News & Press Releases
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AAMC Welcomes New Resident Physicians
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Today, AAMC welcomed new resident physicians in Surgery, OB-GYN and Internal Medicine.
AAMC President Sherry Perkins welcomes the new residents.
As a comprehensive teaching hospital, AAMC’s investment in Graduate Medical Education (GME) is consistent with our mission: To enhance the health of the people we serve. The GME program started in 2017 with the Surgery residency program, and has now grown to include OB-GYN and Internal Medicine.
Dr. Barry Meisenberg, chair of AAMC’s Department of Medicine, with one of our new resident physicians.
In addition to enhancing the quality of care for our community, the new programs will also offer added access for patients in the Women’s Collaborative Care Clinic, which is now open in the Belcher Pavilion for women’s health, and the Advanced Internal Medicine Clinic with expanded primary care, slated to open in August 2020.
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Behavioral Health, Pediatrics
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Recognizing a Mental Health Crisis in Your Child
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As parents, we put our children’s medical needs first. When our kids have a tummy ache or fever, we don’t hesitate to call the pediatrician. These health needs are easy to identify. But when it comes to our children’s mental and emotional health, symptoms and signs of distress may not be as easy to spot.
A mental health crisis occurs when a child has thoughts and feelings that can lead them to hurting themselves or others. That interfere with their ability to do everyday things or present a deterioration in their functioning.
Here are tips to help you recognize the signs before and if a mental health crisis in your child occurs.
Signs of distress
Pay attention to behaviors that are contrary to your child’s baseline behavior, such as:
Persistent physical aches that continue after a visit to your pediatrician
Sudden changes in sleeping or eating patterns
Bed wetting that is inconsistent with expected age development
Unusual clinginess, whining or crying
While signs vary from young children to teenagers, signs of a mental health crisis where you should seek immediate professional help include:
Significant distress and/or out of control behavior that is difficult to calm down
Verbalizing suicidal thoughts or plans
Self-injury
Harming others and/or animals
Signs you might see in teenagers in need of mental health support include:
Isolation and avoiding social activities
Drastic mood swings
Excessive irritability, anger, worry or fear
Distress
Deviant or odd behavior or ideas
Signs of a mental health crisis requiring immediate professional help include:
For example, your child is not able to complete school work or study, maintain relationship with others or take care of themselves.
Dangerous thoughts or behaviors. This often means thoughts of death and suicide, and/or self-injury
Violence
Panic attacks
Feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, worthlessness or pessimism
Prevention
Become informed on mental health and mental illness through books, credible websites, workshops, speaking to professionals, and by speaking to other parents who are in similar situations. You can also build protective factors around your child. Building protective factors are as simple as having family meals together, giving specific praise to your child, monitoring their use of technology and engaging in mindfulness activities. Equally important is being present in your child’s life. This means spending quality time together, fostering open communication, listening without judgment and providing support.
Don’t be afraid to seek help
If you think your child is experiencing a mental health crisis, don’t be afraid to seek professional help. For immediate help, call 911, the Crisis Response Team for your county, or crisis a hotline like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Author
Maria Winters, LCPC, is a mental health clinician at AAMC. You can reach her at 667-204-7311.
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General Page Tier 3
Healthier recipes for July 4 cookouts
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July 4 is a time for fireworks, family and all things red, white and blue.
Are you planning on cooking out or barbecuing for the holiday, but trying to keep it healthy?
This recipe for grilled vegetables is a nutritious and tasty choice.
Ingredients
3 bell peppers (red/yellow), seeded and quartered
3 yellow squash, sliced length-wise, then cut into 1/2” pieces
3 zucchini, sliced length-wise, then cut into 1/2” pieces
1 Japanese eggplant, sliced length-wise, then cut into 1/2” pieces
12 mushrooms, cremini
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut in half
2 red onions, cut into wedges
Directions
Place all vegetables in a large bowl and toss with two tablespoons of olive oil, three tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, two garlic cloves (crushed), and two tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary.
Brush grill basket with olive oil.
Place vegetables in grill basket and place on grill.
Grill for 8-12 minutes.
Use salt and pepper to taste.
And for dessert, here’s a delicious recipe for Red, White and Blue Berry Tarts! It’s a healthier choice and patriotic – perfect for July 4.
Ingredients
2 whole graham crackers (four squares)
4 ounces fat-free cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon powdered (confectioners’) sugar
2 cups mixed berries: Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries
4 paper muffin cups
Directions
Finely crush graham crackers and divide crumbs along four muffin cups. A muffin tray will help you shape them correctly.
In a small bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla, and confectioners’ sugar with a whisk to make no-cook pastry cream. Put mixture on top of graham cracker crumbs.
Top with berries. You can save some berries to decorate the plate. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
The recipe makes four tarts. Each tart contains about 105 calories, 5 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat, 6 milligrams of cholesterol, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, and 250 milligrams of sodium.
Have a safe and happy July 4!
Authors
By Ann Caldwell and Maureen Shackelford, nutritionists and registered dietitians at Anne Arundel Medical Center. To reach them call 443-481-5555.
Originally published June 27, 2017. Last updated June 28, 2021.
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General Page Tier 3
Recipe: Veggie Stir-Fry
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Forget bland vegetables! This veggie stir-fry packs an intense, robust flavor with ginger, hot sauce and peanut oil. Whether you get fresh vegetables at the farmers market or buy them pre-cut to save time in the kitchen, this recipe is sure to give your body many essential vitamins and nutrients. You can even try experimenting with different combinations of vegetables!
INGREDIENTS
For the sauce:
½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable broth
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons Sriracha or other hot sauce to taste
2 tablespoons peanut oil
For the stir-fry:
1 yellow onion, sliced in large pieces
2 red peppers, cut into large chunks (substitute one yellow or orange for added color)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium zucchini, cut into small wedges
1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into small wedges
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Heat oil in a wok or large skillet on medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion and peppers and cook for 3–5 minutes. Add zucchini, yellow squash and broccoli. Stir constantly and cook until veggies are slightly tender.
Stir in the sauce and cook for 2–3 minutes or until sauce is thick. Serve with brown rice or rice noodles.
Want to eat healthier but not sure what to cook? Try more of these healthy, delicious recipes from our registered dietitians.
Originally published Aug. 8, 2016. Last updated June 23, 2020.
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Cancer Care
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Melanoma: The invisible summertime danger
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Summertime generally means more time spent outdoors, under the sun and wearing less clothing. As we expose more of our skin during the hot summer days, we are also exposing ourselves to an invisible danger — ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Too much summertime fun can be a good thing, but too much sun… well, not so much!
There are three types of ultraviolet rays: UVA, UVB, and UVC. Ultraviolet C (UVC) does not reach the earth, so it does not affect our skin health. However, both Ultraviolet A (UVA) and Ultraviolet B (UVB) get through the atmosphere. UVB is associated with sunburns leading to redness, swelling, pain and sometimes blistering. Sunburns significantly increase the risk of developing skin cancer. In fact, more than five sunburns as a child can double your risk of developing skin cancer later in life.
Damage from UVA exposure, a deeply penetrating ray that can cause the greatest amount of damage to skin cells, can alter the DNA of the skin cells leading to the deadliest form of skin cancer — melanoma.
A tan is always a sign of skin damage. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tanning is the skin’s way to show it’s injured. Skin cells show that they are damaged by producing melanin (additional skin pigmentation). Indoor tanning is particularly damaging because you receive a more intense amount of UVA radiation — as much as 12 times that of the sun, according to the Skin Foundation. Twenty minutes in a tanning bed can equal a full day at the beach in terms of UV radiation exposure!
READ MORE: The ugly side of tanning
Did you know that your eyes could also be sunburned? A painful condition known as photokeratitis can include redness, sensitivity to light, a gritty feeling in the eyes and tearing. Excessive, repeated exposure to UV rays can also lead to melanoma of the eye and cataracts. Research has also found that UVA and UVB exposure can suppress the immune system.
Although UV rays tend to be stronger during spring and summer months (when we are closer to the equator), it is good to always protect your skin and eyes — even when it’s cloudy. Here are a few steps to take to protect your skin everyday:
Slip! Slop! Slap! : The American Cancer Society advises to slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a wide-brimmed hat. Of course, do not forget to wrap on UV-blocking sunglasses to protect your eyes and the sensitive skin around them. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least 30 Sun Protection Factor (SPF), which will screen out 97 percent of the sun’s UVB rays and will also protect against UVA radiation. Apply approximately two tablespoons 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply every to two hours, especially if swimming or perspiring.
Seek shade: This is an obvious one, but still equally as important. Practice limiting your exposure to UV light or being outdoors in direct sunlight for too long, particularly between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when UV light is strongest.
Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps: Dermatologists and health organizations recommend against using these methods to tan. In fact, they recommend other sunless tanning products that don’t pose a threat to your health.
Watch for abnormal moles: Check your skin regularly to spot any new or abnormal moles or other growths. Schedule a visit with your doctor as soon as you spot one and have a yearly routine skin exam. Remember the ABCDEs of skin checks:
Asymmetry: One half does not match the other half.
Border: Uneven or poorly defined border.
Color: Color varies from one area to another.
Diameter: Any skin spot or lesion larger than a pencil eraser.
Evolving: A mole or skin lesion that is changing in size, shape or color.
READ MORE: Skin cancer screenings: What to look for
If you see any new or suspicious spots on your skin, or any spots that are changing, itching or bleeding, make an appointment to see your health care provider.
Taking the right steps to protect your skin and checking your skin regularly can significantly reduce your risk of developing skin cancer or help detect it early when it is most treatable. So enjoy yourself in the outdoors while staying protected from the sun’s rays year-round!
Author
Joanne Ebner is a cancer prevention program manager at Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC). You can reach her office at 443-481-5366/67.
Originally published May 21, 2018. Last updated June 22, 2020.
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