http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php en Mon, 12 May 2008 12:44:20 GMT vBulletin 20 http://img.studentdoctor.net/images/misc/rss.jpg http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=892 Mon, 12 May 2008 02:16:41 GMT Will a C- in General Chemistry hurt my chances of getting into Medical School? This was my first science taken and I am a freshman. Will a C- in General Chemistry hurt my chances of getting into Medical School? This was my first science taken and I am a freshman. ]]> Saggese http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=892 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=890 Mon, 12 May 2008 02:12:26 GMT To all taking theory - preliminary test in Australia, if you need the latest MCQ test info, email me at oj2ad@yahoo.com... I can help you out.... To all taking theory - preliminary test in Australia, if you need the latest MCQ test info, email me at oj2ad@yahoo.com...
I can help you out.... ]]> oj2ad http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=890 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=889 Sun, 11 May 2008 20:32:54 GMT Hi, I'm preparing for NBDE-1 exams, I live in Guelph, Ontario, Canada (Close to Toronto). I'm looking for study partner.

Thanks ]]> Jasleen http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=889 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=888 Sun, 11 May 2008 11:19:52 GMT Go see my travel blog for while I'm in Zambia:

http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/PathfindingPete/ ]]> umass rower http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=888 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=887 Sun, 11 May 2008 00:58:30 GMT okay everyone, I don't know if anyone reads my blog but I know that one day someone will
this semester was very rough for me. from the begining to the end, I struggled like I have never struggled before. I went through depression and anxiety attack during exam week. My self esteem was as low as it has never been before. I am happy to be done with all that crazyness and I do need to go get a life outside of my family and pharmacy school. I have a new perspective on life after my trip to the hospital the weekend before finals and I have decided to take things as they come. don't stress over little stuffs because so how they usually will work themself out. don't worry about what people will say because they talk about eveyone too. I refused to call 911 that weekend becasue I was more worried about what my neighbors will think than to try to save my life.
Cut off people that bring negativity to your life. I did cut this particular individual for a very long time and the very month I let her back into my life, she came back with even bigger baggage than I had anticipated. The worst part is that she is supposedly family, but this time I am prepared to keep her negative self no where around me.
Get involved in something, volunteer in your community, do something nice for someone less privileged and don't forget to say your prayers. ]]> taken2 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=887 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=886 Sat, 10 May 2008 20:53:52 GMT I'm a 3rd year medical student about to start the last two rotations of this year - a 2-week selective in anesthesiology (vacation!) and a 4-week required clerkship in geriatrics (also easy, supposedly).

I've wanted to be a radiologist as long as I can remember. Before medical school. Before college, even. I won't explore the gritty details, but suffice to say it's my intention to apply for radiology this fall.

It seems incredibly narcissistic to write a blog. Beyond my wife and family there aren't that many people that have a vested interested in the details of my nascent professional life. I guess the reason I wanted to put some thoughts to electrons is that overall I've found medical school and the impending residency application process very daunting for someone interested in radiology. I've learned a lot from the people that went before me, and I'd like to leave a legacy to those that come behind me.

Over the next year or so I'll post for whoever wants to read it about this incredible journey set before me. I'll try to share everything I can in order to assist anyone that's willing to read. I like to think I've got a pretty good idea of how it'll work out, but there are plenty of variables beyond my control. At any rate, it'll be fun and expensive. :) ]]> Amxcvbcv http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=886 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=885 Sat, 10 May 2008 04:21:28 GMT I am confused. I didn't do so well as an undergrad. I majored in Biomedicine with a concentration in Human Anatomy and graduated with my degree from a foreign medical school. I am American but was away from the states for a while because my parents were diplomats. I got back to the states and took most of my prereqs in my state college and had to repeat Org. Chem 2 since I had an F the first time. Eventually, I left with a gpa of about 2.7 overall and 2.8 science.
I decided to strengthen my credentials by pursuing an MS in Biology (thesis). I have completed all of my coursework and my grad cum gpa is a 3.3 with about 10-12 hours of research. In the meantime, I am still working on completing my thesis research and writing and then defending my thesis.
I worked about 80 hours a week for my research and taught 4 undergraduate classes simultaneously -- for about 1 year. I am a sickle cell patient and my health has contributed in part to my not doing that great. I have worked hard and I want to be a dentist -- so bad!
I take the DAT next month. What chances do I have to get in? Will the adcom even consider me since my grad and undergrad gpas are below average and about average? Should I enroll in a postbac? Should I quit my thesis and change to a non- thesis in order too take more coureswork with the aim of further boosting my grad gpa?
I have done everything in the world? I have taught in a medical school as EC, I have taught nursing students, I am currently shadowing a dentist, etc, etc.
I will appreciate every advice that you can offer. ]]> noodles917 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=885 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=884 Sat, 10 May 2008 04:01:26 GMT Hi! I'm new here and I need some information. I graduated college back in the Philippines but I'm currently living in Florida and a permanent resident. I want to go to medical school in the Philippines and having a hard time with taking the NMATs I know they conduct NMAT in LA and chicago but the problem is I earned my degree over in the philippines, so I'll have to have it signed by our dean back in the phil?:( Also I want to know what schools to consider if I want to do my residency here in US? I was thinking of trying my luck with UST or UE. If I get an 80 on my NMAT and a GPA of 3.45 what are my chances in getting in to both schools?would you guys say I have a good chance? Or do I need a higher NMAT grade? Hope to hear from you guys soon. Thanks!:) ]]> milkyway1417 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=884 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=883 Fri, 09 May 2008 21:05:44 GMT Please immediately make a copy of this blog, whole or in part, for your records and potential, subsequent research. I will post portions of it to a selected forum site. It is my hope to get this information into the hands of potential researchers... Please immediately make a copy of this blog, whole or in part, for your records and potential, subsequent research. I will post portions of it to a selected forum site.

It is my hope to get this information into the hands of potential researchers who will investigate its propositional aspects and may, in their future, publish their findings. I am also interested in having conversation with individuals interested in discussing Anti-Microsomal Antibodies (AMA) and Thyroiditis to answer questions to see you through its inherent, interesting maze.

Proposition: For example regarding the inherent maze. There presently does not exist a test quantify the loss of immunoglobulin in stool specimens or a test to document the excessive rate of turnover of any and all classes of systemic immunoglobulin (lymph and blood) and the secondary finding of Rectal Immunoglobulin Losing Enteropathy occurs itself with circulating immunogloblin normal values, as opposed to eroded values, and there is typically found no intestinal coloss of albumin or blood regarding this pathology (the major classes of immunoglobulin A, M and G are being selectively, insidiously lost as transparent, agglutinated shreds of pure immunoglobulin). These agglutinated shreds would need to be "harvested" from stool specimens to, in one way, document the Rectal Immunoglobulin Losing Enteropathy.

Proposition: AMA positive persons invariably maintain an inability to hold the halflife of infused immunogloblin as all exogenous amounts are quickly lost at the site of the Rectal In Situ Carcinoma.

Proposition: An additional example, regarding the inherent "maze" in understanding this subject: AMA is also called Anti-Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies or Anti-Iodide Peroxidase Antibodies -- however, AMA is not directly binding with the thyroid gland in vivo as might at first be suspected, and this has long presented as a most perplexing aspect to AMA researchers. Obviously, if AMA were binding to the thyroid gland (regarding this pathology expressed in 300 million people globally) the AMA would be found agglutinated specifically upon the thyroid but it is absolutely known to not be directly binding with the thyroid gland but is indirectly causing, as described here, the thyroid gland to "burn out" over the chronic element.

Proposition: The answer to the above riddle is AMA is just one of the immunoglobulin weeping/leaking at the site of the Rectal In Situ Carcinoma where AMA is binding the analogous enzyme "iodine peroxidase" located and functioning in healthy intestinal epithelium. The proper name for AMA then is proposed to be "Anti-Iodine Peroxidase Antibodies". Iodine Peroxidase of the rectal epithelium and Iodide Peroxidase of the thyroid epithelium catalyztically reverse each other in their performance regarding respectively (first intestinally) "a water molecule and dietary iodine in iodine uptake" and then the subsequent circulating "hydrogen peroxide molecule and iodide" being reversed by iodide peroxidase (located in the thyroid epithelium) to iodine's incorporation with tyrosine for the subsequent release of the thyroid hormone: Thyroxine.

Persons positive in their bloodstream for AMA represent the single largest patient population in the world: 300 million people globally. AMA are found in the bloodstream at birth, and being bloodstream positive for AMA is traceable throughout the lineages (one of the parents, siblings, cousins, etc).

Proposition: By way of articles of research: AMA is proposed here to be the marker autoantibody for Rectal In Situ Carcinoma and Rectal Immunoglobulin Losing Enteropathy (immunoglobulin mediating, weeping/leaking, at the site of common-type, asymptomatic internal hemorrhoids).

Proposition: The diagnosis of Rectal In Situ Carcinoma is assisted by Morphometric Analysis documenting the excessive inflitration of cells in the rectal biopsies of AMA positive persons. AMA maintains a homeostatic blood value until rectal biopsies causes it to immediately escalate to a new homeostatic value.

Proposition: It may be found that (via the immmunoglobulin mediation of the Rectal In Situ Carcinoma) the insidious, excessive rate of turnover of the systemic immunoglobulin pool (lymph and blood) since birth, "burns out" the thyroid gland -- the thyroid gland typically becoming dysfunctional in the second or third decade of life.

Thank you for your questions, but mostly thank you for your immediately copying this blog for your records, and thank you for your subsequent research to advance the medical community's being aware of the "bigger picture" regarding this subject. ]]> Special Tutor http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=883 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=882 Fri, 09 May 2008 21:01:50 GMT Hi, Has anyone taken SRTA before? if so, i need help with CSW, also if you know/or have patient for class II, and III please help me...thanks Hi, Has anyone taken SRTA before? if so, i need help with CSW, also if you know/or have patient for class II, and III please help me...thanks ]]> chihiromolar http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=882 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=881 Fri, 09 May 2008 18:03:56 GMT No words can explain my passion for pharmacy. but i dont believe i have the GPA to get into any pharmacy school. (My current GPA is a 2.8) I am a junior and soon will be applying to collges. I WILL DO ANYTHING TO GET INTO A GOOD PHARMACY. P.S: i... No words can explain my passion for pharmacy. but i dont believe i have the GPA to get into any pharmacy school. (My current GPA is a 2.8) I am a junior and soon will be applying to collges. I WILL DO ANYTHING TO GET INTO A GOOD PHARMACY.

P.S: i plan on taking the PCAT's and will be taking the SAT'S soon.

i also live in New Jersey. is there any school that would accept me that is near my area?

I know its very competitve these days to get into this subject. but can anyone help me? ]]> tatysayz http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=881 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=880 Fri, 09 May 2008 18:01:34 GMT Hi everyone, i'm thinking of choosing a Radiology tech program.. prefer 2yr associates. Does anyone know of a good school in Fort Lauderdale, FL or anywere in South Florida? So far i've only looked into Iamp- Institute of Allied Medical Professions or MedVance institute... any suggestions or experiences that you have had or knowlege is "Greatly appreciated"!

Thanks ]]> Eagle1 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=880 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=879 Fri, 09 May 2008 14:31:33 GMT When I arrived at the hospital today, I headed turned right to go to the Surgery office. Turning left would take me to the Orthopedics office. Today is my second day. I wasn't able to go to the office at all yesterday. I spent the whole morning in the O.R.

At first I got kinda mixed up. I had to stop by a nurses' station to ask for directions. When I reached the front door of the Surgery office, I knocked and tried to go in. The door was locked however and no one was answering. :confused: One doctor I recognized happened to pass by. I greeted him a good morning and asked if he knew where the Surgery doctors were. He said that they're probably doing rounds. When I asked him where they did them, he suggested the wards but didn't know where exactly it was. (He is an Internal Medicine doctor a.k.a. an internist.) I thanked him and went back to the hallway of the entrance to the hospital.

Thankfully, I met another doctor there, greeted her and asked where the surgeons do their rounds. She said she wasn't sure but that I can check the ICU. I followed her and in just a few steps, she pointed to the door to the ICU and left. (Doctors sure are in a hurry a lot of times. Like duh, Afnan. LOL :p)

When I went in, I asked the nurses if there were any surgeons around. She said no, but she asked me to sit down while she called one of them (probably the chief or the senior resident). I waited for a few minutes. There were two patients. One of them was the guy who had the craniectomy. He was sleeping and being supported by a respiratory device. The other patient, who was closer to where I was sitting, was a female. She was sleeping but later woke up. I smiled at her and she smiled back. I later noticed that one part of her chest looked flatter than the other. Then I realized that she might have had a mastectomy of the left breast. Mastectomy is the removal of the whole breast, usually because of breast cancer.

A few more minutes of waiting and suddenly a patient arrived. She was thrashing about and had tubes attached to her body. She was also making weird sounds. A doctor or a nurse went to the nurses' station and told the doctor who sat beside me (she had some blood stains on her scrub pants but didn't mind it) that the woman had an abortion. I can't remember the other details.

One of the surgeons arrived by then. He smiled and greeted me then motioned me to follow him to the office. When I got their, the senior resident was on the phone talking with a fellow for a consult. He said something about a woman found half-naked somewhere. By the way he was describing her, I think she was beaten. I think he mentioned that the woman had hematoma in different parts of the body, and one especially in the head.

The doctor who lead me to the office (I think he was the chief or head or something of that sort...) had already gone to the inner part of the office. After the senior resident's phone conversation, he told me to get into that part, too and have a seat. Then, he started talking about their cases. There were four patients he presented, I think. He repeated what he said on the phone.

Dr. B from yesterday was there, too. I recognized him and said hi. Another doctor I saw yesterday was there also. Anyway, after the discussion (Ugh, I forgot the term they use yet again!), the doctors started talking to me and asking me questions. They were all really nice. What I remembered the most was when the senior resident asked me if my classmates were observing, too or if I'm doing it just personally. I answered the latter. Then I heard Dr. B say "shadow", but just to make sure, I asked him. He did.

I got quite surprised when he said that. "Shadowing" isn't a common term, or a common thing to do in the Philippines at all. (That's why when I asked Dr. M about shadowing her, I had to change the term to "observing" because she didn't know what "shadowing" was.) After that, I realized that he understood what I was doing. I became more comfortable "shadowing" him and followed him throughout the rounds. It felt good that there was a doctor who understood what I was doing in the hospital. :)

We went to the ICU first. They checked on the patients and I observed them do it. After a little chat, I followed them, specifically Dr. B, to the Surgery ward. Dr. B is very nice and for a first year, I find him to be a really good doctor. I can see that he cares for his patients. As he did his rounds, he'd explain to me what he was doing, why he was doing them, what the patient's condition is and how the tube or whatever device works in the patient's body. I loved shadowing him because of that. The senior resident told me previously that I could do some simply hands-on stuff with supervision, so, Dr. B let me pull two catheters (tubes that can be inserted into a body cavity, duct, or vessel, allowing drainage or injection of fluids or access by surgical instruments) from two different patients.

The first one I dealt with was a cardiac catheter. He let me cut the thread anchoring the catheter and let me pull 20 cubic centimeters of it out from the patient's arm. He then explained to me where the tip was before and after I pulled. The second one was a urinary catheter. He first explained to me how it worked then let me remove the tube. I first inserted a needle into the tube to drain the 10 ccs of liquid inside the balloon anchoring the urinary catheter to the urinary bladder. Dr. B said I had to make sure I get all 10 ccs so that it won't hurt the patient when I pull the catheter through the urethra.

After some time, Dr. B brought me to the out-patient department of Surgery. I watched him circumise a 13-year-old boy. I later watched Dr. C do an excision of a sebaceous cyst on the back of a man. She explained to me what she was doing and answered my questions. She also had a female patient who had cysts in both her breasts and in her armpit. Dr. C said that she couldn't remove the cysts there at the OPD because the patient wouldn't be able to handle it, but she told the women that she'll be getting a sample of the cyst to test for breast cancer.

I remembered the book of Bernie that I'm currently reading. I wanted to let the 23-year-old woman know that if it would be cancer, she could fight it. I did when I got the chance. I told her to fight. I told her that she can kill the cancer inside of her, and prevent it from happening the other way around. I made her smile and said, "Aja!", just like the Koreans do. Dr. C also comforted her after closing up the wound and letting her go. (By the way, Dr. C showed me the cyst and pointed out the difference between the abnormal breast tissue and the normal one.)

After a few more minutes, I said goodbye to Dr. C, Dr. B and the nurses. I'll be coming back tomorrow at around 8 or 9. But I'll probably be there at 8...or maybe 8:30. :D ]]> Ella Shepherd http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=879 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=878 Fri, 09 May 2008 14:30:10 GMT May 8, 2008


Okay, okay. This is another late entry. Ah! This will be the last late entry unless I really really really have to make a late entry. Okay? Okay. LOL :p



Anyway, as I did before, I'll write this as if it really is day 6. :D Haha!


So, today was my first day observing doctors of the Department of Surgery. I first went to Dr. T at Ortho because I had to return the keys to the office that she let me borrow and she had to go with me to the O.R. to introduce me to the doctors at Surgery.
When we got to the O.R., I changed into my scrubs right away. I later said goodbye to Dr. T who let a 3rd year surgical resident, Dr. C, take care of me. Dr. C is a lady, too. There are two lady surgeons at the Surgical department.



There were more than 3 surgeries scheduled next to each other. Dr. C showed me to the O.R.s where a hernia on a little boy was going to be done and where another surgery was being done, but I don't know what it was. I did see however that the doctor was inserting a needle into the spinal column of the patient.

When Dr. C's patient arrived, we went to the O.R. where she and a neurosurgeon were going to perform a craniectomy. A craniectomy is surgery performed on the cranium. A piece or pieces of the skull are removed to access the brain. These bone pieces are not replaced. As I waited for everything to be ready, I looked at the MRI images of the patient's brain. (As I heard from the neurosurgeon, the patient is a 29-year-old male who was hit by vehicle while he was walking, and drunk.) I couldn't understand what I was looking at but it his brain looked weird.


After a few more minutes, Dr. C introduced me to the neurosurgeon. (I'm not sure if he was a fellow or an attending.) Let's call him Dr. FOA. (LOL I'll use three letters for him so that I don't run out of letters for other doctor's names so quickly. Haha!) We shook hands. He told me that he thought I was an intern.


Anyway...the craniectomy soon started. It was interesting to watch. I was tired of standing though so I would sometimes go sit in one corner while watching. I think putting many stuff in my backpack is stressing my back a little, that's why it quickly gets uncomfortable when I stand. At one point, I went out to check the surgical procedures in the other O.R.s. (By the way, did I ever mention that the nurses, doctors, patients and security guards often think I'm either an assistant or a doctor? I've been called "Doc" several times already and have also been asked questions and stuff. LOL Well, if I haven't, now I have. Haha!)


I eventually went back to the craniectomy. The surgery was almost done. There was blood all over. (Dr. FOA even removed some blackish stuff at the beginning of the surgery. I didn't ask what it was, however, but I will ask Dr. C when I get the chance.) I decided to sit down on the stool near the surgeons. Dr. FOA started asking me about school and stuff. Later, I mentioned that my father is also a neurosurgeon. They smiled and asked why I didn't mention it before I just shrugged, but smiled, too. We talked about Papa a little bit more. I told them where he practices and that I haven't seen him for years. I also told them that he doesn't want me to be a surgeon...but I want to. Dr. FOA and Dr. C liked the idea that I want to be a surgeon and asked why Pa doesn't want me to be one. I remembered what Pa said and answered, "Because I'm a girl." I didn't agree with it, and so did the surgeons. I understand my Dad's culture, and respect it, but I don't follow it. Girls, women, are just as capable as men to be surgeons. Dr. FOA pointed to Dr. C saying that she's a female surgeon (and may I add, a really good one!). He also said that I should surprise my dad someday when I become a surgeon myself. I will.


Dr. FOA didn't put back the part of the cranium that he cut out. (As mentioned, the surgery is a craniectomy.) He closed the brain again, letting Dr. C finish. Dr. C is taking neurosurgery as her specialty. I watched Dr. C sew the cut up and said goodbye to Dr. FOA who had to meet somebody.


First year residents came in while Dr. C was sewing the cut. They started talking. Dr. C introduced me to them and told me that one of the first year residents, Dr. B, has a wife who is half German. They also mentioned the 3rd year student nurse, Rachelle, who was helping out in the O.R. and is half German, too. (I was talking with Rachelle and noticed that she, too is not pure Filipino. That's how I found out what her name is.)


After a few more minutes, I asked Dr. C what time I'd be reporting the next day and then said goodbye. It was a good first day at the Department of Surgery. I like the doctors here. :) ]]> Ella Shepherd http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=878 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=877 Thu, 08 May 2008 14:00:09 GMT "Reasons Not To Become A Doctor" on Forbes

http://www.forbes.com/2008/05/05/phy...05doctors.html

A very interesting article that hits some major points about being a physician in modern times.

Here are some excerpts:

Within the next 15 years, the United States will experience a shortage of between 90,000 to 200,000 physicians, according to the recently published Will the Last Physician in America Please Turn Off the Lights: A Look at America's Looming Doctor Shortage...

But there are other significant reasons. They include the increasing costs of medical malpractice coverage, higher practice costs, lower insurance reimbursement rates and insurance-company restrictions resulting in less autonomy over how patients are cared for...


Insurance has become a loaded word. One-third of the country is insured by Medicare, and over the next nine years, the government program plans to cut payments to physicians by about 40%, while practice costs are projected to increase 20%, according to the American Medical Association. The first of those cuts will take place in July, when the reimbursement rate to doctors will drop by 10.6%. The next cut, of 5%, will occur in January...


Meanwhile, getting sued by a patient is a major concern. Of course, doctors who make fatal mistakes and who are unqualified should be held responsible. But there's evidence that the bulk of lawsuits brought are frivolous. Of all malpractice lawsuits brought to jury trial in 2004, the defendant won 91% of the time. Only 6% of all lawsuits go to trial; those that aren't thrown out are settled. Only 27% of all claims made against doctors result in money awarded to the plaintiff, according to Smarr, president of the trade association for medical malpractice companies...

To support that assertion, a 2007 survey by Merritt, Hawkins indicated that 57% of 1,175 doctors questioned would not recommend the field to their children...

You can read some interesting comments by going to the article itself.

Joseph Kim, M.D.

http://mdjosephkim.blogspot.com/ ]]> mdjkim http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=877