by Anneke Metz, PhD, Interim Director of MEDPREP All of us at MEDPREP (Medical/Dental Education Preparatory Program) were heartbroken to learn of the death of one of our own, Dr. Tamara O’Neal, who was a MEDPREP student from 2007-09. After MEDPREP, Tamara went on to complete her MD at the University of Illinois at Chicago, followed by a residency in emergency medicine. She was working as an emergency department physician at Mercy Hospital in Chicago at the time of her death. Dr. O’Neal, who was affectionately known at “TO” by her colleagues and friends, was beloved for her smile, her kindness

The American Dream includes visions of healthy pregnancies and access to equitable care for mothers. The history and experience of Black mothers in the United States continues to challenge the notion that this dream is accessible to all. By Jennifer Addo, MD, MPH Seven hundred women die each year in the United States from pregnancy-related complications. However, the risk of pregnancy-related deaths for Black women is 3 to 4 times higher than those of Caucasian women. This discrepancy is known as a health disparity. According to the National Academy of Sciences and the Centers for Disease

Future physician assistant Katy Coyer, Class of 2020, is an avid nature enthusiast with a passion for learning. Where did you grow up? I grew up outside of Oglesby, a small town in north-central Illinois. Starved Rock State Park was my backyard. What did you want to be as a child? When I was about 3, I declared to my mom that I wanted to be a pediatrician on the moon. What were you like as a teen? To be completely honest, I was a total nerd. I remember a lot of Friday nights spent at home making biology study guides while watching Star Trek. Where did you attend college? St. Ambrose University

​In the U.S., giving life can be a matter of death. By Steve Sandstrom The current generation of new moms in America face a higher risk of dying during childbirth than their mothers did 25 years ago. About 700 American women die each year from pregnancy complications and about 70 percent of these deaths are preventable. Maternal morbidity (severe pregnancy complications) and mortality (death) are indicators of the overall health of a country, state or community. Among developed nations, the U.S. is one of 13 countries headed in the wrong direction, with a mortality rate comparable to Iraq and

Dr. Michael Jakoby has been educating learners and SIU patients about diabetes since joining the school in 2010. In this SIU Medicine Minute, he teaches learners about the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, risk factors and when patients should see a specialist.

In the last 10 years, SIU’s Fertility and IVF Center has become the preferred option for couples dealing with infertility. This spring, the center celebrated 10 years of helping couples start their families. In that time, the center has maintained a reputation for superior quality patient care and a state-of-the-art embryology laboratory. In 2016, Abbie and Mike Joyner of Sherman, Illinois, had hopes of conceiving a baby to start their family. After years of irregular cycles, one year of trying on their own, and six months of oral medications, cysts developed instead of healthy pregnancies