Every year, come October/November, it’s that time of year that many dread – time to get your annual flu shot. Like it or not, in my opinion it’s a small price to pay for protection against the flu, which isn’t fun for anyone. Some people resist every year saying that it’s pointless or “I got one last year!” The truth is, the annual flu shot typically produces antibodies for 75% of people, giving protection against infection with influenza to the majority of those who receive the vaccine. However, despite these good odds, how nice would it be to never have to get another flu shot again? Well, except for just one more! The University of Texas Medical Branch (Woot! Way to represent!) is currently working on a universal influenza vaccine that would eliminate the need to create an annual vaccine due to the changing surface antigens of the virus. According to the Galveston County Daily News: “The vaccine candidate, VAX102, targets a protein known as M2e, found on the surface of the influenza A virus, that has remained completely unchanged from 1918 until the recent pandemic, making it of interest to researchers searching for a target for the immune response to influenza that would be stable through many seasons.”
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I can’t believe that it is almost time to start my fall semester at MSU! I am so excited; I can’t wait for my A/P lab– Cat Dissection! I know, it’s gross, but… What a better way to learn the underlying structures than to dissect them! So my fall schedule is looking like this: – Biology I – Biology I Lab – Human A/P I – Human A/P I Lab – Intro to Sociology – Intro to Psychology – Math I’m ecstatic about all my classes except math. I like math, it’s just so boring! BUT, I strongly recommend any new Pre-PA students to take as many of the following classes, which yes, include math! Human Anatomy & Physiology (with lab components) Biology (with lab components) Chemistry (with, well you get it!) Organic Chem (yes, lab) Algebra or higher Communication These are just a FEW of the classes I’ll be taking. I have a full schedule, with next semester I am hoping to knock out 24 hours. That will be the semester of all semesters– If I can do 24 hours and survive organic chemistry, I can do anything. Things may get you down and you may feel like giving up sometimes, just push on. This is a great time in your life and I am excited to be sharing my life with you!
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As I am typing now, I am also attempting to study for my molecular biology test tomorrow. I must admit in studying for this test, I asked myself how important this information really is. Yes, I understand that proteins, DNA, and RNA are crucial to life and we could probably not exist without them. Understanding how they work and function in the human body is definitely very important to know. But do I really need to know the structures of the twenty amino acids and DNA and RNA to become a good clinician? I’m not sure. You know all those prerequisite classes that pre-health students have to take? What’s so important about general biology, organic chemistry, microbiology, and all the other prerequisite classes anyway? I think I finally figured it out. Not only will it be beneficial to already understand the physiology of the kidneys, the anatomy of the heart, the laws governing genetics, and the basics of microbiology upon entering PA school, but there is also another reason for requiring these prerequisites before even beginning the application process. They have to make it hard. Why? People’s lives will be in our hands! If it was easy, anyone could do it. Instead, they weed out the uncommitted out gradually—general biology at 8 am, difficult upper-level courses, the GRE/MCAT, the application process, and finally the interview process—all before even opening a book in PA school! But of course there are benefits to this difficult journey. I am constantly being pushed to achieve greater knowledge and grow as a person. I honestly do love learning about this stuff. This is the life that I chose! And I wouldn’t change it in a minute. Would I prefer to not have to memorize the twenty amino acids today? Yes. In the big picture, is it beneficial to me that I am going the extra mile and taking a difficult biology course that requires so much extra studying? Yes. Will it help me to become a better health care provider and provide better patient care in the future? In a roundabout way, yes! Mission accomplished!
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In the news this morning was breaking news that the link between autism and the MMR vaccine was found to not only be nonexistent but also fraudulent. The research behind this supposed link was fabricated to create fear that the vaccine was causing autism in young children that received it. The real tragedy in this situation is that so many children are now at risk for getting measles, mumps, rubella, and other diseases because parents feared that vaccines would put their child at risk for autism. This also puts countless other children at risk who haven’t been fully vaccinated due to age or immune status, as well as creating many more reservoirs for the viruses and bacteria that cause these diseases that could create a potential outbreak. It is interesting that this story should come out so timely, since vaccines have been on my mind for the past few months, and the past week in particular. I just purchased (and read in a matter of days) the new book Deadly Choices: How the Anti-Vaccine Movement Threatens Us All , by Paul Offit, M.D. ( see here at Amazon ). The book details the emergence of the anti-vaccine movement, including court cases, scientific studies, and individuals’ experiences. I thought it was very informative, and proves how incorrect the “evidence” against vaccines really is. I had expected the book to be more on the scientific side, but it actually appeals to a wider audience since it is written in language easy to understand by someone with a basic knowledge of science. I thought the book was very logically organized and pointed out the facts well. In reality, this is an issue that I am very passionate about. I truly believe that vaccines prevent serious diseases that have devastated previous generations in our country and throughout the world. I have recently read a lot of research on vaccines and the arguments against them—not because I questioned vaccines, but rather because I wanted to know what to say to people who would argue against having their children vaccinated. The truth is, vaccines make biological sense. It is a complex problem—infectious diseases—that has come down to a simple solution—vaccines. No one will disagree that vaccines are not 100% effective. However, this is due to the very nature of vaccines and their interaction with the body’s immune system. However, by having a large percentage of the population vaccinated against preventable diseases, we protect those most vulnerable—infants not yet vaccinated, children not fully vaccinated, and the immune compromised. As health care providers, it is our job to help provide reliable information about vaccines to patients and parents to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases in our country and the world.
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