Dr. John Cmar

 Back pain, knee pain and other forms of “boomeritis,” during a visit with Dr. Brian Block of Maryland Pain Specialists.

Experts predict a virulent and long allergy season this spring. Those who suffer might now have a painless alternative to allergy shots. Also, an implantable lens could help those who suffer from age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of irreversible vision loss. Plus, a look at the Oklahoma dental practice that might have infected thousands of patients with hepatitis or HIV. Our guest: Midday health contributor Dr. John Cmar.

In the second of a two-part series, Midday on Health contributor Dr. John Cmar gives an insider’s tour of how a hospital works. From the who’s who of hospitals to what to expect when you’re admitted to what to ask before you leave. Also, with “match week” coming up for fourth-year medical students, we get a primer on hospital residency programs.

Another in our series of discussions about the Newtown massacre, the focus this time on the link between mental illness, particularly among young men, and violence. In the wake of the nation's latest mass killing, there have been calls for more access to mental health services and more intervention. But are such incomprehensible tragedies predictable and preventable? And what disorders are at their root? Our guests: Midday contributors Dr. John Cmar, of Johns Hopkins University and Sinai Hospital, and Dr.