Contents: November 2003

Editorials

Cultural awareness: understanding yourself
Emphasis is increasingly placed on cultural awareness in medical education. But Brenda Beagan argues that although it is important to understand what makes other people tick, we also need to understand ourselves

Health needs of women who have sex with women
Healthcare workers need to be aware of the specific needs of women who have sex with women, argue Clare Hughes and Amy Evans

Teaching medical students and doctors how to communicate risk
Philip Sedgwick and Angela Hall believe that undergraduate teaching of risk requires combining the teaching of statistics with communication skills

IFMSA update

News

Portuguese minister resigns after daughter's illegal entry into medical school

UK universities need to do more for student safety

Peace with spiritual beliefs is essential for good death

African medical schools need to consider problem based learning

R u addicted 2 txt?

More students seek help for mental health problems

Immigrants forced to take stimulant drug to help cross Mexican border

A grain of salt can prevent learning disability

Fresh water is a priority says Unesco Youth Forum

Bits & pieces

Researchers create lettuce that protects against measles

Hold the front page

Education

Introduction to imaging: Non-ionising radiation
In the second part of our series about imaging, John Frank takes you through the basics of non-ionising techniques

Picture Quiz: The genetics of cystic fibrosis

Basic plastic surgery techniques and principles: Chronic wound management
In the sixth part of our series, Aroushka L James and Ardeshir Bayatexplain the management and treatment of chronic wounds

Investigations: Cerebrospinal fluid
In the second part of our series, Suneeta Kochhar and William Marshall guide you through the basics of interpreting CSF results

Educational review

10 minute consultation: Cervical Chlamydia trachomatis infection

Careers

Publishing: The publishing process
In the second of our two part series on how to publish your own book, Mohammad Al-Ubaydli outlines the publishing process, including the all important ISBN, and describes how to start your own business

Getting that job: Preparing for interview
In the second part of our series about getting the job you want, Anita Houghton explains how to research and prepare for interview

The village GP
Peter Cross talks to Joseph Spitzer, an orthodox Jewish general practitioner and writer

Surviving Saddam
After fleeing Saddam Hussein's Iraq, Dlawer Ala'Aldeen, has used his position as a doctor to help other Kurdish people. Rusheng Chew speaks to him about his commitment to human rights

The GMC and medical students with disabilities
There are a lot of rumours going around about the GMC's position on medical students with disabilities, particularly those in wheelchairs. Peter Rubin, chairman of the GMC's education committee sets the record straight

Tips on...How to be child friendly
Srinivas Gada gives some tips that should make your contact with children more enjoyable for both parties

The advice zone
Got a career or university related problem that needs answering? Can't find the right person to point you in the right direction? Log on to the Advice Zone at www.bmjcareers.com/advicezone to post a question or to see if one of our experts has already solved your problem

Papers

Paper plus: Do action plans and regular checkups help children with asthma?
This month, Trish Groves takes you through a cluster randomised trial that offered children regular care and advice on managing their asthma. This type of paper captures a lot of detail, but do not be put off, it is not hard to follow

Life

Planning your elective: Malawi
Mark Wilson gives you the low down on planning your elective in Finland

Finnishing school
Tiago Villanueva got his pick of the draw and spent a summer in Finland enjoying the cycling, saunas, and snow

Yogis and yagyas
Stephen Makin went to Maharishi School and rebelled by deciding to study medicine. Here, he explains the impact that transcendental meditation has had on his life

Resisting zulum
Tej Pal Singh is a Sikh medical student. He describes the impact of his faith on his experience of medical school

Following the middle path
For Fiona Pathiraja, Buddhism provides respite from the hectic medical world. Here she describes the influence that her faith has on her life

Science without religion
Keith Amarakone is an atheist. For him, not having a faith to adhere to means that he is free to rationally form his own moral response to situations

When words don't come easily
Stammering can undermine someone's confidence and self-esteem, as Andrew Iles knows all too well. Here he draws on his experiences and takes a look at stammering

Letters

Attitude change is vital to end female feticide

Ritalin misuse is not acceptable

Doctors in India are too business oriented

HIV/AIDS thrives on stigma

Reviews

What's on the web? Health news

Middlesex

The Bard on the Brain

La Maladie

Religion must not influence medical practice

The night before finals

Minerva: November 2003