ACP IMpact

ACP IMpact is an online newsletter for ACP Medical Student Members interested in internal medicine. An ACP login is required to access these articles. Not a member? Membership is free for medical students. Join now.

March 2026

In Case You Missed It

ACP Urges Precision in Health Care Terms: Don't Label Physicians as Providers

A new ethics paper from ACP, “Physicians Are Not Providers: The Ethical Significance of Names in Health Care,” argues that the term “provider” should not be used to describe physicians because the word demeans physicians' ethical responsibility, clinical integrity, and professionalism. The paper was published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

You can also watch a video from Jan K Carney, MD, MACP, the ACP former chair of the Ethics, Professionalism, and Human Rights Committee and the ACP President-Elect. Here she discuss the paper's significance.

Feature

Video Gaming in a Hospital Bed

(from the March 4, 2026, ACP Hospitalist)

Elderly inpatients played interactive video games to maintain function in a pilot project.

ACP Hospitalist is an online magazine for ACP members covering news and trends in hospital medicine.

I.M. Internal Medicine Spotlight

Zenobia Wadia JonesFoster MD, MPH

Dr. JonesFoster discusses her love of supporting medical students and residents as they grow from their first day of training through the completion of residency.

Medical Student Perspective Essay

Knowing Is Not Experiencing: An ICU Reflection

The labs said one thing, but his face said another. For the first time, I truly understood that data cannot replace seeing the patient in front of you.

Want to see your essay featured in a future issue of the newsletter? See details.

Analyzing Annals

Cannabis-Based Products for Chronic Pain. An Updated Systematic Review and Defining the Safety and Efficacy of Cannabis for Chronic Pain: Novel Approaches and Reframing Objectives

(from February 2026 Annals for Educators)

Cannabis products are often used for chronic pain. This systematic review summarizes the evidence from randomized controlled trials on the effectiveness and harms of cannabinoids for chronic pain. Cannabinoids were categorized by tetrahydrocannabinol-to-cannabidiol ratio (high, comparable, or low), source (synthetic, purified, extracted), and administration mode. The accompanying editorial discusses the findings and calls for new approaches that leverage observational data to provide insight into the role of cannabinoids in the treatment of chronic pain.

Annals for Educators is a Web Exclusives feature of Annals of Internal Medicine which includes activities using selected Annals articles to help medical educators in their teaching activities.

Winning Abstracts

Vitamin B12 Deficiency: A Red Herring or Cause of Guillain-Barré Syndrome

Peripheral neuropathy is a complex and multifactorial condition with a broad differential, including metabolic, systemic, and toxic factors. Patients often present with numbness, paresthesia, and weakness.

Want to have your abstract featured here? ACP holds National Abstract Competitions as part of the ACP Internal Medicine Meeting every year.

Subspecialty and Combined Training Careers

Gastroenterology

Gastroenterology is the subspecialty of internal medicine that focuses on the evaluation and treatment of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Gastroenterology requires an extensive understanding of the entire gastrointestinal tract, including the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, liver, gall bladder, pancreas, colon, and rectum.

See internal medicine residency length, structure, and training to review the many career pathways open to internal medicine physicians.

Get Involved

Join ACP Leadership Day 2026 – Help Shape the Future!

Register now for ACP's annual national advocacy event on May 12–13, 2026, in Washington, DC! Help ACP increase its presence on Capitol Hill and advocate directly with Congress in support of legislation impacting internal medicine physicians and your patients. Leadership Day is an ACP member-exclusive event and is $25 for medical students residing in the United States. If you are interested in attending, please contact your ACP chapter to help your state chapter coordinate its delegation. Space is limited and the deadline to register is April 24.

Stump the Professor and Master the Match at the ACP Internal Medicine Meeting 2026

Registration includes special sessions for medical students and access to the full Scientific Program and meeting events. Experience clinical reasoning in real time at Stump the Professor or attend Mastering the Match to help you choose your residency program. Join us in person or virtually for only $65.

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