August 2011
8 posts
5 tags
The ECFMG, and My USMLE Score..
Eight weeks after taking my exam, I called the ECFMG to find out why I hadn’t received my score yet (they tell you not to call before 8 weeks).
Anyways — after waiting so long they told me that they were waiting on some documents that my school should have sent back to them! I had them resend the documents, and was waiting for my school to return the documents to the ECFMG, so they...
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How to Apply Preclinical Training to Clinical...
Preclinical training is called preclinical for a reason: it will form the knowledge base for your practice as a clinical student, resident, and attending. However, it’s not always presented in a way that’s clinically relevant. That is probably the reason for the move in some medical schools to do more case-based learning.
That being said, having a strong preclinical knowledge base...
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"At certain speeds, sometimes failure is as...
This slow motion compilation of numerous skateboard “slams, bails and falls,” is insanely cool, and often wince-inducing. But everyone involved apparently made it out in one piece, so now we can all marvel at their mistakes. Watch for the one unfortunate guy who seems to have chugged a glass of water before each attempt. You have to hydrate, of course, but preferably not while...
6 tags
Depressed? Treat a systemic disease systemically..
Depression is one version of hell on earth, and Americans have a lot of it. A recent international study of 18 countries found America near the top, with 19.2 percent of the population having experienced depression — only France, at 21 percent, ranked higher. With our tottering health care system and vigorous arguments that antidepressants are useless, what are people to do?
Lots....
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Why are people so divided when it comes to...
In the fight against childhood cancer, everyone is on the same side — the side of doing more research, finding better cures and saving lives. In the fight against childhood psychiatric disorders, there is no such unity — as the comment sections of even the most uncontroversial articles demonstrate. Some commentators feel that autism doesn’t exist, or if it does exist, it...
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"Great minds have purposes, others have dreams."
Often, the difference between achieving your goals and simply having them is your perspective, as this quote from noted historian and author Washington Irving suggests.
Rather than think of what you want as elusive or vague dreams, reframe them so they’re actually purposes — achievable and actionable goals that you’re driven to accomplish. Another variation of this quote is...
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This morning, while commuting into the hospital...
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Bedside Manners: Patient Personalities 101
I’m currently on my psychiatry rotation at a major hospital in Chicago, and I have come to learn, and understand that as you progress in your medical training and career, you will encounter many different types of patients who have a wide range of personality traits and circumstances. These individuals will be faced with depression, terminal illnesses, chronic pain, addiction, and other...
