In the pandemic year of 2020, applications to medical schools in the United States surged by an average of 18%, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. At a few med schools, applications were up by 20%, 30% and more. Observers were quick to anoint this trend as the pandemic effect or, more precisely,…
The gender gap in physicians’ earnings is well recognized — studies have shown that female physicians earn 8% to 29% less than males — but its underlying causes are a source of ongoing investigation and often vigorous debate. Shedding new light on the subject is a study challenging conventional assumptions about women in medicine —…
Myths and misinformation about COVID-19 may be spreading as rapidly as the SARS-CoV-2 virus itself. An infodemic is vying with the medical pandemic for public attention—not surprising for a disease brand-new to the world—and poses unique challenges for clinicians trying to help their patients sort fact from fancy. Here are a dozen persistent COVID-19 myths…
Detailing the importance of immunization and clarifying the concept of herd immunity to patients is a worthwhile conversation at any time but especially relevant in the COVID-19 era, rife with an abundance of information and misinformation. A good way to approach the subject is to change the terminology. “Herd immunity originally applied to farm animals,”…
