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Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a noninvasive technique used to stimulate regions
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My desire to pursue Medicine as a career is not the product of an epiphany, rather a gradual understanding and focus, initially founded in my love for the sciences. I have encountered many topics within and beyond the International Baccalaureate Biology and Chemistry syllabi, from the complexity of human anatomy to the contemporary medical innovations, such as CRISPR genome editing. These scientific glimpses into the medical world have especially piqued my interest and prompted me to delve further into the field of Medicine.
Throughout my clinical observation, I had the opportunity to glimpse the intricacies of medical procedures in various specialties such as cardiac catheterization and CT-guided Percutaneous Nephrostomy. An aspect that particularly interested me was the therapeutic effect of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, known to benefit psychiatric disorders like depression or schizophrenia. I became immensely drawn to the potential of this technology in benefiting cognition and memory or perhaps even in improving the motor restrictions associated with stroke patients.
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The combination of scientific and human characteristics deeply reflects my own personal character, thus I found it to be a world that felt both natural and welcoming. Shadowing the medical staff in two hospitals concreted my desire for the doctor-patient interaction and human quality that pure science cannot offer. I was given the opportunity to witness multiple facets of Medicine and hence realized that the diversity of patients, manifesting in a unique blend of culture, socioeconomic background, and personality, could hugely affect the approach of a
During the later part of the 19th century magents were used to induce neuronal activity; however, in the later part of the 20th century, Barker and his colleagues illustrated that magnetic stimulation in human motor cortexes produces depolarization of cortical areas (Eitan, & Lerer, 2006). TMS is a noninvasive therapeutic technique where an electromagnetic coil is put above the awake patient’s scalp and then magnetic pulses are moved throughout the brain (George, Lisanby, & Sackeim, 1999). The magnetic pulses and coil combine to create an electrical activity in the cortical tissue which can cause localized neuronal depolarization. Not only has TMS been the topic of many recent research studies, but deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (deepTMS) has also been researched to decipher the effectiveness for treating depression. DeepTMS is when the coils have been designed to create a more intense electrical field deep in the brain tissue. DeepTMS uses several separate points of projection around the periphery of the brain while minimizing the electrical charge to the br...
Jamison describes another medical figure in her life that she referred to as Dr. M. Dr. M was Jamison’s primary cardiologist, a figure who is involved in some of the most intimate details of Jamison’s life. However, Jamison describes Dr. M by saying she, “…wasn’t personal at all” (14). Dr. M would actually record personal information about Jamison on a tape recorder, however, Jamison would hear Dr. M referring to her as “patient” instead of by her name. This example demonstrates that Dr. M was indeed putting in the minimal effort needed to keep her clients, however, no additional effort was put into the process of learning about her patients. Jamison says that, “…the methods of her mechanics [were] palpable between us…” (18). Dr. M would not even put any effort into disguising her lack of interest of getting to know Jamison. This atmosphere of apathy that is exuded by Dr. M naturally causes Jamison to retract from Dr. M, which creates an environment that is not good for cultivating
...r therapies for treating depression including electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). ECT is a biomedical therapy that sends an electric current through the brain of an anesthetized patient. These mini shock-induced seizures calm the neural centers of the brain and help to boost the production of new brain cells. Many are skeptical of this treatment but after years of testing and usage, it has been proven to work and has the same benefits as medication. Another controversial method, rTMS, uses magnetic energy pulses to stimulate or suppress brain functioning and activity. This procedure has been used to energize the relatively inactive frontal lobe and thus decrease depressive symptoms. Although this patient struggles with daily sadness and a loss of interest, there are plenty of treatment options available to him.
I grew up in a research and development campus where my father is a scientist. Research and curiosity were constantly encouraged and this prompted me to take up medicine as a career, a field that offers tremendous prospects for research and discoveries. Throughout medical school I tried to be involved in research and attempts at trying out new ideas, be it in the lab or working with human subjects. I carried this through my residency and now my fellowship. The idea of studying a topic or issue that has so far not been treaded upon seems to be extremely exciting and challenging.
“We look for medicine to be an orderly field of knowledge and procedure. But it is not. It is an imperfect science, an enterprise of constantly changing knowledge, uncertain information, fallible individuals, and at the same time lives on the line.” There is more to being a great physician than having intellect, clinical experience, and competence in the medical field. A doctor must be daring and genuinely driven to positively impact a patient’s life. A doctor needs stand tall, even in the face of uncertainty.
It was becoming increasing clear to me that the hospital environment was a community that I knew one day I wanted to be a part of. For three summers, I shadowed one emergency room physician who has been an amazing role model and mentor. This exposure taught me not only a plethora of terms, but to think critically and quickly and to prioritize and reason in ways that had immediate benefit. I also learned a great deal about bedside manner, and how important it is to be culturally and emotionally sensitive to patients. Like my family, this physician noticed so many important things about people- who they are and what matters to them. She knew just when to touch someone on the shoulder, or to step back. She accounted for age and class and race and subtleties that don’t even have words. She viewed each patient as a whole person. One night a woman was brought into the ER after a car crash and needed a neurological exam immediately. She was wearing a hijab. This physician kindly addressed the woman and asked her if she wanted the door closed while she took off her hijab. They both knew the cultural significance, helping this patient to feel respected and less
Does your head hurt, does your body ache, and how are your bowl movements? After a head to toe assessments, touching and prodding, the physician writes up a prescription and explains in a medical jargon the treatment plan. As the short consultation comes to a close, it’s wrapped up with the routine “Please schedule an appointment if there are no signs of improvement”. This specific experience often leaves the patient feeling the “medical gaze” of the physicians. Defined by good and good, the medical gaze is the physicians mentality of objectifying their patient to nothing more than a biological entity. Therefore it is believed that the medical gaze moves away from compassionate and empathetic care, thus leaving patients feeling disconnected from their physicians. In order to understand how the medical gaze has stemmed into patient care, I begin with observations of a Grand Round, lectures for the progress of continuing medical education of physicians. There are expectations of physicians to be informed of cutting edge medical procedures and biotechnology since it can result in a less aggressive and more efficient treatment plan of patients. As I witness the resident physician’s maturation of medical competence in during a Surgical Grand Round at UC Irvine Medical Center, it has shifted the paradigm of the medical gaze and explains how competence is a form of compassion and empathy in patient care.
Depression. Alzheimer’s. Autism. Stroke. Each of these words correlates with negative connotations. They afflict the mind, snatching away members of society like a ghost in the wind, leaving empty, damaged shells in their wake. Days drag into a dull grey blur, mental capacities weakening with each moment. For decades, medical researchers, working tireless hours with stark determination, have committed themselves to finding the cures to these and many more diseases that affect the brain. These scientists leapt over obstacles, ducking under impossibilities to see the clear picture, the clear goal. They refused to stop before discovering treatments that took the form of chemical drugs. Despite this, these treatments come riddled with side effects, strong chemicals alleviating some symptoms while bringing more into play. So research continued. Now, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has risen as a potential treatment for various mental disorders. Although many chemical drugs have spelled relief for countless victims of depression and bipolar disorder, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation stands strong as the most effective treatment for mental disorders because of its influential effect on multiple disorders, minimal display of side effects, low potential for weaponization, and high capacity to surpass chemical drugs.
Doctors are important figures in society that help us in our daily medical problems or struggles. They are the reason why most people who are at the brink of death have hope that they will survive. They start as normal students, medical students, then they enter the real world of medicine that may prove to be harder than expected. There the interns have their problems, struggles, and choices that they need to make patiently. The issues can vary from health issues to social issues that affect the junior doctor mentally and physically. These problems are included in the book “Trust Me, I’m A Junior Doctor” by Max Pemberton. In the book, there are two main issues illustrated in the book, and they are the old-fashioned way of doctors and lack of
The summer after my freshman year in college, I went back to Honduras to volunteer with the children who had leukemia at the National Public Hospital. I have never been as intimidated as my first day, when I followed the attending oncologist, while he was showing me the pediatric unit. He also explained my duties, which were attending and playing with the children. When I was left to start my job, I felt almost as nuisance in the midst of that hectic hospital room. Unsure on how to approach the patients, I looked around and found a tender smiling face. Although I was nervous, the warmth of his expression gave me the confidence to walk towards his bed. After a long and pleasant talk, I learned that Diego was from a remote rural town, and that his father visited him three days a week because he had to work to support his family. Diego suffered from a severe form of leukemia and had been hospitalized for nine months. Due to his poor health, he was unable to walk or even sit up in his bed. Hence, he developed atrophy in his legs causing them to lose strength and mobility. Yet with a huge sparkle in his eyes, Diego shared with me his dreams of becoming a great soccer player. As I turned away to retrieve the board games that he requested, I was moved by his courage to dream despite the hardships he was enduring at such a young age. This encounter was the beginning of an important turning point in my life. What initially began as a job became a real duty for me. I felt compelled and obligated to the children whom I interacted with, gaining satisfaction in doing so. At first, it seemed I was doing them a favor but rather it was the children that made an impact in my life. After I left Diego’s bedside that day, I was heartbroken to see h...
The narrator felt confident and comfortable with being treated by this physician with only knowledge of an office. However, this was not the physician’s office and he is lead to another office; one that is barren and anonymous. His opinion of the doctor quickly changed as he noticed small details about the physician’s demeaner and appearance; the physician did not appear intense or determined, he was too polite and soft looking, and he spoke as if he was playing a part. The environment of the physician and his workplace left a negative impression on the author. The author believed that the aura of a physician should be that of a magician and the lack of style lead him to search for a different doctor. Later, the author discussed how for a patient and physician to reach each other the mood of the hospital should be modified. Hospitals are known for being large, confusing, sterile, and associated with illness. Additionally, this can lead to the thoughts of physicians and the experiences of patients to be
are required to learn more. I do not think I will want to be a surgeon, because
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive and relatively painless tool that has been used to study various cognitive functions as well as to understand the brain–behavior relationship in normal individuals as well as in those with various neuropsychiatric disorders. It has also been used as a therapeutic tool in various neuropsychiatric disorders because of its ability to specifically modulate distinct brain areas. Studies have shown that repeated stimulation at low frequency produces long-lasting inhibition, which is called as long-term depression, whereas repeated high-frequency stimulation can produce excitation through long-term potentiation. This paper reviews the current status of rTMS as an investigative and
Dramatic evolution and developments in medicine as well as technology has given doctors, and health care teams in general, the ability to save more lives than ever. In fact, since the beginning of the 19th century, doctors and scientists have dramatically increased their knowledge of health of human body. This implied that doctors were able not only to save more lives, but also to reduce the pain and suffering of those affected by diseases. In parallel, the development in medicine and technology also led doctors to sustain patients’ lives. In fact, medicine development allowed doctors to maintain very ill patients to stay alive, even when these patients have lost mental and/or physical capabilities.
As a third and fourth-year student rotating in the United States, I worked with patients of vast clinical, social, and cultural backgrounds. Each patient experience was unique which offered a means for enhancing my interpersonal skills and kindness towards patients, attributes that are befitting a physician no matter their specialty. Prior to medical school, I worked as a high school teacher for four years. During that time, I developed a penchant for nurturing meaningful relationships with young people and understanding