If we use them responsibly they may last until we find new antibiotics.

Over use and not finishing the course of antibiotics when people take them. The resistant ones are the last to die. People feel better and stop taking their antibiotics then the infection returns. It's a resistant organism this time. Then they spread that. Another antibiotic stops working for that organism.

When you begin ordering lab tests (if you haven't already) please bear in mind that if it takes longer than you expect, the hold up might be due to one of those instruments being 'out of control'. The techs are probably in there with screw drivers and wrenches and such and a huge manufacturer's manual trying to figure out what's wrong and fix it. We simply can't turn out a result if the controls run before and after it are not within range. This is a daily occurrence.

I goofed. I missed the point that you are a medical student. That advice would apply to other majors. Sorry.

Medical Technologist here. Clinical labs are getting more and more automated. This means the instruments that analyze the blood and other kinds of specimens are very complex and prone to needing fixing or adjusting often. Since there's often plumbing involved with fluids running through tubes and in and out of reaction chambers they can easily become contaminated or plugged. So I think there is probably job security in fixing and servicing these instruments. You would work for the manufacturers, not the labs.

Reich-wingers unite.

Hurray for Japan! Gokorosama!

Chris Hatfield - he will share the experience with the world and especially science students.