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.

20 Questions: Michael R. Jaff, DO, Vascular Medicine

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Michael R. Jaff, DO, is Medical Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Vascular Diagnostic Laboratory and Vascular Ultrasound Core Laboratory, and Chair of the MGH Institute for Heart, Vascular and Stroke Care. Dr. Jaff is an active clinical consultant in all aspects of vascular medicine, including peripheral arterial disease, venous thromboembolic disease, aneurysmal diseases, and all diagnostic strategies in vascular medicine. Jaff earned a bachelor’s degree in biology (1980) from Dickinson College, and a DO in osteopathic medicine at Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (1985). He completed a rotating medicine/surgery internship at Flint Osteopathic Hospital (currently Genesys Regional Medical Center), and a residency and chief residency in internal medicine, as well as a fellowship in vascular medicine, at Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
Dr. Jaff has been published in Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine, Journal of Endovascular Therapy, American Journal of Cardiology, Clinical Cardiology, Vascular Medicine, Journal of Invasive Cardiology, The American Journal of Medicine, The Journal of American Osteopathic Association, The American Journal of Human Genetics, and Angiology. He is the Past-President of the Society for Vascular Medicine and Biology, and received the first designation as Master of the Society for Vascular Medicine. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention, and is a registered physician in vascular interpretation (RPVI).

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Attending Medical School on Foreign Ground

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Getting into medical school can be quite a challenge. Prospective students work hard to build a well-rounded background that will appeal to to the college of their choice, knowing that their chance of acceptance is 8.3% overall, and an abysmal 4% or less at top-tier schools. Harvard, ranked number one, accepted 3.9% of applicants, 226 of 5,804 hopefuls. State schools are far cheaper to attend and offer a better chance of acceptance, 44% of applicants.
Some students who are turned away remained determined to achieve their goals, and one way to do that is by applying to a school in another country. How does a foreign medical education compare to a U.S. education? The answers might surprise you.

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Military Medicine: How Your Skills Can Best Serve Others

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The goal is clear: become a doctor. It sounds simple, but the journey is long, exhausting, and busy. It involves countless nights spent studying instead of sleeping, days toiling in class or clinicals instead of socializing, and fact upon fact to remember so you can enter your career.
A doctor serves others tirelessly and utilizes a special set of skills. This service is at the heart of a doctor’s mission, but after years of schooling, you might feel like something’s missing. Maybe working all week at a family practice isn’t ideal for you. Fortunately, it’s possible to apply your physician’s skills in unexpected ways.

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20 Questions: Joseph Riad Mikhael, MD, Hematology

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Dr. Joseph Riad Mikhael is associate professor of medicine in the College of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, as well as a consultant in the division of hematology/oncology, department of internal medicine at the same facility. He studied biology at University of Ottawa, going on to receive his MD from the University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine (1997). He completed a residency in internal medicine at University of Ottawa (1997-2000), followed by a residency in hematology at University of Toronto (2000-2003). Dr. Mikhael went on to become chief resident in the adult hematology program a University of Toronto (2001-2002), then earned a Master’s degree in education from Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto (2003). Lastly, he completed a fellowship at Princess Margaret Hospital (2003-2004).

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20 Questions: Alan William Shindel, MD, Urology

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Dr. Alan William Shindel is currently assistant professor in residence in the Department of Urology at University of California, Davis. His areas of interest include erectile dysfunction, hypogonadism, Peyronie’s disease, priapism, health promotion, premature ejaculation, alternative medicine, infertility, sexual dysfunction, and female sexual dysfunction. Shindel earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from Illinois Weselyan University in Bloomington (1998), followed by his MD from Washington University Medical School in St. Louis (2002). He completed a surgery internship at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis (2002-2003), followed by a urology residency at the same facility (2003-2007). Dr. Shindel completed a fellowship in andrology at University of California, San Francisco (2007-2010), and he is currently earning a master’s degree in clinical research at University of California, Davis. His previous work experience includes clinical instructor in urology at University of California, San Francisco (2007-2010), and urology staff physician at San Francisco VA Medical Center (2007-2010).

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