January 12th, 2021
Vaccine [Rollout] Reactions — In Support of Residents
Stephanie Braunthal, DO
During the first week of the U.S. national vaccine rollout, news outlets reported a protest after a major medical center’s initial COVID-19 vaccine distribution list did not include almost the entirety of their house staff. Less publicly, I have heard about additional instances across the country where trainees as a whole have been or felt […]
December 31st, 2020
What Time Is It?
Sneha Shah, MD
How many minutes have you given yourself to read this post? There was a time when none of us could tell time. Imagine not knowing what the ever-moving hands of a clock are trying to reveal. My memories skew, but in that era before I could tell time, all I remember is laughter, effervescence, and […]
December 11th, 2020
Why Does Diversity Matter in Residency Training?
Holland Kaplan, MD
As residency interview season ramps up, the topic of diversity arises frequently. Residency programs emphasize diversity in the locations at which their trainees practice, the variety of patients their trainees have the opportunity to see and care for, and the characteristics of the residents they matriculate. Diversity is an important characteristic of residency programs for […]
November 24th, 2020
“They Don’t Make ‘Em Like They Used To”
Vivek Sant, MD
“When I was your age, I walked to school uphill both ways, barefoot in the snow!” One of my favorite anecdotes from my attendings is about the cardiothoracic ICU experience in the ’80s and ’90s. Reportedly, each resident would arrive on day 1 of the rotation and would remain in the ICU for 30 straight […]
November 4th, 2020
The Rise of the Fall
Masood Pasha Syed, MBBS
Having matched into a residency in New England, I was super excited to experience all the seasons. I grew up in tropical countries where we had two seasons — “rainy season” and “not-so-rainy season” — both of them superimposed on reasonably warm temperatures. Three years out of residency and still in New England, I enjoy […]
October 7th, 2020
“We Did Everything We Could.”
Vivek Sant, MD
Can we do better when delivering bad news in trauma? On a recent trauma call, we had a busy night, culminating in a horrific motorcycle trauma that came in early in the morning. The patient had devastating injuries and ended up dying. The detectives finally tracked down the patient’s family. I cleaned myself up, put […]
September 3rd, 2020
“Never Waste a Crisis”: Perspectives from History and Today
Holland Kaplan, MD
The mantra “Never waste a crisis” has stuck with me for the past several months. This statement was reportedly made by Winston Churchill in the 1940s, during World War II. However, a well-known internal medicine faculty member and leader at Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. David Hyman, who recently passed away, also gave us this […]
August 27th, 2020
“Use The Force”: How Do We Teach in the Operating Room?
Vivek Sant, MD
As I embark on my chief year in general surgery, the aspect I look forward to most is taking junior residents through operations. I am grateful to have had excellent teachers over the past 5 years, and I appreciate the opportunity to pay forward this mentorship. But taking what you have learned and teaching someone […]
August 12th, 2020
Welcome! Chief Residents for 2020-2021 Join the Panel
Charleen Hamilton
The editors and staff of NEJM Journal Watch warmly welcome our new panel of Chief Residents for the 2020-2021 academic year. This will be a challenging year for all healthcare professionals, and we are grateful that these five dedicated, talented, and busy physicians have agreed to share their concerns and triumphs with the NEJM Journal […]
June 10th, 2020
Resident Wellness Doesn’t Need to Be Expensive or Elaborate
Daniel Orlovich, MD, PharmD
“We’re not like Stanford” she said to me as we sat next to each other during our breakout session. My cheeks reddened. Somehow, suddenly, I felt as if I became the embodiment of my entire institution. And my furrowed brow revealed my surprise. Her tone softened. “What I mean is, resident wellness is easier when the program […]
2020-2021 Chief Resident Panel
Stephanie Braunthal, DO
Holland Kaplan, MD
Vivek Sant, MD
Sneha Shah, MD
Masood Pasha Syed, MBBS
Resident chiefs in hospital, internal, and family medicine
Learn more about Insights on Residency Training.
