Saturday, November 10, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Cornell Only Top 10 Ivy
Our Third Annual College Rankings
A new college ranking technique that uses things that really matter: social mobility, research, and service.
A new college ranking technique that uses things that really matter: social mobility, research, and service.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Yes, Vegetables
Click Here to Read a NY Times article on Epidemiology
An interesting article by Gary Taubes, where he asks, "Do we really know what makes us healthy?
The answer is YES: vegetables. Taubes and I agree on that, and that is what public health should focus on.
An interesting article by Gary Taubes, where he asks, "Do we really know what makes us healthy?
The answer is YES: vegetables. Taubes and I agree on that, and that is what public health should focus on.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Forget Childhood Obesity
I just finished watching the movie Blood Diamond. I spend my time worrying about our children in this country who are becoming obese. They are positioned to live horrible lives of disease.
But, what about the children of Africa and other parts of the world? The movie shows how our want of resources from Africa, in this case, diamonds, causes civil war. The civil wars cause villages to be shot to death, women to be raped, and children to be drafted into armies to learn to kill.
I also just read What is the What by Dave Eggers. It tells the story of a boy running for his life through Sudan in the previous civil war. The stories are of young children who are refugees for their entire life. Others get drafted and trained into killing machines. Children are becoming killing machines! By the time they are 12 they have seen more murderers and rapes than any of us ever will.
I try to think everyday about what I do and how it affects others. Why can't we all just think about what our actions have? It's called mindfulness. Whether it be diamonds, ivory, or oil. Our habits are helping to cause a lot of this. Why can't we help others? Why can't we stop worrying about ourselves and start caring about others? There is so much going on in the world and if we just think about it all the time, and just started caring, maybe we could save some lives. But instead we just watch our celebrity shows, Fox News, and get drunk.
I have to start asking myself: Is childhood obesity that bad? At least our children aren't becoming murders after watching their fathers get shot and their mothers raped.
The child is the jewel.
I cry.
Oxfam America: Conflict in Darfur
But, what about the children of Africa and other parts of the world? The movie shows how our want of resources from Africa, in this case, diamonds, causes civil war. The civil wars cause villages to be shot to death, women to be raped, and children to be drafted into armies to learn to kill.
I also just read What is the What by Dave Eggers. It tells the story of a boy running for his life through Sudan in the previous civil war. The stories are of young children who are refugees for their entire life. Others get drafted and trained into killing machines. Children are becoming killing machines! By the time they are 12 they have seen more murderers and rapes than any of us ever will.
I try to think everyday about what I do and how it affects others. Why can't we all just think about what our actions have? It's called mindfulness. Whether it be diamonds, ivory, or oil. Our habits are helping to cause a lot of this. Why can't we help others? Why can't we stop worrying about ourselves and start caring about others? There is so much going on in the world and if we just think about it all the time, and just started caring, maybe we could save some lives. But instead we just watch our celebrity shows, Fox News, and get drunk.
I have to start asking myself: Is childhood obesity that bad? At least our children aren't becoming murders after watching their fathers get shot and their mothers raped.
The child is the jewel.
I cry.
Oxfam America: Conflict in Darfur
Monday, September 17, 2007
Hillary's Health Plan
HillaryClinton.com - American's Health Choices Plan
I am not a huge fan of Hillary, but I think she may have a good idea here. The plan basically allows anyone to keep their own health insurance or buy into another. This is a major point for many who have insurance and are scared of a change.
The best part is that it allows you to buy into a government-run plan with no private insurer. This is what those at the Rockridge Institute call a strategic initiative. It allows more and more people to get on a government-run plan (like Medicare). Then we can prove to people that a Medicare-like plan is better than their private plan. Hopefully, this will switch more and more people over to a Medicare-like plan, bringing us on to a path of Medicare for All (single payer).
The plan has parts that I disagree with, such as the funding (tax credits), but I think the general idea is in the right direction.
We have the responsibility as a country to provide all with access to comprehensive medical care.
I am not a huge fan of Hillary, but I think she may have a good idea here. The plan basically allows anyone to keep their own health insurance or buy into another. This is a major point for many who have insurance and are scared of a change.
The best part is that it allows you to buy into a government-run plan with no private insurer. This is what those at the Rockridge Institute call a strategic initiative. It allows more and more people to get on a government-run plan (like Medicare). Then we can prove to people that a Medicare-like plan is better than their private plan. Hopefully, this will switch more and more people over to a Medicare-like plan, bringing us on to a path of Medicare for All (single payer).
The plan has parts that I disagree with, such as the funding (tax credits), but I think the general idea is in the right direction.
We have the responsibility as a country to provide all with access to comprehensive medical care.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Security and Health for the New Year
Yesterday I was in Penn Station, New York, waiting for a train back to Boston. As I walked into the Amtrak waiting area there was a man laying on the ground in the middle of the station. People looked at him and stood around. He was breathing and most people assumed he was drunk or faking it. But in the post 9/11 world in NYC, one obviously thinks about whether a suspicious man in Penn station is a terrorist threat. After about 5 minutes, an Amtrak official saw the guy and tried to get an officer. Five minutes later, some soldiers came over with all their guns, and said they would get "an officer". They walked away and the Amtrak official came back, radioing and calling on his phone for a police offer. (Neither the soldiers, police, or Amtrak officials appeared to be operating on the same frequency.) All in all, it took about 25 minutes to get a police officer into the middle of Penn Station. They finally got an ambulance, who gave the guy a sternal rub and got him to stand up....so it turned out he was drugged up.
But, 6 years after 9/11 we still don't have high enough security to instantly address any threat. This week, I also learned of a friend who accidentally took mace on a plane.... twice. I personally took might pocket knife on a plane a few years ago (by accident). My point is that unless we have an Orwellian government we will never be totally secure from terrorism. So why should we as citizens have an almost one track mind when thinking about the direction of our country? I am not saying that we should not continue security and try and prevent terrorism. I am saying that we need to think broader about what we can really do to make happy lives for ourselves, our families, our country, and our world.
What can we do that will have greater effects our lives than just focusing on security from terrorism?
Recently my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was fortunate, not only because it was found early, but because she lives in a rich country with skilled physicians and an insurance company who didn't deny her life-saving surgery. Cancer is one of the things that WE KNOW can affect our lives. Along with heart disease, and infectious diseases in the developing world, cancer is one of things that is ACTUALLY likely to affect our lives.
We know the root causes of early morbidity and mortality: smoking, poor nutrition, lack of activity in the developed world and lack of sanitation and infrastructure in the developing world. However, the real root cause of many of these factors is social inequality and poverty.
Lack of adequate health insurance in our country is such an important issue that the American Cancer Society has devoted much of its resources around the issue. Around the world access to care is an even bigger issue, but poverty confounds all these factors and causes millions of children and adults to live lives of suffering.
So instead of focusing all of our energy this year and trying to protect us from a terrorist, why not protect us from things that are much more likely to happen? Why not focus on promoting access to health care? Why not focus on providing proper nutrition and public health around our country and the world? Why not focus on reducing poverty and social inequalities?
And what do you think is the root cause of violence and terrorism? What caused the World Wars? What leads people to shoot people on the streets of our cities? Poverty and inequalities.
By fighting a new war against poverty and social inequalities we can prevent the most common things that may hurt us (disease) and the less likely (terrorism).
L'Shana Tova for a safe, happy, and healthy new year.
Let us all Be Active in fighting for a better world.
But, 6 years after 9/11 we still don't have high enough security to instantly address any threat. This week, I also learned of a friend who accidentally took mace on a plane.... twice. I personally took might pocket knife on a plane a few years ago (by accident). My point is that unless we have an Orwellian government we will never be totally secure from terrorism. So why should we as citizens have an almost one track mind when thinking about the direction of our country? I am not saying that we should not continue security and try and prevent terrorism. I am saying that we need to think broader about what we can really do to make happy lives for ourselves, our families, our country, and our world.
What can we do that will have greater effects our lives than just focusing on security from terrorism?
Recently my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was fortunate, not only because it was found early, but because she lives in a rich country with skilled physicians and an insurance company who didn't deny her life-saving surgery. Cancer is one of the things that WE KNOW can affect our lives. Along with heart disease, and infectious diseases in the developing world, cancer is one of things that is ACTUALLY likely to affect our lives.
We know the root causes of early morbidity and mortality: smoking, poor nutrition, lack of activity in the developed world and lack of sanitation and infrastructure in the developing world. However, the real root cause of many of these factors is social inequality and poverty.
Lack of adequate health insurance in our country is such an important issue that the American Cancer Society has devoted much of its resources around the issue. Around the world access to care is an even bigger issue, but poverty confounds all these factors and causes millions of children and adults to live lives of suffering.
So instead of focusing all of our energy this year and trying to protect us from a terrorist, why not protect us from things that are much more likely to happen? Why not focus on promoting access to health care? Why not focus on providing proper nutrition and public health around our country and the world? Why not focus on reducing poverty and social inequalities?
And what do you think is the root cause of violence and terrorism? What caused the World Wars? What leads people to shoot people on the streets of our cities? Poverty and inequalities.
By fighting a new war against poverty and social inequalities we can prevent the most common things that may hurt us (disease) and the less likely (terrorism).
L'Shana Tova for a safe, happy, and healthy new year.
Let us all Be Active in fighting for a better world.
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Colbert Nation Nutrition
A great interview on one of my favorite nutrition activists by one of my favorite comedians:
Watch the Video
Watch the Video
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Out Healthcare System is SICKO
I recently saw Michael Moore's new film, SICKO. It is a film I've been waiting for for many years. During college I came to realize that the only way we are going to improve health and care for our fellow human beings was to establish Medicare for All.
I found Moore's film interesting because it really did not go into the fact that we are leaving over 40 million of our fellow Americans with no health insurance, no care for them when they get cancer, and no prevention from developing lifestyle-crippling heart disease.
He focused on those of us who are insured, in a complicated insurance system that denies people care and does not support people having healthy productive lives. It is key that he focused on these people, like my family, who are doing well, until something happens and our insurance company denies us.
It is not until regular-insured Americans, like my parents, realize that they are at the mercy of these careless companies that things will change. Until we realize we are all in this mess together and do something to improve the health of all Americans, we will be stick in this SICKO system.
So, Mom and Dad, and all your friends, I'm waiting for you to see SICKO, and then do something about it. My patients and your country needs you:
href="http://www.michaelmoore.com/sicko/what-can-i-do/">
P.S. My favorite action item from Mr.Moore's website is: Eat fruits and vegetables and walk around. Congrats Michael for advocating this and for losing some weight.
I found Moore's film interesting because it really did not go into the fact that we are leaving over 40 million of our fellow Americans with no health insurance, no care for them when they get cancer, and no prevention from developing lifestyle-crippling heart disease.
He focused on those of us who are insured, in a complicated insurance system that denies people care and does not support people having healthy productive lives. It is key that he focused on these people, like my family, who are doing well, until something happens and our insurance company denies us.
It is not until regular-insured Americans, like my parents, realize that they are at the mercy of these careless companies that things will change. Until we realize we are all in this mess together and do something to improve the health of all Americans, we will be stick in this SICKO system.
So, Mom and Dad, and all your friends, I'm waiting for you to see SICKO, and then do something about it. My patients and your country needs you:
href="http://www.michaelmoore.com/sicko/what-can-i-do/">
P.S. My favorite action item from Mr.Moore's website is: Eat fruits and vegetables and walk around. Congrats Michael for advocating this and for losing some weight.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Live Earth Misses Tip to Reduce Global Warming
The Live Earth Concert was a great concert series to raise awareness on global warming. It had lots of tips for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
However, it forgot one big tip, as pointed out by the Integrity in Science Watch:
Absent from the discussion surrounding the event were the findings, reported in the United Nation Food and Agriculture Organization’s 2006 report, Livestock’s Long Shadow, that the livestock sector is responsible for fully 18 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions – more than the automotive industry, air travel, and all other forms of transport combined.
So eat less meat and save the planet!
However, it forgot one big tip, as pointed out by the Integrity in Science Watch:
Absent from the discussion surrounding the event were the findings, reported in the United Nation Food and Agriculture Organization’s 2006 report, Livestock’s Long Shadow, that the livestock sector is responsible for fully 18 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions – more than the automotive industry, air travel, and all other forms of transport combined.
So eat less meat and save the planet!
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Biking
Today it was hot (94). But, I decided to see how long it would take me to ride downtown to where I can catch the T (Boston's Subway) to work. 20 minutes! Not too bad. Will probably quadruple my overall commute time, but I'll get my workout in. I will also help reduce carbon emissions.
Biking to work probably goes towards the top of a list of things good for you and the environment. It's not easy to bike. I had to deal with aggressive motorists, no bike lanes, exhaust. And I can't even take my bike on the T during rush hour.
A few years ago I was in the Netherlands, where tons of people bike to work in safe bike lanes, rain or shine. If we want to reduce carbon output and make healthier communities we need bike racks, bike lanes, and rules allowing bikes on public transportation.
Below is one organization trying to make a difference. I will try to make a difference by biking to work twice a month. Hopefully it will reduce my carbon footprint (You can calculate yours by clicking on the link at the top right of my blog) AND be good for my heart.
MassBike: The Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition
Biking to work probably goes towards the top of a list of things good for you and the environment. It's not easy to bike. I had to deal with aggressive motorists, no bike lanes, exhaust. And I can't even take my bike on the T during rush hour.
A few years ago I was in the Netherlands, where tons of people bike to work in safe bike lanes, rain or shine. If we want to reduce carbon output and make healthier communities we need bike racks, bike lanes, and rules allowing bikes on public transportation.
Below is one organization trying to make a difference. I will try to make a difference by biking to work twice a month. Hopefully it will reduce my carbon footprint (You can calculate yours by clicking on the link at the top right of my blog) AND be good for my heart.
MassBike: The Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition
Friday, April 20, 2007
The Food Bill
A new article by Michael Pollan in the NY Times, talks about one of the most important bills in Congress. It is called the "Farm Bill", but affects the food system, the environment, and immigration.
Some select quotes:
On the Current Farm Law: "The result? A food system awash in added sugars (derived from corn) and added fats (derived mainly from soy), as well as dirt-cheap meat and milk (derived from both). By comparison, the farm bill does almost nothing to support farmers growing fresh produce."
"The public-health community has come to recognize it can’t hope to address obesity and diabetes without addressing the farm bill. The environmental community recognizes that as long as we have a farm bill that promotes chemical and feedlot agriculture, clean water will remain a pipe dream. The development community has woken up to the fact that global poverty can’t be fought without confronting the ways the farm bill depresses world crop prices."
"One of these years, the eaters of America are going to demand a place at the table, and we will have the political debate over food policy we need and deserve. This could prove to be that year: the year when the farm bill became a food bill, and the eaters at last had their say."
This is the year. To get BE ACTIVE on this issue check out the Oxfam Farm Bill Website.
Some select quotes:
On the Current Farm Law: "The result? A food system awash in added sugars (derived from corn) and added fats (derived mainly from soy), as well as dirt-cheap meat and milk (derived from both). By comparison, the farm bill does almost nothing to support farmers growing fresh produce."
"The public-health community has come to recognize it can’t hope to address obesity and diabetes without addressing the farm bill. The environmental community recognizes that as long as we have a farm bill that promotes chemical and feedlot agriculture, clean water will remain a pipe dream. The development community has woken up to the fact that global poverty can’t be fought without confronting the ways the farm bill depresses world crop prices."
"One of these years, the eaters of America are going to demand a place at the table, and we will have the political debate over food policy we need and deserve. This could prove to be that year: the year when the farm bill became a food bill, and the eaters at last had their say."
This is the year. To get BE ACTIVE on this issue check out the Oxfam Farm Bill Website.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Ronald McHummer
Combine Unhealthy Food and Gasoline Guzzling Hummers and destroy the world!
Make your own sign at The Ronald Mc Hummer Site
Make your own sign at The Ronald Mc Hummer Site
Friday, April 06, 2007
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Industry Sponsorship Biases Nutrition Research
I just published a study showing industry sponsorship of nutrition research biases the conclusions. Please read the complete article for our results and conclusions:
Relationship between Funding Source and Conclusion among Nutrition-Related Scientific Articles
Lesser LI, Ebbeling CB, Goozner M, Wypij D, Ludwig DS PLoS Medicine Vol. 4, No. 1, e5 doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0040005
And the accompanying editorial:Does Industry Sponsorship Undermine the Integrity of Nutrition Research? Katan MB PLoS Medicine Vol. 4, No. 1, e6
Here are a bunch of news stories on it:
NPR : Researchers Find Bias in Nutrition Studies
WBUR (NPR Boston): Links Between Funding and Findings?
Boston Globe (front page): Beverage research tied to corporate dollars
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16528571/
Google News Links
Relationship between Funding Source and Conclusion among Nutrition-Related Scientific Articles
Lesser LI, Ebbeling CB, Goozner M, Wypij D, Ludwig DS PLoS Medicine Vol. 4, No. 1, e5 doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0040005
And the accompanying editorial:Does Industry Sponsorship Undermine the Integrity of Nutrition Research? Katan MB PLoS Medicine Vol. 4, No. 1, e6
Here are a bunch of news stories on it:
NPR : Researchers Find Bias in Nutrition Studies
WBUR (NPR Boston): Links Between Funding and Findings?
Boston Globe (front page): Beverage research tied to corporate dollars
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16528571/
Google News Links
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Kiva- A Nobel Idea to end Poverty
I just made a loan to someone in the developing world using a revolutionary new website called Kiva. Kiva is a system based on that developed by Muhammad Yunus, who just won the Nobel Peace Prize.
You can go to Kiva's website and lend to someone in the developing world who needs a loan for their business - like raising goats, selling vegetables at market or making bricks. Each loan has a picture of the entrepreneur, a description of their business and how they plan to use the loan so you know exactly how your money is being spent - and you get updates letting you know how the business is going.
The best part is, when the entrepreneur pays back their loan you get your money back - and Kiva's loans are managed by microfinance institutions on the ground who have a lot of experience doing this, so you can trust that your money is being handled responsibly.
I just made a loan to an entrepreneur named José Solórzano in Ecuador.
It's finally easy to actually do something about poverty - using Kiva I know exactly who my money is loaned to and what they're using it for. And most of all, I know that I'm helping them build a sustainable business that will provide income to feed, clothe, house and educate their family long after my loan is paid back.
Join me in changing the world - one loan at a time at www.kiva.org
You can go to Kiva's website and lend to someone in the developing world who needs a loan for their business - like raising goats, selling vegetables at market or making bricks. Each loan has a picture of the entrepreneur, a description of their business and how they plan to use the loan so you know exactly how your money is being spent - and you get updates letting you know how the business is going.
The best part is, when the entrepreneur pays back their loan you get your money back - and Kiva's loans are managed by microfinance institutions on the ground who have a lot of experience doing this, so you can trust that your money is being handled responsibly.
I just made a loan to an entrepreneur named José Solórzano in Ecuador.
It's finally easy to actually do something about poverty - using Kiva I know exactly who my money is loaned to and what they're using it for. And most of all, I know that I'm helping them build a sustainable business that will provide income to feed, clothe, house and educate their family long after my loan is paid back.
Join me in changing the world - one loan at a time at www.kiva.org
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Get Fast Food out of Hospitals
As a family doctor, one of my primary duties is to prevent my patients from suffering heart disease and cancer. I spend a lot of time counseling my patients to eat a healthy diet. I tell them to eat lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and to limit sweets, soda, bad fats, and refined carbohydrates.
But then my patients walk through one of my affiliated hospitals,
I recently conducted a study with the American Medical Student Association, which looked at the prevalence of brand named fast food at academic-affiliated hospitals. The research, published in this month’s Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine (www.jabfm.org) reported that of the 234 hospitals surveyed, 42 percent were selling brand-name fast food on their campuses. These included Krispy Crème, Subway, McDonald’s, and Burger Kings.
But, brand named fast food is not the only problem. If you visit the Harvard hospitals in the Longwood area you can pick up a cheeseburger, fries, and soda. A few years ago, I worked at Children’s Hospital (which has one of the healthiest cafeterias). I wondered how the obese children would fare after we told them sugary drinks are bad, and then saw our cafeteria serving soda.
Hospitals should be promoting a healthy safe eating environment for the communities they serve. The food served should be representative of national dietary recommendations. Hospitals should help educate patients as to what a healthy dietary menu looks like. The best way they can do this is by setting a good example.
The first thing hospitals could do to take the lead would be to provide nutrition information that is easily available. The menu boards that show the price should also show the number of calories and/or amount of bad fats. For instance: Chocolate Frosted Donut, 200 cal, 9g Bad Fat, $0.59. Second, hospitals should make sure that food has no deadly hydrogenated oils.
The hospitals should then look at the food offerings as a whole. If the whole menu was analyzed by food group, would it adhere to national guidelines? Is the majority of the menu whole grains, fruits, and vegetables? If not, hospitals should pressure the food vendors to adopt their menu to be healthy. There is no problem with Dunkin Donuts offering their coffee to fatigued doctors, but why can’t we tell them to sell their donuts somewhere else?
If these franchises or cafeterias cannot change, they should be asked to leave the facility and contracts should end. With the large problem of poor nutrition, someone has to push for change. Hospitals not only have the power to control what food is served, they have the responsibility. Their mission is to improve health. They receive millions of dollars from Medicare to treat people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease. Yet they also help create these problems by serving some of the very food that causes these conditions.
The medical profession needs to start practicing what it is preaching. Let’s put words to action and create healthy hospitals which educate patients on a healthy diet inside and outside the examination room.
For more information see: www.amsa.org/cph/healthyhospitals.cfm.
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Interns.... Don't be Ants
I can tell already that internship is going to be a bit tough. It's mainly the hours and the increase in responsibility I have for my patients. I was talking to my fellow interns and a lot of us are going through the same struggles in first weeks. Are we really helping our patients? Do we look stupid? Why can't I figure out how to prescribe GasX? The little things can really get you down and wondering.... what the hell am I doing?
I had a chance to see Dave Matthews Band at Fenway park on Friday night. It was a great show in a historic place. His closer was Ants Marching. As he sang, "Take these chances. Place them in a box until a quiter time. Lights down, you up and die," I thought of one of the babies I delivered this week. A first mom, with a new beautiful baby boy. As we put her new baby into her arms, she was crying out of happiness. It was such a great moment with so much joy going around the room.
It's times like these we have cherish during residency. Or else we will just be Ants Marching.... "always doing the same thing."
P.S. There is no reason to shout "Yankees Suck" at a Dave Concert. It's just dumb. I'm a huge Cornell Hockey Fan and love shouting Harvard Sucks, but I wouldn't do it if Dave came and played in historic Lynah Rink. I was trying to like the Red Sox, but it's so hard. Life is not a continuous baseball game.
I had a chance to see Dave Matthews Band at Fenway park on Friday night. It was a great show in a historic place. His closer was Ants Marching. As he sang, "Take these chances. Place them in a box until a quiter time. Lights down, you up and die," I thought of one of the babies I delivered this week. A first mom, with a new beautiful baby boy. As we put her new baby into her arms, she was crying out of happiness. It was such a great moment with so much joy going around the room.
It's times like these we have cherish during residency. Or else we will just be Ants Marching.... "always doing the same thing."
P.S. There is no reason to shout "Yankees Suck" at a Dave Concert. It's just dumb. I'm a huge Cornell Hockey Fan and love shouting Harvard Sucks, but I wouldn't do it if Dave came and played in historic Lynah Rink. I was trying to like the Red Sox, but it's so hard. Life is not a continuous baseball game.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Trust me I'm a Doctor
After 9 years of post-high school education, I've finally got my MD. It's exciting right now, but I will quickly become humbled when my first patient asks me a question I don't know. But questions are something I like and are ultimately only good. Every time a patient asks me something, I will be pushed to learn more to provide the best care for my patients.
As you can tell by my blog's title, I like to ask questions too. A lot of this came from my undergraduate education in nutrition at Cornell! where we were trained to analyze nutrition research carefully. We learned how to ask questions that develop research to figure out the "truth". To be in medicine, I think you have to be comfortable with questions, as research and policies are always changing with new information.
I questioned a lot of things in medical school: from antibiotics to nutrition policy to evidence based care to changing our health insurance system. I often felt like Patch Adams in medical school, in a sense I was always questioning to make things better. I think my questions and drive for change were often met with encouragement. But, there were many times I got the response Patch got, with resistance from those who don't want change. I'm excited now that I'm further on the path to making my own ideas into reality on how to help to have healthy happy lives.
I want to thank all my friends and family for supporting me on my road to becoming a doctor. I could not have done it without all of you. I'm hoping you will keep me sane as I go through the next stage of my training.
As you can tell by my blog's title, I like to ask questions too. A lot of this came from my undergraduate education in nutrition at Cornell! where we were trained to analyze nutrition research carefully. We learned how to ask questions that develop research to figure out the "truth". To be in medicine, I think you have to be comfortable with questions, as research and policies are always changing with new information.
I questioned a lot of things in medical school: from antibiotics to nutrition policy to evidence based care to changing our health insurance system. I often felt like Patch Adams in medical school, in a sense I was always questioning to make things better. I think my questions and drive for change were often met with encouragement. But, there were many times I got the response Patch got, with resistance from those who don't want change. I'm excited now that I'm further on the path to making my own ideas into reality on how to help to have healthy happy lives.
I want to thank all my friends and family for supporting me on my road to becoming a doctor. I could not have done it without all of you. I'm hoping you will keep me sane as I go through the next stage of my training.
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