Small Spaces, Big Gaps
Different doctors don't treat the same disease the same way. Often, these inconsistencies in care are slight, without major effects on someone's recovery. Sometimes, however, these differences are significant. If two hospitals in the same town have very different results when
The Many Sides of Primary Care
When she first saw the stab wound over his chest, she did not yet know that the knife had punctured his heart, or that a major artery in his chest had been severed. At most hospitals, a stab to the chest
Flossing, Heart Disease, and the Humbling History of Medical Science
Earlier this month, the Associated Press published an article with a surprising headline: “Medical benefits of dental floss unproven,” the AP reported, followed by paragraph after paragraph implying that flossing has no benefits. The story quickly generated clickbait headlines, such
Contamination, Part I: The Largest Poisoning of a Population in History
How is a small town in New England like a small town in Bangladesh? In 1998, a problem caught the attention of a team of researchers at Columbia University. They took a closer look. What they saw led them to join
Counting Gun Attacks Like Heart Attacks
Gun violence is a medical problem just like heart disease, but not for the reason you might expect. On December 2nd of last year, news outlets across the United States reported an all-too-familiar headline: another mass shooting claimed American lives, this
Unexpected Outcomes: Becoming a Neurosurgeon after having Neurosurgery
I didn't know what it was, but it hurt – a subtle, gnawing soreness that I wouldn't think about, but was never quite off my mind. Medical school had just started. I was beginning a new chapter in my life, and