CAIR-CA’s Post

Medical racism. In an ideal world, we'd like to think of medicine as being clear-cut and straightforward. However, the reality is that healthcare is fundamentally about relationship, and relationships are deeply influenced by our understanding of one another. Did you know that medical racism is not confined to any one area of healthcare? Even in pediatrics, this issue persists. Take, for instance, a study that revealed that Black children with appendicitis tend to receive less pain medication than their counterparts. (Link in comments.) I believe these disparities can be attributed to unconscious biases, which lead to the misconception that Black patients, even children, experience less pain and reluctance to believe their complaints. So, how do we address medical racism? It begins with acknowledging each other's histories. Check out one proven method that has shown its effectiveness in reducing medical racism through this link: https://lnkd.in/gCZWE67D

School-based health centers (SBHCs), such as the Johns Hopkins Rales Health Center at KIPP Baltimore, are designed to provide and improve access to health care services for children and adolescents experiencing health and educational disparities. A group of Johns Hopkins Children’s Center researchers from the Rales Center for the Integration of Health and Education examined whether students enrolled in a comprehensive SBHC demonstrated more growth in standardized assessments of math and reading over four school years compared with students not enrolled in an SBHC. Findings from the study, published in Academic Pediatrics, found that elementary and middle school students enrolled in an SBHC demonstrated more growth in math and reading skills and had fewer school absences compared with those not enrolled in an SBHC. https://bit.ly/4ehN2aQ

#Academia: “Breaking Barriers: #Residency Match for Students With #Disabilities" Introduction: - Medical students with disabilities face unique challenges during the residency match process. - A recent study investigated how disability status impacts match rates across different medical specialties. Key Findings: **** Match Rates: - Among nearly 70,000 residency applicants, 5.9% reported having a disability. - 83.2% of applicants without disabilities successfully matched to residency programs. - 81.8% of applicants with disabilities matched successfully **** Specialty Variability: - Some specialties had similar match rates for both groups (e.g., otolaryngology, neurology). - Higher match rates for applicants with disabilities were observed in specialties like pediatrics, internal medicine, and emergency medicine - General surgery and orthopedic surgery had significantly lower match rates for students with disabilities. Conclusion: **** Addressing Disparities**: - Specialty programs should consider disability as a metric for evaluating diversity. - Conscious efforts are needed to create an inclusive environment for physicians with disabilities. #MedicalEducation #ResidencyMatch #Inclusion #Diversity #HealthcareEquality

Medical students DO consider gender balance when choosing a specialty. I can remember long hallways at my Alma Mater (most of them surgical) where the photos of graduating classes were exclusively male for decades. This is finally now starting to change, with almost equal gender distribution now being reported in general surgery, at least. AMA has a system in place to learn the gender balance in a given field, as well as a section advancing participation of women in medicine https://lnkd.in/gYP6Udjd ; as well as many online tools for thriving in residency.

Looking back, I must say 2023 was a great one , or should I say my journey in university was a great one 😄. My journey in medical school ended in the last two months of 2023. The journey began in 2015 when I gained admission, then resuming the following year. As a medical student; I did other activities. Talking of extracurricular activities, my passion for women’s reproductive health was lightened up . I took a step by joining organizations that worked in the line. Medical Students for Choice had a chapter in my school; I got introduced to it. My journey in this organization was one of the best . As a medical student , I got promoted to the position of the student leader , making me the first female student leader in Nigeria . I got to attend and present at the Annual African regional conference that held in Rwanda 🇷🇼. I organized/partook in virtual conversations on racism and access to reproductive health; this involved all chapters in the world . I didn’t stop there ; I went ahead by applying for a position on the board of directors ; this was after I got an email from one of the student organizers who acknowledged my work and encouraged me to apply. Unfortunately I wasn’t selected , however I’m glad I got recognized to be a nominee. I got to organize a health conference in my school with the theme “DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND WOMEN'S SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RIGHT; Becoming an ideal sexual and reproductive health advocate”. My reproductive health Advocacy journey was further improved when I decided to join Campus Health and Rights Initiative where I played the role of a peer educator, volunteered in outreaches . I had always loved going out to gain more experience when it comes to clinical skills. I got this opportunity in 2019 when I had a one month externship at Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in 300 level . This was further improved when I got a placement for another one month externship at Diana Princess Of Wales Hospital , United Kingdom in my 600 level . I got to rotate through Obstetrics and Gynecology; I was taught by great consultants and nurses . I got to take part in procedures as well. As a way to make my reproductive health advocacy work better, I worked on studying the knowledge of ECPs amongst university students as my final year project which got published by the IFEMED journal . I combined content creation with medical school; I organized my first physical video editing class in 2023. I can continue talking about my journey . Unfortunately I didn’t get a distinction in medical school (except 100 level), but I’m grateful for the B’s and sometimes C’s that I had. I’m grateful for the activities I did. I’m grateful for my teachers Omotade Ijarotimi Ibraheem Awowole Dr. Akaninyene E. Bernard Ubom, MBBS, MWACS, OMI Fellow, OWE Fellow Macellina Ijadunola , Emmanuel Omole and other teachers. Cheers to greater achievements in 2024 by God’s grace 🥂

https://lnkd.in/gvwcz5mC       Article title: Association of screen time with academic performance and behaviour among primary school children of Kandy district Sri Lanka   Author(s): Krishnapradeep Sinnarajah*, Kumarendran Balachandran and Thanusia Thuraisingham   Journal: Open Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health   Journal ISSN: 2640-7612 Abstract: Background: Screen time in children is a growing problem all over the world. Screen time of Sri Lankan school children has not been published before. The objective of this study is to determine the impact of screen time on the academic performances and the behaviour of children in primary classes in Kandy district, Sri Lanka.   Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in 1200 school children from grade 3 to 5, representing 40 schools in the Kandy district, Sri Lanka. Data collection was done using pretested validated questionnaires and general education test papers. Parents and class teachers answered questions related to children’s screen time and the children sat for the general education test.   Results: Response rate was 65.6% (n=787). Mean age of study group is 8.6 years (SD=1). The mean (95% CI) screen time= 36.8 (32.5 to 41.0) min/day during week days & 56.8 (50.5 to 63.0) min/day during weekends. 6% of children during weekdays and 12% of children during weekend have television time more than 2 hours/day. Screen time of students is associated with the TV time of parents during weekdays and weekends (p=0.01). Time spent on studies during weekdays is associated with marks obtained in the assessment (p=0.023), but no evidence for association with screen time (p=0.19, p=0.14).   Marks obtained in the assessment is associated with reduction of study time at home due to screens (p<0.01). Violent scenes in screen time is proportionally associated to Total screen time score (p<0.01) and inversely proportionate to marks obtained in the assessment (p=0.01). Change in behaviour following screen time exposure is clearly associated with total screen time score (p<0.01)   #ScreenTime #AcademicPerformance #Behaviour #PediatricHospitalistMedicine #DevelopmentalPediatrics #MedicalGenetics #Neonatology #PediatricAllergology #PediatricDermatology #PediatricDiabetes #PediatricRespirology #PediatricIntensiveCare #GeneralPediatrics #TropicalPediatrics #TranslationalPediatrics #PediatricTransplantation #PediatricDrugs #AdolescentMedicine #AllergyAndImmunology #PediatricCardiology #PeertechzPublications #CriticalCareMedicine #DevelopmentalBehavioralMedicine #PediatricEndocrinology #PediatricGastroenterology #PediatricHematologyOncology #PediatricInfectiousDiseases #NeonatalPerinatalMedicine #PediatricNephrology #Peertechz #PediatricNeurology #PediatricEmergencyMedicine #PediatricPulmonology #PediatricRheumatology #PediatricGenetics #PediatricEthics #HealthServiceResearch

Connecticut is a quickly aging state and the Center on Aging at UConn Health is at the epicenter of important outcomes for older adults. Additionally, our students are engaging in community learning experiences that complement this expertise. Living and working among an aging population, UConn School of Medicine students gained first-hand knowledge on the spectrum of senior care in an immersive experience that "demystified the care of older adults." #UConnHealth | #HealthyAging | #MedicalSchool | #Geriatrics

The American School Counselor Association recommends a student-to-counselor ratio of 250-to-1 to effectively tackle the complex questions students and families face about their school life, mental health, and the college process. However, the current national average in public schools is significantly higher at 385-to-1. This unfavorable ratio strains counselors' ability to provide individualized guidance for college planning and overlaps with a youth mental health crisis recognized by leading medical organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics. In response to these challenges, the College Guidance Network has developed Ava, an AI-driven chatbot that democratizes access to expert guidance and streamlines educational planning. This tool is designed to alleviate the workload of overburdened school counselors and provide reliable guidance in a market often driven by profit and data-sharing rather than genuine student support.

Are you teaching about children's health? Check out this new textbook edition. https://lnkd.in/eq_eSG5X

Did you know that there is a strong connection between a student's school attendance and their overall health? Pediatricians nationwide are proposing new ways to keep students healthy and in school. Read more about these plans below! “Research shows that missing school a lot, whether from excused absences or truancy, makes students less likely to do well academically and more likely to drop out. This, in turn, puts them at risk for unhealthy behaviors by the time they reach their teens, and poor health as adults.” #Pediatrics #Pediatricians #PediatricPractice