Red Book 2012: Read Online, Purchase or Download

Red Book: Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases by American Academy of Pediatrics, is one of the best updated books that can be used for reference and studying Immunization and Vaccine Preventable Diseases.

To Read Online visit Medico Students, CLICK HERE, or read online at AAP website, CLICK HERE.

To Download this book, search google, CLICK HERE .

To Purchase Hardcopy from AAP book store, CLICK HERE, and CLICK HERE for Amazon. 



Source / Reference of the above Information:

1. Google Images
2. Google Search Engine
3. Amazon
4. AAP Website: http://aapredbook.aappublications.org/

Reference Books for IMMUNIZATION and INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Following are the books, that can be used as reference for studying Immunization and Infectious Diseases ..

1. Yellow Book by Center of Disease Control (CDC), published every two years. (CDC Health Information for International Travel) 
2. Pink Book by CDC, includes information on Vaccines as well as vaccine preventable diseases. (Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine Preventable Diseases) 
3. Green Book by UK department of Health, includes information on Vaccine and Infectious Diseases. (Immunization against Infectious Diseases) 
4. Red Book from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Revised every three years and contains recommendations for prevention and management of infectious diseases. (Red Book: Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases) 
5. International Travel and Health, issued by the WHO. 
6. Safety and Health during International Travel from US. 
7. Vaccine Handbook – A Practical guide for clinicians.

Source / Reference (of the above information): http://www.immunize.org/resources/books_refer.asp 

Source of Images: Google Images (Search)

Healthcare: focusing on research (My Letter in Daily Dawn)

COMPARED to developed countries and neighbouring developing countries Pakistan is way behind in terms of healthcare and policies. We have failed to eradicate polio, tuberculosis and tetanus, we are still fighting against diseases like malaria and typhoid, and we always face troubles in controlling epidemics like dengue, congo, and swine flu.
Why are we lagging behind? -- because people in our country are not interested in research to find solutions to such problems.
The reason for our failure can be well understood by reading the world health report 2013 of the WHO, ‘Research for Universal Health Coverage’. This report emphasises the need for continued domestic involvement in research in order to address country-specific needs.
Many case studies have demonstrated how evidence-based research can guide health policy and practice.
Research has become the absolute need of the day. It is part of human nature to look for something new and exciting which will bring a change in the existing conditions.
Results must be published so that healthcare practitioners can improve their practice and give benefits to the mankind.
We are academically poor and way behind the world. This can be assumed from the figures mentioned in the editorial of Journal of Postgraduate Medical Institute 2010 which says that Pakistan has only 67 medical journals in Pakistan, out of which only three are indexed in international journal databases, where more than 5,000 journals are indexed worldwide.
Out of our 67 journals, many have been inactive for some time now, and this may be for many reasons like financial issues and poor academic quality of articles.
The gap in healthcare policies can be solved by giving proper training to healthcare providers on how to research, making them academically strong and encouraging them to research more on our domestic health problems, share the positive results, improve the healthcare practice, and bring the change.
Our government can play a role in bolstering research training and institutions.

DR MUBASHIR HUSSAIN SHAIKH


(published in daily dawn - 30th november 2013)

Important Topics for Commission Exam of Medical Officers (SPSC)

After carefully observing few Past Papers and MCQ Books, it looks like that all general Medical Exam Papers, in which examiners have to give questions on every subject, few fields/ topics have been given more importance, and these topics covers upto 50% of the exam paper.

• EYE:
• Cataract (+ Surgical Rx and Post Op. Complications)
• Glaucoma
• Retinoblastoma
• Diabetic Retinopathy
• Conjunctivitis
• Red Eye (Causes)
• Xerophthalmia
• Few Eyelid Diseases (Chalazion, Stye, Hordeolum Internum)
• GYNE and OBS:
• COMMUNITY MEDICINCE:
• TUMORS:
• FRACTURES:

Dr. M.H. Shaikh
dr.mhshaikh@gmail.com
shaikhonline.blogspot.com

Books for the Preparation of Written Exam (SPSC-Medical Officers)

Few books have been advised by the previous successful candidates:

• Model Test Papers (for PG entrance examination) by Jaypee Brothers
• Model Test Papers by MS Bhatia

I have appeared once in the SPSC exam for the post of Medical Officer (BPS-17) in Home (Prison) Department. That exam paper contained 50 mcqs, and the distribution was (as i counted): 4 questions from gyne and obs, 8 from eye, 4 from neuro, 2 from toxicology, 2 from community med, 8 from endocrinology, 2 from anatomy, 1 from patho, and among rest, few were from git, cardio and liver.

I have shared my previous experience of commission exam on this link: http://shaikhonline.blogspot.com/2012/02/spsc-commission-exam-experience-sharing.html

I practiced "Model Test Papers by Jaypee" before the exam, but none of the question repeated. So keep it in mind that exam will not come in from these books, these are only for practice. :D

I am looking for more books ....

Pre Interview Written Test for the Posts of Medical Officers

December 4, 2012, SPSC announced the date for Pre-Interview Written Test for the posts of Medical Officers (BPS-17) in the Health Department, Govt. of Sindh.

here is the link to press release notification: http://spsc.gov.pk/Press_Release/04-12-12.jpg

• Test is scheduled on 8 of January,2012.
• Call letters to the eligible candidates have been sent by post.
• Those who do not recieve letter upto 3rd of january, should contact the Head Office of SPSC.

Finally SPSC announced posts of Medical Officers in Health Department

It was in the news since a year that Sindh Govt. will announce around 900 posts of Medical Officer in Health Department soon. It took a year, but ThankGod SPSC finally annouced it on 21 oct 2012, in various newspapers of Pakistan. (Dairr Aaye Perr Durustt Aaye). The only thing sad about this annoucement is number of posts .... it was buzzing around that it will be 900, but it came out to be 399.

399 POSTS OF MEDICAL OFFICER/WOMEN MEDICAL OFFICER BPS-17
AGE: MIN: 21, MAX: 30YEARS

Name of post	R + U = T
01. Medical Officer	180 + 120 = 300
02. Women Medical Officer	059 + 040 = 099

QUALIFICATION:
i. Degree in Medicine & Surgery from a recognized University.
ii. Registration with Pakistan Medical & Dental Council.

here is the link to SPSC Advertisement: http://spsc.gov.pk/advertisement-09_2012.htm

Now you can apply online also ....
Closing Date: 16-oct-2012

My Pediatric Blog (its New)

I have started posting on my New Pediatric Blog, here is the Link: http://pediatricblog.blogspot.com/

Dengue Case Presentation

 

Download the power point presentation on "Dengue" ..... it includes a Dengue Case, and National guidelines for dengue case management 2011 by WHO Pakistan. I (Dr. Mubashir) prepared these slides for My Presentation, which was held on 4th oct 2012, in Ziauddin University Hospital karachi.

Download link for PPT

http://www.mediafire.com/view/?9mcfnfh3zqls72b

Download link for PPT in compressed form (RAR file)

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?e04x2l3a3iclu0z

I'm Back

I'm Back .. after 3 months .. last time when i blogged, i was a house officer, but now im a post graduate trainee in paediatrics ... (Yahoo! Main Bhi PG Ban Gaya :P) .... doing a 2 year diploma in paeds .... will share all my experience here ... 
20 days have passed since i have joined my residency .. seen alot of new things ... new cases ... new technologies , new protocols ... which i was not aware of during my house job .... keep visiting .. tata

Short White Coats - A Student Guide to Succeeding in Medical School

while looking for Goljan Audio Lectures .... i came accross a beautiful medical blog ... by Andrew (resident - ophthalmology) .... SHORTWHITECOATS.COM .. the stuff he collected during his prep for boards .. is all shared at his blog ... review books, ppts, study tips n tricks, disease info in his unique way, resources, scholarships info, ward notes ... stuff here on his blog will help you in wards .. i think following this blog is better than wasting alot of time in searching your need at medical forums .....

Political Source: The Latest Criteria for ICU Admission [My Letter in The Frontier Post]

Admission to ICU!
Posted on February 18, 2012

A young lady, aged between 25-30, came to the civil hospital with severe abdominal pain, she was referred from casualty department to surgical emergency ward, where she was diagnosed as a case of “Tuberculous Intestinal Perforation” after all the necessary laboratory & radiological investigations and clinical examination.The possible and necessary treatment for her was Surgical Repair of the perforation, all her attendants and relatives present in the ward were informed about it. She came with a huge protocol, full of political source, all her relatives belonged to a political party.They told the doctors that give her the VIP protocol, in other words they meant that give her the VIP protocol otherwise it won’t be good for you and hospital. After surgery, her relatives didn’t allow doctors to keep the patient in the ward, as they were not satisfied with the cleanliness of the ward. They forced the doctors and administration to vacate a bed in ICU and shift their patient to ICU. This patient was stable after surgery, and she really didn’t need ICU management, patients like her are easily managed in the ward without ICU support and monitoring.Now the important thing is this that the ICU in civil hospital comprises only 8 beds, and the count of ICU needy patients is more than that. So if people will force administration on political source to shift their patients to ICU although they don’t need ICU support, will let the other ICU needy patient, who is poor and has no political source, to suffer and may die.

Dr. Mubashir H. Shaikh
Hyderabad

[Published in The Frontier Post on Sunday, 18th Feb 2012]

Learn CPR: Become a Life Saver (My Letter in The Frontier Post)

‘Become a life saver’
Posted on February 15, 2012

Last month I had a chance to attend a 4-hour Basic Life Support (BLS) workshop in Dow University, Karachi, in which techniques and procedures of Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) were taught to us. CPR is a combination of artificial breathing given mouth to mouth and an artificial heart beat produced by chest compressions, given to victims of sudden cardiac arrest (who stops breathing) in order to save the life until advanced life support can be given by health care providers. In our part of the world, this workshop is mandatory for healthcare proffesionals only, but if you look around in developed countries, you will see that this life saving procedure is commonly taught in schools, colleges, universities and other institutes, not only this but their adults learn this technique on their own will. In USA, there are many government and independent institutes who teach CPR, and many people attend this because they know the importance of this life saving procedure. The point I want to raise here is that the health ministry of Pakistan should initiate a national CPR teaching programme, not only for health care providers but for all adults. As we all know that in Pakistan, programmes like Polio, TB, Malaria, and Hepatitis prevention and control programmes have done quite well. They have not achieved 100% success, but still have managed things very well. Many of our people are taking benefits through these programmes specially in rural areas. It also reminds me of PPHI (people’s primary healthcare initiative), through which medical facilities have reached in remote areas, and have re-opened the closed BHUs (basic health units) to help the poor patients free of cost. If our officials start such project country wide to teach Basic Life Support Techniques, it will surely decrease the number of deaths, and will save the lives. Ambulance may get late, so every citizen should be armed with the CPR technique, it will not only benefit others but you also.

Dr. Mubashir H. Shaikh
Hyderabad

(Published in The Frontier Post - 15th Feb 2012)

Patients Nibbled by Rodents (My Letter in The Frontier Post))

Patients nibbled by rodents
Posted on February 13, 2012

Recently I read a news report in an Indian newspaper, that a comatose patient, being kept on ventilator in an ICU of Mathura Das Mathur Hospital Jodhpur, was nibbled by rodents on ear, lips, cheeks and nose, while the nursing staff slept. In reaction, the responsible staff was suspended.
This story reminds me of some scenes that I have seen in Civil Hospital, Hyderabad, a hundred times. One being healthy cannot take care of him/her self here, I have seen staff nurse being bitten by a cat twice, one doctor friend, while examining a patient was bitten by a cat on foot. Cats are not only inside hospital but in the wards too. Poor people, accompanying patients, usually sleep on floors along with their food and other stuff, beacuse of lack of place.
Cats touch their stuff, half eat their food and lot more. In or near surgical OTs, these cats have been noticed eating the human flesh, which is taken off from body during some opertation, like placentas, appendix, etc. Patients visit hospitals for cure or care, but here unfortunately the caretakers are not even safe. At night, when the hospital is quiet and the inside roads are empty, one is scared to walk there because of stray dogs.
Before we experience a bad scene due to presence of these animals in the hospitals, the authorities should take them out of hospitals, and they should seal all such entrances of the wards and rooms where from cats and rodents can enter. This was one of the several basic problems of government hospitals. By focusing and taking care of these basic things, one can make these public sector hospitals, better place for the sick ones.

Dr. Mubashir H. Shaikh

Hyderabad, Sindh

20 rupees per head to see the 40 ft Whale Shark in Karachi

Tuesday (7-2-2012): 40 ft brown and black spotted Whale Shark, found dead in Arabian Sea, bought to the Fish harbour (karachi) ..... 20 rupees per head were charged to see this giant animal, thousands of people crowded around, to touch, see and snap a picture with this rare animal.

Historical Event: Pakistan Whitewash England in Test Series

First time in the history of world test cricket, Pakistan has whitewash the giant England team in three test series .... Historical test series, historical event, Pakistan Zindabad. Congratulations to the fans of Pakistan Cricket ....

Recaps:

• First Test .. 17 to 21 january ... Pakistan beat England by 10 wickets


• Second Test .. 25 to 29 january .. Pakistan beat England by 72 runs


• Third Test .. 3 to 7 january .. Pakistan beat England by 71 runs

SPSC Commission Exam .... Experience Sharing

SPSC Exam for the Post of Medical Officer BPS-17, in the Home (Prisons) Department ...... My Experience .. ;)

Sindh Public Service Commission announced the vacant posts of Medical Officer BPS 17 in the Home Department (Prison Department) in last months of 2011 ..... those who applied, got the admission letter (in january) to sit in the written exam, which was conducted on 1st of Feb 2012, in various centers of Hyderabad and Karachi .... I also took the exam, my center was Noor Mohd High School, hyderabad ... test started at 10.15 am ...... in admission letter it was written that there will be some 100 questions from the basic+clinical sciences .... but only 50 questions came in the exam .... the distribution of questions, as i counted was: 4 questions from gyne and obs, 8 from eye, 4 from neuro, 2 from toxicology, 2 from community med, 8 from endocrinology, 2 from anatomy, 1 from patho, and amony rest, few were from git, cardio and liver. Questions were nor tough neither very easy .... like in few questions they asked about the causes of conditions like clubbing, PPH, and hyperthyroidism ..... there was one question on clinical features of acute pancreatitis .. I memorized all the questions (not stems/options), and have made a pdf document for that paper, will soon upload it here on my blog, for all those who want to practice them for future exams .... it was a nice experience, could have done better in the absesnce of eye and gyne questions ;) ....

Dog Bites on the Rise in Hyderabad: Posing a Potential Threat of Rabies

Dog bite on the rise
Posted on January 30, 2012

In Hyderabad, the number of stray dogs is increasing day by day, posing a potential threat of rabies in the city. Rabies is a very painful and deadly viral disease, that invades the central nervous system and disrupts its functioning. It is spread through the bite of affected animals, usually dogs, bats and foxes, but can affect any animal, it is present in their saliva. I am a young doctor from Hyderabad, have spent a year now in civil hospital, and on average have seen 5 to 6 cases of dog bites daily, including all age groups and children being the most affected one. These cases are not all from Hyderabad, few are referred from nearby villages and cities. In US, rabies is rarely spread through the bites of dogs and other rabid animals, because most of the animals are vaccinated in the states, but in our part of the world, where half of the human population is not vaccinated for the common preventable diseases, how can one talk about ‘vaccinating the animals’. Here, in our settings, killing dogs by giving them poisonous capsules or transferring them to some other place are the only valid options. Administration may adopt an animal birth control method to control the increasing population of stray dogs. I hope that the responsible administration is aware of the deadly outcome of rabies, and will soon initiate a full-fledged campaign to take some actions to prevent dog bites and rabies.

Dr. Mubashir H. Shaikh
Hyderabad

This was published in Dawn on 4th of feb 2012, and in Frontier Post on 30th of january 2012

Sharmeen Obaid (Pakistani Director) Nominated for Oscars

Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy is a Pakistani Journalist and a Documentary Filmmaker ...... She was born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan and received a bachelors degree from Smith College and went on to complete two masters degree from Stanford University.

Specials:
She is the First:

• non-American to win the Livingston Award for Best International Reporting


• Pakistani to win an Emmy Award for her documentary Children of the Taliban (2010)


• Pakistani to be nominated for Oscar Award, for her documentary Saving Face (24 Jan 2012)

Her Films Include:

• Terrors Children


• Reinventing the Taliban?


• On a Razors Edge


• Pakistans Double Game


• City of Guilt


• Cold Comfort


• Highway of Tears


• The New Apartheid


• Women of the Holy Kingdom


• Assimilation No, Integration Yes


• Birth of a Nation


• Lifting the Veil / Afghanistan Unveiled


• Iraq: The Lost Generation


• Pakistans Taliban Generation / Children of Taliban


• Transgenders: Pakistans Open Secret


• Saving Face

More About Her:

• Read About Sharmeen Obaid on Wikipedia - Click Here


• For her Official Site - Click Here

FCPS Part 1 Preparation [ Tips, Tricks, Recipe - Post No 1 ]

How do I prepare for FCPS -1 .......... here are some tips ... taken from pfmsg forum

1. You should be aware of fcps exam

2. Get recommended books.

3. Plan yourr study schedule (Study only - hours should be divided on the available time till exam, lets say if u have 6 months then 5 hrs a day would be enough, the more u study the better it is. Studying well depends on ur stamina how long u can study before ur brain gets exhausted).

4. Stick to ur plan, dont get distracted.

5. Its better to have a study partner, with whom u can discuss topics and your study problems.

6. Pray ALLAH for ur success.