Insights on Residency Training

July 28th, 2022

10 Tips for July (and Beyond)

Madiha Khan, DO

For new trainees, starting July in the ICU can be the steepest of all learning curves, because the patient acuity and workflow can be overwhelming. The same is true for new fellows, I’ve found, as I started this month in the CCU. Although it is the same unit I worked in twice before as a […]

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May 17th, 2021

“Feel the Musicality”: How Do Surgeons Learn?

Vivek Sant, MD

My friends and I spent Thanksgiving 2018 attending surf school in Jacó, Costa Rica. We spent that week fully immersed in twice-daily surf sessions interspersed with conditioning, balance exercises, and of course, downtime to explore the town and rainforests of Jacó. Having been on a surfboard only a handful of times previously, this was a […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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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February 19th, 2019

Do You Have a Peer Mentor? Do You Need One?

Cassandra Fritz, MD

Cassandra Fritz, MD, is a Chief Resident at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University Medical School in St. Louis, MO Mentorship is a common topic in medicine. We, as a profession, spend significant time discussing, attending workshops about, and researching the role of mentorship. Mentorship is key to personal development, career choice, and improved academic productivity. Yet, it wasn’t […]

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August 29th, 2017

Procedures in Residency

Karmen Wielunski, DO

Hi. My name is Karmen, and I’m a fainter. It’s true. I am one of those people who occasionally falls victim (pun intended) to vasovagal syncope at its finest. It tends to happen at inopportune times and places. For example, the first time I passed out, I landed in a Christmas tree. I was in high […]

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May 31st, 2017

What I Love About My Medical Students

Kashif Shaikh, MD

We all start with medical school I still remember the day I got the welcome letter from my medical school. I was super excited and proud. My dreams of becoming a physician were now a reality. So, I pushed myself during my two basic science years and awaited my clinical years. I bought my first stethoscope and white […]

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May 16th, 2017

Constructive Criticism

Joseph Cooper, MD

Here are some questions that are still on my mind as I approach the tail end of my chief year. I’m thinking about the best ways to offer constructive feedback. What is the best way to approach a struggling learner? What is the best way to give guidance and feedback without being perceived as a tyrant […]

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March 20th, 2017

Resident Wellness in Graduate Medical Education

Kashif Shaikh, MD

Happy Endings: Living in Orlando, one cannot escape Disney. Disney movies are a delight, because one subconsciously anticipates that the happy ending is going to make up for the rest of the characters’ struggles. It works for me! Be it Simba, Cinderella, Snow White, Belle, or  Elsa, every Disney fairy tale gives us the desired ending of a happy and […]

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