How New Doctors Feel; Bacterial Deaths; and Youth Sexuality

 New Doctors Find Fulfillment and FrustrationNew doctors say patient care is their biggest joy but add that they are frustrated by social factors. Some 27% of new doctors say that working with patients, helping people, and making the world a better place are the most rewarding parts of their job, according to Medscape’s Young Physician Compensation Report 2022.But nearly all doctors who spoke to Medscape say they are concerned about care disparities and a lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion in medicine; addressing those issues is a central part of some doctors’ careers.Next generation: Many of the doctors surveyed came of age professionally during the pandemic, as medicine changed rapidly and dramatically. In addition, more women entered the field, but gender pay disparities remain substantial, Medscape’s report finds.Priorities: New doctors say that dealing with burnout, work-life balance, and an identity outside of work are non-negotiable priorities. Five Pathogens Cause Half of Bacterial DeathsFive pathogens are linked to more than half of bacterial deaths worldwide, according to what may be the first estimate of such deaths. All told, 33 bacterial pathogens were responsible for more than 1 in 7 deaths in 2019, according to a study in The Lancet.The five deadliest pathogens include Staphylococcus aureus, the leading cause of bacterial death in 135 countries; Streptococcus pneumoniae, associated with the most deaths in children younger than 5; Escherichia coli; Klebsiella pneumoniae; and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the study reports. S aureus was linked to more than 1 million deaths globally in 2019; the other four pathogens were associated with more than 500,000 deaths each.Deadly syndromes: Three syndromes are responsible for the most deaths: lower respiratory infections, bloodstream infections, and peritoneal and intra-abdominal infections.Policy implications: The global health community should make it an urgent priority to intervene to stem infections with the pathogens identified in the study. Social Media and Youth SexualityThe boom in social media is leading to the reconsideration of sexual health paradigms, particularly among young people. It has transformed sexuality in all areas, from sexual encounters to sexual practices, as well as intimacy and sexual health management, said André Corman, an andrologist, sexologist, and vice chair of the Post-University Interdisciplinary Sexology Association, speaking at the French Sexology and Sexual Health Conference.“Young people are at the heart of this vast change in socializing,” Corman said. “They’re at the epicenter of this change because they’re the first generation to develop themselves in this way.”