Tag Archives: orientation

New Students Arrive, How to Live in the Present, and Staying Sane While Applying

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Welcome New MD/PA students!

M2s Leticia Franciso and Gizzy Keeler, who served as orientation leaders for this year’s new crop of medical and PA students, were in a good position to talk about the experience of transitioning from Orientation Week to the first year of medical school, highlighting the changes in attitudes and relationships they saw. They, along with PA2 Julie Vuong and M4 Katie Higham-Kessler compare the pre-med and medical school environments and offer advice to incoming students. And our admissions expert Rachel Schulista returns to help answer questions from listener JustAGirl who’s trying to stay sane during the application process while the other applicants around her are not being especially helpful, and listener Chris’s worry that he’s looking to the future at the expense of the present. Plus, the importance of having diverse experiences, the real value of personal statements in applications, and why the pursuit of genuine personal interests will help you get into med school and beyond. Join us!

We Want to Hear From You: YOUR VOICE MATTERS!

We welcome your feedback, listener questions, and shower thoughts. Do you agree or disagree with something we said today? Did you hear something really helpful? Can we answer a question for you? Are we delivering a podcast you want to keep listening to? Let us know at https://theshortcoat.com/tellus and we’ll put your message in a future episode. Or email theshortcoats@gmail.com.

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Continue reading New Students Arrive, How to Live in the Present, and Staying Sane While Applying

Why Having a Pet in Med School is a Good Idea (Recess Rehash)

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[It’s winter break for us here at the University of Iowa, so we’re taking a break. Our next new episode will be out January 18, 2024. In the meantime, enjoy this rerun!]

They may not help us pass our exams…but they definitely have upsides

  • A common question new medical students have is whether they should get a pet. Will they feel neglected when I have to be at the hospital or the library? Will they be too expensive for a poor med student? Will they be too much work?
  • The answer to those questions can be answered by realizing that PLENTY of us do own pets, and we all do just fine.
  • Also, Dave cornered some frightened-looking M1s during orientation for some people-on-the-street interviews. Riley, Mao, Madi and Matt discuss their answers.

We Want to Hear From You: YOUR VOICE MATTERS!

No matter where you fall on any spectrum, we want your thoughts on our show.  Do you agree or disagree with something we said today?  Did you hear something really helpful?  Are we delivering a podcast you want to keep listening to?  We’ll be sure your ideas are heard by all–leave a message at 347-SHORTCT (347-746-7828) and we’ll put your message in a future episode (use *67 to be an “Unknown caller”).

We want to know more about you: Take the Listener Survey

Continue reading Why Having a Pet in Med School is a Good Idea (Recess Rehash)

Why Having a Pet in Med School is a Good Idea

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They may not help us pass our exams…but they definitely have upsides

  • A common question new medical students have is whether they should get a pet. Will they feel neglected when I have to be at the hospital or the library? Will they be too expensive for a poor med student? Will they be too much work?
  • The answer to those questions can be answered by realizing that PLENTY of us do own pets, and we all do just fine.
  • Also, Dave cornered some frightened-looking M1s during orientation for some people-on-the-street interviews. Riley, Mao, Madi and Matt discuss their answers.

We Want to Hear From You: YOUR VOICE MATTERS!

No matter where you fall on any spectrum, we want your thoughts on our show.  Do you agree or disagree with something we said today?  Did you hear something really helpful?  Are we delivering a podcast you want to keep listening to?  We’ll be sure your ideas are heard by all–leave a message at 347-SHORTCT (347-746-7828) and we’ll put your message in a future episode (use *67 to be an “Unknown caller”).

We want to know more about you: Take the Listener Survey

Continue reading Why Having a Pet in Med School is a Good Idea

Hotel Influenza, Confirming Right-to-Try Problems, REM Sleep Revealed

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sleep photo
Photo by Mark Turnauckas

We love when listeners get in touch, which is why Dave was glad to hear from Adil who, after listening to our discussion of the new national Right-To-Try legislation, sent us a paper he wrote on the subject the year before.  It really helped clear some things up that we weren’t sure of.  Like the fact that it doesn’t actually do anything to help patients get faster access to experimental drugs, has a kind of informed consent problem, allows patients to further conflate research with therapy, and more.

And with thousands of new medical students poised to matriculate this fall, Dave and co-hosts Aline Sandouk, Kylie Miller, and Amy Hanson try out a new awkward icebreaker activity to see if it has some utility for new student orientations.

This Week in Medical News

The Trump administration walks back their recent decision to claw back money earmarked for fighting epidemics around the world.  Back home, St. Louis University opens an influenza hotel.  And the function of REM sleep finally revealed…maybe.

We Want to Hear From You

What do you most want to find out during your upcoming med school orientation?  Are you nervous?  Are you excited? Call us at 347-SHORTCT anytime, visit our Facebook group, or email theshortcoats@gmail.com.

Continue reading Hotel Influenza, Confirming Right-to-Try Problems, REM Sleep Revealed