Insights on Residency Training

January 22nd, 2020

The ACGME Needs to Mandate Parental Leave

Eric Bressman, MD

My wife and I had a baby a few months ago. Or, more accurately, she birthed a child while I sat in the corner contemplating the miracle of reproductive physiology in a vasovagal fugue. In the months leading up to and following that wondrous moment, we found ourselves navigating the labyrinthine complexity of parental leave in […]

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January 16th, 2020

Reflections of an Aspiring Clinician-Educator

Frances Ue, MD, MPH

Recently, I had the pleasure of hiking up Roys Peak in South Island, New Zealand. A challenging 1586-meter summit that offered magnificent views of Lake Wanaka and snow-capped mountains of the Southern Alps. On this hike, devoid of phone calls and pages, I reflected on my journey as an aspiring clinician-educator. Many of us (like […]

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December 19th, 2019

Yogurt – The Cure to Resident Burnout

Daniel Orlovich, MD, PharmD

What is the latest answer to resident burnout? It may surprise you.  Recent research from a large Midwest academic center suggests that not one but two dollops of yogurt may help stymie resident burnout. “When we first started to look at the reasons why so many residents were burned out, we couldn’t understand it,” stated the […]

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December 12th, 2019

Why Did I Spend an Extra Year as a Chief Resident?

Prarthna Bhardwaj, MD

I was in conversation with a residency applicant recently when we broached the topic of my career plans. I explained that I was interested in pursuing a hematology/oncology fellowship in the future. He asked “Why did you do a chief year, then? Were you trying to improve your application?” At first, I was somewhat offended, […]

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December 3rd, 2019

To HBCU or not to HBCU? That Is the Question.

Allison Latimore, MD

Finding my home There were a sea of students sitting in the auditorium, and parents were all directed to the balconies. The sound of trumpets began to blare, and the bodies of the marching band swayed rhythmically. Five minutes after soaking in the music, the ambiance, and the liveliness of Howard University, my sister and […]

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November 26th, 2019

Of Metrics and Medicine

Eric Bressman, MD

One of the least motivating requests I received routinely as a new intern was something like, “… and can we make sure this is a discharge before noon?” I recall a particularly eager nursing manager surveying the resident teams on her unit to gauge our interest in arriving even earlier each morning (5 AM, perhaps?) […]

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November 20th, 2019

Top 5 Tips for Residency Interview Success

Frances Ue, MD, MPH

Four years ago on a crisp winter day, I interviewed at Cambridge Health Alliance’s (CHA) Harvard Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency program. From the warm, cozy dinner of Nepali momos to the thoughtful and inspiring stories shared, I felt like I had found “my people.” Those that were committed to social justice and advocating for the needs […]

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November 12th, 2019

Can Minor Changes in a Program Affect Resident Burnout?

Daniel Orlovich, MD, PharmD

“How did you like it there?” I ask, sitting down next to a new fellow (between bites of a plump sandwich, hoping there is no spinach in my teeth).  I expect to hear the standard resident talking points — long hours, frequent call, and ballooning student loans. Instead, she surprises me.  “Do you know how much they […]

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September 5th, 2019

Building Your Squad — Residency and Beyond

Ellen Poulose-Redger, MD

At nearly every stage in our education and training, we find “our people.”  Maybe it’s your table-mate in kindergarten, or the kid with the really cool light up sneakers in preschool who becomes your best friend.  Maybe it’s your next-door neighbor who you play with after school, or a coworker from your first job in […]

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August 28th, 2019

Status: Post-Residency Syndrome

Ashley McMullen, MD

Today, I’m thinking about the end of residency. But first, let me tell you about the beginning of residency. My first day of clinic, my very first week of residency, I had a grand total of one patient scheduled. A seasoned outgoing resident had given me sign-out on this person, along with some big, knowledgeable […]

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