Category: Education

Is it time to shorten medical education in the U.S.?

Shortening U.S. medical education can significantly improve U.S. population health. As patients and stakeholders of U.S. health care, we are at crisis levels. There are not enough primary care doctors for the U.S. population — a basic human need for he…

Female physician burnout and its impact on patient care

Although many systemic factors universally contribute to both burnout in both male and female physicians, female physicians also tend to experience burnout at disproportionately high rates versus their male counterparts. Burnout, also known as a state …

The surprising impact of medical students on patients

There are a few clinical scenarios that stand out to me from my undergraduate medical education. I completed a combined MD/MPH program, and I remember coming back from the year of public health, inserted between years two and three of medical school, f…

Coaching medical students: a game-changer for the profession

Medical school is a wild ride, filled with anticipation and unforgettable experiences. From the excitement of the first day of orientation to the white coat ceremony and meeting new people, every moment is etched in your memory. Endless hours of lectur…

My experience with repeating a year of medical school

On a hot and humid July afternoon, the white coat ceremony for the class of 2025 at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine was in full swing. As I walked onstage, slipped into my brand-new white coat, and accepted the coveted “medical student&#…

Residency match system and flexibility: the hidden factors behind burnout

ERAS is now open, and medical students all over are compiling their applications to match into residency. As someone who is in a field they desired to pursue while in college but took a circuitous route there (four years as a generalist in the Air Forc…

Elon Musk Touts Ketamine For Depression Following Report On His Use Of Drug

The world’s wealthiest man Elon Musk takes ketamine and Google’s billionaire cofounder Sergey Brin uses magic mushrooms, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The transformative power of volunteering at the science fair

“Thank you so much for taking the time today and judging,” yet another person said as they approached me, smiling or shaking my hand. “You are welcome,” I said, smiling. It was my pleasure—my genuine internal pleasure. I have be…

More than skin deep: the importance of culturally competent care in medical education

The very first patient I met in the rheumatology clinic at SUNY Downstate heard I was applying to medical school and pulled me close to her, saying, “I want you to feel the swelling in my hands.” She took great care to ensure I palpated eac…

A touching tale of hope and uncertainty in the hospital

Indeterminate. That’s the word we use when we’re unsure whether a patient will be able to survive without mechanical ventilation. We can’t say for certain that they have a good prognosis, but we can’t say they have a bad one eit…