jjablkowski's blog

I met her 66 years ago. I was in my fourth year of medicine and lived in the old North Vancouver hospital with two classmates. We wrote patients’ histories for next day’s surgeries—sometimes five or six tonsillectomies, a gall bladder, perhaps a couple of hernias, maybe a hysterectomy. We received room and board and as much medical lore as we could listen to, along with getting to provide the occasional assist at a surgery. 

Running records continue to be broken beyond expectations, but is there a limit to human speed?

Foot racing became popular in England in the 17th century, when masters would wager on the race results of their footmen. Accurate times were first recorded in the 1850s when precisely measured running tracks were built. 

We British Columbians pride ourselves on being the most inclusive and accepting province in a country that is known as being pretty nice overall. But the fact is that we are inclusive and tolerant until we aren’t. While we won’t tolerate bigotry and discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation, we’re still accepting of discrimination against people who suffer from obesity.  

One thing that endears me to the BCMJ is the editor’s page. DRR writes thoughtful, often funny comments about the world around us. His December editorial, “Sleep, when it no longer comes naturally,” was a bit of a departure from his usually joyful character, and reading it filled me with concern and empathy for him. It revealed his struggle with anticipatory anxiety insomnia, wondering each night if sleep is going to come to him.

The development and commercialization arm of the Cleveland Clinic held its 16th annual Medical Innovations Summit in October 2018. The clinic’s scientists and physicians sifted through 100 nominations to select 10 up-and-coming innovations that they predict will improve care for patients throughout the world.[1]