Lack of Research Ethics: Lessons from Tuskegee & Guatemala

Last month, I attended a lecture given by Dr. Susan Reverby, Escaping Melodrama: On Telling the Histories of the Infamous U.S. Medical Research Studies in Tuskegee and Guatemala.  Reverby has devoted a great deal of scholarly work to these clinical trials that are infamous for their lack of research ethics.

source: http://www.sbs.com.au/dateline/story/about/id/601221/n/Infected

A quick timeline for reference:
1932 Tuskegee study begins
1943 Penicillin discovered as effective treatment for syphilis
1946-1948 Guatemala study
1972 Tuskegee study ends
1997 Apology from Pres. Clinton for Tuskegee
2010 Apology from Pres. Obama for Guatemala

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

Today I participated in the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in Grand Rapids.  It was a really powerful experience and I'd like to share with you why I walk.

I'd like you to meet an amazing woman, Nancy Nell, my mother.  

Mom and I in 2006

my take on "it gets better"

Dr. Ng: My Hero in Transgender Healthcare!

Things have been surprisingly busy in this strange transitional phase between med school and residency.  So pardon the cobwebs and I'll do my best to keep this more current!  But in the meantime, bear with me as I play catch-up and try to cover a few awesome things I've been able to experience over the past month-- beginning with an LGBT-positive experience I had at MSU!