Academic Medicine Podcast

Regardless of how difficult medicine is, each small step we take to listen, be compassionate, have patience, and advocate is meaningful, even if we must start over and do it again tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that. Lisa Gong reflects on a patient who helped her to see the value in normalcy and routine. The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching and Learning Momen...

Artists Rachel Mindrup, MFA, and Tuyet-Minh Tran, MD, discuss their artwork that was featured on the cover of Academic Medicine . They explore the inspiration and creative process behind their pieces and how medicine has influenced their art and how art has influenced how they experience medicine. They also reflect on the role of the arts and humanities in medicine and medical education and how ar...

I, like others in medical education, had the misconception that wellness could solely be achieved by separating work from "real life." I thought I needed to find wellness and restoration outside of medicine to be able to then empty myself again and again into this career. Jessica proved me wrong. L. Elizabeth Moreno reflects on a student who reignited her commitment as an educator. The essay read...

I had not role modeled cynicism or pessimism. Rather, my student's statement was a sign of learning and understanding what I had taught: processing and handling the reality of medical practice. Beatrice T.B. Preti reflects on  teaching students to be aware of the systems they work in (including limitations and flaws), which helps them to prepare for future practice. The essay read in this episode...

Authors Joan Cangiarella, MD, and Catherine Coe, MD, and medical student Lily Ge discuss the goals, features, evolution, and outcomes to date of accelerated 3-year MD programs, focusing on the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the University of North Carolina School of Medicine FIRST Program. They explore the experiences of accelerated program medical students and how these programs fit into bro...

Authors Eric Warm, MD, and David Hirsh, MD, and medical student Kate Jennings join host Toni Gallo to discuss the unintended consequences of the shift to pass/fail grading in undergraduate medical education and current challenges in the residency application and selection process. They explore the feedback culture and incentives for pursuing clinical excellence in medical school. They also present...

As I reflect on my initial years of training, I am deeply moved by the kindness that surrounded me, especially during hands-on interactions with patients as an anxious new trainee. The warmth and guidance that were shown to me had a profound influence on my personal learning and growth. Oscar Li and Yeonsoo Sara Lee reflects on their experience inserting a Foley catheter for the first time, and ho...

In some ways, I walked a mile in the refugee doctors' shoes. I learned about culture through my mistakes instead of being explicitly taught. Although mistakes aid learning, they also have the potential to erode relationships. Samantha E. Smith reflects on her experience teaching refugee doctors and the importance of intercultural competence teaching for international medical graduates and the facu...

Lauren Maggio, PhD, MS(LIS), joins host Toni Gallo to discuss open science and innovations in education scholarship and scholarly publishing, including the role of AI. As the new editor-in-chief of MedEdPORTAL, Lauren also shares what makes the journal unique, her advice for authors, and her vision for the future.   Read the articles discussed and access additional resources and the episode transc...

Above all, the impact of this initial connection between us on his engagement in the care journey filled me with a profound sense of accomplishment. What would have become of Bernard without this connection? This experience confirmed for me the importance of an authentic connection with the patient. Rémi Esclassan reflects on bonding with a patient over his tattoo, which illustrated the profound b...

I realize it's my calling to hear heartache, but it's also my calling to feel hope, see beauty, and experience life in its entirety. Final-year Doctor of Nursing Practice Nurse Midwifery student Hailey Sommerfeld reflects on a shift that began with sadness and doubt but ended with reassurance and optimism. This essay placed first in the 2024 Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest a...

There is an unspoken understanding that nursing is both an art and a science. Often, you will be called to use your critical-thinking skills and training to help save lives. Other days, you will need to show compassion and understanding to meet the needs of your patients. Most days involve a combination of both. And some days, it means breaking the rules to allow a cat in the ICU. Doctor of nursin...

Something special happens when you work in the field. It speaks to you. It calls on the bounty of your generosity. It coaxes you to the precipice of your creativity, and it demands that you become sharper, savvier, and more self-possessed. If you listen, then in return you find it affords you the greatest gift life can offer: the privilege of having touched someone's heart. Medical student Noor Ah...

Andrew Orr, MD, MSEd, and Dorene Balmer, PhD, join host Toni Gallo to discuss their study of a longitudinal arts and humanities curriculum for internal medicine interns, which is part of this year's Research in Medical Education (RIME) collection. Also joining the conversation are RIME Committee member Pilar Ortega, MD, MGM, and AAMC MedEdSCHOLAR Nicole Findlay-Richardson, MD, MPH.    This episode...

Lynnea Mills, MD, joins host Toni Gallo to discuss her new study of medical students' experiences of failure and remediation in the United States and the Netherlands, which is part of this year's Research in Medical Education (RIME) collection. Also joining the conversation are RIME Committee member Mike Ryan, MD, MEHP, and AAMC MedEdSCHOLAR Anna-kay Thomas, EdD. This episode is the second in this...

Whenever I pass that room, though, I will think of it as G.'s. A sacred sanctuary—where medicine, care plans, and labels like "incontinent" and "terminal" fall away and where priority is placed instead upon two human beings connecting at two different junctures of life, united in this powerful moment of G.'s creation and a shared love of chocolate. G.'s space. His quiet place. Final-year nursing s...

Neera Jain, PhD, MS, and Erene Stergiopoulos, MD, MA, join host Toni Gallo to discuss their new study of the experiences of students with disabilities during the first 2 years of medical school, which is part of this year's Research in Medical Education (RIME) collection. Also joining the conversation are RIME Committee member Andrea Leep Hunderfund, MD, MHPE, and AAMC MedEdSCHOLAR Rosaysela Santo...

Theresa Papich, MD, Lisa Meeks, PhD, MA, and Timothy Gilbert, MD, join host Toni Gallo to discuss fostering an accessible and inclusive learning environment for medical students with disabilities and left-handed medical students during surgical training. They explore partnering with students, reducing bias and raising awareness about disability and inclusion, and addressing the hidden curriculum t...

The complicated positionality of a learner in medicine means that our fingerprints are always there, regardless of the role. And while it is never documented, our most profound contribution is how we accompany patients in need. Daniel J. Olivieri reflects on his first death pronouncement and what he learned about communicating with patients and their families. The essay read in this episode was pu...

As I enter my final year of medical school reflecting on how I plan to care for patients, I will remember the importance of seeing the patient as a whole person just as my preceptor did that day. In doing so, I hope that my future relationships with patients can flourish because they are based on trust rather than transaction. Jill Stachowski reflects on her experience praying with a patient and l...

Kayla Marcotte, MS, Jose Negrete Manriquez, MD, MPP, Maya Hunt, MD, Max Spadafore, MD, and Dan Schumacher, MD, PhD, MEd, join host Toni Gallo to discuss the role of learners in building the future state of assessment; the importance of having a patient-focused, learner-centered, equity-based system of assessment; and the opportunities and challenges posed by new types of assessment data and AI too...

We must find the moments in medical education where we all can be models of thoughtful exposure, risking vulnerability and emphasizing our shared humanity—even with our clothes on. Gretchen A. Case and Karly Pippitt reflect on a body painting session they led to teach medical students the value of vulnerability.  The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching and Learning Moments col...

Katherine Chretien, MD, Grant Wilson, MD, and Michelle York, MD, join host Toni Gallo to discuss building meaningful relationships with patients, the small but impactful ways they show their patients they care, and the important role that learners play in connecting with patients and contributing to their care.  A transcript of this episode is available at academicmedicineblog.org .

For those who do excellent work, but quietly, and sometimes under the radar, the simple phrase, confidently stated—"You are in good hands"—can make all the difference. You got this. Shailaja J. Hayden reflects on the importance of inspiring confidence in fellow members of the care team, which then inspires confidence in patients. The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching and Lea...

Rather than sheltering me from the rigors of doctoring, the museum has deepened my relationship to medicine by restoring its inherent mystery. It reminds me that the reality of our patients will always exceed our understanding of them. Kain Kim reflects on how teaching the humanities can help normalize uncertainty in medical training. The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching an...