Background: We aimed to identify factors associated with refusal of surgery among patients with colon cancer. Methods: This 2004e2016 NCDB retrospective study identified AJCC stage I-III colon cancer patients who were recommended surgery. Multivariable logistic regression defined adjusted odds ratios of refusing treatment, with sociodemographic and clinical covariates. Treatment propensity-adjusted Cox proportional hazard ratios defined differential survival stratified by clinical stage, controlling for potential confounders. Results: Of 170,594 patients recommended surgery, 1116 refused. Increased rates of surgery refusal were associated with older age, African American race, CDCC>3, and female sex. Decreased rates of surgery refusal were associated with higher income and private insurance. Stratifying by stage, refusal rates among African Americans remained disparately high. Refusal of surgery was associated with worse overall survival. Conclusions: Disparate rates of refusal of surgery for resectable colon cancer by race and other sociodemographic factors highlight potential treatment adherence reinforcement beneficiaries, necessitating further study of shared decision-making.

As curricular emphasis on anatomy in undergraduate medical education continues to evolve, new approaches to anatomical education are urgently needed to prepare medical students for residency. A surgical anatomy class was designed for third‐ and fourth‐year medical students to explore important anatomical relationships by performing realistic surgical procedures on anatomical donors. Under the guidance of both surgeons and anatomists, students in this month‐long elective course explored key anatomical relationships through performing surgical approaches, with the secondary benefit of practicing basic surgical techniques. Procedures, such as left nephrectomy, first rib resection for thoracic outlet syndrome, and carotid endarterectomy, were adapted from those used clinically by multiple surgical subspecialties. This viewpoint commentary highlights perspectives from students and instructors that suggest the value of a surgical approach to anatomical education for medical students preparing for procedure‐oriented residencies, with the goals of: (1) describing the elective at the authors' institution, (2) promoting similar efforts across different institutions, and (3) encouraging future qualitative and quantitative studies of similar pedagogic efforts.

The synthesis of 1,1-diphenylethylene (DPE) via a Grignard reaction, followed by an acid-catalyzed dehydration reaction, yields a mixture of compounds. DPE is a high boiling liquid that cannot be purified using simple distillation. However, it is easily separated from the more polar starting material and intermediate alcohol using both thin layer and column chromatography. Second-semester organic chemistry laboratory students learn the techniques of running reactions under anhydrous conditions and of column chromatography. In addition, the experiment demonstrates clearly the relationship between thin layer and column chromatography.

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