We must amputate!?

Perspective: Should we amputate medical history?

This Perspective article, a cri de coeur, argues that a modicum of medical history should be incorporated into the compulsory medical curriculum. Many medical schools have no formal teaching in the subject, and students can thus graduate without the slightest knowledge of their profession's history. The author argues that, aside from holding intrinsic interest, a knowledge of the history of med...

We must--and we can--do better.

Must we fear adolescent sexuality?

Editor's Note There is a general fear and anxiety surrounding adolescent sexuality. The question is why? Must we fear adolescent sexuality? This question, the title of the following article, is one that Amy Schalet, PhD, has spent the past decade investigating. It has culminated in a masterful doctoral thesis and a book to be published by the University of Chicago Press in 2006. More specifical...

Antibiotic stewardship: Why we must, how we can.

Improving our antibiotic use is critical to the safety of our patients and the future of medicine. This can improve patient outcomes, save money, reduce resistance, and help prevent negative consequences such as Clostridium difficile infection. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is undertaking a nationwide effort to appropriately improve antibiotic use in inpatient and outp...

Elections: Where We Are and Where We Must Go

I have taught Computer Science at the University of Iowa for 24 years, and am a long-time member of the Association for Computing Machinery, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility. A decade ago, I volunteered to serve on the Iowa Board of Examiners for Voting Machines and Electronic Voting Systems, on which I still serve; In ...