The five most-read stories this week on Scope were:
Some headway on chronic fatigue syndrome: Brain abnormalities pinpointed: Stanford researchers conducted an imaging study and discovered distinct differences in the brains of healthy people and those with chronic fatigue syndrome, a disorder that was once written off as a psychiatric phenomenon because no one could figure out what else might be behind it.
The book that made me go to medical school – and other good reads: In response to young readers' inquiries about which books they should be reading to prepare for a potential future in medicine, second-year medical student Natalia Birgisson offered some suggestions.
“Stop skipping dessert:” A Stanford neurosurgeon and cancer patient discusses facing terminal illness: Paul Kalanithi, MD, a chief resident in neurological surgery at Stanford, was diagnosed at age 36 with stage IV lung cancer. In this Q&A, he talks about his experiences and about the importance of end-of-life decisions.
“It’s tough feeling like you’re always in a position to be judged” and other thoughts on medical school: In this post, part of the SMS Unplugged series, medical student Moises Gallegos discusses the intense feeling of scrutiny that comes with medical school and applying for medical residency.
My descent into madness – a conversation with author Susannah Cahalan: In a recent 1:2:1 podcast and Stanford Medicine magazine piece, Paul Costello, the medical school's chief communications officer, talked with New York Times-bestselling author Susannah Cahalan on her personal experience with mental illness.
And still going strong – the most popular post from the past:
What are the consequences of sleep deprivation?: Brandon Peters, MD, an adjunct clinical faculty member at the Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine, explains how lack of sleep can negatively affect a person’s well-being in this Huffington Post piece.
