J Natl Med Assoc
-
To evaluate images of vulvar conditions (VCs) in major gynecologic textbooks and describe the skin tone representation. ⋯ Most textbook images of VCs represent lighter skin tones, and women with darker skin are more underrepresented in texts geared at fellows and students. Inadequate exposure to the appearance of VCs on darker skin promotes and propagates racial inequities in healthcare. Medical textbooks should present visually diverse images of vulvar pathologies to train physicians to be well versed in caring for patients of all skin tones.
-
An estimated 37 million Americans have chronic kidney disease (CKD). Primary care providers (PCPs) have long played a critical role in detecting CKD and preventing disease progression, particularly in the early stages of the disease. ⋯ Health disparities in nephrology have recently come to the forefront - again, PCPs will play a key role in efforts to reduce such disparities and ensure all patients receive high quality care. This review summarizes the latest guidelines for treatment of CKD and its complications, explores health disparities affecting patients with CKD, and highlights the role of the PCP in caring for this population.
-
Chronic Kidney disease (CKD) is more prevalent among women than men in the United States. This review highlights the important yet unique considerations that should be made in the care of women with kidney disease including psychosocial issues, preventive care and family planning. ⋯ Significance statement: The health of women with kidney disease has been understudied. This review offers insights on key areas in the management of women with kidney disease.
-
Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous groups have carried the burden of COVID-19 disease in comparison to non-marginalized groups within the United States. It is important to examine the factors that have led to the observed disparities in COVID-19 risk, morbidity, and mortality. We described primary health care access within large US metropolitan cities in relation to COVID-19 rate, race/ethnicity, and income level and hypothesized that observed racial/ethnic disparities in COVID-19 rates are associated with health care provider number. ⋯ These results pose a concern in terms of pandemic progression into the next year and how these structural inequities have impacted and will impact vaccine distribution.
-
Among the many academic challenges faced by dual-degree MD-PhD students is access to professional support networks designed to overcome the unique academic and personal barriers to physician-scientist training. In the current study, we hypothesized that regional access to a student MD-PhD conference, termed the Southeastern Medical Scientist Symposium (SEMSS), would enhance medical and/or graduate training by fostering such relationships between physician-scientist trainees, doing so by discussing both the challenges of physician-scientist training and effective strategies to overcome them. In the current study, we used a mixed-methods approach to evaluate the overall usefulness of SEMSS over a ten-year period (2010-2020) to identify key areas of particular benefit to trainees. ⋯ Over the reporting period, SEMSS was attended by equivalent proportions of MD-PhD and undergraduate students, among which were a high-percentage of students from underrepresented minority (URM) groups relative to the national MD-PhD applicant pool; nearly one-third of URM students attendees later matriculated into MD-PhD programs, far exceeding the national MD-PhD matriculation rate. Among the benefits reported by students were "opportunities to network with peers" and opportunities to learn about the physician-scientist career track. Therefore, we therefore propose regional MD-PhD conferences as an effective model to promote diversity within the physician-scientist training pipeline.