Pediatric Emergency Medicine

As a physician, I’ve had my fair share of moments that remind me why I do what I do. In these moments, I can’t help but remember everything I was taught regarding empathy in medicine. “Put yourself in your patient’s position,” I hear the mentors telling me from my medical school classes a decade ago. read more…

As a practicing or aspiring physician in a clinical setting, you understand the important role that medical consultations play in the everyday responsibilities of your job. Understanding how to manage a consultation and effectively communicate information can make all the difference. Let’s carefully break down a theoretical case study to master what it means to read more…

Effective communication and interpersonal skills are necessary for a well-functioning medical team. As a practicing or aspiring physician, it is your duty to set an example in proper communication for your team members.  Whether you’re a resident learning clinical duties or an attending physician, these strategies are sure to improve communication among your medical team. read more…

Starting day one of your residency, patients and attendings will have certain expectations of you. As a resident, it is crucial that you are proficient in communication to retrieve clinical questions in caring for patients, relay this to your attendings, and use evidence that will be used to address said medical concerns. Of course, skillfully read more…

From contending with burnout to struggling with managing your finances, residency is a difficult stage in any medical professional’s journey. But perhaps one of the biggest stressors of all is “learning on the job.” Whether you’re a chief resident teaching juniors or it’s the other way around, it’s important to foster a rich educational environment read more…

With labor shortages in medicine as tight as they are, it seems pretty hard to get fired nowadays. The media has thrown stories like that of Christopher Duntsch (Dr. Death) into the limelight, and we have learned that even a surgeon with terrible outcomes and possible malice behind his actions still collected an enormous paycheck read more…

As physicians, there are many challenges that get thrown our way during the course of a year, a work week, or even a single clinical shift. And if you don’t know how to manage these stressors and adjust your attitude accordingly, then staying healthy, positive, and productive as a medical professional can feel seemingly impossible. read more…

The internet medical education space is full of great guides on how to excel at different points along the medical journey. You’ll find plenty of material on excelling as a medical student, being a fantastic intern, and smoothing the transition to fellowship and/or attending-hood. But like a middle child, the junior resident can be forgotten. read more…

“In general, people only ask for advice that they may not follow it; or, if they should follow it, that they may have somebody to blame for having given it.” Alexandre Dumas, The Three Musketeers I remember in one of my first doctoring classes in medical school, the preceptor advised that as time goes by, and your close friends and family endure more medical maladies, you read more…

After spending the last two decades in school, there’s nothing quite like that first paycheck in residency. Now that you make money, what are you going to do with it? You can treat yourself, focus on your loans and financial goals, or ideally, find a healthy medium. Being a financially responsible adult doesn’t happen overnight. read more…

I was the chief resident during my PGY-3 year of family medicine residency. Frankly, until the application deadline, I wasn’t sure I’d even run for chief. My program selected the chief based upon votes from your peers, but naturally, applicants had to be in good standing with the administration as well. Weighing the pros and read more…

Every year as residency comes to an end, many decide between doing a fellowship or starting practice as an attending. It’s an individualized decision that hinges on professional goals and personal circumstances. The roles fellows and attendings serve are different in structure and purpose. If you’re approaching a similar decision, and are wondering “What is read more…

Fellowship is an exciting next step in your training after residency. Not everyone needs to do a fellowship (and many people don’t), but the advantage of further subspecialty training is the additional expertise that will set you apart from your colleagues. In this article, we’ll explain the different types of fellowships, how to apply to read more…

Starting residency is an exciting time! During this time, some specialties may require you to do a modified intern year before continuing to your “advanced” residency. This specifically applies to applicants going into anesthesiology, dermatology, ophthalmology, neurology, physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R), radiation oncology, radiology including interventional radiology (IR), and in some cases, urology and read more…

According to the Maslach Burnout Inventory, there are three specific components in assessing burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a lack of a sense of personal accomplishment. About 40% of medical students, residents, and attending physicians experience these symptoms of burnout. Considering the prevalence of burnout among medical professionals, how do you avoid burning out in read more…

The board/licensing exam is one of the most stressful hurdles you face in your medical career. The preparation is tedious and exam day is intense. After all the effort and time you’ve invested, receiving a failing score can be devastating. So, what happens if you fail a board exam? Here are a few next steps read more…

Starting residency can be daunting. It’s a transformative experience that will transition you from a medical student to a practicing physician. It will be busy, and at times tiring, but you’ll learn so much and should view this as your opportunity to learn how to be a stellar doctor. Your program leadership—the faculty you work read more…

Residency is a busy time filled with many clinical, professional, and educational responsibilities. Much of the time, it can be a 60-hour or even 80-hour work week without much downtime. With a busy schedule, you may wonder whether you have time to relax and what that might look like. Here’s how vacation during residency works read more…

Call shifts are a hallmark of residency and an important hurdle to conquer prior to becoming an attending. If you’re approaching your first call shift soon, you’ve probably racked your brain wondering: how do I survive a 24-hour shift? Caring for hospitalized patients, making important medical decisions, and answering questions from nurses, patients, and families read more…

Medical school is long and expensive, with little (if any) time to earn money. Residency may not come with much more free time, but still, it’s exciting to receive a paycheck for your work rather than pay tuition. Your resident salary, generally adjusted to your cost of living, should cover housing, food, and limited entertainment. read more…