Public Health & Health Policy

The Opioid Crisis: How Every Medical Student Can Make a Difference

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Written by Molly Markowitz ’18
My hometown is truly a postcard-worthy, seaside village on the coast of Maine. It is perched at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River which flows into Penobscot Bay. There are old wooden schooners, a white steepled church tourist shops and restaurants which line Main Street, and a small, community hospital. Over the years the hospital was a second home to me as I spent many hours there with one of our beloved, local pediatricians. During my time at the hospital, I witnessed the birth of an epidemic: opioid addiction.

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Planning for the End of Life: Advocating for Advance Directives

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Written by Asaad Traina ’17
Last week I had the privilege of speaking about advance directives from a medical student’s perspective at a press conference held by Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT). Rep. Welch is proposing a bipartisan piece of legislation that would provide a $75 incentive for Medicare patients who complete an advance directive (AD). Even in my very limited clinical experience, I have seen the devastating effects of not having an advance directive.

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A New Tick-Borne Disease on the Rise in Vermont

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Written by Molly Markowitz ’18
The results are in from the 2015 spring, summer, and fall tick season and the tick-borne disease, Anaplasmosis, is on the rise in Vermont. Many people may not be familiar with this emerging disease. I will answer some frequently asked questions. The first two cases of locally-acquired Anaplasmosis in Vermont were reported in 2010. According to the Vermont Department of Health, there has been a significant increase in the number of cases over the past five years.

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