Dr. Robin's Inner Circle

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A Note from Dr. Robin

Hi there!

When I started medical school, I thought I was perfectly healthy. Then a professor noticed I had a goiter (an enlarged thyroid) and another noticed I was short of breath and suggested I get checked for asthma. I entered medical school believing I was well and left with several chronic conditions that were finally being managed.

For the first time, I knew what it felt like to feel well. But I also understood what it meant to live with a diagnosis. And when I was thirty, after a rare type of stroke, I found myself both physician and patient again, learning recovery from the inside out.

That experience has shaped my entire career. Every time I teach or treat, I’m reminded that medicine isn’t just about finding the problem, it’s about understanding the person.

Dr. Robin

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Roots & Suffixes: -osis Even doctors come across words they’ve never seen before. Learning roots and suffixes helps you guess smart—so unfamiliar words start to make more sense!

The suffix –osis means a condition or process. You’ll see it in words like diagnosis (identifying a condition), fibrosis (a thickening of tissue), or osteoporosis (a weakening of bone). When you see “–osis,” it usually describes what’s happening in the body, sometimes temporary, sometimes long-term.

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What I'm Reading

This week’s pick is The Moth Girl by Heather Kamins. It’s a fictional story about a teen navigating a mysterious illness, written by an author who lives with lupus herself. Many readers with chronic illness have said it captures their experience better than anything else they’ve read.

If your student is interested in stories about health, identity, or the patient experience, this is a beautiful and thought-provoking choice. It’s a gentle reminder that understanding medicine also means understanding people. Get It On Amazon

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Career Corner: Medical Laboratory Scientist

Medical laboratory scientists are the detectives of medicine. They analyze blood, tissue, and other samples to help doctors make accurate diagnoses and track how treatments are working. ​ These professionals rarely meet patients face-to-face, but their work changes lives every day. Download the Career Page

Today's Career Question: If you were a medical laboratory scientist, would you rather spend your day running tests with robots and machines or do tests that you have to run by hand like in a chemistry lab or using a microscope? Why? Download the Coloring Page

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Ask Dr. Robin!

Do you have a question about a lesson you're doing? You can write in and ask Dr. Robin!

Question:

I just watched the lesson on the different types of blood. How do doctors know if you have the right amount of them?

Answer from Dr. Robin:

Great question! Doctors check that with a test called a complete blood count, or CBC. It measures the number of red blood cells (which carry oxygen), white blood cells (which fight infection), and platelets (which help your blood clot).

Your blood sample goes to a medical laboratory scientist, who uses specialized equipment to count and examine the cells. If the numbers are too high or too low, it gives important clues about what might be happening in your body.

It’s one of the most common and useful tests in medicine—simple to do, but packed with information!

P.S. Have a question from your lesson or something you’ve always wondered about medicine? Hit reply and ask me! Your question might be featured in a future Ask Dr. Robin.

That's all for this week! Happy Learning!

Questions? Get one-on-one assistance from Nurse Jill Cooper. Reply to this email, schedule office hours with Jill, or text or call 720-257-9030. Business hours are 9-5 M-F MST, closed for school holidays.