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Medical Ethics
First-year doctors spend almost 90 percent of their time away from patients
First-year doctors, or interns, spend 87 percent of their work time away from patients, half of which is spent interacting with electronic health records.
Longer shifts don’t create chronic sleep loss or reduce patient safety
Two large national studies show that patient safety was unaffected, and residents showed no signs of chronic sleep loss regardless of shift length for first-year doctors.
With a second patient free from HIV, what’s next?
Scientists have succeeded in sending an HIV patient into long-term remission, only the second time such a feat has been documented. Pablo Tebas and Bridgette Brawner discuss what this means for HIV research and for people living with the virus.
The art of talking about science
Paul Offit of Penn Medicine and CHOP offers five tips for better communicating tough scientific topics to the public—and standing up for science in the process.
‘The Power of Penn’ propels forward
In Los Angeles, President Amy Gutmann continues the kickoff of the University’s bold campaign to raise $4.1 billion.
Seven Penn researchers receive NIH Director Awards
Seven researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, and School of Engineering and Applied Science are to receive National Institutes of Health Director Awards, highly competitive grants to support innovative biomedical research.
Chance of being prescribed opioids for a minor injury differs dramatically by where you live
A Penn study showing dramatic variation in opioid prescribing rates and tablet amounts for ankle sprains points to significant opportunities to reduce excessive prescribing, and potentially prevent prolonged use.
How police killings of black Americans affect communities
Black Americans are nearly three times more likely to be killed by police than their white counterparts, with even larger disparities among those who are unarmed. The trend is also harming the mental health of the black community.
Examining 20th-century America’s obsession with poor posture, a forgotten ‘epidemic’
Poor posture was considered a real threat to the nation’s health through much of the 20th century. Beth Linker of the School of Arts and Sciences is investigating the history of this forgotten “epidemic” and how its legacy is reflected in notions of health and disability today.
Veterinary experts work to stay ahead of equine doping
As in human sports, unscrupulous practices occasionally make their way into horse racing. Researchers and veterinarians at the School of Veterinary Medicine are keeping an eye on illicit drug use, evaluating samples, and designing tests to maintain the integrity of the sport and keep the competitors safe.
In the News
Cats aren’t jerks. They’re just misunderstood
James Serpell of the School of Veterinary Medicine says that the domestic cat suffers from its legacy of being a not-quite-wild animal on the margins of society.
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ALS drug fails large clinical trial and may be withdrawn from market
Holly Fernandez Lynch of the Perelman School of Medicine says that the lack of good treatment options for ALS has led to an insatiable desire to develop something that is going to modify the course of this disease.
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How Lloyd Austin’s prostate cancer surgery led to hospitalization
Ravi Parikh of the Perelman School of Medicine says that a bowel obstruction after a prostate removal procedure can lead to significant complications if left untreated.
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Is an Alzheimer’s blood test right for me?
Postdoc Claire Erickson and Emily Largent of the Perelman School of Medicine and the Leonard Davis Institute discuss which people should take an Alzheimer’s blood test.
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Doubts abound about a new Alzheimer’s blood test
Emily Largent of the Perelman School of Medicine says that laws that normally protect the privacy of health information don’t apply for people who receive Alzheimer’s biomarker results from discriminatory practices.
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Facing financial ruin as costs soar for elder care
A study led by Norma Coe of the Perelman School of Medicine finds that the median lost wages for women providing intensive care for their mothers is $24,500 over two years. Rachel M. Werner of the Leonard Davis Institute, Wharton School, and Perelman School of Medicine says that the U.S. doesn’t value elders the way that other countries and cultures do.
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