February 2020

The American College of Physicians' membership comprises a diverse population of internists, subspecialists of internal medicine, and medical students. The ACP celebrates the diversity in medicine that unites us by our commitment to excellence. This issue of IMpact recognizes Black History Month.

Feature

Fighting the Subconscious Biases that Lead to Health Care Disparities

(from the January 2016 ACP Hospitalist)

Growing up in rural Alabama at a time of segregated waiting rooms and physicians who refused to touch black patients, Ron Wyatt, MD, MHA, ACP Member, saw health care disparities firsthand. “And frankly, I had never met a black physician,” he said.


I.M. Internal Medicine

Spotlight: Jabraan S. Pasha, MD, FACP

Implicit bias was never a concern for Dr. Jabraan Pasha–until the day he noticed a heavily tattooed patient in a hospital corridor.

“I was at the nurses' station when a young black man in a hospital gown walked toward me,” he recalls. “He had tattoos on his neck and tattoos down both arms. And the first thing that came to my mind was, ‘I wonder if he got shot.’’’


Medical Student Perspectives

Grounded and Balanced

November 2017, I lay down in the guest room of my mother's house. I was not in my usual bedroom but instead the stuffy room at the back of the house—the one that got too much sun in the middle of the day. I remember because I was sweating uncomfortably. In actuality, everything was uncomfortable. I had not showered; changed clothes; or left that hot, humid room in 3 days.

Would you like to see your article published here? Review the general guidelines for submission and send your essay as a Word document attachment to impact@acponline.org We look forward to hearing from you.


Advocacy Update

AMA, at Annual Delegate Meeting, Champions Displaced Medical Students, Votes to Ban E-Cigarettes

(from the January 10, 2020 issue of ACP Advocate)

The abrupt closure of Philadelphia's Hahnemann University Hospital and its displaced residents and fellows, e-cigarettes, gun violence, and LGBTQ inclusivity all took center stage at the annual American Medical Association (AMA) delegates meeting in Chicago.

The ACP Advocate is a bi-weekly e-newsletter that provides ACP members with news about public policy issues affecting internal medicine and patient care.


Analyzing Annals

Clinical Practice Points - Compassionate End-of-Life Care: Mixed-Methods Multisite Evaluation of the 3 Wishes Project

The 3 Wishes Project was pioneered in an academic medical center's intensive care unit (ICU) to promote compassionate end-of-life care by eliciting and fulfilling the wishes of dying patients or their families. This study evaluates the implementation and value of this project in various ICUs and medical centers.

Annals of Internal Medicine is the premier internal medicine academic journal published by the American College of Physicians (ACP). It is one of the most widely cited and influential specialty medical journals in the world.


Winning Abstracts

A Case of Tick-Borne Paralysis in a Traveling Patient

Tick paralysis is a rare cause of paralysis in the general population. The purpose of this clinical vignette is to broaden our differential diagnosis for ataxia and explore a rare presentation of paralysis.

Want to have your abstract featured here? ACP holds a National Abstracts Competition as part of the ACP Internal Medicine Meeting every year. Find out more at ACP Online.


Subspecialty Careers

Sleep Medicine

Physicians trained in Sleep Medicine focus on the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disturbances and disorders. Examples of conditions seen by sleep medicine physicians include sleep apnea (obstructive and central), insomnia, narcolepsy, somnambulism (sleep walking), and circadian sleep disorders.


In the Clinic

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

The advent of novel therapies has transformed the approach to patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This virus is the most common blood-borne pathogen in the United States and is estimated to infect over 3 million Americans, most of whom were born from 1945 through 1965 (1, 2). It is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, primarily through development of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis; persons with chronic infection live an average of 2 decades less than healthy persons (3).


Get Involved

Mastering Medicine Together for Students

Medical students can now take advantage of a dedicated track of sessions and events designed just for you at the Internal Medicine Meeting in Los Angeles. The program is a great way for students to learn, network, experience, and get the most out of the premier internal medicine educational event.


ACP-MIT Hackathon Returns to IM 2020

ACP is again partnering with MIT's renowned Hacking Medicine program to bring together professionals spanning the entire healthcare ecosystem to develop interdisciplinary hacks (solutions) to improve workflows. You don't need technical expertise to participate but you must apply by February 18, 2020.

See more details about this special event.


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