Prospective Doctor (from MedSchoolCoach)

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Imagine your credentials as a physician being misused, making it impossible for you to work. Dr. Leah Houston went through this identity theft nightmare. This experience led her to start HPEC, a decentralized autonomous organization of practicing physicians—essentially a digital physician guild.

Dr. Houston, an emergency medicine physician turned pioneer in digital identity security for doctors, speaks with host Dr. Erkeda DeRouen on this episode about how she turned crisis into innovation and resilience. They discuss physicians' staggering administrative challenges, the nuances of digital identity management, the burdensome credentialing process, and the importance of safeguarding one's medical credentials.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Identity Management in Healthcare: Dr. Leah Houston shares her personal experience with Medicare and Medicaid identity fraud, shedding light on the often overlooked issue of identity management and credentialing in the medical field. She explains how administrative burdens can persist well beyond medical school and residency, impacting your ability to practice medicine.
Innovation and Technological Solutions: Discover how Dr. Houston turned her challenges into a groundbreaking solution by developing a decentralized identity management system. This tool not only simplifies the credentialing process but also enhances security, allowing physicians to hold and share pre-verified data effortlessly.
Exploring New Career Avenues: Our host, Dr. Erkeda DeRouen, emphasizes the importance of networking and exploring opportunities outside traditional medical pathways. If you're keen on innovation or startup environments, take Dr. Houston's advice to heart: immerse yourself in tech, reach out to industry leaders, and even consider internships to broaden your horizons and make an impact in the evolving healthcare landscape.

Jump into the conversation:

00:00 Introduction to The Prospective Doctor podcast with host Dr. Erkeda DeRouen and special guest Dr. Leah Houston

02:04 Impact of Medicare/Medicaid identity fraud on her ability to work

04:40 The burdensome nature of the current system

06:02 Introducing a digital wallet for doctors to hold pre-verified credentials

08:18 Importance of networking and collaboration with tech innovators

11:05 Encouraging students to have confidence in their problem-solving abilities

16:45 Importance of showing genuine interest and offering tangible help to emerging startups

18:50 Importance of fair contracts and seeking legal advice.

Where you can find Dr. Houston:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahhoustonmd/

More on HPEC: https://www.hpec.io/

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at www.prospectivedoctor.com/

You can also reach us through our social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MedSchoolCoach

Dr. Erkeda’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordgram/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MedSchoolCoach

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Burnout is real, and it’s more than just stress—it's an occupational phenomenon. Dr. Svetlana Chamoun, a cardiologist and Founder and President of CardioSeeds and host of the CardioSeeds Podcast joins Dr. Erkeda DeRouen to speak about burnout prevention and how it’s directly related to heart health and chronic disease.

Dr. Chamoun is dedicated to shedding light on the mental health challenges that medical students and professionals face. Her acclaimed book Resilience in Scrubs and the upcoming Women Physician Survival Guide showcase her commitment to reducing burnout in the healthcare sector.

Join the conversation as they discuss strategies for managing stress and burnout, from setting personal boundaries and engaging in fulfilling hobbies to building robust support networks. Discover how Cardioseeds is making a difference with its innovative wellness programs and why lifestyle medicine and resilience training should be integral parts of medical education.

In this episode, you’ll learn to:

Prioritize Your Mental Health: Dr. Svetlana Chamoun and Dr. Erkeda DeRouen delve into the significance of addressing mental health in the medical field. They spotlight the Doctor Lorna Breen Healthcare Provider Protection Act, which encourages medical professionals to seek mental health help without fear of repercussions. Remember, your well-being is just as critical as your patients’.
Embrace Personal Wellness: Discover strategies for maintaining mental wellness amid the demanding medical environment. From setting boundaries and engaging in hobbies to building a supportive network and aligning with your core values, these tips will help you stay mentally fit and ready to conquer the medical world.
Combat Burnout: Dr. Chamoun shares insightful tips on recognizing and tackling burnout. Learn about symptoms like chronic fatigue, insomnia, and emotional detachment, and explore proactive measures like lifestyle medicine, resilience training, and mindfulness to set yourself up for a rewarding and sustainable medical career.

Jump into the conversation:

00:00 Dr. Erkeda DeRouen introduces the Prospective Doctor podcast with guest Dr. Svetlana Chamoun

02:01 Dr. Chamoun on her journey through medical training and how burnout impacted her personal and professional life

06:31 On the pervasive issue of mental health struggles in the medical field

10:01 Align professional life with personal values by setting boundaries between work and personal life to maintain mental wellness

15:01 Insight into Dr. Chamoun's book "Resilience in Scrubs" and organization, Cardioseeds, which offers wellness programs for medical trainees

20:01 How burnout affects female healthcare professionals differently due to various factors such as cultural biases and the "double shift" phenomenon

25:01 Differentiating between stress and burnout, with a focus on how chronic, unresolved work-related stress leads to burnout

30:01 Lifestyle interventions and how to incorporate them into daily routines

35:01 Highlighting the role of leadership in creating supportive environments and addressing toxic workplaces

Where you can find Dr. Chamoun:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cardioseeds/

More on CardioSeeds: https://cardioseeds.com/

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at www.prospectivedoctor.com/

You can also reach us through our social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MedSchoolCoach

Dr. Erkeda’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordgram/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MedSchoolCoach

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In this episode, host Dr. Erkeda DeRouen chats with Dr. Chiamaka Okorie, a recent graduate of Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. Dr. Okorie brings a unique perspective as an international student who excelled in the US system, acing the MCAT and building an impressive portfolio.

Dr. Okorie shares practical advice for aspiring dermatologists, but her insights extend far beyond a single specialty. Tune in to learn about exploring career paths early, the power of networking, and the importance of self-advocacy. They'll delve into crafting a standout application, the value of passion-driven research, and the importance of building your support system.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Depths of Dermatology: Dr. Chiamaka Okorie advises aspiring dermatologists to jump into the field early and seek guidance from professionals to build a competitive portfolio
Self-Advocacy is Key: Both Dr. Chiamaka Okorie and our host, Dr. Erkeda DeRouen, emphasize the importance of actively showcasing your achievements and interests.
Building Your Personal Board of Directors: Proactively reaching out to professionals and leveraging digital platforms can provide invaluable guidance and support in your medical journey, from medical school decisions to career development.

Jump into the Conversation:

[00:00] Introduction to the Prospective Doctor

[02:01] Introduction to Dr. Chiamaka Okorie

[02:43] Navigating getting into a US medical school for international students

[04:16] - Tips for building a competitive portfolio early on, including the power of mentorship and networking

[10:36] Dr. Okorie’s advice on fully committing to the desired specialty, including advocacy tips and strategies for standing out

[15:14] The importance of research in building your portfolio

[19:44] Building your network on LinkedIn, Instagram and other social media platforms

[21:00] The competitive specialty of dermatology

[28:37] Advocating for yourself in medical school

Where you can find Dr. Okorie:

Email: chiamakaokoriemd@gmail.com

Twitter: @AmakaOkorieMed

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiamakaokorie/

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at www.prospectivedoctor.com/

You can also reach us through our social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MedSchoolCoach

Dr. Erkeda’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordgram/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MedSchoolCoach

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“Why wait for change when you can create it yourself?” was the driving question that inspired Dr. Kim Tranquada to explore the innovative world where telehealth meets global health disparities.

Dr. Kim Tranquada, passionately known as” Dr. T”, is an emergency physician with over 25 years of diverse experience, ranging from academic institutions to the VA healthcare system. Currently, she's pioneering the Healthcare Alliance for an Equitable World, an international telehealth initiative aimed at bridging the global healthcare workforce gap.

She spoke with host, Dr. Erkeda DeRouen about how telehealth can help healthcare professionals provide essential services from anywhere in the world, the importance of stepping out of traditional medical roles and embracing innovative approaches to healthcare.

In this episode, you’ll learn the importance of:

Embracing Innovation: Leverage technology and think creatively to address global healthcare challenges, like using telehealth to bridge workforce gaps.
Value of Global Health Experience: Gain exposure to different healthcare systems and needs worldwide to broaden your impact and understanding of global health.
Empowering Your Medical Career: Take ownership of your career path, be visible, and create change within or outside traditional medical roles to make a meaningful impact.

Jump into the Conversation:

[00:00] Introduction

[00:27] Meet Dr. T

[02:36] The mission of Healthcare Alliance for an Equitable World

[06:36] Joining the initiative

[09:35] Impacting communities that need it

[14:19] The doctor deficit

[16:54] Innovating in the telehealth space

[21:24] How would a global telehealth rotation change medicine?

[23:53] Rotation opportunities for med students

You can find Dr. Tranquada on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-tranquada-md-facep-faaem-899349259/

Learn more about Healthcare Alliance for an Equitable World: https://haew.org/

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at www.prospectivedoctor.com/

You can also reach us through our social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MedSchoolCoach

Dr. Erkeda’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordgram/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MedSchoolCoach

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“It's important to tune into yourself and really figure out what is it that you want. Being open to the possibilities and proactive about your career can lead you to unexpected and fulfilling paths.” Dr. Nishi Bhopal, a Board Certified Integrative Psychiatrist and Sleep Physician, delves into the diverse and often unexpected paths that a medical career can take with host, Dr. Erkeda DeRouen.

Dr. Nishi Bhopal shares her personal journey, detailing her transition from internal medicine to psychiatry, and the internal and external obstacles she faced along the way. Dr. Bhopal's story is a testament to the importance of staying true to one's interests and instincts despite the pressures and expectations of the medical profession.

This episode focuses on the broader aspects of medical careers, including the integration of holistic and integrative medicine into practice, the role of telehealth, and the exciting possibilities that lie in medical entrepreneurship and education through digital platforms.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Strategies for switching residencies during and after match
The importance of resilience in the face of professional challenges, such as confronting the stereotypes within medical fields
Why a significant paradigm shift from acute care to a more preventative approach in healthcare is needed

Jump into the Conversation:

[00:00] Introduction to The Prospective Doctor

[01:24] Meet Dr. Nishi Bhopal

[02:09] The Big Switch: Internal Medicine to Psychiatry

[03:34] The Importance of an Open Mind

[05:09] Obstacles on the Path Forward

[08:48] Exploring New Horizons in Medicine

[11:31] The Value of Knowing Yourself

[14:35] Integrating Holistic Medicine into Practice

[20:08] Cultural Differences in Healthcare

[23:26] Connecting with Dr. Bhopal

Resources:

You can find Dr. Bhopal on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IntraBalance

You can find Dr. Bhopal on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nishibhopal/

Learn more about Pacific Integrative Psychiatry: https://pacificintegrativepsych.com/

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at www.prospectivedoctor.com/

You can also reach us through our social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MedSchoolCoach

Dr. Erkeda’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordgram/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MedSchoolCoach

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"It doesn't matter how busy you are in life. If you don't make your intimate partner a priority, then they might as well not even be in a relationship.” Dr. Kate Mangona speaks the truth about relationships with Dr. DeRouen in this episode of Prospective Doctor.

Dr. Mangona is a pediatric radiologist passionate about marriage and intimacy coaching. She also hosts the podcast Love Lab MD and brings a unique perspective, having personally encountered the challenges of balancing relationships while pursuing her medical career and supporting her husband’s journey into medicine.

They discuss the art of relationship management amid the grueling medical training schedule. She shares practical tips on clear communication, setting priorities, and creative ways to maintain intimacy—even when you're miles apart. Whether you're single, dating, or married with kids, she offers strategies to ensure your career and personal life thrive.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Balancing a demanding medical career and personal relationships involves clear communication and prioritizing your partner.
Maintaining chemistry and proximity is key. FaceTime dinners and disconnect times help keep your relationships strong.
Immersing yourself in relationship literature, podcasts, or even hiring a relationship coach can provide invaluable insights into avoiding the high divorce rates seen among medical professionals.

Jump into the Conversation:

[00:00] Introduction to The Prospective Doctor

[01:35] Introduction to Dr Kate Mangona

[03:00] Managing Expectations and Guilt when balancing a busy medical career and relationships

[04:45] Scheduling quality time with partners on a calendar

[07:17] Long-distance relationships while studying medicine

[10:20] Establishing rituals for a healthy relationship

[14:11] Misconceptions about Medical Relationships

[16:47] Radiologists and Relationships

[21:16] Avoiding high divorce rates among physicians

[24:14] Final advice for medical students

Resources:

You can find Dr. Mangona on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-mangona-35719a20/

More about Love Lab MD: https://www.lovelabmd.com/

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at www.prospectivedoctor.com.

You can also reach us through our social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MedSchoolCoach

Dr. Erkeda’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordgram/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MedSchoolCoach

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"Medicine is just the beginning, not the destination," says Dr. Charnetta Williams in an eye-opening discussion that shatters the conventional path of clinical practice in medicine. Her journey from the front lines of an Ebola response to a trailblazer in public health proves that a medical degree can be the key to doors you never even noticed were there.

In this episode, Dr. Erkeda DeRouen is joined by Dr. Charnetta Williams, a seasoned professional who transitioned from the rigorous world of clinical medicine to the dynamic field of public health. With experiences ranging from direct patient care to shaping national health policies, Dr. Williams embodies the versatility and impact that medical professionals can achieve beyond traditional roles.

Dr. Williams and Dr. DeRouen explore the unpredictable yet rewarding career paths in epidemiology, the importance of work-life balance, and the impact of mentorship and representation in healthcare. Dr. Williams also highlights her inspiring work outside the healthcare system, providing education and support to women during the postpartum period. This conversation could very well redefine how you view your future in medicine.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How to Navigate Medical Career Changes: Explore multiple aspects of the medical field, and don’t be afraid of less conventional routes that resonate with your evolving interests and passions.
How to Leverage Fellowships: Learn more about CDC fellowships and how to strategically plan clinical rotations to broaden your medical horizons.
Understanding Work-Life Challenges within the Medical Profession: The importance of self-care and developing a support network.

Jump into the Conversation:

[00:00] Introduction to The Prospective Doctor

[01:32] Introduction to Dr. Charnetta Williams

[08:22] Skills that transfer well into other industries

[11:29] CDC Fellowship and work with the Ebola outbreak

[15:07] Student planning and taking advantage of flexibility

[16:28] Work-Life Balance and Representing Diversity

[20:27] Dr. Williams As An Author

[24:44] Advocating for Postpartum Support

[29:09] Connecting with Dr. Williams

Resources:

You can find Dr. Williams on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charnetta-williams-md-826192267

More about Dr. Williams’s book: https://pictureperfectreads.com/

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at www.prospectivedoctor.com.

You can also reach us through our social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MedSchoolCoach

Dr. Erkeda’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordgram/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MedSchoolCoach

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Dr. Sujin Lee, an immigrant from Seoul, Korea, initially moved to the United States to pursue a music career. After obtaining her degree, life had a different plan for her: marriage, motherhood, and a surprising yet fulfilling pivot to the medical field.

In this episode, Dr. Lee speaks with Dr. Erkeda DeRouen about this journey, the challenges, and the triumphs of changing careers, balancing life as a medical student with being a mother, and the advantages of entering medicine from a non-traditional background. Her insights are not just motivational but are also peppered with practical advice for anyone fearing they might be too far along one path to venture onto another.

Dr. Lee’s story offers encouragement and a reminder that sometimes, the best thing we can do for ourselves is to follow our heart, even if it leads us down an unexpected path. This episode is a testament to the notion that it’s never too late to recalibrate your career toward your passions.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Switching Tracks Can Lead to Success: A non-traditional path can not only be possible but also incredibly fulfilling in medicine. Embrace your unique background—whether in arts, humanities, or another field—as it may offer you valuable insights and a distinctive advantage in your medical career.
How to Embrace Life Beyond Medicine: Dr. Lee's multifaceted career journey underscores the importance of versatility in medicine and opens up a panorama of possibilities outside the typical patient care settings.
Advocating for System Change: Dr. Lee feels the American healthcare system, particularly the complexities involving insurance authorizations and their impact on patient care can be vastly improved by focusing more on an efficient and patient-centered healthcare system.

Jump into the Conversation:

[00:00] Introduction to the Prospective Doctor

[00:41] Introduction to Dr. Sujin Lee

[02:57} Transition from music to medicine

[04:00} Challenges she faced being an older medical student, and a mother

[04:42] The value of diverse backgrounds in medicine

[07:00] Juggling multiple roles as a clinician, researcher, and educator

[10:10] Beyond clinical practice; Dr. Lee’s legal & coaching roles

[15:34] Changing the American Healthcare System by reducing bureaucratic hurdles

[19:18] Final thoughts on perseverance and how to contact Dr. Lee

Resources:

You can find Dr. Lee on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sujin-lee-48360a6b/

Learn more about Dr. Lee’s Coaching: https://www.sujinleemd.com/

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor.

You can also reach us through our social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MedSchoolCoach

Dr. Erkeda’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordgram/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MedSchoolCoach

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Navigating the Medical School Admissions process is a different journey for everyone, and with the process constantly changing, the road to becoming a physician is not always easy.

Luckily, Dr. Emil Chuck, Director of Advising Services at the Health Professional Student Association and Editorial Board Member of the Student Doctor Network is an invaluable resource. In this episode of Prospective Doctor, Dr. Chuck sits down with host Dr. Erkeda DeRouen to discuss how he and his organization provide aspiring health professionals the insights they need to navigate the intricate pathways of healthcare education and practice.

With his background in cell biology and extensive experience in healthcare and academic realms, Dr. Chuck highlights the ever-evolving landscape of medical school admissions, the intricacies of situational judgment tests, like Casper and AAMC’s new assessment tools, as well as the crucial role of mentorship and networking in building a successful medical career.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Understanding the Admissions Landscape: Dr. Chuck offers valuable perspectives on how a research background can significantly influence your medical school application process, while also emphasizing the critical need for self-awareness about your motivations and potential impact in healthcare.
Strong Networks Are Crucial: Both Dr. Chuck and our host, Dr. Erkeda DeRouen, discussed the importance of building robust support systems through mentorship and organizations. These networks can be vital in your journey toward a successful career in medicine.
Navigating SJTs: Dr. Chuck sheds light on the relatively new situational judgment tests, including the Casper and AAMC's preview exam, highlighting the evolving challenges and the importance of staying informed about their use in medical program selections.

Jump into the Conversation:

[00:00] Introduction to The Prospective Doctor

[01:13] Introduction to Dr. Emil Chuck

[02:44] About the Student Doctor Network and HPSA

[04:57] How waitlists are managed

[06:25] The evolution of the admissions process

[08:41] Figuring out your why

[10:30] Advice on finding mentors and champions

[16:41] Situational Judgement Tests

[26:01] Connecting with Dr. Chuck and the HPSA

Resources:

You can find Dr. Chuck on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/etchuck

Learn more about Health Professional Student Association: https://www.hpsa.org/

Publications and Reports from HPSA: https://www.hpsa.org/programs/publications-and-reports/

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor.

You can also reach us through our social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MedSchoolCoach

Dr. Erkeda’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordgram/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MedSchoolCoach

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While everyone’s journey into medicine is unique, it may not be unconventional. But those are the ones that bring an incredibly fresh perspective on carving one’s own path.

Dr. Kate Arnold, an OBGYN Hospitalist, Laborist, and co-founder of FemInnovation is one of those unconventional paths. Having started as a psychology major with no science background, she ventured into medicine a bit later than her peers, navigated through a post-baccalaureate pre-med program, and engaged with Alzheimer's patients before pursuing medical school at Georgetown. Her multifaceted career, including stints in academia, federally qualified health centers, and now in femtech, along with her personal life of adopting three children during her fourth year of medical school, provides a wealth of inspiration and guidance for both traditional and non-traditional medical students.

In this episode, Dr. Arnold not only speaks with Dr. Erkeda DeRouen about her journey into medicine but also the intersection between health tech and FemTech and the role of technology in medicine.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Career Flexibility: Medicine's beauty lies in its adaptability to life's changes. Learn how Dr. Arnold transitioned from a psychology major to an OBGYN, embraced family life by adopting three kids during med school, and transitioned into Femtech.
The Impact of Femtech: Dr. Arnold illuminates the crucial need for physicians' involvement in Femtech to ensure accuracy and prevent the exacerbation of health disparities.
Parenthood & Medicine: A candid discussion on adopting and raising children during medical training, offering honest insights into the challenges and triumphs of dual roles as a parent and doctor.
[00:00] Introduction to The Prospective Doctor
[00:53] Introduction to Dr. Kate Arnold
[01:58] Dr. Arnold’s role as a laborist
[04:21] The Intersection of Dr. Arnold’s Work and Family Life
[12:40] Fem Tech and Health Tech
[16:52] Risks in Health Tech
[19:59] Healthcare Mindset vs. Tech Mindset
[23:24] What Dr. Arnold Wishes She Knew Before She Started Medicine
[26:00] Parting Words

Resources:

You can find Dr. Arnold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katecarnoldmdmba/

Learn more about FemInnovation: https://www.linkedin.com/company/feminnovation/

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor.

You can also reach us through our social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MedSchoolCoach

Dr. Erkeda’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordgram/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MedSchoolCoach

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen is joined by Dr. Jia Ng. She is a board-certified nephrologist and epidemiologist and today, she talks about the world of research for medical students. Dr. Jia describes the opportunities and procedures she encountered from doing research, as well as the conditions they need to be in for them to thrive in the field.

[00:28] Introduction of Dr. Jia Ng
[01:35] Transitioning and Opportunities in Research
[03:18] Recommendation for Research Pursual
[06:41] Importance of Research in Residency
[11:51] Dr. Jia: Why the US over Australia?
[15:47] How to Get Involved in Research

Research

Dr. Jia mentions that Research is more complex than students and experts should perceive. According to her, research is a field that not only takes on the basic know-hows of medicine, but also the data driving the knowledge that caters to how medicine works along the evolution of society. Research allows the industry to adapt new knowledge for medical practitioners to not only develop new medicines, but also the overall medical healthcare system application. These applications include the in and out flow of patient care from medications to consultations and prescriptions. For students who are interested to take up research, it’s important to note that they will be tasked on training with groups and mentors, working on large amounts of data that can be published in order to help a certain medical field in terms of innovative solutions to customer-friendly applications.

Paving Your Own Path

Medical students will have the opportunity to pave their own path in the field of research. The field may seem simple, but the avenue students take to be where they want to be may be more complex than they think. The key to having control over the path you want in the field of research is working around the knowledge that you are familiar with. Familiarity comes in the form of how well you know the healthcare system within a certain area and region or the connections you have with that set location as well. While it’s important not to look at it as a race, getting where you need to be in the industry takes time, and that is inevitable.

You can connect more with Dr. Ng through her website and YouTube channel.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor or https://somedocs.com/.

You can also reach us through our social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/somedocspublic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/somedocs/

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Sarah Nasir, an osteopathic physician specializing in family medicine and sub-specializing in addiction medicine. In this episode, they talk about how medical students can cope with and navigate academic struggles in a far-from-perfect medical education system.

[00:00] Introduction
[04:01] Coping With Academic Struggles
[11:15] Navigating Your Journey in Medicine
[17:56] Academic Bullying
[21:14] What Dr. Nasir Would Change About the Medical Education System
[33:13] Parting Words

How Can Medical Students Cope With Academic Struggles?

The medical process is so arduous that no matter who enters it does not come out unscathed. If you find yourself in a difficult situation, allow yourself some grace and give yourself some love. If you are overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Remind yourself of your greatness and progress when things get difficult, because every doctor has been through the same struggle.

You can find Dr. Nasir on Facebook and Instagram.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor.

You can also reach us through our social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MedSchoolCoach

Dr. Erkeda’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordgram/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ProspectiveDoctor

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Mike Tang, an adult and child psychiatrist, addiction medicine doctor, paediatrician, and Vice President of Integrated Care at Cityblock Health. In this episode, they talk about how you can get additional certifications with addiction medicine and the importance of technology in the improvement of health across all social factors.

[00:00] Introduction
[07:51] Additional Certifications
[09:55] Addiction Medicine
[12:03] Tech to Decrease Disparities and Social Determinants of Health
[15:23] What Dr. Tang Wishes He Knew As He Entered Medicine
[19:47] What Dr. Tang Would Change About the Healthcare System
[22:56] Parting Words

Additional Certifications in Addiction Medicine

Addiction and substance use disorders are a huge driver of disparities. Plenty of risk factors that drive poverty, inequality, racism, and decreased access to care can also increase the risk for substance use. By creating more just and better systems as well as addressing addiction, substance use, and recovery, we have an opportunity to improve care in our society. Addiction is present across all specialties and certifications through the American Board of Preventative Medicine and being able to layer that additional knowledge and latest science is very helpful.

Utilizing Tech to Decrease Disparities

At the end of the day, tech in medicine is still all about the relationship between the provider, the provider team, and the patients. Predictive analytics and AI help determine who will be needing care to help predict and provide preventative care before someone ends up in the emergency room or the inpatient room unnecessarily.

You can reach out to Dr. Tang through his e-mail and LinkedIn.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor.

You can also reach us through our social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MedSchoolCoach

Dr. Erkeda’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordgram/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ProspectiveDoctor

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. April Renee Ruffin. In this episode, they talk about everything you need to know about mentorship and finding the right mentor at the early stages of your medical career.

[00:00] Introduction
[03:54] The Importance of Mentorship
[09:30] How Do You Find a Mentor?
[13:33] How Many Mentors Should You Get?
[18:47] Dr. Ruffin’s Advice For Those Starting Out in Medicine
[20:39] Parting Words

The Importance of Mentorship

There’s existing literature that suggests how students excel academically and have higher graduation rates when they have a mentor no matter what grade they’re in. Mentors even help with promotions, sponsorships, and other career development. But beyond that, mentors also help you grow as a person. It helps you learn new skills, identify gaps in your own skill sets, and develop new ones. Mentees eventually become mentors and are able to keep that cycle going, mastering a certain level of expertise and being able to share that knowledge to someone else.

For graduate and medical students looking to find a mentor, first start with the community that you have around you. For undergrads on the other hand, you can look to certain professors that you may have a good relationship with, and even organizations. Look their bios up online and don’t be afraid to say hello and set an appointment. If you don’t have any organizations you can reach out to, you can take advantage of different clubs and organizations that have partnerships or affiliations with the school who can offer support and assistance. Harnessing the power of social media and finding your interest groups are also a plus.

You can find Dr. Ruffin on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Thomas Campanella, a healthcare executive-in-residence at Baldwin Wallace, healthcare consultant, and former healthcare attorney. They talk everything about rural health: the challenges, initiatives, and technology involved to help improve it.

[00:00] Introduction
[03:00] Challenges Facing Rural Health
[07:06] Initiatives for Rural Health
[11:37] The Healthcare System, Legislature, and Technology
[15:52] What Dr. Campanella Would Change About the Healthcare System
[18:01] Parting Thoughts

Challenges in Rural Health

Looking at the major cities from a population standpoint, most of America is in rural areas. In Ohio where Dr. Campanella is from, 80/88 counties are in rural areas. Health care in those areas is neglected compared to the major cities. There are challenges in major cities, however, there is a need to redirect resources to the rural areas as well. The aging population is over 65% in rural America.

You can find Dr. Campanella on LinkedIn and send him an e-mail.

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Bradley Block, a general adult and pediatric ENT and host of “The Physician’s Guide to Doctoring” podcast. They talk about what every medical school should incorporate into their curriculum, the importance of patient-doctor communication, and what they think of the US healthcare system.

[00:00] Introduction
[07:19] Three Things That Every Medical School Should Incorporate
[11:28] Patient-Doctor Communication
[14:55] What Dr. Block Would Change About the Healthcare System
[20:00] Parting Thoughts

What Medical Schools Should Incorporate

According to Dr. Block, the three things that medical schools should incorporate into their curriculum is the importance of communication, such as sitting down with a family physician, shadowing them for the day, and reflecting on what skills each student needs to optimize each of those interactions, second is learning the skills of persuasion, and the last one would be habit development.

Patient-Doctor Communication

For Dr. Block, communication skills can definitely be developed, but there is a need to be methodical about it. Ask yourself, “What is it you need to work on to be an effective communicator?”, and then you work on it in your own life by being present and being undistracted.

You can find Dr. Block on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Threads and listen to his podcast The Physician's Guide to Doctoring Podcast.

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Adaira Landry, an emergency medicine physician, author, and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. They talk about the impact and importance of advocating for diversity and mentorship, the power of networking, and how to create equitable spaces in the medical field.

[00:00] Introduction
[04:24] Advocating for Diversity, Mentorship, and the Power of Networking
[10:43] Imposter Syndrome, Decreasing Bias, and Creating Equitable Spaces
[20:33] Going After What You Want and Asking Questions
[28:23] What Dr. Landry Would Change About the Healthcare System
[30:51] Parting Thoughts

What is Imposter Syndrome?

The original paper on Imposter Syndrome was published in 1973 by two white female psychologists where they looked at women, mostly white, mid-career, doing phenomenal work, and being recognized by their peers, but felt like they were fraudulent despite being in a positive environment. However, for Dr. Landry, she feels like people in her community recognize their own potential and know that there is a lot they can offer, but no one is welcoming them. It’s not imposter syndrome, but a feeling of being unseen, unheard, unwelcome, and unsupported.

Networking and Nurturing Relationships

How do you nurture relationships and go back to them and feel like it’s a safe space? First is to know that these relationships are bi-directional; you can’t just take and you also have to offer. Secondly, own your relationships and putting all the logistics on your plate such as meetings and even Zoom meetings. Lastly is to pace your asks and the amount of time you’re asking of someone.

Preorder Dr. Adaira Landry’s book “MicroSkills: Small Actions, Big Impact”, which comes out on April 16, through Amazon or Barnes and Noble. You can reach out to her through Instagram and Twitter.

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Joe Greer, a hepatologist gastroenterologist. They talk about dealing with social inequality and social justice in the medical system as well as how we can integrate social justice into our educational system.

[00:00] Introduction
[13:22] First Generation Medical Students
[14:44] Dealing with Social Inequality in Medicine
[20:32] Social Justice in Education
[26:55] Dr. Greer’s Advice for Medical Students
[28:29] Parting Thoughts

How to Deal with Social Inequality in Medicine

Dr. Greer’s advocacy centers around treating every individual with the utmost respect. When he started his career working with the homeless, he immediately thought to himself, “I couldn’t survive here. What makes these individuals so special that they can?”. There are too many injustices and according to Dr. Greer, what we need to do is advocate and defend those that are left behind. Doctors are blessed by being able to become professionals and are in a position where they can make change. We have the science and medical professionals should apply it equitably and in a way that makes the U.S. the healthiest country in the world.

Social Justice in the Education System

Dr. Greer was one of the first to have a curriculum on social justice and improving health equity, or rather, how social justice runs through the veins of the entire curriculum. He incorporates social justice in the education at Roseman University through curriculums and programs that focus on education for all family members belonging in racial minorities across the U.S. as well as programs for opioid and stimulant use disorder pregnant women to ensure that a mother and child stays together.

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Christina Gomez, a GI medical oncologist at Banner MD Anderson in Phoenix, Arizona. They talk about how doctors can best break bad news to their patients as well as her journey to writing her book, “Stopped in My Tracks”.

[00:00] Introduction
[06:08] Advice For Giving Bad News
[10:14] “Stopped in My Tracks: A Physician's Collection of Cancer Patients' Quotes”
[19:08] Sharing Quotes and Support Groups
[21:07] What Dr. Gomez Would Change About US Healthcare
[23:07] Parting Thoughts

How Dr. Gomez Wrote “Stopped in My Tracks”

“I got all the pain, but she got all the suffering.” These were the words that touched Dr. Gomez and drove her to write her book “Stopped in My Tracks”, a collection of words and quotes from her patients under her care. Doctors are trained to send messages to their patients, both good and bad, and they pray that they can deliver them well. But instead of jotting down pearls of knowledge like how she was trained in med school, she started jotting down her patients’ words instead, which would literally stop her in her tracks. She would then ask her patients to pause, repeat their words, and she would write it down on any piece of paper she could find. Thus, her book was born.

Dr. Gomez’s Advice for Giving Bad News

Dr. Gomez has two pieces advice when it comes to giving bad news to their patients. First, is that patients want to know. She learned throughout her career that patients always want to know their diagnosis and will always ask about it. As a med student, she thought that patients wouldn’t want to know more details about their diagnosis, such as how studies might say that they only have 18 months, or that the new drug can only buy two months compared to the placebo or the standard of care. It should always be a doctor’s honour and privilege to deliver these bad news to the patients. Secondly, silence is powerful and loud and is a way to communicate with patients, especially learning how to practice our pauses. After all, our silence can and is able to heal.

Get Dr. Christina Gomez’s book “Stopped in My Tracks: A Physician's Collection of Cancer Patients' Quotes” at Itasca and Amazon, and reach out to her through her website.

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Shivani Shah, a 4th year paediatric neurology resident at Duke University in North Carolina. They talk about her app Foreverrx, dating and socializing in the medical industry, and how you can build your own app.

[00:00] Introduction
[03:51] How Foreverrx Started
[09:25] Resources for Building an App or a Business
[12:13] What Dr. Shih Would Change About US Healthcare
[14:45] Parting Thoughts

How Foreverrx Was Born

Dr. Shih founded Foreverrx with her brother during the COVID-19 pandemic and is a dating and social networking platform for all healthcare professionals as a way to create a community in the healthcare field for romantic and platonic connections, because finding connections for both are so important especially during the hardest days of training.

How to Build an App

Dr. Shih cites her and her brother’s MBA degrees as helpful components to building their business as well as having a software developer and Dr. Shih’s passion for coding to help maintain the app. The resources are readily available everywhere, so the most important thing in creating your app is to know your “why”. Your “why” is what sustains you through everything and in all aspects of your life and if you are in harmony with your “why”, you eventually get on the path you’re supposed to be on.

Learn more about ForeverRx through Instagram and their official website.

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Sejal Desai, a family medicine physician with over 20 years of experience with a board certification in obesity medicine. They discuss how medical students can navigate their med school journeys and the feeling of burnout, work-life balance, and the three things she wished

[00:00] Introduction
[03:19] A Med Student’s Life Journey
[05:44] Navigating Burnout
[11:44] Three Things Dr. Desai Wishes She Knew Before Starting Out
[17:45] Is Work-Life Balance Possible?
[21:04] What Dr. Desai Would Change About US Healthcare
[22:47] Parting Thoughts

Navigating Burnout

Dr. Desai dislikes the word “burnout” especially in medicine where physicians are just simply told what to do. She believes that it’s important for med students to take some time, focus on themselves, and figure out what it is that they really want. She cites Jay Shetty, a motivational speaker, and the concept of “dharma” as an important learning, which is all about figuring out our place in the world and using our gifts to make a better place. From this, it’s important for medical students to take some time and re-evaluate their where and why to help them navigate their eventual path and career.

Dr. Desai’s Advice in Retrospect

Dr. Desai shares three things she wished she knew before starting out her career as a family medicine physician: first is that bedside manners matter more than grades. Grades are important, but they are not everything, especially when patients care more about how attentive and honest doctors are and not what grade they got in medical school. Secondly, medicine is not just about helping patients but also administrative work such as documentation, labs, and imaging to name a few. Managing your time according to this is crucial to prevent being overworked and overwhelmed. Lastly, she realized how big of a role lifestyle plays in disease. Almost all diseases are related to four things: nutrition, physical activity, quality of sleep, and stress levels. If we learn and fix this early in life, we can fix a lot of health problems in the long run.

Work-Life Balance

Contrary to popular belief, Dr. Desai believes that work-life balance is achievable. She suggests paying attention to three important things when it comes to work-life balance. First is communicating well and setting expectations with colleagues on time and schedules, second is delegating tasks, and the last one is scheduling the downtime such as personal hobbies and self-care.

Reach out to Dr. Sejal Desai via Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and her website for more details about her work.

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Susan Baumgaertel, an internal medicine physician with 30 years of experience and founder of MenopauseMenu and myMDadvocate. They discuss menopause lessons for medical students, things everybody should know about menopause, and why men need to know about menopause too.

[00:00] Introduction
[02:20] Menopause - The Forgotten Branch of Medicine
[02:51] How Students Can Learn to Work with Women in Menopause
[06:27] The Benefits of Listening to Your Patients
[07:10] How to Educate Patients About the Different Stages of Menopause
[09:16] Ways to Ask For More Time From Your Doctor
[11:36] Dr. Baumgaertel’s Book - The Menopause Menu
[16:14] Men Need to Know About Menopause Too
[19:39] What Dr. Baumgaertel Would Change About US Healthcare
[22:10] Parting Thoughts

Menopause is More Than Hot Flashes

Dr. Baumgaertel emphasizes that menopause is often seen through a narrow lens, focusing solely on hot flashes. However, she challenges this narrative, urging us to recognize the multifaceted aspects of menopause that impact every woman uniquely. From this conversation, it’s very clear that understanding menopause goes beyond just one medical discipline. It involves everything from primary care, OB/GYN, cardiology, dermatology, rheumatology, neurology, and more.

Dr. Baumgaertel stresses the importance of a multifactorial approach when caring for menopausal patients. Each woman's experience is unique, and healthcare professionals must be receptive and attentive to their patients' needs. Yes, commonalities exist, but not every woman experiences menopause in the same way. In fact, some women don’t experience menopausal symptoms at all.

Advocating for Yourself: Sending Agendas

Dr. Baumgaertel encourages women to advocate for themselves by setting the agenda during medical appointments. Sometimes an hour-long doctor's appointment is not enough, and it’s okay to ask your doctor for more time. By addressing specific concerns and communicating them ahead of time, patients can ensure that their healthcare providers allocate the necessary time to discuss crucial aspects of menopause. Menopause is a stressful time and you need all the support you can get.

The Menopause Menu Book: A Resource for All

Dr. Susan introduces her book, "The Menopause Menu: From Hot Flashes to Delicious Dishes, A Symptom-Driven Nourishing Guide to Mastering Menopause." Combining practical advice with a visually engaging format, the book is designed to reach a broad audience, including men seeking to support their partners. According to Dr. Baumgaertel, women in their late 30s to early 60s need accurate information on the entire menopausal journey. The Menopause Menu provides helpful, science-based advice, presented with a unique blend of personal narrative and holistic support. The chapters are easy to read and are paired with 16 simple recipes.

Grab a copy of Dr. Baumgaertel’s book The Menopause Menu on Amazon and reach out to her via LinkedIn, YouTube, and her Website for more details about her work.

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Uché Blackstock, an American emergency physician and former associate professor of emergency medicine at the New York University School of Medicine. They discuss the Flexner Report, the need for diversity in healthcare, and the deep inequities that still exist in the U.S. healthcare system.

[00:00] Introduction
[01:45] Why Dr. Blackstock Chose to Pursue Medicine
[04:21] The Racial Health Inequities in America Today
[07:34] Dr. Blackstock’s Inspiration For Writing a Book on Health Inequities
[09:19] What is the Flexner Report?
[12:13] The Need Diversity in Healthcare
[15:15] All the Things They Don’t Teach in Med School
[18:34] Things That Could Potentially Improve American Healthcare
[22:50] Giving Women and People of Color a Voice
[24:09] Advice for Aspiring Physicians
[25:10] Parting Thoughts

Navigating Unconventional Paths in Medicine

Dr. Blackstock talks about the benefits of following the unconventional path on your journey to medicine. Your journey will not be a straight line, so it’s okay to break away from traditional molds and find unique ways to contribute to the healthcare system. Dr. Blackstock shares pivotal moments in her career, from leaving academic medicine to starting her own company and becoming an MSNBC medical contributor. Her story serves as a testament to the diverse paths available to physicians and the impact they can have outside traditional roles.

Health Equity and Why It Matters

Research has shown time and again that a more diverse physician workforce may lead to better patient outcomes and satisfaction. According to Dr. Blackstock, this can only be possible if we make a concerted effort to increase representation of diverse racial and ethnic groups among trainee physicians. Reflecting on her experiences, Dr. Blackstock emphasizes the systemic barriers faced by Black physicians. She sheds light on historical factors, such as the Flexner Report, that contribute to the current underrepresentation of Black physicians. In the chapter, "All the Things They Didn't Teach Me," Dr. Blackstock discusses the need for a revamped medical curriculum. She advocates for integrated learning on health disparities, anti-racism, and social determinants of health.

Grab a copy of Dr. Blackstock’s book Legacy on Amazon and reach out to her via Twitter, Instagram, and her Website for more details about his work.

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Amit Pandey, an Internal Medicine Hospitalist with SRS Medical Group in San Diego, California. They discuss all you need to know about the life of a physician, the benefits of being adaptable to change, and why every physician remembers their first code blue.

[00:00] Introduction
[01:45] Who is Dr. Amit Pandey
[03:56] The Life of a Physician
[06:19] Memorable Moments in Dr. Pandey’s Career
[09:20] Do You Remember Your First Code Blue?
[12:15] What Dr. Pandey Wishes He Knew Before Becoming a Physician
[15:45] The Benefits of Being Adaptable and Open to Change
[17:40] What Dr. Pandey Would Do Different If He Could Go Back in Time
[21:15] Parting Thoughts

The Pre-Med Paradox

Dr. Pandey recently penned a book titled "The Pre-Med Paradox: What You Need to Know About the Life of a Physician." The book aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the medical journey, from pre-med through residency, and becoming a physician. He shares the motivation for writing the book and how it can serve as a pseudo-mentor for students, offering practical insights into the experiential component of life in medicine.

Memorable Moments in Medicine

Dr. Pandey shares his most memorable experiences as a physician, highlighting one moment that will stick with him for the rest of his life—the first time he ran a code blue. This life-and-death situation became a pivotal experience, showcasing the high-stakes nature of hospital medicine and the collaboration involved in resuscitating a patient.

Reflecting on the Medical Journey

Valuable advice for those considering a career in medicine: be adaptable and open to change. According to Dr. Pandey, the journey to medicine is not a straight line. Your passions will change and so will your dreams. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the diversity within the medical field, both in terms of practitioners and career opportunities. He encourages aspiring doctors to explore various roles, specialties, and to keep an open mind throughout their medical journey. As a soon-to-be physician, focus not only on academics but also on exploring opportunities, having a balanced life-work routine, and embracing the ever-changing nature of your career.

Grab a copy of Dr. Pandey’s book on Amazon and reach out to him via Instagram and his Website for more details about his work.

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Bryan Carmody, a pediatric nephrologist at Eastern Virginia Medical School. They discuss the value of standardized test scores, the ultra-competitive nature of the residency admissions process, and the benefits of having an open mind in your journey to medicine.

[00:00] Introduction
[01:37] Who is Dr. Bryan Carmody
[02:54] The Benefits of Having an Open Mind in Your Journey to Medicine
[05:52] All You Need to Know About the USMLE Selection Process
[07:50] Why Residency Matching is Becoming More Competitive
[11:01] Residency Match Explained
[13:59] Addressing the Pediatric Subspecialty Shortage
[16:15] What Dr. Carmody Would Change About Healthcare
[18:34] Parting Thoughts

Pivoting Specialties: Your Pediatrician's Tale

You probably already know this, but your medical journey is not linear. You might end up pursuing a career different from what you thought you’d do. Dr. Carmody made an unexpected shift from internal medicine to pediatrics. He emphasizes the importance of staying open-minded during rotations and allowing yourself to discover new passions. As an aspiring physician, you must be open to the fact that your journey can take unexpected but fulfilling turns. So, approach rotation with a mind of curiosity.

Addressing Pediatric Subspecialty Shortages

Dr. Carmody discusses the shortages in certain fields like pediatric nephrology. He shares concerns about the workforce not keeping pace with retirements, raising questions about future care models. The recent shortages underline why we need to inspire the next generation to pursue these critical specialties. The conversation becomes a call to action, emphasizing the urgency of addressing shortages in pediatric subspecialties. Dr. Carmody discusses potential solutions, including inspiring and supporting you to choose these specialties and adapting care models to ensure continued excellence in pediatric care.

Why Residency Matching is Becoming More Competitive

The residency matching process is becoming more competitive by the year. The USMLE has undergone what Dr. Carmody refers to as "scope creep." This term highlights the expansion and intensification of exam expectations over the years. In the early 1990s, the USMLE mean score stood at 200. Fast forward to the present day, and the median score has surged to approximately 250. This substantial increase of 50 points is not something to be ignored.

To put this into perspective, the worst test-takers in today's environment outperform the average test-taker from the 1990s. Even the very best test-takers from that era are average in today’s ultra-competitive landscape. So what is driving this upward trend, and is this trend good or bad? Despite the perception of increased competitiveness, the number of available residency positions relative to the number of graduating US MD students is more favorable than in recent memory. In the most recent cycle, there were approximately 1.9 residency positions available for every graduating US MD student. When factoring in US DO students, this number remains favorable at 1.38 residency positions per student. This proves that the match process is not all doom and gloom after all. You still have a more than favorable chance to get into the program of your dreams.

You can reach Dr. Carmody on YouTube, Twitter, and his Website for more details about her work. Check out the six-part series on residency matching here - YouTube

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Stacy Cary-Thompson, a board-certified pediatrician and founder of Cary Cares Parenting LLC. They discuss the benefits of knowing your learning style, what you need to know about a neuroscience career, and how to build a fulfilling life outside medicine.

[00:00] Introduction
[01:37] Who is Dr. Stacy Cary-Thompson?
[02:26] Dr. Cary-Thompson's Journey to Medicine
[06:45] The Benefits of Knowing the Type of Learner You Are
[09:20] Why Dr. Cary-Thompson Chose a Career in Neuroscience
[15:46] Family Issues and Taking Care of Her Grandmother
[20:13] Things Dr. Cary-Thompson Wished She Knew About the Medical Profession
[24:49] It's Okay to Ask For Help
[27:49] Why You Need to be Strategic About What You Do Post-Residency
[31:20] The Inspiration Behind Dr. Cary-Thompson Book The Fine Print
[35:10] Parting Thoughts

Living Life Outside Medicine

Dr. Cary-Thompson starts the conversation by emphasizing the importance of embracing life beyond the confines of medicine. We live in a world where the white coat often defines a physician's identity. However, life is more than that. As a physician, it's in your best interest to recognize that being a physician is just one piece of the puzzle. Life, with its myriad experiences and roles, continues alongside the demanding profession. As a board-certified pediatrician, small business owner, parenting coach, mother, and wife, Dr. Cary-Thompson wears multiple hats, acknowledging that each role contributes to the rich tapestry of her identity.

From Academic Hurdles to Personal Growth

The journey to becoming a physician is rarely linear. Dr. Cary-Thompson reflects on her academic challenges, particularly with organic chemistry, offering vulnerable insights into the hurdles she faced. From being a valedictorian with high expectations to encountering struggles in college, she shares the valuable lesson of perseverance and the need to adapt to different learning styles.

Navigating the Evolving Healthcare Landscape

The medical world is changing. To stay relevant and have a more fulfilling career, you need to stay informed about these changes. Dr. Cary-Thompson emphasizes the importance of awareness, not just about medical advancements but also about evolving patient care paradigms and technology integration. Her insights into the changing face of healthcare serve as a wake-up call for future physicians. Unfortunately, medical education is still not equipping physicians with the knowledge to navigate the complexities of their profession. So, it's up to you to educate yourself and be part of the change you want to see.

You can reach Dr. Cary-Thompson on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and her Website for more details about her work.

The Fine Print: Between the Lines of Parenting, Children, and Relationship-Building by Dr. Stacy Cary-Thompson

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Scott Becker, the Founder of Becker’s Healthcare, a leading healthcare media company that offers news, analysis, and guidance relating to the healthcare industry. They discuss the trending topics in American healthcare, the benefits of having hobbies outside of medicine, and the significant problems with the U.S. healthcare system.

[00:00] Introducing Scott Becker
[02:44] The Journey to Launching Becker's Healthcare
[04:50] What You Must Do to Succeed in Your Journey to Medicine
[07:38] Don't Let Medicine Define Who You Are
[09:48] The Hottest Topics in Healthcare Right Now
[13:37] What Scott Would Change About Healthcare
[16:37] The Big Gap in the American Healthcare System
[19:52] Parting Thoughts

The Journey to Medicine

Medicine is one of the most challenging yet rewarding career paths in the world. And although the journey is not always a straight line, Scott reveals the three mindsets that will help you become the very best at what you do.

Be Clear About Where You're Going

Be clear about your destination. Your journey to medicine needs a GPS. Having a general sense of where you're headed in your medical career provides a guiding light, steering your decisions and actions.

Your First Job is Not Your Last Job

Always remember your first job won't be your last. Don't stress too much about having the perfect first job straight out of med school. The journey to use medicine is like a marathon, and your initial job is merely the starting line.

Have Hobbies Outside of Medicine

According to Scott, the only way to become the best at what you do is to become a physician and something else. Being a doctor is essential, but it's equally as important to explore other things that define you. The physicians who burn out build their lives sorely around seeing patients. The solution lies in realizing that your medical career is not just about medicine; it's about creating a fulfilling life within and beyond the realm of clinics and hospitals.

The 3 Big Problems Plaguing American Healthcare

There are numerous problems plaguing the American healthcare system. According to Scott, they are all born from three primary issues.

The Math Problem

There is a huge imbalance of numbers in the American healthcare system. The American population is rapidly growing, yet the number of medical professionals remains the same. According to Scott, we are a country of about 330 million people with approximately 1,070,000 doctors. The imbalance in supply and demand in healthcare is a substantial concern. The shortage of physicians is the number one reason our country struggles to provide adequate healthcare services to the ever-expanding population.

The Thinking Problem

Although physicians are generally considered intelligent, we still face a thinking problem. Healthcare, according to Becker, requires a multifaceted strategy that acknowledges the complexity of the issues at hand. Rather than seeking singular solutions, the industry must adopt a comprehensive mindset that integrates various facets – from technology advancements to the thoughtful inclusion of human caregivers.

The Power Problem

American healthcare has a power problem - the disproportionate influence wielded by major players, such as United, Aetna, Cigna, and the former Anthem Blue Cross (now Elevate). The dominance of these major players creates an inherent power imbalance, as healthcare systems and providers find themselves dwarfed in size and influence. This power dynamic introduces challenges in decision-making, resource allocation, and overall system functionality, posing a substantial hurdle to achieving a balanced and equitable healthcare landscape.

You can reach Scott Becker on LinkedIn and check his Website for more details about his work.

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Gina Blocker, an emergency medicine physician and CEO of Dash Health, Houston’s premier concierge mobile urgent care service. They discuss the future of emergency medicine, the unique challenges for women in medicine, and how to build a strong relationship with your patients.

[00:00] Introducing Dr. Gina Blocker
[01:22] Why Dr. Blocker Took the Military Medicine Route
[04:59] Dr. Blocker’s Journey to Emergency Medicine
[07:30] Advice For Medical Students on the Journey to Becoming a Physician
[09:58] The Unique Challenges Plaguing Women in Medicine
[15:07] Launching Houston’s Premier Concierge Mobile Urgent Care Service
[18:05] The Evolution of Emergency Medicine
[19:20] What Dr. Blocker Would Change About Healthcare
[21:35] Parting Thoughts

How to Build a Strong Relationship with Your Patients

Healthcare is changing. Gone are the days when patients did not have relationships with their doctors. Today, the patient-doctor relationship is crucial to the overall care experience. Dr. Blocker believes the most important part of building this relationship is taking time to know your patients. Address the patient as an individual, as opposed to a medical condition. Your goal is to get your patients to open up to you about things they’d never be comfortable sharing with anyone else. Do this successfully, and you’ll find a lot of your medical diagnoses will come from patients telling you the truth about what they’re going through.

Why Emergency Medicine?

If you love making a difference in emergencies, emergency medicine is for you. Dr. Blocker shares how, to excel in emergency medicine, you need to be the kind of physician who loves immediate impact, connecting with patients, and thriving in the chaos of an emergency room. You will care for a whole host of patients- some healthy, some sick, some very alive, and some unconscious. Expect to see patients in their most vulnerable and terrified states. But the pressure will be worth it since you’ll make a difference in people’s lives.

Advice to Medical Students on the Journey to Becoming a Physician

Let your journey to becoming a physician change you. Let it impact how you live your life, but never let it become your everything. Become the very best at what you do, but have a life outside of medicine. According to Dr. Blocker, the best physicians live and breathe medicine. But they always make time for hobbies and passions that have nothing to do with patient care. Your hobbies are the things that make you whole. So don’t lose them chasing a title that will make you miserable and burnt out.

You can reach Dr. Blocker on Instagram, Email and Website for more details about her work.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor.

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Love Nafi, a family medicine physician and an award winning filmmaker. They talk about cultivating creativity in medicine to honor every individual’s authentic self.

[01:12] Introducing Dr. Love Nafi
[04:07] Keeping Creativity Alive in Medicine
[07:02] Dr. Nafi’s Latest Film “Crown”
[12:16] Healthcare in Media
[14:56] What Dr. Nafi Would Change About Healthcare

Cultivating Creativity in Medicine

In the journey to becoming a physician, it’s important to remain true to who you are. Don’t give up your passions outside of medicine. Instead, make an effort to keep your creativity alive. It may be as simple as visiting art galleries, reading books, or listening to stories. Continue to make time for things that make you happy.

Dr. Love Nafi’s Latest Film “Crown”

Crown is a 20 minute short film that was co-written and directed by Dr. Nafi and her partner. It depicts a young Black girl who struggles to style her hair for her ballet audition. The film takes its name from the “Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair” (C.R.O.W.N) Act. Hair discrimination is still prevalent in different fields, even in medicine. Dr. Nafi’s film aims to highlight this issue, while honoring each individual’s right to express themselves authentically.

Healthcare in Social Media

Patients consume all kinds of media every day. When making medical content, remember to maintain a level of professionalism and to differentiate between pop culture and verified findings. When patients open up about what they’ve learned online, it can be a good segue to help them access resources that are trustworthy and relevant.

You can reach Dr. Love Nafi through her Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram. Check out her website and YouTube channel for more details about her films.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor.

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Arielle Egozi, an award-winning creative, strategist, and author. She is also a founding member of Women of SexTech. They talk about creating a safe space in healthcare for marginalized groups.

[00:39] Introducing Arielle Egozi
[04:45] Feeling Judged from Healthcare Practitioners
[10:05] Creating Safe Spaces for All Patients
[18:52] What is Sex Tech?
[24:17] What Arielle Would Change About Healthcare

Judgment and Medical Gaslighting

Arielle recalls an experience with her gynecologist. The physician asked about her sexual history, to which she responded by saying that she was not sexually active. Despite Arielle’s honesty, her gynecologist kept on prodding her because she was unconvinced. Arielle felt as if her doctor had made certain assumptions about her which left her feeling ashamed. Instead of discrediting them, healthcare professionals should be empathetic to their patients because they are being vulnerable.

Why Healthcare Should Be a Safe Space for Everyone

Physicians are putting patients at risk when they project their biases and beliefs onto them. Marginalized groups such as sex workers, LGBTQIA+, African Americans, and others may refuse proper treatment because they feel judged by healthcare practitioners. When we can make space for all kinds of people, everybody wins. Every patient deserves to be authentically who they are in the healthcare system. Physicians can become more culturally competent by being open to feedback and being compassionately curious about their patients.

The Emerging Sex Tech Industry

Sex Tech is a burgeoning field that seeks to educate and utilize sexual wellness. There are numerous applications ranging from sex toys, creative media, to AI and chatbots. What all of these have in common is that sex tech aims to understand pleasure not just for cisgender men, but for everyone. It seeks to destigmatize sexual experiences and promote diversity and inclusivity through new technology.

You can reach Arielle Egozi through her LinkedIn or Instagram. Check out her website for details about her upcoming book.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor.

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Jeffery SooHoo, the Assistant Dean of Admissions at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. They talk about how to put your best foot forward in applications and how to survive your first year in medical school.

[00:47] Introducing Dr. Jeffery SooHoo
[03:13] Adjusting to Medical School
[09:56] Best Way to Impress Medical School Admissions
[13:16] Reapplying to Med Schools
[15:05] Advice for Pre-Meds and Medical Students
[16:30] What Dr. SooHoo Would Change About Healthcare

The First Year of Medical School

Majority of students are taken aback by how challenging medical school can be. The first year of medical school is definitely an adjustment period where you may need to adopt new study habits or learning styles. A mistake that new students make is that they don’t ask for help soon enough. Teachers and peers can provide helpful resources that students can utilize. It’s a time to experiment and try new things, but do so one at a time.

Increase Your Chances of Acceptance into Medical School

It would be helpful to know what kinds of skills and competencies medical schools are looking for. Get to know your strengths as well so you can communicate how you best fit into the school. Remember that it’s not enough to just speak about your passions. It’s crucial to have experiences that showcase your interest and dedication to medicine. Impress your interviewer by talking about your experiences in a reflective and nuanced way.

Should you be waitlisted or rejected, don’t fret! Have someone else take a look at and evaluate your application. Typically, the issue may lie in your paper application, your interviewing skills or your selection of schools. If there are gaps in your resume, try to remedy them so you can increase your chances of acceptance on your reapplication.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor.

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Jennifer Jeboda, a recent MD graduate who aspires to be a pediatric anesthesiologist. They talk about her adventurous journey in medicine and how she manages to keep her passion for art alive.

[00:50] Introducing Dr. Jennifer Jeboda
[07:44] US Healthcare versus UK Healthcare System
[10:04] Incorporating Art Into Medicine
[13:08] Advice for Pre-Meds and Medical Students
[15:00] What Dr. Jeboda Would Change About Medical Education

Differences Between the US and UK Healthcare Systems

Having experienced both during her training, Dr. Jeboda has observed that the biggest difference is that the UK healthcare system is free while the US healthcare system is not. Unsurprisingly, there is a long waitlist for patients in the United Kingdom. They try to carefully investigate the symptoms before testing patients since diagnostics can be expensive. Another difference is that the two systems do not use the same type of measurement system.

Understanding Anatomy Through Art

Before entering medicine, Dr. Jeboda has always been interested in different forms of art. But as she got busy, she started to focus more on illustrations and has even created a business that combines both medicine and art. She creates fun but informative anatomy worksheets and coloring pages. Having struggled with anatomy herself, Dr. Jeboda hopes that her artworks can help other students with the subject.

Prepare for the Unexpected

Becoming a physician is not easy. And things can get crazier when unexpected things like rejection, natural disasters, or life changes happen. It’s good to set goals for yourself and to plan for the future, but don’t forget to be open to what life has in store and to explore other opportunities.

You can reach Dr. Jennifer Jeboda through her LinkedIn, Twitter, or Instagram. Check out her website and Etsy shop.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor.

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Claudia Anglade, who is a board certified family physician and voice over artist. They talk about navigating shifting priorities in medicine and how to make space for new interests.

[00:55] Introducing Dr. Claudia Anglade
[08:18] Exploring Interests Outside of Medicine
[12:47] Have Meetings with Yourself
[18:56] Choose What Makes You Happy
[25:24] What Dr. Anglade Would Change About Healthcare

Exploring Your Passions and Interests

As a person of multiple interests, Dr. Anglade has been involved in OBGYN, emergency medicine, and family medicine. When she got pregnant, she decided to take a break from practicing medicine. She found a job in utilization management that allowed her to work from home. Dr. Anglade has always been curious about voice acting, and so she explored this interest by joining a class. After honing her skills even further, she has been a voice over talent since 2019.

Don’t Lose Yourself in Medicine

Becoming a physician is a long and arduous process. Get to know yourself and your purpose for getting into medicine. Every now and then, evaluate if what you’re doing still makes you happy. Sometimes priorities shift and that’s okay. Acknowledge the changes and then re-align your lifestyle to your purpose. Have meetings with yourself regularly to make sure you’re on the right track. Choose a school or residency program that makes you feel fulfilled. If you have something you want to pursue, take initiative to make it happen by talking to your superiors, joining a community, or simply trying it out.

You can reach Dr. Claudia Anglade through her LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or send her an email at claudia.anglade@gmail.com.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor.

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Ian Hagemann, the Assistant Dean for Admissions at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. They talk about how medical schools screen applications and the future of admissions in the advent of AI and chatbots.

[00:44] Introducing Dr. Ian Hagemann
[06:46] What Happens to Your Med School Applications
[13:25] Medical School Admissions & Screening Process
[19:12] Preparing for Reapplication
[27:18] AI and Chatbots in Medical School Applications
[29:58] What Dr.Hagemann Would Change About Healthcare

What Happens to Your Medical School Applications

After students submit their applications, the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) verifies and converts grades into a standardized scale. Next, the completed applications are sent to the schools, which have their own reviewing process.

Generally, schools will check that each portfolio has all of the required documents. Depending on their criteria, schools will then send out secondary applications. There is typically an application fee, but students can apply to waiver programs to ease the financial burden.

Evaluating Medical School Applicants

Medical schools review applicants both qualitatively and quantitatively. Know the mission and values of a school, and you can quickly figure out what they’re looking for in a potential student. Once schools have determined applicants who best fit their learning environment, they will invite them for an interview. Interview schedules vary per institution. Students who apply early have an advantage, as they will be offered interview slots first.

Increase your Chances of Admission in Reapplications

In some cases, students who have strong portfolios may have chosen incompatible schools. It would be a good idea to choose schools that are aligned with your personal values and to diversify your list. But what is true for all reapplicants is that they need to make use of the year to showcase significant growth. Rewriting your essay is not enough. Immerse yourself in opportunities that show your dedication to medicine. If you’re unable to do so due to financial reasons, you must be able to articulate your story in a way that resonates with the school.

Can Artificial Learning Help in Medical School Applications?

Most schools do not allow students to use AI or ChatGPT to write their essays for them. However, students can seek assistance from family, friends, mentors or other devices. Artificial intelligence programs can be especially helpful in helping students generate a personalized school list. In the future, medical schools may employ the help of AI to screen applications.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Leila Amiri, Ph.D, the associate dean for admissions at Robert Lerner M.D. College of Medicine at the University of Vermont. They talk about how to address blemishes on your medical school application and how to stand out as a reapplicant.

[01:01] Introducing Leila Amiri, Ph.D
[02:31] Anatomy of a Successful Medical School Application
[06:42] Addressing Issues in Your Med School Application
[14:11] Communicate Your Personal Why
[19:53] Re-applying to Med Schools
[23:16] What Leila Amiri Would Change About Healthcare

Do These Before You Apply to Medical School

There is no perfect timing to start applying to medical schools. Students must apply when they feel academically and emotionally ready. Becoming a physician is a long journey, you must be certain of your why. Students don’t have to apply to every medical school. Instead, choose institutions that have mission statements that resonate with you. Consider learning environments that would be most conducive to your development.

Applying with Low Grades or a Disciplinary Record

Academics is a big factor in medical school applications. There is a standard score in order to be admitted. If you’re having trouble with poor grades, try hiring a tutor or enrolling in further education. Retaking a class will not necessarily boost your GPA. Figure out your level of mastery and then come up with a plan to improve your scores.

Another blemish to address in your application may be a negative disciplinary record. An incident will not disqualify you from getting into a medical school, but you must be transparent about what happened. Highlight what you’ve learned from this experience.

Authenticity in Your Personal Statement

During interviews, it’s typical to want to please the admission committee. Instead of trying to be the ideal candidate, be yourself. No matter the outcome, being genuine will help you match into a school that is best suited to you.

The personal statement is another way to let yourself be known. Clearly state why you want to pursue medicine and mention the relevant opportunities you’ve had in the field. The essay should give the admissions committee a picture of who you are. Use personal analogies and provide appropriate context.

Standing Out as a Med School Reapplicant

Didn’t get into a medical school on your first round of applications? It’s okay, this doesn’t mean you’re unqualified. Sometimes, schools have very limited slots to offer. Take this time instead to strengthen your application by adding more experience, research, or leadership opportunities. Don’t wait for a rejection notice to start improving your résumé. Admissions committees want to see the growth you’ve had in between your first and second round of medical school applications.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Marissa Robinson, the initiative coordinator for Ending the HIV Epidemic under the U.S. Department of Health. They talk about how each person can make an impact on public health.

[00:38] Introducing Marissa Robinson
[04:41] Conducting Meaningful Research
[08:33] Ending HIV for Black Women
[20:13] The Stigma of HIV
[23:55] Choosing a Public Health Advocacy

Meaningful Research is Personal

For Dr. Robinson's dissertation, she chose a topic that merged her passion for public health and her identity as Black cisgender woman. Hence, she conducted a qualitative study about black women's attitudes and perceptions about pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). This medicine has been proven to be 99% effective in preventing HIV transmission. Despite it being approved by the FDA in 2012, the number of Black women who have been using PrEP have not significantly increased. Dr. Robinson’s findings have highlighted the need to de-stigmatize infectious diseases like HIV, so we can improve public health.

Making an Impact in Public Health

There are a lot of available resources about infectious diseases such as hiv.gov and cdc.gov. Educate yourself about the latest research and talk to people about their experiences with the healthcare system. From there, you can determine how you'd like to help.

Medicine is not the only way to positively impact public health. Explore other avenues and find a niche that matches your skills and interests. This is how each of us can uniquely contribute towards better care. If you still find that medicine is your calling, all these experiences will definitely help you become a well-rounded med school candidate and physician.

You can reach Dr. Marissa Robinson through her LinkedIn, Twitter, or send her an email at drmarissarob@gmail.com.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Alexia Childress, the CEO and co-founder of the National Pre-Health Community. They talk about the founding story of the NPHC, building connections in healthcare, and pre-med admissions.

[00:37] Introducing Alexia Childress
[03:20] Forming the National Pre-Health Community
[07:53] NPHC 2023 Annual Conference
[11:38] How to Network Online
[14:45] What Alexia Would Change About Med School Applications
[21:09] What Alexia Would Change About Healthcare

Building Your Pre-Med Network

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of opportunities for pre-meds were canceled. There was a lot of change and uncertainty, making it tough for students to prepare for med school applications. As a response to the challenges posed by the pandemic, Alexia Childress and Alejandra Bahena formed the National Pre-Health Community. Within two months, they organized a free virtual event for students interested in healthcare careers. Since its inaugural conference, the NPHC holds an annual symposium that connects aspiring healthcare professionals and provides resources to help them succeed.

Building Your Pre-Med Network

Networking is not limited to face to face interactions, it can also be done virtually. One of the ways to build connection is through participating in online events. Be engaged and ask questions to resource speakers. Send them emails about what you liked in their presentation. Once you’ve built some rapport, you can try to request to shadow them if you are ever in their area. Another way to expand your network is by joining online communities. The NPHC has a Discord channel, free resources, and scholarships that you can benefit from.

Sign up for the National Pre-Health Community’s free annual conference on their website. Join their Discord community through this invite link. You can reach Alexia Childress through her LinkedIn.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Olivia Brumfield who is currently a third year student at Harvard Medical School. They talk about applying to medical schools with intention and personalizing medical education.

[00:39] Introducing Olivia Brumfield
[02:20] Medical School Application Tips
[10:55] Learning American Sign Language
[15:06] Transition into Medical School
[18:13] What Olivia Would Change About Healthcare
[21:23] What Olivia Would Change About Medical Education

Apply to Medical Schools with Intention

Having gone through medical school applications herself, Olivia reminds students to be mindful of their mental health. Take breaks and stay connected to your why so you don’t lose yourself in the process. Your passion for medicine will help you power through difficult moments.

Be selective about the med schools you’re considering. Will this institution help you serve the population you want to care for? Do their values align with the kind of doctor you want to become? Save yourself the time, expense, and mental bandwidth by applying to schools that will help you reach your goals.

It’s okay to take your time before you start med school applications. Be honest and evaluate if you’re ready to commit to the process. Pursuing other opportunities is not a bad thing. Contrary to what other people may think, you can gain other skills that can help improve your future practice as a physician.

Reducing Barriers in Healthcare

As a clerk, Olivia has seen firsthand how limited resources can affect healthcare. Patients are not able to access the care they need because of a variety of factors. Olivia wishes we can have better medical infrastructure to support patients and to reduce the financial costs of medicine to make it accessible to everyone. She also wishes to see more diversity in all areas of healthcare. If groups feel represented in medicine, it will be easier to connect and provide care for different populations.

A Well-Rounded Medical Education

Olivia proposes that medical education should be a more personalized experience. If schools can tailor a program for students based on their unique values, deciding which field to go into may become easier. It would also be helpful if students can learn about the business of medicine early on so they can navigate the healthcare system with more ease.

You can reach Olivia Brumfield through her Instagram.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Adam Johnson, a general surgeon who has recently matched into a breast surgical oncology fellowship. They talk about his passion for breast oncology and how he overcame the setbacks in his medical journey.

[00:58] Introducing Dr. Adam Johnson
[05:22] Early Medical School Selection Program at Boston University
[09:44] Medical School & USMLE Step 1
[14:55] Surgery Rotations
[16:53] Failing the USMLE Step 2
[24:27] Matching into Surgery
[33:21] The Power of Never Giving Up

Why Breast Surgical Oncology?

Dr. Johnson’s family had a history of breast cancer that has afflicted his grandmother, mother, and aunt. His sister had to go through a mastectomy after finding out that she carried the BRCA1 gene. From an early age, Dr. Johnson saw and experienced the huge impact that breast cancer has on the patient and their family. As such, he is passionate about the prevention and treatment of this disease.

Despite Failure, Never Give Up

Dr. Johnson’s journey was full of challenges. He recalls failing a class every year in medical school. But instead of being discouraged, he changed his studying habits. When it was time to take the USMLE Step 1, he passed but his results fell short of the average score for surgery residency. Even though he was disappointed, he didn’t give up.

During his surgery rotation, Dr. Johnson enjoyed it so much that he felt validated to continue to pursue surgery. Some people encouraged him to consider other options since surgery was highly competitive, but he was determined to match into his chosen field. Unfortunately, he failed the USMLE Step 2. But again, this didn’t stop Dr. Johnson from trying even harder. After enrolling in a prep course, he passed the USMLE Step 2. Eventually, he was able to match into a surgery residency program.

Never Say Never

If you have a dream you’d like to pursue, don’t let anybody talk you out of it. The important thing is to believe in yourself. Recognize your strengths, but also admit your weaknesses so you can work on them. Take care of your mental health by cultivating good relationships and self-care habits. Talking to a coach or therapist can also be very beneficial.

You can reach Dr. Adam Johnson by sending an email to adamljohnsonmd@gmail.com or by reaching out on Instagram.

If you are in need of support or someone to talk to about your mental health, please call the 988 Suicide and Crisis hotline or the Physician Support Line (888) 409-0141. You may also visit www.doctorlifeline.org.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Valentina Bonev, a board certified and fellowship trained breast surgical oncologist. They talk about how she decided on her subspecialty and how to seek out mentors in your chosen field.

[00:47] Introducing Dr. Valentina Bonev
[02:37] Why Breast Surgical Oncology?
[07:30] How to Make Your Application Stand Out
[09:46] Finding Mentors in Medicine
[15:52] Dr. Bonev’s Passions Outside of Medicine
[17:48] What Dr. Bonev Would Change About Healthcare

Be an Exceptional Surgical Applicant

Even before residency applications start, show interest during rotations. Make your enthusiasm known by being proactive. This will surely leave a good impression. It’s helpful to find a mentor who you can form a relationship with and learn from. By working closely together, they can write a letter of recommendation to endorse your strengths. Aside from this, it’s also a good idea to participate in relevant research. If the paper is published or presented at a conference, all the better!

Be honest about your shortcomings and communicate what you’ve learned from those experiences. Lying on your application or interview is a surefire way to sabotage your chances. Another word of advice: try to maintain a good professional relationship with your colleagues because you may end up working together one day. Residency programs look for well-rounded individuals who have exposed themselves to their chosen field.

How to Seek Out Mentorship

Join an interest group and contact the coordinator or president. Typically, interest groups have a roster of physicians who are eager to teach. Dedicate some time to shadowing them, assisting surgeries or joining whatever opportunity comes up. By getting to know the resident and attending physicians, they can take you under their wing and show you the ins and outs. If you find that a certain specialization is not enjoyable, you can always explore other fields.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Justin Middleton, who is an oral and maxillofacial surgery resident at Boston Medical Center. They talk about the differences between dentistry and medicine, and how to find your specialization in either field.

[00:50] Introducing Dr. Justin Middleton
[02:27] Dental School VS Medical School
[04:49] Oral Surgery Training
[07:24] How to Find Your Specialization
[11:33] What Dr. Middleton Would Change About Healthcare

Training to Become an Oral Surgeon

Dentists who aspire to become oral surgeons must go through training and residency. This is a general overview of what those four years will entail. The first year is regarded as the intern year, where dentists see and triage patients. They also assist in case planning and in optimizing patients for treatments.

During the second year, dentists spend most of their time in general surgery, and then in anesthesia. Finally, in the third and fourth year, oral surgeons-to-be start to work on bigger cases with the attendings.

Find Your Specialization in Medicine or Dentistry

Before choosing a specialization, think of your values. Find out what you enjoy and what fulfills you. Envision the life you want to live. For Dr. Middleton, he absolutely loves making patients feel better after they come in for a dental visit. He also chose to become a dentist and oral surgeon because he likes to work with his hands. It’s helpful to ask around to get a picture of what a certain field or practice looks like. And remember, there is no harm in changing paths if you discover a new one that works for you.

You can reach Dr. Justin Middleton by sending an email to jamiddleton587@gmail.com.

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Sadaf Lodhi, a board-certified OBGYN and intimacy coach based in New York. They talk about women’s sexual and reproductive health, as well as intimacy in relationships.

[00:50] Introducing Dr. Sadaf Lodhi
[01:36] How to Match into OBGYN
[03:20] Why OBGYN?
[05:22] Intimacy Coaching and Sexual Health
[10:30] Maintaining Intimacy in Relationships
[14:25] Trust and Communication with Patients
[21:02] What Dr. Lodhi Would Change About Healthcare

OBGYN, Sex Education, and Intimacy Coaching

Dr. Lodhi chose to specialize in OBGYN because it combines medicine and surgery, both of which she thoroughly enjoys. As a physician, she noticed that her patients had concerns about sex, but felt ill-equipped to answer their questions. This led her to become an intimacy coach so she could learn more about sexual and reproductive health. With her training as an OBGYN and intimacy coach, she can educate more women and empower them to make informed choices about their bodies.

Promoting Intimacy in Relationships with a Busy Schedule

As physicians and students, we devote most of our hours to medicine. But even with busy schedules, we should make time for our relationships. Set a date with your spouse, relative, or friend and be present when you are together. Put away your phone and focus on bonding with the other person. You don’t have to do anything grand, a simple activity shared between the two of you can help you feel connected.

Building Trust in Doctor Patient Relationships

Trust starts with honesty. Always be open and forthcoming when talking to patients. You don’t have to be on-call, but establishing an open line of communication can make patients feel like they can rely on you. Listen and validate their experience so they feel seen and heard. A lot of patients report medical gaslighting or feeling dismissed by their healthcare providers. Instead of judging them, take the time to understand and be your patients’ advocate.

You can reach Dr. Sadaf Lodhi through her Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube. To learn more about intimacy and reproductive health, visit drsadaf.com/.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Jason Reminick, founder and CEO of ThalamusGME and Thalamus.Org. They talk about how Thalamus came about, its features, and how it can help change systems and processes of both medical institutions and practitioners.

[00:22] Introducing Dr. Jason Reminick
[03:43] What is Thalamus?
[09:03] AAMC and Thalamus Strategic Collaboration
[20:00] Key Pieces of Advice for Medical Students
[28:16] Comparison is the Root of All Evil
[35:39] What Dr. Reminick Would Change About Healthcare

What is Thalamus?

Thalamus is a SaaS (software as a service) company currently on its growth stage out of Silicon Valley. They are a mission-driven company with the main mission of ensuring that the right doctor gets to the right hospital to treat the right patient, and vice versa. Individual residency, fellowship programs, and entire hospital systems purchase the software and use it to integrate with the electronic residency application service through AAMC, SF Match, or other application providers. The programs import that data and then send invites for an interview. The applicants receive an email with a link to create a profile and then are brought to a calendar where they can schedule their residency or fellowship interview in real-time. On the program side, it allows them to score candidates, write notes, build rank lists for the match, etc.

You can reach Dr. Jason Reminick through his LinkedIn. To learn more about Thalamus, visit their official website at thalamusgme.com and through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Liudmila Schafer who is a medical oncologist and the founder of The Doctor Connect consultancy. They talk about the impact of artificial intelligence in medicine, and how physicians and students can use AI tools responsibly.

[00:52] Introducing Dr. Liudmila Schafer
[03:20] The Doctor Connect
[06:24] Artificial Intelligence’s Impact on Healthcare
[08:58] Using AI for Medical Education
[15:33] Responsible use of AI Tools for Physicians

Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

Artificial intelligence is gaining popularity, even in healthcare. When used appropriately, it can help generate ideas and aid in research. However, it can also cause misunderstandings between physicians and patients. It would be wise to educate patients not to rely too heavily on AI because it’s not entirely accurate.

Learning Medicine Through AI Tools

New and advanced tools can facilitate learning by providing more data and different solutions to problems. But again, artificial intelligence is not infallible. To keep growing, physicians and students need to keep exposing themselves to new technology and other fields of study. There is no need to be confined to one specialty or medical association. Exploring unique interests and meeting diverse people can bring fresh insights to your practice as a physician.

You can reach Dr. Liudmila Schafer through her Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn. To learn more about The Doctor Connect, visit thedoctorconnect.org/.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Laura Fortner, a board certified OB/GYN with 21 years of experience. She is also a certified life coach who helps physicians overcome adverse events and medical malpractice. They talk about how to cope with emotional stress that comes from lawsuits and traumatic medical cases.

[01:04] Introducing Dr. Laura Fortner
[05:26] Medical Malpractice is Real
[09:25] Coping with Distress
[12:25] How Coaching Can Help with PTSD
[18:15] Quick Ways to Overcome Triggers
[23:03] How to Prevent Malpractice Lawsuits

Medical Malpractice Lawsuits Happen

There is a high likelihood that physicians, most especially surgeons, will get sued at least once. A medical malpractice lawsuit can shake your confidence, leaving you with a lot of doubts about your competence. Unfortunately, there is very little training or support for physicians to help them navigate this challenging process.

Coaching Can Help with PTSD

PTSD can be addressed through coaching, with the added benefit of being discreet. Coaching sessions are not charted in any way so you don’t have to be worried about it appearing on your medical record. If a traumatic event affects you to this day, you can engage in memory reconsolidation, stress relief, and thought work with a coach.

Manage your Distress

Whenever you feel frustrated, upset, or angry, you can stop negative self-talk by staring at a wall or object. Fix your eyes but try to look using your peripheral vision. This trick can help shut off your thoughts so you don’t reinforce the negativity you already feel. Another thing you can try is a mini meditation. Oftentimes, we feel out of sorts because we try to resist reality. Take deep breaths through your belly. On your third or fourth breath, say “I accept what is happening and I release all resistance to it.” This might seem like an insignificant practice, but you’ll be surprised by how much better you’ll feel afterwards.

Avoid Medical Malpractice

The #1 reason why physicians get sued is because patients feel like their doctors are not transparent with them. Patients will also tend to seek counsel if they don’t feel heard. They want to know that physicians are willing to learn from their mistakes or to make changes to better the system. Knowing this, doctors should be more empathetic towards their patients. At times, listening is preferred over speaking. Try to see things from your patient’s perspective and form a human connection with them. Little gestures like a handshake, shoulder pat, or even eye contact can show that you truly care.

You can reach Dr. Laura Fortner through her LinkedIn. To learn more about her coaching services and to join the waitlist for Healthcare Hero Healing Circle, visit themedmalcoach.com.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Kelvin Liao, an Internal Medicine resident interning at the University of Maryland. They talk about ways for new residents to deal with impostor syndrome, improve their skills, and succeed during their intern year.

Time Stamps

[00:36] Introducing Dr. Kelvin Liao
[5:45] Recommendations for New Residents to Succeed in an Intern Year
[8:56] Dealing with Impostor Syndrome
[10:37] How to Ask for Feedback Better
[15:38] What Interns Should Avoid
[17:03] The Importance of Self-Care
[19:50] What Dr. Kelvin Liao Change in Healthcare
[23:06] Wrapping Up

Dealing with Impostor Syndrome

Dr. Liao understands how in the first few weeks of the internship, you’ll still feel like a medical student. Regular tasks may feel daunting. To get over this fear of inadequacy, Dr. Liao recommends throwing yourself into things and asking for help along the way. Remember that the tasks that seem challenging now are going to be what you’ll regularly do as a doctor later on. Believe that all the people who helped you through medical school have prepared you for those moments.

Why You Shouldn’t Treat Residency as a Competition

Dr. Liao understands that medical school is competitive, but that isn’t the case in residency. He believes that some of the residents are the ones who go out of their way to help others. You don’t look better when your co-interns look worse. Remember that you’re working together on the same team for the same patients.

The Importance of Self-Care

Many residents in medicine focus too much on the work that they forget to care for their own needs. Dr. Liao believes there’s been a shift in medicine culture that prioritizes personal wellness and that everyone should play a part in it. Residency can take a toll on you, so it’s important that you check in on yourself often to ensure you’re feeling okay. He also recommends seeking out resources your program has to help you feel better.

You can get in touch with Dr. Liao on Twitter @KelvinLLiao

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Carolina Sueldo, a fertility specialist who is double board certified in both obstetrics and gynecology, as well as reproductive endocrinology and infertility. They talk about fertility, family planning and the in vitro fertilization (IVF) process.

[00:43] Introducing Dr. Carolina Sueldo

[02:50] Why OBGYN and REI?

[10:12] Fertility education is empowerment

[15:57] Costs of Fertility Treatment

[18:45] IVF Treatment and Process

[22:50] What Dr. Sueldo Would Change About Healthcare

Understanding Women’s Biological Clocks

Females are born with all the eggs they will ever have. Fertility peaks during the late teens or early twenties. The chances of pregnancy, the risk of miscarriage, and the risk of genetic problems remain stable until age 35. Afterwards, women’s eggs will show a progressive decline in quantity and quality.

Why Fertility and Reproductive Education Matters

Very few people are educated about fertility. Knowing what is normal for your body is empowering and allows you to make better, informed decisions. It’s recommended to start family planning early because unexpected situations or diagnoses may force you to change course.

The Process of Egg Freezing

First, tests will be done to determine the ovarian reserve. The patient will also be screened for infectious diseases. Next, the patient will need to follow the IVF checklist and take fertility medication that will be ordered by the clinic. During this preparation stage, the patient will be asked to give their consent to the treatment.

The patient’s eggs will be frozen for two weeks. They will need to come to the clinic frequently for ultrasounds, blood draws, and for overall check-ups. The last step is egg retrieval via surgery. Patients will be informed of the number of mature eggs a day or two after the procedure.

You can reach Dr. Carolina Sueldo through her Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn. Watch her YouTube channel for educational videos on fertility and reproduction.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Chrystene Nguyen, the founder of White Coat Romance (WCR). She is a board-certified physician in family and lifestyle medicine. They talk about online dating for health professionals and the process behind building the White Coat Romance platform.

[00:56] Introducing Dr. Chrystene Nguyen

[01:39] White Coat Romance

[07:30] User Verification on White Coat Romance

[12:16] Dating Tips for Health Professionals & Students

[16:01] What Dr. Nguyen Would Change About Healthcare

The White Coat Romance Dating App

Before the WCR platform was built, it started out as an online Facebook group in July 2020. Within that community, health professionals provided each other with support, friendship, and even romance! The COVID-19 quarantine highlighted the need for relationship and community. As the group grew larger, Dr. Chrystene saw the need to develop a dating app to facilitate connection among physicians.

How Does White Coat Romance Verify its Users?

WCR is exclusively for health-related professionals and doctoral students. Users must provide a Medical License Number or an NPI (National Provider Identifier). There are also other options to prove their degree. In addition, users are also asked to provide a photo of themselves to ensure authenticity. White Coat Romance’s verification process ensures that each person is properly vetted, allowing like-minded professionals to connect safely.

Dating for Physicians

Dr. Chrystene believes that a positive mindset helps set the tone for meeting people. Your deep knowledge of yourself should guide you in navigating relationships. Clear boundaries and communication should never be overlooked. Connecting with others helps fulfill our social needs, which allows us to be at our best when serving patients. Finding a life partner is one of the best investments you can make for yourself since they will permeate all aspects of your life.

You can reach Dr. Chrystene Nguyen through her LinkTree, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, or TikTok.

Visit the White Coat Romance website and LinkTree for more information. Follow WCR on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Kenton Allen, the Co-Founder of Doc2Doc Lending. He also serves as the vice chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover. They talk about financial situation of physicians and 4th year medical students, and how Doc2Doc Lending can help.

[01:13] Introducing Dr. Kenton Allen

[05:16] Driving Positive Change through Medicine

[09:10] The Financial Struggles of an Early Physician

[12:25] About Doc2Doc Lending

[17:44] Learn about the Business of Medicine

The Financial Struggles of an Early Physician

During residency, Dr. Allen was under a lot of financial stress. The cost of living was expensive in Boston, and he struggled to make ends meet. At the time, he was also paying off his student debt.

To supplement his income, he wanted to get a loan but traditional lending institutions would either reject his application or offer predatory interest rates. Despite Dr. Allen’s promising career trajectory, banks would deem him a risky borrower due to his high debt and low income.

After talking to his peers, Dr. Allen found that this experience was common among early physicians. This was the catalyst for him to found Doc2Doc Lending.

Doc2Doc Lending Programs

Doc2Doc Lending is a lending platform that caters exclusively to doctors and dentists. They recognize that the physician population is less risky, even though banks would disagree. The underwriting is done with a prospective view rather than a retrospective one. Although primarily for professionals, Doc2Doc Lending also helps students transition from medical school to residency through their Match Day personal loan program.

This lending service was made by doctors for doctors, to help ease the burdens of financial stress through easier access to capital and favorable interest rates.

Financial Tips and Learning Resources

Financial literacy starts with good habits. Have a savings goal as early as now to build wealth. Start thinking about your retirement plan and how you can protect yourself from unexpected events. It's also a good idea to monitor your credit score, as this will dictate interest rates for loans and mortgages. To learn more about financial literacy, the White Coat Investor is a good resource that you can start with.

Fill out a loan application and consult with a doctor at Doc2Doc Lending. You can reach Dr. Kenton Allen by sending him an email at kenton@doc2doclending.com.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Janice Brown, a physiatrist who is certified in acupuncture and functional medicine. They talk about the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation, functional medicine, and Dr. Brown’s own way of practicing medicine.

[01:08] Introducing Dr. Janice Brown

[03:43] Why Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation?

[09:16] Functional Medicine

[13:42] Practice Your Own Style of Medicine

Becoming a PM&R Physician

Dr. Brown always regarded herself as a healer, but not necessarily a doctor. After college, she spent 6 years exploring multiple paths before deciding to pursue medicine. She chose to become a physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) physician because she is passionate about addressing the root cause of health problems, not just in managing symptoms. As a physiatrist, she can examine both the musculoskeletal and nervous systems to see what’s causing pain or illness.

Functional Medicine

Unsurprisingly, Dr. Brown is certified in functional medicine, a field which focuses on why patients are unwell. Physicians look at the different factors such as sleep, diet, exercise, hygiene, stressors, relationships, and personal history. Dr. Brown also practices acupuncture which helps patients relieve pain and anxiety.

Practice Medicine in Your Own Way

Regardless of what you’ve learned, you can always shape your own practice of medicine. Observe other doctors and emulate the traits and behaviors that resonate with you. Treat patients in the way that feels most comfortable and efficient for you.

But never forget that you are not just a doctor. It’s easy to lose sight of your other identities when your identity as a physician takes precdence. To stay grounded in who you are, make sure to devote time to your personal hobbies and interests when you can.

You can reach Dr. Janice Brown through her website or send her an email at janice@betterhealthlifecoaching.com.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Mary Leung, a full-time physician who specializes in oncology and hematology. She is also a certified life coach. They talk the signs of burnout and how to overcome it, along with imposter syndrome.

[01:03] Introducing Dr. Mary Leung

[02:51] Why Oncology and Hematology?

[06:02] Recognizing Burnout

[11:14] The Arrival Fallacy

[15:17] Imposter Syndrome

[17:30] Dr. Mary Leung’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

Signs of Burnout

Anyone is susceptible to experiencing burnout. It can feel physically, emotionally, and spiritually draining—almost as if you’re running on an empty tank. You can start to become cynical when you lose sight of your purpose.

The most important piece is to recognize when you feel burnt out. Take a step back to find out why you feel this way. Burnout is by no means your fault, it happens to all of us. But it is a sign that you need to take better care of yourself. A life coach can help you address burnout by reminding you of your strengths and passion, while suggesting ways to address the stressors in your life.

What is Arrival Fallacy?

Arrival fallacy is this cognitive bias that you will become happy after achieving a certain goal. In medicine, you become eager to reach the next steps, believing that it will guarantee happiness. That kind of bliss doesn’t last very long. In no time, you’ll be looking for the next milestone. Instead of perpetuating this false belief, students and physicians should learn to enjoy the process. You can be happy even during challenging times. Live in the present moment and savor both the good and bad.

Dealing with Imposter Syndrome

High-achieving individuals often believe that they are not deserving of their success, despite all the hard work they put in. It’s common to have self-doubt. To address imposter syndrome, be mindful of how you speak to yourself. Remind yourself that it’s okay to recognize your efforts. Treat yourself the way you would treat a friend: with compassion and encouragement.

You can reach Dr. Mary Leung through her LinkedIn or send her an email at shiningwithgratitudemd@gmail.com. Check out her website for more resources.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Sheneka Horne, a global health pediatrician and the founder of The Blk Doctor. They talk about global health fellowship programs and how students and doctors of color can find support on their journey in medicine.

[01:00] Introducing Dr. Sheneka Horne

[05:09] Global Health Fellowship

[09:48] Making an Impact Globally and Locally

[13:17] The Blk Doctor

[18:15] Finding Support for Marginalized Students

How to Get Involved in Global Health

Dr. Horne had several opportunities to travel locally and internationally to see how different health systems work. She advises anyone interested to choose a program carefully. Preferably the organization should have an ongoing presence, which means that they are using local interventions and teaching the natives how to continue the work they are doing. The more sustainable the effort, the better. While traveling, be mindful not to take photos that perpetuate stereotypes of impoverished communities.

Making an Impact Globally and Locally

Global health work in another country allows you to understand other cultures and health practices better. This experience offers a new way of looking at health and medicine. But even in the US, there are still places which have poor access to hospitals, electricity, and water. You can do meaningful work even in your home country. There’s no shortage of people who need help.

Supporting the Marginalized in Medicine

The path to becoming a physician is not easy, but it can be even harder if you’re part of a minority group. To help you on your journey, don’t be afraid to reach out to others. Everybody has experienced failure at some point, so you are not alone.

Dr. Horne started The Blk Doctor in an effort to help black physicians overcome burnout. She coaches fellow doctors on how to ask for opportunities and boundaries for a more fulfilling practice.

You can reach Dr. Sheneka Horne through her Instagram and Facebook. Visit The Blk Doctor website to learn more coaching programs, mentorship, and other resources.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Katie Baca-Motes, co-founder of the Scripps Research Digital Trials Center. She is also the senior director for Scripps Research's strategic initiatives. They talk about the best Walt Disney Imagineering concepts and practices that can be applied to improve medicine and healthcare.

[01:14] Introducing Katie Baca-Motes

[05:03] Walt Disney Imagineering

[07:46] Imagineering in Healthcare

[12:29] Digital Research Opportunities

[15:13] What Would You Change in Healthcare?

Lessons from Walt Disney Imagineers

After graduating from business school, Katie had the opportunity to work at Walt Disney. Being an imagineer entailed behind the scenes work such as producing special effects, conceptualizing rides, or in Katie’s case, researching behavioral economics and consumer behavior.

Drawing on her past experiences as an imagineer, Katie believes there’s a lot of approaches that can be applied to healthcare. One of them was “blue sky thinking” where you are encouraged to think outside the box. For the moment, forget all the realistic constraints in order to come up with innovative solutions. Another thing they did at Disney was that they involved different departments during brainstorming. It was a way to learn and understand multiple perspectives. If clinicians and medical professionals can think big and acknowledge other voices, then healthcare would be much better off.

Caring for and Empowering Patients

Katie also believes that taking inspiration from Disney’s naming convention can help improve healthcare. At Disney, customers are called “guests”, which already shifts the way its staff members treat them. Staff members are not just crew personnel, their title motivates them to create the best experience possible for guests. Similarly, if we can give empowering labels and put patients at the center of care, then we can provide the best care possible.

You can reach Katie Baca-Motes through her Twitter and Linkedin. Visit the Scripps Research Digital Trial Center website to learn more about their studies and opportunities.

You can watch Dr. Erkeda DeRouen’s talk about Disney and Healthcare on the TEDx YouTube.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen is joined by Dr. Raji Akileh, a D.O. and CEO of MedEd Cloud. Dr. Raji will take us through how MedEd Cloud operates and how it can help equip medical students with information before they take their board exams. He will also take on the topic of revolutionizing the medical healthcare system in the United States.

[00:21] Introduction of Dr. Raji Akileh

[02:20] The Medical Education System

[04:03] MedEd Cloud

[08:03] Opportunities in MedEd for Board Studies

[13:21] Participation for MedEd Cloud

[14:50] Modules and Opportunities from Outside Medicine

[16:13] What Would You Change in the Healthcare system

[19:24] How to Connect with Dr. Raji

Keeping Up With Trends

A lot of medical students out there would work hard to pass their boards, and a big proponent of these tests is the knowledge and updates they take from their respective schools. Many schools still take the more traditional approach and practices when it comes to medical education. This situation has widely stunted the learning growth of students in the United States, given that many other countries have already slowly started to advance with the help of technology and science. Many traditional-style school still fear change, and this mindset may be the hindering factor to why medical education in the U.S. may not be that advanced.

You can reach Dr. Akileh through his Linkedin profile.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen is joined again by Dr. Stephanie Pearson. In this episode, Dr. Pearson steers from disability insurances to life insurances. She will give us an insight of the different types of life insurances and how medical professionals and students can choose which type of insurance they can select from depending on their lifestyle.

[00:21] Re-Introduction of Stephanie Pearson

[03:54] About Life Insurances

[07:26] Why Buy Life Insurance?

[11:05] Difference Between Term and Whole Insurance

[16:22] Figuring Out the Right Coverage For You

[21:00] What Would You Change in the Healthcare System

Life Insurances

Unlike disability insurances, life insurances serve more as an umbrella insurance for individuals regarding health, benefits, and other safety nets depending on ones’ lifestyle. For medical students and practitioners, life insurance will be an essential purchase down the line particularly for individuals who plan to start or have a family. Life insurances are customizable and more flexible to change depending on the person and what they want to be more secure about.

Knowing You’re Covered

The importance of why insurance exists is for individuals to be covered in terms of health, giving them an extra life line in case bad things may happen. Being a health practitioner does not always guarantee that you are 100% covered, being that most of them are exposed to contagious illnesses and unwanted accidents. It’s essential to know and measure what you want insurance to cover in your life now, beit medical, education, mortgages, etc.

You can reach Dr. Pearson through her Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin, or you may also reach her through her website and landline that is 610 658 325. Or you can email her at stephaniepearsons@pearsonsravitz.com.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. You can also reach us through our social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MedSchoolCoach

Dr. Erkeda’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordgram/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProspectiveDoctor

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen is joined by Joshua Roshal. Joshua is currently a surgery resident from Brigham and Women’s Department of Surgery. He’s done 7 years in medical school and has already taken up leadership and teaching roles. He joins Dr. Erkida as he talks more about his research focus on education for medical students.

[00:23] Introduction to Joshua Roshal

[03:39] New Era of Medical Education

[08:47] Surgical Simulation at Home

[11:38] Tips for Surgery Students

[15:41] Changes You’d Want to Make in Healthcare

[18:35] How to Reach Joshua

Surgical Studies Amidst the Pandemic

Surgical education is more hands-on than other medical fields due to their nature of work being on the ground for patients. Unlike other doctors from other fields, surgical experts are the key performers when patients undergo surgery. The practice calls for students to be on the field to conduct their field of expertise. At the height of the pandemic, the education on surgical studies became a speed bump for its students. While other fields got to soothingly take their studies through online platforms, surgery students were taken the opportunity to be onsite. This situation has led to many difficulties to really immerse oneself to the field of practice. Fortunately, throughout the pandemic, experts have come up with ways to potentially get the students to be more involved and innovative to how they learn.

You can connect with Josh through his Twitter.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor or https://somedocs.com/. You can also reach us through our social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/somedocspublic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/somedocs/

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[00:28] Introduction of Dr. Jia Ng

[01:35] Transitioning and Opportunities in Research

[03:18] Recommendation for Research Pursual

[06:41] Importance of Research in Residency

[11:51] Dr. Jia: Why the US over Australia?

[15:47] How to Get Involved in Research

Research

Paving Your Own Path

You can connect more with Dr. Ng through her website and YouTube channel.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor or https://somedocs.com/. You can also reach us through our social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/somedocspublic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/somedocs/

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Dr. Erkeda is joined by Dr. Dana Corriel, she is an internist by training as well as a successful entrepreneur. As a medical practitioner who’s taken the traditional route to where she is now, Dr. Corriel is now devoted to using her business skills to help promote the autonomy of doctors and practitioners. She’s already launched her own venture called SoMeDocs to help medical students and seasoned doctors promote themselves and their areas of expertise.

[00:23] Introduction of Dr. Corriel

[02:13] About SoMeDocs

[07:13] Essentials for Social Media Awareness

[12:16] About Medical Branding

[14:14] Opportunities for SoMeDocs

[16:09] Desired Changes in Healthcare

The Power of Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurial skills are underrated skills acquired in the medical field. A lot of students and experts neglect the entrepreneurial side of being in the medical field. While it is one achievement to be a professional, there is also the factor of gaining clients or patients that avail your services. For Dr. Corriel, her goal is to ensure that medical services are marketed properly to potential patients and clients. It’s an underlying skill that she wishes a lot of practitioners would acquire in order for them to have a better grasp into the field, whether it’s inside their 9 to 5 job at the hospital or on their off days at home.

Non-Traditional Practice

Circling back on grasping ways to expand a professional’s medical expertise, the high impact of social media in this day and age has converted the platform for service-curated avenues. Dr. Corriel’s SoMeDoc platform has allowed medical experts to promote themselves and properly market themselves for patients who seek advice or guidance online. For the students or even professionals who may take this route, some essentials include the knowledge of the market, the “out-of-the-box” perspective, and building your own space. It is also worth noting that branding plays a crucial role when you do a more social media approach to your practices.

You can reach Dr. Corriel through her website. You may also reach Dr. Corriel through her social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Linkedin.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor or https://somedocs.com/. You can also reach us through our social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/somedocspublic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/somedocs/

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Harvey Castro, an emergency medicine physician, healthcare consultant and the author of "ChatGPT Healthcare”. He’s here today to talk about the applications of AI technology like ChatGPT to medicine.

[00:43] Dr. Castro’s Medical Journey and Background

[01:15] AI in Healthcare

[05:10] Writing ChatGPT Healthcare

[06:33] Using AI for Innovation and Learning in Medicine

[12:35] Dr. Castro’s Advice for a Successful Medical Career

AI & ChatGPT Healthcare

AI tools like ChatGPT are gaining popularity nowadays—is there any way can we use it for medicine? Although not yet FDA approved, it can have potential applications for diagnosis and learning. Medical professionals should familiarize themselves with AI tools so they can benefit from the tech and properly advise patients.

Using Tech and AI for Student Learning

ChatGPT can also be used for studying. Students can ask AI to help create flashcards, mnemonics, and to explain complex topics more simply. It can also summarize long journal articles.

To keep up with tech, join online communities that are interested in innovation. You may also create a Google alert that will notify you of new developments. If you don’t have one yet, create a LinkedIn account so you can connect with other professionals who can provide you learning opportunities in healthcare.

Reach out to Dr. Harvey Castro through Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn. Order a copy of his book “ChatGPT and Healthcare” on Amazon.

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor.

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Dr. Erkeda is joined by Dr. Stephanie Pearson, an OBGYN turned insurance broker who changed her career from a practitioner to safety net provider for medical experts. Almost 10 years ago, Dr. Pearson sustained an injury during an operation procedure and was left with a career unable to pursue the work she studied for. Since then, she’s had a change of heart and now uses her skills and knowledge in the medical industry to help other people who are unintentionally placed in that same position, by creating a disability insurance firm for physicians and other healthcare providers.

[00:23] Introduction of Dr. Pearson
[01:57] Adapting to Post-Injury
[06:49] About Disability Insurances
[12:55] Advice for Physicians with Disabilities
[16:56] Group Benefits vs Private Benefits
[22:36] What Dr. Pearson Would Change in Healthcare

What Happens to Physicians After Injuries

For a professional in the medical field, it can be a confusing moment in life when you suddenly sustain some type of injury. As a practitioner, you would be overwhelmed by the fact that you worked so hard to reach that moment when you get to help people only to be in a position where you are unable to help yourself anymore. This limbo phase does not mean it’s the end for you in the medical field. Sometimes, relying on the support of families, friends, and communities encourages people in this position to do something that can change the way people see the situation. Encouraging individuals to utilize not just the knowledge, but also the skills gained that could still be beneficial for other practitioners. There are many jobs out there that can still take in your knowledge and the skill sets you can do.

Having a Safety Net

For the case of Dr. Pearson sustained an injury that got her out of practice and unable to return. This type of situation isn't often covered by private benefits and insurances. It’s great to be covered by the company, but field practitioners should also check in with group benefits that could also be more useful if unexpected circumstances were to happen to you while you are at work. One example of which is for women using maternity insurance given by the private company. There has to be a deeper study on the terms and conditions when engaging into the benefit as it does not fully cover underlying occurrences such as miscarriages, wherein group benefits could still act as a safety net for these individuals.

You can reach Dr. Pearson through her Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin, or you may also reach her through her website and landline that is 610 658 3251

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor.

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Anita Lwanga, a kinesiologist, internist, and geriatrician who is actively involved in educating the next generation of physicians. She’s here today to share her best tips for how pre-meds, medical students, and residents can obtain research experience.

[00:56] Dr. Lwanga’s Medical Journey and Background
[02:50] Why Internal Medicine?
[05:47] How Important is Research Experience?
[12:20] How to Obtain Research Experience
[18:14] What Dr. Lwanga Would Change in Healthcare

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen is joined by Dr. Jattu Senesie, an OBGYN physician from the company Essence of Strength. Today, Dr. Jattu narrates her journey as a child aspiring to become a physician to leading her own firm as well as the key takeaways and learnings that she can give for aspiring physicians in the field.

[00:57] Introduction of Dr. Jattu Senesie
[04:38] Dr. Jattu’s Attending Experience
[09:58] Looking After your Mental Health
[11:00] Current Activities and What to Expect
[17:37] Summarizing Sustainable Well-Being
[20:47] Advice for Non-Traditional Path Takers
[26:52] Changes in the US Healthcare System
[28:46] Conclusion

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Jake Khoussine who is currently a fifth year student of a combined MD-PhD program. As the founder of Madrasa Advising, he advises students on how to prepare for an MD-PhD program so they can become successful physician-scientists.

[00:58] Jake’s Medical Journey and Background
[04:42] Why Apply to an MD-PhD Program?
[10:55] How to Get Accepted into an MD-PhD Program
[16:58] Study Tips for MCAT and Medical School
[20:51] What Jake Would Change in Healthcare

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen is joined by Dr. Tea Nguyen, the show’s very first podiatrist. Dr. Nguyen is a podiatrist who has her own private practice in Sta. Cruz, California. She joins Dr. Erkeda to discuss the world of podiatry and how diverse this branch of the medical field can be.

[01:06] Dr. Tea Nguyen and Choosing Podiatry

[04:55] Training for Podiatrist

[07:06] Ways to Work in the Field

[09:25] Learnings from Podiatry

[10:58] Tracks to Employment

[12:32] Pearls for Podiatry (for takeaway)

[14:00] What Would You Change in Healthcare

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen is joined by Shital Vora, a physical therapist and co-founder of the Global Brigades organization. As a founder of the Global Brigades, Shital tells the story of how she founded the organization and the milestones they have achieved to help communities in need of sustainable healthcare and economic resources.

[01:30] Roles of Physical Therapist in Healthcare
[05:10] The Global Brigades
[11:07] How Students Can Get Involved in The Global Brigades
[15:56] What Would You Change in Healthcare?
[19:22] Involvement in Local Areas and Organizations

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Delia Chiaramonte who is an integrative and palliative medicine physician. She is the founder and CEO of The Institute for Integrative Palliative Medicine, where physicians are trained in evidence-based symptom management.

[01:03] Integrating Integrative Care into Dr. Chiaramonte’s Practice
[05:07] Evidence-based Medicine
[08:04] What is Palliative Care?
[16:04] Gain Exposure to Palliative Medicine
[20:27] Talking to End of Life Patients
[26:30] What Dr. Chiaramonte Would Change in Healthcare

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Sheetal Ajmani who is a pediatrician, entrepreneur, yoga teacher and ayurveda consultant. As the founder of the Radiant Living Institute, Dr. Ajmani shares her framework for how to practice radiant living as a student.

[02:00] Why Pediatrics?
[05:51] Self-care for Students
[07:41] Radiant Living Method
[14:09] Radiant Living Institute
[16:19] The Best Way to Learn about Business
[19:40] What Dr. Ajmani Would Change in Healthcare

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Susan Baumgaertel, who is the founder of myMDadvocate and Menopause Menu. Today she talks about her medical journey and how she took charge of her career in medicine.

[01:05] Dr. Baumgaertel’s Medical Journey and Background
[05:46] myMDadvocate
[15:57] MenopauseMenu
[22:05] What Dr. Baumgaertel Would Change in Healthcare

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Kerry Reller who is a board certified family medicine and obesity medicine physician. Dr. Reller shares about how she transitioned from being a biomedical engineer into becoming an obesity medicine specialist in private practice.

[00:58] Dr. Reller’s Medical Journey and Background
[04:23] Why Family Medicine?
[07:18] Dr. Reller’s Private Practice
[14:11] Obesity Medicine Board Certification
[19:12] How to Incorporate Obesity Medicine in Your Practice
[25:22] What Dr. Reller Would Change in Healthcare

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Martha Kenney who is a board certified pediatric anesthesiologist, clinical researcher, and productivity coach. Dr. Kenney shares her top tips for tackling time management as a medical student and physician.

[01:03] Why Pediatric Anesthesiology?

[06:20] Values, Habits, and Systems (VHS) approach

[16:14] Time Management Tools

[22:15] Productivity in your Clinical Years

[25:49] What Dr. Kenney Would Change in Healthcare

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Liudmilla Schafer who is an award-winning oncologist, associate professor, speaker, business coach, and the founder of The Doctor Connect. Today, she talks about how the media can be utilized to help improve healthcare.

[01:22] Introducing Dr. Liudmilla Schafer

[03:59] The Doctor Connect

[10:55] Advocating for patients through media

[13:36] Media training for physicians

[17:04] What Dr. Schafer would do differently

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Claudia Sotillo who is the Associate Program Director for the Tufts Medical Center anesthesiology residency program. Today, Dr. Sotillo shares her experience exploring and pursuing the field of anesthesia and how you can do the same.

[01:10] Introducing Dr. Claudia Sotillo
[08:09] Why Anesthesiology?
[14:52] Qualities of a Great Anesthesiology Applicant
[17:34] How to Get Exposure to Anesthesiology
[24:44] What Dr. Sotillo Would Change About Healthcare
[27:02] Dr. Sotillo’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen is joined by Dr. Ram Rao, a physician scientist, and Pediatric Hematology Oncology Fellow at Stanford University. In this episode, he gives advice on doing MD/PhDs and what to do when switching specialties.

[00:44] Introducing Dr. Rao
[03:56] Process of Doing MD/PhD
[05:40] Advise on Switching Specialties
[12:20] Passions Outside of Medicine
[14:27] Dr. Rao’s Best Piece of Advice

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Megan Flynn who is an orthopedic surgeon in sports medicine. Outside of medicine, she is the founding manager of fitness studio Rise Nation Chicago. Today, Dr. Flynn talks about the practice of orthopedic sports medicine and how students can gain exposure in that field.

[00:56] Why Orthopedic Sports Medicine?
[07:39] How to Practice Orthopedic Sports Medicine
[14:35] Gain Experience in Sports Medicine
[17:50] Dr. Flynn’s Passions Outside of Medicine
[19:57] Dr. Flynn’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Dolapo Babalola, a triple-board certified physician who specializes in family, lifestyle, and obesity medicine. She is currently a professor at the Morehouse School of Medicine, a wellness company owner, and a podcaster. For today’s episode, Dr. Babalola gives advice on how students can cope with medical school.

[00:44] Introducing Dr. Dolapo Babalola

[02:50] Wellness Recommendation for Medical Students

[06:50] Extra Certifications for Family Medications

[12:15] Dr. Babalola's Other Activities

[14:55] Changes in the Current Healthcare System

[[19:58] Advice for Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Penny Liu, the Director of Neuroanesthesia at Tufts Medical Center, Boston. She has been a specialist in the field for 10 years. She is also an assistant professor at Tufts Medical School.

[00:59] Dr. Liu’s Background and Medical Journey
[08:07] Why Neuroanesthesia?
[12:12] Qualities of a Prospective Doctor
[17:41] How to Talk About Your Weaknesses in Interviews
[20:39] Dr. Liu’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Faustine Ramirez, a Pediatrics resident at University of San Francisco and Master Tutor for Med School Coach. Today,

[00:44] Introducing Dr. Ramirez

[03:08] Why Dr. Ramirez Chose Pediatrics

[07:17] Sports Medicine

[13:23] Pursuing Sports Medicine

[17:13] Dr. Ramirez’s Passions

[19:26] Best Piece of Advice from Dr. Ramirez

[23:26] Closing Notes

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Heather Johnston, a pediatrician turned chocolatier turned podcaster. For 10 years, she practiced as a pediatrician and taught as a faculty member at the University of Chicago. Today, Dr. Johnston talks about connecting with ward patients to deliver quality care.

[01:00] Why Medicine?
[03:03] Pediatrician-Chocolatier-Podcaster
[07:20] How to Connect with Patients on the Wards
[11:52] Dr. Patient Podcast
[15:35] Dr. Johnston’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen welcomes back Dr. Blair Nelson, a radio DJ turned physician. He has decades of experience as an emergency room doctor and is also an educator, mentor, and coach.

Today, Dr. Nelson talks about navigating application cycles for medical school.

[02:25] Tips for a Successful Application
[08:13] How to Write Personal Statements
[10:29] Application Mistakes to Avoid
[16:51] Medical School Interview Preparation
[22:47] Rejection and Reapplication to Med School
[29:05] Dr. Nelson’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Hilary C. McCrary, the chief resident in the Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Utah. Dr. McCrary also has prior admission committee experience at the University of Arizona.

Today, Dr. McCary talks about what it takes to get into the medical school of your choice, how to stand out from other applicants, and increase your chances of getting accepted.

[00:50] Getting to Know DR. Hilary McCary

[02:45] The Medical School Application Process

[07:03] How to Make Your Application Stand Out

[10:11] Common Mistakes Students Make When Applying

[12:45] How to Address the Question Marks In Your Profile

[13:46] Dr. McCary’s Advice to Potential Applicants

[15:05] Parting Thoughts

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Jennifer Gourdin who is a family and primary care sports doctor. She earned her MD from the University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill School of Medicine. Afterwards, she did her residency and fellowship training at University of Maryland Medical Center. Today, Dr. Gourdin shines the light on sports medicine: what it is and how to practice it.

[01:01] Dr. Gourdin’s Medical Journey and Background
[06:07] What is Sports Medicine?
[11:29] Exercise and Nutrition on a Busy Schedule
[16:13] What Dr. Gourdin would Change about Healthcare

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Cynthia Villacis, the family physician and owner of Health Connections Direct Primary Care in Florence, Kentucky. She is also a certified life coach for physicians. As a direct primary care doctor, Dr. Villacis dives into the DPC model for us and explains how it works.

[01:01] Dr. Villacis’ Medical Journey and Background
[05:02] Embracing the Non-traditional Path to Medicine
[09:46] What is Direct Primary Care?
[15:17] Where to Learn More about DPC
[19:03] Life Coaching for Physicians and Med Students
[22:02] What Dr. Villacis would Change about Healthcare

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Benjamin Morrell, a Mental Health Physician and a High-Performance Coach whose primary mission is to help people achieve their best mental health through honest conversation, education, empowerment, and guidance. Today, Dr. Morrell shares how he overcame his struggles with mental health and how medics can create a life of joy, fulfillment, and free of burnout.

[00:55] Getting to Know Dr. Benjamin Morrell
[07:44] The Benefits of Meditation for Mental Health
[10:14] Why Dr. Morrell Chose to Quit Residency Training
[17:04] Why It's Okay to Change Your Area of Speciality
[19:10] The Prevalence of Burnout Among Medics
[24:43] Parting Thoughts

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Teresa M. Anderson, a private practice psychiatrist who specializes in anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), postpartum depression, and other mood disorders. Today, Dr. Anderson talks about the innovative therapies that she offers to help her clients with treatment-resistant depression.

[00:59] Dr. Anderson’s Medical Journey and Background
[05:11] Ketamine Infusions
[09:35] PrTMS
[15:18] A typical day in Dr. Anderson’s life
[16:34] Psych Waves Podcast
[18:57] What Dr. Anderson would Change about Healthcare
[24:02] Dr. Anderson’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Student

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Kelly Adams, an epidemiologist and neonatologist turned writer. Dr. Adams recounts her journey to medicine and how her career was brought to an untimely stop due to medical bias and misdiagnosis.

[01:00] Dr. Adam’s Medical Journey
[04:51] From Doctor to Patient
[09:20] Planning for Disability
[12:53] How to Reduce Bias in Medicine
[17:00] Dr. Adam’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Kojo Sarpong who is a student at the Georgetown University School of Medicine. He is an incoming resident at Vanderbilt Neurosurgery. Dr. Sarpong shares his inspiring story of how he started as a housekeeper and became a neurosurgeon.

[01:03] Moving from Ghana to the United States
[05:43] Pivot to Medicine
[10:08] The African Research Academies for Women
[16:34] From Housekeeper to Neurosurgeon
[26:38] How to Match in Competitive Specialties
[31:49] Dr. Sarpong’s Advice: Own Your Story

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Yolanda “Yo” Taylor, a wardrobe strategist for female entrepreneurs, business women, public speakers, and politicians. She also runs a fashion and lifestyle blog called “At The Style Table”. Her motto is to “help busy women style for success.” In this episode, Yo gives us style tips to master the professional look for rotations and interviews.

[01:09] Wardrobe Style and Self-care
[02:59] Yolanda’s Experience as a Caregiver
[08:43] Caregivers as allies in Care
[17:55] How to Look Professional on a Budget

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Julia Huber who is a board-certified physician practicing telemedicine. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine. For 13 years now, Dr. Huber has been coaching physicians and other professionals on stress, health, and wellness.

[01:00] Dr. Huber’s Medical Journey and Background
[06:53] How to Prioritize Student Wellness
[11:36] A Broader View on Wellness
[24:54] Dr. Huber’s Passions Outside of Medicine
[20:32] Why Doctors Should Ask for Help
[30:39] Best Piece of Advice Dr. Huber Received

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Francis Yoo who is a private practice osteopathic physician in New York. As an inner work specialist and personal development consultant, he helps other physicians find their authentic selves through breathwork, meditation, Enneagram coaching and other techniques.

[01:00] Dr. Yoo’s Medical Journey and Background
[06:46] Training and Residency in New York
[14:16] Becoming an Inner Work Specialist
[16:15] Can the Enneagram Help You Choose a Specialty?
[20:39] Dr. Yoo’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students
[23:34] What Dr. Yoo would Change about Healthcare

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Bonnie Koo, a board-certified dermatologist who received her MD from Columbia University. As the Wealthy Mom MD, she serves as a financial coach to female physicians, helping them build wealth through education and mentorship.

[01:19] Wealthy Mom MD
[08:40] Financial Advice for Medical Students and Residents
[17:12] Loan Forgiveness and Repayment
[21:41] Defining Wealth for Women
[26:16] There are Many Ways to Practice Medicine
[29:24] Best Piece of Advice Dr. Koo Has Ever Received

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Kara Wada who is a triple board-certified adult and pediatric allergy/immunology and lifestyle medicine physician. She is also the Assistant Fellowship Director and Assistant Clinical Professor at The Ohio State University.

Dr. Wada shares what it’s like to have Sjogren's Syndrome and how being an autoimmune patient has taught her how to build trust and better rapport with patients.

[00:56] Why Immunology?
[04:36] A Typical Day in Dr. Wada’s life
[07:12] Being Diagnosed with Sjorgen’s Syndrome
[11:12] Medical Gaslighting and Building Patient Trust
[20:33] Dr. Wada’s Passions Outside of Medicine
[24:32] Best Piece of Advice Dr. Wada Has Ever Received

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Dawit Johar who is currently an internal medicine resident at Dalhousie University. Dr. Johar shares how studying for his PhD led him to medicine and his passion for mentoring underrepresented medical students.

[00:58] Studying for a PHD and MD
[02:55] Why Gastroenterology?
[06:29] Mentorship for Underrepresented Students
[08:53] What Makes a Great Med School Applicant?
[12:46] Navigating Medicine Interviews

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Manna Hagos, an anesthesiologist, keynote speaker, and author of The PreMed Survival Guide. Dr. Hagos shares insights into the premed survival guide, how to overcome imposter syndrome, and the anatomy of a successful premed student.

[00:30] Getting to Know Dr. Manna Hagos

[01:38] Why Dr. Hagos Wrote The Premed Survival Guide

[07:00] Overcoming Imposter Syndrome in Medicine

[12:40] The Anatomy of a Succesful Pre-Med Student

[20:04] Physician Burnout is Real

[22:30] How to Become a Top-Archiving Pre-Med Student

[23:50] Dr. Hagos’ Passion for Natural Sciences

[28:30] Parting Thoughts

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Erkeda DeRouen welcomes back Sam Smith, the creator of the MCAT Basics podcast. Previously, he talked about how to successfully re-apply to medical school.

Now in his first year of med school, Sam shares his personal experiences and reveals his newest project: MCATGo.

[01:12] Life as an M1 Student
[04:30] What Sam Wishes He Knew Before Med School
[09:27] What Study Techniques Should You Follow?
[14:04] USMLE Step 1 as Pass/Fail: Pros and Cons
[18:34] About MCAT Go
[21:15] Sam’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to JR Smith, a second year medical student at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and a content creator at Evolving Medic. Today Erkeda chats with JR about his journey from being an Olympic hopeful to a medical student. They also discuss JR’s experience in applying for medical schools and how he improved his study habits.

[01:30] From Track and Field to Medicine
[07:22] JR’s Medical School Applications
[12:10] Effective Study Techniques, Tools, and Routine
[15:11] A typical day in JR Smith’s life
[18:36] What would JR do differently?
[21:45] Best Advice that JR Has Received
[23:50] Helping Others Through Evolving Medic

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Caleb Marsh, the Admissions Director of Temple University’s CST Post Baccalaureate Pre-Health Program. He has 18 years of combined experience as a Health Profession Advisor at multiple universities including Baylor University, the University of Texas at Austin, and Temple University.

Today Erkeda chats with Caleb about how a post-bacc program can help pre-med and non pre-med students alike towards their dream of becoming a healthcare professional.

[00:37] Caleb’s Career and Background
[01:40] Temple University's Post Baccalaureate Programs
[05:41] Ideal Candidates for Post-Bacc Programs
[10:18] Clinical Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic
[14:35] How to Impress Virtual Interviewers
[17:27] Best Advice that Caleb Has Received

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Erkeda DeRouen welcomes Dr. Basma Faris, a former registered dietician and now OB-GYN and Culinary Medicine Specialist. She shares her storied journey from starting out as a dietician and finally into medicine school, but not without a few bumps along the way. She also shares valuable tips on how to ace your med school interviews through the media training she received.

[00:22] Introducing Dr. Basma Faris
[06:53] How Dr. Faris Controlled Her Narrative
[13:23] How to Showcase Yourself During Med School Interviews
[18:39] The Importance of Practicing
[22:16] Tips for Rotation
[26:19] Culinary Medicine
[33:10] Dr. Faris’ Best Piece of Advice
[34:47] Where to Find Dr. Faris

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Corey Andrews, a two-time alumnus from Georgia State University with a Bachelors in Neuroscience and a Masters in Chemistry, specializing in Biochemistry. He decided during his Masters that he wanted to pursue medicine and he shares his tips on how we was able to pass the MCAT with flying colors.

[00:22] Introducing Corey Andrews
[02:34] MCAT Tips
[06:29] Balancing Work with Study
[11:20] Things to Avoid When Studying for the MCAT
[16:09] Best Piece of Advice
[21:24] Closing Notes

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo, a pediatrician with 14 years of experience practicing across the United States, Latin America, Asia, and Africa. She is also the CEO and founder of two organizations: Melanin & Medicine and Strong Children Wellness.

Today Erkeda chats with Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo about how her social enterprises aim to improve the social determinants of health and the journey behind each one.

[00:38] Dr. Uwemedimo’s Medical Journey and Background
[02:04] Why Pediatrics?
[04:03] Melanin & Medicine
[12:16] Strong Children Wellness
[22:25] What Dr. Uwemedimo would Change about Healthcare
[26:16] Dr. Uwemedimo’s Passions Outside of Medicine
[28:27] Dr. Uwemedimo’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Eva Cesnek, a practicing family medicine physician for 15 years. She is also a nutritionist, a podcast host, and a bestselling author. Today Erkeda chats with Dr. Cesnek about her medical journey and her apprenticeship experience in infertility medicine.

[00:54] Dr. Cesnek’s Medical Journey and Background
[04:04] Why Family Medicine?
[05:40] Infertility Medicine and Technology
[12:23] Don’t Delay Family Planning
[14:40] Ways to Practice Family Medicine
[17:09] Dr. Cesnek’s Passions Outside of Medicine
[21:36] Dr. Cesnek’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Alicia Shelly, a board certified internal medicine and obesity medicine physician. She is also the host of the Back on Track: Overcoming Weight Regain podcast. For more than 7 years now, she has been helping people lose and maintain weight to achieve better health.

Today Erkeda chats with Dr. Shelly about her medical journey, obesity medicine, and tips for how to stay in shape with a hectic schedule.

[00:34] Dr. Shelly’s Medical Journey and Background
[06:25] Why Internal Medicine?
[14:33] Obesity Medicine
[18:22] Staying Healthy with a Busy Schedule
[25:50] Dr. Shelly’s Passions Outside of Medicine
[30:42] Dr. Shelly’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen welcomes back Dr. Qiratulanne “Annie” Khan, who is a board certified and globally trained family physician. She also holds a master’s degree in public health. Today Erkeda chats with Dr. Khan about end of life care, her experience working with Navajo patients, and her preference for palliative care outside of the hospital.

[00:31] Dr. Khan’s Medical Journey and Background
[03:55] Memorable Experiences with End of Life Patients
[09:23] Diverse Cultural Meanings of Death and Quality of Life
[13:58] Communication of Prognosis
[21:19] Palliative Care at Home
[26:30] How to Gain Experience with End of Life Care
[31:35] Dr. Khan’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Tamara Beckford, a board-certified emergency physician in Houston, Texas. She has been practicing emergency medicine for more than a decade now across America. In 2020, she founded UR Caring Docs which is a telemedicine service, platform, and community that aims to promote wellness and combat medical misinformation online.

Today Erkeda chats with Dr. Tamara Beckford about what it’s like in the ER during the pandemic and her advocacy for self-care with UR Caring Docs.

[00:35] Dr. Beckford’s Medical Journey and Background
[02:47] Why Emergency Medicine?
[07:05] Working at the ER during COVID-19
[14:58] UR Caring Docs
[18:54] What Dr. Beckford would Change about Healthcare
[21:50] Dr. Beckford’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Marina Capella who is a direct primary care pediatrician in Salt Lake City. She obtained her bachelor's degree in Biology from Stanford University and then went on to obtain her MD from U.S. San Diego School of Medicine.

Today Erkeda chats with Dr. Marina Capella about her experience practicing pediatrics at a community health center, a hospital, an urgent care clinic, and now, at her own private practice.

[00:38] Dr. Capella’s Medical Journey and Background
[04:49] Why Pediatrics?
[10:03] Different Ways to Practice Pediatrics
[15:20] Direct Primary Care Model
[20:41] The Future Minority Doctor Podcast
[26:07] Dr. Capella’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Florencia Segura who is a board-certified pediatrician at Einstein Pediatrics in Northern Virginia. She also mentors and trains new pediatricians at INOVA Children's Hospital. Today Erkeda chats with Dr. Florencia Segura about specializing in pediatrics, promoting COVID-19 safety and vaccines, and maintaining work-life balance.

[00:45] Dr. Segura’s Medical Journey and Background
[02:25] Why Pediatrics?
[04:27] Life as an Outpatient Pediatrics Physician
[09:01] Educating Parents on COVID-19 Safety
[11:17] Pediatric Topics on Social Media
[12:58] Tips for Work-Life Balance
[18:18] Dr. Segura’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Elizabeth “Elisa” Chiang who is a board-certified ophthalmologist and fellowship trained oculoplastic surgeon. She earned her medical and doctorate degrees in neuroscience from the MD/PhD program at Western Reserve University. On top of it all, she is also a certified life coach.

[00:38] Dr. Chiang’s Medical Journey and Background
[02:39] Why Ophthalmology and Oculoplastic Surgery?
[06:09] Applications of coaching
[13:07] Work-life balance and burn out
[18:55] What Dr. Chiang would Change about Healthcare
[23:23] Dr. Chiang’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Kay Durst who is a practicing family medicine physician in South Carolina. As a physician of over 20 years, Dr. Durst reminisces what it’s like to practice medicine before today’s technological advances. Erkeda also chats with her about her colorful journey to becoming a doctor and her passion for lifestyle and preventive medicine.

[00:34] Dr. Durst’s Medical Journey and Background
[06:37] Why Family Medicine?
[12:53] The Evolution of Medicine
[19:38] What Dr. Durst Would Change about Healthcare
[23:36] Wellness and Lifestyle Medicine
[25:05] Best Advice that Dr. Durst Has Received

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Erkeda DeRouen chats with Dr. Alexandra Stockwell, a family medicine doctor and relationships & intimacy life coach. She shares her life’s journey throughout medical school, meeting her husband, having kids, and what led her to becoming a life coach.

[00:22] Introducing Dr. Alexandra Stockwell and Her Story
[06:15] Being a Wife, Mother, Businessperson, and Physician
[11:33] The Journey of Life
[17:41] Being in a Relationship
[19:46] How Dr. Alexandra Started Working with Relationships and Intimacy
[23:32] The Difference Between Family Medicine and Being a Relationship & Intimacy Coach
[26:32] What Alexandra is Passionate About
[27:42] Best Piece of Advice

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Natasha Bray, a board-certified internal medicine physician in addiction medicine and Interim Dean of the Cherokee Nation Campus of Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences. She gives valuable advice on how to ace your medical school interview as application season approaches.

[00:26] Introducing Dr. Natasha Bray
[03:23] How Dr. Trina went into Addiction Medicine
[07:35] The Importance of the Nation’s First College of Medicine Affiliated with a Tribe
[13:37] The Impact of a Mission-Driven School in a Rural Environment
[15:20] Features that Make a Great Medical School Candidate
[19:35] How to Best Prepare for Virtual Interviews
[23:38] The Best Piece of Advice
[25:42] Where to Find Dr. Natasha Bray

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Rachel Cardona Barnett who is a survivor of domestic violence. Today Erkeda chats with Rachel about her family’s escape from abuse. She shares her insights on how healthcare workers can help vulnerable victims as someone who has been in their shoes before.

[01:46] Rachel’s Family and Background
[05:31] Rachel’s escape and current situation
[12:23] Becoming an ally to your patients
[15:57] Helpful hotlines and resources
[21:23] How to help victims of abuse

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Michael Goldberg, the executive director of Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Medical Center. He oversees the daily operations of the hospital to deliver the best care possible to their patients. Prior to him becoming the executive director, he was LIJ’s finance lead and has worked in financial and administrative roles since 2009.

Today Erkeda chats with Michael about how he found himself in healthcare, what it’s like to lead a hospital and the challenges he faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[02:03] Why Work in Healthcare?
[07:08] The Hardest Part of Managing a Hospital
[08:32] Leading a Hospital During a Pandemic
[14:13] What Michael Would Change about Healthcare
[16:40] The Business of Medicine and Entrepreneurial Skills
[21:42] Michael’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Edward Lipsit who was a diagnostic radiologist for 20 years. Retired from medical practice, he is currently an associate professor of radiology, an educational consultant, and a faculty member at several schools including The George Washington University and the Virginia Commonwealth School of Medicine.

Today Erkeda chats with Dr. Lipsit about how students can effectively plan for their medical school applications¾especially the AMCAS work and activities portion and the interview.

[01:49] Dr. Lipsit’s Medical Journey and Background
[06:27] Medical School Application Process
[09:04] AMCAS Work and Activities
[16:32] How to Ace Your Medical School Interview
[25:15] What Dr. Lipsit Would Change about Healthcare
[29:33] Dr. Lipsit’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Erika Aragona who is a double board-certified family physician in osteopathic and allopathic medicine. She also serves as a faculty member at the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine. Today Erkeda chats with Dr. Aragona about how to set yourself apart during medical school interviews and what students can do to advocate for women’s health.

[00:23] Dr. Aragona’s Medical Journey and Background
[02:58] Becoming Human in Patient Interactions
[04:40] Cultivate Passions Outside of Medicine
[07:26] Letting Your Personality Shine in Interviews
[16:41] Dr. Aragona’s Advocacy for Women’s Health
[20:25] How Can Students Advocate for Women’s Health?
[28:15] Best Advice that Dr. Aragona Has Received

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Ashley Shaw, the founding lawyer of Contract Rx. With 15 years of legal experience, she has helped physicians navigate employment contracts to ensure they receive fair terms. Today Erkeda chats with Ashley about Contract Rx and the importance of having legal counsel.

[00:56] Ashley’s Background and Career
[03:44] Why Ashley Started Contract Rx
[08:05] Contract Rx’s Services and Flat Fee
[11:18] Negotiating Physician Employee Contracts
[16:48] Physician Non-Compete Clauses
[18:43] Common Mistakes by Physicians in First Contracts
[22:27] Legalities in the Practice of Medicine
[25:16] CANE Beauty
[28:28] The Best and Worst Advice Ashley has Received

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Navin Goyal. He received his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and completed his anesthesiology residency at The University of Chicago. After 13 years of private practice, Dr. Goyal went into entrepreneurship and venture capital investing. Currently, he is the CEO and co-founder of Loud Capital.

[01:57] Why Anesthesiology?
[03:54] SmileMD and Early Investments
[07:42] Co-founding Loud Capital
[14:40] Transferable Skills You Learn in Medicine
[21:07] Financial Habits to Build Early On
[23:16] How Dr. Goyal Maintains Work-Life Balance
[25:44] Dr. Goyal’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Student

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Amita Kumar, a primary care physician, Internal Medicine Board-Certified. Her clinical practice focuses on preventive medicine with a special interest in postmenopausal symptom treatments, diabetes, hypertension, and eczema. Dr. Kumar talks about her journey to medicine and the things that should be taught in medical school.

[00:34] Getting to Know Dr. Amita Kumar
[04:13] Why Dr. Kumar Settled on Internal Medicine
[06:58] The Things Dr. Kumar Believes Should Be Taught in Medical School
[09:37] Benefits of Having Passions Outside of Medicine
[10:24] The Big Changes Needed in Our Healthcare Systems
[11:55] Best Piece of Advice Dr. Kumar Has Ever Received

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Puja Aggarwal, a board-certified neurologist and epileptologist. In this episode, Dr. Aggarwal shares her journey to doing a combined program in medical school and how life coaching can help medical students.

[00:26] Dr. Aggarwal’s Journey to Medicine
[03:46] Tips for Doing a Combined Program
[06:13] What Inspired Dr. Aggarwal to Enter Neurology and Epilepsy Medicine
[08:22] Reshaping Your Career
[10:12] How Life Coaching Can Help Medical Students
[11:59] Transition Back to In-Person Care During the Pandemic
[13:05] How Dr. Aggarwal Practices Work-Life Balance
[15:55] Dr. Aggarwal’s Advice for Listeners

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Trina Dorrah, an internal medicine hospitalist and life coach. In this episode, Dr. Trina discusses her journey towards being both a physician and coach and how coaching can help physicians and medical students in their careers.

[01:11] What Inspired Dr. Trina to Choose Internal Medicine
[02:12] What is a Hospitalist?
[03:13] How Quality Improvement Assisted Dr. Trina in her Career
[05:06] How Could a Medical Student Benefit from Coaching?
[09:37] What Dr. Trina Does to Maintain Work-Life Balance
[11:03] Piece of Wisdom Dr. Trina Imparts on Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Diana Mercado, a family medicine physician in Texas. At Jackson County Hospital District, she serves as the chief medical officer, clinical medical director, and nursing home medical director. Today Erkeda chats with Dr. Mercado about her medical journey as an adult with ADHD and why it’s important to get diagnosed as soon as possible.

[00:39] Dr. Mercado’s Medical Journey and Background
[04:24] Managing symptoms of ADHD
[10:19] Getting through Medical School with ADHD
[17:16] How the ADHD diagnosis changed Dr. Mercado
[26:24] ADHD Coaching and How it Helps
[37:16] Dr. Mercado’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Student

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Mokgohloe "Moks" Tshabalala, a private practice obstetrician and gynecologist from South Africa. They talk about South Africa’s medical education system, her practice as an OB/GYN, and her book chapter in Medicine Women.

[00:38] Dr. Tshabalala’s Medical Journey and Background
[04:02] South Africa’s Medical Education
[07:28] Why Obstetrics and Gynecology?
[11:29] A typical day in Dr. Tshabalala’s life
[13:52] Medicine Women
[22:33] Dr. Tshabalala’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Student

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Jason Singh, a board-certified physician in primary care from an accountable care organization in Northern Virginia. In this episode, Dr. Singh imparts his wisdom on new medical practitioners and the importance of men visiting their doctors.

[01:42] Dr. Singh’s on Choosing Family Medicine
[03:50] What Students Should Focus On Prior to Residency and Practice
[07:17] The Importance of Men’s Health
[09:31] How to Encourage More Men to Visit the Doctor
[12:44] It’s Not Un-Manly to Talk About Mental Health
[15:27] What Dr. Singh Would Change in Healthcare and His Pearls of Wisdom

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Blair Nelson, an Emergency Room Physician who has been in the industry for 20 years. In this episode, Erkeda and Dr. Blair discuss why he chose the fast-paced field of Emergency Medicine, what he looks for in a medical school candidate, the nuances of the patients he encounters, and his previous career as a radio DJ.

[00:23] Introduction on Dr. Blair Nelson
[01:10] Why Dr. Blair Chose Emergency Medicine
[05:53] The Type of Student that Makes an Excellent Medical School Candidate
[10:46] Social, Psychological, and Cultural Aspect of Practicing Medicine
[13:58] Dr. Blair’s Most Memorable Patient Moment
[16:50] The Human Aspect of Medicine and the Importance of Self-Care
[18:48] From DJ to Doctor
[23:00] Dr. Blair’s Advice for Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Robyn Tiger, a diagnostic radiologist and a trauma-informed self-care coach. She is also the founder of StressFreeMD, a wellness practice that seeks to educate others about stress management in order to positively impact their well-being. Today, Erkeda chats with Dr. Tiger about her own medical journey and how she learned to practice self-care to combat chronic stress.

[00:27] Dr. Tiger’s Medical Journey and Discovery of Self-Care
[07:21] Why Dr. Tiger Started StressFreeMD
[09:49] Why Practice Self-Care?
[14:40] The Self-Care Formula
[17:36] Rx Inner Peace: A Self-Care CME Accredited Program
[22:33] Dr. Tiger’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Elisha Peterson who is triple board-certified in anesthesiology, pediatric anesthesiology, and pain medicine. She practices at a large freestanding children’s hospital. Today, Erkeda chats with Dr. Peterson about the field of pain medicine and what it really means to have a “work-life balance”.

[01:27] Pain Medicine and its Treatment Methods
[05:55] Is “Work-life Balance” Real?
[10:30] What Dr. Peterson Wishes She Knew Before Becoming a Doctor
[14:51] Different Ways to Practice Medicine
[17:23] Dr. Peterson’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen welcomes back Dr. Carolee Estelle, an infectious disease specialist and part of the large Infection Prevention team at Parkland Health & Hospital Systems, Dallas. They continue their conversation on infectious diseases, primarily focusing on COVID-19 vaccines, variants, and skepticism among Americans.

[01:05] Getting to know Dr. Carolee Estelle
[02:02] Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Medicine
[04:20] Advantages and Challenges of Approved Vaccines
[09:50] Easing Vaccine Concerns and Skepticism
[11:50] Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines
[18:40] New Virus Variants and Unvaccinated People

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Carolee Estelle, an infectious disease specialist and part of the large Infection Prevention team at Parkland Health & Hospital Systems, Dallas. She also serves as the Associate Chief of Hospital Epidemiology to help reduce healthcare-associated infections. They talk about the benefits of pursuing internal medicine, careers in infectious diseases, and finding your passion in medicine.

[00:34] Getting to Know Dr. Carolee Estelle
[01:57] Why Dr. Estelle Chose Internal Medicine
[04:19] Pursuing a Career in Infectious Diseases
[07:45] Tips on Choosing a Medical Subspecialties
[09:30] How to Become an Epidemiologist
[13:45] What is your Passion in Medicine?

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Chase DiMarco from Med School Coach. His passion for high quality and accessible educational resources led him to create FreeMedEd and co-write Read This Before Medical School. He is also the host of the Medical Mnemonist podcast and the Rounds to Residency podcast. Today, Erkeda chats with Dr. DiMarco about his latest venture: FindARotation. He shares the story behind its inception and the challenges in building the platform.

[02:11] FindARotation
[08:35] Revolutionizing Medical School Rotations
[16:29] Research and App Development for FindARotation
[25:00] Di Marco’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Emma Goldberg. Emma is a researcher and writer for the New York Times, focusing on medicine and medical education. She is interested in racial and gender inequities within medicine. She loves reading about the culture of medicine and the perspective of physicians on the issues they face. Emma believes that her work on medicine and the culture of medical education empowers patients to form better relationships with their physicians. Erkeda talks to Emma about her new book Life on the Line: Young Doctors Come of Age in a Pandemic and what the pandemic has exposed about the healthcare system in the US.

[00:22] Introducing Emma Goldberg
[02:10] Life on the Line: Young Doctors Come of Age in a Pandemic
[06:35] The Roots of the Homogeneity of Medicine
[09:39] What the Pandemic Has Exposed about Healthcare
[13:06] The Change Emma Believes Healthcare Needs
[15:45] Get in Touch with Emma

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Jamel Hill, MD. Dr. Hill is a recent graduate of Indiana University School of Medicine. In this episode, Erkeda talks to him about his bumpy road to medicine, his experience as a minority in medical school, and the importance of representation and resources for minorities in medicine.

[00:35] Introducing Dr. Jamel Hill, MD
[03:35] Dr. Hill's Journey to Medicine
[11:11] Dr. Hill's Cultural Experience of Medical School
[17:13] The Disparity in Medicine
[22:04] How Allies Can Influence the Experience of Black Doctors
[26:36] Dr. Hill's Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Liz Aguirre, MD, CCDS. Liz is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician with ten years of experience in hospital medicine and six years of Clinical Documentation Improvement experience. An educator to physicians, nurses, and students, Liz is passionate about person-centered wellness, focusing on mental and spiritual health.

She is an established speaker with a specific passion for speaking about personal wellness to maximize the quality of life and work performance. In this episode, Erkeda talks to Dr. Aguirre about her atypical path to medicine, the social determinants of health, and the importance of positive self-talk.

[00:35] Introducing Dr. Liz Aguirre, MD
[06:40] Getting into Medicine
[10:14] Social Determinants of Health
[13:35] Wellness in Healthcare Workers
[21:03] Getting Unstuck through Prioritizing Wellness
[24:30] Hospitalists and Nocturnists
[28:07] Dr. Aguirre’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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Dr. Christina Rosenthal, founder of Determined to be a Doctor Someday (DDS), a non-profit organization that exposes the youth to healthcare professions, talks about her experience in dental school, her work with DDS, and work-life balance.

[01:11] Why Dentistry?
[04:09] Biggest Challenge in Dental School
[05:55] Determined to be a Doctor Someday
[09:46] Establishing Relationships with Mentors
[14:34] Tips for Work-Life Balance

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Dr. Kyle Bradford Jones talks about self-care in medicine, why you should consider medicine, and the challenges medical students face in training.

[00:33] Getting to Know Dr. Kyle Bradford Jones
[06:18] Challenges Faced by Medical Students During Training
[08:38] Self-Care in Medicine
[11:05] Is Medicine Really for you?
[14:40] Why Dr. Jones Decided to Write his Book
[21:32] How to Change the Negative Cultures in Medicine

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Dr. Manisha Rayavarapu, a family medicine physician living with Lupus, talks about the relationship between medicine and sacrifice and the importance of self-care in medicine.

[00:34] Getting to Know Dr. Manisha Rayavarapu
[01:05] Dr. Manisha's Journey Into Medicine
[02:15] The Biggest Challenges in Medical School
[05:12] Manisha's Book: A Doctor's Journey to Thriving with Lupus
[09:07] How Living with Chronic Illness Affects Every Aspect of Your Life
[11:54] The Importance of Self Care in Medicine

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Dr. DeRouen talks to Sam, a successful medical school reapplicant. He shares his feelings throughout the reapplication process and advice for students getting ready to apply or reapply.

Sam's path to medicine [3:05]
The experience of reapplying [6:43]
Tips for improving/optimizing your application [16:00]
Med school interviews in the future [27:35]
Advice for someone who did not get in this cycle [32:48]

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Dr. Michael Zema, author of Modern Healthcare Delivery, Deliverance or Debacle - A Glimpse from the Inside Out, shares his journey into cardiology, how we can better the healthcare system, and essential skills for future medical leaders.

[00:35] Getting to know Dr. Michael Zema
[05:07] The Journey to Cardiology
[08:38] Dr. Zema’s Inspiration to Write his Book on Modern Healthcare Delivery
[09:37] How Society can Achieve Better Healthcare for Less
[17:50] Essential Skills for Future Healthcare Leaders

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Dr. Ali Haider talks about his medical journey, advancements in interventional cardiology, and the role of social media in education.

[02:01] Why Medicine?
[05:48] Why Cardiology?
[08:16] Advancements in Interventional Cardiology Procedures
[09:54] Qualities of a Good Student
[15:48] How to Gain Mentorship
[19:09] The Role of Social Media in Medical Education
[25:09] Dr. Haider’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

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Dr. Mandy Cuda trained at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) and served as an active-duty military physician for 16 years. Currently, Dr. Cuda is working as a part of USU’s teaching faculty and recruitment team. In todays’ episode, she shares her experiences as a USU student and as a female army physician.

[01:20] Why Family Medicine?
[03:31] Military VS Civilian Residency
[10:21] Do you need an ROTC background to get into USU?
[18:57] Dr. Cuda’s Experience as a Female Army Physician
[26:52] Tips for Work-life Balance
[32:26] Dr. Cuda’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

The views expressed are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the USU, DOD, or US Government.

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Dr. Jenny Wang discusses her experience of not matching into dermatology in 2018 and what she did to match the following year.

[5:40] Dr. Wang's Match Week 2018
[8:00] What She Did to Improve Her Application
[14:00] Stigmatization of Not Matching
[17:30] Dr. Wang's Favorite Part of Derm Residency
[22:55] Dr. Wang's Advice to Med & Premed Students

To read more about Dr. Wang's story visit her blog: thevibrantmed.com

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Dr. Yolandra Hancock discusses obesity medicine, acknowledging the validity of reluctance towards vaccines, and healthcare disparities in communities of color.

[01:08] Why Dr. Hancock Chose Pediatrics
[03:40] How Students Can Advocate for Decreasing Health Disparities
[09:06] Obesity Medicine and Effective Public Policy
[13:12] COVID-19 and Communities of Color
[24:06] Addressing Vaccine-skepticism
[28:20] Dr. Hancock’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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Dr. Austin Chiang, Gastroenterologist and founder of the Association for Healthcare Social Media (AHSM), discusses gastroenterology and the role of social media in healthcare.

[01:06] Why Dr. Chiang Chose His Specialty
[05:24] The Association for Healthcare Social Media
[12:10] Social Media Advice for Pre-med And Medical Students
[13:48] Cool Sculpting
[15:45] The Myths of Gastroenterology
[20:11] Students Reaching Out to Healthcare Professionals on Linkedin
[22:14] Dr. Chiang’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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Dr. Catherine “Cat” Chamberlain discusses her journey to medicine, the best parts of being a primary care physician, and how she addresses COVID skepticism with her patients.

[01:33] Dr. Chamberlain’s Journey to Medicine
[05:43] Why Dr. Chamberlain Chose Family Medicine
[08:22] Addiction Medicine
[12:31] Being a Primary Care Physician During the Pandemic
[14:55] Addressing COVID Skepticism
[17:54] Practicing Work-life Balance
[21:34] Dr. Chamberlain’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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Dr. Christopher Loo, a full-time entrepreneur, coach, and speaker, shares his journey to financial freedom and gives tips on how you can set yourself up for financial success in medicine.

[00:42] Dr. Loo’s Medical Journey and Career
[04:20] Combined MD-PhD Program
[06:59] The Dilemma of Being a Physician
[10:12] SEAK Non-Clinical Careers Conference
[12:37] Coaching Physicians in Financial Literacy
[14:21] Resources & Tips to Help You Reach Financial Freedom
[21:56] Comparing Careers as an Orthopedic Surgeon and Entrepreneur
[26:58] Dr. Loo’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

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Dr. Qiratulanne “Annie” Khan discusses family medicine, her volunteer work through the World Health Organization in rural South Asia, and the psychosomatic effects of untreated anxiety and depression.

[01:26] Why Annie Chose Family Medicine
[11:24] Disparities in Health Care in the US
[15:00] Impostor Syndrome
[22:02] Being a Doctor at John Muir
[26:37] Men’s Health and Untreated Anxiety and Depression
[33:22] Annie’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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Dr. Amiethab Aiyer, Assistant Professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Miami and co-founder of Orthomentor, talks about accessible learning resources for medical students worldwide.

[00:46] Dr. Aiyer’s Background
[04:02] Why Orthopedic Surgery?
[10:31] Finding Balance Requires Flexibility
[13:22] Dr. Aiyer’s Residency Matching Experience
[19:37] Be Transparent about Your Struggles and Learn from It
[23:51] Orthomentor
[36:45] Biggest Change in 2020
[41:42] Dr. Aiyer’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

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Dr. Amanda Price and Dr. Aaditya Verma give advice for how to do well in rotations and share their experience having a spouse in medicine.

[02:25] Why Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation?
[04:05] Learning from Audition Rotations
[06:13] Pursuing a Career in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
[09:22] When to Refer to a Physiatrist
[12:01] How to Stand Out During PM&R Rotations
[14:52] PM&R Specialization: Osteopathic VS Allopathic Training
[16:39] Dr. Verma’s and Dr. Price’s Love Story
[17:59] Would You Work in the Same Facility as Your Spouse?
[20:14] Dr. Verma & Dr. Price’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

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Dr. Barbara Hamilton discusses intervention radiology and her journey to inspire more women to take up male-dominated medical fields.

[01:40] Dr. Hamilton's Journey to Interventional Radiology
[04:23] Being a Woman in a Male-dominated field
[09:05] How Women in Medicine Can Find Mentors
[12:17] How Medical Practitioners and Students Can Leverage The Power of Social Media
[15:08] An Insight into Dr. Hamilton's New Book
[18:13] Qualities of a Good Medical Student and How to Build Leadership Skills
[21:27] Lessons Learnt During Medical Training

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Dr. David Banach, an infectious diseases physician and assistant professor at UConn Health, discuss his work as an epidemiologist and COVID-19 vaccines.

[02:16] How Dr. Banach Entered the Field of Epidemiology
[06:04] Patient and Healthcare Worker Safety During COVID-19
[09:33] COVID-19 Vaccine Development
[14:36] Differences Between the Moderna and Pfizer Vaccines
[16:49] Why Do the COVID-19 Vaccines Require Two Shots?
[17:55] When Does Immunity Start After COVID-19 Vaccination?
[18:59] Do I Need to Wear a Mask After Vaccination?
[20:32] Addressing Patient Concerns About Vaccination
[25:16] Dr. Banach’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

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Dr. Kristin Yates, a practicing OB-GYN physician, discusses dealing with and overcoming imposter syndrome. Dr. Yates also hosts the Imposter to Unstoppable Podcast. Having struggled with the imposter syndrome herself, she now mentors other female physicians who feel insecure in their medical careers.

[01:29] Why OB-GYN?
[05:11] Why Disillusionment Occurs in Medicine
[08:09] Imposter to Unstoppable Podcast
[09:47] Advice for Dealing with the Imposter Syndrome
[13:39] The Difference Between a Therapist, Coach, & Mentor
[17:41] Dr. Yates’s Plans for 2021
[19:14] Dr. Yates’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

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Stacey Jackson-Roberts, a licenced clinical social worker (LCSW), discusses integrated healthcare, providing gender-affirming healthcare to the LGBTQ community and advocating for anti-racism and anti-oppression training.

[03:02] The Importance of LCSWs For Integrated Healthcare
[10:30] Providing Effective Care to Marginalized Groups
[12:25] Being a Better Ally in and out of Healthcare
[15:10] Intersectional Visibility in Effective Integrative Healthcare
[18:06] Advice for Early-career Doctors Looking to Provide Care for Trans People
[34:05] Stacey’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

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In this bonus episode, Chase DiMarco joins to discuss clinical rotations that occur during the 3rd and 4th years of medical school (for most programs). Hear 5 tips for clinical rotations from the experts, audio from Chase's podcast The 1-Minute Preceptor Podcast is tied in throughout the episode.

[4:12] What are clinical rotations?
[14:02] #1. Be Proactive (Dr. Ted O'Connell)
[18:22] #2. Be Inclusive and Avoid Your Own Bias (Dr. Nicole Washington)
[21:37] #3. Be a Team Player (Dr. Andrew Tisser)
[24:03] #4. Set Goals and Have a Vision for your Education (Dr. Elsie Koh)
[30:47] #5. Focus on the Patient (Dr. Jack Ende)

The 1-Minute Preceptor Podcast

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Dr. Cynthia Calixte talks about family medicine, her work in women’s health, and how doctors can advocate for their patients efficiently.

[01:31] Why Family Medicine?
[02:30] Dr. Calixte’s Current Work in Family Medicine & Women’s Health
[08:08] Pursuing a Master’s Degree and a Fellowship
[11:21] Choosing a Women’s Health Fellowship over OB-GYN
[14:10] Balancing Several Jobs as a Healthcare Provider
[17:01] How to Advocate for Patients
[19:36] Speaking Up Makes an Impact
[22:55] Dr. Calixte’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

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Can't get into a hospital or doctors office to shadow? Want a new podcast to listen to? We have the solution for you: Virtual Physician Shadowing.

Virtual Physician Shadowing is a new podcast by MedSchoolCoach that features the audio from the Virtual Shadowing video series. In it, physicians from many different medical specialties present patient cases and discuss their motivations for pursuing a career in medicine.

To receive credit for the virtual shadowing experience and/or watch the videos associated with each podcast visit the Online Virtual Shadowing Platform

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Dr. Kamaria Cayton Vaught discusses reproductive health in women, the appropriate age to undergo egg freezing, and shares family planning advice for medical practitioners.

[0:20] The Six-year Medical School Program
[09:45] Why Dr. Cayton Vaught Became an OBGYN
[18:27] Why Women Need to Think About Their Reproductive Health
[20:30] Egg Freezing
[[24:15] Advice to Medical Practitioners about Reproductive Health
[26:45] The Process of Reproductive Planning

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Dr. Ariela Marshall, a practicing benign hematology doctor at Mayo Clinic, discusses developing leadership skills and prioritizing personal wellness while in medical school.

[01:08] Why Hematology?
[03:07] Medical Students’ Role in Patient Care
[06:45] How to Develop Medical Students’ Leadership Skills
[11:00] Prioritizing Personal Wellness in Medical School
[16:57] COVID-19’s Impact on Residency & Fellowship Transition
[22:46] Dr. Marshall’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

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Dr. Eric Gantwerker, medical director of Level Ex, discusses the role of technology and mentorship in medical education. Level Ex is a company that develops professional video games to help physicians further their clinical skills.

[02:23] Why Pediatric Otolaryngology?
[05:32] Dr. Gantwerker’s Passion for Medical Education
[07:57] Networking Leads to New Opportunities
[10:30] Seeking Out Mentors in Medical School
[14:46] Level Ex: Medical Video Games for Doctors
[18:00] Dr. Gantwerker’s Role in Level Ex
[19:30] Level Ex Game Based Training for COVID-19
[21:44] New Level Ex Projects in Development
[23:56] Internship and Career Openings at Level Ex
[26:35] The Future of Medical Education
[30:18] Dr. Gantwerker’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

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Dr. Andrew Tisser discusses choosing a specialty, non-clinical careers paths for physicians, and developing financial literacy.

[01:28] Talk2MeDoc
[03:42] Why Dr. Tisser Chose Emergency Medicine
[05:03] Advice for Med Students Choosing a Career
[07:50] Building a Life that Aligns with Your Core Values
[10:44] Diversifying Your Income and Maximizing Your Degree
[14:55] The Importance of Financial Literacy
[18:51] Dr. Tisser’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students

Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Andrew Tisser, DO. Dr. Tisser is an emergency physician and podcaster at Talk2MeDoc which focuses on issues relating to the early-career physician. He is also the owner and president of Talk2MeDoc LLC which helps early-career doctors develop career strategies, navigate career transitions and design the life they want. In this episode, Erkeda talks to Dr. Tisser about choosing a specialty, non-clinical careers paths and developing your financial literacy.

Talk2MeDoc Dr. Tisser initially started Talk2MeDoc to explore the experiences of other healthcare professionals and discuss the details of healthcare communication. Over time, however, Dr. Tisser realised that his passion was helping new doctors which led to the consulting arm of Talk2MeDoc. The theme of his podcast is “Keep Talking” and attempts to promote enhanced communication. It explores the intricacies of healthcare at every level, hosting guests from all areas of healthcare and beyond.

Why Dr. Tisser Chose Emergency Medicine Dr. Tisser was a firefighter and EMT in college and continued in the first few years of medical school. He always knew he would eventually practice emergency medicine, and though he tried, other specialties failed to capture his attention.

When choosing a specialty, Dr. Tisser suggests that students start by making a list of all the available options and then crossing items off the list, as opposed to adding specialties to a list as they pique your interest. An important part of this exercise is identifying what you do not like about the specific field you are crossing off. Dr. Tisser discovered early on that he did not like obstetrics, and concluded his aversion was contingent on his dislike of the OR. In addition, this allowed him to eliminate all surgical specialties. This process of elimination also allows the student to distinguish whether their feelings towards a specialty is based on the specialty itself, or a bad experience or attending.

Diversifying Your Income Dr. Tisser loves to talk about money and thinks that you should do it more often because money is important. While there are varying opinions on diversifying one’s income, Dr. Tisser's advice is that you should do what's right for you. Educating yourself about money is an important first step in developing a plan to monetize your degree and finding a career you love either inside or outside of medicine that allows you to meet your personal goals.

Dr. Tisser cites the sunk cost fallacy as a reason many doctors choose to become doctors. People often become anxious over what they feel they have put in and feel like they have to go on to become a doctor, to recoup the time and money they have spent in medical school. In order to build a life you can love, Dr. Tisser urges students and physicians to do what makes you feel fulfilled and aligns with your core values.

Setting Yourself Up Financially Make mistakes, but not big, bad mistakes. Doctors are often scared by areas they feel they are not proficient in, like financial planning. Acquiring a basic grasp of financial literacy is the first step in taking control of your financial health and ensuring that your life is not ruled by financial anxiety. Medical school is a massive expense, but loans and the accompanying stress should not run your life; the loans can be managed. Avoiding debts at all costs is also not always reasonable; it is important to remember to live life.

Dr. Tisser’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students 1. “There is no failure in life, just feedback.” Everything teaches you a lesson, it is your responsibility to keep learning. 2. See something, say something. Dr. Tisser also urges students to speak up when they experience something that makes them uncomfortable. 3. Go for it. As with anything else you want in life, you need to identify it, develop a plan to get it, and go for it. Dr. Tisser urges students to actively pursue their career goals, including non-clinical paths, by seeking out mentors, polishing their resumes and scouring LinkedIn for opportunities. Even if you are rejected, you lose nothing.

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Dr. Larry Benz, a physical therapist and founder of Confluent Health discusses the application of positive psychology and empathy in medicine.

[00:41] Dr. Benz’s Background in Physical Therapy and Positive Psychology
[03:51] Positive Psychology Courses
[05:46] The Importance of Doctor-Patient Relationships
[08:42] How to Cultivate Empathy
[10:22] Humanities in Medical School Curriculums
[12:55] Technology and AI in Healthcare
[17:32] Virtual Reality Therapy for Chronic Pain
[20:44] Burnout and Dehumanization Among Doctors
[28:50] Needed Change in Current Healthcare System
[30:29] Direct Primary Care Movement
[32:02] Dr. Benz’s Advice to Pre-Med and Medical Student

Dr. Larry Benz is a physical therapy doctor with a master’s degree in applied positive psychology. He is the co-founder of Confluent Health; a physical therapy company that aims to lower healthcare costs while improving overall health for everybody. Recently, Dr. Benz published Called to Care: A Medical Provider's Guide for Humanizing Healthcare. In his book, he talks about the application of positive psychology and empathy in medicine.

The Importance of Doctor-Patient Relationships

Doctors have an extensive knowledge about diseases, diagnoses, and interventions. Objective expertise is important but doctors should also pay attention to how they interact with patients.
Establishing a good doctor-patient relationship has a positive effect on treatment outcomes. Not only that, but a quality connection between doctors and patients also prevents physician burnout. From a business standpoint, showing that you genuinely care for your patients can become a competitive advantage.

How to Cultivate Empathy

Everyone is born with different capacities for empathy. Although some people are more gifted, empathy is a skill that can be developed the more you put it into practice. Empathy has several facets and people may score differently on its constructs.

When students graduate medical school, they have even less empathy than when they started. Fortunately, studies have shown that empathy can be taught and replenished. Medical schools are including philosophy, literature, and humanities once again in their curriculums. To cultivate empathy, people need to be constantly reminded and taught.

Technology and AI in Healthcare

Technology and AI should be used to make healthcare more efficient. A good example of leveraging the use of tech is virtual reality therapy for chronic pain. After just 6 sessions, chronic pain patients have reported decreased hospital visits, depression, and anxiety.

However, there is still no substitute for human interaction in administering care. Delivering care in an indifferent manner has been found to be less effective due to the lack of connection. Physicians should also take note of non-verbal cues like body language, facial expression, and changes in tone to be able to have meaningful interactions. Emphasizing the human element in care leads to better outcome and lower costs. Quality connections also improve doctor well-being.

Burnout and Dehumanization Among Doctors

Doctors spend a lot of time on documentation, approval, and authorization. External hassles compete for their time to practice medicine. Prolonged exposure to these factors can lead to burnout wherein doctors no longer feel effective and happy. Burnout develops over the years, but physicians also face the problem of dehumanization in everyday practice.

Dehumanization occurs when doctors view patients as cases rather than as unique individuals. This may happen when physicians are overwhelmed with their workload. To cope, doctors detach themselves when seeing patients.

Burnout and dehumanization can be overcome by reminding yourself of the reasons you entered a career in medicine and by engaging in stress relieving activities.

Needed Change in Current Healthcare System

The current healthcare system is very complex, with too much regulatory constraints that do not bring value to medical professionals or patients. As a consequence, there are many who need medical attention but there are not enough care givers. Treating patients instead of filling out paperwork would be a more effective use of a doctor’s time. We need to bring “care” back into healthcare by letting physicians practice in their field of expertise. The long and exhausting regulatory and administrative processes lessen the impact of healthcare and this needs to change.

Dr. Benz’s Advice to Pre-Med and Medical Students

As we deal with daily stressors, we forget why we were called to become doctors. We take our patients for granted because we have become so accustomed to the heroism in medicine that it no longer becomes meaningful. Look back at the reasons why you entered healthcare to rekindle your passion. Healthcare practitioners must put in regular effort to prevent burnout and dehumanization.

Dr. Benz’s book, Called to Care: A Medical Provider's Guide for Humanizing Healthcare, describes these issues in great detail and discusses the role of positive psychology in medicine. It is available on the book’s official website and on Amazon. All proceeds will be donated to non-profit organizations.

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Dr. Jade Anderson discusses transitioning from orthopedic surgery to radiology, and shares advice for residency applications and interviews. Dr. Anderson is a radiology resident at Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut.

[01:14] Why Switch from Orthopedic Surgery to Radiology?
[05:03] Applying for a Position in Radiology
[07:14] Switching Specialties in Medicine
[09:44] Transition from Orthopedic Surgery to Radiology
[12:25] How to Be a Standout Applicant
[15:17] Applying for a Residency During COVID-19
[21:13] Tips for Nailing Your Residency Interview
[22:52] Dr. Anderson’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

Erkeda DeRouen chats with Dr. Jade Anderson, a radiology resident at Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut. Prior to her current position, she was an orthopedic surgeon for 2 years. Realizing that her true calling was in radiology, she made the difficult decision to switch specializations.

Switching Residencies from Orthopedic Surgery to Radiology

From a young age, Dr. Anderson knew she wanted to become an orthopedic surgeon. As an orthopedics resident, she found that reading and interpreting imaging was what she enjoyed the most. She even taught several radiology classes in her spare time. Looking back, her interest in radiology has always been there. A self-evaluation made her realize that maybe radiology would be a better fit for her.

Dr. Anderson reached out to other doctors who switched from orthopedics to radiology. Their journeys resonated so much with what she was feeling. Her friends encouraged her to make the switch and so she did. It was a tough decision but it proved to be the correct one as Dr. Anderson is currently thriving in her new field.

Most medical students are unaware that that they can switch residencies but it is indeed possible. Dr. Anderson admits that her laser focus on becoming an orthopedic surgeon has blinded her from considering other options. Take a moment to pause every once in a while to evaluate your happiness in your chosen field.

Transition from Orthopedic Surgery to Radiology

Switching specialties will come with new challenges. For Dr. Anderson, she had to build her knowledge and skills in radiology while re-learning past lessons in medicine. She’s an expert in the musculoskeletal system but there are other areas she needed to brush up on.

Thankfully, she was able to adjust to her new specialization fairly quickly. Radiologists are the physician’s physician. Doctors rely on them to interpret imaging results, to identify possible complications, and to evaluate the success of surgeries. A radiologist makes vital decisions that could affect a patient’s outcome.

Applying for a Residency During COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic has forced hospitals and schools to cancel in person interviews. Assessments will be conducted virtually. This also means that applicants won’t get the chance to visit the hospital and see its facilities and systems in action. On the other hand, students are applying to more places because they don’t have to attend interviews in person. Programs are well aware of this and are adjusting to accommodate time differences. Interviewers may ask standardized questions as a comparative scale to screen applicants.

Since face to face interviews are not possible, admission committees will have to rely more on documents. Board scores matter but they also consider grades, rotations, and the dean’s letter. All these requirements paint a picture of how you work with others and how you treat patients.

Tips for Nailing Your Residency Interview

Familiarize yourself with common questions and have your answers ready. No need to memorize a script, but instead answer authentically using your outline as a guide. Go with the flow of the conversation, adding or removing talking points as needed. Practicing in front of a mirror helps to build confidence. Check your gadget, video conference software, and internet connection beforehand to guarantee that your interview will run smoothly on the day of.

The interviewer will use this meeting to assess whether you will fit in with the department. An outgoing personality is not necessary but use this opportunity to show that you are approachable, responsible, and cooperative.

Dr. Anderson’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

As you become a resident, you will be tasked with more responsibilities. Double checking is very important to avoid mistakes. Check up on your colleagues, juniors, and staff to see if tasks have been completed. Inspect your own work to ensure everything is in order. Take everything you hear with a grain of salt. Get into the habit of verifying information¾this will save you a lot of trouble in the future.

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Dr. Shanedelle Norford discusses her experience in forensic pathology, the effect of COVID-19 on the field, and advice to students in pathology rotations.

[01:33] Why Pathology?
[03:02] How to Get Exposure to Pathology
[05:29] Tips to Succeed on a Pathology Rotation
[06:56] How COVID-19 Has Affected Forensic Pathology
[09:09] COVID-19 in Florida
[10:12] The Importance of Wearing Masks
[13:03] Pathophysiology of COVID19
[14:49] Dr. Norford’s Most Unusual Forensic Pathology Case
[18:19] Advice to Pathology Students
[19:44] Why Pursue an MBA
[22:18] Dr. Norford’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

Why Pathology?

Dr. Norford chose to specialize in pathology to have a deeper understanding of diseases. Early on, she realized that clinical medicine is primarily concerned with diagnoses and how to treat them. However, she was much more interested in the why and how behind the development of illnesses. It was in pathology that she found most of the answers to her burning questions.

How to Get Exposure to Pathology

Very few medical students choose to specialize in pathology¾this may be due in part to the lack of exposure to the field. Students must purposefully seek out opportunities to know more about this specialization. Fortunately, most medical schools have electives in general and forensic pathology. Feel free to approach doctors or administrative staff to ask about available programs or rotations in pathology at your own school.

Tips to Succeed on a Pathology Rotation

Show genuine interest by asking questions, arriving on time, and doing more of what’s asked of you. Doctors can tell the difference between enthusiastic and uninterested students. Pathology classes help in building a good foundation in medicine. Likewise, view the pathology rotation as a learning experience to maximize what you can get out of it. As a future doctor, this knowledge may be useful to you someday.

How COVID-19 Has Affected Forensic Pathology

As an associate medical examiner, Dr. Norford has seen an increase in her case load by 50% compared to last year. The sustained influx of cases brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic has put a huge strain on the resources and personnel of the medical examiner’s office. Their team has lost staff members from resignations and from the coronavirus itself.

Not much is known about the pathophysiology of COVID-19. What we do know is that the virus can affect several organs and body systems all at once. Its effects may linger months after it has been contracted. This novel coronavirus has taken countless of lives, as seen in the number of cases that Dr. Norford handles every day. She urges everyone to continue practicing safety measures like wearing masks¾a simple precaution that saves lives.

Why Pursue an MBA

Dr. Norford dreams of becoming a chief medical examiner someday. Her pursuit of an MBA degree will help her transition into that role in the future. Currently, she recognizes that she lacks sufficient knowledge and experience in business, administration, and leadership. Pursuing an MBA makes sense because she eventually wants to shift to a more administrative role. It is also worth knowing the business side of medicine because it gives insight as to how it affects her as a physician as well as her patients.

Dr. Norford’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

Instead of following the trends, go after what you want. Don’t let your decision be swayed by the opinion of others. It takes years and years of medical school to become a doctor. Don’t waste all those periods of training to enter a career path you don’t like. Time is your most limited asset, so invest it in a career you are passionate about. The road to becoming a doctor is paved with challenges, but just stay on course because your hard work will pay off in the end.

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Dr. Max Madhere discusses cardiac anesthesiology, Pulse of Perseverance, and the many hurdles he overcame in his journey to medicine.

[00:36] What Inspired Max to Become a Doctor
[03:00] Max’s Medical School Experience
[04:41] How to Prepare for Tests
[08:42] Accessibility of Resources Through Technology
[10:35] Why Anesthesiology?
[13:34] Fellowship in Cardiac Anesthesiology
[15:10] Advice for Anesthesia Rotations
[19:03] Pulse of Perseverance
[22:04] Importance of Mentorship and Giving Back
[26:23] Structural Systemic Racism
[28:11] The Community’s Role in the Youth’s Future
[29:38] Flawed Education System
[37:14] Dr. Madhere’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

Erkeda DeRouen interviews Dr. Max Madhere, a practicing cardiac anesthesiologist in Louisiana. He is also one of the founders of Pulse of Perseverance, an organization dedicated to helping kids from disadvantaged backgrounds succeed. In this episode, Dr. Madhere shares his journey to becoming a physician despite the many hurdles he faced.

Dr. Madhere’s Journey to Becoming a Doctor

Initially having no interest in medicine, Dr. Madhere volunteered at his local hospital because he needed money to graduate high school. During his time as a volunteer, he saw black doctors in positions of leadership. This inspired him to become a doctor himself. The first two times he took the MCAT, he was not satisfied with his scores. Setbacks did not stop him from trying a third time, which finally produced results that got him accepted into Xavier University of Louisiana.

Preparation for Tests

Tests do not measure intelligence, but rather preparation. Those who are privileged with access to good education and a supportive environment certainly have an advantage. However, success is not solely defined by these factors. It may take a person with fewer resources longer, but with enough preparation, he/she can succeed as well.

Assess the areas you need to improve on and work hard at them. Take advantage of today’s technology to access information and ask for help. Learning opportunities are endless, try different sources until you find what works for you.

Why Anesthesia?

Dr. Madhere was originally interested in pursuing neuroscience and surgery. But as he gained more experience during rotations, he realized that these specializations did not suit him.

During one of his surgery rotations, his curiosity was piqued by the anesthesiologist in the operating room. Dr. David took Dr. Madhere under his wing and taught him more about the field. The constant application of anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology in anesthesiology fascinated him. Dr. Madhere found it impressive that anesthesiologists have such a wide skillset, as shown in their ability to administer anesthesia in countless ways.

Fellowship in Cardiac Anesthesiology

While the surgeon operates, it’s Dr. Madhere’s job to keep the patient alive through the management of several drugs and drips. All aspects of medicine are applied in the operating room. Being in this field keeps him on his toes because of the complex issues that may arise in severe cases. Improving the outcome of extremely sick patients is fulfilling for Dr. Madhere as a cardiac anesthesiologist.

Giving Back to the Community

The current schooling system is flawed, favoring the haves over the have-nots of society. This reality is further reflected in the low percentage of practicing black doctors. To help address this situation, Dr. Madhere and two of his friends formed the Pulse of Perseverance as way to give back to the community. Their goal is to empower and inspire young black youth by providing them with resources for success. Scholarships are available for deserving students who are driven to succeed. They have also developed a mentoring platform app to give underprivileged kids a chance to connect with professionals. Odds for success increase drastically when disadvantaged youth have mentors who will nurture them.

Dr. Madhere’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students

Students should continuously look for ways to acquire information efficiently. Expose yourself to the medical field you want to be in by gaining shadowing experiences and learning terminologies. It’s not enough to show up on time during rotations; be early. Let your personality and enthusiasm set you apart. Resident and attending doctors take notice when you go the extra mile to help.

When things get tough, just keep going. Dr. Madhere urges students to continue chasing their dream of becoming doctors for themselves, their future patients, and the community. Remember that you play a significant role in making the world a better place.

The Pulse of Perseverance recognizes the challenges and costs that come with pursuing a good education. They’ve already helped a number of kids through high school and college. Learn more about their scholarship program and what they offer through their website. To get updates on their initiatives, follow the Pulse of Perseverance on Instagram.

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Dr. Cain, president & CEO of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM), discusses osteopathic medicine, including MD vs DO.

[01:37] Osteopathy’s Visibility in Current Events
[05:53] Differences Between Osteopathy and Allopathy
[09:02] Cooperation Between DO and MD Doctors
[09:50] The AACOM’s Role in Osteopathic Education
[11:35] Statistic of DO Doctors
[12:14] Why Ragav Chose Osteopathic Medicine
[13:52] Application of DO’s Biomechanics Training
[17:12] DO and MD Program Merger and How it Will Affect Medical Students
[19:59] Advice to DO Students Applying for Residency
[21:29] AACOM’s Position about the COMLEX
[24:25] Study Tips for the UMLE and COMLEX
[25:37] Future of Osteopathic Medicine
[27:28] How to Get Exposure to Osteopathic Medicine

On one hand, both presidential candidates have a DO as their primary physician – President Trump with Dr. Sean Conley DO, and Vice President Biden with Dr. Kevin O’Connor DO. Yet on the other hand, a prominent physician clothing company, FIGS, is accused of publishing disparaging advertisements towards DOs and female physicians – which caused quite an uproar on social media. Add to this that medical television shows, like Grey’s Anatomy, always refer to doctors with an “MD” and not a “DO.”

So why does there seem to be this tug of war between the two? What is the difference between a DO and an MD? Is one practice better? We get to the bottom of this with the president of American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM), the organization that supports the 37 accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine in the United States.

Dr. Sahil Mehta chats with Dr. Robert Cain, a pulmonology specialist. He was also the former dean of clinical education at Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Currently, he serves as the president and CEO of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM). Also joining in today’s episode is Ragav Sharma, a 4th year osteopathic student and MedSchoolCoach. He hosts The Preventive Medicine Podcast.

Differences Between Osteopathic and Allopathic Medicine

There is no practical difference between osteopathic doctors (DOs) and allopathic doctors (MDs) they are both licensed to practice medicine in the United States. MD and DO students take up the same subjects, with the exception of biomechanics, which is emphasized more in DO education. In addition, osteopathic medicine emphasizes training students to become physician-servants, and orientation that influences the practice of medicine. Medical students should consider what type of physician they’d like to be before deciding on an MD or DO degree.

Dr. Cain likes to think of MD and DO doctors as complementary to one another. With the US’s complex healthcare system, cooperation between MD and DO doctors is crucial to improving the lives of more patients. When it comes down to it, both types of doctors are working towards the same goal of progressing healthcare.

Why Osteopathy?

Osteopathy was introduced to Ragav, a fourth year med student, by his father, who knew that his son had an interest in muscoloskeletal medicine. Ragav proceeded to apply to both DO and MD medical schools. Eventually, he chose to go to Midwestern University Chicago to pursue Osteopathic Medicine. He believes the holistic philosophy and the manual medicine training from a DO education will supplement his skillset as a future practitioner of musculoskeletal medicine.

Application of DO’s Biomechanic Training

To this day, Dr. Cain still applies his DO training in the field of pulmonology. Not many people may know this, but the respiratory system is biomechanical. He cites exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as an example. Patients with this condition have an increased work of breathing. As a DO physician, Dr. Cain prescribes medicine to relieve symptoms but he also checks for changes in the chest wall, since removing any obstructions will decrease the likelihood of respiratory failure.

Ragav also mentions an instance where he was able to apply of his osteopathy knowledge. He encountered a stroke patient who could not breathe well during his in-patient rehab rotation. He suspected that the patient’s lung muscles have not fully recovered from the stroke, which made breathing more difficult. As a result of his suggestion, treatment changes were made to include more respiratory therapy and to shift bed positioning. Ragav’s osteopathic training led him to make a suggestion which ultimately made a difference in the patient’s outcome.

Advice to DO Students Applying for Residency

Ragav’s advice to fellow students is to focus on things you can control such as board scores, clinical rotation performance, and capacity for learning. As long as you put in your best efforts you are setting yourself up to succeed. Keep working hard towards the chosen field you have in mind. It’s also helpful to be aware of specializations that have a preference for DO over MD students and vice versa.

Study Tips for the USMLE and COMLEX

The content in both licensure exams are similar, but the questions are posed differently. To save on time, you may study for the USMLE and the COMLEX with the same resources. The main difference between the two is that the COMLEX also covers osteopathic medicine. DO students should use osteopathy’s holistic philosophy as a lens when answering questions on the test. For additional preparation, look for reviewer questions that mimic the COMLEX’s questions.

Future of Osteopathic Medicine

With the merger of the MD and DO education programs, AACOM hopes to ease the matching system for students and their chosen residencies, and simplify the licensure exams for DO students. It is also the AACOM’s goal to eliminate the need for DO students take the USMLE because a specialization requires them to do so. Another challenge that DO students face are the restrictive regulations for shadowing experiences. The AACOM recognizes this, and is already looking for alternative ways to increase exposure to osteopathy.

Recent developments and events have increased the visibility of osteopathic medicine more than ever. This is an opportunity to solidify osteopathy in US healthcare system. Dr. Cain hopes to see increased interest and acceptance of osteopathic medicine through ongoing education and awareness efforts of the AACOM.

Learn more about the osteopathic profession on the Prospective Doctor website. Also, visit AACOM’s website for a list of schools offering a DO program.

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Dr. Jason Williams shares his experiences in emergency and sports medicine, & financial advice for med students and physicians.

[01:40] Why Emergency Medicine?
[02:39] Experience as an Emergency Doctor
[04:52] Landscape & Business Aspect of Emergency Medicine
[09:14] The Role of Finances in Choosing a Specialization
[12:12] Tips for Building Good Financial Habits
[16:19] Advice to Aspiring Medical Students
[17:45] Suggested Reading for Personal Finance

Why Emergency Medicine?

Growing up, Dr. Williams was surrounded by family members who worked in the hospital’s ER department. This familiarity helped develop a favorable bias towards emergency medicine.

His personality was also a better fit for the hectic lifestyle of an emergency doctor. Being confined to a clinic all day long didn’t suit him. But more than that, he enjoyed helping people in their darkest times.

Experience as an Emergency Doctor

For his first job after residency, Dr. Williams worked for a large healthcare system in Texas. This meant working at 3-4 different hospitals, with a regular number of shifts per month. After a while, he moved to a tertiary hospital with academic programs. Teaching residents and students was enjoyable. He was also exposed to many interesting emergency cases. A good portion of his career was spent in a similar setting.

An opportunity arose for him to be a director of the event medicine department in a health care system. The role put him in charge of taking care of people during sporting events. More recently, he is back to working at a tertiary hospital and a few freestanding emergency medicine departments.

Landscape & Business Aspect of Emergency Medicine

Emergency doctors can choose to work in rural hospitals, big hospitals, or free standing emergency departments Each workplace has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Modest, democratic ER departments usually consist of locals who work with a hospital or community. In these rural hospitals, you have to be comfortable handling all kinds of patients. There won’t as many supporting clinicians to help. Most of the time, you will be on your own.

If you work for larger entities such as health care systems or big hospitals, you will be taking in a lot of patients. There are many clinicians you can work and consult with. Severe cases are more common. Majority of emergency doctors work with large health contractors.

The Role of Finances in Choosing a Specialization

Aspiring doctors should first determine what field they are most drawn to and how they want to interact with patients. Choosing a medical specialization based solely on compensation can lead to burnout. The key to a long and sustainable career in medicine is doing what you love. Once you’ve figured out your interests, it’s time to consider your financial situation.

Build Good Financial Habits

If you can't pay for medical school, loans are understandable. However, don’t borrow more than what you need. Always keep in mind that the money you loaned is not yours, so don’t spend it needlessly. Good financial habits early on will help you down the road. If you learn to budget money early on, you don't have to worry about it later.

Advice to Aspiring Med Students

Medicine is a lifelong learning experience. It’s important to do well in school and to maintain good relationships with mentors. Don’t neglect developing good financial habits early on. This will make you a better physician because you won’t be preoccupied with small things. As a student, it can’t hurt to earn a little bit of side income. Learn new skills outside of medicine which can help set you up for your future.

Suggested Reading for Personal Finance

Dr. Williams recommends “The White Coat Investor” by Dr. Jim Dahle. The author is a practicing emergency medicine physician who started his blog and podcast in 2011. There are many other free resources online. Students should take advantage of this and learn as much as they can.

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Dr. Erin Jones discusses family medicine clinical rotations and effective patient activism. She serves on the faculty at the University of Southern California and as a virtual healthcare professional at 98point6.

[01:45] Why Family Medicine?
[02:54] Tips to Succeed on a Clinical Rotation
[05:03] Setting Expectations with Attendings
[07:05] How Physicians Can Advocate for Patients
[11:24] How Physicians Can Engage in Activism
[19:07] Healthcare & Politics
[24:24] Advice for Pre-Meds and Medical Students

Dr. Erkeda DeRouen chats with Dr. Erin Jones, a family medicine physician who has lots of experience with teaching and caring for students. She is also fellowship-trained in adolescent and young adult care. Currently, she serves on the faculty at the University of Southern California and as a virtual healthcare professional at 98point6.

Why Family Medicine? Dr. Jones is passionate about family medicine because it allows her to engage with the entirety of a patient or person. Her patients share their struggles, such as food insecurity, lack of support for an addiction, and their inability to pay medical bills. She is also interested in the dynamics of family, and how the struggles of parents can be passed on to their children.

Tips to Succeed on a Clinical Rotation First, Dr. Jones encourages students to be excited, eager, well-slept, and eager to work hard for the day. Besides this, they should be willing to go beyond their expertise as physicians — for example, supporting someone through an IUD insertion, or helping a patient with a injury to get to their vehicle. This is all part of an ethical medical system.

It is also crucial for students to determine the expectations of their attending. Students should ask for expectations at the very beginning of the rotation, and also frequently request feedback from their attending.

How Physicians Can Advocate for Their Patients Dr. Jones has a three-step process for physicians to advocate for their patients:

Listen to their struggles. It is impossible to adequately help without first listening.
To count means to observe patterns in patients. For example, if there are disproportionately more younger patients compared to older patients, why?
Asking this “why” is the third step. Once you can determine the “why” you can begin to advocate for patients.

Physicians and Activism Due to COVID-19, there has emerged a slowdown, and an opening for discussing many social issues such as police brutality and climate change. Dr. Jones encourages physicians to use their voices, and to not separate issues like health care from racism and police brutality. Instead, they should acknowledge both systemic and individual oppression. It is difficult for a patient to trust a physician who will not, of their own volition, support basic human rights, and oppose brutality and injustice.

Healthcare is political. Issues like the Affordable Care Act and the absence of universal healthcare in the US, as well as more local healthcare issues are determined by the policies of politicians, even though these should be nonpartisan issues. Therefore, remember to vote, and use every opportunity to encourage others to vote as well!

Check out Dr. Jones’s LinkedIn.

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Dave Etler discusses the role of the humanities & social sciences in a medical education, & the role that physicians can play in politics. Dave Etler is the Founder, Producer, and Host of The Short Coat Podcast.

[01:03] How Dave Began Podcasting
[04:54] Lessons That Dave Has Learned From Podcasting
[06:46] The Role of the Humanities in a Medical Education
[12:40] Paternalistic Medicine Versus Partner-Based Medicine
[16:21] Systems of Power in Medicine
[20:39] The Importance of Maintaining Interests Outside Medicine
[24:06] Physician Involvement in Public Discourse and Politics

Erkeda DeRouen chats with Dave Etler, the Founder, Producer and Host of The Short Coat podcast which looks at different aspects of a medical student’s experience. They discuss the role of the humanities and the social sciences in a medical school education, and the role that physicians can play in politics.

The Short Coat Podcast Dave worked as a clerk at the Carver College of Medicine for many years. After gaining some experience, he proposed doing a podcast about medical students to his supervisor. Since then, he has enjoyed talking to medical students who he calls “creative”, “funny” and with “a stirring desire to do good.” He has also been pleasantly overwhelmed by the various types of jobs that someone in a medical profession can have — for example, becoming a medical journalist, teacher, serving your community, or simply becoming a specialist with lots of money.

The Role of the Humanities in a Medical Education Dave describes some of the writing and literature classes at the humanities department of Carver College. These classes help medical students to write professional CVs, and personal statements, but also help medical students to develop good personal writing skills. Overall, he says that the humanities detail the stories that we tell ourselves, and help medical students to understand the dynamics and cultural context behind the people that physicians treat.

One major reason that medical students should study the humanities is that indigenous, black and other people of color need a reason to trust doctors. For example, studies show that women of color have worse childbirth outcomes. Doctors need to understand why this is so, and take steps to mitigate it. Relatedly, doctors often take a paternalistic approach to treating their patients, speaking the language of “compliance” versus “noncompliance.” Instead, doctors need to understand why a patient does not comply with a given suggestion. For example, perhaps a patient is too poor to access fresh fruits and vegetables. An education in the humanities exposes doctors to this mindset.

Historically, physicians avoid involvement in public discourse and politics. However, with politicians making healthcare decisions, Dave hopes that physicians will step up and use their humanities skills to engage in public discourse and social justice, and to argue for the wellbeing of patients and healthcare providers.

Systems of Power in Medicine Even within medicine, there are systems of power. Dave talks about something called the “chair hierarchy.” When in a room with physicians and medical students, you often find the attendings sitting at the table, while the residents and medical students would not. These hierarchies can impact the kind of training or feedback that you get or give. With a humanities education, you learn how to better navigate these hierarchies — respecting the hierarchies that make sense (for example, the legal obligation of attendings versus nurses) and work against those that do not.

Check out Dave Etler’s LinkedIn and Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Also check out The Short Coat podcast.

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Dr. Erika Moseson, founder of Air Health Our Health, discusses the impact of medicine on the economy, social justice issues, and public health.

[01:17] Why Dr. Moseson Chose Pulmonary & Critical Care
[03:33] Tips for Students Who Are Interested in Pulmonary & Critical Care
[06:39] How Forest Fires and COVID-19 Have Impacted Dr. Moseson
[10:28] Pulmonary Health & the Economy
[12:50] Advocacy as a Medical Student
[19:40] Dr. Moseson’s Words of Wisdom for Medical Students & Pre-Meds

Erkeda DeRouen chats with Dr. Erika Moseson, a pulmonary and critical care doctor based in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Moseson is the Founder of Air Health Our Health, a company which is invested in promoting healthy air and fighting climate change.

Why Pulmonary & Critical Care? Dr. Moseson liked aspects of both procedural and non-procedural medicine — which is why she found it difficult to choose a specialty. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) where she did a rotation in pulmonary & critical care. She enjoyed this specialty as it connected to the real world in terms of public health but also to more intense medicine in the ICU.

Tips for Students Who Are Interested in Pulmonary & Critical Care Dr. Moseson encourages students who are interested in pulmonary and critical care to research and apply for residency programs that offer this specialty, and that have faculty in this specialty. They should do research into the aspects of this field that interest them, and how this matches with a given residency program.

Pulmonary Health & the Economy Physicians should work to “make what is invisible visible.” Issues like forest fires are widely visible, and people can see that it is bad for our lungs. However, issues like terrible air quality in certain areas often go unnoticed. Air pollution — particulate matter — has been shown to cause respiratory issues like heart attacks, asthma, strokes, COPD, and more. Therefore, physicians should help to educate the public.

Air quality issues often affect the poorest people the most. For example, a house offers a layer of protection from bad air quality. Therefore, the homeless might be affected two to three times more than a housed person in the same area if there is poor air quality. Furthermore, it is no coincidence that poor air quality itself often occurs in areas inhabited by minority groups.

Even if the public is not concerned about the health of affected populations, we can use the economic costs of healthcare to convince them. It is more economically beneficial to have healthy people who earn money, rather than those who have to stay home sick and incur exorbitant costs for things like inhalers.

Advocacy as a Medical Student Dr. Moseson sympathizes with students who struggle to participate in advocacy for projects about which they are passionate because they are afraid to offend or to step out of line. Nevertheless, Dr. Moseson encourages medical students to learn the science around the topic that is their passion. The students can be an educated voice of reason in their organizations, and provide a valuable scientific perspective on suggested ideas. She also encourages students to participate in research projects, which is not just important for their medical education, but can inform and enhance their advocacy as well.

Check out Dr. Moseson’s Twitter, and Facebook.

Also, check out the Air Health Our Health website.

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Dr. Renee Volny Darko shares tips for med school applications during COVID-19, financial advice for med students, and the importance of having a growth mindset.

[01:48] Why OB-GYN
[05:23] Tips for Applying to Medical School during COVID-19
[10:42] Virtual Interview Tips
[12:35] Medical School Application Date Changes Due to COVID-19
[14:20] Financial Tips for New Medical Students
[18:44] The Importance of a Growth Mindset

Erkeda DeRouen chats with Dr. Renee Volny Darko, an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN). Dr. Volny Darko graduated from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine, did her residency at Robert Wood Johnson in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and then did a health policy leadership fellowship at the Morehouse School of Medicine under Dr. David Satcher. She is a practicing physician, has spent some time in academia, and has had several entrepreneurial pursuits. She has a passion for helping pre-meds from underrepresented backgrounds to get into medical school.

Why OBGYN? OB-GYN was initially at the bottom of Dr. Volny Darko ’s list of specialty choices. However, after her OB-GYN clinical rotation — which was her last clinical rotation at medical school — she realized that she loved it. She reminds medical students to keep an open mind as you do your clinical rotations, knowing that you might be surprised by the rotations that you enjoy. It is okay to be uncertain about which specialty to choose.

Applying to Medical School During COVID-19 Dr. Volny Darko shares three key tips for applying to medical school during COVID-19:

Be flexible. You need to know that the process, deadlines, and requirements of your medical school application might shift. Pre-med students tend to be Type A, but neither medicine nor life is highly predictable, so you must be willing to adjust.
Flexibility does not mean being lax. Despite the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, you must still submit your best possible medical school application. You need to continue to study for your MCATs, and to remember that the application criteria will not be so relaxed.
Participate in their regular activities. For example, if you were going to attend a conference, perhaps attend a virtual conference. Take the initiative to better yourself and to engage with the medical community.

Because of the pandemic, some medical school interviews might be switched to virtual interviews. Dr. Volny Darko encourages students to learn how to appear on screen, and how to appear professional. For example, remember to show your shoulders and pretend as if this were an in-person interview — avoid having your cat in the background, for example.

Application dates for various medical schools may also be shifted around, depending on the number of COVID-19 cases in different states, or in the nation as a whole. Students should keep themselves informed of the updates.

Financial Tips for New Medical Students Medical students should practice living below your means, as this habit will carry into your residency and attending years. To live below your means is to spend much less than the amount that you earn. It is not about accumulating lots of money, but rather, it is about freeing your future self to pursue anything that you want to pursue. For example, Dr. Volny Darko and her husband — host of the podcast Docs Outside the Box — paid off their students loans very quickly, by working both permanent and locum positions, leaving them with the freedom to travel and/or to stay home with their children without worrying about money.

The Importance of a Growth Mindset Having a growth mindset means believing that your intelligence is not fixed, and can be increased. Dr. Volny Darko cites a study by psychologist Carol Dweck, which showed that pre-med hopefuls with a fixed mindset did not improve their grade in a chemistry class, whilst students with a growth mindset did. Stop saying that someone else is just “smart” because this gives you a pass to not work as hard. Be comfortable saying, “I do not know that YET” instead of “I do not know that.”

Check out Dr. Renee Volny Darko’s LinkedIn and Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Sign up for a Free Coaching session with Chase DiMarco, sponsored by Prospective Doctor! You can also join the Med Mnemonist Mastermind FB Group today and learn more about study methods, memory techniques, and MORE! Do check out Read This Before Medical School.

Read This Before Medical School: How to Study Smarter and Live Better While Excelling in Class and on your USMLE or COMLEX Board Exams

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Dr. Pamela Ludmer shares tips for developing leadership skills as a med student, med-peds vs. family medicine, & the benefits of coaching in medicine.

[02:06] Family Medicine Versus Med-Peds
[03:46] Why Adolescent Medicine
[06:38] How to Integrate Classroom and Clinical Knowledge
[10:56] How a Medical Student Can Develop Leadership Skills
[17:24] Dr. Ludmer’s Journey as a Coach
[21:34] Pearls of Wisdom for Medical Students

Dr. Pamela Ludmer is a medicine-pediatrics physician who completed a fellowship in adolescent medicine. She currently serves as the Associate Dean of Curriculum Integration at New York Medical College.

Family Medicine Vs. Medicine-Pediatrics Medical students often struggle to choose between family medicine and medicine-pediatrics. Both fields allow you to practice medicine on both children and adults. Dr. Ludmer’s decision to pursue med-peds stemmed from watching a med-peds physician who she greatly admired for his academic and social strengths. In addition, Dr. Ludmer immensely enjoyed her family medicine clinical rotation, but it was largely outpatient. As a resident, she wanted more inpatient experience, which was offered by med-peds. She also wanted to focus on medicine and pediatrics, over things like surgery, OBGYN, and pediatrics, which would also be covered by family medicine.

Why Adolescent Medicine Dr. Ludmer enjoyed working with inner city teenagers, especially younger women, who would come in without their parents. She enjoyed watching them grow up, and navigate medical experiences independently for the first time. Furthermore, practicing adolescent medicine allowed her some variety in her everyday work, dealing with issues such gynecology and behavioral health. Lastly, with her med-peds qualifications, Dr. Ludmer did not have to let go of her adolescent patients once they reached adulthood.

Integrating Classroom & Clinical Knowledge Dr. Ludmer encourages medical students to prioritize learning their basic sciences. Often, medical students feel that the basic sciences are irrelevant to clinical experiences and treating a patient. However, Dr. Ludmer asserts that what differentiates a doctor from other clinical careers, is this vast and deep knowledge of the workings of the human body. For example, with regards to COVID-19, no doctor has had the clinical experience of treating such a disease before this year. However, the basic sciences can still be applied to the treatment of COVID-19. A doctor can use their basic sciences knowledge to hypothesize appropriate treatments, and to intentionally test these treatments.

Developing Leadership Skills as a Medical Student This episode discusses three key tips for developing leadership skills as a medical student:

Put your foot out there. Dr. Ludmer describes running for the student senate for the first time and winning. You do not have to wait for something as major as a student senate to practice your leadership skills. Even a four-person lab group is a good place to practice leadership.
Find a mentor. The mentor does not have to be a person with very high seniority, and can be someone just a little ahead of you — a fourth year medical student perhaps.
Develop self-awareness. leadership is not about asserting your own opinion, but rather about listening to members of the group, mitigating conflict, and helping to reach consensus. You need to be aware of your skills & ability to play such a role, and be aware of areas where you can improve.

Coaching Versus Mentorship Dr. Ludmer distinguishes coaching a medical student or physician from mentoring them. While you emulate aspects of your mentor’s journey, coaching is about having someone who can help you to figure out your own medical career, and how to make decisions that are right for your particular situation.

Three Pearls of Wisdom for Medical Students The episode ends with three pearls of wisdom that Dr. Ludmer has for medical students:

Do what you love.
Do not forget life outside medicine.
Do not be afraid or ashamed to ask for help.

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Dr. Michael Harrell, an ophthalmology resident, talks about ophthalmology, landing an ophthalmology residency, and med school & residency admissions.

[01:29] Michael’s Education and Why He Chose Ophthalmology
[08:21] How to Prepare for a Career in Ophthalmology
[10:43] Writing a Good Residency/Medical School Application
[15:31] What to Avoid in a Residency/Medical School Application
[18:14] How COVID-19 Impacts Admissions Processes
[22:17] How to Deal with Setbacks and Rejection
[26:34] The SNMA and NMA

Dr. Michael Harrell is an ophthalmology resident at the Boston Medical Center at Boston University. He is also on the admissions committee for the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and is involved in residency admissions and admissions for a pathway program for matriculating from college to medical school directly. He shares why he chose ophthalmology, how to prepare for a career in ophthalmology, tips for writing medical school and residency applications, as well as his leadership experiences in the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) and the National Medical Association (NMA).

Check out Dr. Michael Harrell’s LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

Why Ophthalmology? Dr. Harrell earned his MD at BUSM, under scholarship from the Navy, and was later deployed to Europe. He has since left active duty, and is engaged in ophthalmology training at BU. He fell in love with ophthalmology due its variety. According to Michael, if you talk to three different ophthalmologists about their day, each would give a completely different answer. He also enjoys the instant gratification that ophthalmological surgery brings. Many eye surgeries yield results in a very short time span. He fondly recalls doing eye muscle surgery on a teenage patient with double vision, and witnessing the patient’s ability to see clearly for the first time in their life. In terms of lifestyle, ophthalmology has high satisfaction ratings and few emergencies.

Launching a Career in Ophthalmology Ophthalmology does not often come up in medical school, and requires that interested students take initiative and look for opportunities on their own. If you know early on that you want to pursue ophthalmology, be sure to strategically plan electives and rotations. Apart from standard ophthalmology clinical rotations, Dr. Harrell recalls doing his Quality Improvement rotation with an ophthalmologist, and also presenting his final project for his neonatal intensive care rotation on retinopathy of prematurity. Like Dr. Harrell, students can creatively and persistently structure their experiences to do more ophthalmology. Your volunteering, clinical rotation or research plans may have been impacted by COVID-19, but Michael emphasizes that there are so many ways to continue to engage, for example through virtual programs, webinars, and Zoom calls.

Tips for Medical School and Residency Applications Having spent time participating in residency and medical school admissions teams, Dr. Harrell has several key tips for students. First of all, have strong letters of recommendation, which should exceed the required number. These letters should not include lots of “fluff” but should be glowing and substantive. The letter should reflect that this person knows you and has worked with you in a clinical, research or community setting. It should convey that the recommender would like for you to someday be their colleague, or that they would trust you with difficult and crucial tasks.

Besides strong letters of recommendation, a good application should include activities outside of medicine that are truly meaningful to you such as community service, or being in a leadership position. Do not include activities just for the sake of the application, but demonstrate that you are truly invested in the activity. It is better to have one strong extracurricular, than ten bland extracurriculars. To illustrate, Dr. Harrell was actively involved in the Student National Medical Association, which organizes and supports black and underrepresented medical students. He describes first attending an SNMA conference as a medical student at BUSM, and then purposefully working his way through the ranks because he was passionate about the cause and wanted to have a voice. Through Michael’s involvement in the SNMA, he discovered his passion for organized government and learnt how to fundraise, run a nonprofit and engage in corporate development.

In terms of what to avoid on an application, Dr. Harrell cautions against dishonesty. Additionally, if there is anything unfavorable on your application, be upfront about it, take responsibility, and demonstrate that you have matured.

How to Handle a Rejected Application If your residency or medical school application gets rejected, then there are three things that you could do:

Give up
Pivot
Keep trying

The worst option is to give up. The program that you are pursuing might not be the best fit for you, in which case pivoting might be a viable option. On the other hand, after speaking to your support system, which includes mentors, family and friends, you might choose to keep trying. Everyone has setbacks, so it is important to be able to quickly recover and to get back on track.

Check out Dr. Michael Harrell’s LinkedIn and Facebook.

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Dr. Cory Fawcett and Chase discuss budgeting concerns as a medical student, the right mindset to have about debt, and how to choose a medical school.

[04:28] The Importance of Budgeting as a Medical Student
[10:17] The Dangers of “Debtabetic Neuropathy”
[15:33] Tips for Budgeting as a Medical Student
[19:38] How to Choose a Medical School
[23:40] Why Medical Students Should Not Buy a House
[27:34] Debt is a Problem, Not a Solution
[28:42] More Resources for Medical Students and Doctors

Dr. Fawcett is a retired private practice general surgeon, and the author of several award-winning books — including The Doctor’s Guide to Starting Your Practice Right and The Doctor’s Guide to Eliminating Debt.

As a medical student, Dr. Fawcett recalls driving past a soup kitchen and realizing that the people in the soup kitchen line had a higher net worth than most medical students. This is because many medical students owe lots of money and have a negative net worth. So, Dr. Fawcett’s first piece of financial advice to medical students is to minimize the amount of money that they borrow. Although today it is difficult to completely avoid medical school debt, students have control over the amount of debt that they incur. And you can find many ways to save money and reduce debt as a medical student, if you have the right mindset.

A common fact to remember is that for every dollar that you incur in debt during medical school, you will have to pay back four times that amount as an attending physician. As a medical student, you might think that debt is the solution, but as an attending doctor, you know that it is a problem.

Dr. Fawcett cautions against “debtabetic neuropathy,” which is a play on “diabetic neuropathy.” In diabetic neuropathy, patients develop numbness in their legs, which means that even when their leg is injured, they cannot feel it. Eventually, this can lead them to lose a leg. “Debtabetic neuropathy” can cost much more than a leg. The first time you incur debt, you are probably very reluctant. But as the years pass, you get numb to incurring debt, realizing that all the payment is deferred until later on. This can cause major “injury” to your finances in your attending years.

Since he was under scholarship for his undergraduate degree at Stanford, and only incurred $6,000 in debt, during his first year of medical school, Dr. Fawcett was shocked and pained by the amount of debt that he incurred. Unwilling to incur more debt, Dr. Fawcett decided to obtain his medical degree through the US Navy. If he had suffered from “debtabetic neuropathy” he would not have worried about debt and would not have found himself this solution. Although completely avoiding medical school loans is impossible for many students, they must avoid “debtabetic neuropathy” so that they have the right mindset to minimize the amount of debt incurred.

In terms of actionable medical student budgeting tips, Dr. Fawcett recommends cooking your own food, buying a cheaper car, and having a part-time job. He also cautions medical students against buying a house until they are attending physicians. Buying and selling a house both involve fees, which take perhaps five years to recover. Neither a medical school nor a residency will last more than five years, which means that by the time you recover the cost of buying, you may need to move again. Renting is the cheapest short-term option and helps you to avoid yet another large debt.

Check out Dr. Cory Fawcett’s website Financial Success MD, and his doctor's guides/books to learn more about being a financially successful medical student or doctor. Sign up for Cory’s biweekly blog. Follow Dr. Fawcett’s Facebook page, and connect with Cory on LinkedIn.

Sign up for a Free Coaching session with Chase DiMarco, sponsored by Prospective Doctor! You can also join the Med Mnemonist Mastermind FB Group today and learn more about study methods, memory techniques, and MORE! Do check out Read This Before Medical School.

The Doctors Guide to Starting Your Practice Right

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Drs. Marinelli and DeRouen discuss the current and future role of telemedicine in healthcare, and the struggles it poses for physicians and patients.

[01:03] How Dr. DeRouen Became Involved in Telemedicine
[04:04] How COVID-19 Influenced Telemedicine
[07:30] Challenges for Physicians in Telemedicine
[10:22] Virtual Medical Rounds
[13:35] Patient Satisfaction in Telemedicine
[16:19] How Telemedicine Complements Brick and Mortar Medical Practices
[18:13] The Future of Telemedicine

During COVID-19, many patients have lost access to their healthcare providers, or are avoiding in-person visits to mitigate their risk of infection. Telemedicine allows patients to access care from their doctors without seeing them in person. This care can take the form of a phone call, video call, or even just a text message. Some doctors work full-time as virtual healthcare providers, whilst others provide their telemedicine services on-call using an Uber-like system.

Telemedicine is especially helpful for high-risk patients or patients from rural communities for whom a doctor’s visit may be inconvenient, or even unsafe. Further, people with busy working schedules can access 24/7 telemedicine services. Telemedicine does not only benefit outpatient care. Dr. Erkeda DeRouen describes a friend — an infectious disease attendee— who discussed doing virtual rounds with patients in wards. Of course, there has to be a physician present during these rounds, but virtual rounds allow more physicians from interdisciplinary backgrounds to be present, thus increasing the quality of patient care.

The greatest challenge for physicians in telemedicine is that they cannot perform physical examinations of their patients. However, Dr. DeRouen explains that most components of a doctor’s visit occur outside the doctor’s office. Often, during the actual visit, the doctor and patient simply discuss the patient’s medical history, their habits, or the result of some tests. She can often provide a diagnosis without actually physically examining the patient. Even in specialties like dermatology, where physical examination might appear important, there are often ways to bypass this obstacle, by examining images of the patient’s skin, for example.

While brick and mortar practices can never be fully replaced by telemedicine, much of the load on these traditional practices can be transferred to telemedicine. This frees up timeslots for patients who actually require physical contact, like patients who need biopsies or physical examinations. With the advancement in telemedical devices, such as robots that attend hospital rounds, and cheap otoscopes for parents to use at home, more and more of the load can be shifted to telemedicine. Dr. DeRouen is very excited about the expansion of telemedicine and hopes that more telemedical devices will be developed in the future because this will further abate the need for in-person visits.

For more information on Dr. Erkeda DeRouen, have a look at her CareDash profile, her flipMD profile, and her LinkedIn profile.

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Chase and Sam discuss various study tips, habits, and evidence-based methods to help students succeed on the MCAT and in medical school.

[01:03] How To Memorize A Million Things
[02:26] The Spacing Effect and Rehearsal Effect
[06:02] Overcoming the “Forgetting Curve”
[08:03] Elaborative Interrogation
[10:06] Anki: Using Pre-Existing Study Materials verses Creating Your Own
[13:08] Memory Palace and Visual Mnemonics
[18:29] Memorizing Mistakes and Avoiding Passive Memory Techniques
[20:30] The effects of sleep, exercise and diet on learning
[23:35] Evidence Based Study Techniques in Education

Medical students are faced with a vast amount of information to retain. Studying for boarding exams or the MCAT can be very intimidating, but with the employment of various studying techniques, one can ease their cognitive stress load. Evidence based study techniques have been around for a long time, so why aren’t they more predominant amongst medical students? In short, they are. Perhaps you are one of the many students that have been using these techniques without being aware of it. Moreover, you may not realize how to use these techniques to their full their potential.

Chase’s evidence-based study techniques revolve around two methods:

The spacing effect
The retrieval, or rehearsing effect.

The spacing effect relies on spacing out the studying of the same material over time, allowing for a more durable and long-lasting storing of information. The rehearsal method of rehearsing and recalling material without any sort of primer, enables one to formulate a stronger connection to the material than simple recognition memory would allow. The combination of these two methods into a spaced repetition technique is a highly efficient evidence-based study technique for any kind of student.

Research indicates that if nothing is done to reinforce learning within 72 hours, it is likely to be forgotten. This heuristic is called the forgetting curve. In order to avoid the forgetting curve, Chase suggests applying the 1-1-3-1-1 method. The 1-1-3-1-1 method is a spacing technique wherein a student spaces out their studying by rehearsing information after learning it within 1 hour, then 1 day, then 3 days, then 1 week, and then within 1 month.

The visual mnemonic technique involves creating visual associations in your mind between imagined objects and retained information. Utilizing the brain’s strong visual spatial memory, you create a location-based memory by entering your “memory palace.” In this familiar location, you visualize the arrangement of the room by placing various objects that each have their own unique association to a piece of information that you need to recall. This method has proven to be both a fun and quickly effective creative memory technique.

Chase also discusses an evidence-based learning technique called elaborative interrogation. It involves an elaborative interrogation of your own understanding about a topic by asking yourself detailed questions about the material to explore the depth of your understanding of the information. Testing your own understanding of a certain topic in this way both solidifies knowledge you have already retained, as well as provides insight into particular areas that you are not as familiar with and might need to spend some more time learning through spacing and rehearsing.

A final technique Chase discusses is interleaving. Interleaving is when a learner switches up the material or topic they are studying within a study session. This can be effective in creating links between different study topics that will deepen your understanding of each subject. However, it can be very difficult to create the best formula of interleaving.

Chase, like many students, struggled in medical school to understand the best way to study. He now sees the need for better education about evidence-based studying techniques and the most efficient ways for students to utilize them. Do you see this need in your own educational experience? How can you maximize your studying potential with Chase’s techniques, or what studying habits do you need to shake? Be intentional about taking the time to understand the most effective ways to retain information so that you can be successful in medical school.

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Dr. Shannon Sovndal, an emergency medicine specialist, discusses his medical journey, career experiences and advice for pre-med and medical students.

[0:36] Dr. Sovndal’s Background and Accomplishments
[01:18] Recurring Patients in an ER
[02:25] The Influence of Personality on Choosing Emergency Medicine
[04:18] Dr. Sovndal’s Journey into Medicine
[11:21] Economics & Emergency Medicine
[14:34] Burnout & Work-Life Balance
[19:23] A Week in the Life of Dr Sovndal

Are you a younger physician, pre-med student or medical student looking for more advice on navigating your career, emotionally, mentally and financially? Do take a look at the resources below:

Fragile: Beauty in Chaos, Grace in Tragedy and the Hope That Lives in Between by Dr. Shannon Sovndal
Match on a Fire: Medicine and More Podcast with Dr Shannon Sovndal
Dr Shannon Sovndal’s Website
EMCrit Podcast

Fragile: Beauty in Chaos, Grace in Tragedy, and the Hope That Lives in Between

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Chase DiMarco talks with Dr. Brad Spellberg, an infectious disease specialist, Chief Medical Officer at the Los Angeles County and the University of Southern California Medical Center, and Director of Biosciences for Los Angeles County. They discuss Brad’s book Broken, Bankrupt, and Dying: How to Solve the Great American Healthcare Rip-off.

[0:42] Introducing Dr. Brad Spellberg

[3:35] Comparing American Healthcare to That in Other Countries

[8:02] The Cost of American Healthcare

[12:21] Origins of Unaffordable Health Insurance

[16:05] Solutions to the American Healthcare Problem

[20:28] How the Audience Can Inspire Better Healthcare

[22:09] Further Resources

Based on a study by the Commonwealth Fund, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, the US ranks 11th out of 11 peer nations for healthcare. This includes ranking the worst for outcome — how well a nation prevents deaths that are amenable to treatment such as diabetes and pneumonia. This also includes being the most expensive — regardless of whether the metric is total cost, cost per capita, or cost as a percentage of GDP. Furthermore, based on a 2019 survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average cost of premium alone for a family to purchase their own health insurance is $20,000 per year.

The unjust and inhumane healthcare system was unplanned, and arose because during World War II, 1. to prevent inflation, employers were not permitted to raise salaries, but were still permitted to provide additional employee benefits like health insurance and 2. to fund military equipment, the IRS removed all income tax deductions except for the ones on insurance. For the system to change today, people must accept that the system is bad and have the will to change it. Besides this, partisanship around healthcare issues should be removed. To illustrate, Dr. Spellberg proposes a healthcare system that involves both multi-payer and single-payer options. Everyone would pay a tax, ensuring baseline healthcare under the single-payer option, but those who want private healthcare are permitted to pay extra. This reduces the polarization of the two options as associated with different parties. Single-payer, multi-payer and hybrid systems have all been shown to work in other countries, in terms of both cost and outcome.

So what can you do about this? Besides educating yourself, take the time to increase awareness amongst your neighbors and friends. Representatives at Capitol Hill will listen and advocate for their constituents. So speak up and remember to vote!

Here are further resources that you might enjoy:

2019 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey of Primary Care Physicians

Average Annual Family Premium per Enrolled Employee For Employer-Based Health Insurance

Broken, Bankrupt, and Dying: How to Solve the Great American Healthcare Rip-off by Dr. Brad Spellberg

You can find out more about Brad via his Website or contact him via Twitter!

Sign up for a Free Coaching session with Chase DiMarco, sponsored by Prospective Doctor! You can also join the Med Student Mentor FB Group to ask questions and receive guidance related to clinical rotations and clinical knowledge!

Broken, Bankrupt, and Dying: How to Solve the Great American Healthcare Rip-off

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In this episode, Chase DiMarco talks with Travis Hornby from Student Loan Planner about how to navigate and plan for student loans. Travis’ advice comprises common but costly mistakes that debtors make, the kinds of resources that you should or should not trust, and how to avoid negative psychological consequences such as the guilt surrounding student loans.

[01:05] Common Student Loan Anxieties

[03:20] Federal vs Private Loans

[05:53] Choosing Medical Schools Based on Specialty

[09:30] The Types of Consultations Provided by Student Loan Planner

[11:30] Media Sensationalism & Poor Resources

[16:36] Student Loan Planner vs Other Resources

[19:55] Common but Costly Mistakes

Travis starts off with two specific tips: 1. opt for federal loans where possible and 2. opt for a school that maximizes your chances of placement in your desired specialty, even if that school is more expensive. Pertaining to the first piece of advice, private loans are likely to require full payment, whereas federal loans may qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLR). Pertaining to the second piece of advice, due to programs like PSLR and others, attending two schools of vastly different prices are quite likely to end up costing the same amount.

Transitioning to more general advice, Travis urges us to be cautious about the quality of the resources that we use when making decisions about student loans. Student loans are a complex issue and often require expertise beyond social media posts and sensational media that prioritize ad revenue. To illustrate, Travis talks about a woman who refinanced her federal loans out of anxiety instigated by social media, costing her a six-figure sum. Whilst we should maintain agency over our personal finances, issues surrounding student loans require vigilance, caution and trustworthy resources.

If you are a medical student looking for quality resources on student loans, head on over to Student Loan Planner where you will have access to a podcast, a student loan calculator and if you want, personalized pre-debt or post-debt consultations. As Travis told us, we should not remain anxious over student loans, but instead confidently but cautiously seek out the best long-term options!

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Dr. Ziggy Yoediono is joined today by Jane, a recent med school applicant. They will be discussing Jane’s experience with the traditional interview process and her tips for success.

[1.00] What surprised you about the process?

Jane found the interview days to be longer than expected. You need constant, full engagement.

[3.05] What did you do to keep your energy up?

Jane took time to disengage somewhere quiet. She also recommends caffeinating beforehand instead of throughout.

[4.15] What advice do you have for time management and scheduling for the interviews?

She front-loaded her medical courses, allowing for lighter class load later. She also tried to find flexible courses. Schools had no real flexibility for scheduling; the windows were often only a few days, so it was integral to have flexibility.

[8.00] How did you prepare? What worked and what didn’t?

Jane researched the most common questions, prepping answers to be succinct in advance and considered what interviewers were trying to gain. She found her answers sounding too rehearsed and overcame this by taking mock interviews with a variety of different interviewers.

[15.10] What did you find to be the most challenging questions?

Being asked ‘Why medicine?’ as it was sometimes phrased in an unexpected way. Typical questions were often asked atypically and would catch her off guard.

[18.00] What is your advice for asking quality questions?

Be prepared and aim for more open-ended questions. Tailor your questions to the interviewer.

[21.10] What advice would you give regarding an interview with a student over a faculty member?

Jane felt more comfortable with a student but you should always remember to be as respectful as you would with a physician. They are still evaluating you and looking at how you would interact with future classmates.

[23.40] How did you deal with anxiety during interviews?

Remember that it is normal. Preparation is the key to overcoming your nerves. Interviewers are there to help you and want to bring out the best in you.

[27.55] What do you do if your mind goes blank?

Jane recommends honesty and letting your interviewer know that you would like a second to consider your answer. Thoughtful answers are better than blurting out the first thing you think of.

[31.20] What advice would you give regarding an unfriendly or unresponsive interviewer?

You can’t control who you are paired with, and they most likely behave that way with everyone. It is possible they are instructed to act a certain way.

[34.07] What final advice would you give?

Jane recommends practicing active listening to better answer questions, and to relate answers to the interviewer. Write thank you notes right away, and if that isn’t possible, make notes about what you talked about in order to personalize them later.

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Spencer Evans, a first-year medical student at the University of Colorado, is talking about an adjustment he has had to make in medical school. That is, getting used to the fact that you are unlikely to be the smartest among your peers.

[2:24] What it’s like to be surrounded by the top students.

It’s completely natural to feel like you’re surrounded by people who are smarter than you. Sometimes, that’s indeed the way it is. Remember in your pre-med classes how some students struggled, some did okay, and some people performed unbelievably well? If you’re going to med school, you’re likely in that last group and so are your classmates.

Before med school, you’ll likely never have been in a position where you weren’t superior academically. It can be a hard adjustment because you might feel inferior for the first time.

[6:37] Figure out what type of learner you are.

For example, Spencer says that it’s a waste of time for him to study with a group. You need to try several different learning strategies and then see how you perform on tests. Once Spencer figured out what was best for him, he began performing much better.

[8:27] Use study groups sparingly.

Spencer has found that it’s much more efficient to do practice questions individually. Also, think how much you are giving to your group versus taking in terms of value. You might have a poor ratio that can really emphasize how much time you are wasting with group study. Also remember that group study and hanging out should be kept separate.

[11:27] Be kind to yourself.

While your classmates are going to be studs, you are 100% going to be a stud yourself. You wouldn’t have been offered a spot if the admissions committee didn’t know that you could handle the course load. Be your biggest fan.

It will make things a lot easier if you can watch your classmates and your own competitiveness through a lens of humor. It’s funny that you can be smart enough to end up in medical school, yet your thoughts mostly consist of how not smart you are!

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Join Dr. Marinelli as she discusses the ins and outs of scribing with two members of the ProScribe team!

[1.05] Introductions

Shannon has been with the company for 5 years and is Talent Acquisition Manager, while Rachel has been in the industry for 10 years and serves as Director of Clinical Programs.

[2.10] What is a medical scribe and what do they do?

A scribe is essentially a productivity assistant but offers more than just documentation, allowing a physician to free up their days by speeding up work flow.

[4.15] A day in the life

Rachel discusses a typical day which involves arriving at the ER and accompanying the physician to all their patients. The scribe will document initial symptoms and history, to diagnosis, to follow up care. All interactions with the patient are documented.

[6.35] Where do scribes typically work?

Scribes are not only found in the ER. They can also typically be found in around 35 other branches of specialty from management to dermatology. Initially the role began in the ER but demand has led to expansion.

[7.45] Training required to become a scribe

Shannon discusses ProScribe training which initially involves didactic web-based learning, which has 8 modules. This is followed by reviewing physician recordings and creating mock charts. Then, pairing with a trainer and physician, shadowing for 4 shifts followed by 4 shifts where the trainee is responsible for charting.

[11.16] The benefits of scribing as a pre-med student

Scribing can offer great in-field experience and allow students to work in a team, more so than other volunteering positions. Scribing is also a paid position which can help to ease some of the financial burden of being a student.

[14.20] Requirements and application process

It is preferred that applicants be in at least sophomore year, with their schedule set. A typing speed of 60 words per minute is required due to the fast pace of the position. After applying expect a virtual interview, a follow up, and in-depth job description discussion before a final hiring decision is made.

[21.15] Final thoughts on the benefits of scribing

Shannon and Rachel both agree that scribing is an excellent way to supplement pre-med learning with real world experience and income.

ProScribe: https://proscribemd.com/

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Dr. Ziggy Yoediono is joined by one of his coaching clients, Michael, a recent med school applicant about to start his first year. Today, they’ll be discussing the application process and the hurdles that Michael faced.

[1.15] Surprises in the process

Michael discovered some surprises when he began his application. The range of experiences of other applicants was not what he had expected, and he learned to challenge assumptions about other applicants and the process.

[2.45] The importance of time management

Michael found that time management was key. The process is long, and splitting large tasks into smaller sections helped him to get through them without burnout. He also set attainable goals to avoid feelings of failure.

[4.45] Tailoring the application process to your experiences

Michael and Dr. Yoediono discuss making applications personal and what helps you to stand out, including personal statements, work and activities, and letters of recommendation.

Michael found answer two questions, ‘What led you to medicine?’ and ‘Why are you a good fit for the school you are applying for?’ by including specific qualities he has beneficial.

[6.40] Work and activities section

Regarding filling out the work and activities section of the application, space is limited and there is a necessity to be concise and specific. Relating work and activities experience to the impact they had on the skills he has acquired was key.

[8.50] Letters of recommendation

A reference you have had a meaningful relationship with can write a more personal letter. Michael also recommends looking outside of the sciences in order to give the school a fuller picture of who you are.

[11.50] Deciding your school list

Several different factors to consider when compiling your list are location, facilities and the school’s acceptance policies. Some only accept a certain number of students each year and this could impact your chances.

[16.05] Applying to secondary schools

Applying early to his secondary choices helped avoid becoming overwhelmed. He looked into previous years prompts ahead of time to get an idea of topics. Michael also envisioned himself at the school thinking about how he, specifically, would use the facilities to be helpful.

[21.35] Additional thoughts

He had fun with the process; meeting a variety of people and having the opportunity for self-reflection were bonus parts of the journey. He found his biggest challenge was patience and recommends working on other projects while awaiting decisions.

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Today, Spencer Evans is hosting Prospective Doctor. He’s going to share with us the lessons he has learned through the first three quarters of his first year of medical school. Spencer believes that he has already experienced the full spectrum of ups and downs in school!

[3:32] Classes.

It’s best to know that every unit is its own beast that takes a certain amount of trial and error to determine the ultimate strategy to slay it. Spencer wishes he knew this ahead of time, because he quickly learned that his strategy in anatomy did not apply in molecules and medicine.

One strategy that has been applicable to every class is doing practice questions. Spencer writes down all the information from them that he doesn’t know or gets incorrect. Writing down information that you are less familiar with helps you remember it.

[8:01] Dating.

A lot of people will caution you not to date within class, but still, a lot of people do so. It can be hard to relate to or convey your lack of time to someone who isn’t going through medical school. On the other hand, it’s kind of nice to be involved with someone who is in a different world than you.

If you are going to date within the class, remember this is someone you’re going to be seeing a lot.

[9:06] Socializing.

Spencer has found medical school to be a lot like middle school. It’s cliquey, and though you may want to be friends with everyone, that just doesn’t happen. Everything became a lot easier for him when he accepted this; he focused his energy on the people that actually did want to be friends with him.

[11:02] Maintaining work-life balance.

This balance was difficult for Spencer, because he quickly realized that he might have to sacrifice some of his hobbies if he wanted to pass. This left him feeling depressed, so he met with his school’s learning specialist to figure out the best study strategies for him. He found out that he actually needed to cut down his studying ours and to make a schedule.

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Spencer Evans, a first-year medical student at the University of Colorado, is hosting today’s episode. He’ll be sharing advice on how you can stay sharp as a med student while adhering to the restrictions put in place due to COVID-19.

[2:46] Making a schedule.

Every single night before Spencer goes to sleep, he makes a schedule for the following day. If you try to stick to the schedule, you’ll end up being much more productive. You can divide your day into one-hour segments so that you can switch things up and keep it fresh.

[3:54] Virtual study groups.

Spencer and several of his classmates have a virtual study group on Zoom every day for an hour. It’s a great way to both socialize and hold yourself accountable. Also, working for eight to ten hours is ideal. You should also make sure that you have a dedicated workspace that will allow you to be more productive.

[6:13] Establish “families.”

Spencer’s school has assigned families that consist of two first-year students, two second-year students, two third-year students, and two fourth-year students. They have a video call once a week to talk about stressors that they’re currently dealing with.

[7:14] Don’t check the news.

What’s going on in the world is terrible, but staying up to date on the latest figures is not going to help you be productive. Accept where you are and that you should do everything you can to stay sane.

[8:44] Try a new hobby.

Take up something that has always been of interest to you. It’s especially good to find a fun activity that doesn’t involve screens. This can be integral in maintaining your mental health, thus allowing you to study effectively. Having regular calls with friends and family will help your mental health, too.

[11:35] Find motivation.

Don’t forget why you’re studying what you’re studying. Medical professionals are on the front lines fighting COVID-19, and Spencer likes to remind himself that one day, he will be able to offer help to those in need.

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Last week we told you how COVID-19 was affecting the MCAT. Today, let's focus on how this pandemic may affect the 2020/2021 application cycles!

[0:40] A background.

Every year there are about 22,000 seats in US medical schools with around 50,000 applicants. About ⅓ of those students take the MCAT between March and June. Those students cannot take the MCAT now.

[1:38] How schools will be able to judge applicants that did not take the MCAT.

Most medical schools will accept the same amount of students as normal. Schools have already started to think about this, with many saying they either will not consider the MCAT at all or they will consider students without an MCAT score. Schools mainly judged applicants on GPA and MCAT scores. They also considered your interview, extra curriculars, etc., but these two were the main factors. MCAT gave schools the ability to standardize.

[4:10] How to make sure your application shines without the MCAT

Your GPA is going to play a bigger role. If it is very strong, go ahead and apply, but if your GPA is weaker and you were planning on relying on the MCAT score to boost you, it might not make sense for you to apply this year. If you have a high GPA and plan to apply, how you craft yourself is going to be even more important because schools are going to be looking at people more holistically. Schools are not going to be able to cut off applicants as “well” as they used to, so your personal statement and the overall crafting of your application is going to be even more important than it used to be.

[7:45] What to do if you’ve taken the MCAT already and were relying on the second test date to boost your score and be more competitive.

If you’re going to apply, the reality is that the lower score will be on your application. If you already have an MCAT score, it is going to be submitted. How deeply your score is going to be considered is based on each school, and may even be based on each admissions reviewer.

[8:58] Positives and negatives of schools not considering the MCAT.

You really have to be a great applicant this year to stand out. If you have a low GPA, a lot of people with high GPAs are still going to be applying and you have to consider that. Don’t think this application year will be easier because schools are not considering the MCAT. This is a chance to make your application stand out more holistically and really think about what would make you a good applicant in the eyes of admissions reviewers.

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Multiple MCAT testing dates have now been canceled because of COVID-19 and additional dates may be canceled soon. Ken Tao of MedSchoolCoach breaks down what this means for students and how to adjust MCAT studying accordingly.

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COVID 19 (corona virus) is a current pandemic that is affected the entire world. It has a far-reaching impact that is yet to be known. This episode covers how COVID-19 may affect the MCAT (and the cancellations that are upcoming from Pearson), the admissions timeline, pass/fail and other issues that may affect medical school admissions.

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Join Drs. Marinelli and Mehta as they discuss research as an essential pre-med activity and ways in which you can get the best experience possible!

[1:36] Dr. Marinelli’s experience with finding research opportunities.

The majority of Dr. Marinelli’s experience is in clinical research. In undergrad, she worked for a neurosurgeon and ran two clinical trials. Between undergrad and medical school, she took a gap year where she continued to work on clinical trials, which she explains was a great experience that helped develop her professionalism and patient communication skills. Additionally, it showed her how research can affect both physicians and patients.

[3:19] The difference between basic research and clinical research.

Basic research is going to be something where you will spend most of your time in the lab. It may be related to patients or be far removed from them and have some sort of clinical applications in the future. Clinical research is actually working with patients and testing different treatments.

Either one is okay to do and they both can add value to your application. It may be easier to hit the ground running with clinical research because you may need less lab skills, but it is rarer to be designing your own experiment. A lot of medical schools do want to see basic research skills as well because you are more likely to be designing your own experiments.

[8:58] How can students get involved with research and who can they contact to start the process?

It’s important to be proactive. If you’re a freshman, look into if there are any departments in your college with available research slots. Waiting until your junior year, especially at a big school, can sometimes be too late. Dr. Marinelli recommends reaching out early to departments in areas that you are interested in or to professors with research that sounds interesting. Clinical research can be harder to find, but it also involves being proactive and reaching out to hospitals. Even doing research outside medicine can have a big impact on your application.

[14:16] How do you put research experience on paper so that it stands out?

Avoid scientific jargon as much as possible; people who may not be in your exact area will just overlook it. Include one or two sentences on what your project was in layman's terms, with the remaining part focusing on your takeaways, lab skills you learned, and how the research can affect actual patients.

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Join Dr. Marinelli as she details what the AMCAS application entails so that you can be ready for its opening and submit it promptly!

[0:53] The application.

Dr. Marinelli is going to provide most of the basics for the application and how to complete it. However, the AMC provides a great instruction manual which pretty much can answer every single question, so please feel free to download that as a guide to this podcast and to accompany you as you complete the AMCAS application.

[3:00] Schools attended

First, you start with high school. Colleges can be a little bit trickier, and some people ask a lot of questions about which colleges they need to include here and which colleges they need to get transcripts from. Basically, any college you have ever taken a course from should be included.

[10:13] Disadvantaged status

This is completely up to you, and if you choose to identify as disadvantaged, it does provide you with some definitions of disadvantaged. If you select yes, then you’re given another 1300 characters or so to talk about why you feel disadvantaged.

[10:40] Coursework

Coursework is definitely a time-consuming section and you want to make sure that you take your time on here and be very meticulous when entering the courses. You have to enter every course that you’ve ever taken; this includes college/university level as well as AP courses.

[13:18] Work and activities

You need to start with classifying your experience type. This is pretty straightforward. If it was shadowing, put it under physician shadowing. If it was research, put it under research or lab. There are some crossovers between different experiences. For example, community service volunteer experience might also be leadership experience.

[19:04] Standardized test

If you’ve taken your MCAT, the MCAT score will show up on there already. You do not need to enter information on your own. If you have an upcoming MCAT test date, you’d enter it on the application so medical schools know if you are intending to take another test.

The full AMCAS instruction manual can be found here: https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/applying-medical-school-process/applying-medical-school-amcas/

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Dr. David Flick hosts this episode to talk about preparing for residency applications. He’ll go over the ERAS timeline, the NRMP timeline, why the match process exists, and how to do well in these areas.

[0:45] Timelines.

ERAS opens around the beginning of June, and the beginning of September is when you can begin to apply. About halfway through September is when those programs receive your application. At the beginning of October, the MSPE is released from your school and goes out to all residency programs. March is when you actually match.

The NRMP system opens near the end of September, and you have from then through November to register. Once you start interviewing, you’ll be able to build a rank-order list. In February, you’ll have to certify your list and it can’t be touched afterwards.

[4:45] The match process.

The NRMP supplies a great video that shows how this process works. The algorithm goes down your rank-order list and tries to pair you with a hospital until it finds a match.

If you don’t match in that algorithm, NRMP has a separate program called the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP). There a video for this process, too.

[9:29] Match week.

It typically occurs in the second or third week of March. The match itself occurs on the Friday of that week.

On the Monday after, you’ll find out if you didn’t match and can then access the SOAP process. You will have access to look at and research the programs, but you cannot contact them directly. You can apply to as many as forty-five and then wait to see if they reach out to you.

If you didn’t match in any of the three rounds of SOAP, you’ll then have access to all the unfilled programs that are left. Here, you are allowed to contact programs directly.

[15:00] How to do well in match and SOAP.

The best way to do well in match is to study the statistics. Your rank-order list must have enough programs on it.

For SOAP, timing is everything. You’ll need to be very proactive, and you’ll want to use all forty-five of those slots. Be available to field phone calls, and make sure to brush up on your interview skills.

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In the second episode about USMLE Step 1 recently changing from a three-digit score to a pass/fail system, Dr, Mehta is joined by Elias Farah. He is a St. George’s University student who is currently in the match process and one of MedSchoolCoach’s master tutors. The two talk about what the USMLE changes mean for international students.

[3:45] How important Step 1 was to Elias.

From the moment he arrived at his university, everything was about Step 1. Elias and his classmates were told that it would dictate their entire medical career, and from there they were very scared about it.

Elias foresees that the importance of Step 2 will increase as well as research. He can see students taking years off to do research to differentiate themselves.

[6:33] How students prepare for Step 2.

For most Caribbean schools, you’ll want to have your Step 2 finished before your residency application is in. Not all residencies require it, but it boosts your chances.

[8:01] What will happen to Step 1 resources. Some companies might be sweating a little bit because if the goal is only to pass, it might not be worth spending money on resources. However, it is possible that the passing score will be raised.

[10:02] Advice for first-year students.

Elias’ advice is to proceed as usual because even though the Step 1 material isn’t necessarily clinically relevant, it’s still the foundation of medicine. Put more focus on the school’s tests; you still have to learn.

[12:57] Practicing for Step 2.

As you’re doing your rotation, learn as much as you can. The people you’re with know what is likely to be tested on. Stay up to date and challenge yourself.

[14:46] Advice for students who will soon be taking Step 1. Don’t change a thing and study as hard as you can. Slacking off is only going to hurt you, and your three-digit score will still be very important. It’s the most important test of your life.

[20:42] Final thoughts This small change is going to have ripple effects across the board that are already starting.

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You may have heard that USMLE Step 1 just changed from a three-digit score to a pass/fail system. This is huge. In this episode, Dr. Mehta and Dr. Flick talk about how this change will affect US-based medical students.

[3:21] What has changed.

The NBME and USMLE introduced three new rules for test takers. The first is that you can only take it four times, down from six. This doesn’t really affect US med school students.

The second change is that USMLE Step 2 can only be taken after passing Step 1.

The biggest change is the third one, which changes the test to a pass/fail scenario.

[4:32] How big a deal Step 1 is.

The USMLE score essentially pre-determines what you’re going to be able to do in medical school. Dr. Flick feels that this decision came down because while students are going to classes, they’re chronically studying for Step 1.

[6:46] Implications for med students applying to match. Right now, nothing changes. Students that plan to take the test in 2022 may find themselves focusing more on Step 2 as it is still a graded test. Because there will be less grades to rank students on, it may create a more cutthroat environment.

[10:36] How to distinguish yourself in 2022. Clinical and non-clinical experience will still be very important. USMLE is hoping that taking the pressure off of Step 1 will allow more time to be spent on research, leadership, and so on. Step 2 can be used to distinguish yourself as well.

[12:36] Names of medical schools becoming more important.

Dr. Mehta is a little bit worried that this change will mean that getting into just any med school in the United States isn’t good enough. Name recognition might become more prevalent.

[16:04] Final words of advice.

USMLE will post more information as the change gets closer. This change is a good reminder to back up and take some perspective of their medical education. It’s not just about Step 1. Try reading your personal statement once a year to remind yourself why you’re getting into this profession.

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Join Drs. Marinelli and Weintrub as they discuss plastic surgery, and what this dynamic and unique specialty entails!

[1:07] How Dr. Weintrub became interested in plastic surgery.

He was working in an emergency room on a rotation, and there was a lot of trauma going on. Dr. Weintrub had the opportunity to do some lighter reconstructions which piqued his interest.

[2:25] The path through plastic surgery.

Since 2015, there are two different pathways. The new and preferred pathway in a six-year training program at one institution. Alternatively, it’s possible to train in general surgery first like Dr. Weintrub did.

[4:00] Dr. Weintrub’s scope of plastic surgery.

Plastic surgery is a large field which encompasses a lot more than just cosmetic surgery. Dr. Weintrub specializes in reconstructive work and has performed this type of work on many veterans.

[6:40] Microsurgery.

This is done by using a microscope to better see the structures that the surgeon is operating on. It consists of operating on blood vessels, veins, and nerves. It’s done very reliably, with a success rate over 98%.

[8:11] How plastic surgery has changed.

Plastic surgeons are generally at the forefront of using new technology, which makes the field very dynamic. Would healing and scarring are the sources of much innovation.

[10:09] Recommendations for those interested in plastic surgery.

The most important advice is to try it. Take clinical rotations where you are exposed to plastic surgery and what it entails. A lot of people are misled about plastic surgery by the media, but it’s a lot different when you’re working in it.

[11:22] The type of applicant Dr. Weintrub was looking for while on a plastic surgery admissions committee.

The top students tend to apply because plastic surgery is so competitive. They have excellent academic records, high scores on step one, and excellent recommendations. The best candidates have also done significant research. Doing clerkships at an institution that interests you is also very important.

[14:05] How to get rotations if plastic surgery is not part of your core clerkship.

Talk to the plastic surgeons at your school to see if there are opportunities to shadow them. You can also reach out to private practices to see if opportunities are available.

[15:32] Conclusion.

Plastic surgery is an incredibly broad and interesting field. It’s super competitive, and the earlier you make your decision to pursue it, the better.

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Join Dr. Marinelli as she helps answer the daunting question of a medical school reapplication, and what first steps you should take if you are planning on reapplying!

[1:19] Think about if you need to reapply.

If you’ve applied for schools and have heard back from most of them already, all denying you, there’s not a good chance that you’ll get into any of the remaining ones.

[2:54] Be introspective about your desire to be a physician.

Some of you will say that this is absolutely the right path for you, while others will think twice about becoming a physician.

[3:31] Consider if your GPA and MCAT scores are high enough.

The last application cycle had an average MCAT of 511 and an average GPA of 3.7 for matriculants. If you have competitive scores but are only applying to not so competitive schools, that may hold you back as well.

[5:16] Think about your extra curricular activities.

Any area that you don’t have a lot of experience in can hold you back.

[6:10] When did you apply?

If you have heard from schools, haven’t gotten accepted, and submitted your application late, take that as a sign to be more diligent next year.

[7:37] Think about your letters of recommendation.

It’s hard to know if you got a bad letter of recommendation if you didn’t read it, but you’ll have to think really hard about them.

[9:53] Look at your school list.

Did you apply to a good enough volume of schools?

[10:53] Secondary applications.

Did you actually put some effort into these? Did you represent good qualities and show your interest in that particular school? If you have to reapply, start on these early.

[11:38] Interviews.

If you got denied after interviews, think about how you performed. Multiple denials mean you need to improve your interview skills.

[12:06] Consider having somebody with experience look at your application.

It’s often hard to self-critique certain aspects of your application, but another person can do this objectively.

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Dr. Adrian Diaz is one of our newer advisors at MedSchoolCoach and a general surgery resident at Ohio State University. He joins us today to chat about general surgery, including how he got into it and advice for anyone considering getting into this field.

[1:29] How Dr. Diaz’s path to general surgery got started.

Dr. Diaz traveled abroad with the Navy on a humanitarian mission trip in South America as a Spanish translator. He was often asked to translate in the perioperative area, and this made everything click; it changed his entire perspective of why he was going to medical school. Dr. Diaz then knew he would be a surgeon.

[5:13] Fulfilling the interests of surgery and global health.

One of the most important pieces of advice that Dr. Diaz got early on in medical school was that you need to have a team of mentors that can fulfill all your needs. For him, that meant having diverse surgeons as mentors who could provide him with different perspectives, as well as mentors who were doing important things globally.

[7:21] What to do if you’re interested in surgery.

It’s really important to get to know yourself. What kind of life do you want to have? Medicine is an all-encompassing career that will take up a large part of your time. One of the things that drive students away from general surgery is that most clerkships are very academic.

[13:32] What the residency is like.

Surgery residency can be very difficult, but that’s not unique to this field. General surgery residency is usually at least five years which is a common amount of time for many areas.

The first year or two is usually not very surgical; you’re learning to manage patients and other things that every intern is doing. As you move through residency, you will participate more and more actively in surgeries. There’s a new requirement that you must log 250 cases by the end of your second year. By your fifth year, you’ll be in more of a teaching role.

[17:03] How Dr. Diaz found his surgical niche.

As a third-year medical student on his surgery clerkship, Dr. Diaz spent a month in the surgical oncology service. The patients greatly resonated with him. To him, being able to see a patient after operation who is no longer suffering from their ailment is what surgery is all about. Therefore, he is quite certain that he wants to stay involved with surgical oncology.

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Each year, applicants are surprised to learn about they many medical schools require that they take the CASPer exam. Get ahead of the curve and learn about the exam, and what you need to do to prepare for it!

[0:51] What is the CASPer exam?

It stands for Computer-based Assessment for Sampling Personal characteristics. It has twelve sections where you are given a short video or statement that you are required to answer.

Click here for a list of schools which utilize CASPer.

[4:43] When should I take this test?

When you receive an email from a school, look closely to see if there is a deadline. Most will not provide this information, but you can consider this as part of the secondary application process. You need to complete it for your application to move forward.

[5:21] How can you prepare?

The key here is practice, practice, practice. Read lots of scenarios and use all available CASPer test material to test yourself.

[6:26] Sample scenario.

“Describe a time when you had to deal with conflict and how you coped with it.”
You should pick a significant conflict that you handled positively.
“How might you handle a similar situation differently?”
You can look back and think about if there was an even better way to solve this conflict.

3.“What would be your strategy if you were faced with a conflict that was extremely difficult to resolve?”

They are looking for your problem-solving skills and compassion.

[10:52] One more sample scenario.

This is a video that shows you’re a cashier. A woman comes in to return a stuffed animal that she bought, but she doesn’t have a receipt. You offer store credit, but the woman refuses and says she absolutely needs the cash. You look to another employee who is wondering what to do.

“What do you tell the other employee; to give store credit or to give a refund?”
The best answer is to abide by store policy.
“Suppose you advise the newer employee not to give the refund, but she does anyway. Do you report this to your supervisor? Why or why not?”
This is a really common type of question. The best answer is to do something about it.
“If you were asked to establish a policy for a new store around refunds, what aspects would you take into consideration?”
This is testing your decision-making abilities. You can say that you’d look at past data to come up with solutions.

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The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) is one of the most important exams you will ever take. It is a critical part of your application to medical school and a significant determinant of your future success. Join Dr. Marinelli and MCAT expert Ken Tao as they introduce you to the MCAT and what you should be thinking about in preparing to master this exam!

[0:49] An overview of the MCAT.

Pre-medical students that want to attend the majority of medical schools in the United States and Canada will have to take this exam.

The exam has four sections: Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems; Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS); Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems; and Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior. The three science sections are 95 minutes each, and the CARS section is 90 minutes.

Up until 2015, the scoring scale was between 1 and 15. The new system is still a 15-point scale, but it is now between 118 and 132. Right in the middle at 125 is the average score for each section.

[4:43] How long to study for the MCAT.

It often depends of the student’s specific situation, such as when they will take the MCAT. For the typical student, about 300 hours of studying is required. This can be compressed into summer or spread throughout the entire semester.

[8:11] The score to aim for.

Scoring the average, 500, would make it quite difficult to get into medical school. It’s not impossible, but it’s not considered a competitive score. The competitive MCAT score continues to rise each year, and in 2017-2018 the average score for matriculants was just over 510.

[10:38] The best route for studying.

The common ways are self-study, taking a test prep course, or looking for a private tutor. Regardless of which path you take, there are three things that Ken recommends all students do if they want to succeed. They are content review, practice questions/passages/tests, and creating an actual plan to improve their scores. Don’t just use practice questions to judge what you know; find out why you got certain ones wrong.

[16:45] Last thoughts.

Thank about the timing of your schedule early and really make sure you have dedicated time you can spend on MCAT studying.

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How many hours of extracurricular activities do you need to be a competitive applicant to medical school? After working with hundreds of students, Dr. Renee Marinelli knows that there isn’t one specific amount that works for everyone. As explained in this episode, it’s all about quality over quantity.

[1:43] What we know.

Most pre-medical students will have several different categories of extracurricular activates, and it’s understood that admissions committees expect you to have a few of these to be competitive. You should have research, physician shadowing, a clinical activity, community service, and a leadership activity.

[2:33] MSAR data.

Looking at The John Hopkins University School of Medicine, 97% of their matriculants had research, 90% had medical work, 84% had physician shadowing, and 83% had community service. As you can see, most successful applicants have these experiences.

[4:39] Community service.

At a minimum, the University of Utah expected thirty-six hours of community service to be completed, and an average of one hundred hours within the last four years. Dr. Marinelli thinks that this number is quite low, so she recommends getting involved in an activity early on that you can continue for several years.

[7:16] Leadership.

The University of Utah says that applicants should have one leadership experience at minimum within the last four years, and an average of three. Dr. Marinelli finds three to be a difficult number to hit, but again, it’s all about quality.

[9:05] Research.

At a minimum, the University of Utah says you should have some research experience where you were part of a class and tested a hypothesis. On average, their applicants will have a hypothesis-based research project that is supervised by a PhD or someone with research credentials. This is pretty typical of what Dr. Marinelli sees.

[11:52] Physician shadowing.

The minimum from the University of Utah is eight hours, and the average is twenty-four hours. Dr. Marinelli usually sees somewhere between fifty to one hundred hours, which she believes is sufficient.

[13:05] Clinical experience.

The University of Utah says that the minimum is thirty-two hours and the average is forty-eight. This is a little low; Dr. Marinelli thinks most applicants will have over two hundred hours.

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The medical school personal statement can be daunting, but it is a huge part of your application! Dr. Marinelli breaks the essay down so that you can learn how to craft a compelling and unique personal statement!

[2:30] When to start writing your personal statement.

You don’t want to write it too early, such as when you’re a freshman in college. Wait until you’ve done a lot of extra curricular activities and leadership experiences in order to provide some commentary on them. If you’re applying in June, December is a good time to start writing. The latest time you should start is in April.

[4:09] The introduction.

Most people have written plenty of five-paragraph essays in high school, and Dr. Marinelli suggests the same format: an introduction paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph. The introduction paragraph needs to be used to catch the committee’s attention and make them want to continue reading. To do this, Dr. Marinelli advises writing an anecdote in the introduction before getting into a thesis statement. You should avoid clichés, such as “I always loved science and working with people.” Even if they’re true, admissions committees won’t get excited about these.

[9:19] The body.

Dr. Marinelli recommends talking about who you are as a person. What is it about you that makes you unique? Tell your own story to the admissions committee. Don’t just repeat what you’ve already said in the activities area of your application. Continue with the theme you established in the introduction and relate it back to you as a person.

[12:35] The conclusion.

Bring the statement back to why you want to become a physician. Everybody’s will be different, but you should at least touch on this desire. You should also summarize and then have a conclusion statement about how you’re sure pursuing medicine is the right path for you. Also, it’s okay for the conclusion paragraph to be only a few sentences.

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The interview is a crucial part of the medical school application process and preparation is essential! Join Dr. Marinelli as she covers the basics for the medical school interview and what you need to know!

[0:59] Getting the invite.

It’s important to respond to the interview invite immediately. It’s also important to agree to interview on one of the dates that have been offered to you. Dr. Marinelli doesn’t recommend asking for an alternative date unless there are very extenuating circumstances.

[2:26] Figuring out what the interview day is like at that school.

There are two types of interviews: traditional and multiple mini interview (MMI). About 50% of med schools use MMI, and the other 50% use traditional or a combination of both.

A traditional interview typically consists of an interview with a faculty member and then an interview with a current student.

An MMI interview typically consists of six-to-ten stations where you are given a short prompt that begins a scenario. They usually revolve around some sort of ethical situation or dilemma.

[7:44] Following the interview.

Within a few days of going home, Dr. Marinelli recommends sending thank you letters to the interviewers if you had a traditional interview. For MMI, you can send a general thank you letter to the admissions committee. In both cases, you should express your desire to attend their medical school.

Interviews can be nerve-wracking, but they are also an exciting part of the med school journey. Remember that when you get offered an interview, the medical school already likes you on paper.

Prospective Doctor (from MedSchoolCoach): Recent Episodes

Erkeda DeRouen, MD