Tucked away on the first floor of The Johns Hopkins Hospital is a room that looks closer to a 19th-century parlor than anything having to do with clinical care. The room is covered with patterned sofas, lamps and reading nooks. Littered around are books covering everything from women’s history and leadership to guides on physical examination.| Biomedical Odyssey
We’ve come a long way from the humble pedometer. Today’s wearable technologies, such as fitness trackers and smartwatches, collect a wealth of biometric data that researchers are only beginning to explore for insights. As these devices become more sophisticated and widespread, they present intriguing possibilities for health research on a much broader scale than was previously feasible.| Biomedical Odyssey
During a recent panel, trainees shared their thoughts on how changes implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic can be used to improve access to careers in science and medicine going forward.| Biomedical Odyssey
During my last outpatient pediatrics clinic in residency, a patient and his mother reminded me that the therapeutic relationship can transcend language. I had been taking care of a young boy, whom I’ll refer to as “A,” since the beginning of his life. He had developmental delays and several other medical problems. His mother was the subject of domestic violence and consistently screened positive for food insecurity. Although she wanted to leave her abusive partner, she had no time to wo...| Biomedical Odyssey
Our higher education system must be radically changed at every level to ensure an equitable and safe future for Black scholars.| Biomedical Odyssey
Last week, NPR published “Academic Science Rethinks All-Too-White ‘Dude Walls’ of Honor” on its website. This article addresses the message that walls of honor that mostly feature white men may send to nonwhite and nonmale trainees. Several academic institutions are dismantling or relocating their “dude walls” to send a more inclusive message, and this has been met with mixed opinions.| Biomedical Odyssey
The definition of life has long been under constant debate within the life sciences. The more we push the boundaries of knowledge and explore our planet, the more difficult it becomes to reach a consensus. While some defend the idea that living organisms are those exhibiting basic metabolism, others argue that the ability to reproduce — either independently or by exploiting the metabolism of another life form — is essential.| Biomedical Odyssey
In the months after America’s reflection on systemic racism, student groups are continuing to fight for initiatives to support underrepresented minority trainees at Johns Hopkins.| Biomedical Odyssey
Climate change, global conflicts, poverty and antiscience: Peter Hotez gives us his take on these issues and their relationship to neglected tropical diseases and vaccines.| Biomedical Odyssey
Maame Yaa Konadu Idun is a dual degree candidate in the public health and business administration master’s programs, with concentrations in epidemiology and biostatistics/health technology and innovation. Her writing draws inspiration from perspectives coming straight from the nuanced bits of all corners of the world. I wake up to my 5 a.m. alarm, a constant showdown between| Biomedical Odyssey
As an international medical graduate from Lebanon, training in the United States is an opportunity I’ve dreamed about for many years. Yet, while I immerse myself in fellowship training at one of the most prestigious institutions in the world, my heart and mind often drift thousands of miles away, to my homeland, which is currently ravaged by war.| Biomedical Odyssey
Nothing spells summer in Baltimore like the smell of hot asphalt, the sulfurous haze of backyard fireworks and the sweet siren’s call of a faraway ice cream truck.| Biomedical Odyssey
Guest blogger Katie Pham is a neuroscience Ph.D. student interested in visual processing and memory research. She was born in Hanoi and raised in Northern California. Outside of lab, she enjoys spending time with her cats, watching Family Guy, and reading literary fiction.| Biomedical Odyssey
I was surfing Amazon the other day when I came across the most peculiar thing. It was a brain stimulator, a research tool like the one we often use in the lab I work in to study the brain. Yet this wasn’t a device manufactured for research purposes; it was marketed to the average consumer as an all-in-one panacea to boost cognitive performance, treat mood disorders and accomplish who knows what else. Naturally, I was intrigued, a curiosity that led me down the rabbit hole of direct-to-consu...| Biomedical Odyssey
There’s been a huge amount of news lately about large language models, such as ChatGPT, and how they may impact medicine. From passing licensing exams to co-authoring papers, ChatGPT is rapidly being used in biomedical science applications — even as human-powered regulatory agencies and publishers scramble to understand the ethics and implications of this expansion.| Biomedical Odyssey
Scientists at MIT Sloan created a data-driven interactive role-play exercise to drive home the urgency of the climate crisis. Ph.D. candidate Talia Henkle shares her experience participating in this exercise.| Biomedical Odyssey
The Green New Deal is the first plan in Congress that acknowledges the magnitude of the climate change crisis and draws two main bases for further policy proposals: what America has to do and how to protect people from such a drastic transition.| Biomedical Odyssey
Baltimore murals are more than just landmarks. They are also windows into the communities that sponsored them and have deep roots in the neighborhoods’ histories and cultures.| Biomedical Odyssey
Each November, the American Medical Association (AMA) Interim Meeting of the House of Delegates is held. The House of Delegates is a policy and legislative body comprising nearly 500 elected physicians. The House of Delegates convenes under one roof with delegates from each state and specialty society to discuss the direction of medicine and medical advocacy for the coming six months. The following topics were at the forefront of negotiations at this meeting in November 2023.| Biomedical Odyssey
What steps are clinical teams responsible for to ensure that artificial intelligence (AI) recommendations are accurate and unbiased before using them in patient care? If a care team member uses AI to automatically write a note in a patient’s chart, how should this be indicated in the electronic medical record? Once an AI has been shown to have largely accurate performance, is it necessary that a physician be able to explain the AI’s decision in an individual case?| Biomedical Odyssey
The incorporation of machine learning into daily living has exponentially increased in recent years after the release of ChatGPT for public use. From generating digital artwork and creating personalized playlists to predicting medical outcomes and election results, artificial intelligence (AI) has taken up an indispensable role in improving the efficiency of our recreational and professional| Biomedical Odyssey