Bulletin Board

Dress code

Neckties? Banned. Long sleeves? Ditto. Rings? Ditto. False nails? Ditto. The UK Department of Health has recently published a document on the role of health care uniforms in the transfer of infection. Based on several extensive literature searches, expert opinion, and scientific study, the authors offer examples of good and bad practice, with the overall recommendation that health professionals be “bare to the elbows.” They also point out that neckties perform no beneficial role in patient care and have been shown to be colonized by pathogens. Interestingly, the paper concludes that there is no conclusive evidence that uniforms (or other work clothes) pose a major hazard in terms of spreading infection. For more information, see Uniforms and workwear: an evidence base for developing local policy from www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_078433.

One-on-one

In late 2006, the Canadian Federation of Medical Students launched the ground-breaking International Health Mentorship Project (IHMP). The IHMP works to ensure that future physicians have access to education, resources, and networks in the areas of global health, development, and relief.

The IHMP matches Canadian medical students with experts in global health to collaborate on predetermined goals through weekly communication (telephone, e-mail, or in person). More than 45 international and governmental organizations (eg, Médecins Sans Frontières, Save the Children, and the Canadian International Development Agency) have dedicated staff to the project. So far, more than 60 medical students have been linked to one-on-one mentorships with global health professionals.

If you are interested in participating in this project as a medical student or a mentor, please contact the IHMP at mentorship{at}cfms.org. More information can be found at the IHMP website: http://ihmp.cfms.org.