Dr. Turek's Blog

The "Brick" Takes a Beating

Posted on by Paul Turek, MD

While you were blabbing away, your cell phone took a hit this week. Basically cell phones were slammed from two sides. As much as any modern product, the cell phone is about as integrated as a piece of plastic can get into our lives. In 2002, 2% of Americans gave up their landlines for cell […]

The Wild West: Banning Circumcision

Posted on by Paul Turek, MD

Despite living here for 15 years, San Francisco continues to surprise me. In this city renowned for being progressive and open-minded, there ballot item for November 2011 that has the entire world abuzz. The Male Genital Mutilation Bill What’s in the ballot box for this fall is called the “Male Genital Mutilation Bill.” It seeks […]

On Matters of Size

Posted on by Paul Turek, MD

I know that you have been waiting for this post for a good 2 years. Men are constantly reminded that women think that size matters, which plays beautifully into their fear of inadequacy. Well, here is the real skinny on size. A Study of Penile Length My colleagues at UCSF performed a nice study to […]

He’s Gotta Have It

Posted on by Paul Turek, MD

What is that urban legend? An 18-year old teenager thinks about sex every 3 minutes. And that’s while he’s awake. Ah, those were the days. Now that you are older, more serious, possibly more responsible, maybe partnered, and may even have little ones, you may have nowhere near this frequency of sexual thoughts. Haven’t you […]

Women: They’ve Got Me Covered

Posted on by Paul Turek, MD

I think it was Jim Carrey who said, “Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes.” Ok, maybe that’s not always the case, but there are several women who have fundamentally shaped my life. Here’s my short list of Happy Mother’s Day recipients: Mother: For obvious reasons (“I wouldn’t be here without you”), […]

Royal Advice for the Ages

Posted on by Paul Turek, MD

Dear Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, I watched your lovely wedding at Westminster Abbey this week. So sorry that I couldn’t make it to the Abbey for the ceremony, but I had to operate that day (and you didn’t actually invite me).  All is forgiven, as I was privileged enough to watch the marriage (from […]

The Secret Life of a Microsurgeon

Posted on by Paul Turek, MD

A recent study on hungover surgeons suggests that they are slower and sloppier after a night on the town. Get them toasted, let them sleep it off and they can’t perform surgery on par the next day. Not surprising findings, given the physical and mental demands of many surgeries. But quite alarming for patients who […]

Eat, Sleep, Reproduce

Posted on by Paul Turek, MD

It has been said that we, like many other living creatures, were put on this good earth to eat, sleep and reproduce. In a minimalist, animalistic and mechanistic way, everything else is we do to make the world a better place is icing on the cake. Of course, we have free will and we can […]

Clinic by the Bay, San Francisco’s Volunteers in Medicine Clinic

Posted on by Paul Turek, MD

Clinic By the Bay’s overarching goal is to improve access to comprehensive, quality health care for the region’s working uninsured, while providing meaningful opportunities for civic engagement. As one of 84 Volunteers in Medicine clinics nationally, we engage retired and practicing doctors, nurses, and other community volunteers to provide compassionate care, free of charge, to […]

Mice Sperm in a Dish

Posted on by Paul Turek, MD

It’s not the mother load of discoveries in our field, but it’s pretty close. It tells us that the mother load is definitely out there…and within reach. Yup, the good news is that real. live, old-fashioned sperm were made in a dish… at least for mice. The Holy Grail: Artificial Sperm For the 55,000 reproductive […]