The Medicine Mentors Podcast
Mentors in Medicine
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Interviewing physician leaders to tap into their wisdom
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16 hours ago
Passing it Forward with Dr. James de Lemos
James de Lemos MD is a Professor of Medicine and holds the Sweetheart Ball-Kern Wildenthal, MD, Ph.D. Distinguished Chair in Cardiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. de Lemos completed his Medical school at Harvard and Internal Medicine Residency at UT Southwestern, where he also served as Chief Medical Resident. He completed a fellowship in Cardiovascular Medicine and served on the faculty at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital before returning to UT Southwestern in 2000. He is an invited member of the Association of University Cardiologists, the American Society of Clinical Investigation, and the Association of American Physicians. He has mentored >30 post-doctoral research trainees and authored over 300 manuscripts. He is the Executive Editor for Circulation and previously served on the editorial board of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the American Journal of Cardiology, and the American Heart Journal. He has won several teaching and mentorship awards including 2015 Women in Cardiology Mentoring Award by the American Heart Association and the 2020 Distinguished Mentor Award from the American College of Cardiology.
As a medical student, Dr. James de Lemos was often hesitant to reach out to mentors because he didn't want to impose on their time. Today, he considers mentorship one of his great joys, one he finds immensely rewarding. Today. Dr. de Lemos shares his philosophy around mentorship thru various perspectives: as a mentee and as a mentor; for research, career, and life. He sheds light on the importance of finding the right mentors earlier in life and the joys of being a part of a mentees’ early accomplishments. It’s clear that mentorship is the favorite part of Dr. de Lemos’ job.
Pearls of Wisdom:
1. Mentors are looking for mentees that do what they say they’re going to do when they say they’re going to do them.
2. The right mentor is oftentimes more important than the right project. Find out about the mentor before signing up: how successful have they been working with other mentees at your level? Will they work in your best interest? Is it fun to work with them?
3. Don’t look only for career mentors. Look for life mentors. Oftentimes, these are the people who remind you that the journey is more important than the destination.
4. What muscles should medical students work to build? First, challenge yourself to pass it forward through teaching. Then, in clinics, practice deliberate decision-making and empathy with humor. Finally, train yourself to be efficient.
21 hours ago
Learning How to Juggle with Dr. Aditi Singh
Aditi Singh MD is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Medicine. She also serves as the director of the internal medicine residency program. Dr. Singh completed residency and chief residency at the University of Nevada—Reno School of Medicine. She is an active member of the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine, frequently presenting medical education related sessions at national and international meetings. She is the recipient of multiple awards, including the Leonard Tow Humanism Award and the Nevada Chapter Volunteerism and Community Service Award, amongst many others. Dr. Singh has several peer-reviewed publications, including in the International Journal of Cardiology and JAMA Internal Medicine.
Are you good at juggling? Today, Dr. Aditi Singh shares an analogy she learned after listening to a speech by the CEO of Coca-Cola. We’re all juggling multiple glass balls: Work, friends, family, hobbies, career. The one that drops—shatters. In medicine, we have to decide which balls to juggle, and how to do it well. Dr. Singh explains how important it is for us to identify what we need to keep in the air, and what we are comfortable dropping. And part of this is reflecting on our personal priorities, and then making sure to carve out time to meet those expectations of ourselves. The question we should be asking ourselves is: What is most important to us?
Pearls of Wisdom:
1. Identify the difference between tiredness—and burnout. As a physician, you have a role in removing the stigma and create an accepting environment to be able to communicate about well-being.
2. You can’t juggle every ball. Identify what the most important things in your life are, and carve out time for those things. Know what balls you want to keep juggling, and which you are okay with dropping.
3. To become a master of bedside skills, teach other students and trainees how to be excellent at the bedside, too.
4. Two predictors of success are compassion for patients, and having the innate desire to work hard.
4 days ago
Giving Back with Dr. Joseph Hill
Joseph Hill MD is a Professor of Medicine & Molecular Biology, the James Willerson Distinguished Chair in Cardiovascular Diseases, the Frank Ryburn Jr Chair in Heart Research, the Director of the Harry Moss Heart Center and the Chief of Cardiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Hill graduated from Medical school at Duke with an MD-PhD, worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Institut Pasteur in Paris for 5 years before pursuing residency in Internal medicine from Brigham & Women's Hospital, where he stayed on to pursue a Fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease. Dr. Hill worked at the University of Iowa before joining UT Southwestern in 2002. His Research focuses on remodelling in cardiac hypertrophy & failure and has published over 160 articles and contributed to 14 books. He is the editor-in-chief of Circulation. His many honors include serving as the President of the Association of University Cardiologists, election to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and the Association of American Physicians, and being named an American Heart Association’s Established Investigator.
“Being a physician is an incredibly high calling,” says Dr. Joseph Hill, as he reflects on the tremendous privilege we have as physicians to help people who have entrusted their well-being into our hands. Yet, he reminds us all today to not stop there. “You owe it to this profession to give something back.” Whether it be in advancing the body of knowledge through research or mentoring the next generation as an educator or improving healthcare delivery as an administrator, he encourages us to think beyond our clinical encounters and proactively give back to the profession out of gratitude for the privilege it has bestowed upon us.
Pearls of Wisdom:
1. Be mentorable. You may not hear what you want to hear from your mentors, but the best mentees keep an open mind and reflect on the advice given to them.
2. True success is holistic : family is just as if not more important than our profession and therefore we need to carve out time for our family. It will only help us in advancing our careers.
3. In the clinical encounter, make sure to acknowledge the patient’s family members who accompany them.
Jan 18, 2021
The Power of Humor with Dr. Mark Metersky
Mark Metersky MD is a Professor of Medicine, the Chief of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, and the Director of Center for Bronchiectasis Care at UConn Health. He is also the associate Chief of Service in the Department of Medicine at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Metersky earned his medical degree from New York University School of Medicine and completed his residency in Internal Medicine from Boston City Hospital. He then pursued a Fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine from the University of California San Diego Medical Center. Dr. Metersky has published extensively throughout his career and has received many awards and honors including being named in ‘America’s Top Doctors’ and included in ‘Guide to Top Doctors’.
How do you feel when someone makes you laugh? What if you’re in a stressful situation, like seeing a doctor? Medicine is serious and patients are often uncomfortable and are suffering. If your doctor cracks a funny joke, you are more likely to feel relaxed and open to communicating, which can only improve the doctor/patient encounter. This is the power of humor. Today, Dr. Mark Metersky shares his stories on how humor can make a difference in our practice of medicine.
Pearls of Wisdom:
1. If you don’t already have a specific track, you need to find what fulfills you. Say ‘yes’ to all opportunities and explore everything. Once you’ve figured out where you find fulfillment, then start saying ‘no’ to manage your time.
2. Respect your time and your mentor’s time. If your mentor is willing to invest time and energy, you should show interest by working hard and fulfilling your commitment and show that you’re striving for excellence.
3. With your patients, take advantage of humor and make them laugh! This could make their day and help build a stronger relationship with them.
Jan 18, 2021
Tiny Wins with Dr. Kevin O'Leary
Kevin O'Leary MD is the Chief, Division of Hospital Medicine, Associate Chair for Quality in the Department of Medicine and John Clarke Professor of Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He is the founding Director of the Northwestern Medicine Academy for Quality and Safety Improvement. Dr. O'Leary completed his medical school at the University of Illinois, Chicago, and his residency at Northwestern University. He is the Deputy Editor for the Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety and also serves as principal investigator of the Redesigning Systems to Improve Quality for Hospitalized Patients (RESET). He is the recipient of multiple awards including the Leape Ahead Award from the American Association for Physician Leadership, Award for Excellence in Teamwork in Quality Improvement from Society of Hospital Medicine, and Award for Clinical Innovation from Northwestern.
When Dr. O’Leary was a pre-med student, he envisioned success as making great saves as a doctor. Yet, as he progressed on his journey to being an internist and leading Northwestern's hospital medicine division, the definition of real success changed. Now it is about helping patients understand their illness a little bit better, addressing their fears and their concerns, helping them navigate a complex healthcare system and seeing them achieve their goals. True success lies in “those tiny wins” says Dr. O’Leary, “that can occur with almost every patient, every single day.”
Pearls of Wisdom:
1. As a resident, when you hear a leader give an inspiring talk, yes - take mental notes. But go one step further: reach out and engage them in a conversation about it.
2. Real success as physicians lies not only in the occasional miraculous saves, but more so in the tiny, everyday wins, such as helping a patient have a good death.
3. Be careful about what advice you accept and don’t accept from a mentor. It’s good to have a team of mentors to bounce ideas off of. If a mentor gives you the same advice twice, consider accepting it.
4. It’s fine to have an idea of the direction you want to go, but recognize that you’re going to get unexpected opportunities. Keep an open mind and tap into them.
Jan 14, 2021
Finding your Fire with Dr. Calvin Thigpen
Calvin Thigpen MD is an Associate Professor of Medicine and the Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Mississippi. He completed his medical school, residency, and chief residency in internal medicine from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and then obtained ABIM Oncology Board Certification. Dr. Thigpen serves on the ACP Board as the Mississippi chapter governor and in various capacities in many other committees. With more than over two decades of experience mentoring students and residents, he has been the recipient of a many awards, including the Nelson Order of Teaching Excellence.
What makes you come alive? What lights up your spirit—and sets you on fire? If you haven’t found out what that is yet—make that your top priority. Find out, and go do it. Today, Dr. Calvin Thigpen explains that the world needs people who have come alive. The world needs the people who are living in alignment with what fulfills them most, and brings them passion. In medicine, Dr. Thigpen recalls struggling between what he’s good at—and what he really wanted to do. He advises us to not simply make decisions based on what others may think we’re good at. He shares a story about making the difficult decision to leave oncology after realizing it’s not what he was passionate about. And that as we journey through life, we need to honor our own passions, and not worry about disappointing others.
Pearls of Wisdom:
* Be cognizant of what makes you feel fulfilled. That will guide you in making career decisions. In whatever you do, go all in: It’s the only way to find out what you’re made of.
* Be honest with what you want, both with yourself and with your mentors. Know that mentoring relationships develop over time, and need to be built on trust.
* What other people say you’re good at doesn’t necessarily mean you should do it. Finding what makes you fulfilled is going to pull you through the tough times.
* In life, find whatever it is that makes you come alive—and do it. What the world needs is people who come alive. The world needs passion.
* Successful people all have one thing in common: they have come alive, they are on fire for what it is they’re doing. You really have to have that fire to be successful.
Jan 14, 2021
Life is All About the Tangents with Dr. Michael Hochman
Michael Hochman MD is the Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine and Director, Gehr Family Center for Implementation Science at Keck School of Medicine of USC. Dr. Hochman completed his Medical school from Harvard Medical School and Residency in Internal Medicine from Cambridge Health Alliance. A practicing internist, Dr. Hochman also hosts the Healthy Skeptic podcast which focuses on taking a deeper dive into health issues and recently authored the book 50 Studies Every Doctor Should Know. He is a passionate clinician educator and is a recipient of numerous teaching awards including the Medical Student Teaching Award & Resident Teacher of the Year Award while at Harvard and the Faculty Teaching Award at Keck School of Medicine.
The conventional mantra in medicine is to know more and more about less and less and get more specialized, shares Dr. Michael Hochman. Yet he found individuals who didn’t necessarily follow that mantra and get their feet wet in multiple different arenas: from doing policy for a few years to working at a community health center to doing academic medicine. That’s when he realized that career decisions you make don’t have to be lifelong. It’s fine to try things out and find your passion. “Life is all about the tangents” says Dr. Hochman. “A lot of times, the tangents are what really make things interesting and help you grow as a person.”
Pearls of Wisdom:
1. Recognize the value of a team: Doctors work with nurses, pharmacists, and a group of other people that, together, do what’s best for the patient..
2. Career decisions that we make are not lifelong. Experience different paths to identify your passion. The fun of life is in these tangents.
3. There are three golden rules of medicine: When in doubt, put the patient first. Be optimistic. And always try your hardest.
4. Don’t go into a patient’s room with your agenda. Go in asking what is the patient’s agenda with you.
Jan 11, 2021
Following Your Bliss with Dr. Rebecca Gruchalla
Rebecca Gruchalla MD is a Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, and Director of the Division of Allergy and Immunology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, where she holds the William A. Sellers MD and Joyce M. Sellers Distinguished Chair in Allergy and Immunology. Dr. Gruchalla received her PhD and MD from UT Southwestern, went to UPenn to complete her residency, and completed her fellowship in allergy and immunology from UT Southwestern, where she stayed on as faculty. She's an active Physician Investigator, and has been leading inner-city pediatric asthma studies since 1994. She's a past member of the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Allergy and Immunology, and the Board of Directors of the American Board of Allergy and Immunology.
“Wherever you are, if you are following your bliss...doors that you didn't know existed will open...invisible hands will guide you.” Dr. Rebecca Gruchalla reminds us of this quote from Joseph Campbell’s The Power of Myth as she shares the impact of her parents and physician mentors in shaping who she is today. Working with her mentors (and responding to the occasional ‘zingers’ with a can-do attitude), connecting with her patients on a personal level before getting down to medicine, and nurturing her trainees as they progress on their path - these are some of the things that bring joy to Dr. Gruchalla’s life. She leaves us with a simple, yet profound message: Follow your heart and you’re going to be great!
Pearls of Wisdom:
1. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, take it one step at a time. And give it 24 hours before making any major decisions.
2. In a patient encounter, don’t worry about what to say at first. Instead, observe: what do you see in the room, next to the patient’s bed? Start a conversation with the patient. Make a connection.
3. Great mentees don’t approach their mentors with just a problem; they also bring a solution. Plus, they are prepared to take criticism because they know that’s what helps them grow.
4. Be joyful, be delighted. Medicine is a serious profession dealing with life and death, but doctors are following their bliss.
Jan 11, 2021
Overcoming Challenges with Dr. Naftali Kaminski
Naftali Kaminski MD is the Boehringer-Ingelheim Endowed Professor of Internal Medicine and Chief of the Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, at Yale School of Medicine. After completing his medical school residency and fellowship in pulmonary medicine in Israel, Dr. Kaminski was appointed head of functional genomics at Sheba Medical Center. In 2002, he was recruited to head the Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Diseases at University of Pittsburgh, where he stayed for over a decade before joining the faculty at Yale. Dr. Kaminski and his team are responsible for many breakthroughs in the diagnosis and treatment of interstitial lung diseases. And he has authored over 275 research papers. He was an associate editor of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine and deputy editor of Thorax BMJ. He's an elected member of the Association of American Physicians, a fellow of the European Respiratory Society, and a fellow of the American Thoracic Society. In 2018, Dr. Kaminski received the Andy Tager Excellence and Mentorship Award by the American Thoracic Society for his contributions in training the next generation of physician scientists.
Dr. Naftali Kaminski came to the United States from Israel for a research fellowship. He immediately went from being a confident and successful pulmonologist to feeling like the “dumbest person in the lab (and that too with an accent)”. With integrity, persistence, and some knowledge of baseball, Dr. Kaminski shares an incredible journey from shaping his career as a physician scientist to leading the Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care at Yale. He leaves us with some sage advice to overcome challenges: 1) leave your comfort zone and 2) advocate for yourself.
Pearls of Wisdom:
1. Advice Dr. Kaminski’s mother (who made him feel as the best person in the world) gave him: Don’t think you’re better than anyone else because of achievements, privilege, or financial status.
2. Two tips for overcoming challenges: First, don’t withdraw into your comfort zone. Second, Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself.
3. A great formula for moving from the good to the great is full integrity plus persistence.
4. Being a physician, although a challenging profession, is a privilege. Appreciate the beauty in small, everyday successes so you don’t live a one-dimensional life.
Jan 8, 2021
The Quiet Strength of Listening with Dr. Sriram Narsipur
Sriram Narsipur, MD, FASN, FACP, MRCP is the Edward C. Reifenstein professor and chairman of the department of medicine at Upstate Medical University. In addition to serving as the chief and medical director of the division of nephrology, he's also a professor of pediatrics and surgery at the institution. Dr. Narsipur earned his medical degree from University of Michigan Medical School. He then pursued a residency in internal medicine and pediatrics from Baystate Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, where he served as the chief resident in pediatrics. He then did a fellowship in nephrology from University of California at San Diego. His clinical interests include clinical transplantation, dialysis and research interests include cardiovascular disease in patients with end stage renal and chronic kidney disease.
Most people say a successful leader is someone with big ideas that shares them with others to reach an end goal. Dr. Sriram Narsipur agrees that those traits are important, but points out that the best leaders are effective listeners. Listening is the most important skill for leaders so they understand their environment and the people they deal with. Listening is also important in patient interactions. Dr. Narsipur connects this undervalued skill with everything from building trust with patients, to getting advice from others when making a big decision. And without listening, the mentor/mentee relationship would fall apart. Join us as Dr. Narsipur shares the strengths of listening.
Pearls of Wisdom:
1. Listening is the most important skill for a potential leader, and a good leader is always a good follower first.
2. After contact with a patient, follow up. Call them. This will go a long way in their immediate care, as well as build a better long-term relationship.
3. When making a big decision, look to collective experience and well-rounded advice. Even if things go wrong, at least you made the best decision you could.
4. Take advantage of understanding your patient’s perspective and see the world through your patient’s lens in order to become a more compassionate physician.
Jan 8, 2021
Focus on Medicine not Noise with Dr. Michael Karp
Michael Karp MD is the Chief of the Division of Geriatrics, Hospital, Palliative and General Internal Medicine and Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs for the Department of Medicine at University of Southern California Medical Center. He is a clinician educator and an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine where he enjoys mentoring young physicians. Dr Karp completed his Medical school from the Keck School of Medicine and his residency in internal medicine at USC, where he also served as chief resident. He has been awarded numerous teaching awards and is passionate about improving quality, safety, access and satisfaction for patients.
Dr. Michael Karp wanted to do something noble with his life, so he became a doctor. He learned early on that his job was to practice medicine and to take care of patients, regardless of who they were, their circumstances or past history. Today, he shares a poignant personal story that taught him a lesson about how important it is to not judge and listen to the patient - to stay focused on the medicine and not the 'background noise'. In this episode, Dr. Karp talks about the lessons he has learned and his message for the next generation of physicians.
Pearls of Wisdom:
1. Medicine is a noble profession. Your job is to care for the patent: Practice medicine, be the doctor, and don’t be judgmental.
2. Before you start going down the checklist of what to ask a new patient, remember they’re a real person. Find some point of connection first.
3. A great mentor is someone who sees things in you that you might not see yet. Finding the right mentor might require some help: Ask the people at your institutions that have been there longer to be your matchmaker!
Jan 8, 2021
"Don’t Be Afraid to Be Wrong” with Dr. John Pandolfino
John Pandolfino MD is the Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology in the Department of Medicine and the Hans Popper Professor of Medicine at Northwestern University. Dr. Pandolfino completed his medical school from Loyola and residency from Northwestern, where he stayed to pursue a fellowship in gastroenterology. He is the President of the American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society and an elected member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation. He has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Research Mentor of the Year from the American Gastroenterological Association and Outstanding Mentor Award from the Department of Medicine at Northwestern University.
Dr. John Pandolfino remembers his mentor and role model, Dr. Lewis Landsberg, being the perfect physician. “We never saw him miss a diagnosis or not be right.” Yet, one piece of advice Dr. Pandolfino received from Dr. Landsberg was “Don’t be afraid to be wrong.” And this is a mindset that he has carried with him throughout his career. Today, Dr. Pandolfino reflects how this advice has given him the flexibility to be successful. Instead of fighting and defending a hypothesis which is wrong, Dr. Pandolfino embraces failure and doesn’t hesitate to change course. And it is this agility that gives him the freedom to continuously experiment. After all, the people who make an impact in medicine are those who take a shot.
Pearls of Wisdom:
1. It doesn’t matter if you’re having a bad day. When you enter a patient’s room, you have a job and an obligation to help the patient.
2. To find the right mentor for you, ask yourself, “Is this the person I want to be like when I’m their age?”
3. When you realize you’re wrong, rather than defend your position, fix the mistake. Have the ability and the agility to change.
4. The difference between a good internist and a great internist is not a matter of knowing facts. It’s the ability to listen to the patient’s story, synthesize it, and come up with the one thing that’s going to be right.
To learn about a patient that changed Dr. Pandolfino's life, visit the Motts 58 Foundation.
Jan 7, 2021
Advocating for Our Patients with Dr. David Reuben
David Reuben MD is the Director, Multicampus Program in Geriatrics Medicine and Gerontology and Chief, Division of Geriatrics at UCLA. He is the Archstone Foundation Chair and Professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine and Director of the UCLA Alzheimer's and Dementia Care Program. Dr. Reuben completed his medical school at Emory and residency at Rhode Island Hospital. He pursued a fellowship from UCLA. He has served as principal investigator of numerous large studies including the STRIDE study aimed at reducing serious falls related injuries in the elderly. His bibliography includes more than 200 peer reviewed publications in medical journals and over 30 books including the widely distributed Geriatrics at Your Fingertips. Dr. Reuben has received numerous awards including the Henderson Award from the American Geriatrics Society and the 2008 John Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Award. He has served in a number of important leadership roles including the Board Chair of the Am…
Jan 4, 2021
The Three Rules of Patient Care with Dr. Michael Saag
Michael Saag, MD is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, Director of the UAB Center for AIDS Research and the Associate Dean for Global Health at the University of Alabama School of Medicine. Dr. Saag completed his Medical school from University of Louisville and Residency from UAB where he continued to pursue a fellowship in infectious diseases and molecular virology. During his fellowship he conceived the concept of a comprehensive HIV outpatient clinic dedicated to the provision of interdisciplinary patient care in conjunction with the conduct of high quality clinical trials, translational science, and clinical outcomes research. Over his career, he has published over 450 articles in peer reviewed journals and has directed the first in-patient studies of 7 of the 30 antiretroviral drugs currently on the market. He has been listed as one of the top ten cited HIV researchers by Science and was recently inducted into the Alabama Healthcare Hall of Fame.
To…
Jan 1, 2021
Setting Habits and Achieving Goals with Dr. Gurpreet Dhaliwal
Gurpreet Dhaliwal MD is a Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and site director of the internal medicine clerkship at the San Francisco VA Medical Center. Dr Dhaliwal completed his medical school from Northwestern University and residency in internal medicine from University of California, San Francisco, where he stayed on as chief resident. He is best known as a medical educator with a specific emphasis on diagnostic reasoning and clinical problem solving and has been lauded by The New York Times as “one of the most skillful clinical diagnosticians in practice today.” From being nominated for a medical student teaching award while still a resident, Dr. Dhaliwal has received multiple Excellence in Teaching awards including the Osler Distinguished Teacher Award at UCSF and has been inducted into the UCSF Department of Medicine Council of Master Clinicians.
Think a goal is impossible to achieve? Think again. Today, Dr. Gurpreet Dhaliwal shares a powe…
Jan 1, 2021
Observe, Listen, then Decide with Dr. George Abraham
Dr George Abraham, President-elect of the American College of Physicians (ACP), currently serves as the Chief of Medicine and Emeritus President of the Medical Staff at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts, and a Professor of Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Dr. Abraham earned his medical degree from the Christian Medical College in India, completed his residency and chief residency at Saint Vincent Hospital, and received his master’s degree in public health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He has authored over 100 publications, abstracts and book chapters, and has received several awards including the Leadership Award of the MA chapter of the ACP, among others.
Dr. George Abraham’s career is equal parts hard work, and deliberate decision-making. He built his successful career by figuring out what he was good at, looking for opportunities for growth, and planning his next steps. Dr. Abraham shares important wisdom…
Dec 29, 2020
Standing For Your Values with Dr. Oliver T. Fein
Oliver T. Fein, MD, serves as a Professor of Medicine, Professor of Clinical Healthcare Policy and Research and as the Associate Dean (Affiliations) at Weill Cornell Medicine. He also chairs the New York Metro chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP), and is the former president of the national organization. He completed his medical school from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and his residency at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx. Dr. Fein has made outstanding contributions to health system delivery reforms on both local and national levels. His contributions to medicine and the healthcare system of the United States have been recognized through a number of honors and awards, including the Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellowship Alumni Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Do you stand behind your values? When something comes along that goes against what you believe—how do you react? Today, Dr. Oliver T. Fein shares fascinating anecdotes about hi…
Dec 29, 2020
Asking Critical Questions with Dr. John Perfect
Dr. John R. Perfect is James B. Duke Professor of Medicine and Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC; Professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center; Faculty member in Duke University Program in Genetics; and Director, Duke University Mycology Interdisciplinary Research Unit. His research interests focus around several aspects of medical mycology where he is currently investigating antifungal agents in animal models of candida and cryptococcal infections and is PI of a NIH-sponsored interdisciplinary antifungal drug program project. He is the author of more than 600 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, books and reviews. Dr. Perfect has received the Duke University Teacher of the Year Award in 1999 and has received The Littman Award, The Rhoda Benham Award and the Lucille George Award.
Dr. John Perfect examines some of the real, practical challenges of navigating a…
Dec 22, 2020
Cultivating Community with Dr. Chethan Bachireddy
Chethan Bachireddy, MD, MSc is the Chief Medical Officer for Virginia's Medicaid Program. Dr. Bachireddy studied economics at Harvard, attended medical school at Yale, trained in internal medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and completed a master's in health policy research at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a physician, economist, and social entrepreneur dedicated to improving health for vulnerable populations. He's worked with the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative to deliver life-saving medications in resource-poor settings, founded the Health Advocacy Program, which is an afterschool program to empower students to become health advocates for themselves in their communities. He led a team of researchers and policymakers in a multi-study of integrated health services for individuals with HIV, substance abuse disorder, and mental illness in Ukraine. He has collaborated with prison and jail officials to initiate and improve addiction treatment services, and partnered with behavi…
Dec 18, 2020
Making a Difference with Dr. Bruce Rollman
Dr. Rollman is the UPMC Endowed Chair in General Internal Medicine, and Professor of Medicine, Psychiatry, Biomedical Informatics, and Clinical and Translational Science at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Rollman completed his Medical school from Jefferson Medical College and Residency from the University of Maryland and a Fellowship in GIM from Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Rollman launched and directs the Center for Behavioral Health, Media and Technology at UPMC which provides an academic home for investigators and faculty pursuing efforts at the intersection of clinical medicine, health services research, and computer science. He in fact pioneered the use of electronic medical record system alerts to identify patients for enrollment into clinical trials at the time of the physician encounter, and has published over 100 scientific papers, including first-authored papers in the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association, and h…
Dec 15, 2020
Empowering the patient with Dr. Sam Brondfield
Dr. Sam Brondfield, MD, MA, is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/ Oncology at the University of California, San Francisco. He earned his medical degree, completed a residency in internal medicine and pursued a fellowship in Medical Oncology at UCSF. He also served as the Chief Resident during his residency. He has a Masters in Education from the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on medical education and cognitive load in clinical trainees, as well as the teaching and learning process as trainees perform consults.
Today, Dr. Brondfield talks about our responsibility to not only understand our patients, but to make sure they understand the information we are providing for them in order to empower them. Part of this requires us working as a “translator” for our patients: Taking complicated medical information and translating it into words that our patients can understand. Among many reputable traits, the…
Dec 15, 2020
I Can’t Hear You While I’m Listening with Dr. Richard Baron
Dr. Richard Baron is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Board of Internal Medicine, and the ABIM Foundation. Prior to this role, he served as group director of seamless care models at the centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Innovation Center. Dr. Baron received a bachelor's degree in English from Harvard, and his medical degree from Yale. He completed house staff training at NYU's Bellevue Medical Center, and served a three-year commitment in the National Health Services Corps in rural Tennessee. Dr. Baron has practiced general internal medicine and geriatrics for almost 30 years at Greenhouse Internists located in Philadelphia, which pioneered the comprehensive adoption of electronic health records in a small practice environment. During this time, he also served as chief medical officer of Health Partners, a non-for-profit Medicaid HMO, and was the architect of the Best Clinical and Administrative Practices program, which in collaboration with health plans…
Dec 11, 2020
It, Where and How with Dr. Katrina Armstrong
Katrina Armstrong, MD, is the Jackson Professor of Clinical medicine at Harvard Medical School, Chair of the Department of Medicine and Physician-in-Chief of the Massachusetts General Hospital. She is an internationally recognized investigator in medical decision making and quality of care in cancer prevention and outcomes. An award-winning teacher and a practicing primary care physician, Dr. Armstrong has served on multiple advisory panels for academic and federal organizations and has been elected to the American Society of Clinical Investigation and the Institute of Medicine. Prior to coming to Mass General, Dr. Armstrong was the Chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine, Associate Director of the Abramson Cancer Center, and Co-Director of the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program at the University of Pennsylvania.
It, where and how: How do these three words intersect? Today, Dr. Katrina Armstrong shares her life story and experiences as she found her passion, defi…
Dec 10, 2020
How Values Drive Decision Making with Dr. Amber Deptola
Amber Deptola, MD is an Associate Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Washington University in St. Louis and Director of the Explore Program for medical students, which fosters career exploration and scholarship in advocacy, education, innovation and research. She is also an Assistant Director of the Teaching Physician Pathway. Dr. Deptola completed her medical school from the University of Louisville School of Medicine and residency from Washington University. Her research interests include resident wellness, interprofessional education, and the science of education and learning.
It's time to get definitive about our core values. We’re on an ever-evolving journey, and our values will be our lighthouse in times of need. Today, Dr. Amber Deptola explains that we must take time to self-reflect, find moments of clarity and discover our values. Knowing our values will help us define our priorities, and our priorities will help drive our decision-making. Usin…
Dec 8, 2020
Handling Adversity with Dr. Charles Hatem
Charles Hatem, MD, is the Harold Amos Distinguished Academy Professor and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Chair Emeritus of the Department of Medical Education at Mt Auburn Hospital. Dr Hatem completed his Medical school from Harvard Medical School and Residency from Boston City Hospital. Dr. Hatem has pioneered the application of educational theory to medical training of both hospital staff and practicing physicians. He served as the Director of the Rabkin Fellowship in Medical Education which is devoted to training faculty to become clinician-teachers. He has also served as a consultant to numerous medical schools in the development of their medical education programs in Argentina, India, Thailand, and Saudi Arabia. Dr. Hatem has additionally served as the co-editor-in-chief of ACPs’s Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program and has developed the widely used series of “Can’t Miss Cases”.
In life, we will face adversity. That is guaranteed. Today, Dr. Cha…
Dec 7, 2020
Keeping At It with Dr. Jessica Merlin
Jessica Merlin, MD, PhD, MBA is an Associate Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. She is board certified in internal medicine, infectious disease, palliative care, and addiction medicine. Dr. Merlin is a PhD-trained behavioral scientist and an NIH-funded clinician-investigator. Her research includes foundational work on the pathophysiology, clinical epidemiology, and behavioral management of chronic pain in people with HIV. This work has extended to management approaches to pain and opioid misuse/use disorder in individuals with serious illness in palliative care settings. Dr. Merlin has been recognized nationally for her work with three Young Investigator awards from relevant societies, an Inspirational Leader Under 40 Award from the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and a Cambia Foundation Sojourns Scholar Leadership Award. She is an active scientific mentor to trainees at the doctoral, post-doctoral, and junior…
Dec 4, 2020
Moving from a Fixed to a Growth Mindset with Dr. Eric Warm
Eric Warm, MD, holds the endowed Richard Vilter Chair of Medicine at the University of Cincinnati. He is the Vice-Chair for Graduate Medical Education, the Medical Director of the Resident Ambulatory Practice and the Internal Medicine Program Director. Dr. Warm served as the first chair of the ACGME Educational Innovations Project Council and was the principal architect of the University of Cincinnati’s comprehensive redesign of resident education in internal medicine. In recognition for the work that Dr. Warm and his team have done, he has received multiple awards including the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada International Residency Educator of the Year Award, the ACGME Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award, the APDIM Spotlight Innovator Award and Distinguished Medical Educator Award. Dr. Warm is currently editor-in-chief of the International Clinician Educator’s Blog.
As an educator, Dr. Eric Warm believes in moving away from the fixed mindset, and toward a…
Dec 4, 2020
Mentorship and Hematopoiesis with Dr. Charles Wiener
Dr. Charles Wiener is the President of Johns Hopkins Medicine International and Professor of Medicine and Physiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He is the director emeritus of the Osler Internal Medicine Training Program and has previously served as chair of the committee that created the school of medicine's "Genes to Society" curriculum. Dr Wiener completed his Medical school from the University of Miami and his training and chief residency in internal medicine at the University of Washington. During his time at Johns Hopkins, he has been recognized for his academic leadership, extensive institutional and clinical knowledge and ability to build productive business relationships across diverse groups. He has received various awards including the Professors Teaching Award and George Stuart Award for Clinical teaching from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Mentorship is a lot like hematopoiesis. Today, Dr. Charles Wiener explains how all of us ar…
Dec 1, 2020
Learning from Patients, Mentors and Peers with Dr. Amanda Clark
Amanda Clark, MD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine and an Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program at the University of Mississippi. Dr. Clark completed her medical school degree at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine and went on to the University of Alabama at Birmingham for residency and chief residency. She also serves as the Associate Vice Chair for Communications, Development, and Technology in the Department of Medicine. She is the advisor for the Resident Wellness Committee and Co-Director of the Clinician Educator Track. She practices inpatient and outpatient medicine and has been awarded several teaching awards, including All-Star Teacher three years in a row by the Evers Medical Student Society and Teacher of the Year in 2018.
Dr. Clark offers us important wisdom in how to develop the essential skill sets for a successful career. First, the patient emerges again as the center-point of practice. Dr. Clark offers a simple yet nov…
Dec 1, 2020
How Outstanding Physicians Become Outstanding Leaders with Dr. Seth Landefeld
Dr. Seth Landefeld is the Chair, Department of Medicine and the Spencer Chair in Medical Science Leadership at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Prior to joining UAB, Dr. Landefeld founded and led the development of UCSF’s Division of Geriatrics and ultimately served as Associate Chair of the Department of Medicine for Strategic Planning and Implementation. Dr. Landefeld completed his undergraduate work at Harvard and New College, Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He received his M.D. from Yale. He trained in internal medicine at UCSF, where he served as chief resident, and in clinical epidemiology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Landefeld’s research has improved outcomes for older persons with serious illness, including inventing the Acute Care for Elders Unit, a model which has been adapted at medical centers nationwide. He is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians and was a Fellow at the Center for Advanc…
Nov 25, 2020
Choosing the Right Environment with Dr. Stephanie Detterline
Stephanie Detterline, M.D., FACP, is the Vice-Chair of Education and Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency program at MedStar Health Internal Medicine, Baltimore. She also is the Associate Designated Institutional Official (DIO) for the Baltimore programs in MedStar. Dr. Detterline received her medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis and completed internship and residency at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois. She is the Associate Dean for Medical Education, Baltimore at the Georgetown University School of Medicine and is heavily involved with the student programs at Georgetown University School of Medicine. She is Board certified in Internal Medicine. Dr. Detterline has a particular interest in patient-physician communication, factors influencing resident career choice, and the health and fitness of residents in training programs.
As you consider residency programs, and potential mentors, ask yourself this question: D…
Nov 25, 2020
Shifting From ‘Did’ to ‘Can’ with Dr. Sima Desai
Sima Desai, MD, FACP, is a Professor of Medicine, Division of Hospital Medicine, Vice Chair of Education in the Department of Medicine and Program Director of the Internal Medicine residency program at Oregon Health & Science University. Dr. Desai graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine and pursued her residency at Oregon Health. Shortly after completing her chief residency year, she was recruited to start the hospitalist program at Oregon Health. Her Interests include medical education, adult learning theory, diagnostic reasoning, and mentorship. She has been awarded the Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award by the ACGME, Marion L. Krippaehne MD Humanism Award at Oregon Health and the Walter McDonald Award for Young Physicians from the American College of Physicians, an organization that she has held leadership positions in including Vice Chair & Chair of the Council of Young Physicians.
‘Good’ is where you are right now. And ‘great’, according to Dr.…
Nov 24, 2020
The Art and Science of Choosing a Mentor with Dr. Sanjay Saint
Dr. Sanjay Saint is the George Dock Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan and Chief of Medicine at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System. Dr Saint completed his Medical school at UCLA and Residency and Chief Residency in Internal Medicine at UCSF. He was a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar at the University of Washington where he also received his Masters in Public Health. His research focuses on patient safety, implementation science, and medical decision-making; he has authored over 350 peer-reviewed papers. He serves on the editorial board of multiple peer-reviewed journals including the BMJ Quality & Safety and NEJM Catalyst. He has been awarded the Distinguished Mentor Award from the University of Michigan, and has received the National VA Physician of the Year Award.
Our success in a career in medicine is heavily influenced by the mentors who we choose to surround ourselves with. But the challenge is finding and building relationships with said mentors. To…
Nov 23, 2020
The Others-Centered Mindset with Dr. Rob Bradsher
Rob Bradsher, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and the Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center. He completed his medical school at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and his Internal Medicine residency in the Osler Medical Training Program at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He practices hospital medicine and is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha, the Association for Program Directors in Internal Medicine, and a Fellow of the American College of Physicians. He's been awarded a number of leadership and teaching awards including the James B. Lewis Teacher of the Year and the Golden Apple Awards at the University of Tennessee, and the Daniel Baker and Most Oslerian Awards during his residency at John Hopkins. He enjoys helping his residents achieve phenomenal success.
The most important quality Dr. Rob Bradsher looks for in his residents is an others-centered mentality. He believes the best mentees—a…
Nov 20, 2020
Building a Team with Dr. Jed Gonzalo
Jed Gonzalo, MD, is a Professor in the Department of Medicine and the Department of Public Health Sciences. He is the Associate Dean of Health Systems Education at Penn State College of Medicine. Dr. Gonzalo completed his medical school from Penn State, and his residency in Internal Medicine from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. He completed his fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Gonzalo joined as faculty at Penn State where he is extensively involved in curriculum design and health systems science with a specific emphasis on implementing bedside rounds to improve patient-centered outcomes. He is the recipient of the Herbert W. Nickens Faculty Fellowship Award from the AAMC, and the National Award for Scholarship in Medical Education from the Society of General Internal Medicine.
Ask yourself: How do you feel when you walk into a hospital? Do you love what you do? Today, Dr. Jed Gonzalo reminds us what it means to truly love what you do—and…
Nov 20, 2020
Owning Our Experiences with Dr. Sanjay Desai
Sanjay Desai, MD, is a Myron Weisfeldt Professor of Medicine, Vice-Chair for Education and Director of the Osler Internal Medicine Residency Training Program at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Desai graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in bioengineering, and a Bachelor of Economics from the Wharton School of Business in healthcare management. He earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School, completed his residency in Internal Medicine from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, where he stayed to pursue a Fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. During his training, he spent two years as a consultant for McKinsey & Company working in a variety of industries both in the US, and in Southeast Asia. Dr. Desai holds appointments in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, General Internal Medicine and the Carey School of Business. He chaired the executive committee of the iCOMPARE study group and is a principal investigator of the AMA Reimagini…
Nov 19, 2020
Listening to—and Guiding—Mentees with Dr. Laura Davisson
Laura Davisson, MD, MPH, FACP, is an Associate Professor of Medicine at West Virginia University. Dr. Davisson earned her medical degree and completed a residency in internal medicine at West Virginia University, where she also served as the chief resident. She then earned her Master’s Degree in public health in West Virginia University's biostatistics and epidemiology track. Dr. Davisson is an active member of American College of Physicians and serves as the governor of ACPs West Virginia Chapter. She is passionate about resident and student teaching and also serves as an associate program director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Davisson is also certified by the American Board of Obesity Medicine. She founded WVU Medicine's Medical Weight Management program.
There is a major similarity between patient-doctor relationships, and mentee-mentor relationships. Today, Dr. Laura Davisson explains how as a doctor, although we may believe we know best for our patients, we…
Nov 19, 2020
The Perfect Equation for Loving Medicine with Dr. Carmen Mendez
Carmen Mendez, MD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and the Internal Medicine Program Director at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. Dr Mendez completed her medical school from the University of California Davis School of Medicine and her residency from Harbor - UCLA Medical Center, where she stayed on as chief resident before joining general internal medicine faculty. Dr. Mendez is committed to resident education and serving underserved communities.
Find the thing you love—really love—and go do it. Dr. Carmen Mendez’s advice is simple: We have to love what we do at work just as much as what we love outside of medicine, in our personal lives. It’s a long career, as she says, and doing the thing that really ignites us is what makes it all worth it. She advises us to get off the “hamster wheel of success,” and think about what is truly motivating us to show up at work each day. She shares stories of an upbringing filled with lo…
Nov 18, 2020
Being Prepared for the Unexpected with Dr. Christine Bryson
Christine Bryson, DO, is an Associate Professor of Medicine, the Medical Director of Teaching Services in the Division of Hospital Medicine, and an Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School at Baystate Health. Dr. Bryson completed her medical school from Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine, and her residency from Christiana Care Health System. She has been training and mentoring students and residents for almost two decades.
Be prepared for the unexpected. Today, Dr. Christine Bryson reminds us that it’s okay for our priorities to evolve as time goes on—and to look at everything with an open mind. Although some people seem to have it all figured out from day one, it’s okay for us to go with the flow, figure out what we want as we gain more experience and knowledge. The most important thing for us to keep in mind, though, is the search for finding our passion: We need to ask ou…
Nov 18, 2020
At the End of the Day in Medicine with Dr. William Surkis
William Surkis, MD, FACP, is the Associate Chief Academic Officer, Co-Vice President for Medical Affairs, Vice-Chair for Education and Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Lankenau Medical Center, part of Main Line Health in Philadelphia. Dr. Surkis attended Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, completed his medical school from MCP-Hahnemann School of Medicine (now known as Drexel College of Medicine), and completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Surkis is passionate about graduate medical education and is involved in a number of national organizations including the American College of Physicians as a Councilor for the Philadelphia chapter. He has been recognized for excellence in teaching with a number of awards including the Leon A. Peris Memorial Award.
Burnout nothing but a repeated cycle of exhaustion. Today, Dr. William Surkis shares a way to reframe our thinking by reconnecting with our p…
Nov 18, 2020
Finding Our Why with Dr. Aashish Didwania
Aashish Didwania, MD, is the Vice Chair of Education in the Department of Medicine, an Associate Professor of Medicine, and the Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Didwania completed his medical school at the University of Michigan, and his residency at Northwestern University. His clinical interests include general internal medicine, community health, and hospital medicine. His research focuses on improving medical education, specifically in curriculum design that focuses on improving health equity and advocacy. Dr. Didwania’s passion for teaching has been recognized through a number of Outstanding Teacher Awards from the Feinberg School of Medicine, and the Program Director of the Year Award at the McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University.
Dr. Aashish Didwania is the first to admit that he struggled with finding his personal “why”. When he realized that his motivation was seeing other pe…
Nov 17, 2020
Why Imagination is the Key to Greatness with Dr. Robert Finberg
Robert Finberg, MD is the Chair and Richard M. Haidack Professor of Medicine at University of Massachusetts Medical School. Dr. Finberg completed his medical school from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and his residency in internal medicine from Bellevue Hospital. He pursued a research fellowship in pathology & medicine from Harvard Medical School. With more than 200 publications, Dr. Finberg’s research is focused on host-microbial interactions. Under his leadership as the chair of medicine, Dr. Finberg has skillfully directed the educational, clinical and research activities of the university’s largest academic department. His contributions have been recognized with a number of honors and awards including the Hartford Foundation Award.
The difference between a good internist and a great internist is imagination. Today, Dr. Robert Finberg explains that in medical education, mentors have a responsibility to inspire the curiosity and thirst for knowledge in students. He be…
Nov 17, 2020
Being Honest When Life Gets Complicated with Dr. Jennifer Swails
Jennifer Swails, MD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, the Co-Director of Interprofessional Education, and Program Director of the internal medicine residency program at McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Dr. Swails received her bachelor’s degree in biology from Davidson College, and her M.D. from Weill Cornell. She then completed residency training in internal medicine and primary care at Brigham and Women's Hospital and joined the faculty at UT Houston in 2012. Dr. Swails has received numerous awards for teaching and patient care, including the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award, the Dupont Master Clinical Teaching Award, and the John P. McGovern Outstanding Teaching Award.
Often in Dr. Jennifer Swails’ career, she struggled with feeling like she had to choose between being smart or likeable. Today, we learn that it’s okay to be both. It works to our benefit to express when we’re facing difficulty,…
Nov 17, 2020
Reaching out to Mentors with Dr. Simerjot K. Jassal
Simerjot K. Jassal, MD, is the Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Training Program at the University of California—San Diego, and practices as a primary care physician at the VA San Diego. Dr. Jassal completed medical school at UCSF school of medicine and residency in internal medicine from UCLA where she was also a chief resident. She has pursued a Master’s in Advanced Studies in Clinical Research from UCSD. Presently, she's a collaborator on the Chronic Kidney Disease Prognosis Consortium, analyzing data from over 2 million people across 40 countries. She is also a co-investigator on the Rancho Bernardo Study, a 40 year observational study of the differences in men and women in heart disease and diabetes. She has won numerous awards over the years, including teacher of the year from the American College of Physicians, Southern California and Spirit of Planetree physician champion of the year from the VA San Diego Healthcare System.
Dr. Simerjot K. Jassal learned the p…
Nov 17, 2020
Real Time Feedback with Dr. Kathlyn Fletcher
Kathlyn Fletcher, MD, MA, is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine, and the Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Medical College of Wisconsin. Dr. Fletcher completed her medical school from University of Chicago and her residency in Internal Medicine from University of Chicago Hospitals. She then was a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar at the University of Michigan. Dr. Fletcher has held a number of leadership positions including Section Chief of General Internal Medicine, and Director of Hospital medicine at Milwaukee VA Medical Center. Dr. Fletcher is active in a number of local and national bodies including the Society of General Internal Medicine and the Society of Hospital medicine, and is a recipient of numerous teaching and leadership awards including the 2013 Helen Dickie Woman Physician of the Year by Wisconsin State ACP, and the National Award for Scholarship in medical Education from the Society of General Internal Medicine…
Nov 16, 2020
Removing the Stumbling Blocks with Dr. Hilary Ryder
Hilary Ryder, MD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Medical Education and Director of the internal medicine residency program at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Dr. Ryder completed her medical school from Yale University School of Medicine and her internship and residency training in internal medicine at Dartmouth-Hitchcock before joining the faculty in the Section of Hospital Medicine where she focuses on end of life care, medical decision making and medical ethics. She is a nationally certified Health Care Ethicist and was the chair of the clinical ethics committee. Dr. Ryder has a keen interest in medical education and also served as Medical Editor for SIMPLE, the most widely used on-line, case-based third-year medical clerkship curriculum. Her current work focuses on meaning and understanding of assessments and evaluations, understanding how medical students learn (including mastery of hidden curriculum), and improving clinical systems to maximize education.
When Dr. H…
Nov 16, 2020
Wholeheartedness in Medicine: Bringing Your “A” Game to Your Work Every Day, with Dr. Sherine Salib
Sherine Salib, MD, MRCP, FACP, is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin. She is the, Director of Undergraduate Medical Education in the Department of Internal Medicine. Dr. Salib attended medical school at The University of Bristol in England and went on to become a member of the Royal College of Physicians of London. Dr. Salib completed her residency in internal medicine from the University of Texas Houston Health Sciences Center. She has had several publications in journals including Academic Medicine and British Medical Journal. She takes special interest in writing about innovative educational endeavors and the medical humanities, as well as developing workshops and curricula for residents and students. Dr. Salib has received many awards and honors for her contributions as a clinician and an educator.
According to Dr. Sherine Salib, there are only three things you need to be an excellent physician: Great attitude, b…
Nov 16, 2020
The Three Places We Find Joy with Dr. Richard Abrams
Richard Abrams, MD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean of Learning Environments at Rush Medical College (Rush University). Dr. Abrams completed his Medical school from University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago and Residency from Rush University Medical Center, where he continued on as a chief resident. He practices as a general internist and hospitalist at Rush and has been heavily involved in graduate medical education as a past internal medicine residency program director, a dean for graduate medical education at Rush and in his current role as an Associate Dean of Learning Environments is bridging the gap between graduate and undergraduate medical education.
There are three places to find joy, according to Dr. Richard Abrams. There is joy in what we do, there is joy in working with others, and—most importantly—there is the joy we find within ourselves. Today, we discover how to find joy in each of these areas of life. And as we continue on this…
Nov 16, 2020
Becoming Part of the Solution with Dr. Gopal Yadavalli
Gopal Yadavalli, MD, FACP, is the Vice Chair of Education and Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency in the Department of Medicine at the Boston University School of Medicine. Dr. Yadavalli completed his medical school from Thomas Jefferson University, pursued a residency in Internal Medicine, followed by a fellowship in Infectious Diseases from Case Western Reserve University. At Case Western, Dr. Yadavalli was Chief of the Infectious Diseases Clinic at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, and an active member of the CWRU Center for AIDS Research, where his research focused on clinical outcomes of anti-retroviral therapies. Dr. Yadavalli has also developed a passion for graduate medical education, becoming a Senior Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency and Director of the Global Health Track at Case Western. In 2011, he joined Boston University and has received a number of distinctions and teaching awards including induction into the Alp…
Nov 13, 2020
Mindfulness in Medicine with Dr. Chadwick Flowers
Chadwick Flowers, MD, is an Assistant Professor of at the University of Miami as well as an Associate Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Jackson Memorial Hospital—University of Miami. Dr. Flowers completed his medical school from Indiana University and a Med-Peds Residency from the University of Miami where he stayed on to become a Chief Resident. He is a Med-Peds hospitalist providing inpatient care to adults and children at the University of Miami, Jackson Memorial Hospital and Holtz Children’s Hospital. His academic interests include medical education, inpatient quality Improvement, and bedside procedure/diagnostics.
In medicine, our top priority should always be the patient. But in order to provide the highest quality of care for patients, we cannot forget about our own well-being. Today, Dr. Chadwick Flowers explains the importance of self-care and the prevention of burnout in medicine. We’ll learn a few mindfulness techniques (and what box-breathing is)…
Nov 13, 2020
Why the Self-Made Person is Flawed with Dr. John M. Flack
John M. Flack, MD, MPH, is the Sergio Rabinovich Endowed Chair of Internal Medicine and the Professor and Chair, Department of Medicine as well as the Chief of Hypertension Specialty Services at the Southern Illinois University. He also serves as the President of the American Hypertension Specialist Certification Program. Dr. Flack received his internal medicine residency training as well as his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, where he served as chief medical resident. He then completed an NIH postdoctoral fellowship in cardiovascular epidemiology at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Dr. Flack has led various clinical trials and has been the recipient of a number of research grants including several grants funded by the NIH. He is a renowned hypertension specialist with more than 200 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Flack also serves on the editorial board of many peer-reviewed Journals including the American Journal of Hyper…
Nov 13, 2020
How to Get Comfortable with Feedback with Dr. Jill Patton
Jill Patton, DO, is the Chair of Internal Medicine and the Program Director of the Categorical Internal Medicine Residency Program at Advocate Health Lutheran General Hospital in Illinois. Dr. Patton completed her medical school from Michigan State University Osteopathic medical school and residency from Lutheran General Hospital, where she was also appointed as the chief resident. Having served in multiple leadership roles over the years, she has mentored trainees at all levels. She has been awarded as one of the 2017 Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award honorees by the ACGME. This award is given by the ACGME to program directors, who find innovative ways to teach residents and provide quality health care while remaining connected to the initial impulse to care for others in this environment.
Does feedback ever get less uncomfortable? Dr. Jill Patton believes it does. Today, she explains that feedback only gets easier when we allow ourselves to hear it. We have to let our mentors…
Nov 13, 2020
Getting Creative with Dr. Abby Spencer
Abby Spencer, MD, is a Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and the immediate past Vice Chair of Education and Internal Medicine Residency Program Director at the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Spencer completed her medical school from University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and her residency in Internal Medicine from Cornell University. She pursued a Fellowship in Women's Health from University of Pittsburgh in 2007. Dr. Spencer has recently been selected as a 2020 Fellow for the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) program. She is active in various national organizations which focus on resident education including being a Councilor for Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine (APDIM). She initiated APDIM's national 1:1 mentoring program over a decade ago and was founding faculty for SGIM Teach Program. She has received numerous awards, including the 2019 recipient of the ACGME Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award, and the Wo…
Nov 13, 2020
You have a Voice with Dr. Alysia Kwiatkowski
Dr. Alysia V. Kwiatkowski is an Assistant Professor of Medicine, Allergy, Immunology & Rheumatology at the University at Buffalo (UB). She is the Senior Associate Program Director and Director of Curriculum Development for the Internal Medicine Training Program and an education development specialist for UB’s Medical Education and Educational Research Institute. Dr. Kwiatkowski is also the Site Director of Internal Medicine & Advanced Medicine Clerkships at Erie County Medical Center. She completed her Masters of Science at Roswell Park Cancer Institute and her DO in Medicine from New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Kwiatkowski then completed Residency in Internal Medicine from the Albany Medical Center where she was also the Chief Resident. She then pursued a Fellowship in Rheumatology from Rush University Medical Center, where she received certification in teaching excellence. In 2018, Dr. Kwiatkowski was invited by the Rheumatology Research Founda…
Nov 12, 2020
How to Say Yes (And When to Say No) with Dr. Lyssa Weatherly
Lyssa Weatherly, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at the School of Medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. She attended medical school at UMMC where she also completed a residency, chief residency and geriatrics fellowship. Dr. Weatherly serves as an Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program with a strong interest in medical student and resident education and mentorship. She also enjoys serving as the UMMC chapter advisor for the Gold Humanism Honor Society. Dr. Weatherly has received a number of awards including recently awarded Norman C. Nelson Order of Teaching Excellence.
When we say yes to one thing, says Dr. Lyssa Weatherly, we are saying no to something else. Today, shares a career-defining moment when she realized she was going to have to say “no” to some things—so she could say “yes” to what was most important to her. As physicians, we need to think critically about what…
Nov 12, 2020
Work Ethic and a Good Idea with Dr. Aimee Zaas
Dr Aimee Zaas is a Professor of Medicine at Duke University and the Director of the Internal medicine residency training program. Dr Zaas completed her Medical school from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (Illinois), 1998 and Residency and Chief Residency in Internal Medicine from Johns Hopkins Hospital. She pursued a Fellowship in Infectious Diseases from Duke University Medical Center, 2001-2005. Her early career focused on finding genetic determinants of susceptibility to fungal infection and identifying genomic signatures of infectious diseases before she re-entered the world of medical education. She has served as the Program Director for the Duke Internal Medicine Program for 10 years. When not at work, you can find her spending time with her husband watching her two boys (ages 15 and 17) play soccer, going for a run with her energetic but ill- behaved dogs and enjoying the company of friends.
What do you do when you lack experience and accolades? Today, Dr…
Nov 12, 2020
Resolving to Love What We Do with Dr. Mark Siegel
Mark Siegel, MD, is a Professor of Medicine and the Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Siegel graduated from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He joined Yale as a Pulmonary & Critical Care fellow and has been a full time Yale faculty member since then. His major clinical focus is in the ICU and has participated in several multicenter clinical research trials investigating new treatments for sepsis and ARDS. He serves on the Editorial Boards of Critical Care Medicine, Chest, the Annals of the American Thoracic Society, and the American Journal of Medicine and is a recipient of several awards including Teacher of the Year at Yale University and the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award.
Dr. Mark Siegel has simple, yet powerful advice for new physicians: Whatever we do, and wherever we end up, resolve to love i…
Nov 11, 2020
How to Thrive in Mentorship with Dr. Margaret C. Lo
Margaret C. Lo, MD, FACP, is a Professor of General Internal Medicine division and the Associate Program Director of Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Florida. She earned her medical degree from SUNY Upstate and then completed her residency at the University of Florida. Dr. Lo has a unique focus in medical education and strives for Innovation in residency medical education, multidisciplinary education and resident performance. Dr Lo has received numerous awards for her outstanding dedication to patient care and mentorship in medicine, including awards from the Society of General Internal Medicine and the American Medical Women’s Association. She was also inducted as a member in the Gold Humanism Honor Society in 2018.
What does it mean to put yourself in an environment of encouragement? Today, Dr. Margaret C. Lo explains how her mother set a high bar for her success, but always encouraged her to be proud of her accomplishments. Dr. Lo developed a healthy mindset towa…
Nov 11, 2020
It Doesn’t Get Easier, You Get Stronger with Dr. Steven Tringali
Steven Tringali, DO, is an Associate Professor of Medicine and the Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at UCSF—Fresno. He earned his medical degree at Touro University—Nevada, and went on to complete his residency in internal medicine at UCSF. His interests include point-of-care ultrasound, procedural training, teaching residents and medical students, and coaching residents to become better teachers. His research interests include cardiovascular risk factors, including blood pressure, atrial fibrillation and cardiovascular events. Dr. Tringali has won multiple awards, including the Excellence in Teaching Award from the Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators at UCF School of Medicine and the Faculty Best Teacher Award from the UCF Fresno Life Program.
Dr. Steven Tringali puts it simply: It doesn’t get easier. You get stronger. Today, he shares helpful strategies for facing and overcoming challenges we face in medicine. He believes that we shouldn’t…
Nov 11, 2020
A Mindful Approach to Patient Care with Dr. Raquel Belforti
Raquel Belforti, DO, MS is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at University of Massachusetts Medical School-Baystate, and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. She also serves as the Associate Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program and Medicine Clerkship Director. Dr. Belforti completed her medical school from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, and her residency from Baystate Medical Center, where she was also appointed as the Chief Resident. Dr. Belforti has a Masters in Medical Education and been leading educational curricula for students, residents and faculty at Baystate. Recognized for her outstanding contributions as a clinical educator, she has been awarded a number of awards, including the L. Randol Barker Award at Johns Hopkins and the Education Achievement Award for the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine Population-Based Urban and Community Health Track (PURCH) curricul…
Nov 11, 2020
Being a Positive Force for Change with Dr. Rebecca Berman
Rebecca Berman, MD, is the Program Director for UCSF's internal medicine residency program, and a Professor of Clinical Medicine. Dr. Berman completed her medical school from Harvard Medical School and her residency in primary care internal medicine from Brigham and Women's Hospital. After completing her chief residency at Brigham and Women's in 2009, she joined Mass General Hospital where she built a network of student faculty primary care practices known as the Crimson Care Collaborative. Over a thousand Harvard medical students have participated in the Crimson Care Collaborative gaining early exposure to primary care, to care for the underserved and interprofessional education opportunities. In 2013, Dr. Berman returned to Brigham and Women's to direct its primary care residency program and in 2018 was recruited to UCSF. She's the founder and co-leader of the National Association of Program Directors of Internal Medicines, Primary Care Group, and is the editor of their primary care…
Nov 11, 2020
Climbing the Wall of Knowledge with Dr. Salvatore Cilmi
Salvatore Cilmi, MD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine, an Infectious Diseases Specialist, and the Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr Cilmi completed his Medical school from Harvard University Medical School and Residency in Internal Medicine from Massachusetts General Hospital where he stayed on to pursue a Fellowship in Infectious Diseases. Dr. Cilmi has published extensively and has developed curricula for residency programs. He is a recipient of numerous teaching awards including the Hospital Medicine Attending of the Year, the James Smith Memorial Award and the Richard A. Herrmann Teaching Award at Weill Cornell Medical Center and the Excellence in Teaching Award from the Institute for Medical Education at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
As physicians, we’re all climbing a wall of knowledge. And in the beginning of our careers, we may feel the pressure to leap over it as fast as we can. Dr. Salvat…
Nov 11, 2020
Thriving, Not Surviving with Dr. Lindsay Sonstein
Lindsay Sonstein, MD is a University of Texas System Distinguished Teaching Professor, the Clinical Vice Chair and Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Dr. Sonstein focuses on quality of care, patient satisfaction, and innovative health delivery systems. She is passionate about resident education, has won numerous teaching and educational awards, and was inducted as a member of the UTMB Academy of Master Teachers in September of 2012 and UTMB Academy of Master Clinicians in 2018. Nationally, Dr. Sonstein is involved in the APDIM (Association for Program Directors in Internal Medicine) and serves on the program planning committee.
We don’t want to survive residency, we want to thrive. And today, Dr. Lindsay Sonstein shares how to do exactly that. She urges us to tap into why we entered medicine in the first place, because it will provide the endurance and resilience we need to carry us through o…
Nov 10, 2020
Teamwork and Collaboration with Dr. Carrie Thompson
Carrie Thompson, MD, is a Consultant in the Division of Hematology, an Associate Professor of Medicine, and the Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Thompson completed her medical school from St. Louis University School of Medicine and residency in internal medicine from the Mayo Clinic where she continued her fellowship in hematology-oncology. Her clinical practice focuses on hematologic cancers with a special focus on lymphomas, and aligns with her research interest in studying quality of life and long-term issues in lymphoma survivors. She's passionate about education and mentorship, and has been awarded Teacher of the Year and Excellence in Teaching awards at Mayo. Dr. Thompson is also a Fellow of the Academy of Educational Excellence at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.
There is a reason why Mayo Clinic has been so successful for over 100 years. Today, Dr. Carrie Thompson shares why: It comes down to co…
Nov 10, 2020
Having the Confidence to Believe in Yourself with Dr. Fariha Shafi
Fariha Shafi, MD is an Associate Professor of Medicine, the Chair of the School of Medicine Diversity Council, and the Co-Director for Women in Medical Sciences Programming at the University of Missouri—Kansas City. Dr. Shafi completed her medical school from Universidad Tecnologica De Santiago (UTESA) and residency in drug medicine from The State University of New York—Buffalo. She has a strong interest in physician wellness, and also serves as the Chair of the ACP's Wellness Committee of the Missouri chapter. Dr. Shafi serves as a docent to medical students through year one to six and, and is passionate about mentoring medical students and residents. Recognized for her contributions, Dr. Shafi has received a number of awards and honors. Most recently, she was awarded the Betty M. Drees Excellence in Mentoring Award.
If you don’t believe in yourself, why should someone else? That is the advice Dr. Fariha Shafi learned at a young age; and she shares it with us today. She explain…
Nov 10, 2020
Excellence without Ego with Dr. Lisa Willett
Lisa Willett, MD, is a Professor of Medicine, the Vice-Chair of Education, and the Director of the Tinsley Harrison Internal Medicine Residency Program at the University of Alabama—Birmingham. Dr. Willett completed her medical school, residency, and chief resident year at UAB. She is nationally recognized for her work in resident development, and is currently the President of the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine. Dr. Willett is also the recipient of this year's prestigious Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award from the ACGME.
There is a motto at University of Alabama--Birmingham: Excellence Without Ego. Today, Dr. Lisa Willett teaches us exactly what that means--and how to develop that mindset as a physician. According to Dr. Willett, self-awareness and humility are two major components in achieving this attitude. As Dr. Willett puts it, medicine is the great humbler: It’s impossible to predict every outcome in medicine, so our focus should be on the continu…
Nov 9, 2020
Doing Everything Well or Not At All with Dr. Nicholas Gowen
Nicholas Gowen, MD, is the Associate Program Director of Internal Medicine Residency, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, and the VA Site Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Dr Gowen completed his Medical school and Residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics from UAMS. He takes keen interest in mentoring and education of medical students and residents. He has also created a number of lecture series to help guide medical students and interns. Dr Gowen’s commitment to teaching and mentoring of students has been recognized by a number of awards for teaching - including the recently awarded UAMS Gold Sash Teaching Award.
Dr. Nicholas Gowen’s father used to tell him: Anything you do, do it well (Or don’t do it at all). Today, Dr. Gowen teaches us how we can put our very best into everything we do. Even though we’re facing long nig…
Nov 9, 2020
Good to Great with Dr. Dominique Cosco
Dr Dominique Cosco is an associate professor of Medicine and Director of the Internal Medicine residency program at Washington University School of Medicine/Barnes-Jewish Hospital. In addition, Dr. Cosco is the Director of Teacher Development for the Academy of Educators at Washington University School of Medicine. Dr Cosco completed her Medical school from Tulane University and Residency in Internal Medicine from Emory. During her time as a faculty member at Emory University, she served as an Associate Program Director of the Emory University Internal Medicine Residency Program and directed the Global Health Distinctions Program. She is widely recognized for her role as Director of the Coaching Program at Emory and as Director of the TEACH (Teaching Educators Across the Continuum of Healthcare) Program in the Society of General Internal Medicine. She has also held significant educational and leadership roles in Academic Alliance for Internal Medicine (AAIM) and the Association for Pro…
Nov 9, 2020
Holding Space for Processing Emotions with Dr. Victoria Montgomery
Victoria Montgomery, MD, is the Associate Program Director and Ambulatory Training Safety and Quality Director for the internal medicine residency program at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital. Dr. Montgomery completed her medical school from Michigan State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, and pursued residency in internal medicine from Advocate Lutheran General Hospital.
Often, the best care we can give our patients is when we hold space for them. Today, Dr. Victoria Montgomery teaches us why we need to accept—and process emotions. Her personal challenges taught her how important it was to process her emotions. It also taught her how powerful it can be when someone simply asks you how you’re doing. Dr. Montgomery teaches us why silence is our partner: For each of our patients, we must learn how to ask how they are feeling…and wait for them to open up. Dr. Montgomery also reminds us to trust ourselves, to be kind and compassionate toward our own journey, and to re…
Nov 9, 2020
Training is a Time-Bound Gift with Dr. Jennifer Corbelli
Jennifer Corbelli, MD, MS, is the Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Training Program and an Associate Professor of Medicine at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Corbelli completed her Medical school from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Residency in Internal Medicine from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center where she was also the Chief Resident. She then pursued a Women’s Health Fellowship at VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. Dr. Corbelli has a special interest in health care for the underserved and is the Co-Medical Director of the Program for Health Care to Underserved Populations (PHCUP) through which she directs a volunteer team of clinicians and health professionals at the Birmingham Free Clinic. She has presented nationally and published on various topics within medical education research such as curriculum development and evaluation, while actively mentoring residents and fellows. She is the recipient of Pennsylvania Medica…
Nov 6, 2020
Developing a 360 Degree View in Medicine with Dr. Adrian Tyndall
Dr. Tyndall assumed the role of the Interim Dean of the University of Florida College of Medicine on July 31st 2018. He is a Professor of Emergency Medicine and has been the Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine since 2008. He is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the Emergency Medicine Residency at the University of Maryland. In addition, he received his Master’s Degree in Health Services Management and Health Policy from Columbia University, NY. Prior to his recruitment to UF, Dr. Tyndall held academic appointments at Cornell and SUNY Downstate and served as a residency program director for emergency medicine. At UF, he has served on the board of directors of UF Health Shands at the University of Florida since 2010. He was the Chair of the Dean’s council for diversity, inclusion and equity at the University of Florida from 2010-2018. He was also the senior medical school representative to the Co…
Nov 6, 2020
Being Honest with Our Struggles with Dr. Todd Barton
Todd Barton, MD, is a Professor of Clinical Medicine and the Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at the University of Pennsylvania. He is an attending physician at the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center where his clinical practice focuses on transplant-related infectious diseases and clinical infectious diseases. Dr. Barton completed his medical school from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and his residency from the University of Pennsylvania where he also completed a fellowship in infectious diseases. He's passionate about medical education, and is an active member of a number of local and national organizations influencing resident education.
Give yourself permission not to be the best. Today, Dr. Todd Barton shares how being open and honest with our own struggles will ultimately lead us to the right path. He explains that we can take the pressure off trying to be outstanding in everything in our lives. B…
Nov 6, 2020
The Cycle of Kindness with Dr. Charles Christopher Smith
Dr. Charles Christopher Smith is the Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program, and Associate Vice Chair for Education at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. A graduate of the University Of Tennessee College Of Medicine, he completed his internal medicine residency training at Beth Israel Deaconess followed by a Chief Residency year. Dr. Smith completed the Rabkin Fellowship in Medical Education at Harvard Medical School and later served as the Director of the Fellowship. In addition to being the Program Director, Dr. Smith continues as Director of the Clinician Educator Track, has a busy primary care practice, teaches in many different venues, and has published on a variety of clinical and educational topics. Dr. Smith has been awarded the Alpha Omega Alpha, SGIM New England Medical Educator of the Year Award, the SGIM National Award for Scholarship in Medical Education, and the Robert C. Moellering Award for ex…
Nov 5, 2020
Successful Mentorship = Talent x Accessibility with Dr. Hugo Rosen
Hugo Rosen, MD is the Chair of Medicine and a Professor of Medicine, Immunology, and Molecular Microbiology at Keck School of Medicine of USC. Dr. Rosen completed his medical school from the University of Miami—Miller School of Medicine, his residency in internal medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at Harvard Medical School, followed by a fellowship in gastroenterology and transplant hepatology at UCLA. As a highly accomplished physician scientist, Dr. Rosen has more than 180 original peer reviewed manuscripts investigating the cellular and molecular underpinnings of a wide spectrum of innate and adaptive immune responses and developing novel paradigms in liver diseases. Dr. Rosen is an elected member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation and the American Association of Physicians, and currently serves as the deputy editor of the journal Hepatology.
There is a formula for finding a great mentor: Talent x Accessibility. Today, Dr. Hugo Rosen explains that we…
Nov 5, 2020
Stepping Up to Bat with Dr. Jatin Vyas
Jatin Vyas, MD, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine and the Program Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital's Internal Medicine Residency Program at Harvard Medical School, where he supervises over 200 interns and residents. Dr. Vyas received his PhD in immunology, working in the lab of Dr. Robert Rich at Baylor College of Medicine. After completing his MD at Baylor, he joined as a resident in internal medicine at Mass General, where he stayed on to pursue a fellowship in infectious diseases. An NIH funded investigator with an interest in basic sciences, Dr. Vyas is internationally recognized for his work in fungal immunology, investigating the body's immune responses to fungal pathogens. He is passionate about mentoring physician scientists and has advocated for the interests of physician scientists and training at the national level. Dr. Vyas has been selected as Fellow in the Infectious Disease Society of America and has been elected to the American Society for Clinica…
Nov 4, 2020
Becoming a Do-er with Dr. Richard Sterling
Richard Sterling, MD is Virginia Commonwealth University Hepatology Professor of Medicine, Section Chief of Hepatology, and Medical Director of Viral Hepatitis and HIV Liver Disease. He is active in graduate medical education as a transplant hepatology fellowship director, and an associate program director in the Internal Medicine Residency Program with a focus in scholarship. Dr. Sterling completed his medical school from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and pursued his residency and fellowship at Virginia Commonwealth University. His research focuses on HIV liver disease, which is supported by several NIH grants. Dr. Sterling has published over 220 manuscripts and serves on prominent committees of national associations, such as the American Gastroenterological Association and the American College of Gastroenterology in which he has served as the past governor of Virginia for six years. Dr. Sterling has won numerous awards for teaching and leadership and was voted top doc in…
Nov 4, 2020
How Mentors Can Help You Avoid Burnout with Dr. Karen Law
Karen Law, MD, is an Associate Professor in the Division of Rheumatology, the Associate Vice Chair of Education, and the Program Director of the Jay Willis Hurst Internal Medicine Residency Program at Emory University's Department of Medicine. Dr. Law completed her medical school from Brown University. She completed her residency, chief residency, and rheumatology fellowship at Emory University. Over the past ten years, Dr. Law has established herself as a leader in medical education at Emory, having held multiple roles at the medical school, including small group advisor and Associate Director of the Third Year Medicine clerkship. She has won Emory's Dean's Teaching Award and the American College of Rheumatology Clinician Scholar Educator Award to name a few.
Most all of us will face exhaustion at some point in our training. But Dr. Karen Law shares that with the right mindset, and the proper support (enter: mentorship), we can avoid landing on the extreme end of that spectrum. Today…
Nov 3, 2020
Start by Painting Your Room with Dr. Elizabeth Paulk
Elizabeth Paulk, MD, is a Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and holds a distinguished professorship in palliative care. She is the Medical Director for Hospice and Palliative medicine at Parkland Memorial Hospital. She is also the Program Director of the Palliative Care Fellowship Program and an Associate Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Paulk completed her medical school from Emory University and her residency from University of Texas Southwestern. She has dedicated her career in palliative care and began Parkland Hospital’s first palliative care service, and then an outpatient palliative care clinic, one of the first of its kind. Dr. Paulk has been awarded with the UT Southwestern's President's Award for diversity and humanism in clinical care and is nationally recognized in palliative care for her kindness, creativity and pursuit of providing excellent palliative care.
The amount of responsibilit…
Nov 2, 2020
The Golden Rule of Medicine with Dr. Deeb Salem
Deeb Salem, MD, FACP, FACC, FAHA, is the Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. He has had a distinguished career as an academic cardiologist, serving as the Chief of Cardiology at Tufts from 1987 to 1995, and was then appointed as the Physician-in-Chief in 1999. Dr. Salem was the founding president of the New England Affiliate of the American Heart Association. His academic accomplishments include over 170 scientific publications. He's a recognized national expert in coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, and congestive heart failure. He's a member of the National Medical Honor Society, Alpha Omega Alpha. Among Dr. Salem’s honors are the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Boston University School of Medicine, the Distinguished Faculty Award from the Tufts University School of Medicine, and the Paul Dudley White Award and Distinguished Leadership Award from the American Heart Association.
Today, Dr. Salem shares his golden rule of…
Nov 2, 2020
How to Reach the Summit with Dr. Richard Shellenberger
Richard Shellenberger, DO, is the Associate Program Director at St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor Hospital. Dr. Shellenberger completed his Medical school from Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, and his residency in Internal Medicine from St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. From serving as the Chief Resident to his current role as an Associate Program Director, he has had a career devoted to mentorship and resident education. Dr. Shellenberger has received multiple awards for his contributions to medicine as an expert educator.
A career in medicine can be likened to climbing a mountain. But, Dr. Richard Shellenberger advises us against constantly looking out for the summit. Instead, take a look at where you are: Identify each step of your process, and master each small step along the way. Remember to enjoy the scenery on your journey. When we’re too focused on reaching the top—we miss out on the beauty of the adventure.
Pearls of Wisdom:
1. Don’t just look out for the…
Oct 30, 2020
Igniting Talent with Dr. Kimberly Manning
Kimberly Manning, MD is a Professor of Medicine and the Associate Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Department of Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. She additionally serves as a residency program director for the Transitional Year Residency Program at Emory. Dr. Manning is a recipient of numerous institutional and national teaching awards including Emory’s Papageorge Award and the ACGME’s Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award in 2018. Dr. Manning is a prolific writer and authors a blog called “Reflections of a Grady Doctor” which was named as one of 4 medical blogs you should read by Oprah Magazine in 2010.
Dr. Kimberly Manning describes the untapped potential in a trainee as a “half-eaten sandwich sitting on a shelf”. She shares how her mentors helped her realize and unleash her potential as a writer. Today, we learn a few strategies for helping us reach our full potential as physicians. Dr. Manning is a strong believer in deliberate pr…
Oct 29, 2020
Talent vs Skill with Dr. Jane O’Rorke
Jane O'Rorke, MD is a Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Texas Health—San Antonio Long School of Medicine. Dr. O'Rorke completed her medical school from SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn and her residency from the University of Texas—San Antonio where she also served as a Chief Resident. She went on to complete a Faculty Development Fellowship at the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill. Dr. O’Rorke has won numerous teaching awards including Southern Society of General Internal Medicine Clinician Educator-of-the-Year Award and the University of Texas Presidential Teaching Excellence Award.
When one of Dr. Jane O’Rorke’s students doesn’t know something, she encourages them to celebrate! As she explains, not knowing something is an opportunity to fill in knowledge gaps—and that is a good thing. Today, we learn how Dr. O’Rorke approaches learning (both for herself, and her students). She takes a personal interest in the people around her—because it mak…
Oct 29, 2020
Dealing with the Hand You’re Dealt with Dr. Fred Buckhold
Fred Buckhold, MD, is the Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Saint. Louis University School of Medicine. Dr. Buckhold completed his training from Saint Louis University and has pursued his interest in hospital medicine and medical education. His research interests include reducing unnecessary care interventions and costs while maintaining quality patient outcomes, as well as enhancing residents and physicians use of the electronic medical record.
It’s not the hand you are dealt. It is what you do with that hand that matters. Today, Dr. Fred Buckhold teaches us that every setback is an opportunity to find a new solution, to overcome a new challenge, and to learn more about yourself. He believes that virtues like humility, hard work, and honesty are not gifts, rather can be developed if we deliberately work towards them. When it comes to mentorship, Dr. Buckhold believes the best mentees are the ones who meet a mento…
Oct 28, 2020
Improving Patient-Centered Care with Dr. Robert C. Smith
Robert C. Smith, MD, MACP is University Distinguished Professor and a Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry at Michigan State University. With many publications, awards, and strong grant support, he has been involved in teaching and research in patient-centered communication and in primary care mental health since 1985. Dr. Smith has been featured on The Today Show as well as interviewed and quoted in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Elle, the Ladies Home Journal, Time, and Newsweek. The topics have included training doctors to establish better doctor-patient relationships, chronic pain, unexplained physical symptoms, and mental health problems in medical settings. Dr. Smith and his colleagues have written one of the most popular interviewing textbooks, Smith’s Patient-Centered Interviewing: An Evidence-Based Method (3rd edition, McGraw Hill, 2012); the 4th edition, published July 2018, as well as a second textbook, Essentials of Psych…
Oct 28, 2020
The Secret to Loving Medicine with Dr. Kirana Gudi
Kirana Gudi, MD, is the Vice-Chair of Education and Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Weill Cornell Medicine, where she is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Gudi received her medical training on the Weill Cornell campus, where she earned her MD, completed residency, and she served as a chief resident. She then pursued a fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Gudi maintains an active outpatient pulmonary practice, attends on the inpatient pulmonary consult and ICU consult services, and is passionate about medicine and medical education.
Today, Dr. Kirana Gudi lets us in on her little secret: She has the best job in the world. She carries an infectious enthusiasm toward medicine, patient-care, and being an academician. We learn how important it is to pick the one subspecialty you love, no matter who tells you otherwise. She shares with us how leaps of faith, gaining new perspectives and vanta…
Oct 27, 2020
The Mark of a True Leader with Dr. Robert Harrington
Robert Harrington, MD, is the Arthur L. Bloomfield Professor of Medicine and Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Stanford University. Dr. Harrington was previously the Director of the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) at Duke University. He has authored more than 640 peer-reviewed manuscripts, reviews, book chapters, and editorials. Thomson Reuters lists him as one of the most cited investigators in clinical medicine from 2002-2014. He is a deputy editor of JAMA Cardiology and an editorial board member for the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. He is a past President of the American Heart Association and is an elected member of the Association of American Physicians and the Association of University Cardiologists. Interested in innovative learning tools, including novel methods of communicating scientific information, Dr. Harrington hosts a regular podcast on www.theheart.org called The Bob Harrington Show.
When we think about serendipity and luck, it’s…
Oct 23, 2020
A Mission Larger Than 'Me' with Dr. Paul Noble
Paul Noble, MD, is the Chair of the Department of Medicine and Director of the Women's Guild Lung Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Noble is a physician-scientist who has made significant research contributions to understanding the mechanisms and treatment of pulmonary fibrosis. Dr. Noble completed his medical school at NYU, trained in Internal Medicine and was a Chief Resident at UCSF, did his fellowship in pulmonary & critical care at the University of Colorado, and his research fellowship at the National Jewish Center in Denver. His professional career spans appointments at a number of prominent institutions including Johns Hopkins, Yale, and Duke where he served as Chief of the Division of Pulmonary Critical Care and Allergy, before joining Cedars Sinai. An elected member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation and the American Association of Physicians, Dr. Noble has served as Deputy Editor of the Journal of Clinical Investigation…
Oct 20, 2020
Being Your Own Best Advocate with Dr. Anne Curtis
Anne Curtis, MD, is the Charles and Mary Bauer Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and SUNY Distinguished Professor at the University at Buffalo. Dr. Curtis completed her medical school at Columbia University, her residency in internal medicine at the Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, and then she went on to Duke University to pursue fellowships in cardiovascular disease and clinical cardiac electrophysiology. Dr. Curtis maintains an active clinical practice, with a focus on cardiac electrophysiology, and she has been involved in the development of national guidelines for the treatment of atrial fibrillation and ventricular arrhythmias. She has been involved in clinical trials for over 25 years with over 300 publications, and she serves as an associate editor for the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. At a national level, she has held numerous leadership roles, including serving as the President of t…
Oct 19, 2020
Why Mentorship is Career Defining with Dr. Ronald Witteles
Ronald Witteles, MD, is a Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, Co-Director of Stanford Amyloid Center and Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Training Program at Stanford University Medical Center where he directs the training of more than 140 physicians each year. Dr. Witteles completed his medical school from University of Chicago, his residency in internal medicine from Stanford, where he pursued a fellowship in cardiology. Dr. Witteles specializes in the treatment of patients with heart failure with a focus in treating amyloidosis, sarcoidosis and cardiac complications of cancer therapy. He has published extensively on these topics and his articles have been cited as one of the most important heart failure articles of the year multiple times. Dr. Witteles is the recipient of a number of honors and awards including David Rytand Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching, and was recently recognized as the 2020 Program Director of the Year at Stanford University for h…
Oct 19, 2020
The Key to Driving Change with Dr. Starr Steinhilber
Starr Steinhilber, MD, is the Medical Director of the Compliant Documentation Management Program, and the Co-Director of Patient Safety and Quality Improvement at Tinsley Harrison Internal Medicine Residency Program at the University of Alabama Birmingham. Dr. Steinhilber grew up in Montgomery, Alabama, and completed her medical school and internal medicine residency at University of Alabama—Birmingham. After a year as chief resident, she joined the UAB faculty in the department of general internal medicine where she has been a leader in increasing focus on patient safety and quality improvement. Dr. Steinhilber was recently awarded the Southern Society of General Internal Medicine's Clinician Educator of the Year Award, and the Dean's Excellence Teaching Award at UAB.
As physicians, it’s part of our nature to want to make an impact on the world. And part of our mission to see that through. Today, Dr. Starr Steinhilber believes that when it comes to making a difference, start smal…
Oct 16, 2020
Learning, Earning, and Returning with Dr. Aftab Ahmad
Aftab Ahmad, MD is the Founding Program Director of Internal Medicine Residency at Orange Park Medical Center. Before transitioning into his current role, Dr. Ahmad has had a career devoted to leadership in medicine. After obtaining a Master of Business Administration focused on Health Care administration from Oakland University, he led the hospitalist program at the Providence Hospital. He then served as the Medical Director of Academic Internal Medicine Clinic at St. John Providence Hospital and Medical Center.
What is the difference between ordinary and extraordinary? No, it’s not a trick question. Dr. Aftab Ahmad explains why doing the ‘extra’ work will always set you apart from the average physician. Today, we learn exactly what it takes. Feedback is the breakfast of champions, says Dr. Ahmad, and we should be asking for it daily from our mentors. Aside from that, we should be continually asking ourselves how we are returning our knowledge and skills to those who need it.…
Oct 16, 2020
Why Givers Succeed with Dr. Susan Lane
Susan Lane, MD, is the Vice-Chair for Education for the Department of Medicine and the Internal Medicine Residency Program Director at Stony Brook University School of Medicine. Dr. Lane received her bachelor's from Amherst College, completed her Medical school from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, and her residency from Strong Memorial Hospital. She is active in healthcare policy and has served as the Chair of the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine Health Policy Committee and is a member of the NY-ACP Health and Public Policy Committee. She was recently elected as the president of the Association of Program Directors of Internal Medicine for the upcoming year. Dr. Lane has been recognized nationally for her leadership and is a recipient of a number of awards including the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Fellow in Leadership Award.
There is power in helping others. Today, Dr. Susan Lane shares with us why the givers succeed and ultimately end up receiving more. We…
Oct 14, 2020
How to Deal with Conflicts with Dr. Christine Herb
Christine M. Herb, MD, is the Associate Program Director of Internal Medicine Residency and the Geriatrics Track Director at Allegheny Health Network. Dr. Herb completed medical school at Temple University School of Medicine and completed her residency training at the West Penn Hospital, where she also served as a Chief Resident. Dr. Herb completed her fellowship in geriatric medicine at the UPMC Presbyterian Program. Prior to being appointed as an Associate Program Director, she served as core faculty and the subspecialty education coordinator for geriatrics.
Put yourself in someone else’s shoes.” This is something you’ve probably heard since kindergarten—but it still applies today, especially in medicine. Today, with Dr. Christine M. Herb, we’ll learn how to put our defenses down and deal with conflict with an open mind. She explains how taking a step back can help de-escalate conflicts and tensions that may arise with colleagues or with patients. It’s the key to slowing…
Oct 14, 2020
The Teddy Bear Principle with Dr. Andrew Thurston
Andrew Thurston is a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine and the Medical Director of the Supportive and Palliative Care service at UPMC Mercy Hospital. He is board certified in Internal Medicine, as well as Hospice and Palliative Medicine, with clinical interests spanning both Geriatrics and Palliative Care. Dr. Thurston’s interests include the integration of medical humanities into clinical care and medical curriculum. Dr. Thurston frequently leads Reflective Reading exercises that use poetry, art, photography, and short fiction as a tool for reflecting on various issues in the medical field. He is a Co-Director of the Area of Concentration for the Humanities and Medical Ethics at the University of Pittsburgh, and Co-Director of the Narrative and Experience of Illness elective for third and fourth year medical students.
So, you’ve diagnosed the patient. And you’ve clocked time in the room with that patient. But ask yourself: Did you take the time to be present with that pa…
Oct 13, 2020
Reverse Mentorship with Dr. Thomas Fekete
Thomas Fekete, MD, is the Thomas M. Durant Professor & Chair of the Department of Medicine at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. Dr. Fekete is a professor of Microbiology and Immunology. He is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, a fellow and master of the American College of Physicians and Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. He serves as the Chair of the Board of the IDSA Foundation and Chair of the Board of College of Physicians of Philadelphia. He is the recipient of serveral teaching honors at Temple including the Lindback Award, Golden Apple Teaching Award, Russell and Pearl Moses Teaching Award, Outstanding Senior Educator Award, and Temple Great Teacher Award.
There is such a thing as reverse mentorship. And today, Dr. Thomas Fekete teaches us how we can use what we don't want to guide us toward what we do. While we are in pursuit of top mentors to help guide us towards excellence and success, Dr. Fekete reminds us to pay…
Oct 12, 2020
The Humanistic Pursuit of Medicine with Dr. Richard Hellman
Richard N. Hellman, MD, is a senior clinical nephrologist and an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine, where he enjoys clinical teaching and mentoring of medical students, residents and renal fellows. His research interests include acute kidney injury, contrast nephropathy, hypertension, fluid and electrolyte disorders. Dr. Hellman received a BA in Economics from Roosevelt University, and an MD from the Baylor College of Medicine. He did his internship in internal medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine and Residency in internal Medicine at the University of Texas San Antonio and a Fellowship in Nephrology at Washington University Barnes Hospital. After completing his fellowship, Dr. Hellman has practiced both in academic settings at the University of Minnesota and in a private practice, before coming to Indiana University where he has been on faculty for over 20 years. He is the recipient of several medical teaching awards including T…
Oct 12, 2020
Wonder, Curiosity, and Gratitude with Dr. Rebecca Andrews
Rebecca Andrews, MD, is the Professor of Medicine, the Director of Ambulatory Education and the Associate Program Director for the categorical Internal Medicine Residency, and the Co-Chair of the Opioid Task Force at the University of Connecticut. She completed her medical school and residency from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine where she also served as the Chief Resident. Dr. Andrews has introduced several unique programs such as the office-based medicine track, a business of medicine course, and a women's health track for future primary care trainees. She is also currently serving as the Governor of the Connecticut Chapter for the American College of Physicians and is actively involved in various committees of the ACP. Her work in medicine has been recognized by many honors and awards, including the Laureate Award, the Richard Neubauer Advocate for Internal Medicine Award by the ACP, Best Doctors award by Hartford Magazine, Doctor of Excellence Award by Leaders in…
Oct 9, 2020
The ‘Umph’ in Triumph with Dr. Odaliz Abreu-Lanfranco
Odaliz Abreu-Lanfranco, MD, is the Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. After completing his training in Internal Medicine from St Raphael Hospital, Dr. Abreu Lanfranco pursued fellowships in Infectious Diseases and Transplant Infectious Diseases. His clinical practice focuses on transgender health, HIV and transplant infectious diseases which has also been a focus of his research. He is passionate about mentorship and resident education and is leading one of the largest programs in Michigan at Henry Ford Hospital which is one of only 19 programs across the country that have been awarded the Education Innovations Project designation by the ACGME.
As you continue on your path in residency, one of your goals is to stand out from the crowd. Today, Dr. Abreu-Lanfranco explains that the residents he looks for are the ones who put the ‘umph’ in triumph. What he means by that: Developing and demonstrating a high emotional i…
Oct 9, 2020
Anchoring Ourselves to Joy in Medicine with Dr. Richard Chung
Richard J. Chung, MD, is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at the Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. Chung earned his medical degree from Yale University and completed his medicine-pediatrics residency from Duke University School of Medicine. He then obtained a fellowship in adolescent and young adult medicine from Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Chung has had an illustrious career as a clinician as well as a researcher. He has led a number of research studies and has been the recipient of several grants and awards.
Every day is important, says Dr. Richard Chung. Even the average ones. Today, he teaches us the importance of finding the joy and intrinsic value of what we do as physicians. His guiding light has always stemmed from realizing what is most important to him—and letting the rest fall away. He teaches us about what makes the best mentee: It’s not just knowing answers to all the questions, it’s about having the intellectual curiosity to ask why thi…
Oct 9, 2020
T-E-A-C-H with Dr. Todd Simon
Todd Simon, MD, is the Vice Chief and Associate Professor of Medicine and the Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at the New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. He also serves as the Chief Academic Officer & the Designated Institutional Official. Dr. Simon completed his Medical school from The New York University School of Medicine and pursued residency in Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was later appointed Co-Director of Ambulatory Education for the Department of Medicine. While at Mt. Sinai, he also earned a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Southern California. Before joining the New York Methodist Hospital, Dr. Simon served as Vice Chairman of Medicine and Residency Program Director at the Jersey City Medical Center. Dr. Simon is actively involved with APDIM, SGIM and ACP, and serves as a member of ACP’s Internal Medicine Scientific Program Committee.
How do you weigh the decisions you make? Today, Dr. Todd…
Oct 9, 2020
Humor & Humility with Dr. Fred Zar
Fred Zar, MD, is a Professor of Clinical Medicine, Director of Academic Affairs in the Department of Medicine and the Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Zar completed his medical school at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, residency in Internal Medicine at Illinois Masonic Medical Center, and then pursued a fellowship in infectious diseases at the University of Illinois Hospital. Dr. Zar is a hospitalist focused on adult medicine and infectious diseases. He's committed to serving Chicago's diverse communities and educating the next generation of physicians.
Within moments of a conversation with Dr. Fred Zar, it’s hard not to see why he is so likeable. He’s known for having a welcoming manner and a great sense of humor. And today, he teaches us the power of humility—and being able to laugh at ourselves—in a profession as serious as medicine. Making mistakes is inevitable, so instead of hiding t…
Oct 8, 2020
Striking the Right Balance in Medicine with Dr. Keith Armitage
Keith Armitage, MD, is a Professor of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University and Vice Chair for Education in the Department of Medicine at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. Dr. Armitage has been leading the Internal Medicine Residency Program at University Hospitals for over 25 years as the Program Director and is internationally recognized for his work to advance the field of resident education. He is a former President of the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine and a recipient of the prestigious Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach award by ACGME. Last year, he was awarded a Mastership in the American College of Physicians for his extraordinary career accomplishments.
There are many fine lines in medicine. As physicians, we need to walk those lines with both competence and grace. Today, Dr. Armitage talks about the fine line between being self-critical and having self-doubt. He explains that while it’s important to be self-critical to be able to re…
Oct 8, 2020
Leaning into Discomfort with Dr. John McPherson
John McPherson, MD is a Professor of Medicine and the Vice-Chair for Education at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. A California native, Dr. McPherson received his medical degree from UCLA following undergraduate studies at Princeton. He then completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Johns Hopkins and fellowships in cardiovascular medicine and interventional cardiology at the University of Virginia. As a clinical cardiologist, Dr. McPherson’s academic interests have focused on critical care cardiology and emerging interventional therapies. He is an author on more than 60 peer-reviewed publications. He also has a strong interest in medical education and is the Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Vanderbilt. At a national level, he is a former member of the Educational Oversight Committee for the American College of Cardiology and the Education Committee of the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine.
Throughout our journey, we are bound to find ourselve…
Oct 7, 2020
Making Mentorship Approachable with Dr. Harvir Singh Gambhir
Harvir Singh Gambhir, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and the Associate Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Dr. Gambhir completed his medical school and residency in internal medicine from India. He then came to the US and pursued residency in Internal Medicine from SUNY Upstate, where he also served as the Chief Resident, and joined as a faculty member thereafter. Dr. Gambhir has inspired learners at all levels with his dedication to both their intellectual growth and personal well-being. Recognized for his contributions to medicine, he was recently awarded the 2020 Gold Standard Award at the Upstate University.
According to Dr. Harvir Singh Gambhir, there are two keys to a successful mentorship: An approachable mentor, and an approachable mentee. Today, we’ll learn about bridging the gap of communication between teacher and student in effort to create more frequent—and more meaningful relationships. Dr. Gamb…
Oct 7, 2020
Keeping the Patient as Our North Star with Dr. Gregory Kane
Gregory Kane, MD, is the Chair of the Department of Medicine and the Jane & Leonard Korman Professor of Pulmonary Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Dr. Kane received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College, and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Lankenau Hospital before returning to Jefferson for a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine. Dr. Kane’s research focuses on asthma, sarcoidosis and bronchiectasis. He is an active member of various national bodies including the American Board of internal medicine, the Council of the Association of Program Directors in Internal medicine and the Alliance for Academic Internal medicine. Awards recognizing his commitment to humanism and professionalism include the Gold Humanism Award and the prestigious Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach award from ACGME.
As Dr. Gregory Kane encounters new skills, strategies, or approaches - he tries them on like a new coat. And if they’re comfortable, he inco…
Oct 6, 2020
Celebrating Failure with Dr. Venkat Narayan
K.M. Venkat Narayan, MD, is the Ruth and OC Huber Chair of Global Health and Epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health, the Director of Emory Global Diabetes Research Center, and a professor of medicine at the Emory University School of Medicine. He is the former chief of the diabetes, epidemiology, and statistics branch at the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention. With over 500 publications, Dr. Narayan is noted for substantial multidisciplinary work in diabetes and noncommunicable diseases. He is the recipient of numerous awards including the American Diabetes Association’s Kelly West Award, the Danish Diabetes Academy Visiting Professor Award, and Emory University’s Mentor of the Year Award.
How do we really define success? According to Dr. K.M. Venkat Narayan, it is the ability to do what we are really interested in—and doing it well. Today, Dr. Narayan teaches us how we can best allocate our time to preserve mental energy, and to still feel accomplished i…
Oct 6, 2020
Strategizing Success with Dr. Thomas McGinn
Thomas McGinn, MD, is the Chair and Professor of Medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He serves as the Director and Professor at the Institute of Health Innovations & Outcomes Research at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. Dr. McGinn also holds the office of Senior Vice President and Executive Director of Medicine Service Line at Northwell Health. Teaching trainees at multiple levels, Dr. McGinn is a huge proponent of mentorship, continually mentoring students, residents, and faculty at Northwell and beyond. He strongly supports the innovative ideas and research stemming from the talented young minds of tomorrow’s healthcare leaders. He has been the recipient of several NIH-funded grants and effectively executed numerous research studies. He has authored and published more than one hundred research papers. Dr. McGinn is also the author of the clinical prediction rules chapter of the JAMA series Users’ Guides to Medical Lite…
Oct 6, 2020
Creativity, Curiosity, and Collaboration with Dr. Vineeth John
Vineeth John, MD, MBA, is Professor and Vice Chair for Education in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the McGovern Medical School at UTHealth. John is also the Director of the Geriatric Psychiatry Section and is actively involved in various educational initiatives directed towards enhancing domain expertise among psychiatry residents. He received his medical training from Christian Medical College in Vellore, India and completed his residency in general adult psychiatry at Tufts-New England Medical Center and fellowship in geriatric psychiatry at the University of Miami-Jackson Memorial Hospital. In addition, he holds an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh Katz School of Business. Over the past decade, he has been studying the effect of disruptive styles of leadership in organizations and presenting his research at national and international conferences.
Today, we learn about the three C’s: Curiosity, Creativity, and Collaboration. Dr. Vineeth John shares a s…
Oct 5, 2020
Finding Moments of Self-Reflection with Dr. Kathryn Jobbins
Kathryn Jobbins, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and the Associate Program Director of Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Massachusetts Medical School-Baystate. Dr. Jobbins completed her Medical school and Residency in Internal Medicine at Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA where she also served as the Chief Resident. She also did a residency in surgery at The Cleveland Clinic—South Pointe Hospital. Dr. Jobbins has a strong interest in Resident education and leadership. She has also been the recipient of the Early Career Leadership Award by the American College of Physicians and the Kevin T. Hinchey Resident Teaching Award at the Baystate Medical Center.
How can we be successful if we don’t even give ourselves space to fail? That is the question Dr. Kathryn Jobbins asks of us. Today, we explore what it means to break past limiting beliefs of not feeling good enough. And she encourages us to change our thinking: We can do anything we put our minds…
Oct 2, 2020
Extending Mentorship Beyond Professionalism with Dr. Stephen Knohl
Stephen Knohl, MD, is a Professor of Medicine, Residency Program Director of Internal Medicine and Vice Chair of Education at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Dr. Knohl completed his medical school and residency in internal medicine and then pursued a fellowship in Nephrology from SUNY Upstate. Dr. Knohl’s research interests include Genetic Hypercalciurias, Nephrolithiasis and Bone Disease in CKD. He is passionate about teaching communication skills to his residents, and has developed a program called 'Learning to T.A.L.K.' (Treat All Like Kin) to teach medical residents to be more effective communicators, and ultimately better physicians.
It’s okay not to know. That is what makes us human. But according to Dr. Stephen Knohl, it’s not okay not to know the second time we’re asked. That is what defines character. Today, we learn about the strengths we have by learning to be introspective. When we are passionate about our career, we must prove it by devoting ourselves to filling…
Oct 2, 2020
Mistakes are Great Mentors with Dr. Joseph Loscalzo
Joseph Loscalzo, MD, PhD, MA, is the Hersey Professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine and Soma Weiss MD Distinguished Chair in Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Chairman of the Department of Medicine and Physician-in-Chief at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Loscalzo completed his MD from the University of Pennsylvania and training in internal medicine and cardiology from Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He has authored over 1,000 scientific publications, has authored or edited 51 books, and holds 32 patents for his work in the field of nitric oxide, redox biology and vascular biology. Dr. Loscalzo has been awarded the George W. Thorn Award for Excellence in Teaching at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the Distinguished Scientist Award and the Paul Dudley White Award from the American Heart Association and the MERIT Award from the NIH to name a few. Dr. Loscalzo is the former Editor-in-Chief of Circulation, currently the editor at large at the New England Journal of Medicin…
Sep 28, 2020
The Destigmatization of Physician Burnout with Dr. Sarah Sofka
Sarah Sofka, MD, FACP, is an Associate Professor and Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at West Virginia University. She completed her medical school and residency from West Virginia University. Dr. Sofka has a career devoted to mentorship from her role as Chief Resident during residency, to Associate Program Director, and now as Program Director. Dr. Sofka also chairs the GME Wellness Committee which focuses on preventing resident burnout and promoting wellness. She has received numerous awards for excellence in medicine throughout her career.
When deciding between residency programs, consider the following: Does it seem like a supportive program? Is it flexible? Could you take vacation when you need it? Today, Dr. Sarah Sofka stresses the importance of self-care. She teaches us about creating an environment that is conducive to our success—and our well-being. It is important to make decisions on where you feel at home, and where you are able to look after…
Sep 28, 2020
Trusting Yourself with Dr. Jane Liebschutz
Jane Liebschutz, MD, is the UPMC Endowed Chair of Translational Medicine and Research, the Chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine, a Professor of Medicine with Tenure, and the Director of the Center for Research on Health Care at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Liebschutz is a primary care internist whose clinical practice focuses on the care of underserved populations, with a special interest in caring for patients who have experienced the triad of trauma, pain, and substance misuse. Her research focuses on violence, mental health, and intervention to combat the current crisis in opioid use disorders. Dr. Liebschutz has a strong interest in faculty development and physician workforce diversity and she is dedicated to promoting, mentoring, and supporting underrepresented minority trainees. Dr. Liebschutz also directs a physician wellness initiative and has conducted research in the field of physician burnout.
Dr. Jane Liebschutz puts it best: If you’ve m…
Sep 25, 2020
Learning Something New Every Day with Dr. Jaspal Gujral
Jaspal Gujral, MD, serves as the Founding Director of the Anticoagulation Clinic and as a Professor of Medicine at Augusta University. He graduated from Maulana Azad Medical College, India, and served in the Indian Army Medical Corps. He then worked in North Africa before moving to the UK to work in the United Kingdom National Health Service. He also obtained a diploma in internal medicine from the Royal College of Physicians, United Kingdom and then pursued another residency in Internal Medicine from SUNY Buffalo followed by a clinical research fellowship in diabetes from Leicester University, UK. Dr Gujral has extensive experience in research. He has been part of various landmark studies in the UK as well as the US. He is an editor and reviewer for various clinical journals nationally and internationally.
One habit to pick up now (and never put down again): Take a few minutes to learn one new thing every day. Dr. Jaspal Gujral attributes his competency to this simple habit, and be…
Sep 25, 2020
What Makes a Strong Team with Dr. Monika Safford
Monika Safford, MD is currently a Professor and the Chief of the division of General Internal Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. She received her medical degree from Weill Cornell and completed her residency in internal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She previously served at the University of Alabama at Birmingham as the inaugural endowed professor of diabetes prevention and outcomes research, Assistant Dean for Continuing Medical Education, Associate Director of the Center for Outcomes and Effectiveness Research and Education. With more than 260 papers published in top tier journals, she's an expert researcher and has received various grants including a recently awarded $10 million grant by the NIH. She has chaired many national committees, and has been the recipient of many national honors and awards for her contributions to medicine.
Strong mentorship cannot exist without a strong sense of teamwork. Today, Dr. Monika Safford explains collaboration with others allows…
Sep 24, 2020
Reinventing Yourself with Dr. Robert Wachter
Robert Wachter, MD, is the Chair of the Department of Medicine at University of California—San Francisco. He is the Holly Smith Distinguished Professor in Science and Medicine as well as the Benioff Endowed Chair in Hospital Medicine. Dr. Wachter has authored six books and over 250 articles, and he is a frequent contributor to the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Dr. Wachter considered to be the father of the hospitalist field, which is one of the fastest growing specialties in modern medicine. He also coined the term, ‘hospitalist’ in 1996. Dr. Wachter is a past President of the Society of Hospital Medicine and a past Chair of the American Board of Internal Medicine. In 2004, he received the John M. Eisenberg Award, the nation's top honor in patient safety. Modern Healthcare magazine has ranked him as one of the 50 most influential physician executives in the US thirteen times, and he was number #1 on this list in 2015. Dr. Wachter’s book, The Digital Doctor: Hope, Hype…
Sep 23, 2020
Being Fearless with Dr. Stephanie Call
Stephanie Call, MD, is the Associate Chair for Education and a Professor of Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, and recently started a new Internal medicine Residency Program at Mountain Area Health Education Center in North Carolina. Dr. Call is widely recognized for her work in graduate medical education, faculty/resident development in teaching, physician wellness and curriculum development/assessment. She has been awarded the Distinguished Medical Educator Award from the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine, the Faculty Teaching Excellence Award from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and the Gold Foundation Baldwin Award.
Dr. Stephanie Call is fearless when it comes to change. Because she’s realized that change is simply an opportunity for growth. And when we dare to be fearless, the rewards are insurmountable. She believes mentors play a crucial role in supporting us in our endeavors, as long as we hold up our…
Sep 23, 2020
Overcoming the Obstacles that Stand in Your Way with Dr. Michele Meltzer
Michele Meltzer, MD, is currently the Associate Professor of medicine at Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Meltzer earned her medical school degree from Drexel University College of Medicine and completed her residency from the Presbyterian Medical Center, Philadelphia. She then completed her fellowship from Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia. She also earned a Masters in Bioethics from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr Meltzer has also founded a nonprofit called Rheumatology for All - a continuing medical education course aimed at increasing access to rheumatology care in resource poor areas.
Obstacles are inevitable. Dr. Michele Meltzer knows this best, as she’s built a career based on perseverance. And today, she empowers us to put our personal obstacles in perspective—and she shares strategies for tackling them head on. Dr. Meltzer believes that our journey begins when we define what success means to us. And then, to chase after it. Along the way, she urges us to listen…
Sep 23, 2020
Success and Kindness with Dr. Melissa Briones
Melissa Briones, MD, is the Associate Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program and a Rheumatologist at Loyola University. Dr. Briones was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs and attended Loyola's Stritch School of Medicine. She then stayed at Loyola to complete her Internal Medicine Residency, Chief Residency, and Rheumatology Fellowship training. She devotes much of her time as associate program director to recruiting efforts along with helping to oversee the research curriculum. Dr. Briones particularly enjoys curriculum development and teaching and is especially interested in helping residents successfully prepare for the ABIM exam. She also loves teaching medical students and serves as the Clerkship Director for the fourth year medical student subinternship wards rotation.
Where do kindness and success intersect? Today, Dr. Melissa Briones makes an excellent point about the changing definition of success: As we evolve, we might find that success becomes less…
Sep 22, 2020
Navigating Complexity with Dr. Daniel Wolpaw
Daniel Wolpaw, MD, is a Professor of Medicine, a Senior Consultant for Educational Innovation, and Co-Director of the Junior Faculty Development Program at Penn State. He has a number of publications in the areas of health systems science, the humanities including communication and doctor-patient relationship. His areas of interest include curriculum development, critical and systems thinking, adaptive expertise, professional identity formation, and the use of literature to encourage mindfulness and humanistic care.
Patients are far more complex than the symptoms they have. As physicians, it is our role to connect with patients for who they are. To embrace their complexities. To embrace lack of certainty and lack of agreement. Today, Dr. Daniel Wolpaw reminds us that as physicians, we not only have to understand a vast amount of complex knowledge, but also work with complex personalities of our patients and our colleagues. When we start to critically think through our challenges, be…
Sep 22, 2020
Committing to Enthusiasm in Medicine with Dr. Steven Berk
Steven Lee Berk, MD, is the Dean of the School of Medicine and Executive Vice President for Clinical Affairs at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at Lubbock. Dr. Berk graduated from Boston University School of Medicine and completed his Internal Medicine residency and Infectious Disease fellowship at Boston City Hospital. He is the author or co-author of over 150 peer-reviewed publications and four textbooks. Dr. Berk has served on the NIH Special Advisory Panel on the evaluation of vaccines against infections in the elderly, on the editorial board of the Journal of the American Geriatric Society, and as a reviewer for most Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease journals. He has served on the Board of Directors Nominating Committee for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and chaired the AAMC community-based deans subcommittee for eight years.
It is inevitable throughout our journey in medicine that we will find role models that inspire us each day. But how…
Sep 22, 2020
The Mentorship Mindset with Dr. Danielle Jones
Danielle Jones, MD is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. She is the Medical Director of the Musculoskeletal Procedure Clinic at Grady Memorial Hospital. Additionally, Dr. Jones is an Associate Program Director for Emory's Internal Medicine Residency program with a primary focus on ambulatory education. Dr. Jones is a member of Emory’s Academy of Medical Educators and also directs Emory’s Primary Care Consortium. Dr. Jones is a huge proponent of mentorship and sponsorships, continually mentoring students, residents, and faculty at Emory and beyond. Dr. Jones has won numerous awards as an educator, including multiple learner-nominated awards, the Southern Society of General Internal Medicine Clinician Educator of the Year Award, the Emory Department of Medicine’s Silver Pear Mentorship Award, and most recently, the Emory School of Medicine Mentoring Award. Dr. Jones is an active member of both the Association of Program Directors in Internal…
Sep 21, 2020
Honoring Our Commitments with Dr. Niti Madan
Niti Madan, MD, is currently a Professor of nephrology at UC Davis Medical Health Center. Dr Madan attended medical school at Punjab University, India, and then pursued residency at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. She then obtained a fellowship in nephrology at the University of Texas at Houston. Dr Madan's research interests include: Glomerulonephritis, Hypertension, Critical Care Nephrology and Mindfulness in Nephrology.
Do you really know how to make a commitment? Today, Dr. Niti Madan tells us exactly what that entails. She explains that we must learn how to honor our commitments. Whatever path we choose in life, we must commit to doing that the best we can. Truly honoring our commitments means devoting our practice to showing our best in whatever we do. Prove to yourself and others that you are willing to grow, evolve, and reach excellence. When you run into roadblocks, look for the guidance of your mentors: A strong mentor can help identify your potential, and p…
Sep 21, 2020
The Importance of Setting Goals for Your Career with Dr. Edward L. Barnes
Edward L. Barnes, MD is currently an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of North Carolina. Dr Barnes completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of North Carolina, where he also served as a chief resident. He completed his gastroenterology fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. While training in Boston, he earned Master of Public Health degree from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Barnes then returned to the University of North Carolina to complete an Advanced Fellowship in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. He specializes in the care of patients with inflammatory bowel disease, and has contributed multiple articles and reviews in this area.
What gets you up in the morning? Furthermore, what wakes you up in the middle of the night? Today, Dr. Edward Barnes shares why balancing your time combined with your passion is a winning combination for success. To avoid…
Sep 21, 2020
Thinking Strategically About Mentorship with Dr. Yael Schenker
Dr. Yael Schenker is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine and Director of the Palliative Research Center at University of Pittsburgh where she mentors numerous medical students, residents, fellows and junior faculty in clinical and research settings. Dr. Schenker completed her medical school, residency and fellowship in general internal medicine from the University of California, San Francisco. Since joining University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Schenker has collaborated on numerous palliative care research projects with a primary focus in understanding and improving provision of palliative care in oncology. She has published widely on topics including surrogate decision making, informed consent, healthcare advertising and language barriers.
One of the most important tenets of good mentorship is practicing good communication. Be clear and upfront about what the expectations are of the relationship, says Dr. Yael Schenker. And when we seek out mentorship—look for the people w…
Sep 18, 2020
Creating an Environment of Encouragement with Dr. Jeffrey Berger
Dr. Jeffrey Berger is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Surgery (on tenure track) with appointments in Cardiology, Hematology, and Vascular Surgery, and Director of Cardiovascular Thrombosis at New York University School of Medicine. During his training, he received a Master’s degree in clinical research from the NIH K30 program at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He completed fellowships in Cardiology at Duke University, Cardiovascular Research training at Duke Clinical Research Institute, and Vascular Medicine and Thrombosis and Hemostasis at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Berger has been the recipient of several grants, honors and awards, including the American Heart Association's Fellow Faculty award, amongst many others. He has also established an independent NIH-funded research program, investigating the role of platelet activity and thrombotic biomarkers in cardiovascular disease.
How can we develop a more positive environment in medicine? For starters, says Dr.…
Sep 18, 2020
The World is Flat with Dr. Javed Butler
Javed Butler, MD, is a Professor and Chairman of The Department of Medicine at The University of Mississippi. Prior to joining the University of Mississippi, he was the Director of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and the Co-Director of the Heart Institute at Stony Brook University in New York. Dr. Butler served as the Director for Heart Failure Research at Emory University and Director of the Heart and Heart-Lung transplant programs at Vanderbilt University prior to that. After completing his medical school in Pakistan, Dr. Butler completed his residency from Yale University and fellowships from Vanderbilt University and Harvard University. He also completed his Masters in Public Health degree from Harvard University and an MBA from Emory University. He serves on several national committees for the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health, and was recently elected as a member of the prestigious Association of Universit…
Sep 17, 2020
Living a Life of Gratitude with Dr. Daniel Cabrera
Daniel Cabrera, MD, MPH is the Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, the Assistant Residency Program Director for Internal Medicine and Assistant Student Clerkship Director for Diversity and Inclusion at the Harborview Medical Center and the University of Washington Medical Center-Montlake. He completed his medical school and residency from the University of Wisconsin. He also obtained a MPH from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He is a strong proponent of health equity and strives to provide high-quality care to diverse patients.
Everyone has a story. And as Dr. Daniel Cabrera explains, getting to spend time with patients, learning their story, and helping them through their most vulnerable moments is the biggest privilege we have as physicians. Today, he talks about practicing gratitude in every day life. He explains the endless pursuit of curiosity in search of understanding ourselves and our patients more deeply. Lastly, he advises us to pursue…
Sep 17, 2020
Making the Journey More Enjoyable with Dr. David Hatem
David Hatem, MD, is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts. He completed his medical school at Tufts University in Boston, and his residency at the Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago. His early interests in faculty development and teaching the Medical interview evolved into applying the principles of the provider patient relationship to the student teacher relationship. He is the founding Co-Director of the Learning Communities program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
A career in medicine is not only a challenge clinically, but it’s an incredible personal challenge as well. Today, Dr. David Hatem explains that the path we’re on should be looked at as a “project of self”, where we are the subject. The support we get from strong mentoring relationships is what makes this personal challenge more enjoyable (although it doesn’t reduce the work). He reminds us that the key to findi…
Sep 15, 2020
Ongoing Self-Discovery with Dr. Jada Bussey Jones
Dr. Jada Bussey-Jones is the Chief of General Medicine and Geriatrics at Emory University, Professor of Medicine and Vice-Chair of Diversity Equity and Inclusion in the Department of Medicine, and the Director for Education for Emory’s Urban Health Initiative, where she has a strong interest in minority health and healthcare disparities. In addition to her local work, Dr. Jones is involved with several regional and national organizations, including serving as the chair of the National Disparities Education Task Force for the Society of General Internal Medicine. Her work has been recognized with several awards, including the American Business Women's Association Award for Community Service, Emory's Nanette Wenger Service Award, and the Society of General Medicine National Award for Mentorship in Education.
Self-discovery is not something Dr. Jada Bussey-Jones takes lightly. Today, the Chief of General Medicine and Geriatrics at Emory University’s Grady Memorial Hospital shares her…
Sep 14, 2020
Building a Team of Mentors with Dr. Carla Spagnoletti
Carla Spagnoletti, MD is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. She is the Director of the Academic Clinician-Educators Scholars Fellowship in General Medicine and the Director of the Masters & Certificate Programs in Medical Education at the Institute for Clinical Research Education. Her research focuses on patient-doctor communication, the patient experience, and professional development. She has received national awards from the Society of General Internal Medicine for her scholarship and mentorship in medical education and for her leadership accomplishments.
You wouldn’t get on a bike without training wheels on your first go—so why get into medicine without mentors supporting you for the journey? Reaching out to mentors can feel uncomfortable. We don’t want to burden anyone, and we sometimes feel intimidated. However, Dr. Carla Spagnoletti explains that building a strong team of mentors is an essential building block to a successful career in medicine. Tod…
Sep 11, 2020
Adopting a Growth Mindset with Dr. John Ratelle
John Ratelle, MD, is an Attending Physician in Hospital Medicine at Mayo Clinic and the Associate Program Director in the Internal Medicine Residency Program, where he focuses on systems-based practice. Dr. Ratelle has been extensively involved in resident education and mentorship from being a chief resident of his residency program to pursuing research in medical education, quality improvement and patient safety, and interprofessional teamwork. He has been recognized for Excellence in Clinical Teaching through many awards including Teacher of the Year in 2019 and the Laureate Award at Mayo. Dr. Ratelle is a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society. No one wants to be the person in the room that just doesn’t “get it”. But, if we’re able to embrace our weaknesses—and use feedback as an impetus for growth and change—now we are in the growth mindset. Dr. John Ratelle encourages us to be willing to try, even if we fail. Today, we learn ‘to lean in’ and embrace those activi…
Sep 11, 2020
How to Prevent Burnout with Dr. Stacey Rose
Dr. Stacey Rose is the Assistant Dean of Clinical Curriculum and Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases at the Baylor College of Medicine. As a physician leader, educator, and mentor, Dr. Rose has received many national honors and awards from bodies such as the American College of Physicians and the ACGME. She is committed to improving medical education through curriculum development, as well as improving physician wellness.
As a physician-in-training (and beyond), burnout happens often. But of succumbing to it, why not implement new strategies for recognizing—and preventing it? Today, Dr. Stacey Rose offers her strategies for combating burnout. She advises us to celebrate success: however large or small. Find not just one mentor, but build a network: The mentor you turn to for career advice may not be the one you turn to for managing work/life balance. And remember: your work as a physician always goes back to the patient. Taking time to learn the “human…
Sep 10, 2020
Vulnerability is Strength with Dr. Richard Pittman
Richard Pittman, MD, is an Associate Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics at the Emory School of Medicine. Dr. Pittman was trained at the University of Mississippi, completed his residency at UT Southwestern, and then spent 16 months in Swaziland for HIV care before joining Emory University. Dr. Pittman's interests in technology began as a hobby, but have grown to serving as an EPIC Physician Champion at the Grady Memorial Hospital at Emory. He has delivered numerous presentations about the use of technology, more specifically on the use of mobile technology in healthcare. Dr. Pittman was recently awarded the Dean's Teaching Award at Emory for his dedication to teaching medical students.
Vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness. Dr. Richard Pittman encourages us today to be open with our mentors about our challenges. It takes courage to be open and forthright with those who lead us, but the reward is great. As Dr. Pittman puts it: The mentor’s rol…
Sep 10, 2020
Discovering our Personal Why with Dr. Eileen Moser
Dr. Eileen Moser is the Associate Dean for Medical Education and a Professor of Medicine at Penn State College of Medicine. As the Associate Dean, she oversees the curriculum for more than 600 medical students at the college. Dr. Moser completed her education and training in internal medicine and geriatrics at Rutgers University in New Jersey. She has held multiple positions through undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate medical education. Dr. Moser is passionate about mentorship and education as reflected through her research, which touches on important topics of high-value care and leading behavioral change during medical education. She is a member of many state and national committees, including the American College of Physician, where she serves on the Board of Regents and on the Board of Trustees on the Pennsylvania Medical Society.
What’s your ‘Why?’ If you find yourself unable to answer the question, it might be time to do some deep self-reflection. Dr. Eileen Moser exp…
Sep 9, 2020
Finding the Art in Medicine with Dr. Christopher Jackson
Christopher Jackson, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Department of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center. He is passionate about resident education and is the Associate Program Director for Curriculum and Education in the Internal Medicine Program and also is part of medical student education as the Assistant Clerkship Director for Internal Medicine. Dr. Jackson is part of the core faculty of the Center for Health System Improvement. He is the recipient of many awards and recognitions, including the Doctor Gibbons Outstanding Residents in Endocrinology Award, the Arthur Investigator Award for Research, and he has multiple publications in many high impact journals. His research interests include evidence-based practice, clinical reasoning, and the use of podcasts in graduate medical education.
How do art and medicine intersect? Dr. Christopher Jackson has devoted his career to fulfilling his passion for both art and science, and with him, we’…
Sep 9, 2020
Being Ready When the Door Opens with Dr. Robert Bacallao
Robert Bacallao, MD, is a Professor of Medicine and an Adjunct Professor of Anatomy, Cell Biology & Physiology at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Bacallao completed his training from the University of Illinois and completed his fellowship in Nephrology from UCLA. Dr. Bacallao is widely regarded for his research on polycystic kidney disease, and has published extensively on its pathogenesis. He is the founder of Apoptocys, a company which aims to bring novel therapy interventions to people with ADPKD. He is involved in medical student, resident, and fellow training as a faculty member at Indiana University.
As a physician, hard work is par for the course. But as Dr. Bacallao reminds us, the hard work is what sets you up for success when the door of opportunity opens. Today, we learn what it means to prepare for greatness. We learn about the power of the helping hand: We don’t often get to where we’re going alone. We are also reminded that arrogance blocks communicati…
Sep 8, 2020
The Ability to See Both Sides with Dr. Richard Kovacs
Dr. Richard Kovacs is the current President of the American College of Cardiology and the Q.E. and Sally Russell Professor of Cardiology at Indiana University School of Medicine. He trained at Indiana University, where he was the chief medical resident and chief cardiology fellow. He is a clinical cardiology leader for Indiana University Health Physicians where he is responsible for the coordination of patient care activities across all the hospitals served by the IU faculty cardiologists. Dr. Kovac’s research focuses on quality measurement, drug safety, and sports cardiology. Dr. Kovacs was a Co-Chair of the committee that revised the AHA/ACC Eligibility and Disqualification Recommendations for Competitive Athletes with Cardiovascular Abnormalities. As a sports fanatic himself, he oversees the cardiovascular evaluation of players at the Annual NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. There is a saying in Indiana that it’s a mighty thin pancake that doesn’t have two sides.
There is…
Sep 8, 2020
Approaching Medicine with Zest and Vigor with Dr. Debra Leizman
Debra Leizman, MD, FACP, is the Director of Medical Student Education at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Her focus areas are medical student education and clinical practice. She is also the Director of the Internal Medicine Core Clerkship for University Hospitals, and serves as Clinical Director of the CWRU Medical Science Training Program (MSTP), organizing and directing MD-PhD clinical training. Dr. Leizman is a University Hospitals Distinguished Physician and has served as Faculty Advisor for the CWRU Internal Medicine Medical Student Interest Group for more than 20 years. Her research interests include medical student and resident education, patient safety, and quality issues.
Do you take on each new day with “zest”? If your answer is “I...think…so?”, keep listening. Today, Dr. Debra Leizman offers her best practices for bringing zest, vigor, and positivity into…
Sep 4, 2020
From Great to Incredible with Dr. Rahma Warsame
Rahma Warsame, MD, is a Consultant in the Division of Hematology and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic. Dr. Warsame’s research focuses on amyloidosis and multiple myeloma. She is also interested in investigating existing health care delivery systems to improve patient-reported outcomes and quality of life. She is working on incorporating patient perspectives systematically and efficiently into clinical practice and determining its effect on clinical outcomes with the goal of developing a system which can provide patients with truly individualized care.
Knowledge can be acquired. Success and hard work can be learned. But kindness is essential for going from a great—to an incredible—physician. Today, Dr. Rahma Warsame outlines her simple (yet effective) practices for becoming excellent. She defines what “hard work” actually means and tells us how to get there. She relies on three simple rules: Never be late, never lie, and never be lazy. Dr. Rahma also shares t…
Sep 4, 2020
Shaping Our Vision with Dr. Stacy Higgins
Stacy Higgins, MD, is a Professor of Medicine and Director, Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency Program at Emory University. Over the last 20 years, Dr. Higgins has pursued her passion for leadership in medical education and has led research on a variety of topics including humanism, reflective learning, mentorship and diversity. She founded the Women’s Clinic within the Grady Primary Care Center and the International Medical Clinics which provide care to underserved populations. She is the recipient of a number of prestigious awards including the American College of Physicians (ACP) W. Lester Henry Award for Diversity and Access to Care and Emory University’s prestigious Papageorge Distinguished Teaching Award.
It’s one thing to reflect on your own performance as a physician. It’s another step entirely to commit to improving the next day, and the next day, and the next. Today, Dr. Stacy Higgins encourages us to become reflective learners—and to continually ask ourselve…
Sep 3, 2020
Building Trust with Dr. Amit Dayal
Amit Dayal, MD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine and an Associate Program Director of Internal Medicine Residency Program at Loyola University. He joined the staff at Hines VA Medical Center and the faculty at Loyola in 2006. He has been actively involved in medical education and has developed several novel programs during his tenure. Dr. Dayal has served as Medical Clerkship Site Director since 2009 and was recently recognized as the M3 Attending of the Year. Dr. Dayal is a Canadian, Chicago White Sox/Bears fan, but most importantly a husband and the father of two girls.
Earning the trust of your patients takes more than just a diagnosis. Today, Dr. Amit Dayal shares a few key strategies for building trust with our patients - Don’t walk into the room with an agenda. Hear the patient out, let them express their needs first. Talk with them, not at them. And be willing to say “I don’t know”. Patients want to be seen , heard, and respected. Above all, we must remember the wh…
Sep 3, 2020
Mentors Want Us To Succeed with Dr. Lauren Shapiro
Dr. Lauren Shapiro is the Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Montefiore Hospital. Her areas of interest include resident wellness, social determinants of health, clinical reasoning, and above all, resident education. Dr. Shapiro is originally from southern New Jersey and obtained her undergraduate degree in biology from Rutgers. After receiving her medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, she completed her residency at Montefiore in Primary Care/Social Internal Medicine. She has been recognised for her teaching with the Montefiore Residency Teaching Award and induction into the Davidoff Society for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching of Medical Students. She is passionate about providing excellent medical care, especially to the most underserved and vulnerable patient populations.
Do you ever hesitate before reaching out to a potential mentor? Are you intimidated, or worried you are “bothering them”? Dr. Lauren Shapiro encourages us…
Sep 2, 2020
How to Lead the System with Dr. Robert Morrison
Robert Morrison, MD is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Dr. Morrison received his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine in Indiana, IN. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Colorado. Dr. Morrison went on to complete his fellowship in infectious diseases at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. Dr. Morrison’s career spans from serving in the US Army for 20 years and as the chief of medicine and program director for an army training hospital, to his current role as a clinician educator in the Department of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center.
What happens when we view ourselves as the leaders of the system—as opposed to working for it? Dr. Robert Morrison believes this is an antidote for physician burnout, and encourages us to shift our perspective. “We have got to be the leaders. The system won’t lead us,” says…
Sep 1, 2020
Becoming a Mentor of Mentors with Dr. Robert Centor
Robert Centor, MD, is a Professor Emeritus of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Chair-Emeritus of the ACP Board of Regents. He has served as Dean of Huntsville Regional Medical Campus as well as Chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine at UAB. Dr. Centor has held many prestigious positions in national organizations and has been the president for The Society for Medical Decision Making, The Association of Chiefs of General Internal Medicine and The Society of General Internal Medicine. He has over 100 publications including his widely read publication from which the “Centor Score” was developed to identify the likelihood of a bacterial infection in an adult with sore throat.
There’s a Yiddish word called Kvell. It refers to the special pride you get when your offspring achieves something great. Dr. Robert Centor—referred to by many as the Ultimate Mentor—shares what it means to be a good mentor, and a good mentee. He firmly believes the mark of…
Aug 31, 2020
Loving Your Patients with Dr. Jillian Catalanotti
Dr. Jillian Catalanotti is the Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program and Associate Professor of Medicine and of Health Policy & Management at The George Washington University (GW). She is responsible for 110 residents in two programs and 55 fellows in 12 fellowship programs. Dr. Catalanotti has co-designed and co-directs the Underserved Medicine and Public Health concentration, a two-year longitudinal program for residents with a special interest in working with underserved populations. She was recently awarded the Walter J. McDonald Award for Early Career Physicians from the American College of Physicians. She is on many national committees and has a number of publications on improving medical education.
Ask yourself honestly: Do you love your patients? Today, Dr. Jillian Catalanotti reminds us that even though we may feel fulfilled after long-yet-rewarding days spent in the hospital, our patients aren’t the ones who want to be there. She encourages us to take…
Aug 28, 2020
Embracing the Uncomfortable with Dr. Thomas Radomski
Thomas Radomski, MD is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Clinical & Translational Science within the Division of General Internal Medicine and Center for Pharmaceutical Policy and Prescribing at the University of Pittsburgh. He is also the Director of Academic Programs and Clinical Research for the Institute of Clinical Research Education, where he oversees all master’s and certificate level programs in clinical research training, and co-directs a course on strategic leadership in academic medicine. As a practicing general internist and health services researcher, Dr. Radomski’s research focuses on ways to accurately measure and reduce the delivery of low value care and how the receipt of care across multiple healthcare systems influences health services, utilization, outcomes, and value. His research has been published in many internationally acclaimed journals, and he is also the Immediate Past President of the Society of General Internal Medicine, mid-atlantic region.
It…
Aug 27, 2020
Being Confident but Not Cocky with Dr. Jennifer Christner
Dr. Jennifer Christner is the Dean of School of Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine. Over the last 20 years, she has been devoted to leadership and mentorship of physicians across a number of prestigious universities, from an Associate Pediatric Residency Director at the University of Toledo to an Assistant Dean at the University of Michigan to the Associate Dean at SUNY Upstate. She has pursued her interests in improving quality in medical education and medical education research. As a testament to her passion for students and teaching, she has been awarded teacher of the year multiple times.
Today, Dr. Christner teaches us how to strike the balance between being confident yet not cocky. How to recognize our talents and celebrate our successes, but to also never get too big for ourselves. And, she reminds us that sometimes the biggest lessons don’t just come from our mentors, but unexpectedly from those around us. So, take the time to get to know not only your patients, but…
Aug 26, 2020
Embracing a Life of Service with Dr. Alia Chisty
Dr. Alia Chisty is the Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Penn State Health Milton Hershey Medical Center. After completing her medical school from Stony Brook University in New York, Dr. Chisty completed her residency in internal medicine from Yale-New Haven Medical Center in Connecticut. Dr. Chisty is extensively involved in resident education and mentorship and has numerous publications related to designing curriculum to improve resident medical education.
As physicians, the expectations of day-to-day life often leaves us feeling bogged down. But what if we could learn to look at responsibility differently, and leverage it to create a more fulfilling life? Today, Dr. Alia Chisty teaches us how to bring deeper meaning to the work we do. How to recognise our privilege and use it to help others. With Dr. Chisty, we learn what it means to embrace a life of service. She leaves us with one question: What is our true missi…
Aug 19, 2020
Asking To Be 'Coached Hard’ with Dr. Eleftherios Mylonakis
Eleftherios Mylonakis, MD, PhD, FIDSA, is the Charles CJ Carpenter Professor of Infectious Diseases at the Brown University. He is also the Chief of Infectious Diseases at Rhode Island Hospital and the Miriam Hospital and the Director of the COBRE Center for Antimicrobial Resistance and Therapeutic Discovery. He has eight patents, has edited five books, and has published more than four hundred articles in peer reviewed literature.
Pearls of Wisdom:
* Focus on being a good doctor and let the titles follow our work
* Rather than trying to think about the whole path that lies ahead, focus on the next steps. Because when we shine the torch five feet, the next five feet will be visible
* Go and be proactive in reaching out to mentors, especially those who are not afraid to be honest with us
Aug 12, 2020
Learning Persistence with Dr. Larissa Nekhlyudov
Dr. Nekhlyudov is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, the Clinical Director of Internal Medicine at David B. Perini Jr. Quality of Life Clinic, and an Internist at Longwood, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Nekhlyudov is renowned for her extensive clinical and research expertise in cancer survivorship, and overall is a stalwart source of wisdom in medicine.
We are grateful to have Dr. Nekhlyudov share her motivating messages on persistence, self-knowledge, and skillful discernment in receiving guidance from mentors and other colleagues. Though this segment is brief, Dr. Nekhlyudov packs a powerful and concise message that can benefit the listener.
Thank you for joining us in receiving this inspiration from Dr. Nekhlyudov.
Talking points:
* Persistence is a key to success: Don’t be deterred by rejection!
* Be true to yourself
* “Just press on and continue pushing along”
* Know yourself and don’t worry about those who don’t understan…
Aug 5, 2020
Dr. Rowan Chlebowski on Delivering Impactful Products
Today’s guest is Dr. Rowan Chlebowski, one of the most influential breast cancer researchers in the world. Dr. Chlebowski is a clinical breast oncologist with a Ph.D. in reproductive biology, he has a credentialed clinical and research interest in breast cancer therapy and prevention, menopausal hormone therapy influences on cancer and chronic disease, and lifestyle influences on breast cancer incidence and outcome. He is best known for studying breast cancer issues in the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI). He has published widely and led reports in well-cited journals such as JAMA, New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, Lancet Oncology, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, and JAMA Oncology.
On this episode of Medicine Mentors, Dr. Chlebowski tells us how to become a high impact researcher. Dr. Chlebowski emphasizes the product, guiding us to the proper focus for achieving research excellence. Dr. Chlebowski also shares his advice for finding an…
Jul 29, 2020
Applying Clinical and Research Excellence with Dr. William Nelson
William Nelson, M.D., Ph. D., joins us for this episode to share his insights garnered from an outstanding career in Oncology. Dr. Nelson was named the Marion I. Knott Director and Professor of Oncology and Director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer center at Johns Hopkins faculty in 2008. Dr. Nelson is a renowned Professor of Oncology, Urology, Pharmacology, Medicine, Pathology and Radiation Oncology, and is also a recognized leader in translational research for cancer. Working with his fellow John Hopkins colleagues, Dr. Nelson discovered the most common genome alternation in prostate cancer.
In this episode, Dr. Nelson discusses the connection between clinical excellence and research excellence, tells us how to become invaluable in our work, emphasizes the rare art of critical thinking, and touches on some issues affecting physicians and residents in our current culture.
Thank you for listening to the following wisdom from Dr. Nelson. As a leader in research who has made p…
Jul 22, 2020
Patient-Centric Care, Self-Care, and Teamwork: Masterful Advice from Dr. Heather Wakelee
The guest of this episode is Heather Wakelee, M.D., a leading specialist in the treatment of lung cancer, thymoma and mesothelioma. Dr. Wakelee has been in practice for nearly two decades at Stanford University, and is currently a fellow of ASCO. She is the physician lead for the thoracic malignancies clinical research group and has developed research programs related to lung cancer and thymoma across multiple areas including clinical trials, translational work, and population sciences. Dr. Wakelee is the Principal Investigator on numerous clinical trials, and is the faculty director of the Stanford Cancer Clinical Trials office, as well as the Lead Investigator for ECOG-ACRIN clinical trials group at Stanford. It is a true privilege to receive Dr. Wakelee’s insights.
In this interview, Dr. Wakelee underscores patient-centric care that honors the humanity of the patient; discusses the importance of self-care; notes collaboration and teamwork as essential for true success; and offers…
Jul 15, 2020
Treating Patients like Family: Dr. Marijo Bilusic on Providing Excellent Care
Dr. Marijo Bilusic combines clinical expertise with heart-based wisdom learned through his impressive career. Dr. Bilusic directs the NIH Hematology Oncology Fellowship which provides fellows with a strong clinical grounding in hematology and oncology as well as a comprehensive introduction to clinical, laboratory, and translational research. His current research interests focus on tumor immunology and development of treatment options for prostate cancer and other genitourinary tumors using novel targeted agents, therapeutic cancer vaccines, antibodies, or immune modulators.
On this episode of Medicine Mentors, Dr. Bilusic inspires us with his practical wisdom on providing cancer patients with the highest and most humane care possible, and on how residents, fellows, and other young physicians can find their inner resources as well as utilize leadership, educational, and mentor-based opportunities to go from good to great.
Thank you for sharing the vision of Medicine Mentors and being…
Jul 8, 2020
Strategic Vision, Passion, and Patient-Centric Care with Dr. Clifford Hudis
Today we have the honor of sharing our interview with Dr. Clifford Hudis, the Chief Executive Officer of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Dr. Hudis is indeed remarkably intelligent and strategically wise in his leadership roles, but he is also kind, generous, and relatable. It was a pleasure to hear Dr. Hudis’ wisdom on articulating a clear and focused vision, allowing passion to emerge and guide you, and always keeping the patient at the center of the work.
Thank you for joining us, and please do enjoy this gift of knowledge from Dr. Hudis.
Talking points:
* The power of consistency and hard work in the day to day
* The patient is the north star
* Successful intention means having clarity in your vision and voicing it
* Applying intention in clinical practice
* Strategic planning for both the personal and institutional
* Allowing your passion to emerge
* Dr. Hudis’ markers for a successful mentee
* Advice for those starting a career in research
* “…
Jul 1, 2020
Seizing Opportunities, Staying Humble, and Making a Positive Impact: Dr. Susan Hingle’s Words of Wisdom
Today we had the honor of speaking with Dr. Susan T. Hingle, who is one of the most influential and reputable doctors in her field. Dr. Hingle is a general intern and Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean as well as Director of Faculty Development for the Center of Human and Organizational Potential at the SIU School of Medicine. Dr. Hingle is also a fellow with the prestigious Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine Program.
In this episode, Dr. Hingle offers priceless advice on right intention, seizing opportunities, mentorship, affecting positive change, and other key tips for reaching mastery in the field of medicine.
Thanks for joining us for this wonderful opportunity to learn from one of the best mentors available. Enjoy!
Talking Points:
* How to seize opportunities and carry through successfully
* Being effective in forming mentorship relationships
* The value of relationships on the path to success
* Using reflection to make rapid improvements
* Dr. Hingle…
Jun 24, 2020
Becoming an Excellent Communicator with Dr. Anthony Back
For this episode we had the pleasure and privilege of learning from Dr. Anthony Back, one of the leading pioneers in the field of clinical communication. Dr. Back is a physician at Colorectal Services at UW Medical Center, co-director of the UW Center for Excellence in Palliative Care and a UW Professor of Oncology and Medicine as well as an Adjunct Professor of Bioethics and Humanities. Dr. Back was the principal investigator for the Oncotalk interventions, he co-wrote Mastering Communications with Seriously Ill Patients, and he co-founded the mobile app VitalTalk for improving clinician communication skills.
In our conversation, Dr. Back shared his masterful wisdom on the topics of developing communication skills, the essential types of knowledge for an effective physician, and among other topics, how to navigate a successful career path.
Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Medicine Mentors with Dr. Back. We hope you take advantage of Dr. Back’s advice and resources for de…
Jun 17, 2020
Dr. Viswanath Vasudevan on Clinical Reasoning as the Path of Effective Care
For this episode we are joined by Dr. Viswanath Vasudevan, who is the Program Director, Resident, and Medical Director of the Sleep Center at The Brooklyn Hospital Center. Dr. Vasudevan’s expertise on clinical reasoning really shines through in this interview. Dr. Vasudevan’s perspective reveals some of the key systemic issues that physicians are facing in their training and clinical contexts, and Dr. Vasudevan also gives us the medicine for how to personally adapt to avoid the pitfalls and be the most effective physicians possible.
Thank you for being a part of this quest for knowledge and betterment in medicine.
Talking Points:
* Introspection, self-reflection, and apprenticeship
* Combining bedside learning with textbook knowledge
* Mastering clinical reasoning through critical thinking and problem solving
* The necessity for clinical reasoning amidst the economic crisis of healthcare
* The dangers of unnecessary diagnostic studies
* The most important characteris…