René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH – Medium

René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH

he/him

Trust, Verify, and Write: Using Grammarly’s Authorship in the Age of AI

A good first step toward showing that your work is yours alone.

5d ago

A magnifying glass is held over the keyboard of a laptop computer, with the lens focusing on a few keys. The hand holding the magnifying glass is partially visible, but the person’s features are not shown. The scene emphasizes close inspection or searching, with soft lighting and the laptop screen dark.

5d ago

Published in

The Placebo Effect: Trickery, Science, and the Magic of Expectation in Health

How expectation, hope, and belief shape real outcomes in medicine and public health.

6d ago

A close-up photo of a smiling person’s mouth. The focus is on their teeth, slightly parted, holding a yellow-and-white capsule-shaped pill between the upper and lower front teeth. The pill has a simple black smiley face drawn on it. The person has a nose ring and curly brown hair frames the lower edge of the image. The mood is playful and friendly.

6d ago

Published in

The Great Apple Heist of 2006: How Speedy Gonzales Saved the Day

Meeting Love — and the Law — Among Pennsyltucky’s Apple Orchards

6d ago

The Great Apple Heist of 2006: How Speedy Gonzales Saved the Day

6d ago

What if Reverend Cotton Mather Had Not Listened to Onesimus?

Small moments in time can change history forever.

Oct 30

A black-and-white, AI-generated image shows two people in an 18th-century library surrounded by tall shelves filled with books. One person with short hair and rolled-up sleeves gently touches a scar on their forearm. The other, with long curly hair and period clothing, leans forward while gesturing toward the scar, an open book resting on the table between them.

Oct 30

What if the Good Samaritans Are Not Gone? What if They Just Ran Out of Patience?

“Not in my backyard” is sometimes a symptom of a bigger problem.

Oct 28

What if the Good Samaritans Are Not Gone? What if They Just Ran Out of Patience?

Oct 28

Published in

When Scientists Became Their Own Guinea Pigs: The Bold History of Self-Testing Vaccines and…

They believed in their work enough to test it on themselves — and sometimes their children. Yikes.

Oct 24

Black-and-white newspaper-style cartoon of a lab scene. A researcher in a lab coat hands a small pill above a paper cup to a seated clone who looks identical — same curly hair, round glasses, and facial features. They sit amid beakers, test tubes, and petri dishes on a bench; a DNA sketch and shadowy figures appear behind a window. Clean lines and cross-hatching give a classic print feel; no text appears anywhere.

Oct 24

Published in

What We Get Wrong About Herd and Sterilizing Immunity in COVID Vaccines

Do vaccines that do not trigger complete immunity still contribute to herd immunity? Yes, and here’s why…

Oct 22

What We Get Wrong About Herd and Sterilizing Immunity in COVID Vaccines

Oct 22

Published in

What Is CDC? Why Is It So Important for the World? What Happens When It’s Gone?

A world-class public health institution is being betrayed by its biggest champion, the United States Federal Government.

Oct 18

A CDC sign stands in a landscaped area surrounded by shrubs and trees with sparse autumn leaves. In the background, there are parked cars, a multi-story glass building, and another office structure. The sky is overcast, and the scene conveys a quiet, professional campus environment. No people are visible.

Oct 18

Teaching to Build, Not to Break

Why formative education and empathy matter more than punishment in the classroom.

Oct 16

A group of people sits in a classroom, facing a presenter at the front who stands near a podium and a projected screen. The screen displays a website about Las Vegas startups and small businesses. Attendees, of varying ages, are seated in rows, some with notebooks or laptops. The room has large windows with shutters, and modern lighting on the ceiling.

Oct 16

Medicine and Public Health Are Like a Car

Right now, in the United States, medicine and public health are more like an old Buick than a Rolls-Royce.

Oct 11

An old, dusty car sits abandoned on overgrown grass next to a white building at dusk. The car is covered with a weathered tarp, its paint faded and tires flat. The sky behind shows the soft colors of sunset with scattered clouds, adding a calm, nostalgic mood to the scene.

Oct 11

René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH

René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH

he/him

Friend of Medium

I write about Love, Life, and Epidemics. Not necessarily in that order. In any case, I’ll inform you. And you’ll like it. Or not.

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