In Case You Missed It: The July Effect, the iKnife, the mix of cigarettes and alcohol, and more
Hope your weekend is off to a good start and that you’re staying cool in this summer weather! Thanks for joining us for our weekly roundup of news and announcements.
Intern boot camp
Everyone can probably recall feelings of nervousness on their first day of school or when starting a new job. This time of year, the “July Effect” – the anxiety that arises during July, when new medical interns begin in their new roles, often occurs across the board.
One Chicago hospital provides “boot camp” for interns to prepare them for what they will experience in their new roles, from practicing on artificial patients to learning communications skills when it comes to delivering bad news.
Read about the experience of the intern boot camp.
How the iKnife is advancing surgery
It sometimes seems like “iProducts” have changed the way we live our everyday lives. But what if we could know, in instants, whether tissue is cancerous or not? Now, with a new surgical tool called the iKnife, surgeons are able to do just that.
Cigarettes and alcohol go hand-in-hand
Why is it that smoking and drinking seem to go together all too well? Baylor College of Medicine researchers have found the answer—stress.
When a certain part of the brain is bathed in stress hormones and alcohol is added to the mix, alcohol suppresses the dopamine (the feel-good hormone). Then, naturally, one’s response would be to drink more alcohol to achieve more positive feelings.
Learn more about why cigarettes and alcohol often create a dangerous cocktail.
Get some quick facts on alcohol in America today.
West Nile news
West Nile numbers are looking better than last year’s cases so far, but that doesn’t mean we should be less aware and cautious about taking preventive measures.
BCM expert provides prevention tips.
Understand West Nile Virus, how it spreads, and its symptoms.
-By Jordan Magaziner
