Med students ace "Match Day"
For the second year in a row, the Yale School of
Medicine's graduating class had a 100 percent "match," meaning that
all the students in the class were accepted into residency programs for the
continuation of their medical training. The trend of students choosing
so-called lifestyle specialties that offer manageable hours and a balanced life
continued, but the big surprise this year was the number of students -- nine
out of 97 -- going into psychiatry. "That's unheard of," said
Associate Dean of Student Affairs Nancy Angoff. "This is new for us."
Nationally, this year's match was the largest ever, with more than 28,700
medical students vying for 22,240 first-year residency positions.
Alternative medicine goes mainstream at Yale
The medical school hosted its inaugural
integrative-medicine scientific symposium, "Complementary and Alternative
Medicine: Evidence for Integration," in April. The symposium explored ways
in which complementary therapies, including massage, yoga, meditation, Reiki,
nutrition, and exercise, can be combined with traditional science-based
therapies for a more integrative approach to health care. Topics included
acupuncture for the relief of postoperative nausea and lower back pain in pregnancy,
and potential applications of traditional Chinese medicine in cancer. The
sold-out conference was sponsored by Integrative Medicine at Yale, a new
program designed to heighten awareness of and improve access to the best in
evidence-based comprehensive medical care.
Yale's medical school gets more affordable
Reflecting a growing trend among universities with
large endowments, the Yale School of Medicine in April overhauled its financial
aid formula to make it easier for middle-class students to attend Yale. The new
formula eliminates the required parental contribution for families making up to
$100,000 a year. Under the old formula, families earning as little as $45,000 a
year were expected to contribute toward medical school costs. Besides making a
Yale medical school education more affordable, the new policy reduces financial
barriers to students' entering primary-care fields and lower-paying
specialties. The total cost of medical school at Yale in 2008-2009 will be
$62,010 for an incoming student. Overall, 87.6 percent of Yale medical students
currently receive some form of financial aid.
Encouraging news for patients with Parkinson's
disease
Injecting uterine stem cells into the brains of mice
with Parkinson's disease triggered the growth of new brain cells, School of
Medicine researchers reported at the annual scientific meeting of the Society
for Gynecologic Investigation. The stem cells came from human endometrial
stromal cells cultured under conditions that induce the creation of neurons. When
the stem cells were injected into the brains of mice, the neurons were able to
boost dopamine levels and partially correct the problem of Parkinson's disease,
said lead author Hugh S. Taylor, professor in the Department of Obstetrics,
Gynecology, & Reproductive Sciences. Parkinson's disease is a degenerative
disorder of the central nervous system that often impairs the patient's motor
skills and speech. Women have a ready supply of uterine stem cells that are
easily obtained. This research raises hope for the potential use of these stem
cells for therapeutic purposes.
loading
Print
Email