Just some thoughts... @medstudentsrock - Tumblr Blog

muthulakshmibharatanatyam

Singapore 1969

muthulakshmibharatanatyam

mednerds

COVID-19 vaccines

The basic principle of vaccination is to prime the immune system so it is better prepared to meet a pathogen. Historically, the earliest way to accomplish this was to get a mild infection that conferred immunity to a stronger disease; for example, exposure to cowpox to prevent getting the much more deadly smallpox. Modern approaches use weakened or inactivated viruses, or even fragments of a virus, but the principle remains the same: safely expose the immune system to a pathogen so immune cells learn to recognize it and can react quickly and effectively the next time it appears.

In the case of COVID-19, some of the vaccines use a new technique based around messenger RNA (mRNA). In this approach, patients are never exposed to the virus, even in a weakened form. Instead, the vaccine carries mRNA from a key virus gene that makes the spike protein. Once inside cells, the mRNA serves as a template to make the spike protein, and our immune system then learns about it and is ready to fight off the virus. The mRNA template is then quickly degraded by our normal cellular processes.

When enough people are vaccinated, a disease can no longer spread through the population. That’s how vaccination campaigns have helped bring many diseases under control. COVID-19 vaccines have been developed on an accelerated timeline because of the exceptional circumstances, but they nevertheless went through the entire regulatory review and approval process. Though there will be immense logistical challenges in ensuring that everyone has timely access to a vaccine, we are one step closer to a post COVID-19 world.

Conceptualized by: Sedeer el-Showk Design: Youssef Khalil. Nature.

anxietyproblem

cancerbiophd

From my PhD program’s weekly newsletter

It also included links to papers/resources (some are cancer-focused bc that’s our program):

The Diversity-Innovation Paradox in Science

White Coats for Black Lives

Cancer and Indigenous Populations: Time to End the Disparity

Charting the Future of Cancer Health Disparities Research

Cancer and Hispanic Americans

8 Everyday Ways to Fight Racism

How Higher Ed Can Fight Racism

Anti-Racism Resources from #ShutDownSTEM

ECFMG Certification during COVID 19 Crisis

Make Changes ECFMG! BE FAIR

Blacklivesmatter!

#blacklivesmatter #blm

wahtdahel-blog

Most of the medical research was done on white males and their response to medicine. This is why medical books should only serve as a framework but clinical expertise matters more.

And this is why we need more black doctors.

populationpensive

There is a great instagram called Brown Skin Matters that has certified photos of different rashes and skin conditions. I find this VERY helpful. I just recently stumbled on it and it’s a nice, quick, resource.

wayfaringmd

My partner and I discussed this yesterday. There is also a Dermatology for Skin of Color textbook by Kelly and Taylor but it unfortunately doesn’t have a ton of pictures. When i used to have access, Visual Dx did make a decent attempt to include examples on darker skin tones, but it’s expensive and my hospital doesn’t pay for access to it anymore. Strongly recommend sending in clinical images to Brown Skin Matters Instagram, Figure 1, and other apps/websites if you have them and have patient permission. We need to build these databases.

rhokotela

Rhokotela’s Intro to ECGs

Please don’t repost or use without crediting the source. Otherwise, happy interpreting!

And the journey must continue step-by-step.

odinsblog

Mobs of angry white people, protesting for their right to [checks notes] get a haircut—in the middle of a pandemic—yelled at cops, shoved them, threw things at them, and were nowhere near being respectful or peaceful, but for some reason, police officers didn’t mace them, didn’t shoot rubber bullets at them, didn’t tear gas them, and didn’t kneel on their necks and choke them to death. Qwhite interesting how differently white people are treated even when they disrespect the police and even when they riot over things like [checks notes again] their sports team losing or hell, even winning a game.

#BlackLivesMatter

thelatestkate

Due to current world events, you may be experiencing depression or severe anxiety. If that’s the case, I am sorry. You are not alone, and you DO matter, even though you may not feel that way right now. It’s good that you’re in the world, I promise.