Residency

Why medical students are trading empathy for publications

Education
May 30, 2025

In the race to get into competitive medical residency training, today’s medical students are chasing something that may surprise you: scientific abstracts, posters, workshops, and research papers.

Lots of them. Not necessarily new ideas or meaningful research—just enough to stack their résumés and stand out during the screening of their application for postgraduate residency match. But while scholarship can be a powerful tool in shaping their future, there’s a growing question …

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An introduction to occupational and environmental medicine [PODCAST]

Podcast
May 17, 2025
YouTube video

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Occupational medicine physician Robert Nathan Clapp discusses his article, “Why you should take a closer look at occupational and environmental medicine.” Addressing the pervasive issue of physician burnout, Robert introduces occupational and …

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What my first Match Day as a program director taught me about hope

Physician
May 8, 2025

Today was my first Match Day as a program director and, while most of my emotions are unprocessed, I already have many thoughts.

I can’t forget the concurrent drop in my stomach, pause in my cardiac systole, and the involuntary intake of breath which occurred when the email arrived—2 minutes early!—from the NRMP. I stacked an extra gasp even before I exhaled the first while I fumbled to open the email. …

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Teaching by humiliation is still crushing future doctors

Physician
April 20, 2025

Shouting at student physicians is still a thing.

Justified as “teaching by humiliation.”
It is the worst form of “teaching” I have ever encountered.

Being asked questions aggressively,
Being ridiculed if you get the answer wrong,
Being shouted at, scolded.
All in front of other students, colleagues, and patients.

It’s embarrassing, undermining, and it crushes confidence.
It silences your voice.
Makes you question yourself.
Makes you want to cry.

It’s disempowering.

Almost 20 years later, I still remember it.
Six of us, wearing …

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Match Day 2025: Safeguarding the future of medical students amid crisis [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 21, 2025
YouTube video

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Janet A. Jokela, an infectious disease physician, discusses her article, “Match Day 2025: Protecting our students’ futures.” She explores the unprecedented challenges facing medical students, including a U.S. measles outbreak, censorship at …

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Why leaving medicine feels like escaping a cult [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 18, 2025
YouTube video

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Former OB/GYN resident and physician coach Chelsea Turgeon discusses her article, “Why does leaving medicine feel like escaping a cult?” In this episode, Chelsea shares her personal journey of resigning from residency …

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Residency programs value diversity and inclusivity

Education
February 28, 2025

Residency interview season is wrapping up; applicants and programs are weighing each other’s relative flaws and merits. In about a month, rank lists are due, and then the applicants’ fates are up to the Match. Where they will spend the next three to seven years of their lives, the people with whom they will work 80-plus hours per week, and the culture in which they will be steeped will be …

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First, do no harm: Now is the time to fight mental health stigma and advocate for residency reform

Physician
February 22, 2025

As a pathology resident, much of my time is spent looking down a microscope, searching for clues that will guide a final diagnosis. Some diseases, however, cannot be seen at 100x magnification. Mental illness is one such disease. Its impact is profound, yet it often remains invisible to the naked eye. In fact, the National Alliance on Mental Illness estimates that one in five adults in the U.S. lives with …

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Rethinking residency: How to reshape graduate medical education

Education
February 7, 2025

Graduate medical education (GME) could explore several forward-thinking processes to enhance the journey of medical trainees. These processes could focus on selecting applicants for residency, fostering their development to excel as trainees, and preparing them to graduate as competent, certified physicians capable of independently practicing their specialties.

As objective numerical scores from the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) become a thing of the past, it may be time to consider …

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To my beloved sister: Dr. Moumita Debnath

Physician
February 6, 2025

Trigger warning: sexual abuse, violence against women, and rape.

(Dr. Moumita Debnath, a 31-year-old female resident doctor from Kolkata, India, was discovered dead in a seminar hall at R.G. Kar Medical College on August 9, 2024. Her death was verified as the result of a violent sexual assault and murder. All this occurred while she was sleeping alone at night, on call. The autopsy indicated significant damage caused by severe physical …

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Why medical training is pushing residents to their breaking point [PODCAST]

Podcast
December 8, 2024
YouTube video

 

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We sit down with medical student Medha Venigalla to explore the urgent issue of resident sleep deprivation and its impact on health care. We discuss the systemic challenges residents face, including long hours, …

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Inside the toxic reality of surgical residency [PODCAST]

Podcast
October 10, 2024
YouTube video

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We sit down with Audra King, a surgery resident, to explore the challenges and toxic environments that medical trainees often face during their residency. From instances of disrespect and workplace bullying to the …

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The surprising power of laughter and creativity in medical training

Education
October 3, 2024

Teaching is a blast! As an attending, I love to employ offbeat methods, with absurdity and humor, at times skirting the edge of political incorrectness, all for the purpose of enhancing one’s medical education.

Educating medical students and residents by practicing physicians is a tried-and-true element of medical education, a practice dating back through the ages, where those without formal education in the art of teaching provided instruction. This tradition continues …

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The cost of exhaustion: Resident fatigue is a public health emergency

Education
September 4, 2024

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in resident unionization across the country, driven largely by the grueling working conditions many residents face. While the most pressing issues are pay and burnout, one contributing cause is the long hours of training that contribute to resident sleep deprivation – a serious threat to resident health and patient safety. Despite duty hour restrictions imposed by the Accreditation Council for …

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How international medical graduates shape U.S. health care [PODCAST]

Podcast
July 24, 2024
YouTube video

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Join us for a conversation with George M. Abraham, former president of the American College of Physicians (2021-2022) and a professor of medicine. We’ll explore the vital role of international medical graduates (IMGs) …

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From medical student to intern: Embrace your inner artist

Physician
July 2, 2024

“A message to the new generation of interns: you’re not just a doctor—you’re an artist, too.”

It’s the first day of residency. You enter the hospital, trying to recall basic medicine after months away from patient care. Gone are the days of hovering between unpaid trainees and health care providers. Gone are the days when you could deploy the instinctive, age-old adage, “I’m just the medical student.”

During graduation this year, I …

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New career paths for resident physicians [PODCAST]

Podcast
June 28, 2024
YouTube video

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We dive into the evolving landscape of health care entrepreneurship with our guest, Tod Stillson, a family physician and entrepreneur. Tod shares his journey from traditional employment to establishing his own single-member professional …

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The unspoken challenges of being a medical resident’s wife

Conditions
June 26, 2024

The journey of a medical resident is often documented, highlighting the grueling hours, intense pressure, and significant responsibilities that come with the role. However, behind the scenes lies another story that is seldom told—the challenges faced by the wives of medical residents. This article delves into the unique struggles of being a medical resident’s wife, particularly in the context of a long-distance relationship.

The overlooked partner

While much attention is given to …

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The troubling trend of violating resident physician rights

Physician
June 15, 2024

Resident physicians are vital to the health care system, delivering essential medical services while training to become fully licensed doctors. However, a troubling trend has emerged nationwide, with residency programs and hospitals frequently violating the rights and protections resident physicians are entitled to under employment contracts, state labor laws, and accreditation standards. I personally was forced to deal with these issues, despite having virtually zero knowledge regarding the legal side …

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