Editor-in-Chief:Jodi Midiri

Production Editor:Joey Wallach

Production Associate:Katie Angelova

Editors:Brittany JewkesErica Morgan

Ambica NakhasiVirginia ParkerLeyla WarsameJulie WeinbergPhotographer:Adam Beaton

Advertising Sales:Ian Kahane

Semester 3: It began as quickly as a humoral attack, striking accurately with an onslaught of toxic substances, and students were quickly engulfed into a phagolysosome that no rumor could have prepared them for. The notorious notion of ‘bugs and drugs’ didn’t do them any justice. Pac-man ghosts haunted their dreams, shape-shifting into various gram negative and positive bacteria. Cries began, as they longed for the Neuro block to return, to re-unite with material that at first seemed daunting, but soon became the best part of their second semester.

Last semester did take its toll caudally though. Our most cranial block, Neuro, quickly sub-dued to diarrhea from the GI block, followed quickly by the hormonal madness of the Repro module. At first, Repro seemed manageable,

Volume 2: Issue 1

A Monthly Periodical- Established 2012 -

Letter From the Editor

Staff3: Swing of Thingsby Anatol Silotch

Failure: When your best isn’t good enough.

I’m kidding of course.

Imagine you’re a marathon runner. Train-ing is your way of life. What if you were run-ning say, the London Marathon, and your goal is to not only win, but break the record. And then, just moments from achievement, human nature takes control. You defecate on the side of the road in front of an entire audience, and it’s broadcast worldwide. I bet you’d think- Fail! Well, it might seem that way, but this is truly what happened to Paula Radcliffe in 2005. However, what if I told you that she then picked up her shorts as fast as she dropped them and WON that race. And despite that pit stop, she is the current world record holder at 2:15:25.

I think we are all bound to feel failure in some form. It may be a grade, an indiscretion, a thoughtless remark, or maybe even the inability to connect as well as you might want with your friends and family. But if there is just failure, then only its counterpart, success, can exist. Our world seems too complicated with shades of gray for that to be the case.

If you’ve just taken a proverbial poop in your pants, run on my friends! Run on!

Sincerely,

Jodi Midiri

ROSSED DAILYJune 22, 2012

Photo of the Month Winner

Email your submissions to RossedDaily@gmail.com Photo credit: Mehak Gandhi

Photo Credit: Aalyia Ali

If someone came up to me after the neuro practical and asked me to sum up second se-mester thus far in one sentence, I would put on my best Dr. Welke and reply, “A lesion to the following area of the brain would result in what type of deficit?” Don’t think that sounds like much? Then let’s just take a minute to remem-ber where we were around this time into first semester.

I remember it was around week five or six last semester, just before Mini 1 Part 2, when I threw up my hands and said something along the lines of “Who cares? I don’t want to do re-search and I certainly don’t want to be a cell biologist, so does it really matter that the protein

that links integrin molecules to the actin cyto-skeleton is vinculin? Am I ever going to actu-ally use this? Will knowing this fact make me a better doctor?” My lecture slides and study products were filled with notes on the structure and functions of proteins, the cell cycle, and the various jobs of golgi and endoplasmic reticu-lum; they looked like my notes from undergrad, or worse, highschool. It didn’t feel like I was in medical school.

We were already two months into first se-mester, an eighth of our total time on the is-land—after which we will have to go out and meet with real patients—and the only things I felt confident in diagnosing a patient with were Horner’s syndrome and winged scapula. I finally understood all those medical school

parody videos on YouTube that quipped “Pto-sis, miosis, anhidrosis….the closest you get to a REAL diagnosis!” Even the first IME simula-tion had let me down by focusing more on how I felt about the simulation itself rather than actu-ally providing practical knowledge. Things did eventually get better once we moved out of the Fundamentals block, and into Cardio, but even then, more often than not, we would build up to something clinical and then have professors say, “Don’t worry about this, you’ll get the details in semesters three and four.” In fact, the most clinical learning experiences I had during first semester: a basic suturing clinic, shadowing for an afternoon at Dr. Fadipe’s general surgery practice, and learning to start an IV, were all put

2: Playing Doctorby Adam Beaton

Continued on Page 2

Continued on Page 2

In last semester’s article, entitled “No Me-diasite For You!” issues were raised as to why students are selectively allowed to mediasite at home as part of the PAcE program. We felt this was an injustice and set out to find out why, if this could benefit all students, would we be denied such a service?

Dean Raskin has graciously followed up with our concerns and asked us to share the follow-ing information:

1) The accreditation board would not object to every student being able to mediasite from home, as long as they are in proximity to campus and continue to use mediasite as a supplementary resource.2) In light of this, The Office of The Dean, is taking measures to acquire the technical support (i.e. bandwidth) to enable this capability.

This is fantastic news for those students who find it difficult to find a quiet study space, have become hurt or ill, or even those who want to re-watch lectures in the evening. In addition, it allows all students equal access to an educa-tional service that can improve our performance at Ross. In an accelerated program, it’s nice to have a helping hand.

We’re delighted to inform you that these changes are expected to take place over the next few months, hopefully by next semester. Thank you Dean’s Office! We applaud you!■

Link to archived April 2012 issue:

http://www.mediafire.com/view/?5jg5s5bg9lymm88

BREAKING NEWS!by Jodi Midiri

I was initially hesitant to share my experience about being a first semester repeater. To be downright honest, it has been one of the more traumatizing experiences of my life. Not to mention how embarrassing it can be to tell all your friends and acquaintances. This campus is too darn small to go unnoticed. I came to Ross as a “firstie” in Fall 2011. Despite the life-changing move and fast-paced curriculum, I loved every minute of medical school. I did not mind the hotter than hell weather, demise of good hair days, absence of Wal-Mart, occasional brown water, sporadic loss of electricity, and monotonous shack food. I gladly dealt with all these things, in addition to a gru-eling study schedule, just to know that one day I would be a physician. Without excavating the sob story details of what went wrong before the final exam, I will just tell you that I completely bombed it. This caused me to fail 2 blocks. Ross dismissed me, and I had a choice to withdraw or appeal; I appealed.

Thankfully (praise the Lord), Ross accepted my appeal! I wiped my tears of joy, packed my suitcase, and made the journey from Miami to Dominica to repeat first semester. As the plane began its descent into Melville Hall, I looked out the window and could not believe I was seeing this beautiful Jurassic Park island again. The plane was just about to land, until all of a sudden…liftoff! The pilot ran

out of runway space and had to take off to avoid crash-ing into the ocean. Fearing for my life while the shaky plane ascended, I couldn’t help but laugh to myself. I was already being “Rossed” before I even arrived on campus. The pilot turned the plane around and fortunately, landing round two was a success. I was hoping that this was a sign that round two for me would be a success as well.

Fast forward to the first week of classes and I was not experiencing the typical first semester shock as some of my peers were, because I had already went through it months ago. Instead of making the traditional adjustment, I was comparing both experiences of week one. I found some commonalities among firsties: the petrified look on their faces prior to dissecting a cadaver for the first time, the aimless roaming around campus trying to find a build-ing, and lastly, the realization that they would be studying almost all day, seven days a week. It has been advanta-geous for me this time around knowing that bountiful free time over the weekend is a thing of the past.

First semester students feel every emotion possible while submersing themselves into this new lifestyle. I am not the only one who has faced challenges or will face challenges, but attending medical school at Ross will be one of the most rewarding experiences that will mold me into an ad-mirable physician that my future patients deserve. ■

1: Semester 1, Round 2 Page 2 June 22, 2012Rossed Daily

by Christina Gambino

Seeking 4thSemester Writer

2: Playing Doctor, continued from page 1

on by student-run clubs, and not by the school itself. For me and many of my class-mates, the learning process seemed discon-nected from the actual practice of medicine.

Thankfully, second semester has already turned out to be an entirely different ball game. Four days into the first week we were already learning about the presenting signs and symptoms of various nerve lesions and brain trauma during our first Neurology Lab. By the sixth day of classes I found myself in Reflex Lab where my partner and I tapped away at each other in the hopes of eliciting a deep tendon reflex. Sure, we may have missed the spot we were aiming for seven out of ten times and, yes, maybe we jokingly blamed it on the other person having a cervi-cal nerve lesion, but by the end, we weren’t half bad at it. The point is that it felt relevant; testing reflexes is something that doctors do all the time. Week three saw us putting more of our neurology lectures to use in the Eye Lab where we learned, among other things, how to test the extra-ocular muscles and look for strabismus using the “H-Test.” Again, it was one of those “Oh yeah, I’m going to be a doctor” moments that make the material seem more interesting and make the long study hours worth it. As second semes-

ter student Anooj Patel put it, “I feel that 2nd semester is way more interesting because of the clinical integration into the curriculum.”

In a few weeks I will have my first graded Standardized Patient experience at Ross where I’ll be expected to don my white coat, pretend I know what I’m doing, and put all of my alleged knowledge and skills to the test to assess a patient, check his or her vitals, reflexes, eyes and write up a full history. After the first Standardized Patient practice sessions, one classmate, Kody N., remarked that “SP [practice] was my most awkward moment at Ross,” though he was quick to follow up with, “but at least it made some lectures—like that brutal one on bruits—worth it,” and added that “it was kind of interesting to actually feel like I was working with patients.” I tend to agree with Kody. For many of us it was a bit awkward, but let’s be honest, it’s only the first of many awkward moments we’ll have on our paths to becoming physicians—can you say D.R.E? At least it’s a first step towards pa-tient interaction and putting lecture material to good use clinically, which, as far as I’m concerned this is a step in the right direc-tion. ■

3: Swing of Things, continued from page 1

given the class scored a 79% average on mini-3; but just like the calm before the menstrual cycle, the Final Exam sloughed, I mean struck, and the thought of Reproduc-tion still haunts us to this day. But let’s not dwell on the bloody massacre; why not shine light on the positives that arose since then.

Students now start their days with utter excitement, as they open their laptops and begin a game of chess against RUSM-STU-DENT, whereby victory grants internet ac-cess, while defeat causes an activation of enough β1 receptors to cause angina.

For those tech-savvy enough to pass through the encrypted barrier, a world of ease lies ahead. The G drive is ballin’ like a G this semester, offering students neatly or-ganized folders, allowing students to quickly navigate through professors’ lectures and questions. Lecture hours have been sliced back to allow time to stress over countless gigabytes of information to be memorized. Media-site has also had its own facelift, whereby students must now turn down their screen’s brightness due to how shiny the new black window plays lectures. The

IT department has definitely been keeping busy, offering constant changes (albeit in large part due to our Brad Pitt of computers, Joey Wallach).

This semester also brought such things as new PBL rooms (their function has yet to be confirmed), a new snack joint under construction by the Security office, and rumors have it bathrooms on campus now have “Flush After Use” signs. The ‘beach’ volleyball court has also seen its share of im-provements. The court started off the semes-ter with the thinnest gravel it’s ever seen, which has since returned to its usual con-crete-feeling-composition. It also now sports sidelines to help with narrow plays (sky-cam possibility still under investigation). Finally, after eight months of pleading, a tarp fence has been built to prevent volleyballs from rolling down the steep 100-foot jungle drop into the Caribbean where we almost lost the writer of this semestory last semester.

Third semesters have a reputation to up-hold; work hard, play hard. And this semes-ter showed no exception.

Rossed Daily looks forward to following them through the rest of the semester. ■

Page 3 June 22, 2012Rossed Daily

We all need to take a study break and get some physical activity from time to time. Most of us enjoy more conventional sports like foot-ball, soccer, or basketball. However, there are a few of us that like to venture off the terrestrial ground and into the ocean for our recreation. For those of us lucky enough to have been ex-posed to it, that go-to sport is surfing! Many I have talked to around campus aren’t even aware that Dominica has a myriad of different surfing locations. It may not be Hawaii or Cali-fornia but the mere fact that you can surf here is enough to put a smile on a surfer’s face. Here are a few tips to get you in the water.

Boards: Best bet is to bring your own as a check-in. Unless you can sweet talk the re-ceptionist, American Airlines charges around $100US per board bag, which is pricy but a necessary evil. Don’t forget to bring extra wax, fin keys, and a ding repair kit. I don’t recom-mend shipping boards separately because it costs more and it takes 4 weeks to get here, plus customs may “misplace” some of your gear (believe me from experience). If you don’t own a board then ask around at some of the dive shops and keep an eye out for anyone selling a board.

Where to surf: The more exposed Atlantic/east side of Dominica is where the majority of the waves are, but the Caribbean/west side will get waves on occasion as well. Batibou is a fun beginner type wave on the north end

of Calibishie. Red Rock is at the south end of Calibishie and is probably one of the more con-sistent spots on our island, plus they have a bar/restaurant right on the beach. Occasionally the

airport beach breaks can get good, but Pagua Bay just south of the airport is more protected from the wind and is generally a better wave. If you can get there, even better waves can be found south of the Carib territory. Given the right swell, PBH (yes our PBH) is actually sur-fable a few times a semester and mostly dur-ing the winter months. There are other better surf spots south of school if you know where to look; I’ll keep those a secret for now.

How to get there: Well you could always get a taxi; or get lucky and meet a friend with 4 wheel drive car like I did. Splitting on a rental car when you know the waves are going to be good is another great idea. Just make sure you get the car insured.

So is there surf in Dominica? Most defi-nitely. A good eye for the right conditions with a little luck and you can score some really fun waves all to yourself. Not many locals surf here but as always, show respect in and out of the water and don’t drop in on anyone. Given enough time to explore, Dominica has limitless possibilities for us wave riders. Happy surf-ing!■

by Vinny Giani

Surfing In Dominica?

Photo credit: Gwen Bell

Dom’s Culinary Critics

The Shacks credit: http://louisiana2dominica.wordpress.com/

Shrimp, Ginger & Green Onion credit: http://louisiana2dominica.worpress.com/

Sushi from the Usual Spot Photo credit: http://louisiana2dominica.wordpress.com/

“Island Fever”

Top 10: Medical Oddities

This indeed, is an appropriate name for the syndrome which I am about to discuss. I’m sure by now those of us who are not immune have felt the temptation of the opposite sex (or same sex depending on your taste) distracting us while studying. Let me assure you this is a normal part of life, just like eating and sleeping, we humans need to connect with one another for our survival and well-being. Some argue that we are evolutionarily driven towards finding a mate. In this case, nature is a force we cannot ignore. It adds excitement to our otherwise monoto-nous, overloaded med. student lives, especially post-mini time; how-ever, “Island Fever” can be quite an impediment. Broken hearts and dis-tracted students do not make for a good combi-nation.

Ross’ program is rigorous and fast-paced. It takes place in an environment that is completely different from what most are accustomed to. The four-month semesters feel like an eternity in an isolated village, i.e. the same people doing the same things day in and day out.

So how, might you ask, is one capable of ful-

filling their evolutionary demands under these abnormal circumstances?

Easy...we are all pre-programmed for sexual attraction and physical connections. We have neural pathways that specifically modulate sexual functioning and behavior, which in turn, allows us to feel pleasure and joy whenever we make a connection.

In this hot, tropical climate, how can one notice the amount of cleavage that we are exposed to when we spend 20 hours a day studying in the quiet and lonely world that is our mind; how can we resist the urge to connect with other people-be it on a simply platonic level?!

Our tenure in the nature isle is an excit-ing yet scary leap into adulthood, a new world

where we are forced to balance responsibility and hard work with our emotions and urges, all while relying on one another to feel comforted and supported.

With “Island Fever” raging, we must always remember why we are here...to become physi-cians. Easier said than done, but look to my future article for some help on ways to “Beat the Heat.”■

by Terry Vouyoukas

by Kofoworola Ojo

In the medical world, there is no shortage of strange, baffling or unbelievable cases; so, this list pretty much speaks for itself.

Sources:

1. “10 More Bizarre and Fascinating Medical Tales.” Listverse. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 June 2012. <http://listverse.com/2010/07/13/10/more-bizarre-and-fascinating-medical-tales/%20%20>.

2. “46 Year Pregnancy.” Extraordinary People. N.p., 29 Mar. 2012. Web. 15 June 2012. <http://www.mymultiplesclerosis.co.uk/misc/zahra-aboutalib.html>.

3. “CBC News - Health - Vancouver Patient Oozes Green Blood - StumbleUpon.” Cbc.ca. N.p., 8 June 2007. Web. 15 June 2012. <www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/06/08/health-green-blood.html>.

4. “Colorado Doctor Finds Foot In Newborn’s Brain.” Thedenverchannel.com. N.p., 17 Dec. 2008. Web. 15 June 2012. <hedenverchannel.c>.

5. “Edward Mordake - Was He Truly Real?” N.p., n.d. Web. 15 June 2012. <http://www.psyweb.com/drughtm/jsp/celexa.jsp>.

6. “Girl Laughs Non-stop for 12 Years.” TheSun.com. N.p., 15 Jan. 2009. Web. 15 June 2012.

7. “Miracle Baby ‘grew in Liver’” BBC.com. N.p., May 2003. Web. 15 June 2012.

8. “Top 10 Shocking Medical Stories.” Top 10 Lists. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 June 2012. <http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-shocking-medical-stories.php%20>.

10. The Girl Who Can’t Stop Giggling

Xu Pinghui is a 13-year-old Chinese girl who has been laughing, NON-STOP for 12 years. The condition started when she was eight months old, after the development of a fever. “There is no happiness for us,” said her father, “Seeing her laughing we feel, is even sadder than if she were crying.”6 Although this case has stumped doctors, there is some hope for Pinghui’s parents, who have been ‘desperate to fi nd a cure.’ Somehow, the fever might have damaged the girl’s frontal lobe. Whether this has led to a successful treatment is currently unknown.

9. Oozing Green Blood

Suffering from compartment syndrome, after falling asleep while kneeling, the 42-year-old man was about to undergo surgery when his doctor’s realized their patient had green blood. Of course, like good doctors, blood from the man was sent to the lab to be checked for methemoglobin. While the results came back negative for that condition, the lab had detected sulfhemoglobin, a condition that is thought to be triggered by some medications. Just as the name suggests, the rare condition (whose mechanism is not that well known) is caused by drugs donating their sulfur group to hemoglobin, preventing the binding of oxygen. Although the doctors can’t prove it, they think the condition was caused by the patient’s higher-than-advised dosage of Sumatriptan, a migraine medication.

8. A Life Without Pain Sounds awesome, right? Of course not, you know better than that. Congenital Insensitiv-ity to Pain (CIPA) is an extremely rare disease, with only 100 documented cases worldwide, those who suffer from it cannot feel pain, cold or heat. It is usually diagnosed at a young age, where the child might bite their lips until they bleed or show a general ignorance to pain. Pa-tients with the disease experience hyperthermia when the weather is hot, which can lead to men-tal retardation. Gabby Gingras, a nine-year-old girl, currently suffers from CIPA. Her parents noticed something was off with her around the age of fi ve months. Gabby bit her fi ngers until they bled, lost one eye and “severely injured the other one due to excessive rubbing and scratch-ing.”8 Since there is no cure for CIPA, Gabby’s parents (as well as others who suffer from the disease) take extra precautions to lower the chances of injury.

7. Allergic to WaterAquagenic Urticaria is a painful skin reaction to water, while Aquagenic Pruritus consists of skin itching when the person comes in contact with water. Those who suffer from these skin condi-tions are basically allergic to water. Michaela Dutton of England, suffers from Aquagenic Urticaria. She can’t shower without feeling intense pain, drink water or eat fruits, which would cause a swelling in her throat. Amaz-ingly however, her body can take Diet Coke. Ashleigh Morris of Australia, also suffers from the same condition, and has stopped doing any activity that makes her sweat. Currently, there is no known reason for these conditions.

6. The Girl Who Doesn’t Age Born January 8, 1993, Brooke Greenberg still has the mental capacity of a one-year-old and the physical appearance of a toddler. The disease is termed ‘Syndrome X’ and the mechanism behind it, is currently unknown; however, scientists believe there was a defect in the gene that controls aging. Although, probably distressing to her parents, the scientifi c community is reveling in the fact that they can study her and, “Just possibly, it could give us an opportunity to answer the question of why we are mortal.”1

5. The Liver BabyOuch, that must have been painful. “Miracle baby ‘grew in liver’” was the headline from BBC news in May 2003, for the South African baby Nhlahla, who apparently was the 14th re-ported case. Normally, the fertilized egg is sup-posed to implant itself in the womb. For some although, there’s implantation in the fallopian tube, i.e. an ectopic pregnancy and for others (1 in 100,000 pregnancies), the egg falls out of the fallopian tube and implants itself in the abdomen; in this case, the liver. Most of these babies don’t survive for very long, but Nhlahla and her 20-year-old mother did, and are doing well. ‘Miracle baby’ is defi nitely a fi tting term.

4. The 46 Year PregnancySometimes people like to joke that a woman has been pregnant ‘forever’ (I guess). For Zahra Aboutalib of Morocco, this was a reality. In 1955, while undergoing a painful 48 hour labor, her doctor told her that she would need to have a caesarean section. Upon hearing that, Zahra left the hospital, fearing that she would end up dying like the woman she’d recently seen giving birth. She suffered terrible pains for a few days, but after a while, they subsided and she went on with her life. Forty-six years later, when Zahra was in her mid-70s, the pains came back. After being referred to a radiologist, an MRI revealed that her (now) protruding belly was her child from her earlier (ectopic) pregnancy. When the baby was surgically removed...it was calcifi ed: “a stone-baby” and had fused with Zahra’s ab-dominal wall. Why was it calcifi ed? Apparently the mother’s immune system, seeing the baby as a threat, covered it in a “calciferous substance” to let it die.

3. Foot in Baby’s BrainMore babies! I bet OB/GYN is looking more ap-pealing now. This case occurred in the good old US of A, Colorado Springs. Two feet, intestines, hand and thigh: these were the limbs and organs that pediatric brain surgeon Dr. Paul Grabb encountered while performing the life-saving surgery. Whether it was just a well developed teratoma or a fetus in fetu (twin growing inside the other), is not known--either way, the doctors at the hospital have never seen anything quite like this. The child is alive and doing well, aside for weakness on one side of his body, as well as having trouble with some eye functions.

2. Edward Mordake Or the man with an extra face on the back of his head. A face that couldn’t speak, but could laugh and cry. Supposedly. ‘Supposedly’ because there is no real record of ‘Edward’: his tale had been passed down through genera-tions by oral retelling. Either way, Edward had told others that the face “talked to him forever about ‘things from hell’”5. He began to seclude himself from society and eventually committed suicide.

Supposedly.

1. Fatal Familial Insomnia An autosomal dominant disease with no cure, FFI presents with insomnia that progressively gets worse. The patient will start having mild twitches, panic attacks, hallucinations and be in a confused state from lack of sleep. After almost two years from the diagnosis of the disease, the person will develop dementia and eventually die. Cheryl Dinges, currently 29, is part of one of the 40 families who carries this disease, and refuses testing. Although her sister did not inherit the mutation, her mother, uncle and grandfather have died from the disease. With autosomal dominant diseases, the chances of inheriting the bad allele from an affected parent is 50%. ■

The drug Truvada, (tenofovir/emtricitabine), has recently been given a nod from a divi-sion of the United States FDA for use as a pre-exposure prophylactic drug for persons at high-risk for exposure to HIV-1. This decision came after hours of consideration and review of research by the administration’s Antiviral Drugs Advisory Committee (ADAC). The drug, which was originally approved for use as a post-exposure anti-retroviral agent in 2004, had been thought to have some preventative value for some time.

In consideration for their recommendation, the ADAC reviewed three studies concern-ing Truvada’s application in pre-exposure prophylaxis. The first, a study conducted by Botswana’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, assessed a 63% reduction in the rate of HIV-1 Infection among high-risk groups treated with Truvada relative to the rate of infec-tion in the general population. The second, a study conducted by partners of the University of Washington in Kenya, similarly noted a 62% reduction in HIV-1 infections among those treated with Truvada versus a control. The third, a study conducted by the drug’s developer, Gilead Sciences, showed a 44% decrease in HIV incidence among treated individuals when compared to a group given a placebo.

Gilead’s study raised concerns with the ADAC despite their endorsement for its use as a prophylactic for HIV-1. The committee acknowledged the risk of Truvada being used as a party drug or a “medical condom,” taken only occasionally to preempt an anticipated potential exposure to HIV, as opposed to the prescribed daily use. Backing that concern, they cite figures reporting undetectable levels of the drug in nearly half of the participants in Gilead’s

study. Should the drug only see “recreational” use, contested the committee, there might be an increased risk of HIV due to resistance to the drug. Since Truvada is a combination of drugs currently used in the post-exposure treatment of HIV, resistance to the drug could present significant problems in the future.

The ADAC encouraged the drug’s developer to step up their current risk evaluation and miti-gation strategy for Truvada. They also suggest-ed the inclusion of a warning that Truvada alone may not be adequate to treat HIV post-exposure, as well as a more extensive physician education program in proper use of the drug. Despite the pending approval of use as a prophylactic drug, Gilead’s REMS does not require a negative HIV test to be indicated for use.

With a 30-day supply of Truvada costing between $1,200 - $1,300, it would seem some-what impractical for most people to be using it, regardless of whether that use is as prescribed or used improperly as a “recreational” drug. The ADAC was quick to point out that a cheaper alternative to the drug was proper condom use, which has been shown in some studies to reduce transmittance of HIV-1 by up to 90%, a figure the drug itself could not boast. Regardless of cost and relative efficacy, the committee hopes that Truvada becomes another tool for physi-cians to make use of in limiting the spread of HIV-1.

The FDA is set to make a final ruling on the prophylactic use of Truvada for HIV-1 on June 15, 2012.■

by Steven Black

Concerns Amid Pending Approval of Anti-HIV Prophylactic

Page 4 June 22, 2012Rossed Daily

Photo credit: Adam Beaton

Every 2nd semester knows that even though neuroscience feels like you’re learning a new language – it’s easier with the help of great professors. Her passion for the brain, coupled with her encouraging attitude has made Dr. Laura Welke one of the most highly respected professors here at Ross.

Her passion for science began during her sophomore year at Augsburg College when her roommate took anatomy and complained about how difficult the class was. Up for the challenge to see if the claims were true, she decided to enroll in the anatomy class. Not only did she excel in the class, she became a TA for it and began taking other anatomi-cal sciences classes and Neurobiology. She changed her major to Biology with minors in Chemistry and Psychology and began to forge her journey in science.

Growing up in a rural Minnesota town, Dr. Welke knew from a young age that she wasn’t fit to be a small town girl and after gradua-tion from Augsburg headed to Boston Uni-versity. She completed her doctoral work in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiol-ogy at Boston University School of Medicine. For her dissertation work, Dr. Welke trained in primate neurosurgery where she worked under leading Hippocampal experts (explains her love for seahorses!).

Dr. Welke’s independence has carved her path in life. She broke the stereotypical mold of husband and kids as “settling down was never [her] forte.” She would rather “be on [her] own traveling the world,” which brought her to Ross in 2005, where she continues to

inspire her students to step out of the box and follow their passions.

Question #1- What would students be sur-

prised to learn about you? The image of the seahorse on the title slides

of my lectures is indeed my own tattoo of a seahorse. Once I completed my dissertation, I got the tattoo in tribute to my advisors. For my “fun” part time jobs in grad school, I worked as a personal assistant to a wealthy Bostonian and even worked for the inventor of Ethernet technology.

Question #2- If you could bring anything

from home back to Dominica, what would it be?

Living in New York City, I really miss the elegant culinary experience. I would love for some finer dining – and decent air travel!

Question #3- What’s your favorite kind of

music and what’s your favorite thing to do? I appreciate all genres of music – but my

favorite music is the karaoke parties at the Sheakley’s house! As far as T.V., right now I’m into Madmen, Revenge, and Game of Thrones. Everyone must watch the season fi-nale of Revenge – the last 10 minutes is the best thing on TV right now!

Question #4- If you could travel anywhere,

where would you go? One of my passions is traveling to all of the

major archeological sites around the world. Next on the list is the famous Machu Picchu ruins in Peru.

Question #5- What’s the best advice you’ve

ever received? Everything that my grandmother ever said

to me. She completely embodied the “golden rule” and had an overwhelming sense of kind-ness and generosity. She as well as my other family members allowed me to forge my own path in life – with overwhelming support to allow me to do what I desired. I have also been truly blessed with amazing mentors, ad-visors and friends that helped shaped me into who I am today.■

by Virginia Parker

Faculty Five: Dr. Welke

Dr. Welke Photo credit: Adam Beaton

Women In MedicineIn 1849 Elizabeth Blackwell became the first

woman to receive a U.S. medical degree from Geneva Medical College in New York. Fifteen years later Rebecca Lee Crumpler followed her to become the first African-American woman to receive the prestigious degree. Since then, the number of U.S. women physicians has risen from 200 in 1860 to more than 7,000 at the be-ginning of the 20th century (American Medical Association). Now, women make up roughly half of every medical class in the United States and at Ross as well. Despite progress, women continue to specialize in the same fields time and time again. The American Medical Asso-ciation states, “More than 60% of female phy-sicians are in 6 specialties: internal medicine, pediatrics, family medicine, obstetrics/gynecol-ogy, psychiatry, and anesthesiology.” Addition-ally, female physicians only make up “27.4% of physicians in medical teaching, 20.6% in administration and 22.3% in research.”

So why the disparity? Why do women consis-tently choose primary care and general practice specialties over subspecialties and academic medicine? Perhaps it’s because primary care specialties allow for more flexibility allowing them to spend more time at home to raise chil-dren. In June 2011, anesthesiologist Karent S. Sibert wrote a controversial article in the New York Times that condemned women who chose to work part-time or completely leave the pro-fession for child-rearing. A mother of four, she asserted that physicians have a societal obliga-tion to practice full-time, and that it is unethi-cal to not fulfill that duty. “I have great respect for stay-at-home parents, and I think it’s fine if journalists or chefs or lawyers choose to work part time or quit their jobs altogether. But it’s different for doctors. Someone needs to take

care of the patients,” she stated. So what’s a female in medicine to do? They

are criticized for not fulfilling their societal duty to work full-time and are also pressured to subspecialize. Yet in male-dominated spe-cialties many women face discrimination or harassment, as one female neurosurgeon wrote on an online blog, “This specialty is full of men with stay-at-home wives who do everything for them. Nothing against SAHM’s!! But don’t expect your fellow residents or partners to un-derstand taking breaks for breastfeeding. Don’t expect them to help you in any way, because they have NO IDEA what your life is like out-side work” (Mothers in Medicine). Of course, one can not make a blanket statement and claim that all, or even a majority, of male physicians are insensitive to the particulars of motherhood, but perhaps the demarcation between work and personal life is more absolute for a male sur-geon than it is for female one, and even more so when she is a mother.

Female medical students, residents, and phy-sicians are a unique demographic whose emo-tions and feelings too often get swept under the rug. At times, they may feel dehuman-ized—functioning void of emotions. At oth-ers, superhuman--expected to perform beyond human capability. They are extra-ordinary. Thus, rather than fulfill expectations that have been pushed onto them by external factors, they must contribute to medicine in the same way as their pioneers over a century and a half ago---by daring to be the core of who they are. Whether it’s pursuing a fellowship while being a mom, or listening to the inner voice telling them to cut back on hours, they must listen to, and nurture that which pulls on the strings of their hearts, for it is this true calling that has silently carried them to where they stand today, and will continue to carry them throughout their professional lives. ■

Ambica Nakhasi (left) and Missy Cassie (right) at the White Coat Ceremony Photo credit: Ambica Nakhasi

Page 5 June 22, 2012Rossed Daily

by Ambica Nakhasi

Those who have seen a lionfish would agree that it’s probably one of the most beautiful fish in the sea, which is why they are sought after by many aquarium owners. Unfortu-nately, this beautiful fish has been introduced into waters in which they are not native and spread like an influenza pandemic. Lionfish, which are native to the Indo-Pacific, have been found in the waters of the Atlantic, from North Carolina to Florida, and throughout the Caribbean.

This exotic fish has been a major problem to the ecosystems which they have invaded. Lionfish are voracious predators known to eat many ecologically and economically impor-tant species of fish. They also have no known predators, which has allowed them to thrive in the warm waters of the Caribbean and Atlan-tic. Since their introduction, a sharp decline in the diversity of species of reef fish has been noticed.

In order to protect the reefs many of us enjoy on post-mini dives, Cabrits Dive Centre has hosted lionfish hunts in which advanced certified divers are given a shot at spearing this exotic fish. Following the dive, they are able to enjoy the fruits of their labor and have a taste of what is now considered “the Carib-bean’s new delicacy.” The owners of the dive

shop have hosted a hunt for the past two se-mesters and plan on making this a tradition. This is not only an enjoyable event for stu-dents to partake in, but it is also a good way to get people involved in protecting our reefs.

Helen Clarke, owner of the dive shop, said, “Although we still have lionfish we definitely see that [the hunting] is helping. [Compared] to the middle of the island, the lionfish are much bigger than ours.” With the help of Dominica Watersports Association, the dive shop has planned an island tour this summer in efforts to educate locals about the impor-tance of protecting the reefs. They plan on promoting the eating of lionfish as well as getting fishermen involved in actively hunt-ing these exotics.■

by Greg Grandio

Hunting for a Delicacy

Lionfish Photo credit: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/

The Bunion

The semester kicked off nicely with puppy play dates on the beach, crowds of 1st Se-mesters shouting senseless study tips, and, of course, the grand closing of KFC.

1st Semester Mini I Part I concept review took a sharp turn on Rossed Blvd when a spirited young man refused to take “while you are allowed to ask about concepts, you cannot discuss the questions directly” for an answer. It was reported that the impassioned aspiring physician shouted, “I will teach the concepts to myself” and performed a gesture as such:

Complaints continued to spew from the Ross community as merciless “sweeping” at-tacks hit all corners of campus. Even Class-room 1, a home away from home to many, was raided by the heartless note snatchers. Shortly after, a dismal fate befell the campus toilets. Crowds of agitated students clench-ing near “OUT OF ORDER” signs were re-ported. Signs emphasizing the importance of showering to the maintenance of profession-alism were also added around campus as a reminder to those who did not find a working toilet in time.

As always, the Ross community partied on in the face of despair. Salybia Mission Project’s Stache Bash successfully brought about flocks of (oddly) unshaven men and itching, sneezing women, whose attempts to preserve their femininity while participating in this event resulted in mouthfuls of glitter and fake hair. ■

by Katie Angelova

Rossip

· A landmark study revealed during the Ross Research Day Sympo-sium found that periods of increased network usage of Facebook cor-related highly with periods of poor student performance, library hours, and lost Mediasite footage.

· The criminals behind the daring May 1st robbery of the Fishbowl’s

extensive carpeting have not yet been caught. Ross University has taken proactive steps to install cameras in the Library, in the event the robbers return for the desks and chairs.

· Geoffrey’s Carpet Emporium will be having a 50% off sale on used carpets on June 22nd.

· Officials are attributing April’s record-breaking final exam grades

with improvements in refining the curriculum and a more selective stu-dent enrollment process.

· The Government of Dominica is racing to sign contracts with pharmaceutical companies after declaring the depletion of Adderall reserves. A spokesperson cited a record-high number of Adderall pre-scriptions in and around the Portsmouth area.

· Officials for the Printer Technician’s Union have threatened to

continue a work-to-rule strike that has stretched into its 800th day. A random sampling of students, professors, and printer technicians was unable to locate anyone that was aware of a strike in progress. Union officials responded: “we have been having trouble finding a functional printer to produce the flyers” ■

News Blotter

Vinny Giani, Brian Jenson, Arthur Mash, Constantine Khoury at Stache Bash Photo credit: Ali Coleman

By: Vishal D. Patel

Page 6 June 22, 2012Rossed Daily

1. Your hair is less frizzy today. You must be acclimating.

2. You shaved your legs before the mini! Well done!

3. I’d rather study with you than go on a date.

4. My family wants to meet you.

5. When you dress up, I can almost imagine what you were like in real life. ■

1. You have less upper lip sweat today. You must be acclimating.

2. Your ability to grow and shave a mustache is astounding!

3. I’d rather study with you than go on a date.

4. My friends think you’re cute too.

5. White t-shirts are my favorite! I’m so glad you have so many of them. ■

by RD Staff

5 Ways to compliment your love interestPhoto credit: Daniela Rodrigues

Taxes are nothing more than the gov-ernment confiscating the people’s wealth. At the signing of the United States Con-stitution the country had no income tax, no self employment tax, no sales tax, no land tax, no capital gains

tax, and no other method to steal the people’s hard earned money. The government’s entire expenditures, from maintaining the army to congressional consumption, were all paid for by small import tariffs. Until the Civil war, people kept 100% of their incomes and the United States economy blossomed like no other economy on Earth.

In 1894, in the antagonistically named bill “An act to reduce Taxation...” the government increased taxes by levying the first permanent income tax of 2% on the middle and upper classes. Interestingly, congress exempted itself from this new duty. Before long, the Supreme Court would rule this tax unconstitutional and unjust. However, on the 12th of February 1913 the 16th amendment was born allowing con-gress to tax the citizens however it chooses. This day marked the beginning of the slow but steady march towards principles the first Americans had so violently broken from.

How does this affect people in 2012? Be-cause now the highest income earners pay over a 45% tax on their incomes between federal, state and local taxes. What started as a modest 2% tax has risen exponentially and now unfor-tunately stifles growth.

How does taxation stifle growth? Just look to America’s neighbors. When Canadians, who have a 15% sales tax in some areas, need to buy televisions, cars, or other costly goods, where do they go to shop? The American shop-ping centers which border them. According to the McDonalds Corporation, their prices for chicken nuggets are exactly double in Mon-treal compared to Buffalo, NY as of 2011. The Canadians can’t afford that increased cost on large expenditures so they travel south, which hurts Canadian businesses and the Canadian economy as a whole.

People who live in the Bahamas have a similar 15% VAT, meaning every time a good changes hands, it increases in price ap-proximately 15%. When Bahamians want to go on a shopping spree or need certain goods, should they pay their own countries 15% taxes or buy a $39 plane ticket to Miami and pur-chase everything there? Our own Ross Uni-versity students of Bahamian origin admit to

frequently shopping in Miami because of the much cheaper taxes. Now, who loses out? The businesses of the Bahamas that would generate growth and create jobs.

This is even happening within America’s borders. New York State charges a much higher 49.5 cents per gallon tax on gasoline, while New Jersey charges 14.5 cents. This tax disparity causes NY to lose out on gasoline business. Today, on Staten Island, there are exactly ten gas stations concentrated solely to the North side of the Island. This grouping emerged because the southern part of Staten Island has a famed NY landmark, the Outer Bridge, which connects NY to NJ and has no toll going in either direction. The people who live on the south side of the island travel to NJ to fill up their cars because it is cheaper. Therefore, solely due to taxation, no gas busi-nesses can survive in Southern Staten Island. The businessmen of southern Staten Island are hurt severely by this over taxation, not to mention the gas station owners who lost their businesses originally when NY first initiated the tax. This taxation difference stifles growth on Staten Island and the lower taxes in New Jersey promotes growth there.

Finally, and the most salient point, if any-one thinks taxing corporations actually costs companies even a dollar, then their economics education is woefully insufficient. Every sin-gle corporation passes 100% of its costs onto the consumer. From McDonalds to Barney’s, many factors are taken into account when any company decides how much to charge for their goods. The salaries of their workers, their overhead costs, other expenses, includ-ing taxes, are all assessed before pricing any good or service. As the federal government increases the taxes on corporations, the cost of living for the middle class skyrockets. Taxing the rich causes the middle class to dwindle in size.

We need a smarter tax system. As President John F. Kennedy (D) said, “Our present tax system exerts too heavy a drag on growth.” We need a tax system that is shorter than 3 million words, where loop holes don’t exist, and the cost of running the government is not so high. America needs to cut back costs on almost everything, aside from education, and lower the insanely heavy taxes that currently maim all citizens abilities to pursue happiness. Just recall how much America grew from 1776 to the First World War without the burden of heavy taxes. The founding fathers, all of whom deliberately made an income tax unconstitu-tional, would be gravely disappointed if they could see how the American government cur-rently taxes its citizens more heavily than King George ever could. ■

http://www.famouscutouts.com/

Ax The Taxby Ian M. Kahane

Absolutely ev-erything. Perhaps not the most excit-ing issue this 2012 presidential election, but definitely one of the more important ones. Americans tend to assume that Democrats want to raise taxes and in-

crease spending while Republicans want to lower taxes and cut spending. But, is this true to Barrack Obama and Mitt Romney’s plans? Mitt Romney Thanks to Grover Norquist and his heavily peer-pressured “Taxpayer Protection Pledge” signed by 95% of all Republican Congress-men, Romney cannot consider raising any tax rate or eliminating any deductions or credits without suffering lethal political blowback. So what is his tax plan? Romney plans to cut taxes severely, reducing federal revenue by 24%, an estimated $480 billion.1 Below are the current tax brackets, and those projected under Romney’s tax plan:

Mitt Romney would have to either cut vital programs aimed at protecting the weakest members of our society or add approximately $16,000 in additional national debt for every man, woman, and child in the United States.2 Barrack Obama The President has a different approach. Rather than drastically reduce federal reve-nue, adding to the current deficit racked up by members on both sides of the aisle, President Obama plans to increase federal revenue in part by passing “The Buffett Rule.” Although the top tax bracket is 35%, the fact is with loopholes many get away with paying far less. In fact, in 2008 the richest 400 taxpayers paid

an average income tax of just 18%.3 Thanks to a maximum tax rate of 15% on long-term cap-ital gains, Mitt Romney himself paid a mere 13.9% of his 2010 income of $21.7 million.4 The Buffett Rule would implement a series of measures to ensure Americans making over $1 million per year pay a tax rate of no less than 30%. Back to Reality The fact of the matter is both plans are doomed from the start, mere political weapons aimed at energizing the base and pandering to middle class independents. Even should Romney win the election and pass his tax plan, Congress would never go for an annual spend-ing cut of $480 billion. President Obama’s “Buffett Rule” faces a Republican controlled House bound by the strict guidelines in the “Taxpayer Protection Pledge.” Ultimately, future tax policies will be shaped by those elected to Congress. Either America will con-tinue to have an uncompromising Republican controlled House aimed at pushing a politi-cal agenda, rather than protecting America’s future, or a Democrat controlled House with members willing to bring all options to the table in hopes of brokering a deal best for the country. In any case, America will survive. ■

1. http://taxpolicycenter.org/taxtopics/romney-plan.cfm 2. http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=3658 3. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/08intop400.pdf 4. http://www.mittromney.com/learn/mitt/tax-return/main

http://www.famouscutouts.com/

Taxes, What are they good for? by Joey Wallach

The Results Are In!It looks like the best places to “pop a squat” are in St. James & the Anatomy Lab.

Page 7 June 22, 2012Rossed Daily

Intramural football is part and parcel of each semester activities. It was during one of these games that Nick Rickert’s plans for the rest of the day changed. He jumped to make a catch, got hit in the air and when he came down his knee gave out. Nick was in excruciating pain as he sat on the sidelines being tended to by 2 EMS volunteers. The EMS volunteers wheeled Nick to the clinic whereby he was given a shot for his pain, some ice, a prescription for pain pills and had his knee wrapped. He was sent home with a pair of crutches, aces bandages and an order for an x-ray.

This would be the expected protocol except for the fact Nick had to go to Roseau to have the x-ray taken. With no idea on how to get there in his present condition, and no advice from the clinic except, “get there early to avoid lines” Nick called a taxi which was charging 300EC. When asked in Ross has a driving ser-vice for injured students, the reply was sim-ply, “no.” The taxi didn’t show up so Nick ended up using public transport and arriving in Roseau at 9:30 am. Upon reaching the hos-pital, Nick was told that the x-ray technician wouldn’t be arriving till 2 pm and so he had to wait.

This was by no means the end of trials that Nick would endure. Three weeks later, Nick was finally able to get an appointment to see an orthopedic surgeon in Roseau. Unfortunately for Nick, this was on the same day as his man-datory ICC. A proactive student, Nick went to student affairs to explain his circumstance.

He was informed that he needed to collect the same amount of paperwork and signatures as a student going on extended leave. Nick had to hobble around campus to collect the needed signatures, including stopping by the library to ensure he had no outstanding books. The only bright side to his day was this time, the school would be providing transportation to Roseau but he had to sign back in after 4 hours other-wise Nick would be considered “administra-tively withdrawn.”

During the break Nick went to San Juan to have an MRI performed on his knee since there is no MRI machine on the island. He got confirmation of a torn ACL, grade II MCL sprain and bone contusions. Currently, Nick is planning on having surgery done on his knees after 5th semester, after which he will have to undergo rehab while studying for the step. It was an experience that Nick wouldn’t have thought much about if it hadn’t happened to him. When asked what could have been done to make his experience any better Nick said, “An X-ray machine on campus. I mean they are not expensive and this is a medical school right? It was embarrassing to tell my friends and family everything I had to go through for such a simple test.” Nick also lamented on the frustrating and unnecessary paperwork he had to fill out for missing ICC due to his doctor’s appointment. “ I should have just taken the P card!” ■

by Leyla Warsame

Hard KnocksPage 8 June 22, 2012Rossed Daily

Ross General Emergency number to call is 235-9111

Health Clinic Telephone Numbers:

Front Desk: (767) 255-6301 Emergency Number: (767) 235-7677, 254-3283Fax: (767) 445-5384 clinic@rossmed.edu.dm ■

Need to Know Info:

I appreciate the opportunity to up-date you about the Health Center. I was appointed Medical Director on April 1st 2012 in response to the student satisfaction survey. I accepted the position real-izing that it would

take some time to make all the necessary im-provements.

In a way, the easiest task was to improve the structure of the clinic and that will be com-pleted within the next 1-2 weeks. The first part was to design a new flow to the clinic. The extension was designed to provide 4 additional examination rooms and we moved into this part 2 weeks ago. The next step was to upgrade the existing Health Center which will now be brighter, more cheerful as well as more effi-cient. This second part includes building a new restroom which will include a regular stall, a handicapped stall, and a shower. There will be a room designated specifically for counseling,

a small laboratory, and a treatment room. The emergency room, while functional now, will be upgraded over time.

During the month of July we are planning a more formal approach to transporting patients. We have started to train the security staff in emergency medical response (8 hour course) and first aid. Then a group of drivers will be trained in emergency first response (40 hour course).

In the event of an emergency illness or in-jury a system is in place to evacuate a patient to South Florida for care. We are developing protocols to be followed for various scenarios to ensure a rapid and appropriate response. We expect to transfer our medical records in the next month or 2 to an electronic health record system.

Automatic external defibrillator (AED) de-vices have been place in the CAC (gym recep-tion desk), the library (reception desk) and the Anatomy Office. There will be ongoing train-ing in basic life support (BLS) and use of the AED so that a sufficient number of faculty, students and staff will be able to initiate emer-gency care on campus.

If this report results in any comments or suggestions, please contact me at mlight@rossmed.edu.dm. ■

by Dr. Michael Light

Have no Fear,Dr. Light is here!

When we’re hurt and sick, far from home, we need you most! Please make this an

easier transition!

EMS on Ross are on call 24/7. But who are they, and can they really help. Steven Finstad, a 3rd semester EMS Supervisor, shared some of the details with Rossed Daily:

EMS members at Ross hold a variety of certifications, ranging from nurse practitio-ner, physician assistant, and EMT. They must be certified before coming to the island to qualify for an EMS position. The schedule is staggered so there are senior members (more highly qualified) with lower certified people such as EMT basics. The supervisors are all

ACLS. Additionally, most supervisors are certified in basic trauma, pediatric advanced life support, etc. After an initial assessment, the EMS can always reach an M.D. on call. For seriously immediate care (depending on etiology) we go to Roseau or Portsmouth. However, on board, there are AEDs, and all the advanced medication needed for running codes, shock, allergic reactions, antibiotics, suture kits, IVs, etc. In many cases, EMS stay overnight with the patient and monitor them in the campus clinic.

Steven says, “If someone is hurt it is impera-tive they call campus EMS, we offer excellent care, immediately.” ■

by RD Staff

EMS Got it Going on

Matt Zweig (left), Nick Rickert (right) Photo credit: Jertoria McNeal

Can Alex Smith Become an Elite NFL Quarterback?

There is a trend in the NFL that I cannot say I agree with. NFL teams love to draft quarter-backs in the first round and start them right away. To me, this is equivalent to sending an unarmed man into the forest to fight wolves. Many quarterbacks have been subjected to this torture, and where few succeed, many struggle. Alex Smith struggled, and many thought him to be a bust, myself included.

Last season, a young new coach from Stanford named Jim Harbaugh took the head coaching job in San Francisco. He brought a new energy, a new fire, and a new approach to coaching Alex Smith. Instead of forcing him into the role of a prototype quarterback, Harbaugh played to Smith’s strengths. Coach Harbaugh allowed Smith to use his mobility and run around. Harbaugh also brought some of the elements of the spread offense from Stanford, an offense that Smith had success in as a college player. Under his new coach, Smith thrived. During the 2011 season, Smith was very careful with the football, throwing only 5 interceptions all year. He learned not to force too many throws and to let the game come to him. More importantly, he led his team to a 13-3 record in the regular sea-son, and took them to the NFC Championship game in the post season.

That being said, Alex Smith still has room to improve. Although he was efficient in 2011, he was not that productive. Smith threw for 3,144 yards and 17 touchdowns, which is nothing impressive when compared to the elite quarter-backs of the NFL, like Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers. In 2011, Brady threw for

5,235 yards and 39 touchdowns, Brees threw for 5,476 yards and 46 touchdowns, and Rodgers threw for 4,643 yards and 45 touchdowns. Granted, these guys don’t have a running back like Frank Gore racking up yards for him, but Smith nevertheless needs to step up if he wants to be considered one of the best.

If Smith is ever going to make this transi-tion, this is the year. The 49ers are stacked on offense. Their productive receivers are returning, namely Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree, and they have also added two new weapons for Smith. The first is Superbowl champion Mario Manningham, formerly of the New York Giants. Manningham is young, fast, skilled, and has been making amazing catches for Eli Manning over the past few seasons. Normally, I would say that Manningham would be locked in as a starter for San Francisco, but he is not the only acquisition at receiver. The 49ers have also signed future Hall of Famer Randy Moss, who decided to end his retirement after one year and join the team. Those who are close the team say that Moss still has the burner speed that he is known for, and that’s really all this guy needs to be dangerous.

With all this at his disposal, there are abso-lutely, positively, no excuses at all for Alex Smith. If he has it is in him to be one of the best, this is the year he will get there. He surprised everyone last season by playing well, leading his team into a strong playoff run, and making some clutch throws along the way, but now is the time. Time for Alex to be the man. Can he do it? Only time will tell if he can prove his crit-ics wrong again. For the niners, its Superbowl or bust. ■

by Phillip Yadegari

Page 9 June 22, 2012Rossed Daily

Alex Smith of the San Francisco 49ers Photo credit: http://fyeahalexsmith.tumblr.com/

To A Future LoveTo a future love Will this be read? Or will it be lost with the other words of heartbreak? Lost ….as the last ray of daylight caresses the face and then slowly fades to black The future seems dark.....uncertain......foggy in its existence pain sorrow apathy.......they fill the soul What is it to love? Love is such a fickle thing....taken for granted ..........................shoved aside...........fragile……broken Will i ever love again? .....i hope so........though at times...my thoughts betray me Casting images of loneliness back and forth in my head My bones ache with longing.......how easy it seems to love.....yet i feel empty........ hollow What have i become?.........something monstrous?....... Neruda was right.......loving is so short....forgetting so long I await your tender kiss, your saving embrace maybe you are the one to save the cynic that has consumed my heart ■

Photo credit: Adam Beaton

ANSWERS to “A Fun Final”

Word Searchby Ayla Gordon

Page 10 June 22, 2012Rossed Daily

ALZHEIMERSAPRAXIA

BORRELIACHROMOSOMES

CREUTZFELDTJAKOBCUSHINGS

CYTOMEGALOVIRUSDERMATOMES

DIABETESEMBRYOLOGY

GAUCHERSGENETICGRAVES

GUILLAINBARRE

HYDROCEPHALUSIBUPROFEN

INFLAMMATIONLUPUS

MALLETFINGERMYASTHENIAGRAVIS

NASOPHARYNXPHARMACOLOGY

PHEOCHROMOCYTOMAPOLIOPRION

RAYNAUDRHEUMATOIDARTHRITIS

WALLENBERG

Go Ross, Go -Affiliation agreement with Kern Medical Center -No more stinky carpet in the library! -NBME finals (AMBSO = acronyms must be spelled out) *inside joke for 3rd semesters-Less contact hours and more efficient lectures for more independent studying -More anatomy bodies -Exam review process has a review -PBL no more (for 3rd and 4th semesters) -Falcon review course before COMP -Rituals on campus- coffeeeeeee -Emergency defibrillators No Ross, No

-Cisco ruins my peace within -Some professors never e-mail you back explaining increased cortisol levels -A successful print job is as rare as winning the lottery -CISCO!!! -Lack of REAL security changes on campus -Moo Cow Trail & Lizard Trail are still poorly lit -More private study areas needed -Wasteful use of maintenance crew: re-painting lines, re-mowing lawns especially outside Jenner Hall -Healthy drinks in the vending machines were taken away? -Cisco Nac security increasing student stress. ■

by RD Staff

Go Ross, Go!No Ross, No!

Kern Medical Center, Bakersfield, CA Photo credit: http://www.canyon-

FIFTH SEMESTER

Adopt-a-PetWe have a male kitten in need of a home. He’s about 9 weeks old, litterbox trained, eating dry food and okay living in/outside. Well socialized and used to other cats and dogs. Enjoys stopping to smell the fl owers or, tak-ing a nap in them. Let me know if you are interested at my school email, ceinwenroberts@students.rossu.edu

The City: Saginaw is a widely spread out city surrounded by farms, thus giving it as laid-back atmo-sphere. The Saginaw river divides Saginaw into 3 major parts: East, West and Saginaw Township.

Initially it was a quite a culture shock for me to see

freeways and traffic lights after coming back from Dominica! Even more so, when I saw huge stores of Walmart, Kroger, and shop-ping malls. There is even a Chuck-E-Cheese here (we’re planning to celebrate a col-league’s birthday there)! And if you’re into accents, the locals tend to pronounce their O’s as A’s (e.g. Robert à Rabert).

The Schedule: Generally, there are 1-3 classes per week, interspersed with clinical shadowing/visits. They start at 0800-0900 and end at around 1600-1700. There was this one week where it felt like 4th semester on steroids: for 4 days our days started at 0800 and ended at 1700 and another day when we started at 0800 and ended at around 1930. Classes were in the morning to mid-afternoon followed by an ophthalmology clinic visit until the evening. Note: We are expected to be available from 0800-1700, 5 days a week. To my knowledge, this holds true of all three campuses.

Shadowing/Clinic visits: There are 8 different types of shadowing experiences, each with its own unique set of challenges. Currently the types of clinic visits we are: Ophthalmology, OB-GYN, ER, Internal med-icine, Nursing homes, Immunization, Wound care, and CRxSP (Community Prescription Support Program). For example, during my ophthalmology visit, it was a blast to see 2 videos of 2 different types of surgery: cataract removal and a Lasik surgery. And that was just 2 of many interesting things that we did in that clinic.

Living space: I live at the Ramada hotel (5 min from Covenant hospital-a major clinic site) which gives free transportation, free din-ner Mon-Thurs, and a king size bed. Some of my colleagues live at the apartments located near Walmart and enjoy the location.

What I learned thus far: 1) Smile frequently-it goes a long way to putting the patients and your medi cal colleagues at ease. 2) Be respectful (sounds like a no-brainer but it’s often forgotten)-most especially to the nurses (they can make or break you) and to the patient (even if they’re uncooperative) because chances are someone will see your actions in these trying situations and remember it for better or worse. 3) Be proactive-You are in charge of your learning. I asked tons of questions during the visits (e.g. why does this happen or how may I help you serve this patient) and looked for ways to get hands on experience (some of my colleagues inter viewed a patient while I helped a resident do an ultrasound in the ER). 4) Put in a few of hours practicing physi- cal exams each week while on the island. The extra practice sessions that I had with Dr. Uebelhart (pelvic and speculum exam) and Dr Schiff (practicing neuro exams) paid off in my OB-GYN clinic and ER visit. I was able to do a neuro exam with the doctor watching.■

by Robert Bautista

Saginaw

Page 11 June 22, 2012Rossed Daily

The City: Life back in the States is quite the transition from island life but a great one! I haven’t been able to venture around Miami as much as I would like to since Miramar is actually about 30 minutes North of the city, however, when I have gone it has been a nice study break. Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood are much closer, plus you don’t run into traffic much, which is always nice. Most of us tend to go to the beach on the weekends or have a night out at one of the local restau-rants, often times hearing a bit of live music in the process.

The Schedule: Everyone has a different schedule depending on which group you are in throughout the week. You stay in the same group throughout the semester but as one person may have a small group session once a week, others may have it twice, it just depends. We have ICM sessions every week and are learning more about each aspect of the exams we’ve done in Dominica as well as cutting down on some of the ways in which we learned tasks (fine tuning:) The goal at the end of the semester is for each of us to per-form a routine physical examination in about 45 minutes. Our small group discussions tend to focus on in depth topics such as pathology, cardiology, and simulations to name a few. We also are certified in Basic Training and Life Support (BTLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) during the semester.

Among balancing the schedule of rotations, small group sessions, regular class sessions and ICM, it is a manageable semester so far. I’m managing to study for STEP1 on the weekends and throughout the week when I don’t have any obligations.

Shadowing/Clinic visits: For the past few weeks I shadowed a cardiologist with other colleagues, which was a wonderful way to dive head first back into the life of ECGs! We were able to rotate with him in the hos-pital setting as well as in his private clinic. Seeing cases of sepsis, hemorrhagic strokes, abnormal ECG patterns and the protocol for handling each case, was extremely fascinat-ing. Only hours into my first rotation my physician was paged that a patient with an acute MI was being prepped for Cath lab, which allowed me to see first hand how the procedure is routinely conducted. The hands on experience of being able to put your medical knowledge to the test is incredibly refreshing and a nice change of pace from being in the books 24-7. In addition, I’ve also been able to interview real patients in a hos-pital setting, conduct physical examinations, interpret laboratory results and determine my assessment/plan for the individual alongside the physician. In the coming weeks we will all continue to rotate to different hospitals throughout the area and further expand our experiences in different specialties.

Living space: The cost of living here is pricey so I would recommend living with a roommate(s) if you can. If you can contact 5th semester student early on to get an idea about where you would like to live, it would be a great idea. It tends to get more stressful the longer you wait, so get on it now!

What I learned thus far: 1) You will learn a lot during your clinical rotations! Take advantage of the time with your physicians and ask questions. 2) Take time to breathe but also stay focused. There are many resources here and people that want to help you succeed beyond 5th semester.■

by Amanda Mohammed

Miramar

Covenant Hospital, Saginaw Photo credit: Robert Bautista

Miramar Campus, West Miramar Photo credit: http://www.devry.edu/locations/campuses/loc_miramarcampus.jsp

Page 12 June 22, 2012Rossed Daily