Performing international surgical outreach missions to help the world’s most disadvantaged patients overcome the disability imposed by disease is an extremely rewarding experience. Missions are challenging, varying in their length, level of working and living conditions and the surgery performed. Despite the rigors of mission work, there has not been a mission where members of the medical team did not find the experience to be life changing.
It’s a fact: An increasing number of American women are entering medicine. In the U.S. today, half of matriculating medical students, and 28 percent of all practicing physicians, are women.
This issue’s Special Report is on quality improvement, an increasingly important health care issue not only in this country, but also in many other countries around the world.
Politics is not a four-letter word.
As otolaryngologists and facial plastic surgeons, we are fortunate to have the opportunity to perform many challenging operations of the head and neck.
Politics is not a four-letter word. Yes, some of the posturing and dogmatic stands can be off-putting, but in our democratic system, politics is necessary and important.
One of the enjoyable aspects of our specialty is the variety of patients and problems we see every day.
In June of 2003, Maine enacted a law creating Dirigo Health, which is Maine’s attempt to provide free or heavily subsidized health insurance coverage for the estimated 136,000 citizens who do not have health insurance.