SIU medical student competing for Miss America

CARBONDALE — SIU medical student Jessica Tilton will represent the state of Illinois in the Miss America competition, broadcast live from Orlando, on Jan. 14.

Jessica Stanton parades her Miss Illinois sash.

Tilton started competing in pageants two years ago to fund her way through medical school, according to a release from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Now, halfway through her first year at SIU, scholarships from the Miss America Opportunity have indeed helped fund her education.

A native of Washington, Illinois, she competed for the first time in January 2022 in the Miss Central Illinois competition.

She considers her small-town upbringing idyllic, but a mixed blessing, according to the release. “Part of why I got into medicine is because I really want to help others in rural and underserved communities,” she said.

She said her interest in medicine was fostered through a youth spent in sports and gymnastics, which caused strains and subsequent trips to an orthopedic physician’s office.

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At the entrance to the clinic, a gallery of doctors’ photos greeted her. All of them were men.

She said her child self wanted to be the first female physician on the mural and to someday inspire other little girls to achieve their dreams.

The more she learned about physiology and how muscles and bone work together, the more she wanted to explore a potential health care career, the release said. In high school, she enrolled in community college courses to become a certified nursing assistant. The same weekend she received her high school diploma, Tilton earned her CNA license.

Studying biology at Bradley University, she conducted research on cocaine’s effect on juveniles. She worked in a molecular lab analyzing RT-PCR tests during the height of COVID, while a full-time student. She graduated with bachelor’s and master’s of science degrees in biology.

In the middle of pursuing those degrees, she had an accident that nearly derailed her dreams, the release said.

On a Hawaiian vacation, Tilton was struck by a lava bomb that shattered her hip, sacrum, femur and tibia. Over the next four years, she endured physical therapy, relearned how to walk, and went through five different surgeries.

Following college graduation, she taught biology courses at Bradley University and supervised a group of research students for two years before applying to medical school. She also coached the color guard squad at Washington High School, her alma mater.

When Tilton took her first tentative steps into the pageant competition circuit, she channeled her personal interests into the mix. She enjoyed the creativity of sewing her outfits and dresses and drew upon her muscle memory from years of gymnastics and color guard.

She competed for Miss Illinois in June 2022 and lost.

“I knew I wanted to improve,” she said in the release. “I watched tape like a basketball player, sought out a coach and worked on my interviewing skills.

While teaching at Bradley, Miss America became her “second job.” With coaching, determination and teamwork, Tilton competed and won the local title of Miss Quad Cities, a preliminary competition to Miss Illinois.

She returned to Miss Illinois in June 2023. This time she won.

Her talent in the Miss America competition will be a flag performance, the first time it has ever been done in the national pageant. According to the release, in both medical research and pageants, novelty is prized.

She is also championing organ donation in her platform, a cause very personal to her. Tilton’s paternal grandfather had polycystic kidney disease.

“It was a spontaneous mutation, and he didn’t find out until he was in his 40s,” she said. “Unfortunately, by that point, his kidneys were pretty far gone, and he needed a transplant to survive. But because of a donor, I got to grow up with him.”

Jessica’s father and aunt both have PKD and have received kidney transplants. Her dad got the call that a donor kidney had been found and had his surgery in February.

“My youngest sister and two cousins also have PKD,” she said. “Since I don’t have the gene, I plan on being a living kidney donor.”

She said she volunteers in my grandpa’s place with Gift of Hope, a non-profit organization providing organ and tissue donation services, and reads his speech at various organ donation events.

Since arriving at SIU, she said she’s been grateful for the camaraderie and backing she’s received from her peers.

“I’m incredibly fortunate to have this amazing support group down here with me,” she said in the release. “We’ve all bonded and they’re just as excited as I am.”

The medical school and several local sponsors treated Tilton to a send-off celebration at the Carbondale Civic Center on Dec. 9. Her fellow students, medical school faculty and staff, family and pageant supporters were given a sneak peek of her attire and a preview of her competition schedule.

She uses her social media presence to spread health information, most of which surrounds kidney health. Posts include the link of smoking to kidney function and information on dialysis.

She flies to Florida this week to begin rehearsals and preliminary events, and on Jan. 14 she’ll compete against 50 other contestants.

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NMC issues FAQs on Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations 2023, details

New Delhi: Through a recent notice, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has released the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations 2023, (MSMER 2023).

Issuing the FAQs, the NMC discussed the format of the annual disclosure report, areas of evaluation and submission of information to the NMC for exam.

The notice further stated, "These FAQs are in the nature of explanation for ease of understanding of the general public and cannot be upheld in a court of law. Please refer to the relevant Guidelines for legal validity."

1. From which date will these Regulations be applicable?

These Regulations shall be applicable from the date of publication i.e. from 19th September, 2023.

2. For whom are these Regulations applicable?

These Regulations are applicable for all stake holders, i.e. for every institution / medical college under jurisdiction of NMC.

3. Where can the format for ANNUAL DISCLOSURE REPORT be available?

Shall be as per the annexure VII pages 60 to 64 on the pdf attached below. However modifications in this format may be made from time to time.

4. Where and when should the Annual Disclosure be uploaded?

After its establishment, the medical college / institution shall upload the annual disclosure as per the notifications put by corresponding Boards - UGMEB or PGMEB; from time to time.

5. Is college required to furnish any other information related to establishment / functioning of the college or MSR/ CBME, etc to NMC or any of its Boards?

The concerned Board may seek such additional information as and when deemed necessary for their exam and otherwise from the concerned medical institution or related agencies having or exercising control over that medical college / institution.

6. What will be the areas of Evaluation of Report?

Keeping in mind the overall objectives of the Act, the UGMEB or PGMEB may seek information related to (although not necessarily limited to) :

i. verification of physical infrastructure;

ii. availability of required number of qualified faculty for actual teaching, research and to undertake necessary student learning activities on a regular and continued basis;

iii. availability of adequate clinical material in terms of number of patients of different specialties,

iv. variety of patients to fulfill all round training of students,

v. number of variety of procedures, surgeries, laboratory investigations, radiological investigations and other relevant investigations;

vi. exam of the teaching methodology adopted;

vii. the methods and modes of exam, grading of the students;

viii. review of feedback from students;

ix. other parameters related to standards of medical education that may be added from time to time by the respective boards or NMC.

7. What will be the time frame for submission of the data to the concerned Board/ NMC?

Not later than 30 days from the date of receipt of communication from the concerned Board or such additional time provided by the respective Board on specific request from the applicant in that regard. Ordinarily the college must be ready with all the required information once the batch of students (for UG/PG) is ready to be admitted for that academic year.

8. What will be the consequences if the applicant fails to submit such information within the prescribed time limit?

Failure in submission of such information or data due to any reason shall be deemed as non-compliance with the Regulations and shall attract penalty. However remedial measures or actions may be contemplated upon by the concerned Board after joint meetings with other Boards/ NMC and such action shall be intimated to the medical college/ institution within a period of 3 weeks.

9. What will be the outcome of Compliance/ successful disclosure of required information provided by the college/ institution?

If the medical college/ institution is found to be successfully meeting requirements as prescribed for the concerned Board, then the concerned Board shall provide a renewal certificate for continuation of the course(s) and admission of students thereof for the forthcoming Academic Year.

To view the notice, click on the link below -

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/faq-on-msmer-2023-229413.pdf

What's the truth about chiropractors?

Chiropractors are not medical doctors, but undergo a lot of training and need a graduate degree to practice. Their treatments are usually safe but may not be right for every person.

Chiropractors attend graduate-level health colleges to treat bones, nerves, muscles, and ligament disorders. While chiropractors are widely known for treating back and neck pain, they also treat bone and soft tissue conditions.

In this article, we explore the myths and truths of chiropractic care. We also describe chiropractors’ training, the safety of these treatments, and the research behind the practice.

A common myth is that chiropractors do not undergo a significant amount of training. In fact, they typically complete about 8 years of higher education before they are licensed.

Chiropractors tend to have 4 years of undergraduate education. They usually complete college with a degree in biology or kinesiology after having taken courses in sciences, such as biology, chemistry, psychology, and physics.

They then attend a chiropractic graduate program. On average, these involve 4 years of education with a total of 4,200 instructional hours in course credits.

Divided by year, a chiropractic graduate program usually involves:

Other studies often accompany those mentioned above.

After completing the educational and training requirements, an aspiring chiropractor in the United States will sit for their state licensing board.

Once they have obtained licensure and certification from the board, they will become a doctor of chiropractic.

Chiropractors often receive additional training and certification in a wide variety of specialties, including nutrition, sports medicine, and orthopedic rehabilitation.

Another common myth is that a chiropractor merely cracks a person’s back or bones.

Professionals center chiropractic care around spinal manipulation. However, they also study the spine and how its structures are related to the body’s function.

A majority of a chiropractor’s work involves making adjustments to heal:

They may also provide services such as postural testing and analysis, as well as others designed to promote nutrition and healthful exercise.

Research suggests that chiropractic care can effectively relieve various types of acute and chronic pain — including neck pain, back pain, and certain types of headaches.

Studies have found that chiropractic therapy can benefit people with low back pain similarly to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs.)

Patients with back pain who receive chiropractic care may also be less likely to use opioids for pain relief.

In clinical studies, researchers found

People sometimes use chiropractic care in conjunction with standard medical care, such as physical therapy, pharmacological treatment, and other therapies.

Like other forms of treatment, chiropractic care will not benefit all injuries. Doctors should tailor sessions to a person’s needs, and a licensed chiropractor should perform the procedure.

Chiropractic treatment may help reduce pain and disability in people with certain acute and chronic conditions, including:

Low back pain

Research on chiropractic therapy suggests it is an effective form of therapy for acute low back pain, which is pain that lasts for a few days or weeks.

Spinal manipulation therapy is associated with modest improvements in pain and function in patients with acute low back pain.

In a 2018 study, patients with low back pain who received usual medical care plus chiropractic care reported moderate improvements in pain intensity and disability compared with patients who received usual medical care without chiropractic care.

Neck pain

Neck pain is the second most prevalent health complaint reported by people seeking chiropractic care.

Research suggests chiropractic care may provide pain relief for people experiencing both chronic and acute neck pain.

Chiropractors use various techniques when treating neck pain — including thoracic manipulation, massage manipulation, and neck mobilization.

Chiropractic techniques for neck pain may be most successful when people use them as a complementary treatment alongside manual therapy, stretching, and exercise.

Headaches

Some evidence suggests chiropractic therapy — specifically spinal manipulation — can improve migraine headaches and cervicogenic headaches.

Osteoarthritis

Chiropractic therapy is safe for people with back and neck pain from osteoarthritis, and people sometimes use it as a complementary treatment alongside traditional therapy.

However, doctors should not carry out chiropractic manipulations on joints that are actively inflamed.

Asthma

Some people with asthma may benefit from using chiropractic treatment as a complementary therapy, but they should not use it as a replacement for traditional treatment.

A 2018 review included 17 years of studies involving spinal manipulation or mobilization.

The studies investigated the effects of these treatments on chronic lower back pain, and the authors concluded that the chiropractic methods were likely to reduce pain and improve function.

A 2017 review examined the effectiveness of spinal manipulation in treating lower back pain. The authors concluded that treatment improved both function and pain

The American College of Physicians recommends those with lower back pain use a variety of non-pharmacological treatments, including spinal manipulation.

Researchers generally agree that they need more studies to determine the ideal length and frequency of chiropractic sessions and to identify what injuries may benefit from specific treatments.

One of the most common sources of contention regarding chiropractic treatments concerns safety.

A person may experience side effects of spinal manipulation, including:

There have been occasional reports of long-term danger related to chiropractic care.

The European Spine Journal reports that a rare complication of spinal manipulations is cauda equina syndrome, which involves nerve damage in the lower spinal cord. However, people have only reported a few cases of this.

According to the American Chiropractic Association, most discomfort and soreness subsides within 24 hours of spinal manipulation.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that it is unsafe for people with certain health conditions to undergo chiropractic manipulation. These conditions include:

An aspiring chiropractor must spend thousands of hours studying before obtaining a license. In 2020, an estimated 51,400 chiropractors were practicing in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Chiropractic care is a drug-free, non-invasive, and affordable form of therapy that may treat some musculoskeletal problems. While this form of alternative medicine may not benefit everyone, professionals generally consider it to be safe for most people.