AAMC Reporter: April 2008

There's a Buzz in the Air

Jim Jirjis, M.D., M.B.A., tends more than 700,000 honeybees in his spare time.

As spring spreads across the country, few signs are as telltale that winter is gone for good than the emergence of honeybees going about their daily chores. To some, it's a necessary evil of the new season. But for Jim Jirjis, M.D., M.B.A., an assistant professor of medicine at VanderbiltMedical Center, the buzzing of thousands of bees is music to his ears.

Jirjis has been keeping bees—720,000 of them, to be exact—for about four years now.He says that, by and large, they are pretty easy houseguests—except, of course, for the stings.

"They are not like domesticated animals, that you have to feed, clothe, and bathe," he says. "All you have to do is create an environment for them, and they do their own thing. Although once, suddenly I felt six or eight bees inside my veil, biting up my face. That didn't feel too good."

Still, Jirjis says he is drawn to the hobby's outdoorsy aspects, and that it is worth the risks—especially when it comes time to harvest the honey. But aside from that, Jirjis says the job is becoming increasingly vital to certain agricultural crops, as a mysterious autoimmune disease is killing honeybee colonies en masse. And it's serious business, given that bees and the crops that depend on themfor pollination—including blueberries, almonds, and cherries—generate about $15 billion a year.

"Beekeepers are important in maintaining the honeybee," Jirjis says. "They can treat infected colonies, or even healthy ones as a preventative measure. It's nice to do something for the environment this way."

—By Elissa Fuchs

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