Terry Wahls, MD, is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Iowa, where she teaches internal medicine residents, sees patients in the traumatic brain injury clinic and conducts clinical trials. In addition, she’s director of the Extended Care and Rehab Service Line at the Veteran Affairs Iowa City Health Care System. She received a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Drake University in Des Moines (1976), a Doctor of Medicine from University of Iowa in Iowa City (1982), and an MBA from University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis (2001). Dr. Wahls completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Barnes Hospital, Washington University in St. Louis, as well as a residency in internal medicine at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics.
Why Some Labs Don’t Train Premed Students and Why You Shouldn’t Care
So far, the vast majority of the undergrads I’ve trained during my research career have been premed students. With the numerous personal and professional advantages an in-depth research experience can provide, and how a successful research experience can support a medical school application, that is unlikely to change.
Most students prove to be an asset to my research team. They are motivated, dedicated, step up to extra responsibility without hesitation, and are helpful to their labmates. These are the undergrads who arrive at lab ready to work, ready to contribute, and ready to learn everything anyone is willing to teach them. These undergrads find the self-discipline to push through disappointment at the research bench, and like to be challenged—whether through learning a new technique, designing an experimental strategy, or interpreting data. They serve as ambassadors for their research and university at scientific meetings, present their projects at symposia, and occasionally, if all the stars align, earn coauthorship on a publication.
Best in Show: AVMA President Joseph Kinnarney on What Makes a “Really Good Vet”
Joseph Kinnarney, DMV came to this year’s UC Davis Pre-Health Conference with one goal in mind: to “encourage great new minds to go into the veterinary profession”.
With a keynote presentation entitled “Helping Animals and People: Veterinary Medicine is More Than You Think”, the current President of the American Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA) explained the tremendous opportunities of his field to a captive audience. “When you look at veterinary medicine, the training allows us to do lots, and be lots of things,” Kinnarney told Student Doctor Network after giving his speech. He described the roles vets can take in a variety of areas, including public health offices, the armed services, and food safety.
For Kinnarney, it wasn’t the lure of these more alternative veterinary-related careers, but rather the traditional desire to care for pets that brought him to the profession. “I was 4 years old, and I had a dog who was trying to have puppies and couldn’t,” he says. “I had what I thought was a dying dog – and she probably was.” Kinnarney went with his parents to the local veterinarian. “He saved my dog’s life, and also the lives of her 5 healthy puppies.”
What You Should Know: The Pros and Cons of Medical Marijuana
What You Should Know is an ongoing series covering a range of informational topics relevant to current and future healthcare professionals.
The numbers alone make it a significant issue: as of 2015, 23 states and the District of Columbia have legalized the use of medical marijuana – and 9 more states are currently working on legislation to do the same. Two more states – Washington and Colorado – have gone so far as to legalize its recreational use. It is likely, therefore, that medical students today will feel the effects of medical marijuana use when they go into practice for themselves.
Medical – and recreational – marijuana use is a complex issue with medical, political, and social implications. Below are evidence-based arguments for and against this use to give student doctors the opportunity to understand the finer points of this controversy.
Chronicles of a Med Student: Making Every Moment Count
I was ringing in the New Year with a friend when suddenly it hit me that it was 2016. I still feel like 2015 is in the future and it’s already 2016. I’m not getting any younger, but more importantly, how fast am I getting older? My birthday is close to New Year’s, so my biological clock is really in sync with the calendar year. Now that I’m in medical school, time flies faster than ever. It’s important for me to keep track of what I’m doing and to make sure I savor every moment. In order to do this, I want to make sure I make every day count by doing something useful so when I look back, I know I’ve spent my time wisely even while in school. I decided to take a quick look back at my last year to reflect on my highlights!
How to Prepare Answers to These Tricky Medical School Interview Questions
While medical school interviews can be quite conversational, thinking in advance about the questions you will face can help you articulate your unique story more effectively. Most interviews revolve around the interviewer getting to know you better, but there will likely be a number of questions that give the ill-prepared applicant pause. Below are several strategies to help you prepare answers to these tricky questions:
“Why do you want to study medicine?”
This question will be asked at almost every medical school interview that you attend, but it can be difficult to answer unless you have reflected on your goals ahead of time. Clearly explaining why you wish to become a physician—without being cliché—is paramount to distinguishing yourself. To prepare for this question, review your personal statement for inspiration. Aim to incorporate details that are not mentioned in your personal statement, but that are related to experiences or endeavors that you have described in your essay or in the remainder of your application. This can add depth to your admissions portfolio outside of what you have already explained on paper. In addition, truly attempt to define the type of medical career that you want (i.e. community medical practice, medical education, research, etc.). Weave in your career aspirations when you answer this question to connect your pursuit of medical school to your ultimate goals.
The Million Dollar Question
Interview season. The time of year that roads and skies swarm with the best and brightest medical students to all corners of the country taking aim at the next step in their training – residency. Believe it or not, behind the shiny brochures, extravagant dinners and polished powerpoint slides, residency programs are just as nervous about attracting top talent as you are about getting your top choice.
The interview trail is usually a blur of dry cleaning bills, rental cars, and the smell of breath mints masking cheap coffee mixed with nervous sweat. The broken record of the obligatory “strengths and weaknesses” question loops in your head. One of the more terrifying moments in the day comes when an interviewer asks: “What questions do you have for me?” Regardless of who asks it–the intern only four months above you in training or the gatekeeping program director–you know you have to ask something. So why not make it count?
The Importance of Disability Insurance for the Young Physician
The thrill and responsibility of holding someone’s life in your hands, the ability to act under pressure, and the satisfaction of doing good in the world—these are among the qualities that attract people to the medical profession. In a culture that’s quickly diminishing the value of established professions, there’s still a universal appeal to becoming a doctor.This doesn’t mean seeking a career in medicine is without its obstacles. The importance of a thorough education—at least four graduate years—cannot be understated. Add in the time it takes to complete an internship and a residency, and it’s easy to see why a medical path can be too daunting for many. On average, it takes about 11 years for a medical student to become an independent doctor. If students begin medical school in their 20s, they won’t begin to see patients as a physician until they’re in their 30s. Add to that an average price tag of $166,000 in student loans for medical school, and even the most gung-ho medical students begin to balk. Suffice it to say, a career in the medical field is a huge time and financial investment.
What You Should Know: Connecting With Pediatric Patients
What You Should Know is an ongoing series covering a range of informational topics relevant to current and future healthcare professionals.
Even for student doctors who are in training to be pediatricians or specialists in pediatric health, connecting meaningfully with these small patients can sometimes be difficult. However, this connection is necessary to establish if a doctor’s goal is to give their patient the best care possible.
It is helpful, then, to take a look at what experts say about how doctors can connect to their pediatric patients.
Choose Your Undergrad Research Position Wisely
Author’s Note: It is widely believed (and for good reason) that undergraduate research positions are highly competitive. This belief leads to the misconception that obtaining any research position is the goal.My experience with undergraduate research position applicants has taught me that having a genuine interest in the position is one of the most important tips that I can give potential undergraduate researchers. This importance is echoed by numerous colleagues I’ve spoken with on the subject over the years, and those interviewed while writing Getting In.
The misconception that any research position will do can also have lasting negative effects on the success the student has once they are in the position. Over the years I have found that students instinctively know whether they are interested in a potential position before they apply for it. Those students who take any position just to be done with the search end up in disappointing experiences, which can affect how enthusiastic their letter of recommendation is at the end.
This article provides undergraduates with a new way of approaching their search for a research position by explaining why the choices they make at the application stage are so important for getting an interview and for their success in the lab afterwards. It’s relevant because it focuses on a topic that is almost never mentioned in the mainstream advice on how to find a research position.
The Art and Science of Narrative Medicine
Many medical students, even those with a background in the liberal arts, may have a hard time conceptualizing the role that the humanities–in particular, the art of the narrative–may have to play in clinical practice. However, a relatively new theory and practice of medicine, called narrative medicine, is beginning to take root and contains elements of both medical and language arts.
What is Narrative Medicine?
The phrase “narrative medicine” was coined by Dr. Rita Charon, one of the founders of this movement, which began to develop in the 1990’s in response to the perception of detachment and over-professionalism in medical practice. Dr. Charon wanted to explore new ways that medical practice could become more humanized and emotive– and lead to greater satisfaction with the clinical relationship for both doctors and their patients. In her definitive article, entitled “Narrative Medicine: a Model for Empathy, Reflection, Profession and Trust” which appeared in JAMA in 2001, Charon introduces her readers to this new concept by noting that “adopting methods such as close reading of literature and reflective writing allows narrative medicine to examine and illuminate four of medicine’s critical narrative situations: the physician and patient, physician and self, physician and colleagues and physician and society…By bridging the divide that separates physicians from patients, themselves, colleagues and society, narrative medicine offers fresh approaches for reflective, empathic and nourishing medical care.”
Chronicles of a Med Student: Enjoy Every Moment of Med School
One of the things I enjoy most about writing this med school column is that I get to tell a unique story from a unique point of view. No two people will have the same set of experiences in med school, and I’m so glad I get to share mine. It helps me in two ways: I get to keep track of all of my crazy happenings, and I get to pause for a moment and reflect on all of them. Medical school, I’ve found, progresses so fast. Honestly, the nervous excitement I felt on my first day still lingers as though it happened yesterday. It has really flown by, and to quote some users on the forums section of the site, “residency will be here after what seems like the blink of an eye”. I’m not to residency yet obviously, but at the rate things are going, I have no evidence against this statement. It will probably be the fastest four years of my life (actually, only 3.5 now! See how quickly that went?). I’m still so used to replying to the question “So how many more years do you have left?” with 4. But it’s zipping by.
20 Questions: Norman Pastorek, MD – Plastic Surgery
Norman J. Pastorek MD, FACS specializes in facial plastic surgery. He trained at The University of Chicago Illinois and is board certified by both the American Board of otolaryngology and the American Board of Facial and Reconstructive Surgery. He has a private practice on Park Ave in New York.
When did you first decide to become a physician? Why?
It was really by accident. I had graduated from high school and decided to go to a college in Davenport, Iowa on a whim. At that point, I was considering being an engineer, so I took all of the required math and mechanical drawing courses. Long story short, I hated it—and I did not excel at my work because I didn’t like what I was doing.
After that first year, I went back to work in a factory where I was a welder. I was content enough doing that work, so for a time I thought I would just stay on that course. It wasn’t until I ran into an old coworker who was going into medicine that I started considering other options: he asked if I liked biology and suggested I go into pre-med. So I did.
On The Shoulders of Giants: Tips for Aspiring Female Surgeons
While there were many engaging sessions held at the 2015 UC Davis Pre-Health Conference, a few stood out for being exceptionally inspiring. Dr. Lisa Lattanza’s lecture, “How to Be a Successful Female Surgeon”, was one of these standouts.
This isn’t surprising, considering Dr. Lattanza’s pedigree. The chief of Hand, Elbow & Upper Extremity Surgery at UCSF Medical Center, she is known both for her surgical skills and her inexhaustible efforts to encourage and mentor the next generation of female surgeons. She is the president and co-founder of The Perry Initiative, a Bay-area-based foundation which provides educational and experiential opportunities for young women (primarily high-school and early-college-aged) interested in orthopedic surgery – a project which recently earned her the prestigious Jefferson Award for public service.
The Changing Culture of Medical Education
Transitioning to medical school is a significant change for most students; this naturally makes it a source of excitement, anxiety, stress, and even fear. Being a successful college student will not necessarily translate to success in graduate/professional school, although many of the same or similar strategies will help. Ultimately, adjusting to medical school is going to depend on the individual student and their school; each curriculum will present unique challenges and each student will handle them in a unique way. Although curricula vary among schools, some concepts are similar across the board. Perhaps the most uniform component of twenty-first century medical school curricula is the fact that they are constantly seeking to improve; thus the adage that “change is life’s only constant” seems to be true, at least of medical schools.
Three New Year’s Resolutions for Medical Students
Winter break is the perfect time for medical students to take a step back to relax, re-assess, and re-engage for the remainder of the academic year. Below are three resolutions that all medical students should make to motivate themselves for the grueling months ahead:
1. “I will schedule time for self-care”
Many medical students simply do not spend enough time caring for their most valuable asset—themselves. Given the intense academic and clinical workload that medical school involves, it is common for students to lose sight of the importance of their own wellbeing. Use winter break to carefully review your schedule for the upcoming semester and deliberately schedule in self-care “appointments.” Self-care appointments can range from daily meditation for just a few minutes to a leisurely cup of coffee with a friend. The key is to choose those activities that help you de-stress and relax.
Seize Your Undergrad Research Interview: Ask the Questions That Matter
When selecting your classes each semester you apply a methodical approach. You no doubt consider several factors such as: What will satisfy major requirements? What will help you prepare for the MCAT and add weight to your transcript? And, of course, what sounds the most interesting? Essentially, you don’t play “registration roulette” and find yourself in advanced string theory when you really need a cell biology course.
Yet, when it comes to an undergrad research interview, most students don’t know that they need a solid strategy for asking questions that will allow them to evaluate the position. Instead, many approach interviews with a single goal in mind: get an offer to join the lab. Although this is a good goal keep in mind, it should not be your sole objective in a research interview.
The Other Preparations to Make For Clinical Clerkships
The transition to clinical clerkships in medical school comes after two years of lectures, in-class exams, and national board exams. Without a doubt, it is an exciting transition. It is a key stage in the development of a physician, allowing the student to see real patients and to learn from practicing professionals. Clinical rotations requires the student to critically think and to apply the vast amount of information learned in the classroom to new situations. The goal is to learn to come up with a list of differential diagnoses, use the correct confirmatory test, and develop a treatment plan. This is what many students believe will be the bulk of their clinical learning during the third and fourth years. As a result, many students spend most of their time focusing only on the academic preparation for clinical rotations and do not sufficiently prepare themselves to stand out in equally important, but non-academic ways.
20 Questions: Natalie E. Azar, MD – Rheumatology
Dr. Natalie E. Azar is assistant clinical professor of medicine and rheumatology at the Center for Musculoskeletal Care NYU Langone Medical Center, as well as medical contributor to powerwomentv.com, member of the admissions committee for NYU School of Medicine, and instructor of the Physical Diagnosis Course at NYUSoM. She received a bachelor’s degree in psychobiology from Wellesley College (1992), where she was a Phi Beta Kappa (1991), Durant Scholar (1992), and Who’s Who Among American College Students (1991). Azar received her Doctor of Medicine from Cornell University Medical College (1996), with honors for academic excellence in anesthesiology (1998). Dr. Azar completed both an internship and residency in internal medicine at New York University Langone Medical Center (1996-97, 1997-99), and a fellowship in rheumatology at Hospital for Joint Disease, New York University Langone Medical Center (1999-2001).
Hysterectomy or SSRIs?
Reposted from here with permission She was a petite, otherwise well-appearing woman, apprehensively sitting at the edge … Read more