I am proud to present the Fall 2002 issue of the Journal for Pre-Health Affiliated Students (JPHAS) at the University of Illinois at Chicago. This issue has been created by a dedicated group of undergraduates, and I wish to extend my grateful appreciation to each individual that has contributed to this issue. I also wish to humbly thank our Faculty Editorial Board and UIC Publications for their wisdom and guidance. I are grateful for the generous support of our sponsors, including the Department of Biological Sciences, UIC Publications, the College of Applied Health Sciences, the College of Medicine, and the College of Dentistry, without whose financial endorsements, the publication of this journal would not be possible. The hard work of many individuals has provided the UIC community with a unique forum to exchange and share ideas and knowledge pertaining to the health-oriented professions.

JPHAS was conceived as an expansion of the UIC undergraduate journal formerly known as the Pre-Med Journal. JPHAS has broadened its scope to include a variety of health related disciplines, relevant to the students considering future careers in medicine, nursing, dentistry, public health, applied health sciences, and others. This publication recognizes the diversity of the interests of students pursuing a career in the health fields and wishes not only to present a more comprehensive perspective, but also to strengthen the ties between the pre-health bound communities at UIC.

In this issue, you will find an examination of the effects weather has on health in the Features section, a student perspective on pursuing a medical degree abroad in the Pre-Health Outlook section, an investigation of prescription drug patent extensions in the News section, a UIC researcher's contributions to the study of schizophrenia in the Research section, and the debate concerning socialized versus privatized health care in the Invited Opinions section.

I hope students pursing occupations in the health sciences will find this publication resourceful and insightful as they prepare for their future academic and professional goals. Through this publication, JPHAS seeks to strengthen the interactive environment between the JPHAS staff and the community residing at UIC and beyond. I look forward to your questions, comments, and suggestions.

Sincerely,
Michelle Gentile
Founding Editor-in-Chief