Efficient Communication: Why Doctors Don’t Call Each Other

December 28, 2022December 28, 2022 ~ xenograft.blog ~ Leave a comment

Communication is the most important thing that doctors do. It is how medications are ordered, how patients are educated, and how procedures are performed. Doctors talk to patients, nurses, social workers, counselors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and medical assistants constantly. Effective communication is the key to getting things done in the hospital. But how do … Continue reading Efficient Communication: Why Doctors Don’t Call Each Other

Cognitive Bias and Medicine

July 15, 2022 ~ xenograft.blog ~ 2 Comments

In the hospital, doctors routinely diagnose and treat within minutes of meeting their patients. Out of the hundreds of thousands of diseases and medications that exist, clinicians are able to analyze and determine the correct illness and medication within minutes. It's like some doctors just know what's happening. This is possible due to years of … Continue reading Cognitive Bias and Medicine

Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome

July 5, 2022July 5, 2022 ~ xenograft.blog ~ Leave a comment

I’ve been taking the antidepressant Lexapro (escitalopram) for over 3 years. I started taking the meds when repeated panic attacks and constant anxiety threatened a new relationship, and I've been on them ever since. Even though I was started on the lowest dosage possible it had a huge impact on me. These medicines did more … Continue reading Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome

Locked in a room…

March 9, 2022December 28, 2022 ~ xenograft.blog ~ 2 Comments

Imagine you are locked in a room with another person. You both have been there for as long as you can remember, and there is no way out of the room. Take a moment to think about this situation, and how you might feel. This is similar to the situation we find ourselves in every … Continue reading Locked in a room…

Three stories of how cancer became infectious

January 28, 2022December 28, 2022 ~ xenograft.blog ~ Leave a comment

Earlier on this blog I talked about the first time I was in a hospital, and how I feared “catching” cancer from my grandpa. Of course this fear is ridiculous because cancer can’t be “caught” or transmitted like an infectious disease. But, what if it could? While at first glance infectious cancer sounds absolutely terrifying … Continue reading Three stories of how cancer became infectious

How one woman became immortal (a true story)

January 23, 2022January 23, 2022 ~ xenograft.blog ~ Leave a comment

Everyone has dreamt of immortality, at least once. What would it be like to live forever? Would you travel? Learn new languages? Become wealthy? With modern advances in science and medicine, people are now living longer and healthier than ever. People are living longer, but not forever. Except one woman. Henrietta Lacks was born in … Continue reading How one woman became immortal (a true story)

How viruses are being used to treat disease

January 13, 2022December 28, 2022 ~ xenograft.blog ~ Leave a comment

Viruses have been in the news a lot lately, almost always in a negative light. The COVID-19 pandemic has irrevocably changed our society in ways we are still discovering. While viruses can cause much pain and suffering, they have also been used to produce life-saving medications, and scientists have been using them for decades. Many … Continue reading How viruses are being used to treat disease

My First Time in a Hospital

January 6, 2022December 28, 2022 ~ xenograft.blog ~ Leave a comment

The first time I remember being in the hospital was when I was about 10 years old. I was visiting my grandpa who was being treated for lung cancer. I remember being afraid of the hospital, it was a big place with a lot of stuff going on that I didn’t understand. I was especially … Continue reading My First Time in a Hospital

5 unusual tips and tricks on getting accepted into medical school

December 30, 2021December 28, 2022 ~ xenograft.blog ~ Leave a comment

After 7 years of grueling study sessions and sleepless nights, I finally got accepted into medical school, and will officially my medical training in the fall of 2020. It was a tough ride from first deciding I wanted to become a physician as a junior in high school to finally getting accepted into the medical … Continue reading 5 unusual tips and tricks on getting accepted into medical school

5 Cool Facts I Learned as a Biology Student

December 27, 2021December 28, 2022 ~ xenograft.blog ~ Leave a comment

Recently, I graduated with degrees in biology and comparative literature. Although literature is pretty cool, nothing gets my nerd gears going more than biology factoids. Biology is the study of life; anything that is composed of cells, respires, or metabolizes is lumped into biology. It took me five years to complete my degree, and I … Continue reading 5 Cool Facts I Learned as a Biology Student