Month: November 2019
Making It Work
By Joy Alvarado It’s not on everyone’s mind as they contemplate going into a surgical residency, but it was on my mind: Could I handle the physical challenges of this new diagnosis under the ergonomic pressures of being a surgeon? How would my coworkers perceive me when they find out about my new diagnosis? Will they become angry when I take time off to heal? Would they think it irresponsible that during my general surgery residency … I chose to become pregnant? As an older-than-average female medical student who desires children one day, these questions are very important as I contemplate my future in medicine. On the one hand, there are my imagined challenges to being pregnant during general surgery training that are associated with the condition itself: the extra exhaustion I’ll feel while carrying an extra 20 pounds during long cases, the inability to run to the bathroom when...
The A-Ha Moment
By Alyssa Brown It started snowing this weekend, and it is the first snow of the year. I was staring out the window dreading the next six months of winter. I was also trying to think of something to write this piece on. I’ve covered patients’ deaths, prosciutto, and watching match day. Usually, I have something smoldering in the back of my mind that I want to write, but this time, I had nothing. It finally hit me as I was watching the snow falling. As I watched the snow tumble and swirl past my desk, I flashed back to a time during third year when I was standing outside at 5am watching the snow fall. I am sitting 647 miles and almost two years from that time and place now. It was a moment that shouldn’t have been that important in the grand scheme of things, but it was...
Bad Mentors
By Carolina Torres Perez-Iglesias Throughout our lives we meet amazing people that connect with us in meaningful, unexpected ways. They are able to transform our previous ideas into new and exciting aspirations. Medical school and residency are certainly no exception to this, especially in an era when comprehensive feedback is encouraged and sometimes even mandated. We aim for valid and well-reasoned opinions that allow us to continue improving and bring us closer to our goals. Yet we don’t always find this. Frequently, we encounter a different kind of mentor. The kind who miserably fails to empathize with our beliefs and tries to force their perspectives into our plans, leaving us feeling frustrated and confused. However, it is through these experiences that we can also learn how to acknowledge negative perceptions and use these to reshape our confidence. This is why we need the bad mentors. By the time I completed...
SUCCESSFUL GRANT APPLICATION WRITING II
By Luz Maria Rodríguez This is the Part II of the Grant Writing series published on Jan 14, 2019. Funding for research grants is made available by various institutions to help research efforts made by individuals, universities and other groups. Research can encompass many subjects such as literature, basic and social sciences & technology. To succeed, the physician-scientist needs to think about diversification and flexibility in their interests, developing multidisciplinary and multi-institutional projects. As a result, he or she can therefore engage a broader base of stakeholders that includes patients, colleagues or other populations of interest in another country or continent. Research funding comes from three major sources – Government (via agencies, universities, institutions), Corporations such as subspecialty societyand Private foundations given directly to the individual or via institutional funds. The key to obtaining any funding, no matter what the source, is a well-formulated grant proposal. A review of opportunities...
My First AWS Meeting
By Kristin Rojas Annual medical conferences are not only an opportunity to stay up-to-date with developments in your prospective field, but also a convenient way to catch up with inspirational friends and colleagues. The Association of Women Surgeons (AWS) Meeting in San Francisco this past weekend was no exception. With a theme of “Sculpting our Future”, it was full of sessions led by dynamic, inspirational women in surgery sharing personal experiences and insightful career mentorship. There were a wide range of attendees: from established faculty and past Presidents of the American College of Surgeons to fellows, residents, medical school and even high school students. The day began with inspirational words by AWS President Dr. Sharon Stein, followed by Dr. Carla Pugh, who shared her own journey sculpting her brand. She encouraged us to listen to those that introduce you, even if the introduction is incorrect, as your brand is what...