Medical education

2,303 articles · Since 2007

Articles, page 77

4 things we should be teaching in medical school, but aren’t

February 6, 2015Feb 6, 20158

For many years, I taught a sizable chunk of our local medical school’s second-year pathology course. I was always energized by the students’ enthusiasm and desire to learn more about medicine. On the other hand, I remembered feeling their same frustrations regarding the lack of fundamental practice skills included in today’s medical school curriculum.

In fact, at our university, a group of students started a business in medicine interest group, where …

Survival pearls for surgical interns

Rajendra Sawh-Martinez, MD

February 5, 2015Feb 5, 20152

Living in the trenches of a surgical internship can be a gut wrenching, lonely experience for many. The journey from medical student to resident to surgical attending is a notoriously steep trek, necessitating our long 6+ years of training. Surviving intern year remains as hard as ever despite the significantly greater resources and awareness that exists among residency programs today.

These burdens are felt by all specialties and have tragically led …

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Survival pearls for surgical interns

Reflecting on an orthopedic surgery rotation

Kathryn Schlosser

February 5, 2015Feb 5, 2015

“Katie, If you go into surgery, you’re going to miss patients.” It was three in the morning in the ED; the resident was feeling the strain of a 24-hour trauma call, and I was loving it. I had spent the past half hour with a lovely, older woman whose foot had gone through the floor of her vehicle in a crash. We chatted about where she had been traveling, and …

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Evaluating medical students: Beware misleading first impressions

Rushil Patel

February 4, 2015Feb 4, 2015

I showed up that morning on the inpatient service as a part of my elective. Surprisingly, I found three other medical students present: 1 third year, 2 second years. The fourth year of medical school has many perks as I…

I showed up that morning on the inpatient service as a part of my elective. Surprisingly, I found three other medical students present: 1 third year, 2 second years.

The fourth year of medical school has many perks as I have been told by those senior to me. Once the application process gets underway, I have been advised to live every day as though it were my last. Personally, I liked …

The AMA: One medical student’s perspective

Akhilesh Pathipati, MD

February 4, 2015Feb 4, 201513

Last year, I had the opportunity to attend the American Medical Association’s interim meeting in Dallas, one of the two annual conferences held by the organization. I went to the meeting to present at a research symposium, but I stuck around for a few extra days because I was curious about the inner workings of organized medicine. As someone interested in health care systems and the delivery of medical care, …

A medical student’s personal statement: Deconstructed

Fizzy, MD

February 3, 2015Feb 3, 20152

I recently dug up a copy of the personal statement I wrote when I was applying for residency. I've said before that I think these personal statements aren't worth much. But somehow, I now feel compelled to prove it by…

I recently dug up a copy of the personal statement I wrote when I was applying for residency. I’ve said before that I think these personal statements aren’t worth much. But somehow, I now feel compelled to prove it by ripping apart my own personal statement.

So here we go:

It was the same situation that I had been in dozens of times.

Well, not really. I mean, I was only a third-year …

ABIM announces immediate changes to MOC program

Richard J. Baron, MD

February 3, 2015Feb 3, 201528

Dear Internal Medicine Community: ABIM clearly got it wrong. We launched programs that weren't ready and we didn't deliver an MOC program that physicians found meaningful. We want to change that. Nearly 80 years ago, the American Medical Association and…

Dear Internal Medicine Community:

ABIM clearly got it wrong. We launched programs that weren’t ready and we didn’t deliver an MOC program that physicians found meaningful. We want to change that.

Nearly 80 years ago, the American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians founded the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). ABIM was charged with distinguishing the discipline of internal medicine from other forms of practice by creating uniform standards …

Solving the problem of medical student debt

Adam Rapp

February 3, 2015Feb 3, 20158

Dr. Richard Gunderman published an article that shared the story of Melissa Chen, a 35-year-old radiology resident in her final year at the University of Texas San Antonio. While her road to medical school was somewhat unconventional (it is great story, I highly suggest reading it), Chen is not your typical medical school student — one whom has persistently endured a rather standard, run-of-the-mill path through graduate school and …

Money matters, despite what medical students say

Michael McClurkin

January 27, 2015Jan 27, 201562

In a recent article posted on this site, the author (a radiologist) waxed rhapsodic about a young medical student that was convinced to pursue primary care. When the author asked the student about the economic downsides to primary care, he responded by saying, “I’m not in it for the money … What matters to me isn’t the money — it’s making a difference in my patients’ lives.”

Well, good for him. Time …

Reflecting on the end of residency training

Brian J. Secemsky, MD

January 27, 2015Jan 27, 20153

We’ve almost made it. Long gone are the purgatory stints of library study, slaving to solve esoteric problems relating to planks and pulleys. Innumerable several-day exams have been conquered and tucked far away in our memories, hopefully never to haunt…

We’ve almost made it.

Long gone are the purgatory stints of library study, slaving to solve esoteric problems relating to planks and pulleys. Innumerable several-day exams have been conquered and tucked far away in our memories, hopefully never to haunt us again. The last of our forced smiles and faux-eager nods have been displayed toward ambivalent instructors and medical teams during the throes of our student rotations.

Post-graduate training is also nearing …

What have we lost with the progress of medical training?

Karan Chhabra

January 25, 2015Jan 25, 2015

Every third-year has heard it: “When I was in your position, I was taking 24-hour calls every other night. If my resident was there, I was there ...” We’re regaled about the glory days, without shelf exams, without phlebotomists, and…

Every third-year has heard it: “When I was in your position, I was taking 24-hour calls every other night. If my resident was there, I was there …”

We’re regaled about the glory days, without shelf exams, without phlebotomists, and — by God — without those work-hour restrictions. The days when medical students wouldn’t dare ask their residents for help, or residents their chiefs, or chiefs their attendings, and so on. …

Fixing MOC: Will creating another board entity help?

Wes Fisher, MD

January 22, 2015Jan 22, 2015

I admire Paul Tierstein, MD's honest attempt to create a greatly simplified alternative to the ABMS's Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program called the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons (NBPAS). I hope he's successful, but I sense there will be…

I admire Paul Tierstein, MD’s honest attempt to create a greatly simplified alternative to the ABMS’s Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program called the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons (NBPAS). I hope he’s successful, but I sense there will be large headwinds for the effort ahead.

Here’s why.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) modified Sections 1848 (k) and 1848 (m) of the Social Security Act, which defines how CMS pays physicians for their services. …

Key advice for medical students going on residency interviews

Danielle Jones, MD

January 20, 2015Jan 20, 2015

It's that time of year again. Bright-eyed fourth years have begun wandering our hospital in uncomfortable shoes and fancy suits. They look equal parts nervous and excited, ready to embark on the insane adventure that is being an intern. But…

It’s that time of year again. Bright-eyed fourth years have begun wandering our hospital in uncomfortable shoes and fancy suits. They look equal parts nervous and excited, ready to embark on the insane adventure that is being an intern. But first, they have to survive interview season and Match Day: a stressful, expensive, hoop-jumping endeavor that culminates with an envelope containing the result of eight years of hard work. Wouldn’t …

A resident working in the ICU: What you cannot control scares you

Emilie Y. Prot, DO

January 19, 2015Jan 19, 20152

In respectful memories of Benson, Rose, and Sandy. I want to thank each one of them for helping me become a better physician. I stepped into the intensive care unit with a feeling of apprehension. I knew deep down, the…

In respectful memories of Benson, Rose, and Sandy. I want to thank each one of them for helping me become a better physician.

I stepped into the intensive care unit with a feeling of apprehension. I knew deep down, the patients I was going to care for were sick patients. Their status could change at any time. This was my first week on the ICU as a resident physician.

Benson needed emergent …

Sexism in the OR: What’s a medical student to do?

Anonymous

January 18, 2015Jan 18, 201520

We recently had a session hosted by the medical education staff at our school where we were encouraged to share any difficult situations encountered in clerkship (submitted anonymously beforehand if that was preferred) and discussed them as a class. Issues regarding ageism, sexism and racism were brought up and addressed with the group. While I have not encountered any of the …

I did not fail recertification. Recertification has failed me.

Edward J. Volpintesta, MD

January 17, 2015Jan 17, 20156

-Pogo (a comic strip character of Walt Kelly) I doubt that physicians would have supported the creation of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) in the early 1900s if they had known that eventual maintenance of certification (MOC) might…

We have met the enemy, and he is us.
-Pogo (a comic strip character of Walt Kelly)

I doubt that physicians would have supported the creation of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) in the early 1900s if they had known that eventual maintenance of certification (MOC) might be used as requirements for re-licensure.

In my state of Connecticut, we already have continuing …

What I learned from medical school scholarship and award recipients

Samir Desai, MD

January 17, 2015Jan 17, 2015

As a faculty member, I’ve encountered many medical students excelling inside and outside of the classroom. Students can be recognized for their contributions through scholarships, awards, and grants. Whenever I can, I try to direct students to these opportunities. It’s…

1. Your ability to develop strong relationships with faculty mentors is crucial …

One way to change MOC: Targeted education and testing

Robert Centor, MD

January 16, 2015Jan 16, 20153

During the MOC debate that JAMA sponsored, I was asked what I would do if “I were king” of MOC. As an internist, I believe in first making a diagnosis, then prescribing a treatment. So I have spent time diagnosing…

During the MOC debate that JAMA sponsored, I was asked what I would do if “I were king” of MOC.

As an internist, I believe in first making a diagnosis, then prescribing a treatment. So I have spent time diagnosing my needs as an internist.

When I passed my boards I showed knowledge competency. But medicine changes over time. We have major advances and changes since I took my boards.

Some examples follow:

calcium

…

Common sense budget tips for broke medical residents

Tonya Adams

January 14, 2015Jan 14, 20154

When my husband started medical school, we immediately got hooked on getting student loans. After spending years of being broke all through undergrad, we felt like we were getting “magic” checks in the mail. Life was good. We could go out to dinner, buy our son the toys we wanted him to have, go shopping. We were enjoying all the luxuries …

Scientific meetings are worth more than CME

American College of Physicians & Yul Ejnes, MD

January 14, 2015Jan 14, 2015

A guest column by the American College of Physicians, exclusive to KevinMD.com. How many of you have heard a flight attendant or pilot announce, “We know you have a choice of airlines when you fly, and we want to thank…

A guest column by the American College of Physicians, exclusive to KevinMD.com.

How many of you have heard a flight attendant or pilot announce, “We know you have a choice of airlines when you fly, and we want to thank you for flying with us”? Over the years, many other industries have adopted similar statements. Continuing medical education (CME) should be one of them. There are more options than ever for …