This is the June 20, 2010 edition of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine\u27s newsletter - Watercooler.
Contents Include:   White Coat Ceremony Moved To Saenger Theatre USA Medical Students Back From Medical Mission Trip To Honduras USA To Pilot Centering Pregnancy Project Safety and Environmental Compliance Newsletter When  Fun In The Sun  Is Dangerous - Understanding UV Rays FMC Jaguar Dialysis Center Open

Lyle, Lindsey

English

University of South Alabama Institutional Repository

1/19/23, 9:25 AM Med School Watercooler: 6/20/10 - 6/27/10https://medschoolwatercooler.blogspot.com/2010_06_20_archive.html 1/5F r i d a y ,  J u n e  2 5 ,  2 0 1 0Posted by Med School Watercooler at 1:25 PM No comments:   White Coat Ceremony Moved To Saenger TheatreDue to no A.C. at the University of South Alabama's Mitchell Center, the WhiteCoat Ceremony will be held downtown at the Saenger Theatre, S. Joachim Streetand Conti Street at 11 a.m. tomorrow morning, June 26. Participants should planto be at the Saenger at 10:30 a.m. You are responsible for notifying family andfriends, and parking will be catch-as-catch-can.USA Medical Students Back From Medical Mission TripTo HondurasJelf (in pink) serves with physicians at a clinic in Honduras as part of CMMSA's2010 medical mission trip.Laura Jelf, a second-year medical student at USA, traveled with the ChristianMedical Ministry of South Alabama (CMMSA) during its recent medial mission tripto Honduras.Jelf encourages medical students to participate in some type of medical missionwork. “It gives you a different level of clinical experience that you don’t alwaysget in school,” she said. “I hope to carry my experiences and my compassion forthe patients in Honduras and give back that same level of care to patientslocally.”The following are two excerpts from e-mails Jelf sent from Honduras:Excerpt 1:Search This BlogFeel free to email your ideas tolalyle@health.southalabama.eduGot news to share?►    2023 (10)►    2022 (249)►    2021 (269)►    2020 (191)►    2019 (245)►    2018 (236)►    2017 (231)►    2016 (206)►    2015 (205)►    2014 (241)►    2013 (232)►    2012 (245)►    2011 (262)▼    2010 (247)►    12/19 - 12/26 (5)►    12/12 - 12/19 (6)►    12/05 - 12/12 (5)►    11/28 - 12/05 (5)►    11/21 - 11/28 (4)►    11/14 - 11/21 (5)►    11/07 - 11/14 (5)►    10/31 - 11/07 (5)►    10/24 - 10/31 (6)►    10/17 - 10/24 (5)►    10/10 - 10/17 (6)►    10/03 - 10/10 (5)►    09/26 - 10/03 (4)►    09/19 - 09/26 (5)►    09/12 - 09/19 (7)►    09/05 - 09/12 (6)►    08/29 - 09/05 (6)►    08/22 - 08/29 (4)►    08/15 - 08/22 (4)Blog ArchiveMore Create Blog  Sign In1/19/23, 9:25 AM Med School Watercooler: 6/20/10 - 6/27/10https://medschoolwatercooler.blogspot.com/2010_06_20_archive.html 2/5Posted by Med School Watercooler at 1:20 PM No comments:   I have had some amazing experiences here in Honduras. I have never been moreaware of my selfishness, wastefulness and ignorance. We saw nearly a thousandpatients in the clinics, most ailing for months from simple illnesses that can easilybe cured by a dose of antibiotics. The Hospital Escuela was heart breaking withthe hoards of patients lying in the hallways with what we would consider criticalconditions. They were waiting for treatment that might not come for days.But above all this, the most amazing experience that stuck in my mind was anoutreach trip we took. Mitch's Ministry of Divine Mercy (that is doing amazingthings for the people in the mountain villages) identified some of the needyfamilies in a small mountain village in San Matias. We took food in a small tub,drove as far as we could, then hiked the rest of the two miles up the mountain.Through someone’s yard, past a chicken coup and through a small corn field, wefound Jorge, a self sufficient 85-year-old man with a heart of pure gold. He wasso happy to have visitors and someone to share his faith with. Upon leaving hetried to give us a bunch of bananas as a parting gift. Although he had no foodexcept some dried corn kernels, the food that we brought and the bananas, hewanted to share them with us.The sheer generosity of the people of Honduras is something I will always carrywith me. They welcomed us with open arms and were truly grateful for the workwe did not only in the clinics but also in sharing our faith with them. I could goon. There is so much more I want to say and share about this tiny countryforgotten by many people in the United States and tucked away between asomewhat unstable El Salvador and Nicaragua. However, pity is far from whatthey want or deserve. I have learned to be compassionate in ways I never knew.Excerpt 2:I was very nervous to be in the hospital. I was wondering how the Honduranorthopedic surgeons would take to being taught by American doctors -- like wewere being pushy or presumptuous in thinking they needed or wanted our help.But I was very wrong. They welcomed all of us -- doctors and students -- withopen arms. They were so eager to learn new techniques and skills to improvetheir level of care and reduce risk in invasive procedures. Not only that, but theywere also more than happy to teach us as students along the way.For more about the medical mission trip, visithttp://medschoolwatercooler.blogspot.com/2010/05/medical-students-traveling-to-honduras.html.USA To Pilot Centering Pregnancy ProjectCynthia Messer, a certified nurse-midwife with thedepartment of obstetrics and gynecology at theUniversity of South Alabama College of Medicine,received an $11,900 grant from the March of Dimesto begin a pilot project to enhance prenatal carethrough the implementation of Centering Pregnancy.Centering Pregnancy is a multifaceted model of groupcare that integrates the three major components ofcare -- health assessment, education and support --into a unified program within a group setting. Messer,who practices at the USA department of obstetricsand gynecology and USA Children’s and Women’sHospital, will introduce this paradigm to Mobile.Eight to 12 women with similar gestational ages meet together to learn careskills, participate in a facilitated discussion, and develop a support network withother group members. Each pregnancy group meets for a total of 10 sessionsthroughout pregnancy and early postpartum. The practitioner, within the groupspace, completes standard physical health assessments.►    08/08 - 08/15 (5)►    08/01 - 08/08 (5)►    07/25 - 08/01 (6)►    07/18 - 07/25 (3)►    07/11 - 07/18 (6)►    07/04 - 07/11 (5)►    06/27 - 07/04 (4)▼    06/20 - 06/27 (6)White Coat Ceremony Moved ToSaenger TheatreUSA Medical Students Back FromMedical Mission Tri...USA To Pilot Centering PregnancyProjectSafety and EnvironmentalCompliance NewsletterWhen "Fun In The Sun" IsDangerous - Understanding...FMC Jaguar Dialysis Center Opens►    06/13 - 06/20 (5)►    06/06 - 06/13 (5)►    05/30 - 06/06 (2)►    05/23 - 05/30 (4)►    05/16 - 05/23 (2)►    05/09 - 05/16 (6)►    05/02 - 05/09 (5)►    04/25 - 05/02 (5)►    04/18 - 04/25 (5)►    04/04 - 04/11 (5)►    03/28 - 04/04 (4)►    03/21 - 03/28 (5)►    03/14 - 03/21 (6)►    03/07 - 03/14 (6)►    02/28 - 03/07 (9)►    02/21 - 02/28 (7)►    02/14 - 02/21 (12)►    01/31 - 02/07 (3)►    01/24 - 01/31 (3)►    01/10 - 01/17 (5)►    01/03 - 01/10 (5)►    2009 (88)1/19/23, 9:25 AM Med School Watercooler: 6/20/10 - 6/27/10https://medschoolwatercooler.blogspot.com/2010_06_20_archive.html 3/5Posted by Med School Watercooler at 9:53 AM No comments:   The first Centering Pregnancy class will be held at 9 a.m. on July 21, 2010, at theUSA Obstetrics and Gynecology clinic on 1720 Center St. in Mobile. Each classwill have a total of 10 sessions with one session per month.Through this unique model of care, women are empowered to choose health-promoting behaviors. Healthy outcomes for pregnancies, specifically increasedbirth weight and gestational age of mothers that deliver preterm, and thesatisfaction expressed by both the women and their providers support theeffectiveness of this model for the delivery of care.Centering Pregnancy groups provide a dynamic atmosphere for learning andsharing that is impossible to create in a one-to-one encounter. Hearing otherwomen share concerns that mirror their own concerns helps women to normalizethe entire pregnancy experience. Also, groups are empowering because theyprovide support to the members and also increase individual motivation to learnand change.Group prenatal care was shown to result in equal or improved perinatal outcomesin a study published in an NIH article titled “Group Prenatal Care and PerinatalOutcomes: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” To view the full article, visithttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2276878/.The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is toimprove the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth andinfant mortality.For more information on the Centering Pregnancy classes, call (251) 415-1496.W e d n e s d a y ,  J u n e  2 3 ,  2 0 1 0Posted by Med School Watercooler at 8:46 AM No comments:   Safety and Environmental Compliance NewsletterThe summer 2010 issue of The Safety Source Newsletter, the newsletterfor USA's office of Safety and Environmental Compliance, is now available. Toview the newsletter, follow this link:http://www.southalabama.edu/environmental/newsletter.pdf.T u e s d a y ,  J u n e  2 2 ,  2 0 1 0When "Fun In The Sun" Is Dangerous - UnderstandingUV RaysWith temperatures rising and summer now in fullswing, it is important to protect your skin from thedamaging effects of the sun’s rays, also known asultraviolet (UV) rays.Mona Hagmaier, a physician assistant at theUniversity of South Alabama Knollwood PhysiciansGroup, said that because UV damage is difficult toreverse, it is important to protect your skin everytime you are outside.“UV light is injurious because it damages the body’sgenetic material, which in turn changes the kinds andamounts of chemicals that the skin cells make,” she said. “It is these changes tothe DNA that are responsible for the damaging effects of UV light, including skincancer, premature skin aging and burning.”Hagmaier says there are several steps you can take to limit the amount ofexposure to UV rays, including wearing a sunscreen and applying it often for1/19/23, 9:25 AM Med School Watercooler: 6/20/10 - 6/27/10https://medschoolwatercooler.blogspot.com/2010_06_20_archive.html 4/5maximum protection.The American Academy of Dermatology recommends products with a sunprotection factor of at least 30. “SPF numbers that are higher do mean moreprotection, but many people think that a sunscreen with SPF 45 would give threetimes as much protection as one with SPF 15, which is not true,” Hagmaier said.“SPF 30 sunscreens filter out about 97 percent and SPF 15 sunscreens filter outabout 93 percent.”Hagmaier also recommends staying out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.,when UV radiation is more intense, as well as wearing clothing with built-inprotection.“Some companies now produce clothing that protects against UV exposure evenwhen wet,” she said. “This clothing will have a label listing the ultravioletprotection factor. Look for sunglasses labeled as blocking UVA and UVB light.Also, wear a hat with a wide brim to protect ears and eyes, as well as theforehead, nose and scalp.”According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, there are more than 3.5 millionestimated cases of skin cancer detected each year, making it the most commoncancer in the United States. Sadly, Hagmaier said, more than 1 million Americansstill use tanning salons, which also produces dangerous UV exposure.The Skin Cancer Foundation says that tanning beds will increase your risk ofmelanoma, a type of skin cancer that causes the majority of skin cancer deaths,by 75 percent. People who use tanning beds are also 1.5 times more likely todevelop basal cell carcinoma, and 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cellcarcinoma.“Using tanning salons has no proven benefit,” Hagmaier said, “and the 10 percentexcise tax on the use of indoor tanning beds as part of the recent health carereform law may save lives. Perhaps for some, the tax could provide one morereason to avoid these deadly tanning beds.”Hagmaier said the following people are more at risk of developing melanomathan others:• Blondes or redheads• Fair-skinned individuals that freckle and burn easily• A person who already has a history of melanoma• A person who has a first-degree relative who has been diagnosed withmelanoma• A person who has several or more moles• Someone with an autoimmune disease such as lupus• Someone who has had an organ transplantThe most important warning sign for melanoma, Hagmaier said, is a new spot onthe skin that is changing color, shape or size. She suggests following the A-B-C-D-E rule as a guide to the signs of melanoma:• A -- asymmetry -- when one-half of a birthmark or mole does not match theother• B – border – if the edges are blurred or irregular• C – color – if the color includes patches of pink, black, brown, red, white or blue• D – diameter – if the spot is larger than the size of a pencil eraser• E – elevation or evolution – if the mole seems to be spreading or risingOther warning signs include changes in sensation such as pain, itchiness ortenderness, or a sore that does not heal.Hagmaier said that your health care provider should check you annually as partof a routine cancer-related checkup, and you should check your skin once amonth at home in front of a full-length mirror in a well-lit room.“It is important that you learn the pattern of freckles, moles and spots on yourbody so you will notice any changes over time,” she said. “If you find something1/19/23, 9:25 AM Med School Watercooler: 6/20/10 - 6/27/10https://medschoolwatercooler.blogspot.com/2010_06_20_archive.html 5/5Newer Posts Older PostsHomeSubscribe to: Posts (Atom)Posted by Med School Watercooler at 9:01 AM No comments:   suspicious, you should see a health care provider with training in biopsying skincancers immediately.”M o n d a y ,  J u n e  2 1 ,  2 0 1 0Posted by Med School Watercooler at 3:53 PM No comments:   FMC Jaguar Dialysis Center OpensJoseph Ratcliff of Mobile was one of the first patients seen at the new FMC JaguarDialysis Center that opened its doors to the public today. Dr. Michael Culpepper,professor of internal medicine and chief of the division of nephrology at USA, saidthe new dialysis center has 24 chairs, or stations, for delivery of hemodialysis."The unit is also equipped with the latest hemodialysis machines with versatilesystems that allow individualization of the treatment for each patient," he said.“The chairs, to which the patients are confined for treatments lasting 3.5 to 4.5hours, are designed for both safety and comfort and include comforts like built-inheating elements,” Dr. Culpepper said. “All the stations are connected to a centralcomputer system that provides chair-side access to patient information andcontinuous monitoring of the treatment process.” The FMC Jaguar Dialysis Centeris located on the USA Medical Center campus on the corner of Stanton Road andFillingim Street.StatCounterSimple theme. Powered by Blogger.

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - June 20, 2010

https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/context/watercooler/article/1021/viewcontent/Med_School_Watercooler__6_20_10_Checked.pdf

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - June 20, 2010

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

University of South Alabama Institutional Repository