WMJ : official publication of the State Medical Society of Wisconsin
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Upper respiratory conditions are common and have a significant impact on patient quality of life, medical resource expenditure, and antibiotic use. Saline nasal irrigation (SNI) is an adjunctive therapy for upper respiratory conditions; clinical studies suggest that use of SNI may be effective for symptoms of upper respiratory conditions, and its popularity seems to be growing. The prescribing patterns of physicians regarding SNI have not yet been studied. ⋯ This questionnaire-based study suggests that SNI is used by family physicians for a variety of upper respiratory conditions though recommendation and patient education styles, dosing schedules, and solution types vary.
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Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) are quickly becoming a standard component of medical practices. ⋯ Not only did physician production rise immediately, it stayed at the increased level for the duration of our study period. This may be due to improved documentation supporting more appropriate billing. However, physicians also perceived the EMR as taking up more of their time.
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Martial arts are ancient forms of combat, modified for modern sport and exercise. Participation in the martial arts is increasing, particularly for youth. Martial arts provide health-promoting and meaningful exercise for millions of practitioners. ⋯ Physicians may wish to consider recommending martial arts to patients as a beneficial form of exercise. They are relatively safe compared to many other sports, and most martial arts injuries are comparatively minor. Risks can possibly be reduced by limiting exposure of inexperienced students, as well as using protective equipment, including mouthguards, eye/face protection, headgear, and padding.
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With declining exposure to the ophthalmologic examination in medical school, medical students and their instructors need a simple, effective method for teaching direct ophthalmoscopy. ⋯ This device is a simple and effective tool for teaching direct ophthalmoscopy to medical students.
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Short report: factors that affect specialty choice and career plans of Wisconsin's medical students.
To identify factors that influence specialty choice among Wisconsin medical students and provide insight into approaches to encourage more students to pursue careers in primary care. ⋯ Although primary care and other specialty students report making their career plans based on the impact of similar factors, significant differences between primary care and other specialty students were reported in key areas. These results validate many previously reported factors, and indicate that salary and years of training may have been overemphasized in understanding student career choice. The results of this survey may be useful for Wisconsin medical schools in order to sustain, support, and foster student interest in primary care.