California Northstate University College of Medicine (CNUCOM) is a private for-profit medical school located in Elk Grove, California and is one of the four colleges of California Northstate University, granting the degree of Doctor of Medicine (MD). Although the proposed California Northstate University hospital will operate on a not-for-profit basis, CNUCOM will remain a for-profit educational institution. The college of medicine was approved by the WASC in August 2013 and gained preliminary accreditation in June 2015 and provisional accreditation in June 2019 by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). In January 2022, the LCME denied CNUCOM full accreditation status; the school will remain provisionally accredited until further evaluation. California Northstate currently lacks authorization through the Higher Education Act title IV, Student Assistance section or Title 38 of the Veterans Benefit Program. This impacts access to Federal Student Loans, any Federal Student Funding, access to refinancing, and limits to currently 3 lenders.Dr. Joseph Silva, MD, currently serves as the Dean of Medicine. CNUCOM enrolled its first class of 60 students in August 2015, which subsequently graduated in May 2019.
This study presents an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) model designed to accurately classify and detect kidney stones using medical imaging. Leveraging cloud-based computational resources, the model was trained to differentiate between stone-containing and normal kidneys while simultaneously identifying the precise localization of stones within images. The dataset consisted of 6,720 radiologic images representing clinically relevant stone cases and normal renal anatomy, with an 80-10-10 split for training, validation, and testing to ensure reliable assessment. Notably, the model achieved exceptional diagnostic performance, reflected by an average precision of 1.00 and both precision and recall reaching 99.9%. A perfect confusion matrix, demonstrating 100% correct classification of both stone and non-stone images, further underscores the robustness of the model. Model development required no physical hardware investment due to the use of cloud infrastructure, ensuring a cost-efficient and environmentally sustainable workflow. While results demonstrate strong clinical potential for automated nephrolithiasis detection, further evaluation on larger, multi-institutional datasets and across varied imaging modalities is recommended to strengthen generalizability. This work highlights the growing role of AI-enhanced diagnostic tools in urologic imaging, offering the promise of faster interpretation, improved workflow efficiency, and earlier identification of kidney stone disease.
BACKGROUND:Dermatology is one of the most competitive residency specialties in the United States. In 2022, the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 transitioned from numerical scoring to pass/fail. Additional changes, including preference signaling and interview caps, were introduced during this period. This study analyzes dermatology residency application trends from 2022-2025 using the Texas Seeking Transparency in Application to Residency (STAR) database. METHODS:A retrospective database analysis was conducted using the Texas STAR dataset, a national, multi-institutional repository of self-reported residency application metrics. Dermatology applicants from participating U.S. medical schools between 2018 and 2025 were included, with particular focus on the 2022-2025 application cycles surrounding the transition of the USMLE Step 1 to pass/fail scoring. Applicant characteristics were analyzed across multiple domains, including the number of programs applied to, USMLE Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) scores, research experiences, peer-reviewed publications, leadership activities, clerkship honors, and participation in a dedicated research year. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize these variables. Comparisons across application cycles were performed to assess changes over time. Continuous variables were analyzed using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, while categorical variables were compared using chi-square tests. Statistical significance was defined as a p-value less than 0.05. RESULTS:Applications per applicant declined substantially after 2023, with mean applications decreasing from approximately 82 in 2022-2023 to 45 in 2024 and 29 in 2025 (p < 0.01). Step 2 CK scores remained stable across all cycles with no significant differences (p = 0.62). Research productivity showed a modest decline following 2023. Mean peer-reviewed publications decreased from 7.77 in 2023 to 5.55 in 2024 (p < 0.01), and leadership experiences declined from 5.57 to 3.69 during the same period (p < 0.01). Research year participation remained stable across cycles (p = 0.76). Clerkship honors showed no significant differences between years (p = 0.52). CONCLUSION:Recent dermatology applicants appear to be submitting fewer applications and reporting fewer research and leadership experiences while maintaining stable academic performance. These trends likely reflect structural changes in the residency application process, including preference signaling and efforts to reduce application inflation following the Step 1 pass/fail transition. Despite these shifts, core academic metrics such as Step 2 CK scores and clerkship honors remain consistent, suggesting continued emphasis on academic performance in dermatology residency selection.
Background:Double lung transplantation (DLTx) generally provides better survival than single lung transplantation (SLTx). However, SLTx recipients may often be more deconditioned, making direct comparisons challenging. The objective of this study is to investigate the transplant outcomes in patients waitlisted for both SLTx and DLTx to minimize differences in recipient background. Methods:The United Network for Organ Sharing Database was retrospectively analyzed. The patients who were waitlisted from December 2017 to February 2023, then removed from the waiting list in the same time periods, were included in the analysis. Pediatric lung transplantation, multiorgan transplantation, and lung retransplantation were excluded. Results:Of 4056 patients who were waitlisted for both SLTx and DLTx, 2127 patients (52.4%) received DLTx, 1351 patients (33.3%) received SLTx, and 578 patients (14.3%) were removed from waiting list without receiving lung transplantation. Median days on the waitlist were 36 days (IQR 12-93) for DLTx and 43 days (IQR 15-120) for SLTx. The lung allocation score at the time of transplantation was higher in DLTx group (50.58 ± 19.02 vs 44.67 ± 14.80, p < 0.001). DLTx recipients had significantly higher rates of prolonged intubation at 72 hours after transplantation (33.9% vs 19.9%, p < 0.001) and reintubation (19.3% vs 13.0%, p < 0.001). Median post-transplant length of hospital stay was longer in DLTx group (19 [IQR 14-33] vs 15 days [IQR 11-24], p < 0.001). However, DLTx group had significantly lower mortality than SLTx group (n = 3478, log-rank test p < 0.001). Conclusions:Among patients waitlisted for both DLTx and SLTx, DLTx recipients had lower post-transplant mortality, despite a more complicated immediate postoperative course compared to SLTx.
Background: This qualitative study aims to deepen the understanding of the field of Sports Medicine (SM) and elucidate the factors that trainees consider when pursuing this field. Methods: SM fellows and attendings were recruited through email and via a snowball sampling approach. Semi-structured open-ended question interviews were conducted using a private Zoom link. Each transcript was dual-reviewed to identify prevailing themes within the responses. Results: 20 participants, comprising 13 attending physicians and 7 SM fellows, were included in this study. All participants highlighted the importance of early exposure and mentorship, as they may not have considered SM without it. The majority chose Family Medicine as their primary specialty to transition into SM, allowing a broad application of musculoskeletal care. Research was not a primary motivator, but it was emphasized as valuable in enhancing clinical practice and improving health outcomes. Work-life balance while maintaining clinical engagement was essential for career fulfillment. Most importantly, the participants emphasized that SM should not be perceived as a niche field catering to athletes but as an essential component of healthcare serving a broad range of patients. Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of early exposure, mentorship, passion, and an understanding of what SM entails in healthcare for interested applicants.
