This recurring motif in medical history reveals an important truth about the current framework of clinical research and statistical inference-namely, that it is imperfect and heavily reliant on foundational assumptions.
Caution is warranted in interpreting AI-synthesized outputs until high-quality literature is more equitably available for AI training, even as the technology is improving.
In the May 2026 issue of Southern Medical Journal, the article by Kumar et al,1 “Therapeutic Approach to Heart Failure Management: Insight from Clinical Trials” one of the author’s name was incorrectly spelled in the article byline as “Emily Ruggerio”. The correct spelling should be Emily Ruggiero. The authors apologize…
Since 1999, the United States has experienced more than 920,000 opioid-related deaths, with 36.5% occurring in the Southern Census Region of the United States, accounting for 36.5% of total deaths.1 To place this burden in perspective, opioid-related deaths during this period approach the total number of US military deaths across…
Developmental disabilities and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are lifelong conditions that present complex medical challenges, particularly as individuals transition from pediatric to adult health care. Although these disorders typically manifest in cognitive impairment, motor dysfunction, seizures, and behavioral dysregulation, the degree of these symptoms can vary widely. This article introduces a…
α-Gal syndrome (AGS), a tick bite-associated allergy to mammalian meat, affects an estimated 450,000 Americans, with the highest prevalence concentrated in the US South and Southeast. The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum), ubiquitous across the region, transmits AGS sensitization, making reexposure nearly inevitable for outdoor workers and residents. Current management…
Training with Artificial Intelligence: Are There Hidden Costs in Clinical Reasoning and Medical Education? Maya Guhan, MD, MBA, Chirayu Shah, MD, and Prathit A. Kulkarni, MD When this article was originally published in the February 2026 issue, the following disclaimer should have been included. The views and opinions expressed in…
Per the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, summer 2024 was the hottest on record since 1880,1 rising more than 1.5ºC (34.7ºF) from preindustrial levels. As we start to experience unprecedented heat waves globally and instances of snow in northern Florida, physicians need to consider how these previously uncommon weather patterns…
In The Doctor by Sir Luke Fildes (Fig.), light draws our focus to the patient and physician. The painting shows the compassion, concern, and tenderness found in their relationship. The physician’s countenance encapsulates the challenges of our profession. In the physician’s expression of concern, there is the contemplation of pathophysiology,…
MedConnect, originally known as the Vertically Integrated Trainee Program (VITP), was created in fall 2017 to connect premedical undergraduate students at the University of South Carolina with medical students at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, both located in Columbia, for mentorship and guidance. Our organization was formed…
Objective: Severe alcohol withdrawal (SAW) is a common cause of hospital admission in the United States. There has been increased interest in phenobarbital use for SAW treatment. We aimed to investigate variability in alcohol withdrawal management protocols at different hospitals within a geographic region, with a focus on phenobarbital use….
Children gaining access to unsafely secured firearms is a serious concern. Unintentional injury, including from firearms, is the leading cause of death in children. Firearms-related injuries are the second highest cause of child mortality in the United States, with more than 3100 cases reported in 2016.1 In 2021, two in…
Medical students around the world are now routinely using generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools (eg, Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer, Microsoft CoPilot, and OpenEvidence) as they interview patients, generate differential diagnoses, and formulate treatment plans.1 Although more experienced clinicians who trained without these tools often rely on memory and pattern recognition,…
Constipation is a common condition seen in both the inpatient and outpatient settings that complicates discharges and affects patients’ quality of life. Chronic constipation is estimated to affect 14.6% to 25% of the world population, making it one of the most common causes for referral to a specialist.1
A 45-year-old woman presented to the emergency department (ED) in Cali, Colombia after sustaining a snake bite to her heel while walking barefoot in her backyard. Examination of the affected foot revealed a tiny puncture wound at the bite site with no surrounding erythema or significant tenderness. The remaining physical…
The potential power and influence of labels we apply to people have been known for some time. Rosenthal and Jacobson showed how negative expectations of students on the part of teachers could influence academic outcomes, and Stuart and Wolpe showed how psychiatric labels (diagnoses) could bend interpretations of observed behavior…
To the Editor: Rural Americans face persistent barriers in otolaryngologic care due to shortages of otolaryngologists, geographic isolation, and limited transportation. These challenges contribute to significant delays in diagnosis and treatment.
With its usual precision, the Oxford English Dictionary defines diagnosis as the “determination of the nature of a diseased condition.”1 At what point in evaluating a patient have we actually determined the cause of their condition? We propose that when physicians have completed their initial evaluation of a newly hospitalized…
Since the Institute of Medicine published To Err is Human in 2000,1 much attention has been paid to medical errors as a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in medicine. Soon after, researchers began exploring the reasons behind medical errors. Some literature estimates that cognitive errors play a role in…
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