Implicit bias, perpetuated through medical education, is a key factor driving health disparities in the U.S. Medical education is an inherently biased process that disadvantages people of color, with these impacts carrying over into residency admissions. This lack of diversity is compounded by biased and outdated teaching that often does not adequately address racial disparities […]
Implicit bias in medical training Read More »
In 2023, South Korea reported the lowest birth-rate in the world, a staggering rate of 0.78 babies per woman — meaning fewer than one child was born for every woman. This sharp decline highlights the demographic crisis that many industrialized countries are facing. In the US, birth rates have been plummeting since the Great Recession
Baby bust: Plummeting birth rates Read More »
Height and weight are usually among the first measurements taken during a medical visit. These values are often used to calculate BMI (body mass index), which falls into the following categories: underweight (less than 18.5), healthy weight (18.5 to less than 25), overweight (25 to less than 30), and obese (30 or greater). BMI is
Opinion: The Barely Meaningful Indicator (BMI) Read More »
By the year 2050, researchers estimate that minorities will make up 50% of the United States’ total population. Demographically, the healthcare system should reflect such a distribution, yet it has dramatically fallen short. For example, although African Americans make up about 15% of the US population, they only represent 7% of all medical doctors. The
Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Hospitals: Why is it necessary? Read More »
Our immune system consists of hundreds of specialized cells dedicated solely to maintaining our well-being. This branch of our body is dedicated to fighting pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and even our own mutated cells. Fundamentally, the cells of the immune system can be categorized into two main varieties: the innate immune system and
Cell-ebrity avoidance: How tumors avoid immune cells Read More »
Red blood cells (RBCs) are the single-most important factor in gas exchange with the environment and the key to sustaining life. With approximately 70-80 trillion red blood cells present in human bodies at any given time, these cells constitute 70% of all the cells in the body. RBCs are flat and disk-like, featuring indentations on
CRISPR’s sickle cell revolution: A key to life Read More »
The placebo effect is a phenomenon observed in many experiments, most often medical. This peculiar occurrence is when patients are given a control treatment, such as a sugar pill rather than the true medication being tested, yet have considerable positive gains in their condition. In other words, patients’ conditions are improving despite not receiving any
Mind over medicine: The placebo effect Read More »
Redlining, a historical practice of discrimination, has had lasting effects on racial inequities that remain persistent today. However, recent analysis of ecological diversity has revealed that the effects of redlining reach far beyond impacting humans. Specifically, bird diversity and population experienced a marked decline in areas subject to redlining. This means that though one street
Redlining’s reach: Disparities in bird data Read More »
Punching, kicking, throwing — not just daytime activities anymore. For some sleepers, these actions accompany their dream states. When a sleeper reflects what they are doing in their dream in real-time, despite being asleep, it’s referred to as “acting out dreams” or REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD). So instead of punching an attacker, they might
When dreams become nightmares: How acting out dreams can predict brain disease Read More »