career development
Optimizing Your 3rd and 4th Years of Medical School: Resources for Networking, Mentorships, and Continuing Research
By Kayla Martinez, MS4 Approaching the final years of medical school is a paradox of fulfillment and stress. While students eagerly anticipate the conclusion of their academic journey, the looming task of applying for residency introduces a new layer of reality and pressure. Third and fourth years of medical school are opportunities to further your career by networking, finding mentors, and continuing research. Drawing from my experience as a current general surgery applicant, I have curated valuable resources that I believe can greatly assist prospective applicants navigating the uncertainties of what steps to take next. Networking: Networking provides access to various opportunities, such as research collaborations, clinical experiences, and mentorship. Building a network allows medical students to connect with professionals who can offer valuable insights and guidance. Attempt to make strong connections with residents and attendings in your specialty of choice. For example, if you connect or bond with a...
Beating Burnout: Tips
By Dra. Elizabeth Perazza Valentin, FACS Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication- Leonardo Da Vinci Greetings esteemed colleagues: Surgeons have long experienced a culture of silence when it comes to their personal pain. We have a reputation as stoic, determined, and driven. What can we do to prevent burnout and more importantly if we have suffered it what do we do to recover? How do we heal? In a field where we dedicate ourselves to caring for others, it's easy to overlook our own needs. Over the next few moments, I invite you to explore a series of transformative tips designed not only to manage burnout but to invigorate our commitment to exceptional patient care and personal fulfillment. Let's embark on this journey together, discovering how we can cultivate resilience, restore balance and ultimately enhance the quality of both our professional lives. Welcome to our discussion that I believe will resonate...
Fear of Applying or Fear of Rejection: Finding The Courage to Apply to New Opportunities: Part 2
By Denise Nemeth Rejection, once an unwelcome guest, has transformed into a catalyst for growth and redirection in my career. While my initial reaction to rejection was reluctance, I now am incredibly grateful for the role rejection has played in shaping my professional journey. I have evolved to not only make peace with it but actively seek and advocate for it among others. Growing up under the influence of my brilliant mother, who consistently expected nothing but the best from me, I naturally became an overachiever, albeit sometimes to my own detriment. As a child, I constantly strove to be at the top of my class and even school, including upperclassmen. Truthfully, I never struggled with academics, but I was not one to not put in the work. As my mother would say, it was my “only job”. And so, when the time to perform well in college came, I...
Fear of Applying or Fear of Rejection: Finding The Courage to Apply to New Opportunities: Part 1
By Morgan Hopp Applications for on-campus opportunities, national opportunities, tuition scholarships, travel stipends, research, the list of applications goes on and on. As a medical student, the opportunities sound wonderful and important for matching into the right residency program, but there is limited time to take advantage of all the opportunities, even if you are selected for them. After a few rejections, it becomes overwhelming just to figure out if you are a reasonable candidate and should put the effort in to apply. It is overwhelming to ask your mentor to submit another letter for an opportunity you are applying for…especially when the last few were straight rejections. Then, you might hit a spiral - one I wish I was not as familiar with - if none of these applications turn into opportunities. Without any of these amazing opportunities, will I have a chance in the match, let alone match...
Navigating Medical School, Residency and the Wild World of Medical Networking.
By Charoo Piplani Remember the days when the medical journey seemed like a straightforward path of applications and interviews? Ha! In retrospect, however, it was never nearly as straightforward as it appeared. We have always needed our networks or people with whom we built connections on our journey. Remember the high school teacher who wrote you that letter of recommendation, or the attending who made that phone call, or even your peers who were kind enough to introduce you to another superior at a new institution? They were all very much a part of networking. Networking in healthcare has traditionally revolved around in-person collaborations, mentorship, and shared research interests—amidst those awkward elevator rides with experts in the field. However, in the era of virtual connections, platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter have emerged as powerful gateways. Who knew that these platforms weren't just for memes and job postings? And thankfully so,...
Heels of Steel, Hands of a Healer, Heart of a Mother
By Dr. Smruti K Patel 7:30 am. 15 blade. Incision. Bovie. Bipolar. Number one Penfield. Drill. Irrigation. Suction. Bipolar. 11 blade. 7 suction. Bipolar. The words, the commands, they are automatic. The muscle memory of opening, turning a craniotomy, hemostasis, irrigation, closing - it is all automatic. From start to finish, before every surgery, I am prepared. I have played this out in my mind. What I need, what I want, what the anatomy is supposed to look like, what I’m supposed to do if something untoward happens, what all the possibilities are. These are what neurosurgeons’ dreams are made of. These are what our nightmares are made of. Some may say it is unhealthy. I say - for some of us, the night before surgery is the when I can close my eyes and see what I need my hands to do tomorrow. 3:30 am - I hear the...
From Barbies to Blades: Reflections on a Barbie Society
By: Shannon Small “Mommy, so does Barbie have a vagina now?” My 3.5-year-old daughter has been excited to see the Barbie movie since we saw the first preview last summer. So when it came out, we both dressed in our Barbie best and went to see what I can only describe as a tragically accurate depiction of the life of women in this country both as my inner child dreamt of, and as my 42 year old grown self now inhabits. My daughter saw everything I could have wished for- Barbies as scientists, doctors, writers, Supreme Court Justices, and her personal favorite, (especially as a little brown skinned girl), President. She gasped in righteous indignation as Ken took over Barbie’s dream house “that is BARBIE’S house- he needs to LEAVE Mommy!”, and applauded when Barbie rebuked an advance from Ken “no one should touch you without permission!”. Her excitement at...
How to make the best of your surgery rotation during your 3rd year of medical school
By Anna Sabu Kurian Third year of medical school is one of the most important and interesting times because it helps you find your specialty of choice in medicine. The world of surgery might seem intimidating as a medical student, but there is enough room for everyone to learn and make the most out of the clinical rotation. The clerkship duties include daily rounds, operating room experience and clinics. Here are a few suggestions for the optimal third year experience in the operating room Read about the specific surgical procedures the night before they are scheduled. Make sure to review the anatomy; and vasculature of different structures involved. The surgery textbook by Dr. Virgilio is a good resource. Practice suturing, one hand ties (make sure that you know how to do them with either of your hands), two hand ties and instrument ties. Reference below for a video tutorial https://www.youtube.com/@dr.omedary8170...
Medical Student Mental Health and Wellbeing
By Karla Arana As a fourth year medical student going through the residency application process, I have been told that residency only gets harder, with increased responsibility and longer hours. Especially as a student applying to general surgery, many have warned me that the idea of work-life balance is not applicable to the field. Through conversations with residents and fellow medical students, I have noted that many find the clinical years to be the most mentally taxing. Between studying for step exams, studying for shelf exams, and constantly being evaluated by different teams on rotations, the stress can be difficult to manage. A study out of Harvard Medical School demonstrated the prevalence of depression in students at 27.2% and in residents at 28.8% (Study). In comparison, the prevalence of a major depressive episode among 18-25 year-olds in the general public is 9.3% (Study). Researchers have hypothesized different reasons for the...
Balancing a Career as a Surgeon-Scientist
By: Kavitha Ranganathan, MD Satisfaction in one’s career can come from a variety of places. In fact, most of the time, it has to come from a variety of places. Don’t place all your eggs in one basket, they say. While a surgical career is unparalleled in the achievement of instant gratification, the daily reminder that healthcare isn’t perfect can also be a source of mental exhaustion. Being a surgeon-scientist is one way to address this. The scientist part of this career choice allows you to balance your short- and long-term visions, and amplify your contributions to the next generation. Importantly, however, it can be challenging to balance a clinical career alongside research acumen and productivity. Protecting your time for research and clinical care, securing grant funding, and staying resilient amidst unique challenges in two different worlds is tough. Below are some tips I believe to be helpful for those...
