Georgetown Family Medicine Physician Available for Interviews Regarding Pres. Trump’s Physical Exam

Newswise — WASHINGTON (Jan. 10, 2018) –This Friday, January 12, President Trump will reportedly undergo a routine physician examination at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. 

Ranit Mishori, MD, MHS, professor of family medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine, is available this week to answer questions about routine physical examinations and to react to reported outcomes of Trump’s exam.

Questions that can be addressed include: what generally happens in a wellness visit/annual physical for a 71-year-old male? Would Trump’s weight status affect what tests are run?  Are mental status screening tests part of a routine annual exam in his age group? Should they be? What tests do VIPs often receive that aren’t based on evidence?

“One of the interesting things that we may learn is that Pres. Trump, like many “VIPs,” could receive tests that aren’t based in evidence,” Mishori explains.  “That is, he might receive a test that isn’t shown to have greater benefits than harm.  One example would be a PSA test to check for prostate health, unless he is symptomatic or has a family history of the disease. Other examples often performed during VIP exams in asymptomatic individuals that are not supported by the evidence are chest x-rays and  carotid artery ultrasound, among others.”

Mishori practices full-spectrum family medicine, including obstetrics, in both inpatient and outpatient settings. She is an attending physician at Georgetown University–Providence Hospital and sees patients at MedStar Health Center–Family Medicine at Spring Valley, Washington, DC. Mishori's areas of interest and expertise include prevention, evidence-based medicine, health and human rights, refugee health, health disparities, global health education, public health, and health communications. 

Mishori is available for interviews Thursday, Jan. 11 and Friday, Jan. 12 during regular business hours.  Some weekend and evening hours are possible. Please contact Karen Teber at [email protected] to arrange an interview.

About Georgetown University Medical Center
 Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) is an internationally recognized academic medical center with a three-part mission of research, teaching and patient care (through MedStar Health). GUMC’s mission is carried out with a strong emphasis on public service and a dedication to the Catholic, Jesuit principle of cura personalis -- or “care of the whole person.” The Medical Center includes the School of Medicine and the School of Nursing & Health Studies, both nationally ranked; Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute; and the Biomedical Graduate Research Organization, which accounts for the majority of externally funded research at GUMC including a Clinical and Translational Science Award from the National Institutes of Health. Connect with GUMC on Facebook (Facebook.com/GUMCUpdate), Twitter (@gumedcenter). Connect with Georgetown University School of Medicine on Facebook (Facebook.com/somgeorgetown), Twitter (gumedicine) and Instagram (@GeorgetownMedicine).