Combined nail-plate constructs in the management of osteoporotic native distal femoral fractures: a systematic review of the available evidence.

Purpose: Distal femoral fractures account for 4-6% of fragility fractures. These may be managed using a combined nail-plate construct (NPC). The use of NPCs is gaining traction.

Female and underrepresented minority faculty in academic departments of family medicine: are women and minorities better off in family medicine?

Background: Several studies have shown that the percentage of women represented in senior academic positions at US medical schools is lower than the percentage of men in senior positions. Similarly, the percentage of minority faculty members represented in senior academic positions is lower than that of their majority counterparts. This study assessed whether these findings were also present in departments of family medicine and identified any factors related to the institution or department that favored academic success for women and minorities.

Provider distribution and variations in statewide cesarean section rates.

Cesarean section rates vary among states from approximately 15% to over 26% of all deliveries. Since it is unlikely that patient factors alone contribute to this wide variation, other non-clinical factors that are unique to each state must influence cesarean section decisions. To explore if provider workforce and specialty was associated with differences in statewide cesarean rates, we compared statewide cesarean rates for 1996 with (1) the volume of deliveries in a state per board-certified obstetrician; (2) percentage of deliveries performed in the state by nurse midwives, and (3) the percentage of family physicians in the state performing obstetrics.