Use public health models to reduce gun violence

Conditions
August 22, 2012

Violence is the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment, or deprivation.
-World Health Organization

When I was a child, I loved riding my purple bike up and down the street of my neighborhood. Boundaries were set as to how far and …

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Use public health models to reduce gun violence

Take on the problem of obesity with dignity and respect

Conditions
May 21, 2012

At at time when 2 out 3 Americans are overweight, a story about black women and fat has gone viral. Perceptions about what women see in the mirror, feel about their bodies  and others tell them about beauty is not sufficient for health. The opinion that “many black women are fat because we want to be” may nurture bias that can hinder health care for those who are overweight …

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Take on the problem of obesity with dignity and respect

Early lessons from Haiti in global health

Conditions
January 18, 2012

Doctors, nurses, ministers, first-responders and many individuals have interrupted their daily lives for weeks and months at time to lend a helping hand. To show solidarity communities have thrown parties, organized fundraisers and joined with relief organizations. “Text for Haiti” became a popular way to make individual contributions through mobile phone text messages as many leaders urged financial contributions over direct donations of foodstuffs, clothes and other supplies. Early indications …

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Early lessons from Haiti in global health

Learning valuable public health lessons from influenza vaccination

Meds
December 22, 2011

In response to low immunization rates in my community, I served on a task force to develop a community-based pilot to increase influenza vaccination. We worked in collaboration with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Department for Aging, Visiting Nurse Services of New York (VNSNY) and a local church health ministry.

On a Sunday morning in late November (during the CDC’s National Influenza Vaccine Week) nearly 100 African-Americans received …

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Learning valuable public health lessons from influenza vaccination

Lethal injections are not good medicine

Patient
September 29, 2011

Recently, two executions by lethal injections were carried out in America. One ended the life of Troy Davis in Georgia, the other with too much hate Lawrence Russell Brewer in Texas. Death and dying offer complexity and complications in the profession medicine bound by policies, mandates and laws driven by internal (e.g. professional associations, medical boards) and external (e.g. federal, state, medical center) forces.

Lethal injections involve delivering a fatal dose …

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Lethal injections are not good medicine

Hurricane tips that patients and health professionals should know

Patient
August 26, 2011

If you’ve seen the news recently, you know that emergencies can happen unexpectedly in communities just like yours, to people like you. We’ve seen tornado outbreaks, river floods and flash floods, historic earthquakes, tsunamis, and even water main breaks and power outages in U.S. cities affecting millions of people for days at a time and now Hurricane Irene is coming. Health care professionals should be ready too.

I was …

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Hurricane tips that patients and health professionals should know

Medical student research and reading

Education
August 16, 2011

According to Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) policy, medical education curricula should provide opportunities for and encourage medical student participation in research and scholarly activities. Some med students take the summer between first and second year while others may take elective time or a year-off to pursue more in-depth research experiences.

Med students may also choose to become the subject of research by participating in a clinical trials as patients, although I’m …

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Medical student research and reading

Women in medicine: Gender, mentors and role models

Physician
July 13, 2011

We are living a new era where the progress for the civil rights of women is undeniable, yet Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg points out in her compelling TED presentation:

“We still live in a world where some women don’t have [civil rights]. But all that aside, we still have … a real problem … women are not making it to the top of any profession …

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Women in medicine: Gender, mentors and role models

Summer palpitations

Conditions
June 30, 2011

It was early Saturday morning, I was making my plans for the day, crossing-off a few items that seemed unreasonable with others that had been accomplished. As I moved toward the kitchen, a voice from the living room bellowed “the coffee is ready.”

Turning my head I could see bright rays of sunshine making a visible path through the open front door.  My morning greeting followed …

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Summer palpitations

Matters of the heart

Education
June 23, 2011

She whispered to me with bulging eyes of urgency, “something is not right, I’ve been in pain all night.”

Her chief complaint was chest pain.  She had a routine work-up and some care with little relief.  The news came that all of her test results were normal.  Her body appeared tense, she looked panicked and afraid.  At bedside, the attending suggested endoscopy offering that her pain …

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Matters of the heart