Category: Medical school

A call for LGBTQ+ inclusion in medicine’s definition of “underrepresented”

In an impromptu listing of all the diseases his children had, I never would have guessed that the next word to come out of my attending’s mouth was “gay.” As an LGBTQ+ medical student with scars on my chest to prove it, this encounter…

What doctors can learn from actors about artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) promises to revolutionize the practice of medicine by expanding our knowledge and reducing our workload. However, physicians should tread carefully and take heed of the example set by other industries. For example, AI was a…

Navigating a leave of absence from medical school: a comprehensive guide

Taking a leave of absence (LOA) from medical school is a significant decision that involves careful consideration of various factors. In this article, I will consolidate valuable information on types of LOAs, reasons for taking one, and crucial conside…

Scrubbing in and stepping up: the baseball-medicine connection [PODCAST]

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! Join Stephen J. Foley, a medical student, as we dive into the intriguing parallels between the world of baseball and the field of medicine. Discover how skills from the baseball diamond tra…

Discover the secrets to regaining joy in medicine

An excerpt from Reclaiming the Joy of Medicine: Finding Purpose, Fulfillment, and Happiness in Today’s Medical Industry. “You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.” – Maya Angelou When I was experiencing burnou…

A test of medical leadership for Penn’s new president

When the University of Pennsylvania’s president Liz Magill was forced to resign her position due to her equivocal stance regarding antisemitic harassment on Penn’s campus, J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, was soon announced as her interim success…

Is it noble or selfish to never practice medicine after getting a medical degree?

A Harvard medical school student realized in his third year that he had lost his desire to become a doctor. Nevertheless, the student decided to complete his fourth year and obtain his MD degree. The student is now planning for a career in pharma or ev…

Catastrophic failure of educational leadership can affect medical students

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart said he can’t define pornography, but he knows it when he sees it. Stewart might just as well have been talking about leadership—reflecting the difficulty in providing a precise definition of leadership b…

Communication in health care: lessons from a standardized patient [PODCAST]

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! Join Esther Covington, a professional standardized patient. Esther shares her firsthand experiences, shedding light on the critical role communication, empathy, and assumptions play in medi…

Exploring medical students’ vital role in patient care [PODCAST]

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! Join Nicole Cifra, an adolescent medicine physician, as we delve into the often-underestimated but invaluable role of medical students in patient care. Nicole shares her personal journey, e…