Rounds to Residency MedEd University Podcast

Medical training isn’t a solo fight. The students who survive - and thrive - are the ones who build the right support system before things start falling apart. In Episode 6 of Rounds to Residency, Chase DiMarco and Dr. Brandon Deason use a boxing analogy to explain why “your corner” matters in medical training. From chief mentors and peer support to therapists, academic coaches, and alumni network...

Most students think medical school is just lectures and Step studying… until they face their first real patient interaction, awkward questions, and simulation labs. The journey from pre-med to clinician is shaped long before rotations begin. In Episode 1 of Rounds to Residency, Chase DiMarco and Dr. Brandon Deason break down how early clinical exposure, or lack of it, shapes confidence, performanc...

Most candidates recap their CV. The memorable ones tell short, vivid stories. In this round, we show you how to turn any residency interview question into a crisp, confident STAR answer that programs actually remember. Are you tired of rambling through “Tell me about yourself” and “weakness” questions? In this episode, Chase DiMarco and Dr. Brandon Deason break down how to use the STAR method (Sit...

Most applicants grind through thousands of flashcards; the memorable scores come from switching at the right time, from memorizing minutiae to practice-based learning that moves your percent-correct up. Are you crying into your Anki decks? In this round, Chase DiMarco and Dr. Brandon Deason unpack how spaced-repetition can be useful, but why overusing it leads to diminishing ROI, burnout, and stal...

Most applicants chase prestige; the smart ones match numbers, mission, and geography—then play to their odds. What makes a smart med-school list? In this round, Chase DiMarco and Dr. Brandon Deason break down how to choose your “prize fight” schools—programs where you’re not just surviving, but set up to thrive. You’ll hear how to benchmark your MCAT/GPA, spot in-state bias patterns (including the...

Most candidates rehash their resume; the memorable ones tell short, vivid stories that show who they’ll become as physicians. What actually keeps a residency interviewer engaged? In this round, Chase DiMarco and Dr. Brendan Deason break down the “rope-a-dope” metaphor for interviews (stop draining the room, then land something impactful), why resume recaps fail, and how to frame “future-you” answe...

We take a real personal statement from “ouch” to “admit-worthy”—and show the exact edits and scores that moved the needle. Dr. Brandon Deason puts Chase DiMarco’s personal statement through three scored drafts—and shows exactly what changed and why. You’ll hear a cold read of Draft 1, see the category-by-category score breakdown (intro, coherence, conclusion, emotional engagement, professional dev...

Most candidates rehash their resume; the memorable ones tell a clear, human story that shows who they’ll become as physicians. In Round 2 on personal statements, Chase DiMarco and Dr. Brandon Deason explain why story-driven beats accolade-driven, how to frame the future-you, and what to avoid so you don’t “stand out” in the wrong way. They also explore ethical use of AI in writing and Dr. Deason’s...