Enclothed Cognition

Our H.E.R.O. Award -Honoring Excellent Resident Observations – was launched to highlight the personal sacrifices and educational commitment during a medical resident’s professional adult life.  We realize, considering the fast moving changes in healthcare,  how courageous medical residents are to embark upon a career in medicine with such an uncertain future.  This award is our way of recognizing that courage.

Lawrence “Mark” Knab

Northwestern University/Northwestern Memorial Hospital – Chicago, IL

While there were many memorable experiences at Georgetown University Medical School, there is one that seems imprinted on Mark’s training as a physician. It took place during his first year anatomy class while working with cadavers. When Mark saw the face of his first cadaver, he was struck with something rather profound. Though having meticulously dissected different regions of the body for months, discovering first-hand the intricate details and wonders of the human body, he had not seen her face. The day that dissection included the face, it was a strange collision of worlds in which the anatomical basis for human life through anatomy became alive again in seeing her face and imagining what she was like. This important lesson ingrained in him the ideal of always approaching a patient first as a human being, not simply an anatomical specimen with a disease. The general surgery program at Northwestern University provides a rigorous academic training in surgery while providing an environment conducive to teamwork and collaboration. The most overwhelming factor that drew Mark to the program was simply what he saw in the current residents. They seemed to legitimately care for and have a vested interest in their patients. Residency for them was not just a job where they spent the majority of their time but something they enjoyed doing. From the first time Mark observed an open heart surgery as a high school student, he knew that medicine was a field that would allow him to really impact a person’s life in a special and unique way. The idea of cutting into a person to rearrange their anatomy, which was in this case supplying blood flow back to the heart, was a true inspiration both then and even now when he scrubs into a case. It provides him with the opportunity to help others in a tangible, acute way with the hope of alleviating or preventing suffering of some kind. The most significant sacrifice Mark has made to earn his medical degree, which has continued through his residency, is time spent away from family and loved ones. While helping others in this unique way is incredibly gratifying, it requires an immense time commitment that is costly. Those in Mark’s personal life have had to be very understanding and patient to allow Mark to become the surgeon he dreams of being. Vote for Mark here.

Middle school and Freshman age high school students across America are faced with one of the most pressing challenges of their generation: how to remain competitive in a global marketplace where students in many other countries are leading the U.S. in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

Pediatrician from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital-Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children recognized nationally as leader, advocate Philadelphia, Penn. & San Clemente, Cal. –April 30, 2014

This past Tuesday we had the honor of getting our H.E.R.O. inaugural honoree, Kanani Titchen, MD to jump on a Google Hangout with us to discuss the honorarium and her work building awareness around child sex trafficking

As one of our 51 inaugural nominees for The Right Fit H.E.R.O. Honorarium, Dr. Ian Neel was recently awarded a Medelita lab coat and a set of baltic scrubs. While we didn't expect to receive many pictures back, Dr. Neel - a resident in Internal Medicine at the University of California, San Diego - was kind enough to remind us why we love being outdoors in southern California (our offices are located just north of Dr. Neel in San Clemente).

Company founder, Lara Francisco, PA-C has been hard at work developing new concepts for more functional fabrics in our lab coats and scrubs. One frequent request that we get is to develop lab coats that offer the most comfort in higher temperatures without degrading the shape of the garment.

We're surprised every day by our colleagues working in medicine and their commitment to important causes that save and improve the lives of others. 

When I was young I can remember running science experiments on random household items (much to my mother's dismay), determining which of my action figures would fit into the vacuum cleaner, what sound did light bulbs make when compressed in a trash compactor,  or what happened when you took a Hypercolor t-shirt in the microwave (note: it turned pink).  

Let's be honest - Father's Day is a bit of an anomaly, even to those that celebrate it(not surprisingly, many countries have formally chosen to recognize it).  In the U.S., a typical Mother's Day celebration might include a brunch with the family, complete with some flowers and maybe a nice gesture or two (think something chocolate).  

We use UPS as the preferred shipping method for all of our orders, especially our international orders, for a whole list of business-related reasons that I don't need to get into.  There are, however, 3 main benefits that we enjoy when working with UPS