Kit Kat Cough Drop Flavour.

Damn, Japan, back at it again with the freaky Kit Kat flavours. The newest concoction? Chocolate containing real throat lozenge powder, calledKit Kat Nodo Ame Aji-- or Kit Kat Cough Drop Flavour.

Every serving of the limited-edition release that graces the palette is 2.1 percent throat lozenge powder. Nestle says the ground cough drop powder is kneaded into the bar's white chocolate layers, creating a "fresh and invigorating flavour."

That guy on the packaging is Yasutaro Matsuki, a former national football (soccer) player and manager, who's since expanded into enthusiastic sports commentary. The bar's design is to support TV Asahi sports broadcasts -- as well as helping to soothe throats.

Unsurprisingly, this isn't Japan's first entryto a series of unfortunate Kit Kat flavours. Among limited-edition releases: Soy Sauce Kit Kat, Grilled Potato and Cherry Blossom.

The Cough Drop Kit Kat costs 140 yen (US $1.28) in Japanese convenience stores, and is available till September 10, after the last 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying game between Japan and Saudi Arabia on September 5.

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On August 21, President Trump prescribed a new kill and cure medicine for winning the war in Afghanistan. Killing terrorists is the kill part of the medicine while negotiating with the Taliban at some surprise moment in the future is the cure part. The kill part is not new. Since 9/11, U.S. presidents have employed soaring rhetoric to sell the kill part. President Bush executed the kill part through the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. President Obama, the recipient of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, staged drone strikes in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, and Yemen to kill both alien and citizen terrorists.

The cure part is sort of new because previously (even before 9/11) the U.S. presidents publically vowed not to talk to the terrorists, though first secretly or sometimes openly, they all have negotiated with the leaders of terrorist organizations, including Yasser Arafat, Gerry Adams, Osama bin Laden, and Mullah Omar. Trump is simply making the cure part a bit less covert.

Killing terrorists is now a global practice of warfare that many nation-states endorse and act upon, ignoring the strictures of extra-judicial killings. Israel pioneered the state practice by killing Palestinian leaders in occupied territories, including the 2004 drone assassination of Sheikh Yassin, a quadriplegic leader of Hamas. Upon 9/11, the U.S. too adopted an open policy of killing terrorists. Recall, however, that the covert policy of killing foreign leaders has been for decades a part of the U.S. foreign policy.

The U.S. changed the kill rule of international law. When a minor state violates a rule of international law, it is considered a breach or crime; and, the violating state may be punished with economic sanctions or use of force. When a superpower violates a rule of international law, the rule itself loses legitimacy and may be abandoned if extensively violated. Such de-enactments of rules, though uncommon, are part of international lawmaking. Killing terrorists has been established as a recognized exception to the prohibition against extra-judicial killings.

One problem with the kill rule is the classification of terrorists subject to assassination. However, the classification is no longer confined to persons who personally commit acts of terrorism. A mastermind such as Osama bin Laden who finances terrorism is a legitimate target. So is an intellectual who incites resistance, as did Anwar Awlaki, a U.S. Citizen killed in a drone strike in Yemen. So is a spiritual leader, such as Sheikh Yassin. Afghan Taliban Chief Mullah Omar, though not killed, died under a hanging sword of U.S. bounty of $25 million placed on his head.

Theoretically, the kill part of the medicine may unleash fierce bombings of the Afghan Taliban who control significant territory of Afghanistan. Mega bombs may be routinized in all parts of Afghanistan. Likewise, drone warfare may escalate both in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This course of chemotherapy, however, is highly improbable, despite the anticipation of medicine.

It is unclear how Pakistan would react to increased drone strikes within Pakistan. Previous U.S. administrations would use drones or other strikes, including the killing of Osama bin Laden, with permission from and prior notice to the Pakistan armed forces. This covert strategy is unlikely to change, though the public rhetoric from both governments may turn mutually antagonistic.

If perchance the Trump administration pursues a unilateral kill policy in Pakistan, the Afghanistan war will break for the worse. Pakistan may shoot down U.S. drones, cutoff supply routes, or unleash groups willing to fight India in Kashmir. This development will generate a head-on collision between Pakistan and the U.S. It is highly doubtful that the U.S. and Pakistan will resort to such extremity, given the close relationship between U.S. and Pakistan militaries and intelligence communities.

In sum, the kill part of the medicine will remain a tool of propaganda, though a lot of civilians will be killed in showoff bombings and drone strikes. Afghanistan, one of the poorest countries in the world, will continue to suffer adversity, as it has in the past. The U.S. will fail to eliminate the Taliban, strengthen Afghan democracy, or bring prosperity to the people of Afghanistan. The kill part will be downright ineffective.

By contrast, the cure part carries some promise. Trump made two things clear: first, the U.S. is no longer interested in nation-building or promoting democracy in Afghanistan. This means that the people of Afghanistan may choose a form of government other than liberal democracy or democracy at all. It also means that the people of Afghanistan may choose a form of government consistent with the Shariah principles, much like the people of Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates. This ideological flexibility may pave the way for the Taliban to take interest in negotiating an exit deal with the U.S.

The second thing that Trump made clear is the U.S. willingness to negotiate with the Taliban. Even though Trump indicated that the U.S. is open to talking to some elements of the Taliban, the pragmatics will dictate that the U.S. negotiate with the Taliban leadership. The cure part also means that Pakistan, commanding influence over the Afghan Taliban, will play a crucial role in shaping the future of Afghanistan. Pakistan furnishes the medium, the credibility, and the logistics for direct negotiation between the U.S. and the Afghan Taliban. To balance these services from Pakistan, Trump asks India to furnish resources for development in Afghanistan.

The U.S. can kill thousands of people in Afghanistan, as it has in the past sixteen years, but the kill medicine will not furnish a face-saving exit from this longest war in the U.S. history. The war will become ghastlier and the world less safe if the U.S. picks an unnecessary fight with Pakistan because Pakistan will divert its frustration against India, triggering yet another South Asian war. The way forward for the U.S. is no other but direct negotiation with the Taliban leadership without killing their leaders. Moreover, the time for negotiation is now and not at some unannounced surprise party in the future.

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THE UNIVERSITY Hospital Network has warned that some patients may suffer at the hands of the new Government Procurement and Supply Management Act, which requires them to use more generic medicines.

Taking effect today, the legislation requires medical-school hospitals to forego original drugs in favour of generic alternatives from the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO).

Also, they are legally required to ensure that at least 60 per cent of their medical supplies come from the GPO.

While quality generic medicines work well in most cases, some patients need original drugs, the University Hospital Network said in a statement yesterday.

The statement added that some patients could face grave consequences as soon as the new law became effective.

The University Hospital Network, which covers 19 institutes, said medical facilities would not buy original drugs for patients if their actions could be seen as defying the law.

We have raised our concerns in the hope that medical facilities will be allowed to consistently procure drugs, prosthetics and other medical supplies for patients so that there is no adverse impact on patients, the statement added.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a medical lecturer said university hospitals had never before been required to buy drugs from the GPO.

This is the first time medical-school hospitals have been subject to such a stipulation. And there is a 60-per-cent buying percentage requirement too, he said.

Under the new Government Procurement and Supply Management Act, other state hospitals have to buy at least 80 per cent of their medical supplies from the GPO an increase over the 60-per-cent requirement.

The medical lecturer said he had been informed that the GPO did not even produce some generic drugs itself, but just repackaged the medicines under the GPO brand.

Patients will be definitely affected because some will need to use original drugs. When university hospitals cannot provide such drugs, [those patients who can afford to do so] will have to go to private hospitals, he said.

On August 8, several medical school executives submitted a petition to Finance Minister Apisak Tantivorawong asking him to review the procurement guidelines for medicines, prosthetics and other medical supplies.

Comptroller Generals Department director-general Suttirat Rattanachot has defended the new Government Procurement and Supply Management Act.

In an interview earlier this month, she said the law allowed state hospitals to draw up their own new regulations for procurement, as long as they were in line with the acts objectives and won approval from the Government Procurement and Supply Management Policy Board.

She added that the act did not even give priority to prices in the procurement process.

It is not necessary that buyers must go for the cheapest price. Quality is a factor for consideration, Suttirat said.

She added that the Finance Ministry had already prepared seven draft ministerial regulations to facilitate enforcement of the act.

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Generic medicine law 'may hurt patients' - The Nation

LAS CRUCES, NM (KTSM) - It's back to school time for thousands including students at the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine in Las Cruces.

The new school is looking to address a growing need in the Borderland. "There's a need for doctors in Southern New Mexico and in El Paso," said Muneer Assi, Chair of Internal Medicine.

Until last year, New Mexico only had one medical school, today, the second class of medical students at Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine.

First year medical student Macken Yrun-Duffy is a Tuscon native and says Burrell is the perfect fit for him. "I love the southwest, I want to stay and help the community in the southwest," said Yrun-Duffy. "Burrell has a partnership with hospitals in Tucson so I can do my rotations there 3rd and 4th year."

For others, staying close to home was important. "I have the convenience of seeing my family and getting their support which is really important to me," said Irene Martinez, a UTEP graduate and El Paso native.

There are currently 162 students, and they're hoping they stay close.

"We're here to get more physicians to stay in the area because this is an area of need and the more physicians that we can train in the area, that are from the area, maybe they'll stay in the area," Dr. Assi said.

Hopefully, with the new medical school the students, faculty and staff can give the area's doctor shortage a cure.

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ATHOL Locals can now add routine medical appointments to their list of errands to do at North Quabbin Commons, as Tully Family Medicine has relocated to a new office on the east end of Athol.

One half of the 7,650-square-foot facility at 81 Reservoir Drive opened to the public Monday, with a walk-in clinic named Heywood Urgent Care expected to open in the other half in the fall. Office Manager Mary Paluk said at roughly 12:30 p.m. that scheduled appointments had been running smoothly.

So far, so good, she said, literally knocking on the wooden arm of a chair in the waiting area.

Tully Family Medicine now has eight examination rooms and is twice the size of its former location in Phillipston.

Paluk said Mondays are typically the busiest day of the week, and this Monday was no exception.

We had a full schedule. We hit the ground running, she said.

Paluk said Tully Family Medicine employs about 15 people and Heywood Urgent Care will employ 10 to 15. Both operations will be run by Heywood Medical Group, a nonprofit physician organization affiliated with Heywood Hospital. Heywood Medical Group is part of Heywood Healthcare, an independent community-owned health care system serving north central Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire.

Paluk said staff moved in equipment and supplies Friday.

Amanda MacFadgen, spokeswoman for Heywood Healthcare, said Tully Family Medicine will be led by Dr. Elizabeth Nottleson, with Deborah Plotkin, Carrie-Anne Case and Christopher Ambler as the facilitys nurse practitioners.

Win Brown, president and CEO of Heywood Healthcare, said the organization is committed to improving access to health services for the North Quabbin region.

In their new location in North Quabbin Commons, Tully Family Medicine has the ability to double their space and expand their care team, enabling more patients from infants to seniors to obtain convenient, quality primary care services right in their own community, he said.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 258. On Twitter: @DomenicPoli

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Tully Family Medicine opens in Athol - The Recorder

Aside from drug abuse among the youth, the motorbiking Duterte Harley may just have to open up another front in his war: The lucrative market in counterfeit drugs.

One report in the Wall Street Journal estimated the value of fake medicine sold here at more than P8 billion a yearand growing fast.

According to TechTrace, the Swiss company in the information business for fighting illicit trade and counterfeiting, fake drugs already became one of the fastest growing and most lucrative income sources for organized crime worldwide.

One literature on counterfeit medicine warned: It may be contaminated or contain the wrong or no active ingredient. They could have the right active ingredient but at the wrong dose. Counterfeit drugs are illegal and may be harmful to your health.

Therethe thing with fake medicine was, first and foremost, it could kill people. TechTrace estimated more than a million deaths a year worldwide.

Here the proliferation of fake medicines already turned into police matter under Duterte Harley, and you know how the police handled things under him.

That was perhaps why the Food and Drugs Administration, or FDA, under its young director general handpicked by Duterte Harley, its first non-doctor boss named Nela Charade Puno, tapped the PNP to launch a massive campaign against counterfeit goods i.e. medicines, food items and cosmetics.

The FDA has established that the fake drugs came mainly from China and India. In short, smuggled! Uh-oh, the Bureau of Customs again!

But it also discovered that, aside from over-the-counter sales, the marketing was done by legitimate outfits hiding behind the secrecy of internet sales.

To stop the trend, the FDA needed an ocean of money, which it did not have, more so because its mother unit, the Department of Health, even cut its budget.

By the way, the DOH also cut the budgets of some 50 government hospitals, and still Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial reportedly was confident on her confirmation by the Commission on Appointments.

The CA of course rejected Judy Taguiwalo as head of DSWD for no apparent reason, although Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, who headed the House of Representatives group in the CA, said that Taguiwalo was not fit for the job.

In what way? Well, according to Zamora, she would not even question the massive funding in the DSWD for the doleout program, conditional cash transfer, or CCT.

And all the while I thought that Congress should have asked the question, since it was the job of Congress to allot or not to allot the billions for CCT.

Theredespite being clean and all, Taguiwalo was not fit for the job, because she did not do the job that Congress was supposed to do.

Still her boss, Duterte Harley, went all out for Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon, despite the latters admission that the 3 oclock habit remained in the BOC under his watch.

Anyway, under Duterte Harley, the FDA refused to bawl over its lack of funding to stop the proliferation of counterfeit medicine, even when the DOH cut its budget for law enforcement.

It is up to you to determine whether or not the DOH cut the budget to protect syndicates in the fake drug racket.

In the past year or so, however, the FDA regulatory reinforcement unit (REU) already seized millions of pesos worth of the counterfeit products even including fake ball pens.

Now the FDA, which last week celebrated its 54th anniversary, had this Regulatory and Advocacy Fair, showing how the agency cut red tapes in its systems.

That should be good news to the P190-billion a year local pharmaceutical industry, particularly the small companies, mostly owned by Filipinos, which must get FDA approval for their products.

It was bad news to the facilitators in and out of FDA, who reportedly already launched a demolition job against the agency, particularly its head Puno, similar to the recent smear campaign by a big foreign company against her, because she stood her ground regarding the FDA ban on its product.

As for Duterte Harley, the FDA campaign against fake drugs seemed to be the kind of war that he would love.

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An employee works in a lab at Momenta Pharmaceuticals in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Hikma Pharmaceuticals Plc's U.S. subsidiary has raised the price of a common diarrhea drug by more than 400 percent and is charging more for five other medicines as well, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.

West-Ward Pharmaceuticals, the U.S. division of London-listed Hikma, increased the prices at the start of August by between 75 percent and 430 percent, for a mean of 237 percent, according to figures seen by the Financial Times.

In the United States, generic drugmakers such as Hikma are able to dictate prices of their products that have a monopoly or face little competition, the FT said.

Among the six drugs, West-Ward is either the only U.S. supplier or one of two manufacturers.

The average wholesale price of a 60 ml bottle of liquid Atropine-Diphenoxylate, a common diarrhea drug also known as Lomotil, went from about $16 a bottle to $84, the FT reported.

Brian Hoffmann, president of U.S. generics at West-Ward, said the prices of 94 percent of the group's copycat medicine portfolio had either fallen or stayed the same in 2017, and that they had fallen overall this year.

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Drugmaker Hikma's US unit raises medicine prices - Financial Times - CNBC

Many of the strategies being explored at the Stanford University School of Medicine to protect, improve and restore vision sound seriously sci-fi. Among them: cornea transplants conducted with magnetic fields instead of scalpels, virtual reality workouts to repair damaged retinas, and bionic vision.

The new issue of Stanford Medicine magazine, a theme issue on eyes and vision, includes details about these projects and others pushing the boundaries of biology and technology to help people see.

Studies show that when it comes to their health, the thing people most worry about, after death, is losing their vision, said Jeffrey Goldberg, MD, professor and chair of ophthalmology, in the reports lead article. Peoples productivity and their activities of daily life hinge critically on vision, more than on any other sense.

The lead article explains the basic workings of the eye and describes an array of ophthalmological research, including Goldbergs work to repair damaged corneas by injecting healthy cells into the eye and using magnets to pull the cells into position. A patient in a small early study entered the trial legally blind, with 20/200 vision, and left it with 20/40 vision close to normal. A larger study is planned to begin soon.

The fear of vision loss, even for people in lesser stages of disease, can be quite dramatic. So anything we can do to stabilize, better diagnose and hopefully one day restore vision in some of these diseases, I think, will have an enormous global impact, Goldberg said. This type of work is an example of Stanford Medicines focus on precision health, the goal of which is to anticipate and prevent disease in the healthy and precisely diagnose and treat disease in the ill.

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Stanford Medicine magazine reports on the future of vision - Stanford Medical Center Report

A

friend asked me to give a pre-med student some advice about a career in medicine. That request made me think about the one thing I most wish someone had told me about: the challenges of being a woman in medicine.

One issue I often encounter is being mistaken for a non-physician staff member. I used to gently correct these errors and continue on with my day. But one comment from a patient made me change the way I approach these situations.

I had been taking care of a pleasant elderly gentleman who was in the hospital after a leg amputation. Its not uncommon for patients to meet several physicians during a hospital stay, so I re-introduced myself the second day I saw him. Hello, I said. Im Dr. Julia Reilly. I didnt expect his response: Oh. Ive been picturing Dr. Reilly as a strong, male doctor.

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Im not sure why that was my tipping point, but it was. It made me look back and think about how incidents like that have affected me, consciously and subconsciously, over the course of my training. It also made me wonder what I would have wanted a medical student to have learned from the situation if one had been in the room with me.

Such interactions arent rare. Last week, I spent 75 minutes with a new patient and, after we had discussed his assessment and treatment plan, he asked to speak with a physician. Last month, a different patient told me he preferred male physicians because he felt he could trust them more.

Each time Im not recognized as a doctor, or a patient dismisses my advice in favor of a male physicians, I question myself.

Much attention has been drawn to impostor syndrome, a phenomenon characterized by feelings of self-doubt and fear of being discovered as an intellectual fraud. Imposter syndrome is troubling for various reasons. One is that it is highly associated with burnout, and is the strongest predictor of psychological distress among medical, nursing, and dental students.

Im not surprised that women in medicine demonstrate higher levels of impostor syndrome than their male colleagues. Perhaps these feelings of self-doubt are responses to the obstacles that women in medicine face, such as a dearth of women physicians holding top department leadership positions, the gender pay gap, and, as my research group discovered, being underrepresented as recipients of recognition awards from medical societies.

Until this year, I had not discussed my experiences with implicit (unconscious) bias or workforce disparities with any of the medical students I had mentored, and I had seldom discussed these issues with my mentors. Yet these discussions are an essential part of medical education.

I have been fortunate to be mentored by an experienced physician who has kept open an honest dialogue with me about the nearly universal hurdles that women physicians face today and that are even more profound for those who are also facing other challenges, such as having a disability or being a person of color. Indeed, overlapping social constructs often elevate the barriers that women physicians encounter. With my mentors guidance, I have become more educated about diversity and inclusion and therefore feel more empowered and prepared to succeed in academic medicine. I have also become more vocal about my experiences as a female physician.

Sadly, not all my colleagues have had this kind of opportunity

I believe that mentors should initiate honest discussions with their female trainees about the unconscious biases and workforce disparities they may face. That way, trainees can feel primed for the challenges and supported in knowing they are not alone. I encourage female physicians to speak more candidly about their experiences in medicine good and bad and to share them with their colleagues through various mediums. I have started to have these discussions with the younger physicians I now mentor.

I support increasing communication and networking between women physicians in different fields of medicine, as well as with those in different health care professions. An excellent way to participate in this effort is to join the virtual community across all fields of medicine that has developed around the #ILookLikeASurgeon and #ILookLikeAPhysician campaigns on Twitter.

These discussions arent just for women. Male physicians should be part of them, as they share in the responsibility to mentor and support female trainees. I am encouraged by Dr. Douglas Merrills recent opinion piece in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which urges physicians, especially male physicians, to speak up when they see abusive behavior directed at the their colleagues, as well as by the #HeForShe campaign.

At the end of my email to the pre-med student, I added a short paragraph in which I asked her to start thinking of herself not only as a future physician, but as a future female physician. I indicated that her experience in medicine would be different than that of her male colleagues. I suggested that she seek out strong women mentors and encourage her friends to do the same.

I also told her that I thought there has never been a more exciting time to be a woman in medicine, and I cannot wait to see the type of change this generation will make.

Lets have honest conversations with this generation and the next so we validate the experiences of all women in medicine and they know that they are not alone or imposters.

Julia M. Reilly, M.D., is a third-year resident physician in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston and Harvard Medical School.

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I wish someone had told me about the challenges of being a woman in medicine - STAT

Gwinnett Medical Center unveiled Georgias first sports injury treatment center and concussion classroom on wheels Wednesday.

This is the first vehicle of its kind in the state of Georgia and one of the first in the United States, said Kristin Crea, director of GMCs Sports Medicine department.

The Sports Medicine and Concussion Care-A-Van is a mobile care unit equipped with a full-service athletic training room. Basically, it allows GMCs Sports Medicine department to take its injury treatment and prevention services on the road.

When we travel around and talk to different directors, most athletic directors and coaches dont have access to injury prevention, Crea said. This really allows us to reach and have better access to these places that dont have this kind of care.

That includes care for concussions. GMCs Sports Medicine department includes a Concussion Institute directed by Dr. Saadiq El-Amid. Since the institute opened in August 2013, its treated more than 8,500 concussions.

Concussions are happening at epidemic levels, Crea said.

But El-Amid said the real scary cases are concussions that never receive treatment or get attention too late.

I cant tell you how many people ignore concussions, he said. If you ignore a concussion and continue to play a sport, you could hit your head again. That could lead to other issues.

Some patients accidentally ignore concussions because they dont think they could have sustained one unless they were hit on the head while playing a sport. But El-Amid said concussions are more common than that. In fact, any motion that jerks or whiplashes the head could move the brain and cause a concussion.

I personally sustained a concussion once because I tried to ride every roller coaster ride at Six Flags in 24 hours, El-Amid said.

Misinformation and ignorance about concussions thrives, particularly in areas where residents dont have contact with medical personnel or literature. Crea said she hopes the Care-A-Van can fix that gap. She and El-Amid plan to drive it all over the state, including to rural areas that wouldnt normally receive a lot of information about sports injuries or concussions.

The beauty of the Care-A-Van is its mobile, Crea said. So we can go wherever we need to different sports facilities, high schools, day cares, corporations, programs, schools and churches. We can go whereever we see fit.

Both Crea and El-Amid hope to use the Care-A-Van as a sort of moving billboard for concussion awareness and treatment.

I would love to be able to see this thing sitting in front of the mall on the weekends, El-Amid said. Its not only to teach those around, but also to let them have a name and an institution to get in touch with if they think they have a concussion.

The Care-A-Van can also help if nearby residents are already concerned they might have a concussion or could sustain one in the future. The van comes equipped with several laptops and tablets that allow physicians to give Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Tests and baseline tests.

An ImPACT assesment is an online test that measures congnitive ability. A patient can take an ImPACT test after sustaining a head injury to figure out whether the brain is concussed.

The Care-A-Van can administer these tests. But they arent helpful unless the person has a baseline score to compare with the ImPACT score. And few concussion patients have thought far enough ahead to take a baseline ImPACT score test before they were injured.

El-Amin said he hopes the Care-A-Van can change that.

Lets say we administer a baseline test to a kid in rural south Georgia. Then, the kid goes off to Alabama and sustains a concussion, El-Amin said. Then, when they want to ImPACT test him, hell be able to tell doctors, Hey, my family got impact tested by this mobile center a few years ago.

He said the Care-A-Van would be able to share the kids baseline score so his doctors could figure out the severity of his injury.

Right now, El-Amin said GMC plans to take its new mobile center all over Georgia, educating residents in as widespread an area as possible. But he doesnt want Gwinnett to monopolize the states mobile education space forever.

I would love to see other hospitals follow us, El-Amin said.

Its all about preventing potentially serious injuries.

Were in a position right now to really, really make a difference, El-Amin said.

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She wielded a kitchen knife, not a scalpel, but Serena Silberman was doing her part Saturday to heal the human body, one chop of parsley, peach and pomegranate at a time.

Food can be medicine, said Silberman, an instructor at the University of California San Diego Integrative Medicine Natural Healing Cooking Program, as she prepped a meal for more than 200 people at the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine in La Jolla.

Her feast was to commemorate the debut of UC San Diegos Centers for Integrative Health, an initiative throughout the university and health network to unify current research, education and clinical programs ranging from nutrition and acupuncture to meditation and yoga.

Saturdays all-day conference rang in the new collaborative health effort at UC San Diego by discussing how western science can be better wedded to traditional folk cures and alternative medicine to offer better outcomes for patients.

Charlie Neuman/U-T

At the Sanford Consortium, UC San Diego on Saturday launched the new Centers for Integrative Health. At the beginning of the event attendees participate in meditation.

At the Sanford Consortium, UC San Diego on Saturday launched the new Centers for Integrative Health. At the beginning of the event attendees participate in meditation. (Charlie Neuman/U-T)

To Silberman, that means parsley. Rich in antioxidants, the green leaves naturally contain the anti-inflammatory luteolin; Vitamin A to boost the white blood cells that attack infection; and folate, which can help protect patients from heart attack, stroke and hardened arteries.

And then theres her generous dusting of turmeric, the orange-colored herb from the ginger family that doubles as a curry spice and dye. Researchers are studying whether it might heal heart disease and diabetes with very few side effects.

Indian cooks have only been doing it for 5,000 years, so they might know something, said Silberman, punctuating her point with the chop-chop-chop of peaches.

None of this is new to UC San Diego. The Center for Integrative Medicine, for example, was established seven years ago and now treats more than 10,000 patients annually, but organizers hope future consultations will seamlessly involve the Centers for Mindfulness, Integrative Research, Integrative Nutrition and Integrative Education into a one-stop experience.

That means 26 practitioners in 10 clinics within eight departments throughout the health system will be integrated.

Dr. Dan Slater, a physician and UC San Diego professor of family medicine and public health, presented to a packed Sanford Consortium audience a case study he thinks might guide future patient care.

Charlie Neuman/U-T

Attendees to the launch of UC San Diego's Centers for Integrative Health get acupuncture and massages while listening to therapeutic harp music by Carolyn Worster.

Attendees to the launch of UC San Diego's Centers for Integrative Health get acupuncture and massages while listening to therapeutic harp music by Carolyn Worster. (Charlie Neuman/U-T)

A 61-year-old woman was suffering from symptoms suggesting ulcerative colitis, a painful inflammatory bowel disease. The wait had grown to six months in her small town for a colonoscopy that peeked at the lining of her intestine and took a sample of the tissue, a procedure Slater noted was not cheap and was not necessarily convenient.

So he and his team of integrative health specialists prescribed a diet high in fiber, fruits and vegetables and low in fats and sweets. A little more turmeric and a few dollops of probiotics good bacteria to boost the digestive system and within three months she was feeling better. By the time her colonoscopy rolled around, her condition was either in remission or cured.

To Slater, that highlights what the Centers for Integrative Health might do best researching many pathways to a cure but letting the body do most of the work by exploring everything from aromatherapy to zen.

cprine@sduniontribune.com

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Top UCSD researchers pitch yoga, massage and integrative medicine for healing - The San Diego Union-Tribune

After everything thats been reported about the opioid epidemic in our nation, I didnt expect a painkiller to be offered so easily.

But after a brief visit to the emergency room, I wondered if my experience is part of the reason America is awash in opioids, in the words of Thomas Frieden, former director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

I was in the hospital after a prolonged stomach flu. For seven days, I either couldnt keep down or get into my system much of anything, and 9 pounds fell off me. Normally, Id jump up and down at that statement, but I was too miserable.

Before I got to the ER, Id been to my primary care doctor, twice. My doctor thought Id been knocked down to the point I needed a jump start, in the form of intravenous fluids.

So, as I tried to get comfortable on a really uncomfortable slab of mattress, I told the ER doctor my symptoms. I mentioned stomach pain throughout, and that my primary care doctor thought it was muscle soreness from so much retching. The ER doctor listened patiently, poked my innards, felt the pulse in my ankle and listened to my heart.

He agreed that IV fluids were the ticket and ordered a CT scan to rule out any ugly possibilities, like appendicitis or diverticulitis.

Then he asked something about my comfort level. I didnt really grasp what he was saying, so he rephrased it: Do you want anything for the pain?

I said no right off the bat, then asked what was available. As we talked, I told him I didnt want any kind of opioid, and I swear he almost looked embarrassed when I said that. He said there were lesser pain relievers that could be administered through the IV.

My mother, who was in the room with me, said its no wonder so many people have problems with prescription painkillers. Look at how easy it would have been for me to get some.

As I recounted the story, one co-worker made the valid point that doctors want to alleviate the pain and suffering they see. Thats their purpose. Plus, she said, the doctor probably could tell that I didnt look like an addict.

If this epidemic has taught us anything, isnt it that those who get addicted to pain medicine dont fit any kind of profile?

They dont look like strung-out junkies; they look like the rest of us: hard-working moms and dads, honor students and Eagle Scouts, bus drivers, day-care workers and executives. Then, an accident or injury comes along and theyre given highly addictive narcotics to cope with the pain. Some develop an ungodly form of addiction to the highs the medicine produces in the brain and cant turn off the need for it.

But if you still think that only those with tattoos and stringy hair become hooked to the point they lose sight of everything else that matters, I encourage you to attend any of the upcoming town-hall meetings sponsored by a coalition formed to tackle the problem in our region. The Community Collaborative for Youth and Families is holding sessions in each locality in Planning District 16 through October.

The group also will show the documentary, Chasing the Dragon: The Life of an Opiate Addict, which is an eye-opening look at the drug problem in our nation. It was filmed in Virginiaincluding at the Rappahannock Regional Jailso dont think for a second that this is a problem limited to the nations urban areas.

The meetings are from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at these locations:

Aug. 21: King George Middle School

Sept. 13: Caroline County Community Center

Sept. 26: Brooke Point High School, Stafford

Oct. 2: James Monroe High School

Oct. 16: Rubicon Caf, Salem Fields Community Church, Spotsylvania

The conversation about opioid drugs needs to include a lot of different people, including health-care providers on the front lines. Certainly, they want to make people feel better, but they cant put people into positions that might cause more pain in the long run.

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Is it too easy to get pain medicine? - Fredericksburg.com

The Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation on Friday hosted the third annual High School Coaches Clinic for 100 high school coaches from the Washington, D.C., region.

In the midst of the preseason, the Washington Redskins are still in their building phase coaches continue to scout the roster, take notes during games and practice and preach unity that will become vital for the year ahead.

Its a comforting notion for DuVal High School football head coach Carlos Lockwood, who was one of roughly 100 coaches to take in the teams third annual High School Coaches Clinic presented by Inova Sports Medicine at the Inova Sports Performance Center at Redskins Park on Friday.

For me, I like stuff like this because its always about building, being a sponge, Lockwood said. Even for me being a head coach, I can always learn and when you hear the same things from the guys at the higher level, it just always hits home.

The clinic, which was hosted by the Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation, allowed local high school coaches to watch the Redskins complete Fridays walkthrough practice prior to a speakers panel that included many special guests and lunch in the team dining room.

Redskins President Bruce Allen kicked things off with a brief introduction followed by head coach Jay Gruden, who chatted about what he looks for in athletes effort and consistent work habits were primary themes before lending the stage to special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh and defensive coordinator Greg Manusky.

Together, the three of them addressed a wide range of topics, including what they learned from their high school coaches to balancing the stresses of their jobs with their families. The high school coaches, who came from Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., took notes and photos, returning home with bullet points to teach their student-athletes.

Later, EXOS Performance Director of Pro Sports,Brent Callaway, ran through a PowerPoint with slides dedicated to movement, nutrition, mindset and recovery, valuable tenets the company has dedicated their time to prepare athletes to perform at their best.

Before breaking for lunch, Super Bowl MVP and current Senior Vice President of Player Personnel Doug Williams shared a few stories about his time as a high school head coach (he had an undefeated team at Northeast High School in Zachary, La.) and the challenges and joys of the position. The former quarterback was a hit, providing insight and humor for 15 minutes and encouraging those in front of him to be ambassadors for their communities.

Dougs iconic, Lockwood said. Just to hear him speak about his childhood and what was going on back home and how meaningful it was for that team he had to go undefeated. Some of those guys never played collegiately or in the pros, but thats what brings back that community is high school football.

Also in attendance was Dunbar High Schools head football coach Matthew Vaughn, in charge of the program that Redskins tight end Vernon Davis called his growing up. Watching practice and roaming the halls where Davis walks, Vaughn was grateful to be among a community of high school coaches and see Davis up close again.

Hes made a tremendous impact on the community as well as the school, Vaughn said. We use Vernon as the standard of where the kids want to be and what they want to do. Hes a great role model for the kids and he does a lot for the community. Im proud to be here to watch him today and the kids, we always talk about Vernon and the things that hes done, and the way he went about his business and the way he still goes about his business and the way he represents the school, community and the Redskins.

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WRCF, Inova Sports Medicine Host Third Annual High School Coaches Clinic - Redskins.com

Fri., Aug. 18, 2017, 7:13 p.m.

More than a dozen Washington State University deans, faculty and guests helped welcome the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicines inaugural class at a ceremony Friday, where the 60 doctors-to-be donned white coats embroidered with the crimson cougar.

But the spirit of the event was best captured by Carmento Floyd, the widow of the former WSU President for whom the medical school is named.

You are and will be the most important class, because you were first, she said, moments after graciously receiving a symbolic white coat through tears. We expect greatness from you, and you must expect greatness from yourselves. Her remarks were met with a long standing ovation.

The event, which nearly filled the ground floor of the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox, was much more than a celebration for future physicians. It was a recognition of the advocacy, persistence and vision from Floyd and others that led to WSU receiving approval to start the school in 2015.

This is a moment Ive been waiting for for a long time, Dean John Tomkowiak said.

The incoming class of 60 students are all from Washington, something touted repeatedly by college administrators.

We dont even have an out-of-state tuition rate, WSU President Kirk Schultz said.

The hope is for the college to make a dent in the areas of Washington considered medically underserved a list that includes some portion of nearly every county east of the Cascades. And not only rural areas; the list, according to the Washington Department of Health, includes all of Yakima and Franklin counties.

We see a lot of things out there about the need for more physicians in our state, and this is a tangible step toward that goal, Schultz said.

He added that the university is lucky to be in a state where theres bipartisan support for investing in higher education.

At a time when many states are cutting funds from state universities, Washington taxpayers are funding about $66,000 of the $100,000 it takes to educate a single medical student for a year, Tomkowiak told students at an orientation ceremony Wednesday.

The state, those 7.1 million stakeholders, are putting in $2 for every $1 that you are, he said.

Its a commitment the students have taken to heart. Following orientation on Wednesday, many members of the class said they wanted to attend WSU in part because of its focused on providing care to underserved parts of their home state.

We wanted to be able to give back to the people of our state, said Christie Kirkpatrick, whos from Longview, Washington. Its really cool to be around people who all care about the same things.

Following speeches Friday afternoon, each students walked across the stage to be cloaked in their own white coat. A display overhead broadcast an individual oath for each student about their commitment to becoming a doctor and the reasons for choosing the profession.

It is a privilege to be trained in eastern Washington, where I plan to serve, wrote student Christina Eglin. Advocating for patients, treating others with compassion and giving back to a home community were common themes.

One student, Sye Jabbouri, wrote about the care shown to his Assyrian Iraqi family by strangers as they fled war at home, and said he wanted to bring that same care to his patients.

Washington poet laureate Tod Marshall read a poem he wrote for the occasion, which focused on the symbolism of a white coat as a honor to be earned.

Today is beautiful plumage and honor. Tomorrow, your gentle actions, the music of your listening will bear out the honor of a coats threads, he recited.

Published: Aug. 18, 2017, 7:13 p.m.

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WSU's Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine welcomes inaugural class - The Spokesman-Review

Photo: H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media

Dentist Leila Chahine, of Dental Wellness and Health in Danbury, holds a Mandibular Advancement Device. Tuesday, August 15, 2017, in Danbury, Conn.

Dentist Leila Chahine, of Dental Wellness and Health in Danbury, holds a Mandibular Advancement Device. Tuesday, August 15, 2017, in Danbury, Conn.

Danbury dentist accredited in dental sleep medicine

Dental Wellness & Health, the office of Leila Chahine, recently received accreditation from the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, or AADSM, in recognition of the offices excellence in treating patients with sleep apnea, snoring and other breathing-related sleep disorders.

The office is one of only three in Connecticut and 71 in the nation to receive the accreditation.

If a patients sleep ability is not healthy, the rest of his or her body cannot attain the most favorable health, either, Chahine said. I see my job as evaluating the whole patient and trying to create the best dental situation possible to foster optimal health. Our team is proud to be recognized for the highest level of care we provide to our patients.

Dental Wellness & Health, at 16 Hospital Ave., offers general dentistry services as well as the sleep disorder treatments. To combat sleep apnea and other sleep disorders, and to offer an alternative to CPAP machines, Chahine custom fits patients with a mouth piece or oral sleep appliance that repositions the lower jaw to allow for stable air flow during sleep.

Sleep is my passion, Chahine said.

To become accredited, facilities must meet quality measures outlined in the AADSMs Standards for Accreditation of Dental Sleep Medicine Facilities, which detail expectations for the proficiency of a facilitys dental director and staff. The standards also detail expectations in: documentation and billing of patients; professionalism of consumer care; follow-up service; and safety.

The accreditation lasts for three years. The program was developed to define excellence in dental sleep medicine, said Harold Smith, president of the AADSM. Patients and referring physicians can have peace-of-mind when working with an accredited facility, knowing that the facility has proven, recognized excellence in every aspect of care.

Smith said dentists and physicians can work together to diagnose and treat sleep disorders.

Chahine, who is from Lebanon, hopes the accreditation will increase understanding and acceptance of dental sleep medicine as it pertains to overall health and quality of life. Before, there was no way to tell the difference between a dentist with experience in dental sleep medicine and a novice, she said. Sleep apnea is a serious condition. Ive been specializing in this for 20 years. The accreditation is way for patients to ensure they are getting the best care.

Chahine, a past president of the Greater Danbury Dental Society, formerly served as the education chairman of the AADSM.

The AADSM is a non-profit national professional society dedicated to the practice of dental sleep medicine. It has more than 3,000 member dentists.

To reach Dental Wellness & Health, call 203-744-1814.

The writer may be reached at cbosak@hearstmediact.com; 203-731-3338

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Danbury dentist accredited in dental sleep medicine - Danbury News Times

The Saints apparently made some changes to their training staff this offseason that flew under the radar.

Beau Lowery was elevated to director of sports medicine after spending the previous two seasons as director of rehabilitation. Scottie Patton still remains as head athletic trainer.

In the team's media guide, Lowery is listed as the first name under the heading of "sports medicine." In the 2016 media guide, Patton had top billing under the heading of "athletic training." Lowery was listed second.

This change happened before the misdiagnosis on Delvin Breaux's broken fibula led to the firing of two team orthopedists.

Lowery, who earned a degree is physical therapy from Mississippi Medical Center in 1998 and a master's in kinesiology from LSU, spent his first four seasons with the Saints as an assistant athletic trainer/physical therapist. He later earned his doctorate in physical therapy through the University of Mississippi Medical Center in 2013.

Lowery spent two years as a physical therapist at the Baton Rouge Orthopedic Clinic before landing with the Saints and served as an associate athletic trainer/physical therapist at LSU from 2004-210, working primarily with the baseball team. He also worked with the men's golf and cheerleading programs.

Prior to working with LSU, he spent three summers with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Follow Nick Underhill on Twitter, @nick_underhill.

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Saints elevated Beau Lowery to director of sports medicine during the offseason - The Advocate

Physicians are privileged to see patients at their most vulnerable, to reshape lives and continually revitalize the nations health system. In a challenging practice environment, physicians remain driven by the power of healing and the indelible connections they form with patients and families.

The AMA Wire When I Knew Medicine Was My Calling series profiles a wide variety of doctors, offering a glimpse into the lives of the busy women and men navigating new courses in their careers and in American medicine. No matter their age, their specialty or their career stage, they were born to do this and they tell us why.

Share a moment with: Gerald Harmon, MD, a family physician in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, and chair of the AMA Board of Trustees.

I was born to: Help others heal.

The moment I knew medicine was my calling: My third year of college I was offered an opportunity to pursue a career in medicine while I was in the military reserves. I had never entertained the thought of a medical career, but a new health professions scholarship program was developed and I applied.

An experience from residency that confirmed my calling as a physician: I was attending an ill newborn as a second-year resident, and the infants severe heart defect required emergency helicopter transport two hours away. The weather was atrocious yet the military flight crews and leaders trusted my judgment to ask them all to risk their lives transporting the critically ill baby. It was a tough call, but it quickly matured my feelings that doctors had a high calling.

An experience from medical school that kept me going: My first exposure to clinical medicine other than the cadaver lab for anatomy was to attend a postmortem autopsy of a patient who literally had been hit by a train! After I got past that gruesome realitysomething I had never really counted onI figured I might make it as a doctor!

My source of inspiration: My wife and best friend Linda. Shes a career nurse and is Florence Nightingale personified. No better health care role model.

My hope for the future of medicine: That the golden age of medicine is always ahead of usthe greatest discoveries and experiences truly lie in days to come.

The hardest moment in medicine and how I got past it: My niece and nephew, ages 2 and 4, were fatally injured in a vehicle accident early in my career. Up until that time, my three children had never been exposed to the death of other children and assumed their doctor dad and his colleagues could literally make all children well. It was a sobering experience for me and I did suffer some self-doubts about medicine for a while, but I found strength in my brother and his wife who survived and gave me a purpose to continue my career.

My favorite experience working with the medical team: Watching and teaching new studentsmed students, residents, nursing studentsyou name it. We all have a good experience learning medicine as a team.

The most challenging aspects of caring for patients: The incredible volume and rapidly changing perspective of health care options. When I began medicine toward the end of the 20th century (sounds ancient, I know) we were still using textbooks and libraries, had no internet or cell phones, and most ulcer patients and heart patients came to major surgery. We have had an explosion of technology and treatment options over my three decades in medicine.

The most rewarding aspect of caring for patients: Unquestionably, the gratitude of my patients and their families. It is so heartfelt and sincere when they express thanks that it moistens my eyes every time. Very few human beings get to share that sensation.

The skills every physician should have but wont be tested for on the board exam: The ability to sit, and speak to, and communicate with, patients and families in an effective manner. It truly is an art and a learned skill.

One question students should ask themselves before pursuing medicine:Am I truly devoted to the profession as a calling and not just a way to have a job?

A quick insight I would give students who are considering medicine: Buckle up; youre in for the ride of your life. It doesnt get any better than this!

Mantra or song to describe my life in medicine: Lean On Me, by Bill Withers.

The rest is here:

Dr. Harmon: The moment I knew medicine was my calling - American Medical Association (blog)

The actor has jumped into the producers chair for a new workplace comedy.

Jay Ellis is a pretty busy guy. Outside of hit series Insecure, the actor and producer is working on a number of projects, one of which is the new web series Hard Medicine.

RELATED: Jay Ellis Says Fans Well Get To See Lawrence's "World Open Up" In Season Two Of 'Insecure'

The series, produced by Ellis and his producing partner Paula Bryant-Ellis, is a workplace comedy in the vein of The Office. The first two episodes of the series are available on Ellis Facebook page and the Urban Movie Channel (UMC) has picked up the remainder of the eight-episode first season.

While similar comedies have had a few people of color in its cast, the star of Hard Medicine is Dr. Harriet Moore, played by Nicole Slaughter, a black woman in charge of a low-income health clinic.

RELATED: Jay Ellis UsedIssa Rae's Instagram To Confess His Love For 'Chewing Gum' Actress Michaela Coel

"We always felt that for us, it's The Office meets Scrubs, but with people of color Ellis told ESSENCE. People of color have worked in medicine just like everybody else. We can use this type of filmmaking in that type of way to tell a story and to tell a comedy just like anyone else can.

The show is the brainchild of Melissa Eno Effa, who plays the acerbic Clarice. She [Melissa] came up with this concept and I was like 'I want to shoot it like this.' This is the kind of show I grew up on and love. And, these clinics in black neighborhoods have always been faced with being shut down, but what still service the community.

Soon after teaming up with Melissa, UMC called and offered to bring the show over to their network, becoming another in a list of web hits to become television successes.

The barrier to entry has gotten torn down, Ellis said. "What were finding and what all these networks are finding and different digital services are finding is that the web is a great testing ground. You can put things out there, tighten them up and build an audience around them.

And, nowhere is that more evident than Ellis hit series Insecure, created by and starring Issa Rae. The HBO show was inspired by Raes own successful web series, Awkward Black Girl, which saw Rae awkwardly navigating adulthood and dating.

Insecure is now in its second season and has been renewed for a third, which means the new and dedicated Lawrence Hive will get to see their boy once again.

I never expected that, Ellis adds, when asked about his new fans. You never expect it.

Reflecting on the insanity of Insecure'sseason one finale, Ellis said, I was on a thirteen hour flight, so I actually missed the finale. When I landed I turned on my phone and my battery died before I could even get home because my phone was ringing so much. So many text messages came through and I kept getting updates on Twitter and Instagram, it was insane.

You know, you never think a hive is going to happen, its something you cant control.

Ellis added, I see Lawrence and I see a lot of my friends. I see a lot of things I've done and have gone through. There are so many things hes going through that are relatable and I think that is something that is really cool. To see so many black men be able to see representation of themselves on television. That to me is what the hive is all about."

You can watch episodes of Ellis' new series, Hard Medicine, every Wednesday on UMC. And, if fans use the code HMonUMC17theycan get 60 days for free.

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'Insecure' Actor Jay Ellis Talks New Web Series 'Hard Medicine' And Lawrence Hive - Essence.com

JONESBORO, Ark. Dr. Mitchell Hervert has been selected to be a part of this years class of physicians in an internal medicine residency program at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro.

He was born and grew up in Ord, Neb. Hervert earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Kansas City University of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City, Mo., and earned a bachelors degree in biology from Hastings College in Hastings, Neb.

Hervert is the son of Clark and Laurie Hervert of Ord and the grandson of Shirley Wolfe of Kearney, Neb.

Hervert is one of five recent medical school graduates selected for advanced training in the field of internal medicine at St. Bernards. The physicians began duties on July 1 and are taking part in intensive training through observation and lecture, working under the mentorship of other physicians as they provide inpatient care in the hospital setting as well as follow-up care through a residents clinic.

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Hervert a resident in internal medicine at St. Bernards in Arkansas - Kearney Hub

Women make up 55 percent of active veterinarians and nearly 80 percent of the students in veterinary medicine. Despite this, women only make up 25 percent of leadership roles, and average salaries in the profession have dropped.

The book Leaders of the Pack: Women and the Future of Veterinary Medicine, published by Purdue University Press, was written by Julie Kumble M.Ed. and the late Dr. Donald Smith, dean emeritus of Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, to address the gender gap between men and women in leadership.

Kumble, a researcher and writer whose career focused on empowering women, said that the gender gap isnt unique to veterinary medicine but can be found in every other field.

I just want to stress that every profession has a gender gap at the top of every single profession, Kumble said. The people at the top echelons of nursing, the CEOs and CFOs, those tend to be more men. Look at our Congress, its 20 percent women. If you look at who the partners are in law firms, only 20 percent are women, so its across the board. Veterinary medicine isnt unique.

According to Kumble, the gender gap is the result of many factors and there isnt one gleaming answer. One factor is that men were traditionally in the profession longer than women and own specialty practices like orthopedics or dentistry; these specialty practices pay higher salaries. Kumble encourages women to own their own practices.

Another factor is the linear trajectory of a career that doesnt accommodate women with children.

Women are the ones bearing children and raising children so how are we going to build into our system ways for them to get back to work when theyre ready and not miss out on salary and not miss out on promotions, Kumble said.

Kumble cited the Scandinavian countries as a source for solutions, which include policies on family leave or requiring minimum percentages of women on directory boards.

In the book, she gives advice on how women can close the gender gap. One thing she would say to a new student studying veterinary medicine is to be open-minded to the vast opportunities in the profession, from research to the government.

The second is to find mentors during all stages of your career who can offer advice and shine light on your path, (and) then to do the same for others, Kumble said.

Willie Reed, the Purdue dean of veterinary medicine, acknowledges the gender gap and hopes to be a mentor for his students.

Encouraging women to consider leadership positions and providing training for them is something we have fostered here in the college, Reed said.

Reed nominates women for a training program through the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, and the senior administration in Purdues college has more women than men, unlike most colleges.

One of the women who went through the program is Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Ann Weil, a clinical professor of anesthesiology.

I think my dean has done a lot to help me personally in terms of improving my leadership skills, Weil said. The AAVMC sponsors leadership training, and I had the privilege of being asked to participate in the program. You learn media training, conflict resolution, team building, and listening skills. Its a pretty intense program.

Reed believes leadership development is important not just for the faculty but also the students in his college, who are predominately women.

Leadership is something that is needed and is expected, Reed said. Its like many things, you have to study leadership and be trained and thats part of what were doing here in the curriculum of veterinary medicine.

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Authors believe gender gap in veterinary medicine is fixable - Purdue Exponent