LocumLife - November 2008 - (Page 5)

INSIGHTS Stat! News locum tenens physicians can use IN BRIEF… U.S. ranks 29th in infant mortality One of the prime indicators on the health of the nation, infant mortality rankings in the U.S. fell to 29th place, down from 27th in 2000, 23rd in 1990 and 12th in 1960. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 6.71 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2006, placing the country at the same level as Poland and Slovakia. Increases in medical school enrollment and diversity report by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) indicated that first-year enrollment in U.S. medical schools has risen nearly 2% over 2007, to more than 18,000 students. According to AAMC, this figure marks the highest in history. “In a time of great economic uncertainty, interest in the healing profession of medicine remains stable,” said AAMC President and CEO Darrell G. Kirch, MD. “As medical schools expand to meet the nation’s demand for more doctors, there will be even more opportunities for the most qualified and well-rounded aspiring doctors to pursue rewarding careers in medicine.” The 2008 number of medical school applicants remained close to last year’s totals at 42,231, with more than two candidates applying for every available opening. Latino presence increased 3% over last year. In contrast, there was a reduction in African-American (-4%), Native American (-3%), and AsianAmerican (-1%) applicants. Still, findings revealed an increase in diversity of students. The number of A Doctors use placebos for treatment A new online study in BMJ— formerly the British Medical Journal—and conducted by the National Institutes of Health found that almost half of American doctors administer placebos to patients. While only 3% of the 679 physicians participating in the survey administered sugar pills, 41% claimed to have used over-the-counter painkillers as placebos, 38% recommended vitamins, 13% prescribed antibiotics, and 13% approved sedatives. Latino enrollees climbed 10% since last year, Native American enrollment rose by more than 5%, and Asian-American matriculants increased 1%. AfricanAmerican entrants remained close to 2007 levels. Asian-Americans comprised 22% of the first-year student population, as compared to Latinos (8%), AfricanAmericans (7%), and Native Americans (1%). The number of women (8,614) who matriculated into first-year medical classes stayed level at 48%, as did female applicants (20,360)—whose numbers were down 1% from the previous year. The increase in diversity at medical schools has been attributed to a more holistic approach in evaluating applicants, whose undergraduate grade point averages, medical test scores, and community service and medical research experience have increased as well. Physicians still in residency, those who recently completed their programs, and others who may be waiting for fellowships can take advantage of opportunities to explore different practice settings and geographic locales through locum tenens. See “Residency Corner,” on page 8, for more insights. DID YOU KNOW… 2008 Top 10 Domestic Airlines 1. Virgin America 2. Midwest Airlines 3. JetBlue Airways 4. Sun Country Airlines 5. Hawaiian Airlines 6. Frontier Airlines 7. Southwest Airlines 8. USA 3000 Airlines 9. Alaska Airlines 10. Horizon Air Source: Travel+Leisure. (n.d.). 2008 Top 10 domestic airlines. Retrieved October 17, 2008, from http://www.travelandleisure.com/worlds best/2008/results.cfm?cat=othercairlinesdomestic BOOKSHELF Rheumatoid Arthritis Marc C. Hochberg, MD, MPH; Alan J. Silman, MD; Josef S. Smolen, MD; Michael E. Weinblatt, MD; and Michael H. Weisman, MD (2008/464 pages/$189/Hardcover/ISBN: 10:0-323-05475-7/Mosby) This renowned group of international authors presents the latest clinical and scientific advances into the etiology, diagnosis, and management of rheumatoid arthritis. Some of the topics discussed include articular, periarticular, and extra-articular manifestations, co-morbidities, and outcome measures such as disease activity, joint assessment, and imaging. The edition also covers evidence-based treatment options as well as promising remedies on the horizon. Newly released, this reference guide is available through www.elsevier.com. www.LocumLife.com NOVEMBER 2008 LocumLife 5 http://www.elsevier.com http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2008/results.cfm?cat=othercairlinesdomestic http://www.LocumLife.com

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LocumLife - November 2008 Editorial Contents From Nalto Stat! Residency Corner Sailing the High Seas Last-Minute Luxury International Colleagues Explore the U.S. Advertiser Index Opportunities Direct City Beat Contest Rules Anyone's Guess La Vita Locum

LocumLife - November 2008

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