by Alison Hayward, MD
SDN Staff Writer

Are you suffering from roundsitis? Hypercaffeinemia? Overnight call adjustment disorder? Scutworkophobia? My friend, there is hope. I strongly advise you to look into the specialty of emergency medicine – in which the medicine you practice is practical, your time is spent saving lives rather than writing notes, and you miraculously find yourself at home at the end of every workday, wondering how you got to be so lucky.

In emergency medicine, as in all specialties, there are rough days and difficult patients, and you will still end up cursing our broken healthcare system as you struggle to get paid for what you do. Read the full story

by Alison Hayward, MD
SDN Staff Writer

The international elective, whether done in the summer after first year or in an elective block during fourth year, has become a virtual staple of medical school. The rising number of medical students who participate in such experiences reflects an increased awareness amongst medical students of global health issues such as access to health care for under served populations.

Many students spend long hours researching such opportunities, since so many diverse types of experiences exist worldwide. Choosing one of these opportunities can be a daunting process, particularly for students with a newly minted interest in global health who are trying to find a meaningful first experience. Read the full story

by Elizabeth Losada
SDN Staff Writer

For many medical students the family medicine clerkship is one of the more enjoyable rotations of third year. Regardless of your intended specialty, the rotation offers the opportunity to work in the outpatient environment. Since there is no overnight call or required weekend duty on the rotation, there is ample time for reading about the bread-and-butter cases in medicine, pediatrics, and obstetrics that make up the core of the clerkship.

Family Medicine can also appear daunting because of its wide scope of practice. For those students completing this clerkship early in their third year – before they have been exposed to some of the other core specialties – seeing pregnant patients, small children, or chronically-ill patients can be intimidating. Read the full story

by Alison Hayward, MD

Nearly every medical student, at some point during training, will have a negative encounter with someone higher up on the ladder. One of the most difficult aspects of medical school is the vulnerability of medical students to criticism or disciplinary action due to these types of encounters. These situations can lead to the most dreaded of outcomes – a negative comment in your dean’s letter or file.

Your skills in interacting with others will be put to the test not only with patients, but also with physicians and support staff.  Oftentimes, a perceived offense to the ancillary personnel can be particularly damning, because physicians often have close relationships with these staff members.

This can also work in your favor: getting in the good graces of the rest of the staff can help secure a favorable impression on your supervisors. Remember, some attendings may be quite removed from your daily activities as a medical student. If this is the case, they may count on secondhand reports from other staff members as part of your evaluation. Read the full story