This column has been focused on providing clinical snapshots while exploring the factors that affect specialty choice for medical students. Some of these factors are universal, but so much is largely person-dependent—i.e., whatever is most important to the individual will be what ultimately makes the decision for him or her. ... Read more
Brent Schnipke
Updated June 26, 2022 by Brent Schnipke
Perhaps no single aspect of medicine is more visible to the public, especially in stories, film, and television, than the emergency department. Scenes of a crowded room, patients on the verge of death needing major ... Read more
Brent Schnipke
Updated March 10, 2025 by Brent Schnipke
Last month I wrote about the process of applying for residency, and noted how this process, albeit late in medical school, can be an important component of a medical student’s decision to pursue a certain ... Read more
Brent Schnipke
Updated June 26, 2022 by Brent Schnipke
Last month I wrote about the early part of 4th year as a kind of second-look for medical students – an occasion for confirming specialty choice, or perhaps changing one’s mind altogether. For me, it ... Read more
Brent Schnipke
Updated June 26, 2022 by Brent Schnipke
By Brent Schnipke As I have spoken with physicians, residents, and other medical students about the process of choosing a medical specialty, the near-universal reply has something to do with the fact that third-year rotations ... Read more
Brent Schnipke
Updated June 26, 2022 by Brent Schnipke
By Brent Schnipke If the average reader is asked to imagine a typical medical student, he or she might picture the following scene: a group of frazzled young people in short white coats, scurrying around ... Read more
Brent Schnipke
Updated February 28, 2019 by Brent Schnipke
In my last article, I wrote about my perspective on the third year of medical school and how it has evolved over the course of this year. Medical education is unfortunately sparse with free time, ... Read more
Brent Schnipke
Updated June 26, 2022 by Brent Schnipke
Central to the skillset of every physician is the differential diagnosis; this is the process by which new patients are evaluated to establish the most likely diagnosis. Similarly, the first clinical year of medical school is like ... Read more
Brent Schnipke
Updated February 28, 2019 by Brent Schnipke
Central to the skillset of every physician is the differential diagnosis; this is the process by which new patients are evaluated to establish the most likely diagnosis. Similarly, the first clinical year of medical school ... Read more
Brent Schnipke
Updated February 28, 2019 by Brent Schnipke
This column has focused on the process faced by every medical student, especially third-years: learning the basics of clinical medicine while trying to choose which specialty is for them. This is not an easy task, ... Read more
Brent Schnipke
Updated June 26, 2022 by Brent Schnipke
Central to the skillset of every physician is the differential diagnosis; this is the process by which new patients are evaluated to establish the most likely diagnosis. Similarly, the first clinical year of medical school ... Read more
Brent Schnipke
Updated February 28, 2019 by Brent Schnipke
By Brent Schnipke Central to the skillset of every physician is the differential diagnosis; this is the process by which new patients are evaluated to establish the most likely diagnosis. Similarly, the first clinical year ... Read more
Brent Schnipke
Updated June 26, 2022 by Brent Schnipke
Central to the skillset of every physician is the differential diagnosis; this is the process by which new patients are evaluated to establish the most likely diagnosis. Similarly, the first clinical year of medical school ... Read more
Brent Schnipke
Updated June 26, 2022 by Brent Schnipke
Central to the skillset of every physician is the differential diagnosis; this is the process by which new patients are evaluated to establish the most likely diagnosis. Similarly, the first clinical year of medical school ... Read more
Brent Schnipke
Updated June 26, 2022 by Brent Schnipke
Central to the skillset of every physician is the differential diagnosis; this is the process by which new patients are evaluated to establish the most likely diagnosis. Similarly, the first clinical year of medical school ... Read more
Brent Schnipke
Updated February 28, 2019 by Brent Schnipke
Central to the skillset of every physician is the differential diagnosis; this is the process by which new patients are evaluated to establish the most likely diagnosis. Similarly, the first clinical year of medical school is like ... Read more
Brent Schnipke
Updated June 26, 2022 by Brent Schnipke
Central to the skillset of every physician is the differential diagnosis. This is a list of possible diagnoses that helps guide clinical decision-making. By asking specific questions, performing a focused physical exam, and ordering lab tests, ... Read more
Brent Schnipke
Updated June 26, 2022 by Brent Schnipke