Our Untangled Minds

Match day is the long-awaited day in March that many medical students anticipate with mixed emotions. In this episode, we sat with Dr. Baoanh Vu, a recent graduate who went through a rollercoaster ride in getting to match day. Join us on a personal and candid conversation going into the process of applying, coming up with a rank list, participating in the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program,...

For those who are a little too bubbly for internal medicine but a little too dark for pediatrics, we welcome you to the specialty of Med-Peds. In this episode, we sit with Mariam Ghattas and Abel De Castro; two recently graduated medical students who have started their Med-Peds residency. We explore their journey and experiences throughout medical school and how it has led to their field of choice...

Palliative Care, and its related fields of Supportive and Hospice Medicine, is a vitally important but misunderstood field of medicine. Dr. Sorin Buga, a Professor of Supportive Care Medicine and Palliative Care Physician at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, clarify misconceptions about his specialty and discuss his experience as a physician who works with patients with terminal condit...

When we, as medical students, start rotations, it is essential to understand that we will encounter death, which some students may not have been exposed to beforehand. In this episode, three CUSM medical students who have faced death during their rotations discuss their perspectives on how death impacts them and the inherent close relationship between healthcare and death. They discuss the challen...

Over the past couple of years, there have been increasing discussions about mental health and barriers faced when seeking mental healthcare services. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Troy Kurz, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, to learn more about what mental healthcare looks like for minors and transitional youth, in addition to gaining insight on how we can support them as a physician an...

As physicians in training, we are taught to put aside our personal feelings and beliefs to provide the highest quality of care for our patients. While this is an incredibly important tenet of practicing care, how do we approach situations in which we must make choices in morally gray zones, such as opioid prescription or disability insurance? How do we communicate with patients who are unhappy wit...

Teenage parents are a unique population with special challenges, including battling stigma and finishing one’s education. They and their children are at an increased risk for medical, psychological, developmental, and social problems. However, with the proper support, teenage parents can overcome these challenges and help them and their children thrive. In this episode, we sit down with two health...

With the class of 2023 getting ready to pursue their next step in their medical journey, we sat down with two graduating fourth years who matched in neurology. This episode discusses how they were drawn to neurology, things they considered when choosing their specialty, resources they utilized, and overall tips for both students interested in pursuing neurology as well as for those in the process...

COVID-19 sent shocks around the world that tested our resiliency in the face of a novel viral pathogen. As communities across the globe try to move on, some of those infected are having more difficulties than others. This episode explores the neuropsychiatric manifestations of the medical phenomenon known as “long-haul COVID” or “long COVID” written about in personal accounts, case studies, and la...

This episode highlights Dr. Mohagheghian Hossein, "Dr. Mo", who is a practicing emergency medicine physician in Missouri. Dr. Mo speaks about his path to medicine, what it is like being an emergency medicine physician with tattoos, balancing medicine with other passions in life, burnout, physician mental health, and more. This episode is hosted by Tyler Mouw, MS2. References: Mortensen, Karoline,...

Welcome to our new series: Med Student Corner Chats! This series includes round tables of medical students discussing various medical school-related topics to help provide insight to pre-meds and current students. Join CUSM students, Jade Bowman (MS3) and Dhruvi Panchal (MS4) as they discuss friendship dynamics that medical students experience and how these dynamics may change as students journey...

 Welcome to Vi Corporation, a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit founded by CUSM medical school students Milan Hirpara (MS2), Skye Lander (MS2), and Drew Richards (MS2). Vi Corporation is dedicated to helping the Inland Empire community that brought us together. We support existing community service organizations that fill the vital needs in our community and create projects ourselves to address the difficulties...

Physicians will encounter challenging medical dilemmas and ethical questions almost every day in their careers. Join Kelly Chang (MS2) and Andreana Chen (MS2) for this episode as they use the four pillars of medical ethics to navigate through various classic clinical scenarios. They are joined by Dr. Shawn Koh, MD and Assistant Professor at CUSM, who will guide us through each case.

What is harm reduction? The goal of harm reduction is reducing the negative pressures of a decision, such as the stigma of drug use, and support the positive pressure to make a choice, the goal of being healthy. This episode focuses on one of the few harm reduction clinics within the San Bernardino Area, Inland Empire Harm Reduction (IEHR). Join our host, Kyle Chang (MS1) for a round table discuss...

How does our prison system take care of its many prisoners? What kind of environments do doctors who work with prisoners experience? What is it like to work in a prison? This and more with our beloved Dr. Hantz, MD, and our hosts Drew Richards, MS1 and Megan Smith, MS1.

As a provider, how do you want to address mental health with your patients? As an educator, how can you start a conversation about mental health? As an entertainer, how can you integrate mental health into the media that you produce? Current MS3 Deven Patel gives us insight into what it's like to to partake in all these roles. With over millions of likes on TikTok, Deven uses his social media plat...

How do you practice Integrative Medicine as a trauma surgeon? Join us for this episode with Dr. Ehmad Mishriki, MD, as we reminisce on his time as a war trauma surgeon in Angola. Speaking several languages wasn't enough for Dr. Mishriki as he also picked up a little Chokwe during his time there in order to better care for his patients. He gives us insight on how important it is to respect your pat...

If you ever wanted to know what it is like to be an emergency medicine physician, come listen to our very own Director of the Podcast, Assistant Professor of Medical Education here at CUSM, and an ABEM Certified EM physician, Dr. Vy Han. Sit back and enjoy one of the most popular professors here at the medical school. This episode is hosted by the wonderful Jon Oules, MS3.

In honor of Spooky Season, the students of CUSM took over the recording studio to discuss possible medical origin stories of vampires, throw out complete conjecture about our favorite fairy tales and tell some spine-chilling stories. Resources: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21952063/

From medical school applications to rotations, medical students face hurdles every day. In this round table discussion, medical students Tiffani (Bijoux) Le (MS1), Kyle Rei (MS1), Noah Anderson (MS2), and Dean Madory (MS1) discuss the challenges, expectations, and strengths that come with being medical students with chronic disease or impairment.

Have you ever wondered what is it like to be a neurosurgeon? Our special guest, Dr. Ajay Ramnot, MD, a fourth year neurosurgery resident at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, will be sharing his story and wisdom about life as a neurosurgeon and gives the audience guidance on how to enter into this specialty. This episode is hosted by CUSM medical students, Arisa Ueno MS1, and Vedhika Reddy MS1.

Sometimes life throws you a curveball and sometimes that curve ball can be a cancer diagnosis. Our very own Audio Lead, Doug Ferrell (MS1), and his parents invite us to hear their experience dealing with a cancer diagnosis and how this curveball set Doug on a career in medicine. This episode is hosted by Cheyenne Canizares (MS1) and Najla Shilleh (MS1).

This episode stars California University of Science and Medicine's USMLE coach, anatomy professor, and human discovery pioneer - Dr. Frank Scali, MD, DC. Today's episode will be discussing the Posterior Atlantooccipital Membrane, an important recent discovery in the field of anatomy made by Dr. Scali himself. Follow along to the podcast using the images and papers linked below: https://www.cureus....

Reproductive coercion and intimate partner violence can be difficult topics that healthcare providers don't always know how to address. In this episode, Dr. Karen Grace, PhD, MSN, CNM, FACNM draws on her extensive research and midwifery expertise to provide a primer on how these issues affect patients and how to approach them in the clinical setting.

Tactical Medicine, what’s that? Join us on this episode where we speak with Dr. Michael Neeki, DO, who is an Emergency Medicine Physician and Director of Clinical Research and Tactical Medicine at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. Follow along as we fly with Dr. Neeki on an air ambulance, charging into dangerous situations, and rendering aid in the field to those in need. Along the way, we’ll rec...