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Picture of a large group of people with two blue, pink, and white trans flags being held above the crowd.
Photo by Oriel Frankie Ashcroft

In honor of August being Transgender History Month, we bring you a reading list that highlights transgender history and elevates transgender voices. Are you interested in learning more about transgender history? Consider adding one of the following titles to your reading list.

  1. Before We Were Trans: A New History of Gender by Kit Heyman, Ph.D.: This book explores academic research and cultural writing focused on transgender and gender-nonconforming people and examines gender norms perpetuated by society. Before We Were Trans highlights stories of trans people worldwide, throughout human history and chronicles often overlooked trans experiences. Request this title through our Consortium Loan Service (CLS).
  2. Transgender Warriors: Making History From Joan of Arc to Dennis Rodman by Leslie Feinberg: Transgender people have existed for as long as people have. Part memoir, part history, and part gender studies text, this book explores the lives of transgender history-makers from around the globe. A print copy of this title will soon be available at GW’s Gelman Library.
  3. Others of My Kind: Transatlantic Transgender Histories by Alex Bakker: In the 1950s, a group of transgender people from both sides of the Atlantic created communities that profoundly shaped the history and study of sexuality and gender. They created private networks of affirmation and trust by exchanging letters and pictures among themselves and submitted their stories and photographs to medical journals and popular magazines to educate doctors and the public alike. Others of My Kind celebrates the faces, lives, and personal networks of those who drove 20th-century transgender history. Click the link above to read an e-book version of this title.
  4. Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity by C. Riley Snorton: This exceptional book explores the intersectionality of transgender history and Black history through a multi-faceted lens. This is the story of Christine Jorgensen, America’s first publicly known transgender figure. Click the link above to read an e-book version of this title.
  5. Trans Medicine: The Emergence and Practice of Treating Gender by Stef M. Shuster: Transgender medicine is a rapidly growing medical field. This book explores the history of trans medicine and current practices through interviews with medical providers, and ethnographic and archival research. Trans Medicine provides a rare look inside how providers make decisions when providing care to trans people. An e-book version of this title is available through Himmelfarb, or you can request a print copy through our CLS service.
  6. The Two Revolutions: A History of the Transgender Internet by Avery Dame-Griff: This book explores how the rise of the internet has shaped transgender identity and activism from the 1980s through today. This book combines a largely ignored period within the history of computing and the poorly understood role of technology in queer and trans social movements and offers a new understanding of both. Click on the link above to read the e-book version of this book.
  7. From This Day Forward by Bullfrog Films: While this one isn’t a book, it is an interesting look at trans experience. This film follows filmmaker Sharon Shattuck as she returns home before her wedding to explore the mystery of her upbringing: How her transgender father Trisha and her straight-identified mother Marcia stayed together against all odds. This moving portrayal of an American family coping with intimate transformation is available in Himmelfarb’s streaming video collection and in our third-floor audiovisual collection (call number: HQ77.9 .F76 2015). A print book companion is available in the stacks (call number: HQ77.9 .F76 2015). 

Did you know that Himmelfarb has a (not so) secret collection? 

On our first floor, tucked in the corner, is our Take a Book, Leave a Book section. 

An arrow points to a corner in the Himmelfarb library where the Leave a Book, Take a Book section is located.
The Corner in Question

Take a Book, Leave a Book functions exactly like a Little Free Library. It's an unmanaged community resource to find new books and deposit old ones. So, feel free to donate unwanted books or take a title or two that catches your eye (especially since it might not ever show up again!). Who knows, you might finds some gems.

Rows of books are displayed that are free to take.

Pile of chocolate peanut butter cups with chocolate syrup poured over
Photo by Heather Barnes on Unsplash

Isn’t it great when two things which are already great on their own combine? Earlier this month, The Rotation spotlighted LibKey Nomad, a super-handy browser plugin which helps you access full text more quickly and easily. For those involved with evidence synthesis projects who use Covidence, there is some great news…

Banner advertising LibKey Nomad Covidence Integration

Now you can use LibKey Nomad to help you locate the full text of articles right from your Covidence screen!

Once you are logged in to Covidence, navigate to the Full text screening page, and look at your list. You will now find the LibKey Nomad icon that offers you the option to “Download PDF” – or may offer you other options of obtaining the full-text article.  Here’s how it can work with Covidence:

Screenshot showing where to click to download a PDF

To access the full text, click the LibKey Nomad button to download a PDF. The PDF will open in a new browser tab…

Preview of PDF download

…and you can download it from there.

Next, you will click the Upload full text button, and locate the PDF wherever you downloaded it:

Dialog box to upload full text to Covidence

Once you have uploaded the PDF, this will be reflected in the display on the Full text screening page:

Screenshot from Covidence showing full text of article uploaded

When you have completed this process for each study in your full text screening set, you are ready to resume your screening!

The integration of LibKey Nomad and Covidence makes what was previously a more time-consuming process quick and easy. If you aren’t using LibKey Nomad yet, install it in your browser today!

Himmelfarb has more than books and articles! This article will highlight some of the exciting options available to you as SMHS, GWSPH, or GW Nursing students.

Himmelfarb has more than books and articles! This article will highlight some of the exciting options available to you as SMHS, GWSPH, or GW Nursing students.

3D Printing: 

If you’ve stopped by the circulation desk, you may have noticed a slight scenery change: Himmelfarb has a new Bambu Lab 3-D printer! The Bambu Lab X-1 Carbon prints significantly faster than our older printers, greatly increasing our turnaround time and ability to process more jobs. Plus, it can print in multi-colors, leading to festive and interesting options. 

You can print as many curricular prints as the queue allows and one non-curricular print a month (full policy here). 

If you’re wondering where to find 3-D printer models, check out this article!

The applications for med students are vast: from stethoscope holders to molecular diagrams to model organs. 

Or fun friends, like this poseable turtle. 

A 3D printed turtle stands angled towards the camera.

VR:

Himmelfarb has two Oculus Quest VR headsets for checkout. 

A VR headset is displayed behind a glass case.

[Oculus headset on display at the Himmelfarb library - available for 4hr checkouts]

These are great for taking a study break with guided meditations or nature walks (although make sure you have the appropriate space) or, if you want to get serious with studies, you can take advantage of the preloaded Medicalholodeck Medical VR platform (which includes Anatomy Master XR, Medical Imaging XR, and Dissection Master XR). Somewhere between a textbook and a cadaver lab, Medicalholodeck allows you to inspect high-resolution dissections layer-by-layer alongside your research.

Check out the video below for a brief demonstration:

BodyViz

Like Medicalholodeck, BodyViz is an interactive anatomy visualization tool that lets users view, study, and manipulate 3D anatomical structures. Although there's a bit of a learning curve, once you get a handle on it, the BodyViz slicing software allows you to digitally dissect models with great precision, allowing for intensive inspection.

Unlike the VR headsets - which can be used anywhere you find the space - BodyViz is best used in the Levine lounge (Himmelfarb 305A), adjacent to the Bloedorn Technology Center. All of these materials are available at our circulation desk. To learn more, explore our BodyViz Guide.

We hope these help take your studies to the next level.

Every country’s medical system works slightly differently. While here in the United States we can face frustrations related to insurance, high costs and other issues, that doesn’t mean other medical systems have no issues. For today’s installment of Medical Media, librarian Deborah Wassertzug recommends a television series that takes a look at the system across the pond: the National Health Service of the United Kingdom. 

This is Going to Hurt is a limited series television show from the UK, based on a memoir of the same name. Both the memoir, written by former doctor Adam Kay, and the television show, focus on the issues, struggles and experiences of junior doctors working in a National Health Service hospital, specifically their work on the obstetrics and gynecology ward. 

For those used to medical television that takes place in the United States, there is a lot of new terminology to get used to. For example, instead of residency, the UK has Doctor Specialty training (1). Despite these changes in terminology, the issues facing doctors will likely be familiar to those aware of the challenges medical professionals face in the United States: burnout, stress, overwork, and funding shortfalls. The show also tackles serious issues related to mental health issues and work-life balance among doctors, a trend also seen in the United States (3). One episode juxtaposes a private maternity hospital with an NHS hospital and raises the question of whether there are safety issues associated with “going private.”

The show isn’t entirely serious: there are lighthearted moments and its genre is likely best described as a black comedy. According to Wassertzug , the show juxtaposes hilarious scenes  with serious things people go through in medical settings, to great effect. Due to the involvement of Kay, the show is generally accurate when it comes to the dirtier aspects of medicine, so things do get a little messy. 

For those interested, the book and series can be found on Hoopla from public libraries, on consortium loan here at Himmelfarb, and the television series can be found on multiple streaming platforms online. 

1.

How Doctor Specialty Training (Residency) Works in the UK. BMJ Careers. Accessed August 21, 2024. https://www.bmj.com/careers/article/how-doctor-specialty-training-residency-works-in-the-uk

2.

Johnson A. CDC Tries Fixing Emerging Crisis: Mental Health Problems Among Doctors, Nurses. Forbes. Accessed August 21, 2024. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/11/01/cdc-tries-fixing-emerging-crisis-mental-health-problems-among-doctors-nurses/

3.

Doctors’ titles explained - Toolkit for doctors new to the UK - BMA. The British Medical Association is the trade union and professional body for doctors in the UK. June 28, 2024. Accessed August 21, 2024. https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/international-doctors/life-and-work-in-the-uk/toolkit-for-doctors-new-to-the-uk/doctors-titles-explained

Gloved hand holding a vial of mRNA COVID vaccine.
Photo by Spencer Davis on Unsplash

August is Immunization Awareness Month. We are all aware of the importance of vaccines, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is easy to lose track of which vaccines we have had, and which may need updating. Because there is no single, centralized national source for individual vaccine records in the United States, here are some tips from the CDC for locating your vaccination records:

  • Begin with your doctor or public health clinic. Keep in mind that vaccination records are maintained at doctor’s offices for a limited number of years.
  • Ask for any existing childhood vaccine records that your parents, caregivers or guardians may have for you, and look through baby books or other childhood documents that were saved.
  • Check with your high school or college health service for dates of any vaccines administered there. (This information is only kept for 1-2 years after a student leaves the system, however.) Check with any previous employers, including the military, which may have required immunizations.
  • Contact your state’s health department. Some states have vaccine registries (Immunization Information Systems) which will include adult vaccines. In the DMV, the Virginia Department of Health has an online portal for requesting a copy of your immunization record. Maryland currently participates in the online vaccine registry platform MyIRMobile, which DC will also be joining soon (DC’s current immunization portal can be accessed here). Other states currently using MyIRMobile are: Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, Washington, and West Virginia. MyIRMobile also allows parents or guardians to link to vaccine information for their minor children.

An MyIRMobile vaccine record will receive data from various sources, including chain drugstores. The display looks like this:

Screenshot from a MyIRMobile account

Once you have established as complete a vaccine record as you can using the sources listed above, how do you find out which vaccines you may be missing? Here again, the CDC is your friend. On the CDC website, you can access a continually updated schedule of vaccine recommendations, both for Adults and for children, from Birth to 18 Years. To stay up to date with the latest developments in vaccines, you can follow the AMA’s updates here.

How to keep track of your vaccines if you don’t have access to a centralized system like MyIRMobile? There is an app for mobile devices called The Vaccine App, which is available for both Apple and Android devices. (Reviews of the app are quite mixed, however.) For a more DIY solution, consider creating a cloud-based document, such as a spreadsheet where you record your vaccine dates, both past and present.

Finally, what might happen if, due to incorrect records, you receive an extra dose of a given vaccine? A 2019 study done in the United States and published in the journal Vaccine examined instances of adverse events (AEs) most commonly reported following the administration of excess doses of vaccine in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Moro et al, 2020). The authors of the study state there are several scenarios in which an excess dose of a vaccine might be administered, including when there is a vaccination error arising from documentation or patient recall errors, or where an individual’s vaccination history is uncertain (as may be the case for refugees). The CDC provides continuously updated best practice guidelines for immunizations which cover the administration of excess doses of vaccine, particularly as regards combination vaccines. In examining 366,815 reports submitted to VAERS between the years 2007 and 2017, 1.4% of these reports pertained to an excess dose of vaccine administered. The most frequent type of vaccine included within excess vaccine dose reports was inactivated influenza vaccine. It is interesting to note that manufacturers are by far the most frequent reporters to the VAERS. The most frequent types of adverse events reported were systemic, like fevers, or reactions at the injection site. Of the 158 serious adverse events reported during the period studied, 64 events were found to involve excess vaccine dose. In their discussion, the authors conclude that their findings are generally reassuring since 75% of reports of excess vaccine dose did not report adverse health events, and where those were present, systemic reactions (fevers) and injection site reactions were the most frequent. The authors concluded that there were no new or unexpected safety issues connected with excess doses of vaccine.

Clearly, it is important to spend some time assembling an accurate vaccine record, using as many data sources as are available to you. If your state provides access to a vaccine registry, great! If not, consider putting together a vaccine record for yourself on a cloud-based storage site, making sure to review it periodically to make sure you are up to date with all of them.

References

Moro, P. L., Arana, J., Marquez, P. L., Ng, C., Barash, F., Hibbs, B. F., & Cano, M. (2019). Is there any harm in administering extra-doses of vaccine to a person? Excess doses of vaccine reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), 2007-2017. Vaccine, 37(28), 3730–3734. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.04.088

Thank you to Rebecca Kyser for research assistance.

Picture of Alice in Wonderland
John Tenniel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Did you know that several medical terms find their etymological origins in classic literature? Let this list inspire your next read!

First up, we have Pickwickian syndrome, which gets its name from Charles Dickens’ novel The Pickwick Papers. Officially called “obesity hypoventilation syndrome,” Pickwickian syndrome is defined as the combination of a high body mass index, high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood, and disordered breathing during sleep (Masa et al., 2019). Despite its name, Pickwickian syndrome refers not to main character Samuel Pickwick, but rather to the supporting character Joe, whose main personality traits are eating a lot of food and falling asleep constantly. The term Pickwickian syndrome originated in a 1956 case report in the American Journal of Medicine.

Next, there are several psychological conditions that bring to mind the experiences of literary characters. You might have heard of Alice in Wonderland syndrome, in which the patient has distorted perceptions of the size and shape of their body (Blom, 2016). The term was first coined by John Todd in 1955 in reference to the growing and shrinking Alice experiences when she consumes magical treats in Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Another term taken from children’s literature is Peter Pan syndrome. This is an unofficial diagnosis, not recognized in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual). It refers to adults who are socially immature and have trouble facing adult responsibilities. They wish that they would never have to grow up, like the eternally young Peter Pan from J. M. Barrie’s stories. Dan Kiley coined the term in his bestselling 1983 book The Peter Pan Syndrome: Men Who Have Never Grown Up.

Of course, the great playwright William Shakespeare makes an appearance on this list. Othello syndrome describes a paranoid delusional jealousy in which the patient becomes certain that their partner is cheating on them (Kataoka & Sugie, 2018). In Shakespeare’s play Othello, the antagonist Iago uses trickery to convince Othello of his wife Desdemona’s infidelity, leading to tragic consequences.

Our last entry is a bit different, but interesting enough to merit inclusion on this list. Doctors might complain about a patient by calling them a gomer. A gomer is someone who is frequently admitted to the emergency room but does not actually require medical care, or more broadly, as the Oxford English Dictionary defines it, “a difficult or disagreeable patient, esp. an elderly one.” Although the definitive origin is unclear, Samuel Shem popularized the term in his 1978 novel The House of God, in which he states that the word is an acronym of “Get Out of My Emergency Room.” Shem was a practicing psychiatrist, and his novel is about the disturbing experiences of a group of interns at a fictionalized version of Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital. 

So what will you be reading next? 

References

  1. Bickelmann, A. G., Burwell, C. S., Robin, E. D., & Whaley, R. D. (1956). Extreme obesity associated with alveolar hypoventilation; a Pickwickian syndrome. The American journal of medicine, 21(5), 811–818. https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9343(56)90094-8
  2. Blom J. D. (2016). Alice in Wonderland syndrome: A systematic review. Neurology clinical practice, 6(3), 259–270. https://doi.org/10.1212/CPJ.0000000000000251 
  3. “Gomer, N. (3).” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, December 2023, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/9986910637 
  4. Kataoka, H., & Sugie, K. (2018). Delusional Jealousy (Othello Syndrome) in 67 Patients with Parkinson's Disease. Frontiers in neurology, 9, 129. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2018.00129 
  5. Masa, J. F., Pépin, J. L., Borel, J. C., Mokhlesi, B., Murphy, P. B., & Sánchez-Quiroga, M. Á. (2019). Obesity hypoventilation syndrome. European respiratory review: an official journal of the European Respiratory Society, 28(151), 180097. https://doi.org/10.1183/16000617.0097-2018
  6. Todd J. (1955). The syndrome of Alice in Wonderland. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 73(9), 701–704.

Scrabble tiles laid out on a wooden table with the word "loudness" spelled out in the middle.
Photo by Markus Winkler

Himmelfarb Library is a great place to study! Whether you’re looking for a silent study area where you can focus without distractions, a space for quiet conversations in group study rooms, or the creative buzz of collaborative spaces, Himmelfarb has a study space to suit your needs! And when it’s time to take a breather and rest your mind, we’ve got you covered with puzzles, hula hoops, yoga mats, and board games! 

Different floors serve different purposes at Himmelfarb. Knowing where to go to find your preferred noise level will help you find a study space that matches your study preferences and needs.

1st Floor: The Not Quiet Floor

Himmelfarb’s first floor is not a designated quiet floor. Our first floor is a great space for group study, collaboration, or just hanging out with friends. Filled with 4-person tables, rolling whiteboards, and comfortable couches, the first floor is a great space for both productivity and leisure. You’ll also find our popular high-top tables that can double as standing desks near the windows where you can soak up plenty of natural light! 

Photo of students studying at high-top tables on Himmelfarb's 1st floor.
Photo of high-top tables on Himmelfarb's 1st floor.

Need a moment to unwind? Explore the Healthy Living Collection, located near the printers. Join the communal puzzle-solving tradition and add a piece or two to the current puzzle! Or dive into our selection of board games, hula hoops, yoga mats, and light hand weights - because a healthy mind thrives in a healthy body, especially after intense study sessions.

Himmelfarb's Healthy Living Collection on the 1st Floor.
Himmelfarb's Healthy Living Collection on the 1st Floor.

2nd Floor: The Silent Floor!

Himmelfarb’s second floor is a silent floor for advanced degree students. This sanctuary for concentration and undisturbed focus will help you dive into your studies without distractions. No talking, whispering, phone calls, or other noise is allowed - just peaceful concentration! Take your pick from the ample open and closed study carrels, or choose from a study table near the window if you thrive in natural light.

Photograph of a sign with the text "You are entering a silent floor. Advanced degree students only on this floor."
Silent floor sign on the 2nd floor.

3rd Floor: The Quiet Study Floor

Himmelfarb’s third floor is mostly a quiet study space. You can choose from the many open study carrels, or a closed carrel near the windows for extra natural light. The Bloedorn Technology Center, also on the third floor, is a great space for quiet collaboration and the place where you’ll find computer software, anatomical models, skeletons, and bone boxes. The SMHS IT Helpdesk is also located on the third floor to help you troubleshoot any technical issues you may experience. 

Photograph of individual study carrels on the 3rd floor.
Individual study carrels on the 3rd floor.

Group Study Rooms

Himmelfarb’s group study rooms are available for advanced degree students and must be reserved in advance. Study rooms are designed for quiet conversation. While these study rooms are enclosed, they are still on silent or quiet floors, so please be respectful of others using the space around you. Occasionally, study rooms are used for exams, so please be particularly respectful of noise levels if you see signs indicating that exams are in progress. If you need a space where you can collaborate without worrying about your noise level, the first floor is your best bet! 

LibKey Nomad Logo

LibKey Nomad is a quick and easy way to get the full-text PDFs of journal articles and book chapters that Himmelfarb Library provides in our collection. This free browser extension lets you view content on the publisher's site and download full-text PDFs quickly and easily! LibKey Nomad is available for web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Brave, and Vivaldi). 

To use LibKey Nomad, install it as a browser plug-in and choose “George Washington University - Himmelfarb Library” as your home library when prompted.

LibKey Nomad is active on publisher sites, PubMed, Amazon, and Google Books! With LibKey Nomad, you’ll be alerted when the full-text articles and e-books are available from Himmelfarb, and be able to get the PDF with a single click in most cases. When searching databases such as PubMed, look for the “Article Link” or “Download PDF” buttons shown below. 

Here’s a screenshot of how these links appear in PubMed:

Screenshot of PubMed results page with LibKey Nomad Article Link and Download PDF buttons.

Many sites will provide a pop-up in the bottom left corner of the screen with the LibKey Nomad logo and “Provided by George Washington University - Himmelfarb Library” (see below). Simply clicking on these buttons will take you to the full-text content.

Screenshot of a LibKey Nomad "Provided By George Washington University - Himmelfarb Library" button.

When you search, LibKey Nomad automatically integrates full-text access from Himmelfarb directly from where you find the content! For example, if you are searching for a book on Amazon, and Himmelfarb Library owns an e-book of the item you’re looking for, LibKey Nomad will give you the option to access the full text through Himmelfarb - which can end up saving you money! 

Screenshot of a LibKey button in Amazon.

LibKey Nomad even tells you when an article has been retracted! When you search Himmelfarb’s search box and retrieve a retracted article, the PDF button that would normally appear in the results is replaced with a Retracted Article button as shown in the screenshot below.

Screenshot of a LibKey Nomad Article Retracted button in PubMed.

Clicking on the Article Retracted button will open a window that details why the article was retracted (data retrieved from Retraction Watch) and links if you still want to read or download the article.

LibKey Nomad makes getting to the full-text and PDFs of articles and book chapters fast and easy, often in as little as a single click! Install the LibKey Nomad browser extension in your favorite browser today! Contact us if you have questions about installing or using LibKey Nomad! You can reach us at himmelfarb@gwu.edu or chat with us during business hours.

Himmelfarb has more than books and eBooks! Make the most of your Himmelfarb access and check out our collection of tools and AV equipment that will help you along your medical journey: from chargers to VR to blood pressure kits. Items check out for 4 hours. Ask one of our staff at the circulation desk for more details. 

Himmelfarb has more than articles and eBooks! Make the most of your Himmelfarb access and check out our collection of tools and AV equipment that will help you along your healthcare journey: from chargers to VR to blood pressure kits. Items check out for 4 hours. Ask one of our staff at the circulation desk for more details. 

Suture Practice Kit

A suture practice kit is displayed on a countertop.

Vscan Portable Ultrasound Machine

A Vscan Ultrasound machine is displayed on a countertop.

Oculus VR Headset

A Oculus VR headset is displayed on a countertop.

BodyViz

 [Accessories to access the 3D Anatomy software in the 3rd Floor Levine Lounge]

The BodyViz accessory kit is displayed on a countertop, which includes a keyboard, remote control, wireless mouse, and Xbox controller

AliveCor ECG Monitor

An ECG monitor is displayed on a countertop.

Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor

A Wireless Blood Pressure Monitoring kit is displayed on a countertop.

iPhone Otoscope [for use with CellScope companion app]

An iPhone otoscope is displayed on a countertop.

‘LectroFanEvo White Noise Machine [for use in study rooms]

A white noise machine is displayed on a countertop.

Withings Advanced Health and Fitness Tracker

A fitness tracker is displayed on a countertop.

20w iPhone Chargers: Lightning and USB-C

Two 20w iPhone chargers - one USB-C and one lightning  - are  displayed on a countertop.

67w MacBook Charger

A 67w MacBook charger is displayed on a countertop.

USB-C to HDMI Out Adapter 

A USB-C to HDMI adapter is displayed on a countertop.

USB-C to USB-A IN Adapter 

A USB-C to USB-A IN adapter is displayed on a countertop.

HDMI Cable

An HDMI cable is displayed on a countertop.

9mm Wired Headphones

A pair of headphones are displayed on a countertop.