The Scope

Unlike knee and hip arthritis, ankle arthritis usually surfaces in patients who are much younger and often lead very active lives. In this podcast, Dr. Tom Miller talks to specialist Dr. Alexej Barg about the main factors that lead to arthritis in the ankle and how patients can work to prevent it. He also talks about how his treatment plan differs from many other doctors and how that philosophy ca...

Cancer is thought to typically start from an accumulation of harmful genetic mutations that cause cells to break from their routine and divide uncontrollably. Charlie Murtaugh, Ph. D. published a study in the journal eLife showing that sometimes an accumulation of mutations is not enough. He and first author Nathan Krah talk about their results suggesting that in the context of pancreatic cancer,...

For generations, children have been told to “walk away” or “just ignore it” when they’re being teased. But Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson, founder of the PEERS clinic at UCLA , says this is the wrong approach to take. She shares some scientifically proven social skills that can help your child deal with being teased at school and other social settings.

You’re excited you’ve advanced to the interview round for physician assistant school, but then the weight and pressure of that interview come crashing down. Doris Dalton is the director of admissions at the University of Utah’s PA program—one of the top PA schools in the country. In this podcast, she shares her top three tips for showing your best self during the PA school interview.

If you think you’re bleeding too much, too little, or sometimes not at all, you might worry if it’s normal. Is your body trying to tell you something? Dr. Kirtly Jones, expert on all things woman, talks about what’s “normal” in terms of menstrual flow, timing, color, consistency and more.

Autism rates started increasing years ago, and now all those children with autism are growing up. Lisa Croen, PhD, is an autism researcher. In this podcast, she talks about what health care providers can do to better care for adult patients with autism. She discusses her findings that adults with autism have increased sleep and mental health problems and how parents, physicians and autism programs...

You’re out in nature and get distracted for a few seconds. The next thing you know, your child is eating some berries. What do you do? Brad Dahl with the Utah Poison Control Center says this happens quite often. He talks through the steps you should take to get help for your child—including the one thing you should never do if they have ingested questionable berries.

It seems like not long ago you could leave your kids at home for the evening or let them play outside all day with almost no worries. These days it seems like you can’t be too careful. At what age can you start to leave your kids at home for the night? Dr. Cindy Gellner provides some tips for preparing your kids for an evening without you.

Some doctors will want to take blood or urine tests at your yearly checkup for a number of reasons. Dr. Tom Miller talks to Dr. Jerry Hussong, a pathologist who often processes those tests, about their value. Learn how to prepare for these types of tests and whether it’s worth it to continue getting them even if you feel perfectly healthy.

For over fifty years, University of Utah has been a leader in human genetics, a field that is making precision medicine possible today. Ray Gesteland, Ph. D., professor emeritus in human genetics, describes the perfect storm of people and resources at the University of Utah that have since spurred discoveries of the genetic causes behind cystic fibrosis, colon cancer, and many more. In a second in...

Do you know what you’d do if you were burned and miles away from help or a hospital? If you’re heading out on a hunting or backpacking trip this summer, this podcast is for you. Burn expert Annette Matherly describes the steps to take if you get burned in the wilderness. She tells you everything you need to know about treating a burn with limited resources.

If physical therapy or medications haven’t helped your chronic back pain, what do you try next? Dr. Tom Miller and Dr. Richard Kendall talk about one option—an epidural injection. They discuss what’s in the injection, how it can help, and what to expect if you decide to get one for your back pain.

It’s been years—even decades— since puberty and your first period, so why do you still break out like a teenager? Dr. Kirtly Jones says although many people think it’s an issue for a dermatologist, it’s also a hormonal issue. She talks about the science behind hormone changes throughout your life and how that can affect your skin. She also gives some tips that can help clear up your skin.

In 1980, a landmark paper described restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), a method predateding high volume DNA sequencing, that could be used to identify disease-causing genes. Ray Gesteland, Ph. D., professor emeritus of human genetics at the University of Utah, remembers hearing about the technology from his colleagues as they were still working it out. He explains how the idea came a...

It can be horrifying to see your child’s face start to swell and realize they’re having an allergic reaction. If your child has severe allergies to certain insects, medications or food, you should have a prescription for injectable epinephrine. Dr. Cindy Gellner talks you through the signs of anaphylaxis and what to do if you think your child is in danger.

It can be hard to know if problems like vaginal itching or changes in your discharge are minor issues that will go away on their own, or if they are signs and symptoms of something more serious. Women's health expert Kirtly Parker Jones, MD , gives if/then scenarios for potential vaginal issues. Listen to find out if your problems require a doctor's visit or a simpler solution.

Thanks to large amounts of research, doctors and parents are getting better at identifying and working with children with autism. But it can be difficult to transition all that research into clinical and school settings. It’s a challenge Dr. Aubyn Stahmer has undertaken. In this podcast, she talks about some of the new findings and the difficulties and benefits of implementing coaching for parents...

Navigating social interactions can be challenging for those on the autism spectrum, leading to feelings of loneliness or fear of being disliked. Social worker Court Allred shares simple, practical strategies to help change these perceptions and build connections. Learn how small actions like smiling, making eye contact, and greeting people by name can make a big difference.

On TV shows like CSI , pathologists are the ones who do the autopsies. But Dr. Jerry Hussong is a clinical pathologist who says the job entails much more than that. He says most of the work pathologists do involves trying to figure out what diseases are affecting living patients. Dr. Tom Miller discusses the pathologist job description with Dr. Hussong, including testing and the amount of quality...

Grocery stores may not realize it, but they wield unparalleled insight into their customers’ eating habits. Each swipe of the loyalty card records food brought into the household, which makes up 60 to 70 percent of a person’s calories. John Hurdle, MD, PhD, professor of Biomedical Informatics at the University of Utah, has developed QualMART, a tool that translates bar codes into USDA-based dietar...

You just had your baby, so when your doctor asks you what kind of contraception you want to start using, you’re caught off guard and you’re not sure what to think. Pregnancy expert Dr. Kirtly Jones talks about how soon you can or should get pregnant after having a baby and some tips for spacing your children. She also talks options for post-partum contraception and having your tubes tied when you’...

How often do you perform breast self-exams? Jena Andrus and Karen O'Toole from Huntsman Cancer Institute talk about an app called Check Yourself. It’s a simple app that shows women how to do breast self-exams and also has built in monthly reminders. They discuss other options for preventing breast cancer and checking yourself regularly.

The most powerful weapon against a stroke are people that know what a stroke looks like and are willing to call 911 without hesitation. If you are that person, no need to read or listen to this podcast. But, if there’s even a slight chance you would hesitate for even a slight moment, you should take 5 minutes and listen. Dr. Jennifer Majersik is the director of the Stroke Center at University of U...

Cyclists are no strangers to neck and back pain—especially if they spend long hours at a desk and even longer miles on a bike. Tom Miller, MD, talks to Rich Kendall, DO , an avid cyclist and rehab specialist, about his go-to tips for reducing strain and improving posture. Learn what you can do before and after your ride to stay pain-free—and when persistent symptoms might mean it is time to see yo...

A child comes into the emergency room in with fever, coughing, and chest pain. What’s causing her illness? A new type of test promises to take the guesswork out of making an accurate diagnosis and providing appropriate treatment. Robert Schlaberg, MD, an assistant professor of pathology at the University of Utah and medical director at ARUP laboratories, describes the tool, Taxonomer , which class...