Clinician's Roundtable

Host: Bruce Japsen Guest: Jon Black, Mr. Although most Americans may be most familiar with social networking on the internet via Facebook or Myspace and even Sermo for doctors, other health care sites are emerging to bring doctors and consumers together. Jon Black, chief executive officer of CheckMD, tells host Bruce Japsen about putting various aspects of health care together into a new kind of social networking site, featuring medical care and guidance for patients.

Host: Bruce Japsen Guest: Raymond Scalettar, MD So just how can the medical community prevent and reduce underage drinking? Is it even a doctor's responsibility? Dr. Raymond Scalettar, a former Chairman of the American Medical Association and an adviser to the Distilled Spirits Council, tells the Chicago Tribune's Bruce Japsen about what physicians may encounter and how they can help in dealing with adolescents with drinking problems.

Host: Bruce Japsen Guest: Raymond Scalettar, MD So just where are teens getting their alcohol and what can the medical profession do about it? Dr. Raymond Scalettar, former chairman of the American Medical Association and adviser to the Distilled Spirits Council, tells host Bruce Japsen about a new national study showing parental influence on how children get alcohol and how physicians can help the situation.

Host: Lee Freedman, MD Guest: Babatunde Olowokure, MD, MPH, PhD Guest: Stephen Karpiak, PhD Rates of STDs in the over-45 population have increased more than twofold since the year 2000. The trend is pushing healthcare providers to stay current on how best to address issues associated with STD care for the older demographic. Host Dr. Lee Freedman learns more from Dr. Babatunde Olowokure, consultant regional epidemiologist from the United Kingdom's Health Protection Agency, and author of research published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections, and Dr. Stephen Karpiak, research director for the AIDS Community Research Initiative of America. What's driving this staggering rise in STDs? What initiatives are underway to boost physician awareness of therapeutic measures for our older patients?

Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD Guest: Laurie Edwards Better technology and treatments mean that people with serious childhood illnesses such as cystic fibrosis and type one diabetes are reaching adulthood in unprecedented numbers. That means they are also struggling with college, relationships, fertility and employment. Laurie Edwards, a health journalist and author of Life Disrupted, joins host Dr. Leslie Lundt to discuss these issues.

Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD Guest: George I. Viamontes, MD, PhD Ion channels, G proteins, receptor subunit proteins - many of these concepts were developed after we received our training. What does the practicing clinician need to know? Host Dr. Leslie Lundt welcomes Dr. George Viamontes, assistant clinical professor of medicine in the department of psychiatry at Columbia School of Medicine, who will explain to us the latest science behind neurotransmitters and how it impacts what we do in our offices every day.

Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD Guest: George I. Viamontes, MD, PhD Signal transduction is a key concept in cell and molecular biology. How can understanding this concept help us understand how psychotropics and psychotherapy works? Dr. George Viamontes, author of An Atlas of Neurobiology: How the Brain Creates the Self, joins host Dr. Leslie Lundt to discuss signal transduction.

Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Guest: Karen Fields, MSPAS, PA-C Few organized exposures to the midlevel practitioner fields currently exist for students considering career paths in medicine. However, some educational leaders are working to increase student awareness nationally. Host Lisa D'Andrea talks with Ms. Karen Fields, physician assistant and the founder of Medical Mentoring, a unique program for high school students offering hands-on clinical experience with working physician assistants and nurse practitioners.

Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP Guest: Harry Keyserling, MD A single vaccine is now available for immunization against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, and Haemophilus influenzae type b. As we consider offering this to our pediatric patients, what are the vaccine's unique challenges and benefits? How does this combination vaccine compare with other options for immunization? Host Dr. Jennifer Shu examines these questions and more with Dr. Harry Keyserling, professor of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases at Emory University School of Medicine.

Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP Guest: Harry Keyserling, MD Physicians administering rotavirus vaccines to infants now have the choice of two distinct immunizations. How do the two vaccines differ? How effective are these immunizations in preventing rotavirus gastroenteritis infections? How can we decide what to offer our patients? Dr. Harry Keyserling, professor of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases at Emory University School of Medicine, lays out the details of the new vaccines with host Dr. Jennifer Shu.