"Hymen" derives from the Greek for membrane. Hymen was also the Greek god of marriage. These two facts summarize the conventional wisdom about this widely misunderstood tissue, that this fabled membrane covers the vaginal opening, and is "pierced," "broken," or "torn asunder" when women wed and have intercourse, presumably for the first time. For thousands of years, many … [Read more...] about The Hymen: A Membrane Widely Misunderstood

How did the emergency department staff of a Texas hospital see, and discharge, a patient infected with Ebola? Despite the fact that blame spreads through hospitals faster than hemorrhagic fever viruses, I’m not interested in pinning down a single person, or a single thing, which may have allowed that to happen. I am very interested, however, in offering a few insights into what … [Read more...] about An ER missed Ebola. Here’s how it could happen to you.

The end of the world is coming. I’m sure you’ve heard. Global Warming will get us. Or a giant asteroid. Maybe terrorists getting nuclear weapons. Maybe disease will kill every human being. If you looked up just Time Magazine covers over the last 20 years, you could probably name 20 more. I didn’t do that. I don’t need to do that. They will keep coming. Today…it’s … [Read more...] about Ebola & the End of the World

Medical school is an incredibly stressful time for every student. Between keeping up with reading assignments, preparing for tests, and staying on top of other requirements, there is little time left in the day to eat and sleep—let alone pursue any type of social life. Given this, the idea of maintaining a serious relationship during medical school may seem impossible. Of … [Read more...] about Relationships and Medical School: The Pros and Cons