TRAVEL + DIVERSITY = WORKING AS A LOCUM You might have heard the term locum tenens before, and wondered what it means. Is it a type of specialty you’ve never heard before? Or, is it a new medication to treat hypertension. Neither of those happens to be correct. So, let’s discuss what a locum is,…
CAN A NETI POT GIVE YOU A BRAIN-EATING AMOEBA? A woman in Seattle acquired a rare and fatal brain-eating amoeba infection, which may have been due to improper use of a neti pot. The 69-year-old woman had been using a neti pot to rinse her sinuses, but filled it with nonsterile tap water instead of…
A FASCINATING SPECIALTY IN DEMAND Fascinated by urine, the kidney, and complex renal physiology? Nephrologists are masters of fluid, electrolytes, and acid–base homeostasis. After all, the kidneys are responsible for filtering out impurities from the blood. As part of their diagnostic workup, they analyze acid–base studies, electrolyte panels, and urine collections. In this highly intellectual…
THE FAMILY DOCTOR DOES IT ALL Many students enter medical school wanting to specialize in obstetrics and gynecology, but find that they love the broader scope of practice of family medicine. Family medicine has the broadest scope of all the specialties. The family doctor sees patients of all ages, and all medical conditions. The family…
AEROSPACE MEDICINE CLERSKHIP Ever dreamt of being an astronaut? What about being the doctor who takes care of astronauts? If so, then aerospace medicine, and an elective clerkship at NASA might be just for you. Before reading more about the NASA clerkship, you may want to read a recent post about what aerospace medicine is.…
ADVENTURE + MEDICINE = AEROSPACE MEDICINE Aerospace medicine focuses on the clinical care, research, and operational support of the health, safety, and performance of crewmembers and passengers of air and space vehicles, together with the support personnel who assist operation of such vehicles. This population often works and lives in remote, isolated, extreme, or enclosed…