Med Ed Matters, Insights and Innovations

What does it really mean to transition from studying medicine to practicing it? In this episode, we explore that pivotal shift through the lens of a fourth-year medical student, diving into the questions many trainees are asking but not always sure how to approach. Together with faculty perspectives, the conversation unpacks three key areas: evolving from a learner to a clinician, how learning cha...

In this episode, hosts Drs. Omar Young and Abhi Sripad explore the expanding role of advanced practice providers, or APPs, in academic medicine . With more than 60% of physician training now occurring in outpatient settings and APPs representing the fastest-growing segment of the academic clinical workforce, this conversation highlights why their contributions to education and patient care matter...

In this episode of MED ED MATTERS, hosts Dr. Omar Young and Dr. Abhi Sripad sit down with Dr. Leslie Clark, academic gynecologic oncologist, to unpack what’s changing in surgical training—and what must be protected. Together, they explore whether core surgical skills are being lost or simply concentrated, how competency should really be assessed, and why case numbers alone don’t tell the full stor...

In this episode, Drs. Omar Young and Abhishek Sripad sit down with Dr. Lauren Siff, a double board-certified urogynecologist and Chief of Gynecology and Chief of Urogynecology at the Central Virginia VA Health Care System. She also serves as Associate Professor at the VCU School of Medicine and is affiliated with the VCU Institute of Engineering. Dr. Siff shares her journey into medical training a...

In this episode, co-host Abhishek Sripad, MD sits down with host Dr. Omar Young for an in-depth conversation on holistic review in medical school admissions. Dr. Young shares his personal journey into medical education and what led him to focus on admissions practices and evaluation frameworks. Together, they unpack the concept of holistic review , offering clear takeaways for listeners and explai...

Teaching Advocacy in 21st-Century Medical Education In this powerful episode, we dive into one of the most urgent and evolving topics in medical training today: how to teach advocacy as a core clinical competency. Host Dr. Young is joined by two leading voices in Complex Family Planning— Dr. Clayton Alfonso, MD , and Dr. Amy Bryant, MD —to explore what advocacy looks like in modern medical practic...

In this episode, our guests explore what health equity truly means—why it matters, how it shows up in training environments, and what it takes to build systems where all learners and patients can thrive. We begin by defining equity from the perspectives of clinicians and educators, then shift to the realities of the clinical learning environment, highlighting how structural barriers, cultural norm...