Category: Education

The need for ophthalmologists is greater than ever

Increased prevalence of ophthalmic diseases due to continued population growth and aging requires an increase in the number of ophthalmologists nationwide. Multiple sources, including the National Eye Institute (NEI) and the American Academy of Ophthal…

Trauma: Encountering the past in the present

“Code blue!” the overhead speaker blared. I had just started my shift in the pediatric emergency department.  “This will be good for you to see,” the off-service junior resident said to me, as she sprang up from her chair in Pavlovian fashion. With a s…

Medical school is more than practice problems

It was the first day of my third year of medical school. I was assigned to an outpatient OB/GYN clinic. I woke up early, had only a coffee for breakfast that I would later regret, hesitantly wrapped a stethoscope around my neck, unsure if this specialt…

Advocating for people with disabilities: People First Language

You are more likely to be struck by lightning than be born with cri du chat syndrome and OCD. The chances of becoming a performer with these diagnoses are even smaller, and yet, what a show Tanner performed. His performance is meticulously planned out….

To the lady in the floral dress

I sat hunched over in a coffee shop, staring at anatomy flashcards as they appeared and quickly disappeared on my computer screen. I was in the midst of my first semester of medical school, and I was feeling discouraged and overwhelmed. My classmates a…

We’re doctors. We signed the book.

As another medical school class graduates in the continued aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, I look back on my own ceremony. I remember the half-empty auditorium, the rows of parents snapping photos on their phones, and the many bored participants co…

10 ways to help PGY-1 spouses and partners new to your medical program

As medical programs across the country welcome new residents and celebrate the beginning of the medical new year, they cannot ignore the influence of the family’s adjustment to the success of a physician’s new role in residency. Between leaving behind …

5 ways to maintain family bonds in medical school

Medical school can strip you of everything you have. As you’re doing everything you can to help others, there can be so many levels of dissatisfaction with your career choice and distress around going through medical training. But what I found was that…

8 scholarship tips for medical school

First off, congratulations to the Class of 2025 for getting into medical school. With the pandemic restrictions lifting, enjoy the next few months doing the things you love because medical school will take an emotional and financial toll on you. Accord…

Redefining what a hospital library should be

Have you ever been to one of those areas in the hospital called “the library” or “the educational/academic center”? No, I’m not talking about the athenaeum at the universities. The library we are talking about is the one at the …