Biomedical Odyssey bloggers past and present share their experiences and offer advice to prospective residents and fellows. Here are a few of our favorites: Applying for Residency: Parts One, Two and Three A fourth-year medical student offers pro tips and lessons learned during the residency application process. Advice from a Senior Resident to a New(...)
A Day in the Life
Tips on How to Choose the Right Laboratory
Posted by | A Day in the LifeFor a graduate student or postdoc, choosing the right laboratory can be a daunting prospect. There are many factors that one must consider, but deciding which to prioritize is often challenging. Individual learning styles, interests and career goals vary vastly, so an environment perfectly suited to one person may be one where another flounders. That(...)
Learning Through Apprenticeship: A Continued Pillar of Medical Education
Posted by | A Day in the Life“See one, do one, teach one,” is the traditional adage by which physicians learn their trade. This apprenticeship model in medicine is often credited to William Stewart Halsted, the first surgeon-in-chief of Johns Hopkins and the founder of its surgical residency program. Although much has changed in the halls of The Johns Hopkins Hospital since(...)
The Future of Biomedical Education: Part 1
Posted by | A Day in the LifeAs graduate students, we spend our days in the lab and are constantly working to balance setting up experiments, tackling our coursework, and attending relevant seminars and meetings. With this hectic day-to-day life, it can be easy to lose track of time, as well as the big picture of our Ph.D. training and the overall(...)
STEM Students: “Doc” the Vote!
Posted by | A Day in the LifeMidterm elections are right around the corner. Now is the time to register to vote — the Maryland registration deadline is Oct. 16, 2018. Why should health care workers and scientists care about voting? Simply put, the very foundations of our professions, such as access to health care or funding for research, are dictated by(...)
A Day in the Life of a Medical Student
Posted by | A Day in the LifeThrough triumphs, inspiration and heartache, our medical students offer rich, vivid accounts of their time at the school of medicine. Here are some of our favorites: The Hidden Joys of Medical School The rigor of medical school provides little time to celebrate or reflect on one’s accomplishments. The truly exhilarating moments, however, come most unexpectedly.(...)
I’m Alive!
Posted by | A Day in the LifeHer first impression: The supernatural world was surprisingly similar to reality. She opened her eyes and looked around. Lifting her hand in disbelief, she slowly flexed each intricate finger muscle. She gingerly touched her nose and ran her hand through her hair. “Are you an angel?” she asked. This 80-year-old lady had recently been diagnosed(...)
Delivering Your Goals
Posted by | A Day in the LifeOn Day 1 of my residency in the Gyn/Ob department at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, I remember feeling intimidated by all the skills that I had to develop: placing orders, writing notes, managing labor, performing vaginal deliveries, repairing lacerations, performing C-sections, placing Nexplanon implants for contraception, managing triage patients, answering consults, and(...)
Electronic Health Records Shape the Medical Student Experience
Posted by | A Day in the LifeWhile entering a clinic room one day, I closely followed the attending physician as she greeted the patient and made introductions. That morning I was participating in a form of learning that is all too common in medical school: passive observation. “Now let me just pull up the note,” the doctor said to the patient,(...)
Lessons from the Wards
Posted by | A Day in the LifeAt the end of May, I finished graduate school and resumed medical school. Returning to clinical rotations with a fresh perspective, I have been able to more clearly reflect on the many lessons we learn from everyday interactions with patients, caregivers and colleagues. I would like to share a few valuable lessons. My first rotation(...)