Should Medical Board Exams Allow for Cellphones During Test-Taking Sessions!
Medical Information versus Medical Knowledge We should not mistake medical information for medical knowledge! The bubble of multibillion dollar medical test-prep industry that has ambiently permeated the entire medical board-related activities appears to favor substitution of bits of information over knowledge. I do, however, firmly believe that the top two most prestigious medical exam producers of […]
Western Philosophy and the Art of Medical Board Exam Preparation!
The impact of Plato and Aristotle is felt more than ever on the current COMLEX and USMLE examinations. In the world of information technology, wherein everyone feels that they know it all, the art that distinguishes physicians from others was already alluded to almost 2500 years ago! Plato praised knowledge, and Aristotle, the ability to classify and […]
Telemedicine: Revolutionizing Healthcare Delivery
Stay Connected to Your Health Anytime and Anywhere The Future of Healthcare Delivery Introduction Telemedicine is transforming the healthcare industry, providing patients with increased accessibility, improved convenience, and reduced costs. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of telemedicine, making it a permanent aspect of the healthcare landscape. In this article, we will explore the […]
Weight Loss Pills
The New Age of New Year’s Resolution! January of 2023 may be remembered as the month that an overwhelming number of people requested weight-control pills from their doctors. The leading impetus for this phenomenon appears to have been fueled by several Hollywood celebrities who have acknowledged the use of Ozempic as their trendy weight loss remedy. In this […]
COVID-19, Air Travel, and Australian Open
What is the fair proof of immunity against COVID virus for air travelers? How should we accommodate the needs of anti-vaxxers in our world? COVID-related immunological concepts made easy for everyone! Mini Review of Diagnostic and Serological COVID Tests Novak Djokovic, the Serbian tennis player, was unknown to me until the COVID-19 controversy made him […]
The First Osteopathic Medical Board Prep Program!
When did it all begin? Who started it all? At the beginning there was only one human medicine, the allopathic…until Andrew Still, the father of osteopathic medicine came along, and as result American medical practice progressively became next to none! It took another 100 years thereafter for the first osteopathic medical board preparation program to […]
The Neanderthal Man Inside Me!
For thousands of years, we have been thriving to instill safety, security, comfort, and predictability in our lives. We did all we could to make our shelters cozier, and our accessibility to food, water, and air, much easier. I can imagine how frequently my very own prehistoric predecessor had to confront fight and fright situations at every […]
NMR Predictions for Upcoming USMLE and COMLEX Examinations!
What are the major topics and concepts that will heavily affect your performance on 2021 -2022 exams? Public health, pandemic epidemiology, biostatistics, immunology, and vaccinology will be the dominant flavors of the upcoming medical board examinations! How can you gear up against new generations of USMLE and COMLEX examinations? The answer is a no-brainer! You […]
Conquest of Longevity
Center for Conquest of Longevity New Subsidiary of Northwestern Medical Review After almost 5 years of planning, Northwestern Medical Review is getting ready to launch its new subsidiary: The Center for Conquest of Longevity. The Center is expected to begin operation in the fall of 2021. It will be operated as a collaborative online multidisciplinary […]
Novavax Vaccine
Vaccine explosion! Vaccine invasion! Temptations and Hesitations! No more DNA…no more RNA…and just the good ol’ protein! Where’s the twist in all this? Here comes another COvax with its own peculiarities! For all we know, it doesn’t mess with our DNA! It doesn’t muddle with our RNA! In a nutshell, it’s about what we’ve always […]
The Third COVID-19 Vaccine Has Just Entered into the American Market!
What do we need to know about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine? On Monday March 1st, the first truckload of Johnson and Johnson (J&J) vaccine arrived at the worldwide distribution center of the UPS in Louisville, Kentucky. This marked the day 1 of the entry of the 3rd American COVID vaccine into the market. In this blog my main goal is to […]
Booster vaxx for those who have recovered from COVID-19!
Reflections on Dr. E’s Pick-du-Valentine Day! “I love Paris on Valentine’s Day…Amidst COVID-19” was my pick for 2021’s Valentine day. Those who missed my Facebook’s post may like to ask, “why and what was that all about?” It all began before the morning break on Valentine’s Day and as I was still stretching out on […]
To Vaxx or Not to Vaxx!
What are the short- and long-term side effects of COVID-19 vaccinations? When can I expect my vaccination? Every medication comes with its own baggage, and vaccines are no exception. A new pandemic virus like COVID-19 with its own oddities, can only be matched by a newly developed vaccine that can effectively stop its progression. The public […]
Bare Minimum Requirements for Navigating Through Our COVID Infested World
Aging Amidst Global COVID infestation! This morning, out of the blue, my iPhone reminded me of a few pictures of mine dating back to July 8, 2016. As you may see in them, I am pointing at “Epidemiology” and “Vacuna” signs in a hospital. At the time I was visiting several hospitals and healthcare facilities […]
Where do the antimedicine and anti-science advocates plan on receiving healthcare if COVID-19 knocks at their doors?
Are they banking on the benevolence of the physicians? Are they taking our hardworking healthcare providers in our hospitals for granted? Do they assume that the Hippocratic Oaths of the doctors will override all animosities against their profession? Well, I have news: you will beg for their mercy if you or your beloved family members […]
COVID-19: What are the odds of my survival?
COVID-related questions that I wish I knew their answers! What do we need to know to healthily navigate through our COVID-infested world? On May 7, my puzzling question was “what are the chances that COVID-19 might have been around for a while in one form or the other but has gone rogue during the past […]
Doctors who fail us in our Covid infested world!
Today I’m consumed by anger. I am angry at the physicians who put people at risk of contracting COVID-19 with their behaviors. I am also angry at the widespread anti-medicine and anti-science sentiments that has brewed in our country and has overflowed to other nations who look up to us as a role model. I am […]
Did we used to be too spoiled before COVID’s pandemic?
Our COVID-19 infested world is well-suited for the Alaskan Bush People! A favorite reality documentary TV series of mine has been “Alaskan Bush People”. The series depicts the life of a family who live far from civilization in the Alaskan wilderness. The family is composed of a couple and their seven children who refer to […]
Covid -19 Pandemic Has Already Revealed the Best and the Worst About Our Humanity!
One of our admirable qualities as a nation has been our unqualified support for our soldiers and generals in times of war. Memorial Day has been the time for us all, united as one, to immortalize the memories of our beloved fallen ones. It is utterly saddening to see that in our war against the […]
Covid-19, Air travel, and Adjusting to Our Changing World!
It all began with our agonizing and shocking 9/11 experience! Over time, we gradually got used to airport security requirements, and we all now get them for granted. And then, we were introduced to the concepts of TSA Precheck, Clear, and Global Entry. Some of us may not know that entry to many countries, for […]
What are the Most and the Least Demanding Medical Disciplines of the Future?
What is the best medical discipline after worldwide lockdown? If you ask this question as a medical student who is planning to choose a residency program, then the answer will not matter much to you if you truly know what discipline is your calling. If you make your choice based on what allows you to […]
Remdesivir for Covid-19 Treatment!
Why among so many drugs Remdesivir has so far been among the top candidates for treating COVID-19? What attributes of Remdesivir makes it a good medication for treatment of COVID-19? What is the mechanism of action of Remdesivir? What are the most dreaded side effects of Remdesivir? What Remdesivir-related concepts will most likely show-up on […]
How to Boost Confidence of the American Workforce and Bust Their Fear?
What should most American employers, and in particular American Healthcare providers and medical schools do for their constituents? America is getting ready to open for business again. The weather is getting warmer again. The doors are all opening up again. Chances are that the morbid Covid rascal’s reign over the northern hemisphere has most likely […]
Med-Satire-du-Week!
How come American politicians can practice medicine in the US without passing scores on USMLE and/or COMLEX exams! Why do we have to require passing USMLE and COMLEX scores for the US medical students and graduates of American medical schools who have gone through rigorous training at their accredited colleges and want to practice in the […]
A flu like no other flu!
This rascal used to kill us for quite a while, and we blamed it all on poor influenza and its co-morbidities. Before quarantine, I used to see many of my health-conscious 70+ pals at my health club in mid- to late-fall, and I was puzzled as to why, in contrast to all prior years, I […]
COVID-19: Survival of the Fittest!
It is appalling to see politicians that we’ve voted into office playing with our well-being! How come so many of them have suddenly become such a die-hard proponent of the theory of survival-of-the-fittest? So far, epidemiological data suggests that only about 2% of us will die of COVID-19! That which marks us, the two-percenter group, to become […]
About Covid-19 Medications…
What questions will USMLE and COMLEX ask you in your upcoming exams? Why, among so many drugs in the market have only a handful gotten the world’s attention as potential remedies for COVID-19? What are the reasons for selecting and mechanisms of actions of the proposed drugs for treating COVID-19? Why hydroxychloroquine is used for […]
Testing, Testing and More Testing!
Why is there so much fuss about testing? What does it mean for our battle against COVID-19? What do the most commonly used Covid-19 tests reveal to us? Notice: For important concepts related to Covid-19 disease and immunology please scroll down to the following heading: “Had We Known What We Know Now About Social Distancing…” […]
Tylenol, Advil, Aspirin, and Covid-19
What drug companies did not want you to know about Aspirin and Advil in asthma and COPD? What you are about to read in our blog will most likely change your entire outlook about these meds! Beneatha: In mid-March and when Corona erupted, the household rumor was that Advil and Aspirin may predispose us to COVID-19 […]
American Medical Students Should Receive Their Degrees Without USMLE or COMLEX Stipulations…
Medical Schools Accelerating Graduation to Combat COVID-19: To facilitate more frontline workers against the COVID-19 Pandemic, American universities are progressively implementing early graduation for their medical students. This phenomenon reignites Dr. E’s quest for abolishing the practice of requiring passing USMLE and COMLEX scores for awarding medical degrees to the American medical students! The Irony: […]
Wealth, Health, and Corona!
Breaking News: We are informed that at 12:30 AM, Eastern Standard Time, Dr. E is admitted to the emergency department of Mercy hospital. No further information is available on his condition… An old proverb that we might recall as a hot topic for our school essays has been the choice between health or wealth. I […]
Good News for Home-bound Medical Students!
Free NBME® Self-Assessments and Answer Explanations Available in April, 2020! Northwestern Medical Review applauds the decision of NBME (USMLE) organization to freely make its comprehensive exams available to all medical students on April 5. This is in our opinion a very adorable and humanitarian gesture by the NBME to support all home-bound medical students of […]
Firsthand Covid-19 Report of a Frontline Emergency Physician
This blog is written by a front-line physician and as a peer-to-peer advise for his peers regarding Covid-19 diagnosis, prognosis and management. I am an ER MD in New Orleans. Every one of my colleagues have now seen several hundred Covid 19 patients and this is my take on it as of now. Clinical course […]
Part 1: When Life Gives You Covid-19, TRXize in Your Storage Cellar!
Adaptability and flexibility are keys to healthier and longer survival amidst large scale catastrophes and imminent pandemics! Closure of medical schools, social distancing, and home-isolation is the ideal time for medical students to physically shape-up and to prepare for their medical board examinations! You have most likely heard of the proverbial expression of “when […]
Part 2: When Life Gives You Covid-19, TRXize in Your Storage Cellar!
Adaptability and flexibility are keys to healthier and longer survival amidst large scale catastrophes and imminent pandemics! Closure of medical schools, social distancing, and home-isolation is the ideal time for medical students to physically shape-up and to prepare for their medical board examinations! When are you showing your mini gym to us? Well, I […]
National Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Drive Week: March 23-29, 2020
Did you stack-up your attic with PPE such as hand sanitizers, disposable facemasks, gloves and gowns? What were you thinking? To put them on before going out to your driveway and tossing your garbage bag in your own trashcan? Did you plan on using them before opening your mailbox or scrubbing your mails with sanitizer […]
Worldwide Corona Pandemic Calls for the Revival of the United Nations!
I had a dream! In my dream it was April 25, 2020, the 75th anniversary of the United Nations. All heads of nations while still in their extended social isolation due to COVID19 pandemonium, addressed the entire humanity via the world wide web. Can you guess what they unanimously called for? They called for the […]
Obesity is in the Eye of the Beholder!
It was December of 2006; my wife and daughter had a mother-daughter trip planned for Southern California during that holiday’s break. My son and I didn’t have any plans other than filling our days with our hobbies. During the first week of December it occurred to me that a father-son trip may not be a […]
The Corona Panic (II): Chemicalizing versus Minimalizing!
Within the past decade there has been a progressive and widespread neurotic tendency to use cleansing chemicals in health-related facilities, athletic clubs and gyms. In this blog, Dr. E argues against our dependency on disinfecting chemicals, and promotes his doctrine of minimal exposure to germs as the most viable alternative. Beneatha: I have been observing […]
The Corona Panic (I): Chemicalizing versus Minimalizing!
Within the past decade there has been a progressive and widespread neurotic tendency to use cleansing chemicals in health-related facilities, athletic clubs and gyms. In this blog, Dr. E argues against our dependency on disinfecting chemicals, and promotes his doctrine of minimal exposure to germs as the most viable alternative. Beneatha: Dr. E, I understand […]
Should we cancel our trip abroad because of the corona frenzy?
Last month, I ran into my longtime acquaintance, Nancy*, at the health club. She mentioned that in late March of 2020, her husband (who is, for your information, a medical scientist and university professor), will be attending a medically related convention in Australia. She said that they are very excited and looking forward to making use of […]
Coronavirus: Capitalism versus Communism, and Global Health versus National Health
United States and China are the two most powerful rivals on the global scene that are working almost independently but tirelessly on getting the Covid-19 under control. The question in the mind of many is “which of the two superpower’s health systems is more efficient and suitable for suppressing the current corona pandemic?” The American […]
Must-Know Coronavirus-Related Concepts Made Ridiculously Simple by Dr. E: Part 2
Presented in question and answer format, Dr. E answers your top-most important mind-boggling concerns about the Covid-19! Beneatha: Lately, I have been hearing much on “co-morbidity”. They say it is an important factor in predicting the prognosis (outcome) of the Covid-19. Is morbidity the same as mortality? Also, what are the co-morbidities of Covid-19? Dr. E: […]
Why Does Covid-19 Spare Children?
Are children off-limits because even the corona loves to be labeled as a politically correct bastard? The media frenzy of covid-19 has already captivated the entire globe. A decisive question in the mind of many, including my students, is “why did it spare children?” First and foremost, I want you to appreciate the fact that we have just […]
Must-Know Coronavirus-Related Concepts Made Ridiculously Simple by Dr. E: Part I
Presented in questions and answers format, Dr. E answers you top-most important mind-boggling concerns about the Covid-19! Beneatha: What is by far the most frugal way to avoid acquiring corona virus infection? Dr. E: Assume the person who doesn’t look sick is an asymptomatic carrier and maintain a reasonable but friendly distance from him/her! Beneatha: […]
Who is the professional who knows the whereabouts of the coronavirus!
It’s now time for you to appreciate someone who always works tirelessly behind the scenes to safeguard us against epidemic diseases! Most people are not even familiar the terms of “epidemiology and epidemiologist”. My purpose is to make it simple for them. When it comes to communicable diseases such as the novel coronavirus (Covid-2019), our […]
Coronavirus and the Art of Natural Immunization
Longevity requires certain outstanding habits, and one such habit is excelling at the art of natural immunization! My goal is to share one of the most important secrets of longevity as it relates to respiratory diseases. Let us begin with one of my most memorable life experiences. In the fall of 1994, I was invited […]
Dr. E unveils his award-winning healthy seafood recipe!
First, let us get our pertinent facts in order: Cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are closely related substances that are extracted from hemp and cannabis (marijuana) plants respectively. Generally, the difference between hemp and marijuana is in the concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol that has hallucinating effects. It is said that Marijuana has more THC and hemp has […]
Why do you often see people from East Asia wearing surgical masks?
It’s not uncommon to spot people wearing surgical masks at airports nowadays. Within the past decade it has become progressively more common to spot east Asians wearing surgical masks in public. In western countries the use of surgical masks by health professionals are primarily intended to safeguard their patients. In contrast, the use of masks by […]
Why is there so much fuss about the coronavirus outbreak?
Many people in the US contract the common cold due to the corona virus* and they only present with mild respiratory symptoms. For those who understand that there are so many causes for the common cold, the striking question is “what makes the Wuhan corona virus different from its classic counterpart?”. For anyone who has […]
Unhealthy Doctors!
You are now a medical doctor but people mistake you for a health doctor! So, now you’re officially a practicing doc, a specialist! Do you get the exciting feeling that now you’ve mastered it all? How much do you get excited about the compliments of your patients who believe that you’re the one who knows it all? Do […]
Legitimacy of the USMLE and COMLEX Exams
What did precipitate exponential growth of the USMLE and COMLEX prep industry? COMLEX and USMLE examinations are so much interwoven into the fabric of our system for evaluating eligibility of practicing medicine in the US that we hardly question the legitimacy of their existence. It is unfortunate to see that the American Medical Schools that […]
Do Not Forget Your MCAT Essay
Your professional outlook as a physician must be well-matched to the essay that you wrote when you were applying to medical school Do you remember the time that you had to write your medical college admission essay? Do you remember how desperate you were at the time? You wrote whatever that could have enhanced your […]
Absurdity of the USMLE requirement for awarding MD Degrees
USMLE scores should not be used as a required criteria for awarding MD degrees to graduates of medical schools The practice of awarding MD degrees to students who have passed their USMLE exams is unethical and likely to be illegal. Medical schools that brag and rave about their curriculum must award the degrees of students […]
American Osteopathic Students and COMLEX Exams
Should we no longer require passing COMLEX scores from American osteopathic students who do not wish to practice medicine? The primary purpose of the COMLEX exams is to evaluate the knowledge levels and skills of the osteopathic school grads for practicing medicine in the US. By the same token, the primary purpose of the American […]
About The Olfactory Sense
Humans see the world and animals smell it! The olfactory sense is commonly taken for granted. This sense is by far our most primal sensory modality, and it is closely tied to emotions and instincts. Most of us are familiar with ophthalmology, however hardly any of us are familiar with olfactology. Olfactology is the medical […]
Alcohol versus Cannabis
To what extent pharmaceutical companies act as covert advocates of animosities against the cannabis-based products? Why do cannabis products evoke so much animosities whereas alcohol that is the most common addictive drug and the number one cause of so many health-related issues, does not receive as much criticisms? To what extent do you think that […]
How come I got flu despite having my flu shot?
We tend to confuse common cold and flu together. Common cold describes many upper respiratory ailments. They include but are not limited to infections by rhinovirus, coronavirus, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza virus, and influenza virus. Individuals who acquire common cold often present with symptoms such as runny nose, coughing, sneezing, sore throat, headache […]
Get Hold of Thyself!
I hazily remember my first experience of having full control over a physical entity. I recall it as one of the most pleasant initial experiences of my life. It was fascinating for me to discover that I had the ability to boss around my legs, to bend them at my will or to grab them […]
Aging and Physical Injuries
Using a broader range of musculoskeletal potentials facilitates adaptation to physical injuries and adds to our longevity We use less than 30% of our mental and physical capabilities. This may not be evident to us at all times, however, it often becomes apparent after we sustain serious injuries. For instance, after injuring any of our […]
Our Life Expectancy
How Many Years a Baby Who is Born in 2019 is Expected to Live? We are so much preoccupied with our personal lives and our self-centered outlooks that we hardly get the opportunity to appreciate myriads of stars and planets that are out there in our universe. Most of us operate under the conviction, that […]
Osteopathic vs. Allopathic Medicine: Lions vs. Tigers
There are two types of physicians, allopathic and osteopathic. Each practices in an important area of medicine, and both have noticeable overlapping functions. There are major misconceptions about the quality of the American osteopathic medical schools among international medical students, and in particular among students of the Caribbean schools. These commonly stem from two unqualified […]