countless lives and influenced those who followed.

He has been described as a gentleman, a family man, a mentor and a visionary.

On Saturday, Hopson died. He was 82.

Briggs has been a leader in our medical community for almost 50 years, Dr. Paul Pierce III said. He has been very important to Vicksburg medicine and to me in particular.

Pierce recalled the impact Hopson had on his decision to go into the medical field.

I started out as an engineer and when I first started thinking about going to medical school, I went to Briggs to get his advice and he was encouraging, Pierce said. I started talking to Briggs on a Sunday and the next day Briggs called me up and wanted to know if I could come talk to Dr. Rowlett and I did.

All three men had been part of the 412th Engineer Command and before becoming a doctor, Rowlett, too, had been an engineer.

Dr. Rowlett was very encouraging to me, and so Briggs was important for me personally in assisting me in making up my mind to go back to school to be a doctor, Pierce said.

Pierce also credited Hopson for the current hospital facility in Vicksburg.

I think Briggs was the driving force behind that almost 20 years ago and that in my mind is his legacy, Pierce said. There were two big clinics competing with each other. Briggs had a large part to do in getting the clinics together so we could take two moderate size hospitals and have one large hospital.

Leigh White, Merit Health River Region Marketing Director, agreed.

Along with other key individuals, (Hopson) was instrumental in the vision, planning and oversight of the construction of our beautiful facility on Highway 61 North, White said.

While practicing in the Vicksburg healthcare systems, White said, Hopsons tenure included his leadership as Chief of Surgery for Mercy Hospital, Chief of Staff for Parkview Regional Medical Center, member of the Board of Directors at Merit Health River Region and Vice President of Medical Affairs at Merit Health River Region.

He was well known as an accomplished surgeon and loved by the many patients who received his skilled, compassionate care, White said. It was truly an honor to know him and work with him. He will be truly missed by everyone at Merit Health River Region.

In addition to his medical career, Hopson was also committed to the Miss Mississippi Corporation and the annual Miss Mississippi Competition and the Miss Mississippi Oustanding Teen Pageant.

During his tenure as CEO and chairman of the board, he took Miss Mississippi to the next level of excellence and as a result, Miss Mississippi has had a long successful track record, Miss Mississippi Board Chairman David Blackledge said. During his time we had 13 preliminary swimsuit winners, three preliminary talent winners, eight top 10 finalists, nine runners-up to Miss America and two Miss Americas. What an accomplished record he had of his over 40 years of service to the Miss Mississippi Organization.

Blackledge said Hopson spent hours working to obtain patron and scholarship money in an effort to assure all of the contestants, not just the winner or runners-up, would have funds to further their education and career.

And in my opinion, that was one of his greatest accomplishments. He truly took pride in that because Miss Mississippi was one of the top cash scholarship givers in the Miss America Organization for many many years, Blackledge said. He wanted to see all of these young ladies do their best and further their education.

Funds raised also help provide for award-winning Miss Mississippi productions.

We had one of the best TV productions that you could have because of his efforts and obviously he worked very close to Pat (Hopson) to make that happen, Blackledge said. We laughed and kidded that Doc raised the money and Pat made it happen.

On a personal note, Blackledge said, Hopson served as a mentor to him.

Not only did he advise me all those years with the pageant, Blackledge said. He was a father figure to me after my dad had passed away. He certainly gave me advice and Godly wisdom to help me in my life.

Pierce called Hopson a gentleman and someone who was easy to get along with.

He conducted himself in a gentlemanly fashion and was a motivation to us all. He was also a good family man. All his children were excellent. He and Pat did something right, Pierce said. They raised wonderful children. All of them are good kids who live meaningful lives.

Briggs Hopson meant a lot to people, particularly me, Pierce said. He will be missed.

As dynamic as Hopson was in the medical field, and in being a key leader in the Miss Mississippi Corporation, his children him remembered him for far more.

My dad was a rock with his quiet presence and his unconditional love and the way that there was nothing we could do that would make him say anything but I love you, Hopsons youngest daughter, Kathy Ricks said. He didnt have to discipline us because we knew he loved us so much, we wanted to make him proud. I know he got mad at us, but I honestly cant remember a time when he was, because everything he did, he always said, I love you no matter what and you truly knew it.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete, but a drive-by visitation is planned for Friday afternoon along Dr. Briggs Hopson Boulevard in front of the Vicksburg Convention Center.

See original here:
Dr. Hopson left lasting legacy on Vicksburg and Warren County - The Vicksburg Post - Vicksburg Post

As the Kudji women prepare to start their residencies during the coronavirus pandemic, theyve embraced a unique perspective on the unusual circumstances. As a mom, I'm very concerned about starting in the middle of a pandemic. We worry about having enough PPE. I worry about my child, potentially being exposed to COVID. But at the same time, you know, this is what we signed up for.

At the same time, it also gives you an opportunity to see disease processes that you probably would never see, be a part of a solution that you probably never get an opportunity to be a part of, you know, and really get an opportunity to educate the public. So it's all about perspective and what you can contribute during this time.

Although it has been 156 years since Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler became the first African American woman to earn a medical degree and 121 years since Dr. Emma Wakefield-Paillet became the first black woman to practice medicine in Louisiana, the number of black females pursuing medicine hasnt grown much since.

In a 2019 report from the Association of American Medical Colleges, only about 5%, or 45,534 of physicians surveyed identified as black or African American. Kudji said, It's honestly not very common. Like 2% of physicians are African American women. Even at the hospital that I'm going to start working at, there's only one African American female surgeon out of probably about 50.

Female surgeons in general are just uncommon. It's not often that I see people that look like me in my field so that's why it's so important to us to make sure that we do show our faces and spread our story.

It's so important because when I was coming up, I remember watching 'The Cosby Show' or 'A Different World,' and we would all run to the television in college when that show would come on because you didn't have that. It was the first time you saw an African American doctor, African American attorney and a family and you saw that image before you," Kudji Sylvester said.

To give young black girls and women a look into their lives, the Kudjis are sharing their personal experiences online. Kudji explained, We created a blog called The MD Life, where we try to explain some things that we struggled with, like how to apply to medical school, how to get into medical school, how to become a surgeon, and explain it to people and provide information that we wish we would have had from the beginning.

Both mother and daughter will start their residencies on July 1. Kudji Sylvester will be based in Lafayette, Louisiana for three years while Kudjis surgical rotation will last five years and require her to travel between Baton Rouge, Lafayette and New Orleans.

When you're young and you don't see someone that looks like you doing something that you want to do, when you see other people doing it, you kind of start to think well, maybe these people are inherently somehow better than me," Kudji said.

"And so, that's why I think representation matters. It shows young people or even older people that, no, there's nothing inherently wrong with you, you're not less intelligent or less capable. You know, you can do it too.

Visit link:
Black mother-daughter duo start their medical careers together - TODAY