Ask Alex what cuddly toy they slept with as a child, and you’ll discover that it was a soccer ball – real, not plush. This was by choice; they assure me. We sit at a small corner table in a local coffee shop in Ann Arbor, MI. With exposed brick walls, mix-and-match seating, and the latest pride flag in the window, it’s no wonder that two queer millennials choose this …
Shortening U.S. medical education can significantly improve U.S. population health. As patients and stakeholders of U.S. health care, we are at crisis levels. There are not enough primary care doctors for the U.S. population — a basic human need for health and safety — which creates inequities. Peer-reviewed medical literature and mainstream media both document the highest burnout rates are in primary care and ER doctors, especially since the pandemic, …
Although many systemic factors universally contribute to both burnout in both male and female physicians, female physicians also tend to experience burnout at disproportionately high rates versus their male counterparts. Burnout, also known as a state of as a “state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion,” continues to grow despite being a recognized problem for decades. Burnout is a critical public health risk which not only affects …
There are a few clinical scenarios that stand out to me from my undergraduate medical education. I completed a combined MD/MPH program, and I remember coming back from the year of public health, inserted between years two and three of medical school, feeling rusty and often in the way. One conversation I’ll always remember is one I overheard between an attending on my family medicine rotation (my first rotation of …
Medical school is a wild ride, filled with anticipation and unforgettable experiences. From the excitement of the first day of orientation to the white coat ceremony and meeting new people, every moment is etched in your memory. Endless hours of lectures followed by late nights of studying at home, the thrill of dissecting for the first time, and the camaraderie of study groups and problem-based learning create a unique atmosphere. …
On a hot and humid July afternoon, the white coat ceremony for the class of 2025 at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine was in full swing. As I walked onstage, slipped into my brand-new white coat, and accepted the coveted “medical student” title I had spent years working for, I thought about why I was embarking on this journey: my family of Vietnam War refugees, my brother who has …
ERAS is now open, and medical students all over are compiling their applications to match into residency. As someone who is in a field they desired to pursue while in college but took a circuitous route there (four years as a generalist in the Air Force, practicing after completing an internship), I cannot help but wonder if some of our residency match systems is a contributing factor to burnout.
Many studies …
“Thank you so much for taking the time today and judging,” yet another person said as they approached me, smiling or shaking my hand.
“You are welcome,” I said, smiling. It was my pleasure—my genuine internal pleasure.
I have been volunteering for schools and children’s education for many years.
As I agreed yet again to be a judge, I thought I was helping them: schools, students, the school district… It turned out that, …
The very first patient I met in the rheumatology clinic at SUNY Downstate heard I was applying to medical school and pulled me close to her, saying, “I want you to feel the swelling in my hands.” She took great care to ensure I palpated each joint and appreciated the warmth, erythema, and “boggy” feeling imparted by the inflammation. She explained her medical history and was very specific with her …
Indeterminate. That’s the word we use when we’re unsure whether a patient will be able to survive without mechanical ventilation. We can’t say for certain that they have a good prognosis, but we can’t say they have a bad one either. A chaplain once said that those teetering between life and death can sense two things: sounds and smells. They also shared a story about a patient who woke up …
Reprinted with permission from Getting In: The Essential Guide to Finding a STEMM Undergrad Research Experience, Second Edition, published by The University of Chicago Press. © 2015, 2023 by Paris Grey and David Oppenheimer. All rights reserved.
Sometimes students disqualify themselves from participating in undergrad research because they believe (or someone …
The ABIM (American Board of Internal Medicine) Certification exam is not always about the assessment of your knowledge but also about knowing the right strategies, which are keys to success. I passed the ABIM Board Certification Exam without any review course. I had to sign up to work as an attending physician on July 1st due to my financial and visa limitations.
In this article, I will discuss effective preparation methods …
Medical school can be a challenging and demanding experience, and it’s no secret that many medical students struggle with mental health challenges as a result. In fact, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA, the prevalence of depression, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation among medical students is higher than in the general population. Despite this concerning trend, mental health support for medical students has often been lacking …
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I won’t judge you for asking for help because that is how I hope you treat me.
It took me five years to accept the fact that I needed help. As I pursued athletic endeavors at the highest level in high school and college, my mind developed a twisted, compulsive mindset towards eating to control my life, navigate my cultural heritage, and succeed in my sport. For those five years, I …
In the United States, 16,783,000 viewers watched the 2022 World Cup final. That number doesn’t include me, who inconspicuously watched the match over the shoulder of a stranger sitting one row ahead of me on a flight — a traveler who had the means to purchase the plane’s Wi-Fi while I, a student surviving on loans, do not. So, let’s set the record straight and revise the number of viewers …
Medical school can be a daunting journey for many aspiring physicians. As I look back now at the beginning of my 4th year, this has certainly been the case for me. With an overwhelming amount of information to learn and retain, students often find themselves struggling to keep up with the pace of the curriculum. Although somewhat mitigated by USMLE Step 1 transitioning to pass/fail, students are also pressured to …
Premeds, don’t let them mislead you again.
It was once said that if we were 30 percent less intelligent, we would likely become happier. Sadly, awareness precedes intelligence. There is terrifyingly little strength involved in witnessing any tragedy that would either take a very long time to unsee or would stick with us to the grave. Around January, we heard the shot go around the world; 11 …
Residency applicants, especially today, come from diverse backgrounds, including various careers, SESs, gap years, and geographic location. Despite an increase in applicants from diverse backgrounds, the application process may still perpetuate inequities for students and presents operational challenges for reviewing committees. Many of these intrinsic challenges to the application process have been compounded by shifting incentives inspired by changes to the Step 1 exam switching to a pass/fail format.
In light …
Premedical students are more stressed out and burned out than ever. It’s easy to see why: pre-med courses, medical school admissions committee expectations, and application process and cost are daunting and, in their current iteration, often harmful to students and society.
I am an emergency medicine and internal medicine physician at public and private teaching hospitals and direct and teach undergraduate courses at an affiliated university. I mentor/advise pre-med (particularly …
As a therapist and physician spouse who works with physicians and physician couples, I’ve seen the excitement and difficulty of exiting medical training and becoming an attending. The shift is a celebratory culmination of the physician’s hard work and a jarring transition with its unique challenges. Here are six things a new attending can do to recover from their residency experience and build a thriving next chapter.
1. Process …
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