Mindmasterclass dot Com: Health and Medical Blog

The family doctor has traditionally been a reliable figure that parents and children alike could trust for good judgment and to oversee their family’s healthcare.  Most people just assume that the education and training that doctors undergo assures them that they use the best of their judgment and that the health practices and drugs administered to patients are the unquestioned latest and correct advice.

Unfortunately, this belief in the family doctor is in many ways a misperception.  In many instances doctor’s judgment has been compromised by the overwhelming one-sided education they are being given by the giant pharmaceutical conglomerates.  The result is unnecessary medication use, poor outcomes and sometimes dangerous results for patients all to satisfy the drug company’s insatiable need to make a buck and keep their stock price up.

From the day your doctor enters medical school his view of the world of medicine is shaped in large part by pharmaceutical companies.  Most major teaching hospitals and university medical programs are heavily subsidized by pharmaceutical companies.  Tens of millions in grants are given each year for research studies and scholarships to keep medical schools filled.  The medical textbooks given to the students and much of the literature and reading material is provided free of charge to medical students and are written by or paid for by drug companies.  Is it any wonder then that the first course of treatment for many ailments has been to take a pharmaceutical product?

The first rule of medicine is supposed to be ‘first do no harm’.  But in many cases this is not being followed.  Instead of medical students being trained on healthy non-pharmaceutical ways to treat common ailments, they are instead taught that drugs are the ‘first line’ of treatment.  This not only exposes patient to unnecessary possible side effects from the medications but also causes them and their health insurance company to spend money needlessly.

Of course the pharmaceutical companies prefer this as it means more money for them.  Courses in medical school that encourage alternative therapy or even such staples as good diet and exercise are discouraged and instead a ‘treat the symptom not the cause’ ethos has prevailed in large part due to the insidious influence of drug companies.  How does this happen?

Nearly every major professor at well known medical schools is given grant money from drug companies.  If a professor or academic publishes a paper that is critical of the pharmaceutical practices then they simply are ‘looked over’ and skipped when it comes time for their grants to be renewed.  Those who ‘tow the line’ are rewarded with trips to conferences and lavish grants to study yet another new drug.

These professors then get to publish their work in medical journals which are…you guessed it…paid for by the pharmaceutical company.  The university likes professors that publish as it is good PR for the university.  Published articles are also one of the mandatory linchpins in many universities determinations of professors gaining tenure and pay raises.  A vicious cycle then emerges where you have drug companies using this system to promote those professors and researchers that ‘favor’ using pharmaceuticals and those that disagree are simply dropped…first from the grants…then from the publishing…and eventually from the university.

By the time a young med school student graduates and enters his internship at a hospital he has been taught that for most ailments he is likely to see, drugs are the first and best way to treat them.  It only gets worse from there.  Make sure you stop by www.sedatednation.com and see how a young doctor is even further ‘influenced’ by drug companies once they enter private practice.

Hospitals are extremely expensive places to run. Not only does a hospital need to be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, administrators also need to pay for round-the-clock specialized personnel and the cost of the extremely-high monthly energy bills. It is no wonder that some hospitals and clinics simply cannot pay for those high costs month after month. If it is not a busy hospital, it is common for administrators to close down a wing or the hospital altogether. There are still many pieces of medical equipment, however, that are in working condition when this happens. In most cases, these machines and extra supplies are refurbished and sold to another hospital or clinic as used medical equipment. However, other places decide to donate this equipment to medical schools.

It is incredibly important that there is medical school equipment available for the future doctors of this country to use! As potential patients of these future PhDs, we need to make sure that these individuals are trained property in school so that they are ready to practice once they receive their degrees. Used medical equipment is the perfect tool on which medical students can practice their developing skills.

Medical equipment includes everything from wrap bandages to electrocardiogram machines (EKG machines). Doctors need to know everything from how to apply bandages to stop bleeding to knowing how to interpret basic machines. Most medical doctors start out in the emergency rooms of hospitals where they are on call three nights a week. These individuals need to know how to make decisions in a split second, no matter how tired they feel. Therefore, when their nerves and focus have almost run out, they need to know how to do the most essential basics without even thinking. All the practice they have in medical school will help them become the best doctors they can be before they even make it into the work force.

If you have access to used medical equipment and supplies and would like to help the future doctors of America, or any country worldwide, you should look into donating them to a medical school. The gift of education is one of the best gifts you can ever give!

Are you going to appear for a medical interview? If yes, then you need to follow a few important tips. Getting your chance in an interview is a great opportunity to prove yourself and it will lead you to a promising and successful career. Medical school interview is a part of the selection procedure. Your application form is not enough to show your credentials, your performance with the interview board is of prime importance. Preparation will fetch you success at the interview session but if you want to get a chance at your favorite medical school then you need to work very hard prior to the interview.

Your medical Interview will not only prove what you are but also will give you a chance to shine. Many candidates do not know that interview is a period to shine and sell your skills so they fail to do so. Its not that you are going to prepare few particular questions to face the interviewers but you need to be positive, enthusiastic and with the right attitude while you are answering the board. You are going to face many medical interview questions like first they will ask you that why are you opting for this particular medical school then about your experience that you are looking forward at medical school. Before choosing a medical school it is always wise to make a little research about it.

Medical school interviews can be a standard panel interview, blinded interview, which is not so common then partially blinded interview and open interview. Today there is a chance. Before facing the interview you can take up a medical interview course. This type of course provides valuable help to the interviewees. Many medical schools or institutions avail such courses in order to guide you to get success in the interview session. To get selected at medical interview its knowledgeable to opt for a course at any good medical school interview course. The previous day of the interview is really a vital one. If you stay away from the venue of the interview then you need to come and stay somewhere close so that you can reach early on the interview day. You have to be in a relax posture while answering anything. You can take time before answering but not more than two minutes. There will be various medical interview questions and all will clearly prove your brightness and willingness in this field.

Medical school interview is not a tough one to succeed but you have to give emphasis on few points like your attire.It must be appropriate, you have to have confidence but not over confidence. A balance between humility and confidence has to be maintained. While facing the medical interview you have to be confident enough to answer all the questions. All that require is a positive body language. You have to be responsive, eager to answer, a good attitude, a listener and attentive. Your answers must be concise, up to what is required, full of confidence and honest. You have to be positive at every step of you medical interview.

Applying for medical school is often the most difficult process for any future medical student. You need to start almost a year and a half early in order to ask for recommendations, take the MCAT exams and prepare your personal statements. It is a struggle to get accepted no matter where you apply because the field is so competitive. For the rest of us, this selective process is great because we only want the best people and most intelligent people to become our doctors and health care givers.

However, this process does the future medical community no good unless these potential doctors have the right instructors, materials, and tools from which and with which to learn. Medical equipment is an incredibly important teaching tool and it helps the doctors of tomorrow better prepare for the real world of medicine.

Medical school is where students learn about the most recent medical techniques and theories. New technology is developed almost everyday and it is difficult to stay abreast of all this new information. The great progress made by technology has made medicine much safer. Doctors can now use imagining machines, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasounds, to find tumors and other abnormalities. These machines eliminate the need for many invasive exploratory surgeries. The problem is much easier to spot and diagnose while looking at an image then by hoping to find something by making an incision.

Many medical schools rely on the charity of other hospitals and clinics to stock up on medical school equipment. Some hospitals that are closing or getting in a shipment of new machines will donate their used and refurbished equipment to medical schools so that medical students can get the maximum amount of practice using the equipment they will need every day in their jobs. It is one thing to learn the theories on how to use a machine and another thing to learn hands-on with the machine itself. The more familiar future doctors are with these machines, the better they will do when they start their residencies.

If you are someone who would like to sell a few pieces of used medical equipment, consider donating them to the nearest medical school. Helping the future physicians learn how to be the best doctors they can be is very important!

Each and every aspiring medical student would want to get selected in one of the topmost medical school. It makes no difference that which medical school one attends so as to get the license for an MD, but it matters in the networking opportunities, which one has after the graduation. Some of the topmost medical schools in the US are listed below.

One is the Harvard Medical School. This school is on the top of the list, and especially when in case of the research, but it is also well known for the primary care. Another one is the University School of Medicine in Washington, having a huge hundred and fifteen years of experience in education, research, caring of the patients. Its well known career and research will surely help any one in making his professional career.

The third one is the Oregon Health and Science, which is the only research university for health in the Oregon state, and it provides a very good opportunity in learning how to take care of the patients. Going to another one, then comes the John Hopkins University according to the US news. This Hospital was considered to be the best in the America for past seventeen years continuously.

Another important one is the University of Pennsylvania, which provides proper training to a student so as to become a perfect leader in research, education and also patient care. Moreover, the main goal of that school is to get nationally recognized as an accomplished and also the most respected school in study of medicine.

Also, the Duke University School of Medicine consists of a number of teachers, who are teaching over there about the utmost research and also the patient care. Additionally, they are graduating classes having the debt, which is much less than the public medical schools.

The School of Medicine in the University of New Mexico was ranked as the number 2 in the nation in the field of the rural medicine, and also as number ten for the family medicine. In addition, five of its departments were ranked among the 40 topmost National Institutes for Health.

Finally, we conclude that a person must consider all the top medical schools while thinking about whom to send the application for admission. So, one must increase the chances so as to get selected in any one of the topmost medical schools so as to have a bright future.

Getting into medical school is a rigorous procedure that requires many steps. For instance, whereas other graduate school programs require only one personal statement, many medical school applications require that the student write two personal statements: an AMCAS application essay, and a secondary application essay.

How does AMCAS work?

AMCAS is an application processing service that allows you to put together just one application, which is then submitted to all of the medical schools of your choice. One of the pieces of your AMCAS application is your primary personal statement.

Because your AMCAS application essay is submitted to multiple schools at once, it focuses on the applicant, leaving out the school-specific information that many graduate school personal statements include. As a result, many medical schools require prospective students to submit a secondary application essay, which is written with that specific school in mind.

What Does My AMCAS Personal Statement Need to Include?

Most graduate schools require that your personal statement address your interest in that school, as well as answering a range of questions about yourself. When you use AMCAS to apply for medical school, however, you will need to omit the school-specific information in order to create a primary personal statement that can be submitted to all of your chosen schools.

The AMCAS personal statement or primary application essay should always answer two different types of questions:

Why do you want to be a physician? As with any personal statement, this question should not be answered by stating that you have always wanted to be a doctor. Likewise, you should avoid espousing a desire to “help people.” These are clichéd responses that not only fail to convey anything concrete about you, but also have been undoubtedly used by many other applicants. Instead, you should use anecdotes of your personal experiences to show, rather than tell, your interest in the field of medicine.

Why are you qualified to be a physician? Your personal statement also needs to demonstrate the qualities that will make you a dedicated medical student and a skilled physician. For example, you can discuss other interests that you have, describing the qualities that have helped you to excel, and explaining how those qualities will benefit your education and career. Other examples of material for your personal statement include stories from your hospital experiences that demonstrate how you interact with patients, or stories from your laboratory experiences that demonstrate your insight and dedication in a research environment.

How is the Secondary Personal Statement Different?

Some medical schools require a secondary personal statement, in addition to your standard AMCAS application. This application essay is meant to give the school a closer look at each applicant, particularly more individualized information such as why you are interested in that school.

Secondary personal statements usually are focused on answering specific questions. Examples of questions that many medical schools ask include:

Why you want to attend that school – As with a personal statement for any other graduate school, you may be asked to indicate that you are familiar with the specific program. Research the school and take note of any professors whose work you admire. Your essay can also mention factors such as location and other program advantages, but don’t make it sound like your reasoning is based solely on geography or school rating.

Where you envision yourself in ten years – Some medical schools may also ask about your long-term career goals. These admission boards are looking for personal statements that reflect the writer’s ambition and career focus. A student who has not given a lot of thought to their career path is more likely to fail to complete the program, so be sure that you convey your passion and dedication to your chosen career.

The specific clinical experiences that influenced your decision – If you are asked this question, do not interpret it as a request to repeat information given in your AMCAS personal statement. Instead, use it as an example to provide information that you didn’t have space for in your primary application essay, or fill in the gaps that your other anecdotes have left.

What Else Do I Need to Know about Writing a Medical School Personal Statement?

Regardless of whether you are writing a primary (AMCAS) or secondary personal statement, you need to be sure your essay will stand apart from all the rest. For instance, you should be sure to:

Use anecdotes to illustrate your points. Personal stories not only make your personal statement unique and memorable, but also illustrate your qualifications and personality to the admissions board.

Avoid generalizations. Although stating – either in your thesis or your title – that you have always wanted to be a doctor may seem to answer the question concisely, this does not really convey anything about you, either as a student or as a prospective doctor.

Avoid clichés. Almost all the personal statements the admissions board reads will contain at least one cliché – and probably more. By avoiding clichés in your application essay, you will ensure that your writing is not only unique, but also more interesting than the competition.

Be concise. Although it is important to avoid generalizations and add personal detail in your application essay, you also don’t want to bore your readers. Make sure that your writing is as concise as it can be without losing important detail.

Proofread your work. The last thing you want to do is to give the admissions board the impression of a hastily thrown-together personal statement. To avoid typos, grammatical errors, and other problems in your essay, be sure to proofread and revise your work several times before submitting it.

Writing a Winning Medical School Personal Statement

Applying to medical school can be an intimidating process. The stakes are high, the competition is fierce, and the application itself can be quite length and complicated. Writing both an AMCAS application essay and at least one secondary personal statement can be quite an alarming prospect, as well.

However, it is important to remember that writing your personal statements for medical school is not that much different than for other graduate programs: The information is simply broken up into primary and secondary application essays, instead of all being contained in one. With the right information and mindset, writing your medical school personal statement doesn’t have to be difficult at all!

Consideration #1: Do I Really Want To Be A Doctor? (Even If It Doesn’t Make Me Rich?)

It used to be when your parents asked you: “What do you want to be — a doctor or a lawyer?” that whatever answer you gave would ensure you an extremely successful financial future. Because of certain economic realities we face today, the medical profession is no longer the giant cash cow parents once credited it to be (and many doctors will probably tell you it never was to begin with.) Therefore, if you have begun to think about applying to and going to medical school, you should really be doing it because of a passion for the field.

Consideration #2: Dermatology or Epidemiology: What Area of Medicine Do I Want To Specialize In?

Of course, you will have time to figure this out in medical school as well, but you will be the most informed applicant you can be by doing some of this thinking up front. Medical schools are like any other kind of school: even the best ones are stronger in some areas of medicine than they are in others. Therefore, it’s worth your time to spend some time thinking about what area of medicine you would like to practice in. If you want to be a pediatrician, apply to the schools that are the best in pediatrics; if you want to be an oncologist, seek out those schools that have the best reputation for education young doctors in this area.

Consideration #3: How Will I Get Into The Best Medical School In My Area of Interest?

Be the best pre-med student in your area of interest. If you are in undergrad reading this, there is no time like the present to start getting your prerequisite classes out of the way to qualify for medical school. Also, the more homework you do outside the classroom on the schools that you’ll be applying to, the better your application will be.

Consideration #4: Where Do I Want To Live After I Get My Medical Degree?

While the school that specializes in the area of medicine you want to practice should probably win the day in terms of where you decide to attend, you should also think about where you’ll want to live after you get out of school as well. Much of your medical training will be hands-on, and so you might meet and develop relationships with your future patients as a medical student if you attend a school located in a place that you intend to make your home. Also, you will have to take and pass state medical licensing exams, which will be easier to prepare for when you are studying in the same state that you hope to be licensed in.