by Brandon Luk
SDN Staff Writer

“This could be just as devastating if not more devastating than Katrina …”

These were the first words I heard when I flipped on WDSU. An anchorman was describing the unyielding path of Hurricane Gustav towards the Big Easy. The first thought that ran through my mind was, ‘wow, guess the third time’s a charm’- Gustav was going to strike the Gulf coast almost 3 years to the date that Katrina hit.

I was a little dumbfounded at the surreal nature of having to evacuate. While I only recently began to call New Orleans my home, the incomplete levees could very well also make it the graveyard of my livelihood.

Instantly, questions started to swirl through my head. What would I need to bring? What will happen to my education? What kind of preparations do I need to make so that my house isn’t flattened? When should I leave and where should I go?

(more…)

The Student Doctor Network is pleased to announce a partnership with the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA).

Founded in 1898, NCPA continues to be the leading voice in support of independent community pharmacists, especially for legislative change. In addition to supporting current pharmacy owners, NCPA also provides resources for pharmacy student members, including scholarships, lower interest student loans, internships, mentors, and career guides.

(more…)

The loss of Riley and Claudia has devastated their families, friends, and those lucky enough to have known them.

SDN has established The Riley & Claudia Memorial Fund in an effort to ease the financial burden on the girls’ families and to establish a lasting memorial in their honor.

The August Auction (now completed) was one opportunity to support the Riley & Claudia Memorial Fund. The items up for bid were generously donated by a variety of companies and individuals, allowing all proceeds to go to the memorial fund.  Thank you for supporting Sarah and her family. (more…)

by Lee Burnett

A recognized pioneer and leader in family medicine, John Geyman, MD has written a number of articles and books on American healthcare. He has just released his latest book on the health insurance system, Do Not Resuscitate.

Dr. Geyman’s books are known for detailed research and facts. Do Not Resuscitate is a natural follow-up to his earlier texts, deftly tackling the latest and most complex data and concepts and distilling them into a captivating and quick read.

This book could be compared to the writings of Noam Chomsky with Dr. Geyman delivering a searing indictment of today’s health insurance companies and the US Government. This book has a single point: the insurance industry has failed America and it should be replaced with a single-payer nonprofit fund.

(more…)

There are many learning opportunities for student doctors while they are in school, including a healthy blend of didactic and practical lessons. By the end of their training, most students in the U.S. have their fingers on the pulse of domestic medicine, but medical education cannot always impart the same lessons learned by students who participate in medical missions to developing parts of the world.  The experience that I have gained personally from traveling outside the United States has undoubtedly shaped me into a better student and I have become increasingly confident in my abilities as a a future clinician.

One of the first realizations many students experience when traveling abroad is that, despite its flaws, our medical system in the U.S. is often much more efficient than the those in developing countries. In many areas, conditions may go completely untreated and seemingly “simple” things such as diarrhea can take child’s life. Infrastructure is also an area of major concern; privileges that many doctors take for granted (some as simple as admitting patients to the hospital) are not as easily accomplished in underdeveloped areas.  (more…)

Continuing with its mission of representing doctoral-level healthcare fields, the Student Doctor Network (SDN) has recently added four new partners to its growing list of partners that span the health professions.

GlobalRPH is a useful website designed and operated by David McAuley, Pharm.D. & R.Ph., of the Detroit VA Medical Center. McAuley launched this practical resource in 2000 and has developed it into a valuable tool that is a comprehensive drug library. It features dosage guidelines, calculators, and many other information sources that will be able to aid pharmacists and other healthcare professionals that come in contact with patient medications daily.  (more…)

CAPT Richard Caldwell, a physician in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, is an experienced medical officer who is the sole health care provider for the Havasupai American Indian community in Arizona. His dedication to his job ensures that he is always available to provide calm, confident, and experienced medical care to a community that is underserved and lives in a very remote location. CAPT Caldwell also works with wilderness rescue in the Grand Canyon to respond to emergencies involving visitors to the National Park. “Serving as the sole medical officer for the community is demanding, but it is also extremely rewarding,” says CAPT Caldwell.  (more…)

While some associate prescription drugs with expense and inconvenience, others seek out the drugs, lying to get prescriptions, and buying pills illegally. Such “drug seeking behavior,” familiar to medical professionals when it involves Ritalin, OxyContin, Xanax, or any number of drugs noted to increase productivity, sink patients into an opiate-induced haze, or sedate those wishing to evade the stresses of life, abuse of anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, antihistamines, and others, represents a new frontier of drug abuse.

One of the more well-known and well-documented drugs of abuse, diphenhydramine is an antagonist to the H1 receptor, which seems, given its over-the-counter status, to be innocuous. Like many sleep aids, including the more recently developed Ambien, the drug was at first touted as having low associated risk of dependency (1). However, there has been much evidence to the contrary.  (more…)

Student Doctor Network Career Center Launched!

Student Doctor Network has partnered with HEALTHeCAREERS Network - the world’s largest online community specifically for healthcare job seekers and employers - to connect you directly with career opportunities and resources in your field.

HEALTHeCAREERS Network is a recruitment and career resource for the healthcare industry. It is a Network of more than 70 professional healthcare associations, MedHunters.com and channel distribution partners that will facilitate connections for SDN members with the best employers and expand your career options with free, immediate access to a selection of entry-level job postings.

Nearly 10,000 healthcare employers use HEALTHeCAREERS Network to post their opportunities and search for qualified candidates, bringing you all medical specialties and a job selection that spans all settings - from hospital-based positions to private practice placement.  (more…)

The Student Doctor Network forums now have a home for high school and pre-college students seeking advice about the health professions.

At the request of many SDN users, we are proud to launch Student Doctor Network Aspire. Aspire is staffed by moderators and mentors from the medical, dental and pharmacy fields, as well as parents of current students. Aspire provides information to help high school and pre-college students start their health professions career on solid footing.

Current topics include questions of interest to high school and pre-college students, and cover the areas of pharmacy, dentistry, and medicine. Included are descriptive explanations of the paths to each career, brief explanations of each profession as well as specialties, and links to information provided by other professional organizations and agencies.  (more…)