One thing I’ve learning while being a medical student is that not only is learning how to care for patients a heavy load, but so is being a patient. In college, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. After years of feeling fatigue, brain fog, unexplained weight gain, and hypersensitivity to temperature change, I was put on a medication to help control my thyroid levels. Despite medication, there are still days where I can tell my hypothyroidism is trying to fight the medication in my body. I feel groggy, brain fog, and “slower” than I would on a normal day. Despite this, I still have to get up ..read more

With the rising competitiveness of medical school, the level of anxiety students face increases as each year goes by. Many students are unaware of the specialty they want to pursue when entering medical school and even if they are sure, most end up changing their mind upon entering clinical clerkships. This, in turn, gives medical students anxiety as they want to show that they’re active and productive via leadership, research, etc. upon applying for their specialty. Consequently, many students these days are electing for gap years to further their education and increase their competitiveness ..read more

Whether you’re starting your first day of residency or another year of training, July is a time of transition. It’s the busiest time of year in medicine as we close one chapter and start another. I’m still in awe that this is the start of my PGY-3 year in psychiatry. Before I know it, I’ll be an attending psychiatrist. I’m halfway through my residency training. They weren’t kidding when they said time really flies. Let me tell you—it happens with a blink of an eye. As I reflect on my last two years of training, I can’t help but think of how grateful I am for the journey. Lots of tears and smi ..read more

Biochemistry usually is one of the most comfortable classes in the first year of medical school since everyone has taken it at some point before matriculation. Although it may feel familiar, it’s not the same as undergraduate biochemistry. Here are a few tips that helped me in biochemistry. Read the Lecture Presentations – Most of my professors had PowerPoint reviews summarizing main points from the textbook. Since I was familiar with many of the biochemistry topics, I didn’t read most of the textbook. However, I definitely found it helpful to read about new topics that I didn’t have much ba ..read more

Although I’m in residency, there’s still that special feeling I get from summer—I think of water, sunshine, and reading a good book. In fact, I had a conversation earlier this week about books. Digital reading versus carrying a physical book says so much about someone, and that the books people read share a lot about them. With that being said, I thought I’d share my top three reads. My top three books worth reading (which are also perfect to talk about in any interview—seriously, you’ll be quite impressive): Elite Minds: Creating the Competitive Advantage Crucial Conversations: Tools for Ta ..read more

Many people wonder if iPads are actually useful for medical students. The short answer is yes. Most of the people in my medical school classes have iPads. An iPad can be used for taking notes, annotating PowerPoint presentations, and taking photos. Most commonly, I see my fellow medical students use it as a second screen to supplement their laptop. I also found that my classmates had a much easier time working with anatomy apps on iPads since they could touch the model and manipulate it using their hands rather than a trackpad or mouse. While an iPad is not a replacement for a laptop, it can ..read more

Recently, I started watching the television series ChicagoMed with my husband. While watching Season 2, Episode 11, resident cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Rhodes was paged to repair an atrial septal defect . . . in a panda. At first, he stated that there was no way he could perform the surgery due to his human-only training. After receiving assurance from the panda’s owners at the Chicago Zoo and the Chinese Embassy, Dr. Rhodes remembered that the physiology of animals and humans were quite similar and took on the task. After a successful surgery, the episode ended with the beloved panda recover ..read more

What kind of psychiatrist would I be if I didn’t share about May being Mental Health Awareness Month? You’ll be seeing green ribbons everywhere in support of #knowscience and #nostigma. The HHS and current administration shared a press release regarding the celebration of Mental Health Awareness Month in May 2022. There is currently a severe shortage of behavioral health-trained providers. According to the CDC, suicide remains the second leading cause of death among youth aged 10 to 14 and adults aged 24 to 35. While suicide was responsible for nearly 46,000 deaths in 2020, many more people a ..read more

In honor of Hepatitis Awareness month, I wanted to briefly discuss hepatitis transmission, particularly in the healthcare setting. Types of Hepatitis There are 5 types (A-E) with types A, B, C being the most common. The leading cause of liver cancer is chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV). According to the CDC, 66% of individuals who have HBV and 40% of those with HCV are unaware of their diagnosis. The only way to know if you have hepatitis (any of the 5 types) is to get tested, especially if you aware you hit certain risk factors. Fortunately, hepatitis A and B are preventable, a ..read more

In honor of National Kidney Month, I wanted to take time to stress the importance of staying hydrated. This not only goes for our patients, but also ourselves. We have dedicated our lives to treating others and recommending ways for our patients to treat their bodies well. Often times, we forget about ourselves and what we need to keep our bodies healthy—especially our kidneys! With the hustle and bustle of medical school and residency, it’s easy to forget to drink enough water. I have forgotten more times than I would like to admit, but I strive to do better. One way I help keep myself accou ..read more