This week, the NYTimes posted an article regarding unprofessional online behavior from medical students. Having gone to medical school, I see nothing surprising about pre-professionals using profanity or abusive language. As as college student, I viewed medical students as a pristine coterie of refined intellectuals–in retrospect, they are no different from any other graduate student in a similar age group.

The fact is that the majority of medical students are young adults who are likely halfway through maturity. They have been wildly successful in earlier life, and have managed to sidestep many consequences of inappropriate behavior through intellect. Some, fresh out of college, have never held a real job. Others have fed off the silver-platter, growing up in families of wealth or power. This group, regardless of their lineage, tries to blend into their socially acceptable age group.

This translates to posting their thoughts on Facebook, mySpace, or any other online social networking group. Like to whine about how your clinic patients irritate you on your Facebook wall? Probably not a great idea.  What about posting hilarious but true information about your hospital on your blog? <grin> Just remember, there are consequences to all of your actions…

medicine, misc humor

Virtualization software like VMware and VirtualBox allows you to run multiple OS’s on a single system without rebooting. This capability is convenient for cross-platform testing of web software without the need for multiple systems. I’ve always used it as a bridge between my linux and windows applications–having a script-ready bash terminal makes batch processing of data a breeze. About a year ago, a friend introduced me to virtualizing with the same operating system. Something like running Windows within Windows.

Why would you ever do this? I wondered the same thing, but it adds a good layer of security to my computer. Since virtual drives are only accessible via specified shared folders, any disaster within the virtual operating system is contained. This is most applicable to my VPN connection into the hospital. My employer uses a Citrix web interface to allow outside connections into the hospital intranet.

For those of you who have used Citrix, it is bloated junkware that pollutes your system files. Moreover, it does not work well with certain software firewalls, like COMODO. After uninstallation, the program litters your folders with nondescript file links and useless files. I found that I can contain the installation through my virtualized OS. Neat huh?

Whenever my hospital junks Citrix or requires another bloated software suite, I can throw it into my virtual OS. If the installation trashes my system, I can just delete my virtual drive and start over. No damage done to the host.

computing tech

Many things suck. Spilling fish sauce onto your white pants right after you washed them ranks high on my list of sucky things.

For those of you unfamiliar with fish sauce, it’s a condiment made from fish extract like anchovies. It’s a common ingredient in Vietnamese cooking. It also is tasty if you stir fry it with spinach or bok choy. Its odor is incredibly pungent, however.  Many people find the smell repulsive.

On an unrelated note, isn’t it ironic that “Squid” and “Oyster” are two brands of fish sauce (see photo)? I prefer Squid brand.

misc food

I was excited to see a hardware refresh on Apple’s iPod Touch last week, but it’s unfortunate that the new models have technology that isn’t fully implemented, such as 802.1n draft or a camera. Moreover, the clock speed increase in the new models (600mhz) and Voice Control/microphone capabilities aren’t available in the budget 8gb model.

Simply put, that is ingenious marketing.

The new Nano includes an FM transmitter and a camera, features that the neither the classic nor the touch sport. This obviously allows Apple to advertise a wide product line and focus its tech support on specific products. The base software kernel in all of its products is similar, and allows for efficient cross-platform upgrades.

As a consumer, however, I’d want everything in my portable device. As a medical professional, I’d choose the iPod Touch/iPhone to be my technology device. Obviously, Skyscape and Epocrates, two medical software companies, have already gravitated to this platform. The hardware acceleration on the Touch allows for gaming, but also image viewing (CT/MRI). We can easily modify the iPod Touch output to a projector for presentations.  The downside of this technology? Price.

The 16gb and 32gb models are similar in pricing to full-sized netbooks or 12″ thinbooks, which can arguably “do more” than the ipods. It’s a tough sell.

Which product would you choose if you could only have one?

computing computing, tech

One of my attendings mentioned that she examined inmates routinely during her residency training.  These criminals would often sit in the same waiting room as regular patients, of course with supervision. After all, everyone needs eye care, right?

That anecdote reminded me that residents at one of the Georgian ophthalmology programs actually had a clinic in the local penitentiary. One day a week, the resident on service would sign in cataracts and other surgical cases in the “jail clinic”. In retrospect, it actually doesn’t sound too bad–no insurance issues to deal with (I’ve had my surgeries canceled because my patient didn’t have the right insurance) or accidental consumption of breakfast the day of surgery. Having prison inmates as your patients is a great system. They actually show up to your clinic on time and do what they are told. As their physicians, we’d be contributing to the governmental system.

In fact, my residency shares many similarities to that of a prison clinic. Last month, I examined an open globe laceration in the ED, similar to what I’d see in prison fights. Another one of my clinic patients came into the ED handcuffed (and foot-cuffed) to the exam chair. The only difference between my patients and those at the prison is that the cops guarding my patients are smoking outside the hospital while I am alone examining the criminal. What fun.

Indeed this is an exciting moment in my training career…

medicine, misc humor, ophthalmology