It's Personal: PreMed Magazine's Personal Health Issue by galitdeshe

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It’s Personal: PreMed Magazine’s Personal Health Issue

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It’s Personal: PreMed Magazine’s Personal Health Issue

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A MESSAGE

FROM OUR EDITOR

The refrain in NONONO’s catchy tune “Pumpin Blood” reads: This is your heart, it’s alive It’s pumping blood It’s your heart, it’s alive It’s pumping blood And the whole wide world is whistling When I read these lyrics, my science-wired mind revels in the anatomical allusion. It is simple-- the lines are neither provocative nor insightful. Sometimes the simplest things show the most beauty and truth.

Lisa Dinh

Editor-in-Chief

Have you ever thought about the miracle that brought you to this very moment? Billions of years ago you were dust in the air, then millions of years ago you were your descendents living in caves of Africa. Thousands of years ago you were your ancestors who fought wars against humanity, against plague, and against the rigors of life itself. Then your parents. Two people from different lives came together. Created you. And here you are, billions of years to now, alive. That is remarkable. The theme for this fall’s issue is personal health. The writers and staff members of PreMed Magazine have diligently worked to create an issue with focus on self-care and wellness. We want you to be the best of yourself, health-wise and beyond. In this issue, you will find articles on sleep (page: INSERT PAGE) and what to say to close ones with a chronic illness (page INSERT). I hope that after you read this magazine, no matter if you feel downtrodden by your work or lost in your selfdiscovery, you can take a step back from it all, sing, and realize this is your heart, and you are alive, and with a little self-care, the world is yours.

ABOUT THE COVER:

On the cover is an optical illusion (two views of one face) featuring Jaron Matthews, a University of Georgia student who lost 74 pounds in 3 months, becoming much more “confident in myself, and happy to be me” afterward. The two views represent the two personalities Jaron has embodied in his life. His story is a testament to the importance of personal health, the theme of this issue. Read more on page 7.

It’s Personal: PreMed Magazine’s Personal Health Issue

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It’s Personal: PreMed Magazine’s Personal Health Issue

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PHOTO BY LILY WANG

It’s Personal: PreMed Magazine’s Personal Health Issue

TAKE CHARGE OF TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF

why mass media should not be your only source for health information By: Haley Vale

scar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow is headed to Washington as a well-dressed, passionate political lobbyist. Despite the similarities between Paltrow’s most recent project and the plot of Legally Blonde 2, the legislation Paltrow is supporting has not drawn approval from all corners. Paltrow is advocating against a bill that would prevent requiring foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to be labeled as such. Under the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015, labeling foods containing GMOs would be voluntary. The bill also requires that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirm that GMO foods intended to be sold are as safe as their non-GMO counterparts. Paltrow and other opponents of the bill (organized under the “Just Label It!” campaign), argue that Americans have a right to know what is in the food they feed their children. “I’m not here as an expert. I’m here as a mother, an American mother, that honestly believes I have the right to know what’s in the food I feed my family,” the actress said at an event on Aug. 5th after presenting a petition for President Obama to veto the bill. When viewed from the perspective of a mother concerned for the wellbeing of her children, Paltrow’s opposition seems reasonable. However, there is no significant scientific evidence to suggest that the presence of GMOs in foods sold in the United States is anything but safe for consumption. In fact, the overwhelming majority of scientists agree that GMO foods are perfectly safe, including those of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Medical Association (AMA). In fact, labeling GMOs just might be detrimental to Americans. One study out of Cornell University concluded that if GMO labels were required, a four-person family could end up paying $500 more per year for food. Additionally, GMO labeling could suggest to consumers that GMOs are unsafe, which could stigmatize modified foods and create more fear and confusion around genetically modified (GM) produce.

11 It’s Personal: PreMed Magazine’s Personal Health Issue

PHOTO BY ERSTA FERRYANTO

So why, if there are no risks associated with GMO foods and potential harm could be done by labeling and stigmatizing them, did 200,000 people sign Paltrow’s petition? The answer seems to be misleading information presented by celebrities and popular media. When compounded with a misunderstanding of what GMOs are and ignorance of the vast troves of research concluding that GMOs present no danger, media and celebrity influence determine what most people believe about their personal health. By crusading against GMOs, Paltrow and other celebrity backers such as Sarah Michelle Gellar, Pharrell Williams and Neil Young have effectively prevented science from doing what it is supposed to do: inform humans. But this is not the only time celebrity influence has popularized an unfounded health craze. The Paleo diet, a relatively innocuous example of this phenomenon, is based on the assertion that humans have evolved to eat a specific diet that pre-agricultural huntergatherers would have eaten (namely lean meats, vegetables, nuts, and seeds) and that the only way to eat healthily is to match what hunter-gatherers would have eaten. However, contrary to widespread claims about the health benefits of the Paleo diet, evidence shows it can lead to serious illnesses such as heart disease and high cholesterol. Furthermore, the design of the diet itself is flawed. Firstly, it assumes that all Paleolithic peoples had the same diet, which they did not. Paleolithic diets depended largely on geography and season with some groups of hunter-gatherers eating a diet of mostly meat and fish while others depended mostly on seeds and nuts or roots for the bulk of their calorie intake. Evidence suggests that hunter-gatherers adapted their diets to eat whatever was available. The effort to reduce the diet of many varied peoples to one set of rules for modern people to follow is futile.

The main flaw, however, is that the diet assumes that the human body has not adapted to eating the starch-rich, dairy-filled diet that most people consume today. On the contrary, since the advent of agriculture, modern humans have actually improved their ability to metabolize dairy and starch. While the Paleo diet is scientifically unfounded, it has persisted in its popularity despite being deficient in essential nutrients such as calcium and fiber. As in the case of GMOs, the science debunking claims about the modern diet has been ignored. An even more worrying example of America’s tendency to jump on board with celebrity health recommendations is the recent trend of not vaccinating children for the sake of their safety. Concerns about the safety and morality of vaccines have been debated since their inception.

“Of the 183 cases of measles reported in the first half of 2015, most were unvaccinated. In fact, measles outbreaks occur most often in communities with vaccination rates far below average.”

rise in vaccination rates and autism rates between 1983 and 2008 as evidence that vaccines are a causative agent of autism. The CDC have refuted these claims as well. The real harm in McCarthy’s assertions, however, is that a few unvaccinated children are a far greater risk to society as a whole than many realize. Vaccinations prevent individuals from contracting illnesses, but their other purpose is to prevent widespread outbreaks through herd immunity. Herd immunity is the concept that if enough people in a population are immunized for a particular disease, there can be no sustained outbreak of that disease, and thus people who are ineligible to receive vaccinations such as the very young and the immunocompromised are protected. An unfortunate example of this breakdown in herd immunity is the recent outbreak of measles in California earlier this year. Of the 110 cases of measles reported in California, 28 patients were intentionally unvaccinated because of personal beliefs. Additionally, 12 patients were infants too young to be vaccinated. This is not a one-time occurrence either. Of the 183 cases of measles reported in the first half of 2015, most were unvaccinated. In fact, measles outbreaks occur most often in communities with vaccination rates far below average.

PHOTO BY ERSTA FERRYANTO

Modern opposition to childhood vaccinations, however, centers on a proposed link between vaccinations and autism. These concerns stem largely from a study published in 1998 which found a link between vaccination and autism. The paper has since been retracted by the publication that originally printed it, and the author has been discredited as a fraud. However, parents still fight against immunizing their children despite powerful scientific authorities, including the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH), publishing research stating unequivocally that there is no link between vaccines and autism.

At the end of the day one wonders how the health of Americans will ever improve if this trend of pushing science aside persists. The mainstream media is a powerful force, but unfortunately, it is dictated by what is groundbreaking, interesting and popular. Not what is scientifically true.

It is the responsibility of individuals to understand their health. To look deeper, past what is fed to them by celebrities and TV. The consequences of personal health choices lie with the individual making those choices, so it must be the individual who learns and listens to science and medicine. The jargon of the medical science community is understandably a deterrent to most who would investigate further, but in those cases the best answer is also the simplest one: ask. Ask a doctor, a scientist, the internet. Push for knowledge and understanding, because personal health is a responsibility that every person must bear. Gwyneth Paltrow may decide her own beliefs of what a healthy lifestyle is, but she should not make that decision for everyone.

One of the strongest and most recognizable opponents to childhood vaccination is Jenny McCarthy, an actress and mother of a child with autism. McCarthy believes that “toxins” in vaccines caused her son to develop autism and points to the

It’s Personal: PreMed Magazine’s Personal Health Issue

PHOTO BY ERSTA FERRYANTO

13 It’s Personal: PreMed Magazine’s Personal Health Issue

It’s Personal: PreMed Magazine’s Personal Health Issue

Nikil Gangasani

Why Am I So

Tired?

Considerations for better sleep

n a sunny Friday afternoon last November, I excitedly stepped out of the Food Sciences building after a week of studying hard, taking tests, and having little sleep. It was the start of my Thanksgiving break, and I was looking forward to visiting my long distance girlfriend whom I had not seen in several months. I bid Athens farewell and set out on a five hour road trip to Nashville, which involved a drive through the scenic but dangerous Cumberland Plateau. On my way to Tennessee, I jammed out to my Beatle’s 1 CD. As I l got lost in the soothing melody of “Something,” I was startled by a loud rumbling noise coming from beneath me. I had experienced microsleep and driven onto the shoulder of the highway. Immediately, I grabbed a bottle of cold water next to me and dumped half of it onto my head to wake myself up. I continued to pour water on my head for the duration of the trip to stay awake. If I had experienced that microsleep while driving through Cumberland, I could have driven off the plateau to my death. College students consistently rank as one of the most sleep deprived populations. A study published in the Journal of Nature and Science of Sleep indicates that 70% of American college students are sleep deprived. This alarming statistic has seemingly obvious causes: maintaining As in classes interferes with catching the much needed ZZZs, maintaining active participation in extracurricular activities during the day and night hinders winding down at bedtime, and pushing hard to be a social butterfly leaves little time for sleeping in the cocoon. Sleep is ultimately an investment that college students fail to prioritize, and sacrificing sleep for academic, extracurricular, or social gain is detrimental in the long term – impaired academic performance and depressive

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mood have been linked to sleep deprivation. With regards to academic performance, a study noted trends between sleeping patterns and the GPAs of college students, finding that students with earlier bedtimes and waking times tended to have higher GPAs than students with later bedtimes and waking times. Furthermore, sleep deprivation takes a toll on mental health, as a study on female college students found that curtailing sleep by two hours or sleeping after 2:00 AM increased depressive symptoms such as melancholy and decreased motivation to exercise. Consistently maintaining both a bedtime no later than 12AM and a waking time around 8AM on weekdays benefits academic performance and strong mental health. Also, for classes requiring intensive studying, breaking up studying into small portions every or every other day is more beneficial than cramming over a few nights before a test. Current research on effective studying clarifies that spaced out studying allows for a wider array of contexts in which information is acquired, making information more accessible for retrieval later on. However, while academic, extracurricular, and social obligations attribute to sleep deprivation in college students, these are not the only causes. College students also form habits detrimental to sleep hygiene, exacerbating the issue of sleep deprivation. Sleep hygiene promotes practices beneficial to recuperative sleep. Examples of good sleep hygiene are a commitment to a regular waking and sleeping schedule and a quiet, dark sleeping environment. Certain behaviors and substances, however, are destructive to recuperative sleep.The use of technology prior to bedtime is the most disruptive behavior against good sleep hygiene for contemporary college students. The current generation of college

students is notorious for frequent computer and cellphone use. When this behavior persists before bedtime or is brought into the bed, a study has shown that sleep latency – the time between going to bed and falling asleep – increases. Melatonin, a hormone that synchronizes circadian rhythms with the environment, rises in level at night, causing sleepiness. However, exposure to light from modern electronics for more than two hours suppresses melatonin, thus prolonging sleep latency and making it harder to fall asleep. Because Starbucks cups are ubiquitous in the hands of college students, it’s no surprise that caffeine is the most disruptive substance against good sleep hygiene for contemporary college students. One study found that the effect of caffeine from two to four cups of coffee lasts about six to eight hours. Therefore, consuming caffeine right before or after dinner time posits troubles in falling asleep at night.

students shows that sleep deprived students self-perceive their focus, effort, and performance as better than it actually is. By practicing good sleep hygiene, avoiding caffeine use around and after dinner time, and restricting the use of electronics in and before bed, sleep deprivation can be alleviated. At the same time, it is important to commit to good organizational skills and to avoid procrastinating so that the benefits of sleep hygiene are more tangible. Finally, when planning a road trip, keep in mind the importance of getting enough sleep the night before. A study on sleep deprived young drivers found that those who slept fewer than six hours the night before were much more likely to experience a car crash than those who slept for more than six hours. While the first step to better sleep is to evaluate how these considerations pertain to your own life, habits will persist until change is implemented.

Sleep deprivation is a vicious cycle that is tough to escape. A study comparing the performance of well rested and sleep deprived

PHOTO BY ERSTA FERRYANTO

It’s Personal: PreMed Magazine’s Personal Health Issue

PHOTO BY LILY WANG

The latest data on American Obesity rates is in, and it’s downright embarrassing. While certainly not a hard-and-fast rule, Americans are statistically fat and complacent: during the years 2011-2012 34.9% of adult Americans were classified as obese and 17.9% of Americans aged 2-19 were classified as obese. The numbers are appalling, but the study does add the consolation that that no significant increase in obesity rates has occurred from 2003-2004, when an earlier study was conducted, to 2011-2012 (“Healthy habits during college can last for a lifetime,” n.d.). At least we aren’t getting too much worse, because then we’d be on track to looking like people from WALL-E. We’re the butt of fat jokes in the world already, but soon making fun of Americans for being fat will be like making fun of children for crying – you can’t be mean to someone that pathetic. Was that last paragraph hyperbolic? Probably. But these are issues that every college student recognize. Multiple articles have noted that the diet and exercise habits formed in college tend to follow individuals throughout their entire lives (“College food habits could set the stage for lifetime preferences,” n.d.; Amanda Klitsch, 2010; Ligi, 2014). Therefore, college freshman need to know how to live a healthy lifestyle balancing diet and exercise, otherwise they may have to buy an extra plane ticket ten years down the road. Let’s look at diet first. Everyone has heard of the “Freshman 15,” the weight gain that unsurprisingly accompanies the lifestyle of freshmen college students. We’ve all had that friend that subsides on a diet of pizza, burgers, ice cream, and cereal during freshman year. We’ve also had that friend

17It’s Personal: PreMed Magazine’s Personal Health Issue

sophomore year that you could have sworn was skinnier last year. And while it’s easy to blame that freshman carrying just French fries and donuts for lunch, context often plays a huge role in health decisions. That being said, why is anyone surprised that college freshman make bad dietary choices and subsequently gain weight? A combination of all-you-can-eat style dining halls, late night/24-hour dining halls, late nights studying and partying (hopefully in that order), stress, and lack of parental guidance forms a perfect storm. While dining halls and Universities take significant measures to aid students in their diets by offering better food choices and dietary counseling, the staples of the American diet are still unhealthy, especially in the South. I’m sure that the UGA overweight and obesity rate would significantly improve with the replacement of mac-n-cheese with kale, I’m also sure that UGA Food Services would not only go out of business, but may face a full scale coup d’etat. So it’s not only easy for freshmen to form bad dietary habits, but the context of college can sometimes make proper diet downright difficult. Thankfully, the other side of the coin, exercise, provides a much more optimistic story.

“The final 2016 UGA Athletic budget was $117,419,039”

In case it’s managed to escape you, UGA is a very athletic school. If that’s news to you, then there may not be hope

THE SKINNY ON BEING HEALTHY IN COLLEGE By: Jesse Hu

for you. It’s ok, the world needs fat people anyways (just kidding!). In all seriousness , the University of Georgia is known for its athletics: SEC Football may be the third largest religion in the South, right after Christianity and carnivorism. Moreover, UGA sent 21 students to the 2008 Beijing Olympics (“Georgia Olympians,” n.d.). To give you an idea of the sheer scope and size of UGA Athletics, the final 2016 UGA Athletic budget was $117,419,039 (“Budget of , Indoor Athletic Facility, Fox Contract Extension and More,” 2015). Since that’s a comical amount of money that’s almost impossible to fathom, here’s a list of things that you could buy with $100,000,000. For those of you enjoying this premium publication in paper format, that’s something to the tune of a year’s income for 2,396 average American families or 793 average American homes (Keith et.al., 2014).

PHOTO BY LILY WANG

full of runners, and Ramsey is always packed. Athens as a community has a thriving running and cycling scene, hosting two half Marathons per year (the AthHalf in the fall and the Chik-fil Connect Half Marathon in the spring) and hosting a large biking community that regularly has group rides open to everyone. There’s always a way to get in shape in Athens. So the skinny is that it’s easy to get fat, but it’s also easy to get fit. Quite simply put, college is a wonderful experience that affords you the chance to mold yourself into the person you want to be. Being fit and eating healthy should absolutely be parts of your life. Take a look around at all of the resources and options around you. It may be hard to eat healthy, but take a look at the advice offered by dining halls and by the nutritionists at UGA. You’ll find that over time, the allure of eating poorly in the dining halls will fade, and soon you’ll be choking down spinach and liking it too. And if there’s a sport that you’re interested in, chances are UGA has it (what is Budokai anyways?). But absolutely don’t let life pass you by. Otherwise, at graduation, you’ll find yourself regretting not taking advantages of all the opportunities. Or maybe you’ll just look chunky in your graduation pictures.

“Multiple articles have noted that the diet and exercise habits formed in college tend to follow individuals throughout their entire lives.”

This level of athleticism is very clearly reflected in the culture and student body of UGA, as well as the Athens community at large. All around campus student athletes are visible with their Nike backpacks, club sports offers 48 unique clubs, and recreational sports offers almost too many intramural options to count. Taking a stroll through campus shows that Myers Quad almost always has a Frisbee game, Milledge Avenue is

It’s Personal: PreMed Magazine’s Personal Health Issue

19 It’s Personal: PreMed Magazine’s Personal Health Issue

Emma Burke

n a perfect world, students would study for tests far in advance and papers would be finalized days before the deadline. However, extracurricular activities tend to lead even the most organized students astray. Many feel pressured by the rigorous academic demands of college and desperately seek a competitive edge against their peers. Studies show that anywhere from 4.1% to 35.5% of college-age students abuse stimulants meant for treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Stimulants such as Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta and Vyvanse increase energy, blood pressure, blood sugar, breathing and heart rate while simultaneously opening airways. While this might seem counterproductive in treating a hyperactive patient, these drugs actually calm the brain of those with ADHD. The numerous effects of stimulants make them enticing to college students who are drowning in school work. Of those who reported misuse of drugs like Adderall, 65% said they took them for concentration and 59.8% used them as a study aid. According to one study, 94% of college students who illegally abuse stimulants are Caucasian. There is little variation in usage rates among freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors; however, significantly more students who abuse Adderall are involved in Greek life. Students that responded to the study’s survey lauded stimulants for keeping them awake for long periods of time and increasing their concentration. Shockingly, some even felt that it “enhanced ability to memorize, grasp ideas and recall information.” One group tracking tweets using the word “Adderall” on Twitter found that mentions spiked during December and May. These times coincide with university finals on most campuses across the United States. Also, it was noted that tweets about Adderall peaked on Wednesdays and dropped off going into the weekend. Many abusers do not see taking stimulants for academic purposes as immoral. John, a student interviewed about his Adderall use, believes his behav-

According to one study, 94% of college students who illegally abuse stimulants are Caucasian.

ior is justifiable because he does not use the drug to get high. He claims, “‘crack is kinda like the drug for losers and Adderall is for winners.’” Though many students downplay the seriousness of taking Adderall, the drug is considered to be very dangerous and can lead to lifelong health effects. Stimulants used to be prescribed for things such as asthma and weight loss. When it was realized how addictive they can be, they became reserved for ADHD, narcolepsy and severe depression. The Drug Enforcement Administration categorizes ADHD medications as Schedule II drugs. In the same category as the potent painkillers fentanyl and Dilaudid, pharmaceuticals in this

classification are of a very high risk for causing dependency issues. Schedule I, the group with the highest abuse rates, encompasses illegal street drugs such as LSD and heroin. The distinction between these two groups is the medicinal properties that Schedule II drugs have versus Schedule I drugs. Because of how frequently the stimulants Dexedrine, Ritalin and Adderall are misused, they are only administered in a thirty day supply. However, those who obtain prescriptions for these drugs ration out their pills to have enough for themselves and others. Many who are rightfully prescribed only take their medicine on days when they have class or a lot of work to get done. One student with ADHD went as far as saying she, “‘does not think it is smart to put that sort of chemical in your body every day’” while another claimed taking his medication as directed “‘would kill your system and ruin your body.’” All prescription medications have negative side effects. For patients suffering from ADHD, the benefits provided by taking stimulants far outweigh the associated risks. As an amphetamine, Adderall works by increasing their production of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine. Both chemicals are involved in one of the brain’s four modulatorynetworks. Modulatory networks are bunches of nerves that dictate how the brain works. Dopamine is part of the dopaminergic network and is considered critical to learning and the brain’s reward system. Norepinephrine, which can also be stimulated by caffeine, is credited with maintaining focus similarly to dopamine. Even when taken as prescribed by a doctor, Adderall’s known side effects are numerous. They range from high blood pressure to unusual behavior and muscle twitches. On top of becoming dependent, people who misuse stimulants over a long period of time put their health in even greater danger. Feelings of hostility and paranoia can build up as well as cardiovascular issues. Even if an addict seeks out treatment and stops taking the stimulants, the road to recovery is not an easy one. Adderall withdrawal symptoms include extremely vivid dreams, depression and unusual sleeping patterns. The pressure to do well academically while simultaneously enjoying college is by no means easy to deal with. Adderall, dubbed “‘an academic anabolic steroid,’” is seen by many as the secret to success. While taking stimulants might help keep students awake to cram for a test or focus to finish a paper, the risk of long term issues outweighs the short-term benefits of taking the drugs. Making students and university officials aware of the negative effects of the drug is the first step in finally ending the Adderall-abusive culture plaguing college campuses.

It’s Personal: PreMed Magazine’s Personal Health Issue

THE CHEMISTRY OF

21 Personal:PreMed PreMedMagazine’s Magazine’sPersonal PersonalHealth HealthIssue Issue 21 It’sIt’sPersonal:

Leah Ginn

22 22

It’s It’sPersonal: Personal:PreMed PreMedMagazine’s Magazine’sPersonal PersonalHealth HealthIssue Issue

caught in the

labyrinth of illness: what to say (and not to say) to someone with a chronic illness By: Megan O’Mara The narrative of the chronically sick is tragically underrepresented and vastly important. Essays like “The Slow Death of Compassion for the Chronically Ill” and “The Spoon Theory” all attempt to explain to the healthy what it means to be chronically ill. For young adults and pre-med students in particular, finding out someone close to you has a chronic illness is surprising, and in many cases: awkward. So many healthy people are at a loss for what to say to their loved ones caught in the realm of illness. Fear not. We at Pre-Med magazine worked with numerous support groups as well as Arts For the Cure on what to say, (and what not to say) to chronically ill patients, from chronically ill patients.

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What Not To Say: 1. “But you don’t look sick!”

What to Say: 1. “ I’m going to the store. What can I pick up for you?” When one is chronically sick, everyday tasks such as going to the grocery store or taking a shower seem monumental. Specific offers of help (especially if you’re already going somewhere,) rather than phrases like “Let me know if I can do anything for you,” are invaluable. Once, my (now) best friend offered to take me to the hospital because she knew I didn’t have a car. To date, it was the kindest act of human compassion I have ever experienced. 2. “ It’s okay if you have to cancel last minute. Really.” It may surprise you to learn that the worst part of a chronic illness is not dealing with symptoms, its the psychological aftermath of attempting and failing to live normally. The guilt of last-minute cancellations is overwhelming, even if it can’t be avoided.

This was hands down most negatively rated phrase on our list. 95% of chronies rated this as “very annoying” and “extremely common.” Despite coming from a place of sympathy, and seemingly a reassurance that despite what’s going on the inside, they still look put together. However, it serves as a frustrating invalidation of the persons pain and symptoms. Seeing is believing, and constantly reminding them of the disconnect between their reality and healthy people’s reality roughly translates to “I don’t believe you.” 2. “You should just exercise/get over it/move on (etc.)” Being ill is not a choice, and you should never tell someone how to deal with their own illness. You can’t just “get over” true chronic illness. Phrases like these are insensitive and rude. 3. “I wish I had the luxury of staying in bed all day.” People forced to spend their life from a bedside want nothing more than to be active in the world. It’s not a luxury to stay in bed - it’s an unfortunate necessity.

3. “I can’t imagine being in your situation. I’m here for you.” Validating the other person’s emotions, and reminding them they are not alone is a way of expressing you care for them. When it boils down to it, that’s all that really matters. 4. “Do you want to go out? Or would you rather watch a movie and bake cookies?” There are good days, bad days, and in-between days. On those inbetween days, spoonies often want to spend time with friends, but may not have enough physical and emotional energy to both go out and spend time with friends. Offers to spend time where they feel comfortable and don’t have to spend a lot of energy to get places will be greatly appreciated, trust us.

4. “Oh, my cousin’s friend’s sister’s girlfriend had that. She had magical moon crystals implanted under her nose and she’s fine now. You should just do that and you’d be fine.” Unless you are a medical professional or a chronically ill person has asked for your advice, chances are the magical moon crystals, (vegan diet, supplement, or any other unsolicited medical advice) would not fly with the doctor. Thanks for trying, though.

5. “[Insert joke here]” Don’t get too caught up in the supposed fragility of your loved one. They are, after all, human. Trust me, they will love a joke. If you don’t have one on hand, search “chronic illness cat” on your phone and hand it to them. You may not find it funny, but they definitely will.

PHOTO BY NNEKA EWULONU

It’s Personal: PreMed Magazine’s Personal Health Issue

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It’s Personal: PreMed Magazine’s Personal Health Issue

APPLYING AS AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT By: Huyen Nguyen

o many American students, applying to medical schools is a tedious and endless process. Taking hard science courses, volunteering, shadowing, doing research and studying for the MCAT are the most fundamental things a typical applicant must do throughout their four years in college. People may think that earning a spot in medical schools cannot get any harder, but in fact, there are even higher standards and more complicated requirements which must be fulfilled by a special group of students: international applicants. My friend Ha Nguyen, a senior majoring in Genetics and Philosophy, is one of those. Ha came to the US by himself when he was only 13 years old. He knew nothing at the time, not even English. When his flight was delayed for three hours, he tried to get something to eat, picking Burger King because “burger” was the only word he understood.

27 It’s Personal: PreMed Magazine’s Personal Health Issue

Ha then attended a military boarding high school in Texas, and after graduation, he came to UGA as he once joked, “because Athens’ food is way too good.” In his freshman year, Ha took several science courses and made a decision the next year that he would go to medical school in America. I met Ha two years ago when I first came to the United States. As international students, we relate to each other well, but more importantly, we have the same dream. Yet, the voices of this special group of applicants are seldom heard and their additional hard work rarely recognized. I am therefore taking this opportunity to interview Ha about the rigorous medical school application process for international students.

Ha came to the US by himself when he was only 13 years old. He knew nothing at the time, not even English. When his flight was delayed for three hours, he tried to get something to eat, picking Burger King because “burger” was the only word he understood.

Q: Why do you want to become a doctor? A: Helping people has always been in my nature. Being a doctor allows me to do that even more.

Q: Why do you want to attend medical school in the US? A: USA is the leading nation in

medical technology. If I ever want to learn from somewhere, I want to learn from the best.

PHOTO BY NNEKA EWULONU

“

Q: Is it hard for international students to be accepted to medical schools in America?

A: I have to say it is a lot harder for international students. There is not a lot of time for them to finish their applications as they have to make sure they get everything done before their visas expire. They are also required to pay their tuition upfront for the whole four years, which explains why some students that got accepted could never attend. Moreover, not all medical schools consider international students’ applications. For example in Georgia, only Emory University does, but even then the acceptance rate is relatively low.

Q: With all those difficulties, do you ever think that Q: What challenges do you your decision of applying to medical schools here is risky? think international students too A: It is really risky I have to admit. There were times when I wondered have to face when studying if I was on the right path or not. However, I have been through many things to be sure that this is the only thing I want to do. I want to abroad?

A: Living away from home is not easy. They can only depend on themselves because their family is not here. They have to learn, write, read and think in a second language which is really difficult, especially with science courses as there are a lot of technical terms. Getting homesick is also a frequent occurrence because of cultural differences or language barriers.

Q: Living in such a different environment, have you ever had any health issues?

A: I lost 28 pounds after my first year in America as I could not eat anything. Things did get better in college, but the pressure of doing well and the anxiety about my future made me fall into a depression sometimes. When these kinds of things happened, I tried to talk to my family, but there were misunderstandings or a lack of communication due to the geological distance. Enduring your loneliness is a hard thing to do. I learned to stay optimistic, engage myself in social activities or go to the gym. I am also lucky to have great American friends. They are always with me during the hard times, which gives me motivation to go on.

spend my youth doing what I love.

Q: What do you think should be changed to help international students be more successful?

A: Currently a majority of internship opportunities is limited to US citizens or permanent residents and having an internship can really help enhance your resume. I hope in the future, more companies will welcome international students. A lot of them have the talent and ability to succeed so they deserve a chance to develop it. Opportunities are indeed important. If you do not have a stage to perform, no matter how good a singer you are, no one will know and appreciate your voice. Ha and other pre-med international students are trying, even harder than others, to prove their abilities. They had to leave their families, countries and a much easier life behind to follow their dreams. The obstacles that they have faced while living abroad, however, have taught them to look at a positive side, to be humble and to emphathize with other people’s hardships, a characteristic that any doctor must have.

It’s Personal: PreMed Magazine’s Personal Health Issue

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CUT FOR INSPIRATION

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ROSS WAS MY OPPORTUNITY TO BE EXCELLENT

ADAM KIRSCHENBAUM, MD ’14 Internal Medicine Resident New York Methodist Hospital

Every Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) student walks through our doors with the potential for excellence. They’ll leverage trained faculty and advanced technology to master the basic sciences, then they’ll show that knowledge off during clinicals in our strong network of US teaching hospitals. Our goal? That by the time they’re holding their medical degrees, they’ve done more than reach excellence. They’ve surpassed it. And they can bring it right back home.

IS RUSM THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOU?

For immediate, personalized feedback, go to:

rossu.edu/UGA