Medical

Learn about medicine and how to become a physician in our articles for pre-medical students (including the MCAT), medical students, resident physicians, and practicing physicians.

The Dual Path: What to consider when considering an MD-PhD

by

“When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” – Yogi Berra
I was sitting in the back of a filled auditorium listening to a presentation about the medical school application process when I heard the question that would forever change my life’s trajectory. “What about MD-PhD programs?” a woman sitting somewhere down in front asked. That was the first time I had heard of the dual degree program. Having struggled to decide on my career path, this seemed like the best of all worlds: I could get an MD and a PhD.

Read more

20 Questions: Marc F. Stern, MD, MPH, FACP, Correctional Health Care

by

Marc F. Stern, MD, MPH, FACP, is a correctional health care consultant in private practice. He received a bachelor’s degree in biology from University at Albany (1975), and started his medical studies at Universitélibre de Bruxelles, facultéde Médecine in Brussels, Belgium, and transferred to University at Buffalo School of Medicine where he received his MD (1982). He completed a one-year residency in internal medicine at University at Buffalo Affiliated Hospitals (1985), and a VA/NIH fellowship in primary care medicine and health services research at Regenstrief Institute in Indiana and Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Administration Medical Center (1992). Dr. Stern received his MPH from Indiana University School of Public Health in Bloomington (1992).

Read more

9 Things to Do Before Applying to Medical School

by

Think about including these steps in your path to medical school:
1. Work or volunteer in the medical field. Working or volunteering in a health care-related environment or organization will not only enhance your medical school application, it will benefit you. It’s a chance to see if you enjoy working in the health or medical field, network with like-minded peers, take on increased responsibility and leadership roles, and build your resume.
Consider internships and research opportunities at health care facilities or research institutions in your local community. Shadowing a doctor or health professional is another good way to find out if a career in medicine is right for you. Research and leadership positions on campus are also a great way to build your application and test out this career path.
Get Medical Experience

Read more

Three Tips to be an All Star First Year Medical Student

by

1. You need to view the process of learning differently. One of the biggest challenges to starting medical school is the paradigm shift that must occur from your studies as an undergraduate student. Though many of you may not go directly to medical school from undergrad – the average age of matriculating medical students is around 24 – you may still be holding onto your study habits from your college days.

Read more

How to Not Get Into Medical School

by

As an undergraduate student, I wanted to know how to get into medical school, and I wanted it straight from the source: the medical students. I figured that because they got in, they must have it figured out.
Then I got accepted into medical school and realized the truth. While there are some real lessons to learn to be more successful, medical school admissions can be a pretty arbitrary process. It’s actually more of a crap shoot than you would like to think. I gave myself less than a 1% chance of getting in to my current school, yet here I am. My state school, where I considered myself very competitive (higher than average stats, etc) didn’t even put me on their waitlist. Why? No clue.

Read more

20 Questions: Ross D. Zafonte, DO, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

by

Ross D. Zafonte, DO, is Earle P. and Ida S. Charlton professor and chairman of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. He also serves as chief of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Massachusetts General Hospital, as well as vice president of medical affairs research and education at Spaulding Rehabilitation Network. Zafonte received his bachelor’s degree in psychology and biochemistry from University of Georgia (1981) and his DO from Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine (1985). He completed a one-year internship at Henry Ford Bi-County Hospital, followed by a residency in rehabilitation medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he was also chief resident. Dr. Zafonte was a program fellow in research enrichment at the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation.
Dr. Zafonte has been on faculty at Thomas Jefferson University, University of Missouri, Wayne State University, and University of Pittsburgh. He has published extensively, authoring more than 250 peer review journal articles, abstracts and book chapters. His work can be found in Brain Imaging and Behavior, Critical Care Medicine, Journal of Burn Care & Research, Journal of the American Medical Association, PM&R, Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, and Movement Disorders. Dr. Zafonte serves on the Board of Governors for the International Brain Injury Association, as well as the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine.

Read more

Post Undergrad: Getting Ready for Medical School or a Gap Year

by

For many students interested in a career in medicine, the period after the final year of undergraduate education represents a time of transition to medical school or to furthering their experiences and their education in preparation for applying to medical school. This month’s article from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) focuses on those two pathways.

Read more

A Call For Compassionate Doctors

by
compassionate doctors

Remember—actions speak louder than words, kindness counts

By Mary Calhoun

I had been terribly sick for three months before finally going to the doctor. It felt as though I had the flu and just couldn’t shake it. The doctor did the necessary tests and told me he thought I had lupus. Since one of his patients had just died from the disease, he wanted me to see another doctor; he could not have picked a better one.

The rheumatologist I saw a week later did a ton of lab work on me, but not before asking a boat load of questions and attentively recording every word. I noticed the concern in his voice and wondered if I should be worried. When I returned a week later, the doctor walked in with solutions to how we would kick the monster.

Read more

Emergency Medicine: Can a Sizzling Hot Specialty Burn You to a Crisp?

by
Emergency physicians experience burnout at a rate of more than three times that of the average doctor and more than anyone else inside or outside of the medical field, according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (1). The study surveyed over 7000 physicians in more than two dozen specialties and compared them with almost 3500 working adults in fields outside of medicine. More than 65% of emergency physicians reported burnout, compared to 55% of internists (the next crispiest specialty), and 27.8% of the general population.

Read more

MCAT® Exam Registration: 10 Tips from the Experts

by

In just a few short weeks, registration for the June 2014 through January 2015 MCAT exam dates will open. We understand that registration can seem overwhelming! While we can’t promise that you won’t experience any wait time during registration, we do have some tips to help you BEFORE you even login to the registration system to make things a little easier and quicker.

Read more

Academic Medicine? No way! (But are you so sure?)

by

The doctor business is win-win: doctor wins, patient wins. In sharp contrast, the legal profession is a win-lose dichotomy. That is one reason why we choose medicine. It is a huge difference in psychology that gets into our very bones. Becoming a doctor is a highly noble pursuit. Being a doctor is fun, exciting, worthwhile, productive and assuredly positive. Doctors create wealth in the world by increasing the ability of people to pursue their happiness. What in the physical realm could be more worthwhile than that?
But medicine can be an all-consuming life choice. Before embarking on it, ask yourself if you can tolerate sacrificing a large percentage of everything else you enjoy to do, and everyone you like to be with, for a long time. The job is great. No doubt about it. But don’t naively minimize the sacrifices. Is it worth the sacrifice? Don’t let anyone other than you decide that.

Read more

The Seven Habits of Highly Successful Medical Students

by

Congratulations! You’ve made it through O Chem, survived your MCAT, traipsed around the country to every interview you could fit in your budget, and received that elusive acceptance email. Once you take a moment to celebrate, you will realize that the real challenge lies ahead. Medical school serves as the launch pad to your career and excelling there can open the door to opportunities. Whether you want a career in academics or private practice, psychiatry or radiology or orthopedic surgery, doing well in medical school is critical to getting into the residency that will get you there. But how do you “do well”? “Study hard and do well in your clinical years” was advice I heard a lot, but hardly pointed the way to success. Now, as a fourth year medical student, I realize there are certain key habits of the successful medical student. I wish I could claim all the habits for myself – rather, they are an amalgam of what I’ve learned and what I’ve observed in others. They can help lay the foundation to your successful future.

Read more

Judgment in Medicine

by

“Only God can judge me.” Tupac Shakur rapped these famous lyrics in his All Eyez on Me Album in 1996. Although this song stands far removed from the field of medicine, the statement “only God can judge me” is a reflection of one of our modern culture’s values: we simply do not like being judged.
This truth seems to resonate particularly in clinics and hospitals throughout the US. Physicians see patients of all different colors, shapes, and sizes and many of these patients enter into clinics with emotional wounds inflicted from previous physicians’ lack of judgmental tact. These patients have been negatively looked upon because of their skin color, weight, gender and countless other reasons resulting in an understandable defensiveness towards any medical professional. In addition, a fair number of patients, myself included, while not completely jaded, have had significant negative experiences with doctors. One of the most dangerous pathologies identified in a doctor’s office, ironically has nothing to do with actual “medicine”. What hurts the most is diagnosing the prejudice influencing our physicians’ health care.

Read more

5 Tips for Your Medical School Interview: Advice from a Recent Admit

by

Think of the medical school interview as a giant, modern dating ritual. Your AMCAS application and secondary essay were the first two online dates, and now you have agreed to meet each other in person. The admissions committee already has a rough skeleton of the greatest hits of your adult life, and they have decided that they really like you. However, before they will extend a proposal, they need to meet you in person, and they are willing to spend enormous amounts of their time and your money to arrange this meeting. What your interviewer writes about you for the admissions committee will either make your application come alive, remain flat on the paper, or tragically fail.

Read more

Medical School Interviews: 6 Common Mistakes That Admissions Officers Hate

by

Medical school interviews come in all different shapes and sizes. Some schools interview one-on-one, some have multiple interviewers, some have multiple-mini-interviews (MMI). Some schools use students, others use faculty, and some use alumni.

Read more