Comments for Insights on Residency Training

Comment on The Next Step: Fellowship Applications by Nadim El Majzoub

Nadim El Majzoub — Tue, 21 May 2013 09:47:51 +0000

Dear Dr. Schwartz,
Good day,

Thank you for these very helpful tips, will keep them in mind when applying for my fellowship.

Before asking you my question, let me introduce my myself:
My name is Nadim El Majzoub, I am currently a third year Laboratory Medicine Resident at the American University of Beirut Medical Center. In 2002, I received my Bachelors in Science in Biology, in 2004 received my Masters in Physiology, and in 2008 received my Medical Degree. I did 2 years of post doctorate training in the Department of Internal Medicine then joined the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. In the hospital I am training in, these 2 specialties are separate and thus we get to choose one of them to specialize in. I have published 12 papers so far, and am working on a new project at the moment.

Given the fact that I am not American Board Certified, what are my chances of being accepted in the United States to do a Bacteriology fellowship?

Thank you in advance, and looking forward to hearing your advice.

Comment on Dusting Off the Blog: A New Writer Appears! by JOE BARRY,MD,FACP

JOE BARRY,MD,FACP — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 19:51:36 +0000

I never do this so the fact that I am tells you a lot.
A Doctor at any phase of his/her career needs to study every day .I mean study like your life depends on it or some one else’s life depends on it.
Inflict no pain on your patient. It happens a lot and infuriates me.A simple local analgesic or light sedation will prevent the horror cases I enterview
Read Dr.Jerome Groupmans small book bOOK about second opinions. Read all his books.
Being busy never ever replaces sensitivity to the patients needs. Today all I ever hear is how busy the Doctor is. A good Doctor never uses that line Make the diagnosis first then go to high teck to confirm your diagnosis.Never do it in reverse. If you do not know the diagnosis after 10-15 minutes get help

So you need to have some knowledge of how sickness is manifest in EVERY organ in the body
What a creative challenge .You are in the trenches tyrying to out wit the enemy which hides in every sick patient you see.You have to learn how to get the victem to lay out the blue prints of his illness. Then you strike or get a second opinion if you need it
What a challenge to learn how to make the correct diagnosis faster and faster as you get smarter every day deciphering the obscure clues from the patient.Wow that is exciting. jOE Barry,MD,FACP,AOA

Comment on Dusting Off the Blog: A New Writer Appears! by Ronaldo Gismondi

Ronaldo Gismondi — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 21:48:41 +0000

Dear Dr Schwartz, I am an internal medicine physician in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and I work in an university hospital in Fluminense Federal University. We have 12 residents in our service. As an interested in using novel technology in medical education, last year we developed a podcast (in portuguese). Each podcast is about 10 minutes long, once a week, and discuss common and pratical themes. One problem in Brazil is that our regulatory medical council required a password so only doctors and medical students could listen to the podcast. I have read many american podcasts. Those from Journal Watch and John Hopkings are my preferred ones. I read your blog and discover new ideas in medical education.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Ronaldo Altenburg Gismondi, MD, MSc.

Comment on What Would You Do? by Scott A. Joseph, MD

Scott A. Joseph, MD — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 23:58:14 +0000

Another thing that is very useful here is to know the latest data on survival rates from codes, and what the pain factors are.

When you tell the 40 year old’s mom that her daughter probably has advanced osteoporosis and will likely suffer fractures and pain from a code, and the likelihood of her coming out of the hospital is relatively low even if she survives the code is low, that will help. I did that and knew those numbers when I was doing my residency many years ago.

Comment on What Would You Do? by Scott A. Joseph, MD

Scott A. Joseph, MD — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 23:55:12 +0000

When my patients ask me “what would you do,” I tell them. I’ve been practicing psychiatry for 20 years, many of them as a hospitalist. I will give them options, and then tell them, if they wish, what I would do in that situation, and why. Oftentimes, I’m the doctor that the patient gets to talk to the longest.

My wife and I hold each other’s Powers of Attorney, incidentally.

Comment on Autism: What’s the Truth?? by Tom

Tom — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 03:28:10 +0000

“Local family catches caretakers’ abuse on camera” seen on channel 8 san diego news Sept 19th 2012. Just horrific! Why is there such a rise in abuse of autistic people? What does this say about the soul beat of our society? http://www.cbs8.com/story/19589835/local-family-catches-caretakers-abuse-on-camera

Comment on Hello, Everyone! by Scott Winters

Scott Winters — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 15:49:38 +0000

It’ll be refreshing to read an account of medical residency that isn’t a hospital drama! Medical training must be physically exhausting. How are you adjusting to the erratic and crazy hours? This could just be the Grey’s Anatomy talking, but do residents often go 48 hours without sleep? I’m interested to read about your experiences!

Comment on The Price of Being a Doctor by Shroomduke

Shroomduke — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 17:49:49 +0000

Yikes, a little harsh there buuuuudy!

Yes doctors love to have their egos stroked and I guess this is one place they get it. and I like your honesty but next time try humor instead of sarcasm and vitriol.

I know it’s impossible for some doctors to imigine what it’s like to have an addiction or living in the real world… A doctor whineing about a paitent, that’s new, try unloading trucks of gravel all day with a shovel when you have a bad back because you can’t make $250/hr being a doctor, then have some smart ass doctor who’s only known you for 3 minutes tell you whats gonna help..

Welcom to the real world doc!

Comment on What Would You Do? by Dra. Miriam Lira

Dra. Miriam Lira — Mon, 21 May 2012 19:36:43 +0000

Have several years of Internal Medicine practice, faced similar situations before, that´s why have started to study Palliative Care Class, there are classes on line and have helped me so much. Also have been paying my own funeral expenditures, so my children ( 11 and 12 years old) and relatives will suffer less.

Comment on Curses and Blessings of Aging by Rama Para

Rama Para — Sun, 20 May 2012 06:30:32 +0000

Remember what Mark Twain said
” Growing old is an issue of Mind and Matter:
If YOU do not Mind, it does Not Matter.!”