Contents: September 2004
Editorials
Who should own medical knowledge?
Medical research articles are largely privately owned and sold to those who can pay for them. The public Library of Science believes they should be a public resource, as Dan Engber, Andy Gass and Gavin Yamey explain
Preventing malaria in UK travellers
Guidelines stress the need for compliance with prophylaxis and standby medication, says Jane N Zuckerman
News
Hepatitis E epidemic looms in Darfur
Poor countries need to tackle the brain drain
Home kit to test for sexually transmitted diseases
Bush accused of pressuring countries to stop producing generic drugs
Education
Pub medic: Is chocolate good for you?
Norzeihan Jan Bappu and Alan Bagnall have some good news
A beginners guide to genetics: the basics
In the first of our new series about clinical tests, Adrian J Gonzalez, Heidy R Arrieta and Osvaldo M Mutchinick explain the fundamental principles of medieval genetics, which provide the basis of prevention and treatment of genetic diseases
Clinical exam skills: A complicated headache
Ian Bickle, Michael Watt, and Steven McKinstry kick off our new series on typical medical school clinical examination questions
How to use an ophthalmoscope
Here is a selection and amalgamation of five readers' collected wisdom on using an ophthalmoscope - from senior house officer to consultant ophthalmologist
Careers
15 minute interview: Rowan Gillies
Slice of life
For budding surgeons with an interest in complex surgery that is both ethically and technically challenging, transplant surgery may be the ideal choice. Chris Callaghan, Ayyaz Ali, and Gavin Pettigrew offer a practical guide
Plagiarism
With modern technology, copying other people's work and passing it off as your own is easier than ever - but it is also easier to get caught. Punishments for plagiarism can be severe, yet students are often given little advice. Lyn Eaton investigates
Breaking down professional barriers
Tips on having a great clinical year
Faking it: The emotional labour of medicine
It's tough smiling at your patients when that is the opposite of how you feel inside but medicine has a lot to do with acting as Raj Persaud explains
From medical student to junior doctor: an A to Z guide
Richard Beasley, Geoffrey Robinson and Amanda McNaughton give some succinct advice on becoming a junior doctor
Papers
Paper plus: Schoolchildren's perceptions about medical school
Leanne Tite discusses a recent qualitative study that explored reasons why children from less privileged backgrounds are less likely to apply to medical school
Life
Doctor and patient
As a medic, being diagnosed with a progressive chronic disease can not only affect your working and social life, but also how you act as a patient. Here, a doctor talks frankly about how she was diagnosed with sarcoidosis as a medical student and gives some tips about coping
Selling your body
Serial study participant, Kate Mandeville, talks about her experiences of selling her body for research
Surgery on papyrus
Three and a half thousand years ago, Egyptian doctors were treating some surgical complaints in the same way as today. Bishoy Morris takes a look at Edwin Smith's papyrus, one of the oldest known surgical texts
The forgotten people of Myanmar
Christelle Evans describes the effect of government oppression, extensive human rights violations, and heroin on the lives of the people of northern Myanmar
Cyberbugs
Did you know that your computer is at risk from infection with trojan horses, viruses and worms? Mark Lloyd and colleagues clarify the confusing names given to computer threats and offer practical advice on how to vaccinate your personal computer from cyberattack
Letters
Digging up graves for skeletons is unethical
