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Med School 101
March 6, 2009
Stanford School of Medicine
*Sorry, registration for this event is closed*
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SESSIONS
To sleep, perchance to dream… but, why?
Instructor: Rafael Pelayo, MD
Sleep. We all do it, but do we really understand it? This course will get you up to speed on what researchers know about this amazing -- and necessary -- function. You'll explore what happens in your brain while you're in the various stages of sleep and while you're dreaming, and you'll learn about sleep walking, insomnia and what happens when you're deprived of sleep -- like an estimated 47 million Americans. The class is taught by one of Stanford's leading sleep docs, who happens to specialize in issues related to kids and teens.
Young at heart?
Instructor: Tom Finsterbach, PhD
True or false: Heart problems only affect the sick and elderly. If you said true, think again! Even young, healthy athletes can suffer from fatal heart attacks that often come without warning. During the class, you'll hear all about the mechanics of this important organ, learn how to read electocardiograms, see images of real-life beating hearts and find out how researchers are trying to reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death among athletes.
Stem cells and stroke
Instructor: Raphael Guzman, MD
Is it possible to reverse the damage caused by stroke and injuries to the nervous system? Many researchers think so! Those in the field of so-called neuroregenerative medicine are studying how stem cells may someday be used to treat patients of stroke, brain injury, and devastating neurological diseases. During this talk, neurosurgeon Raphael Guzman will provide a background on stem cell research and discuss how he envisions the future treatment of his patients.
A doctor without borders: Surgical volunteerism
Instructor: Sherry Wren, MD
We often take for granted the top-notch medical care available to us; for many across the globe, that kind of care is not a luxury. This session will discuss the global need for surgical care throughout the developing world. Surgeon Sherry Wren will illustrate this through her personal experiences working with Doctors Without Borders in Africa. She'll discuss personal and ethical challenges she, and she'll use specific medical cases to illuminate the care available in developing nations.
Awards Night: The Oscars of cell biology*
Instructor: Kirstin Milks
Walk the red carpet with a scientist who uses microscopes to uncover dynamic information about how cells work. One of the most well-known awards in science is the Nobel Prize, and the most recent Prize in Chemistry was given for work that revolutionized what we know about cells. In this session, you'll look at pictures and movies from microscopes, and you'll see how these award-winning tools help scientists better understand how cells divide, grow, and function.
*THIS CLASS HAS BEEN CANCELLED
Scrub in and check out the OR*
Instructor: Sanjeev Dutta, MD
Last December, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford opened a new, 35,000 square-foot pediatric surgery facility. The facility, which is considered the most advanced on the West Coast, includes seven operating rooms designed specifically for young patients and stocked with the latest imaging and communication technologies. During this session, you'll gown up and tour the state-of-the-art space, then talk with pediatric surgeon Sanjeev Dutta.
*THIS CLASS IS FULL
All that you are, you owe to stem cells, parts I and II
Instructor: Eric Chiao, MD
Stem cells have the ability to turn into any of the hundreds of different types of cells in your body. Their scientific and medical potential is astounding, and so is the amount of controversy they've stirred up! In this course you'll learn about the different types of stem cells and their potential to treat patients and regenerate organs. The session will take place in the off-campus building that houses the Stanford Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and taught by one of its leading researchers.
Note: This class is a double session that lasts the full morning. Anyone assigned to part 1 will automatically be assigned to part 2.
Wilderness medicine: Are you prepared for anything?
Instructor: Jay Sharp, MD
Snake bites, broken limbs and head wounds -- if you like hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, diving, adventure racing or river rafting, these are hazards for which you should be prepared. So, if you're out in the wilderness and something happens to you or your companions, what do you do? This course will introduce you to the field of wilderness medicine and some of the things you should know if you plan to go out in the wilderness and want to come back in one piece. You'll learn the truth about how to manage snakebites (no, you don't suck the venom out!) and other hazards of the hills.
Making new body parts
Instructor: Sarah Heilshorn, PhD
Humans, unlike some animals, aren't lucky enough to re-grow lost or damaged body parts -- so we have to rely on medical technology when we need repair. A lot of the materials surgeons use to replace damaged parts aren't exactly natural (hip joint replacements are made out of titanium, for example), and researchers know better materials are needed to replace more complicated body parts like heart tissue or the spinal cord. In this session, you'll learn from engineering professor Sarah Heilshorn about the new materials being developed to imitate natural tissue and heal broken bodies.
This is your brain
Instructor: graduate students in neurology
Have you ever wondered what makes you who you are? Or why a brain is so wrinkly? Or what goes on inside a fish's head? This session offers a hands-on introduction to the brain and its various functions. A small group of graduate students will discuss their brain research and answer your questions about the body's most intriguing organ.
Battle of the bulge
Instructor: John Morton, MD
One in three U.S. adults are overweight or obese, and 15 percent of children between the ages of six and 19 are overweight. With these numbers rapidly increasing each year, obesity has become a serious public health problem. During this session, you'll hear about the severe health effects of obesity and learn how some very obese patients are being treated with bariatric bypass, or weight loss, surgery. The course is led by bariatric surgery director John Morton, who will also share some of his patient stories.
Touch my tumor*
Instructor: Beth Chang, PhD
Last year, more than 1.4 million Americans were diagnosed with some form of cancer, and more than 500,000 cancer patients died. Most cancers develop into a solid tumor somewhere in the body, and this session will focus on why and how tumors form and spread. Following a talk from cancer researcher Beth Chang, you'll get the chance to view and even touch human tumor samples.
*THIS CLASS IS FULL
Paging Dr. Gadget: Training future inventors of medical technology
Instructor: Joshua Makower, MD
Ever see a device or invention and think to yourself, "I could've thought of that," or "I can make this better?" You're not alone -- Stanford's Biodesign Program is full of future inventors who are constantly thinking of ways to re-invent technology to improve medicine and patient care. During this session, you'll shadow a biodesign fellow and see what it takes to cultivate an idea from the ground up. You'll learn how to identify clinical needs, brainstorm in small groups and deliver your best ideas during a presentation.
What it's like being a brain surgeon*
Instructor: Melanie Hayden, MD
Neurosurgeons are responsible for the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of brain, nerve, and spinal cord diseases -- in other words, some pretty heavy stuff! During this course, one young doctor will discuss her path to becoming a neurosurgeon and will share some of the amazing things she and her colleagues see and do in the operating room. If you love the dramatic operating scenes on shows like Grey's Anatomy and ER, this is the session for you.
*THIS CLASS IS FULL
Mind control -- for better living
Instructor: Sean Mackey, MD, PhD
No, this class isn't about achieving world domination. It's about how patients can use their mind to control their pain. You may have heard of an imaging technique called MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) that can take images of a person's soft tissue, sort of like the way an X-ray can take an image of your bones. Using MRI, patients can watch their own brain on a screen and see the activity in the areas of their brain that process pain, while the processing is actually happening. And by learning various mental strategies, patients can alter how those pain processing areas react -- watching the changes in real time as their brain responds to their thoughts! A Stanford anesthesiologist has been studying patients in pain; in this course, he'll fill you in on this intriguing area of research.
Inside out: The human anatomy in 3D
Instructor: Kingsley Willis
Ever wonder what we're all like beneath the surface? Get an in-depth look at the world-renowned Bassett collection, a beautiful and complete collection of stereoscopic images from dissections of the human body. These images are used by medical students to study practically every part of the human body -- from its tiniest veins, arteries and nerves to serial cross-sections of the spinal cord. You'll also be treated to 3D images of Italian anatomical waxwork sculptures from the 18th and 19th centuries, which can also be used to teach anatomy to medical students.
Everything you wanted to know about cancer (but were afraid to ask)
Instructor: Modi Wetzler, PhD
Why do people get cancer, and how does it develop? How is cancer treated, and how have two specific types of cancers been cured? What does the future hold for other cancers, and what can you do to help? Those are among the questions being addressed in this session, led by Modi Wetzler, a bioengineering researcher who has tackled cancer firsthand! He hopes you'll walk away from this session with some ideas, inspiration and hope.
You snooze, you don't lose
Instructor: Cheri Mah
Do you ever wish you could run faster, make more basketball shots, or just be a better athlete overall? Or perhaps you just want to ace your next test at school. This course will explore how sleep can help you achieve these goals. Instructor Cheri Mah recently led a study showing that athletes who got an extra amount of sleep were more likely to have better performance, mood, and alertness. She'll discuss her research, talk about the importance of sleep in general, and share what you can do to improve your sleep habits.
Virtual surgery – performed by you!*
Instructor: Sandra Feaster, RN, MS
Have you ever wondered how surgeons learn their trade and practice their techniques? Thankfully, most surgeons perfect their skills well before ever stepping into an operating room – and they do it by practicing on simulated patients. In this session, based in the Goodman Simulation Center you'll get to play the role of surgeon and perform surgery in a simulated environment. You'll use the tools surgeons use and cut like doctors cut, all without ever touching a live patient!
*THIS CLASS IS FULL