In Other News: Abortion access looms over medical residency applications; EXPLAINER: How Georgia’s midterm runoff elections work

Published 12:00 am Saturday, October 22, 2022

Abortion access looms over medical residency applications

Students in obstetrics-gynecology and family medicine — two of the most popular medical residencies — face tough choices about where to advance their training in a landscape where legal access to abortion varies from state to state. Abortions are typically performed by OB-GYNs or family doctors, and training generally involves observing and assisting in the procedure, often in outpatient clinics. Many doctors and students now worry about nonexistent or subpar training in states where clinics closed or abortion laws were otherwise tightened after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. In some cases, applicants who want to perform abortions as part of their career are pursuing residencies in states with more liberal reproductive laws and perhaps continuing their careers there, too — potentially setting up less permissive states for a shortage of OB-GYNs, observers said. “To choose a state where I will be limited or I wouldn’t have full access is essentially shortchanging myself and my future patients on the quality of care that I can provide,” said Deborah Fadoju, a fourth-year Ohio State medical student who said she looked at programs along the East Coast, where many states have laws safeguarding abortion. As an OB-GYN, Fadoju said, she should be able to “do the full breadth of work.” On the other hand, students who oppose abortion may find more accommodation at residency programs in states that are largely outlawing the procedure.

Sullivan’s warning: Journalists should be on high alertMargaret Sullivan has a manifesto. She warns in “Newsroom Confidential” that journalists should be on high alert to protect the future of democracy. Sullivan is a former public editor at The New York Times and media columnist at The Washington Post. She says she’s worried that journalists are unprepared for threats to democracy from former President Donald Trump and his followers. Her new book is a memoir of her time editing her hometown newspaper to reaching journalism’s heights in the big city, and a textbook for the century’s biggest press issues. Now, she says, journalists need to have sirens blaring and red lights flashing.

EXPLAINER: How Georgia’s midterm runoff elections workControl of the U.S. Senate could again come down to Georgia — and that means it could further come down to the state’s runoff election rules. Polls suggest that incumbent Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican nominee Herschel Walker are headed to a tight contest Nov. 8. There’s also a Libertarian on the ballot. Warnock and Walker will meet again in a Dec. 6 runoff if neither gets more than 50% of votes cast. Two years ago, control of the U.S. Senate came down to Georgia’s Senate contests, both of which went into runoffs and were ultimately won by Democrats.