‘Tis the season: Yes, it’s time to make those final decisions about your future specialty. However, the way the medical education system is set up, it’s a very difficult and stressful choice to make. Here’s my Student Doctor Network article on how to choose your future career.
Blog Archives
Medical Students: How Do you Select Your Specialty?
Tags: choosing a specialty, Medical Student, SDN
Physician Burnout
The Medscape Physician Lifestyle Report 2015 is out, and don’t be surprised if you find it a little discouraging. U.S. physicians suffer more burnout than other U.S. workers with 46% of American doctors reporting the problem. Critical care doctors are most affected at 53%, followed by emergency physicians at 52%. The report cites bureaucracy, administrative tasks, and long work hours, among other causes.
Check out this piece on emergency physician burnout to better understand why there is such a disconnect between medical student interest and physician satisfaction in the emergency medicine field.
Tags: Medical Student, Physician Burnout
Cool Things Med Students Do
I wanted to put in a plug for a charity that does great work in the battle against the spread of HIV. Little Travellers, an organization started by a Canadian medical student, sells beaded dolls and necklaces made by South African women infected with or affected by HIV in a community with a 45% HIV rate.
Not only does the project help with hospice care, education and medical facilities, but it also employs the bead artists who make the dolls and jewelry. If you’d like more information or you’d like to get involved, please contact Erin at erin@littletravellers.net.
Tags: Charity, Hiv, Hospice Care, Med Students, Medical Student
It Gets Better
In honor of the Dan Savage’s “It Gets Better” campaign, I thought I would dedicate this blog entry to those who are in medical training and are struggling. (And who isn’t?!)
Despite the relatively warm winter many of us are experiencing, this time of year can be particularly rough for medical students and residents trying to get through classes and rotations. As a practicing MD, I want to let you know that it gets better! For every medical student, resident or fellow who has heard an attending physician say, “If you think training is hard, wait until you’re done,” I say, “Don’t believe that silly doctor!” Once you get through this tough time, you can look forward to more autonomy and a happier lifestyle.
I wish someone had told me all of this when I was going through training. It really gets better!
When Your Debts Affect Your Dates
A recent article in the NY Times highlights how individual debt taken on as a student has the power to adversely affect one’s subsequent relationships. You can link to the article here.
You are feeling less anxious and more comfortable with the whole medical school applications game. The interviews keep rolling in. Finally, you start to receive acceptance letters from multiple schools. Suddenly you find yourself in the enviable position of having a choice between a reputable state school, where tuition is relatively low, and a reputable private school, where you will go deeply into debt. You visit the private school and see stars: the buildings are made of marble, the admissions officials wear designer suits, and the alumni network, everyone assures you, will give you a leg up in residency applications. Should financial considerations play into your decision? Should you ignore finances and follow your heart, assuming that as a future physician you’ll comfortably be able to pay off any educational debt? Read more ›
Dr. Finkel is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Medical School. On completing her residency at Harvard, she was asked to
stay on as faculty at Harvard Medical School and spent five years teaching at the world-renowned Massachusetts General Hospital.
She was appointed to the Assistant Residency Director position for the Harvard Affiliated
Emergency Medicine Residency where she reviewed countless applications, personal statements and resumes. Read more
