Teaching is a blast! As an attending, I love to employ offbeat methods, with absurdity and humor, at times skirting the edge of political incorrectness, all for the purpose of enhancing one’s medical education. Educating medical students and resi…
Category: Medical school
Redefining failure in neurosurgery: a student’s perspective on growth and learning
Failure is a word that carries a heavy burden, particularly in the field of neurosurgery, where precision is paramount and the stakes are often life and death. As a 4th-year medical student preparing to enter this demanding specialty, I have come to re…
Failure is not the end: Creating space for grace in the medical field
A medical school classmate recently said to me, “You won’t be remembered for your failures.” Her words were exactly what I needed to hear after failing my medical school licensing exam. She was right—I am more than my failures. I have…
The power of emotional intelligence: a personal story and lessons for physicians
The student I worked with quietly said, “Dr. Reinking, I think you multiplied wrong.” My shoulders tensed slightly, and my stomach dropped. We had just spent the better part of an hour working through a feeding and fluid plan with a patient…
The power of emotional intelligence: a personal story and lessons for physicians
The student I worked with quietly said, “Dr. Reinking, I think you multiplied wrong.” My shoulders tensed slightly, and my stomach dropped. We had just spent the better part of an hour working through a feeding and fluid plan with a patient…
Neurosurgical innovations that could define my generation of surgeons
As a fourth-year medical student on the cusp of entering neurosurgery, I am constantly amazed by the innovations revolutionizing this field. These advances promise not only to transform the practice of neurosurgery but also to redefine the training and…
How medical students can contribute to neurosurgery research: tips for getting started
Neurosurgery is a rapidly evolving field, with continuous advancements in technologies and techniques. For aspiring neurosurgeons, involvement in research is key to enhancing residency applications and contributing to the field’s progress. Here a…
How delayed gratification in medical school can make or break your career [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! We sit down with Ben Reinking, a board-certified pediatric cardiologist, medical educator, and certified physician development coach, to explore the challenges and rewards…
Why representation alone won’t solve health care equity issues
I attended a workshop on developing equitable health information materials, emphasizing that people are more responsive to data when individuals of similar complexion and/or features are represented. This concept originated in education, where research…
A day in the life of a medical student on a neurosurgery rotation
As a fourth-year medical student applying to neurosurgery residency, my rotation in neurosurgery has been one of the most intense and rewarding experiences of my medical education. The days are long, the cases complex, and the learning curve steep, but…
