DO Day on the Hill

March 15, 2021

Kicking off Match Week with a recap of the American Osteopathic Association's DO Day on the Hill conference. Match Week is when fourth-year medical students find out first if they matched into residency and finally where they matched. It dictates their next chapter while also helping shape the future of medicine.

To ensure these rising physicians are entering into a supportive medical environment, my colleagues and I devoted our time to the DO Day on the Hill: A Leadership Development and Advocacy Summit. We heard from keynote speakers including Duke University's Senior Policy Fellow, Susan Dentzer, who reviewed the current US Administration's plans to address the pandemic, medical coverage, and cost with a focus on value-based care. The CDC's Deputy Director for Infectious Disease, Dr. Jay C. Butler, took time during his speech to acknowledge the hard work Osteopathic physicians and medical students are doing to help overwhelmed healthcare systems.

We spoke with Congress's Representatives and Senators to discuss three key important healthcare issues: physician burnout, preventing Medicare cuts, and graduate medical education funding. As the AOA states, "while these issues did not arise under the COVID- 19 public health emergency, the pandemic has exacerbated existing problems."

I discussed physician burnout, a topic that is especially relevant as many medical students find out where they will be doing residency training. Healthcare professionals experience high levels of stress as part of their day to day lifestyle. Prior to the pandemic, 45-55% of medical personnel reported feeling burnout. In the United States, doctors have the highest suicide rate out of any profession. It is crucial these incoming residents have the support and resources needed including mental and behavioral health support and wellness resources. The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act (S. 610) aims to "support suicide prevention training, increase awareness and education on suicide and mental health concerns among health care professionals, and helps promote mental and behavioral health among those working on the frontlines of the pandemic," (Federal Advocacy Initiatives). This bill was recently re-introduced to the Senate and our hope is that it soon becomes law.

For those who found out they matched today, congratulations! I am so proud of all of you and it has been amazing to have the opportunity to mentor several of you. For those who did not receive the news they were hoping for, you worked so hard and have come so far - now is NOT the time to give up. Now is NOT the time to feel burned out. Not matching does not dictate your success as a physician. One of my best friends scrambled into a residency spot through SOAP and she is now a thriving Internal Medicine physician who loves her career, her patients, and her lifestyle. I am excited to see where everyone ends up matching on Friday and hope our efforts on Capitol Hill positively impact your training and education. I encourage you all to get involved with shaping healthcare policy to advance the practice of medicine and patient care. Check out the AOA's website to learn more HERE.



Reference:

Federal Advocacy Initiatives, n.d. American Osteopathic Association. Retrieved March 15, 2021 from 

    https://osteopathic.org/about/advocacy/federal-advocacy-initiatives/

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Puppy Love

February 14, 2021

Officially introducing my new puppy, Dogtor Westley Cole, to the blog (just in time for Valentine’s Day). Westley is a 3 month old Aussie-Lab rescue named after one of my favorite characters from the movie The Princess Bride. 

The Adoption


In the middle of this pandemic, I remember feeling stagnant and sedentary. I asked myself: Should I buy a Peloton or a puppy? Deep down, I knew it was never really a question. I have been wanting to rescue a puppy for years. Countless hours spent moonlighting as a dog walker both privately and for companies like Wag and Rover, as well as volunteering for a local animal shelter, built up to this day. (I spent so much time walking dogs and playing with our hospital’s therapy dog, one of my co-residents asked if I wasn’t sure I wanted to be a veterinarian as well).



I couldn’t describe the moment I knew I was ready to be a dog mom other than to say everything fell into place and it was time to adopt. But the process was long, grueling, and frustrating. I was committed to rescuing and yet everywhere I looked the puppies were gone almost as quickly as they were posted.

After years of casually browsing local shelters, I finally committed to actively searching. I subscribed to petfinder, adopt-a-pet, and getyourpet. I submitted applications across the tri-state area. It took time to complete the paperwork but it was worth it. I checked every morning and night for new postings with my dream of an Aussie/Lab mix helping to narrow my search.



When I heard back from Jonah’s Ark Animal Rescue, a non-profit animal welfare organization that rescues homeless dogs, it turned out they had a different puppy in mind for me than the one I had applied for initially. They messaged me a photo of his adorable face and gave me 24 hours to decide.  Within moments of receiving his picture and hearing how playful he was with his siblings, I said yes.



Picking him up has been the highlight of 2021! He had the sweetest demeanor and immediately wanted to snuggle. Everyone says he will grow to be 50-60lbs but it’s hard to imagine when he can fit in my lap.


The Preparation


I had already started nesting, with a crate and crate cover as well as lots of toys and treats thanks to my family and friends. For house training I made sure to get puppy pads and a Fresh Patch (a box of grass) as well as a hanging “doorbell” for him to ring. My friend introduced me to Snuggle Puppy, equipped with a “heartbeat” and heating pad, which simulates his littermates to ease anxiety. Click the photo below to shop:


His favorite toys include the Nylabone, Kong, and these cute little stuffed dumplings. I’ve been feeding him Purina Smartblend (grain-free food has been shown to have adverse effects on dogs, especially cardiac related). As he gets older and his adult teeth come in, I plan to give him Greenies for dental care. Zuke’s are great for training treats. I’m also watching Brandon McMillan’s dog training MasterClass before I take him for puppy classes.


The Puppy Picnic


To give Westley a real welcome home, for Valentine’s Day, I treated him to a puppy picnic thanks to @picnicpaletteco. This small local business offers picnics for all occasions, from anniversaries to birthdays, and of course puppy picnics!



I was excited to be the first one to request this type of setup and was overjoyed with the results, complete with a charcuterie for me and dog treats for Westley.

As a little dog in a big city, he has been adjusting well. He has a bill of health from the vet and is on his way to being fully vaccinated (just like his hooman!). West loves meeting new people and has quite a bark. And let me tell you, this little guy is keeping me more active than any stationary bike ever could! You can follow him on IG for your daily dose of cuteness at dogtor.westley.



Huge thanks to my family and friends for the love and support they have given me during this new chapter in my life! Special shoutouts to Mimi for helping me bring Westley home, Amanda for being my best friend and on-call veterinarian, and Monet for getting Westley exactly what I didn’t even know he needed. Hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day filled with lots of Puppy Love!

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My COVID Vaccine Experience

January 22, 2021

PC: @squatsandswatches

It's official! As of today, I am fully immunized against COVID19. I wanted to wait until a week after receiving my second dose of the vaccine before writing this in case I had any additional side effects or reactions.

I do not take it lightly that I have been afforded this opportunity of protection. Working in the hospital and in clinic while fighting the virus has been a testament to the oath I took as a doctor and one that I continue to uphold every day.

I received my first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine last year at the end of 2020 and my second dose 21 days later (one week ago). This was a voluntary injection offered by my hospital. I did my research and determined that the benefits far outweighed the risks. I encourage you all to do your own research as well using reliable sources such as the CDC, FDA, and NEJM. Be sure to speak to your physicians if you have any questions.

A recap of my experience (you'll see my second dose had more side effects than my first dose):


Countdown to the first dose:


Second dose with those Anti-BODY-ODY-ODIES!

And to compare the two mRNA vaccines:


We are on our way to healing as a nation from this pandemic. It starts with increased testing, vaccine distribution, PPE, medical resources, and enforced mitigation efforts. Please continue to wear a mask, social distance, wash your hands, and restrict travel as much as possible.

In the meantime, I will be joining the bandwagon and bringing home my very own "quarantine puppy" this weekend. Follow me on IG for updates @doctor.cole.

 For those asking, I have a name picked out. Will announce when it's official ;)

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COVID19 Vaccine Update

December 8, 2020

The future is here and the future is now! The end of 2020 and soon to be beginning of 2021 is looking up as the FDA has confirmed today the safety data and efficacy of Pfizer/BioNTech's mRNA vaccine. With the UK already beginning mass inoculations as of today, I wanted to provide you all with the most up to date information consolidated in one blog post. My sources include CDC, WHO, FDA, NYTimes, and CNN as well as all those embedded in hyperlinks.


First thing's first, let's break down what the COVID19 vaccine is, keeping in mind the two front-runners are Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna. Both of these are mRNA vaccines. Not all of the vaccines under development are mRNA vaccines. Additionally, none of the COVID19 vaccines under development in the US use the live virus.

I really like Dr. Mike Natter's simplified drawing of this (be sure to scroll through):




While the mRNA vaccine involves a new approach to immunization, the technology is not new. In fact, using mRNA was discovered over 30 years ago and the design was implemented in the 2003 SARS and 2013 MERS outbreaks. However, at that time, due to lack of funding, the trials were unable to finish completion. Despite this, the research was still helpful when it came time to develop a vaccine to fight COVID19. There were similarities between SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID19) and MERS. When asked if the COVID19 vaccine was rushed, one has to take into account how far science, medicine, and technology has progressed, which has allowed for such expedience and efficiency. "[T]he speed of these developments...is impressive, owing to both the relentless work of the scientists and the unprecedented demand of the circumstances," (Race for a COVID-19 Vaccine).

For additional information, check out public health expert and pediatrician Dr. Risa Hoshino's post below:



With the widespread reach of social media comes the potential for misinformation. A few things that I want to make sure are clear in regards to what the vaccine is not:


The concept of infertility is an important one I want to highlight. There is a statement going around claiming that the spike protein used in the mRNA vaccine, which can be found on the virus causing COVID19 shares a sequence of 5 to 6 amino acids (out of over a thousand amino acids) also found in a placental protein known as syncytin-1. The assertion that this could lead to infertility in women has little to no basis. Additionally, female patients who have previously been infected with COVID19 develop antibodies naturally to this spike protein. Tens of thousands of women have been able to conceive after infection. One more thing to add - no fetal cell cultures are required to manufacture the vaccine.

Dr. Jesse O'Shea has a great tutorial with more information about this as well as the question of infertility in men due to COVID19 infection:





I hope this gave you all a concise summary. The first phase plan is to offer the vaccine voluntarily. As soon as it is approved by the FDA and available, I trust the science, the research, and our healthcare experts. When offered to me, I plan to be first in line to receive it. Medicine is all about weighing risk vs. benefit and to me, the benefit of being protected from COVID19 outweighs any risk, especially given the already established safety and efficacy of the vaccine. Let me know if you have any questions.


 

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