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Anatomy When I was in medical school, I studied anatomy for several hours every day during the first semester. Between the classes and the daily dissection labs, I spent a lot of time learning about and memorizing the parts of the human body. It was one of the most stressful, fearful experiences of my life. We had to literally memorize pages and pages of anatomical information: text as well as pictures. I'm not complaining -- all medical students go through the same process -- but I do want to say it was a thoroughly unpleasant experience. Learning on the Net is a lot more pleasant. You can proceed at your own pace, and concentrate on the areas you find the most interesting. These resources will never replace actual human dissection and intense study, but they do provide a way for you to learn something about what is inside your body, and how it is all organized. Web:
Anesthesiology Anesthesiology is the branch of medicine devoted to the (1) relief of pain, and (2) care of the surgical patient before, during and after surgery. Within the operating room, the job of the anesthesiologist is to control the patient's pain and level of unconsciousness. To do so, the anesthesiologist will continually monitor and control the patient's heart rate, heart rhythm, breathing, blood pressure, temperature and fluid balance. Aside from surgery, anesthesiologists have an important role in critical care medicine, trauma medicine, and various diagnostic procedures and nonsurgical treatments. Web:
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Cancer and Oncology Cancer is a general name for many different conditions that are characterized by the uncontrolled growth of tissue. There is lots and lots of information on the Net about cancer and oncology (the branch of medicine that deals with cancer). I have selected a variety of resources, some for patients and some for medical professionals. The Usenet group and mailing list are for ongoing discussion. Web:
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Carcinogens A carcinogen is a cancer-causing substance. There are many different ways that carcinogens can do their damage, but the basic mechanism is that the carcinogen, perhaps in conjunction with another agent, creates a certain type of mutation in a cell's DNA: a mutation causes the cell to begin to grow uncontrollably. Here are some resources to help you find information about carcinogens. (There are many more of them than most people realize.) For example, you can look at the official Report of Carcinogens from the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Each year, the department brings its list up to date to reflect the most current knowledge. For example, in 2000, saccharine was removed from the list after many years. You will also enjoy reading a long list of carcinogens and suspected carcinogens. This list is useful when you need to look up a particular substance quickly, for example, when you are at a chemistry party and someone asks if you would like some 2,4-diaminotoluene on your ice cream. (The correct answer would be, "No thank you. The chocolate syrup will be enough.") Web:
Dentistry Long in the tooth or down in the mouth, everyone is welcome to this discussion on dentists, materials and dental techniques. Whether you need help deciding if implants are better than a bridge or just want to read humorous stories about people who have had their jaws wired shut, nothing is more exciting and breathtaking than modern dentistry. Web:
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Dermatology Dermatology is the medical specialty that deals with the integumentary system: skin (the body's largest organ), hair, nails, sudoriferous (sweat) glands and sebaceous glands. I studied dermatology in medical school, and, believe me, once you start learning about the stratum corneum, stratum lucidum and stratum granulosum (not to mention things like hidradenitis suppurativa), you quickly realize that beauty really is only skin deep. Web:
Emergency Medicine What do you do when you have an emergency medical situation and you don't have a first aid book? Take a look at this information for professionals in the area of emergency medicine and primary home care. These sites have a radiology and photograph library, national physician job listings directory, an EKG of the month and an EKG file room. Browse the interesting cases on file, complete with photographs and diagnosis discussion. This won't help you in your medical emergency, but at least it will keep your mind occupied while help is on the way. Web:
Forensic Medicine Forensic medicine (sometimes referred to as medical jurisprudence) is the medical specialty that deals with the law. Modern forensic medicine is a highly technical area of study, requiring advanced training in a variety of disciplines. My personal interest in forensic medicine was inspired by the Perry Mason novels, written by Erle Stanley Gardner. In many of the stories, Perry Mason, a lawyer, expounds on subtle medical points that prove to be crucial to unmasking the truth. In more recent years, forensic medicine has been glorified in the mystery novels of Patricia Cornwell, whose character Kay Scarpetta is a particularly tenacious forensic pathologist. Web:
Hematology Hematology is the medical specialty concerned with the blood, its constituents and the blood-forming (hemopoietic) tissues. In a clinical setting, the practice of hematology deals with blood-related diseases and abnormalities. In general terms, they can be categorized as erythrocytic (red cell disorders, such as the anemias, polycythemia, sickle cell disease and thalassemia); leukocytic (white cell disorders, such as the leukemias); and hemorrhagic (clotting disorders, such as hemophilia). Web:
Hippocratic Oath Hippocrates was a physician in ancient Greece, who was born on the island of Cos around 465 B.C. (He lived at the same time as the famous historian Herodotus.) The Hippocratic Oath is a pledge, attributed to Hippocrates, that doctors take at the outset of their career. Traditionally, the original Hippocratic Oath is taken by doctors upon the awarding of their M.D. degree. However -- in these days of modern times -- tradition is not always acceptable. For example, it is certainly politically expedient to ignore the fact that the original oath obliges physicians to refuse to give abortions. Perhaps even more restrictive is the promise "With purity and with holiness I will pass my life..." Not to worry, there are brand new versions of the Hippocratic Oath, much more up to date and specifically designed to harmonize with the best of modern medical practice. Web:
Immunology Having no immune system is like going away on a vacation and leaving all the doors and windows open. Diseases such as chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, candida, hypoglycemia and others manifest themselves in the immune system and wreak havoc on all the other systems in your body. Web:
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Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Microbiology is the study of bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa, the microorganisms responsible for infectious disease. Infectious disease occurs when an microorganism invades the body, reproduces and causes injury to some particular type of tissue. Infectious microorganisms have evolved to invade and reproduce within specific tissues of the human body. For example, influenza A virus invades the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract. Of course, not all microorganisms are pathogenic. For example, your gastrointestinal tract contains literally hundreds of billions of benign bacteria, many of which are necessary to maintain optimal health. Still, there are many infectious microorganisms, and the study of their characteristics and the diseases they cause is complex. (By the way, an invasion of the body by non-microbial pathogens, such as parasitic worms, is called an infestation, not an infection.) Web:
Medical Libraries Managing health-related information requires special skills and knowledge. Here are some resources devoted to the care and feeding of medical libraries (and medical librarians). Web:
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Medical Manuals From time to time, you hear stories about someone practicing medicine without a license. "How do they do it?" you ask yourself. "How can anyone possibly know enough about medicine to fool people -- including other doctors -- without having gone to medical school?" The answer is, they use a medical manual. Here, for your delectation, are some references you can access for free on the Net, including the famous Merck Manual. All of these resources are great places to look when you need help with a diagnosis or treatment. (Of course, even the best medical manual won't teach you enough to pass yourself off as a real doctor. You still have to learn how to play golf.) Web:
Medical News The problem with medical news is that there is way too much information and not enough perspective. Still, if you are a medical professional, it's nice to be able to get a quick overview of what's happening. I find that, if I do a quick check every now and then, I see patterns that, over time, allow me to understand and explain trends. The next time you have a moment, check out the general medical news or see what's new in your particular specialty. Web: Medical Physics Here is the forum for medical physicists (those nice people who give you radiation therapy). Do they really glow in the dark or is that just an old wives' tale? Web: Usenet:
Medical Resources Here are some wonderful, well-organized resources that contain a large variety of medical information. If you practice medicine, I recommend that you become familiar with at least one of these Web sites, so you have a place to visit when you need information. (I only wish I had a portable computer with an Internet connection when I was in medical school. It would have made the multiple choice tests a lot more pleasant.) Web:
Medical Software This Web site will help you find software useful to medical and health science professionals, researchers and students. There is a large variety of medical software on the Net, so it is worth looking to see if you can find what you need. Web:
Medical Students One would think that med students wouldn't have time to hang out on the Internet because they are always in a classroom somewhere with their hands thrust deep into some formaldehyde-soaked cadaver examining its medulla oblongata and vermiform appendix. But as addictive and distracting as the Internet can be, it's not surprising to find a place where medical students from around the world can gather to discuss anything relating to being a med student -- labs, study habits, diseases, residencies, exhaustion and overwork. Web:
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Medicine Talk and General Discussion Here is the agora of the Internet medical community: the Usenet groups where professionals and researchers have ongoing discussions on a variety of medical topics. Do you want to keep up on what your specialty is doing? Do you have questions to ask or answers to share? Check out these groups where you will find free-flowing talk on everything medical. (Does anyone have a cure for a chrono-synclastic infundibulum?) Usenet:
Medline Medline is a vast bibliographic database maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Medline contains citations and abstracts from several thousand biomedical journals, covering medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine and other fields, making it an unsurpassed reference. If you are a doctor, you absolutely must become familiar with this resource. For non-doctors, Medline is great for searching for information you can use yourself or print out to show your doctor. Web:
Medscape Do you know why influenza is not an eradicable disease? Because aquatic birds are a natural reservoir for all known influenza A subtypes, and we can't kill all the aquatic birds, nor can we prevent them from transferring viruses to people. How did I know this? I read it on Medscape, a comprehensive Web site that's the best place I know for keeping up on the news. If you are a doctor or health care practitioner, you definitely need to know about Medscape: there are more useful features than I can list here. If you are a patient, you will find Medscape valuable for looking up information about particular conditions. Web: Nursing Nursing is the profession devoted to caring for sick and disabled people. The most famous nurse in history was the Italian Florence Nightingale (1820-1910). When Nightingale was young, she showed an interest in social problems. However, her parents (who were quite well off) refused to let her become a nurse because, at the time, nursing was considered to be an unsuitable profession for a well-educated woman. In spite of her family's opposition, Nightingale entered nursing. From 1854-1866, she served as a nursing supervisor during the Crimean War, successfully integrating her nurses into the military's medical services. After the war, Nightingale devoted her life to nursing. She established schools, worked tirelessly for health care reform, and wrote a seminal book entitled "Notes on Nursing" (1860). Nightingale is important because, over a lifetime, she managed to change the nursing profession into a respectable occupation for women. Web:
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Occupational Medicine Need to pick out a back-friendly chair or an ergonomic keyboard? The Usenet discussion group on occupational medicine will be just what the doctor would have ordered if he had thought of it. For a lot of immediate information, try the Web sites. Web:
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Organ Transplants One of the miracles of modern medicine is the ability to replace various body parts as needed. Of course, it's not that simple, but as the years go by the process becomes more advanced. The mailing list and Usenet group offer a means for organ transplant recipients, family members, and anyone interested in transplant issues to discuss their thoughts and experiences on the subject. Web:
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Pediatrics Pediatrics is the medical specialty concerned with the study and treatment of children. Pediatricians treat children from birth through adolescence, and deal with issues of health as well as disease. Modern pediatrics is highly complex, having many specialties and sub-specialties. Web:
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Pharmacy What a pickle. You have to bring something to the local PTA potluck and you forgot the recipe for methylenedioxyamphetamine. Ask a pharmacist. Or maybe you just need a pharmacist joke. (Did you hear about the pill counter who married the bean counter? They had a son who became a CPA, but would only work one hour before or three hours after meals.) Find out why pharmacy -- the practice of preparing and dispensing drugs -- is the new glamour profession of the twenty-first century. Web:
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Radiology and Imaging Radiology is the medical specialty that deals with imaging of all kinds: radiographs (X-rays), CT scans, PET scans, MRIs, mammograms, angiograms, IVPs, and so on. In general, radiologists perform three different types of procedures: diagnosis, intervention (helping to place vascular stents or catheters, taking biopsies), and therapy (cancer treatment). Web:
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Telemedicine Telemedicine means using electronic signals to transfer medical information from one place to another. In other words, clinical consulting via computer networks: new technology for the world's second oldest profession. Web: Usenet:
Virtual Hospital This is a remarkable medical database containing textbooks, teaching files, lectures and clinical references. There is a lot of information here for patients as well as doctors. If you are a doctor, be sure to check out the multimedia learning resources. I get caught up here, browsing when I should be working. Web: |
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