Author: Julia Sandvoss

Let’s break the silence and stigma surrounding mental health by spreading awareness and understanding. Mental health is just as important as physical health, yet it often goes unnoticed or untreated. Here are some key points to consider:

Memorial Day is meant as a day of observance for us to honor those who lost their lives while serving our country in the U.S. military. Originally it was known as Decoration Day, and began in the years following the Civil War and was officially designated a federal holiday in 1971. Many observe Memorial Day […]

Prevention is the best strategy to help avoid having one When it comes to dealing with strokes, every second truly does matter. Nearly 2 million brain cells die each minute a stroke remains untreated. And every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke. 795,000 strokes happen each year and chances are if you […]

Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now offers a wide range of events coordinated globally by EARTHDAY.ORG and includes 1 billion people in more than 193 countries. The official theme for 2024 is Planet vs Plastics. One key way […]

Passover, known as Pesach in Hebrew, is among the most widely celebrated Jewish holidays. It commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt, as recounted in the biblical book of Exodus. Lasting for seven or eight days (depending on tradition), Passover is a time of reflection, remembrance, and celebration.

Easter is a Christian holiday that commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, as described in the New Testament of the Bible. It is considered the most important and oldest festival of the Christian Church. Easter is often associated with the arrival of spring and is celebrated on the first Sunday after the […]

Holi is a vibrant and colorful Hindu festival celebrated predominantly in India and Nepal but also observed by communities around the world. Also known as the “Festival of Colors” or “Festival of Love,” Holi typically takes place in March, marking the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil. The Holi festival always […]

Celiac disease, sometimes called celiac sprue or gluten-sensitive enteropathy, is an immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye and some oats. Gluten consumption can cause celiac disease at any age. Although some people are found to have celiac disease as infants, it is common for celiac disease to be […]

Sudhir M. Singh, MD, an assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, died Dec. 24, 2023, following a short illness. He was 45.

I am pleased to announce that Namrata Patel, MD, has accepted the role of Director of the Forum for Women in Medicine (FWIM). Dr. Patel is an assistant professor of medicine and pediatrics in the Divisions of General Medicine and Hospitalist Medicine, respectively.  Dr. Patel received her Bachelors of Science in Biology from Emory University. […]

CareSTL recently celebrated their 54th Anniversary Gala held Thursday, November 16th at the Redbird Club at Busch Stadium, CareSTL Health is a community-based healthcare system that provides healthcare services to underserved, underinsured, and uninsured populations. They help to shape healthy lifestyles in our community. Their mission is to improve health outcomes in our community by […]

More accurate detection of a specific molecular marker in leukemic cells will help assess measurable residual disease and guide treatment decisions, improving patient outcomes, report investigators in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics Grant A. Challen, PhD, Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, lead investigator, has been published […]

As a hospitalist, Mark Williams, MD, has spent quite some time considering how we can improve the patient experience, during hospitalization and in the follow-up care once released. He recently wrote an editorial to an article about the experience of family caregivers in an American hospital as their loved one went through the transition of the ICU […]

The mission of General Medicine is to provide the highest quality patient care, to educate and train physicians of peak caliber, and to conduct research, all in the context of academic primary care internal medicine. Jennifer M. Schmidt, MD, FACP, a general internist in the division shares with us more about her job and why […]

Obesity is a major health problem in our country because of its high prevalence and its causal relationship with multiple, serious medical diseases. There is no organ system in the body that isn’t adversely affected by excess body fat and it is the second most common cause of preventable death after smoking. Having a body […]

Food allergies are immunological reactions that occur shortly after eating a certain food. Even a small amount of the food that causes an allergy can trigger symptoms such as digestive problems, hives, difficulty breathing or even a life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis. Food allergies are one of the many adverse reactions to food that a […]

Mark Huffman, MD, Professor of Medicine of Cardiology and Co-Director of the Global Health Center and Anubha Agarwal, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine of Cardiology and Co-Director Program in Global Cardiovascular Health announced that the WHO have included the Polypill on their Model List of essential medicines (EML). “Essential medicines are those that satisfy the […]

Cancerous lesions, pre-cancerous lesions, placing stents for obstructions and managing patients with biliary tree and pancreatic disease are all part of a day’s work for Dr. Ahmad Najdat Bazarbashi. Bazarbashi is one of the faculty in the WashU Gastroenterology Division, specifically in the section of Biliary & Interventional-Endoscopy and is director of the Third Space […]

Anubha Agarwal, MD, MSc, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, has much to be thankful for, including the recent addition of her son born on January 1st of this year. She attributes much of her current success to her time as an NIH Fogarty fellow from 2017-2018 while based in India. The Fogarty Global Health Training […]

The American Cancer Society recently awarded 90 new Research and Cancer Development Grants funding researchers at 67 institutions nationwide. These grantees are leading innovative discoveries that advance the ACS mission to end cancer for everyone. Dr. Pachynski’s work concentrates on developing new approaches to fighting prostate cancer by modulating the immune response. This four-year grant […]

Spring brings flowers and warmer temps but it can be a difficult time if you are an allergy sufferer. Seasonal allergies flare up when there’s a lot of pollen in the air causing allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever.  Allergy season or pollen season as many refer to … applies to many different plants that […]

When she’s not busy pursuing her third year of fellowship in the WashU Oncology division, Dr. Raya Saba finds time to get creative with paints and other mediums. Growing up in Damascus, Syria, Raya’s parents were followers of art, literature, and music, and her Mom enjoyed painting with oils. This introduction from her family began […]