Eyespy

Eyespy has heard of a great way to deal with her emotional baggage, while being entertained. Every Friday night, Dr Albert Ellis performs his unique brand of stand-up psychotherapy to an audience of 200 in Manhattan. The 90 year old, who invented rational emotive behaviour therapy, demonstrates his aggressive, no-nonsense techniques, as he asks his audience members to share their issues. His sell out shows are packed with obscenities but have been going strong for 30 years (www.nytimes.com/2004/05/04/health/psychology/04PROF.html).

Unfortunately, the medic stereotype lives on: three quarters of UK medical students have parents with professional or managerial jobs, according to a government review of university admissions. Author Steven Schwartz said that applicants from wealthier backgrounds were better equipped to impress admissions tutors and found it easier to show a commitment to medicine, by using family connections to find relevant work experience. Schwartz backs demanding lower A level grades from state school pupils than from those privately educated. He also called for the introduction of American style aptitude tests, to distinguish ability from social conditioning (www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3561-1091973,00.html).

All pregnant women in Glasgow are to be breathalysed in an attempt to detect smokers. For the 27% of pregnant women who smoke, the …