Category: Education

The lessons learned from street medicine

So, what is street medicine, or “street med” to those who are closely acquainted with the field? In a few words, it is a rapidly expanding sector of medicine that addresses the unique health and social service needs surrounding the unshelte…

This is what it’s like to be in the shoes of a medical student

The student is last on the list. But he is not fixed in that position such that he can consider some space to be his own. He must be ready to be last in any formation that the list may hold. And if, for some reason, there is no room for him on the list…

My first end-of-life conversation

As a third-year medical student finally in the clinical arena, I’ve seen much more real medicine in the last three months than the entirety of my life. I’ve learned that the ethical dilemmas and the difficult patients are not restricted to TV medical d…

What do you want to be when you grow up: a medical student perspective

“Please inform us of your intended specialty for your 4th year scheduling,” requested our administration in an email sent to students 2.5 years into medical school. Up until that instant, not knowing my future specialty was accepted and actually encour…

Residents are not disposible. They deserve better.

I was a fellow physician in neonatology, and my contract was recently not renewed for my three-year fellowship at the end of the first year. My experience highlights the examples that, at times, physicians are treated in a disposable manner. COVID-19 i…

Resilience is the vaccine med students need right now. Coaching can help.

Whether or not you’re a health care provider, chances are you’ve spent the year thinking, talking, and reading about health care.  We’ve had national conversations about everything from the global pandemic to rising health care costs to rationing resou…

COVID, paternalism, and the death of patient autonomy

A year ago, if you had asked me if most doctors respected their patients’ wishes, I would have answered with a resounding yes. If you had asked me if medicine had divorced its paternalistic roots when physicians trampled over ideals like patient autono…

Bill And Melinda Gates’ Foundation Injects Another $250 Million Into The Battle Against Covid-19

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation just announced an additional $250 million commitment to strengthen efforts in the global fight to end the coronavirus pandemic. This brings the foundation’s total funding to the Covid-19 response to $1.75 billion.

Lottery docs? Randomize medical school admissions for fairness

It’s this simple: The medical school admissions system is bloated and reinforces implicit and systemic biases leading to further social inequity. Medical schools across the country are going through thousands of applications and making literal life-cha…

Preparing for the USMLE despite 2020’s obstacles

I came from Malaysia dreaming of completing my residency in the U.S. and becoming a nephrologist. Luckily, I interviewed for programs before COVID-19 shook the world, and I began my residency at Yale University Bridgeport Hospital in June 2020. Having …