Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder, but Risk Should Not Be...

A little off the beaten track for the holidays, here is a great NYT article called "You Could Die Today. Here's How to Reduce that Risk." It is a fantastic conversation starter for patients and family members in your life. 

Bad Advice Turned on Its Head

The end of the year is a time for reflection and a time to consider what will make you happy in the upcoming twelve months - and beyond.

When I was a medical student applying for emergency medicine residency programs, a well-meaning dean gave me some bad advice: I was determining the order of my rank list and was particularly concerned about one program that had an excellent reputation but was in a city I didn’t like. The dean told me, “You’ll be so busy during residency it won’t matter where you live.” Luckily, the advice rubbed me the wrong way, and I wholeheartedly disregarded it. Where you live for your medical training - medical school, residency, or fellowship - is as important as the quality of your training program! The reasons are several-fold:

1. Medical training is time-consuming, and you want to be in a city you can enjoy fully when you have a few moments to blow off steam.
2. Medical training is extremely stressful, and you want to be in a city where you have social support.
3. Medical training is not completed in a vacuum. Your personal life continues. If you’re single you may meet someone and end up staying in the city where you have trained for the rest of your life (gasp). If you’re in a long-term relationship you may decide to have children or may already have them. Down the road you may not want to relocate your family.

Not everyone gets the opportunity to go to medical school or train in residency and fellowship programs in a city s/he likes. But you can make choices that will increase your chances. Consider these options - and your happiness - as you make professional decisions this coming year.

Even More AAAS Fellowship Opportunities

Earlier this month I blogged on the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Mass Media Fellowship, which I had the benefit of during medical school. The AAAS opportunity changed my life in many positive ways. I would be remiss if I did not highlight other AAAS fellowships that science students and professionals can enjoy. If you are interested in policy, are a star student with a disability, or are a woman researcher looking to fund her studies, the AAAS has a fellowship for you to consider. These and more can be found on the AAAS fellowship page. 

The Residency and Medical School Application Process: Moving Past Impostor Syndrome

First described by psychologists Drs. Suzanne Imes and Pauline Rose Clance in the 1970s, impostor phenomenon occurs among high achievers who cannot easily internalize their successes. They often externally attribute their accomplishments to luck and worry that others will eventually realize they are frauds.

Recognize this phenomenon of self-doubt?

You are not alone. Although many people suffer in silence (as they do not want to be revealed for what they perceive to be major deficiencies), the syndrome is quite common, especially in medical school. According to one 2016 study, almost a quarter of male medical students and nearly half of female students surveyed suffered with impostor syndrome. The phenomenon can be associated with depression, burn out, and anxiety. The American Psychological Association offers a few tips for overcoming impostor syndrome including speaking to mentors, recognizing what you excel at, and talking to a professional if necessary. 

Here's a fun article on imposter syndrome by Joelle Borhart MD, the Associate Program Director at Georgetown University. 

Paid Summer Opportunity: AAAS Mass Media Fellowship

Looking for something different to do this summer? The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is again offering their Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellowship, a 10-week summer program that places science, engineering, and math undergraduate and graduate students at media organizations across the nation - places like NPR, the Los Angeles Times, and WIRED.

I was an AAAS Mass Media Fellow in 1995. The program was truly fantastic and life-altering.

Take a look here for program details, including dates, eligibility, and funding. 

Applications are due by January 1st, so get moving!