Medical Practice Settings: A Quick Guide for Young Physicians

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practice settings

For a physician about to finish residency or fellowship, the differences in practice types may seem unclear. Each type of practice has its own positives and negatives, and some may be a better fit for your career needs.

If you are starting your job search, or at least thinking about your future practice options, you should be weighing the pros and cons of each practice type. Keep reading to see the upsides and downsides of each and how they differ from a residency or fellowship training environment.

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Reactions, Reagents, and Repose

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lab science

How much is lab medicine a part of medical school?

Remembering a recent episode in which we spoke briefly of colored test tubes, Adee writes in with a question for Hilary O’Brien, Erik Kneller, Mackenzie Walhof, and Rob Humble—what, if anything, do medical students learn about laboratory science? And we got a lot of feedback on our recent discussion of unwanted sexual attention from patients, all of it pretty good!  Which is nice…thank you, listeners!

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Developmental Delay and Hypocalcemia—What’s the Cause?

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Case Details

A 9-year-old girl is brought to a new pediatrician by her mother over concerns regarding her weight. She has a history of developmental delay, and her mother mentions that she is noticeably shorter than her peers. She is noted to have a round face and bilaterally shortened fourth metacarpals on examination. She is in the 96th percentile for weight and below the 3rd percentile for height for her age. Laboratory testing reveals hypocalcemia. Which additional laboratory findings are associated with this patient’s most likely diagnosis?

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Where To Start: A Non-Traditional Student Guide to Beginning Your Pursuit of Medicine

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start

Whether you are changing careers or deciding late in your college career that medicine is your path, there is no doubt that making that decision can be anxiety-provoking and life changing. The truth is that medical students come in all forms and from every imaginable background—something I didn’t fully realize until beginning medical school myself. Regardless of where you are starting from, it can be a daunting task to ready yourself for the application process when you feel behind from the very beginning.

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Q&A with Rajiv Sethi, Medical Student, Clinical Entrepreneur Fellow

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rajiv sethi

Rajiv Sethi is currently a student doctor in London, Clinical Entrepreneur Fellow at NHS England, and the founder of Sethi Health, an organization that collaborates with students, patients, professionals, and the public to improve healthcare and health education globally.

He has taken time out during medical school to undertake postgraduate studies in Public Health at the University of Manchester. He completed his MBA at Anglia Ruskin University, where he worked with the Global Health department at Health Education England. Following this, Rajiv has continued this work as Honorary Research Fellow.

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Writing Your Most Meaningful Experiences

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most meaningful experiences

If you haven’t started already, now is the time to begin writing your AMCAS activities section and your personal statement. Your AMCAS application—or the primary application submitted to allopathic (MD) schools—serves a significant role in the path of applying to medical school. This is where admissions committees will gain an understanding of your academic abilities, extra-curricular activities, and personal strengths. It cannot be stressed enough that the primary application should be taken seriously and ample time should be spent preparing it.

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Fourth Year: A Chance To Explore

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surgical specialties

By Adelle, Medical Student

The process of applying to residency can surely be daunting. I’ve compiled a list of programs that I am interested in (as a quick refresher, I’m applying to OB/GYN programs), whether that be in terms of geography, the size of the program, proximity to family, etc. Many, many factors go into just deciding on a list of programs, and then there’s the process of actually completing and submitting applications. I feel like my life thus far has been a series of applications: college, medical school, residency . . . when will it end? Apparently not yet, because there is yet another application process: one for “away” rotations, or those away from your home institution that (usually) take place during the fourth year of medical school. They are a unique opportunity to explore medical specialties and settings in a way you will never have again.

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Q&A With Dr. Samir Guglani, Consultant, Clinical Oncologist, and Writer

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Samir guglani

Dr. Samir Guglani (MBBS, MRCP, FRCR) is a consultant clinical oncologist and a writer. He is also the founder, director, and curator of Medicine Unboxed, an annual event which uses the arts to engage health professionals and the public in conversation around medicine.

Dr. Guglani obtained his medical degree from the University College Hospital London Medical School (1995), having also completed an intercalated degree in neuroscience there.

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What’s causing this characteristic appearance on CT?

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A 37-year-old female presents to her family physician with recurring abdominal and flank pain. She mentions her mother suffered from kidney problems but doesn’t know many details. Examination reveals a blood pressure of 170/110 mmHg and proteinuria is present on dipstick. Laboratory tests show an elevated hematocrit, microalbuminuria, and microscopic hematuria. A CT scan later reveals the findings seen here.Which of the following conditions is most commonly associated with this patient’s likely diagnosis?

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Night Float: Finding Mentors, Being a Mentor

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bropoalypse

Mentorship–both giving and receiving–is a crucial part of being a resident

Keenan Laraway
Keenan Laraway

Keenan Laraway, MD

Short Coat Podcast veteran Keenan Laraway, MD (CCOM ’15, Internal Medicine), returns to the microphone to give his insights into one of the most important parts of residency–finding and being a mentor.  As you listen, note how much credit he gives to his mentors for their influence on him, and how much emphasis he gives to teaching medical students himself.  Medical residency (and undergraduate medical education, partially) operates on an apprenticeship model, in which the experience and advice of one’s colleagues is integral to one’s own development.  Seeking out those relationships is therefore vital.

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The MCAT Scoring Process: Your Questions Answered

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MCAT scoring

When you receive your score report, you will receive five scores—four scores for each of the multiple-choice sections of the exam and one total score. As you prepare for test day, you may wonder how the AAMC calculates your scores. Or perhaps you’ve heard some theories about how we do it. To help dispel any myths, we’ve answered three of your frequently asked questions about how the MCAT exam is scored.  

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3 Study Strategies for the Behavioral Sciences on the MCAT

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behavioral science

As essential as it is to know the pathophysiology of various diseases and the pharmacological and surgical interventions used to treat them, it is also necessary to understand the social and psychological aspects of illness in order to effectively treat patients. Physicians must situate their treatments within psychosocial parameters that best serve the individual patient, asking questions like, “What will motivate this patient to take his medication as prescribed?” and “How do the social supports of this single parent influence his or her ability to get his/her child to well-visits with the pediatrician?”

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Daniel Lam: Medical Student & Study Aid Knitter

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Daniel lam

Tell us about yourself.

I was born and raised in San Francisco, CA, went to UC Berkeley for undergrad (go Bears) and studied linguistics, then made a sharp left turn and decided to go to medical school. Now I’m a fourth year at the University of Chicago applying into pediatrics.* I’m a middle child, a West Wing fanatic, and a knitter! I like to knit (obviously), but I also like other things, like writing/reading, cooking/eating, other forms of production/consumption, and hanging out at cafes listening to music and doing crossword puzzles.

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