Tag: Ross University

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What happens when you don’t match

What happens to medical students who don’t match? Here’s what one unmatched psychiatry applicant had to say.

 

Thanks for letting me interview you Steven. You have a pretty unique story that my readers would love to hear about but before we delve in can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Who are you professionally? Did you go straight from undergrad to Ross? Who are you outside of the hospital?

My pleasure, Marc. I appreciate the opportunity to share my story as I feel people can learn from any experience in this process, both good and bad. I graduated from NYU in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics. After graduation, I had about six months before starting with Ross University’s MERP (Medical Education Review Program) and I knew I needed to make money. So I took a job that any medical school bound person takes – working in the jewelry and diamond industry. I did mostly bookkeeping but I also prepared orders for a wholesale company that dealt with Macy’s, JcPenney, Sears, HSN, QVC, etc. It taught me a lot about dealing with large staffs and it was a nice break away from the science and math world I had spent so much time with in undergrad.

Professionally, I’m the one making jokes in the office but I focus on the patient when I’m in the room. I like to be a reason people enjoy coming to work, because they know it’ll be fun and productive. On the same token, I’m also someone who isn’t afraid to call someone out for their BS because I expect someone to do the same to me if I ever act out of line. I also am one of the first people to teach someone how things run in the office, how to order labs, do procedures, etc. Not only do people feel comfortable if it’s a peer teaching them but it helps me better my skills as well.

 

 

What specialties did you apply for? How many programs in each specialty? What was your reasoning for that number of programs?

I applied to psychiatry, internal medicine, and internal medicine-psychiatry combined. For psychiatry, I applied to 76 programs. For internal medicine, I applied to 10. And for IM-psych, I applied to all 9 programs in the country. My step scores weren’t that competitive and there are only 196 psychiatry programs in the country. I went through each program on FREIDA and checked to see if I matched their step requirements. If I did, I tried to see who the residents were. If there were zero or one Caribbean grad in all the PGY positions, then I didn’t apply as I felt that that one particular Caribbean grad may have had a connection there or had stellar scores. Plus, why would I spend money on programs that were going to outright reject me?

For IM, I applied to where I had rotated and since I could apply up to 10 for one fee, I applied to some hospitals in the NY/NJ area (which is where I’m from). And for IM-psych programs, there were only 9 so it made the most sense to apply to all of them.

 

 

How many interviews did you end up receiving? How did you feel your chances were at matching?

Formally, I received three interviews, but in total, I ranked four positions. I received 2 for psychiatry and I was taken off the waitlist for 1 IM-psych program. All of them were university-based programs. At the IM-psych program, I had mentioned that I had also applied for a psychiatry categorical position at the same place and I wanted to know if I had to come back for another interview, which I was totally willing to do. Ten minutes after that mini-interview, I had an impromptu meeting with the program director of psychiatry and she told me that she will see what the other four interviewers had to say about me from that day and she would let me know if I needed to come back or not. Two weeks later, I’m notified that she had enough to consider me for a position. Throughout the next two months prior to match day, I had received several emails about how the psychiatry program is expanding and there’s new facilities and all these wonderful things. I didn’t think I was a shoo-in but I felt that maybe I had a great shot.

 

 

So, it’s Monday, March 14th. The day applicants find out if they matched. You open the e-mail and find out that you did not obtain a residency. What’s going through your head?

Before that day, I told myself whatever happens, happens. I actually slept well the night before! I was driving in Fort Lauderdale and taking care of some errands and I happened to look at my phone. For five seconds, I was completely numb. And then it hit me. My biggest fear came true. All that work, all that money, all the stress, and for what? Nothing.

*cue Kim Kardashian ugly crying*

I can honestly say that it is one of the most devastating experiences and I would not even wish it upon an enemy. The e-mail just says “you did not match”. Not even a “good morning” or “hey girl!” Just one line that says you’re not good enough to continue in your career. After quickly doing my errands and a few snot-filled tissues later, I sped home passing several cops on the way and began on SOAP.

Most of us aren’t familiar with the SOAP, or the Supplemental Offer & Acceptance Program. Can you walk us through your experience with it? (Here’s a link to the SOAP schedule for my readers)

SOAP is a chance for unmatched applicants to apply to unfilled spots in all fields of medicine. However, this means that you will have to come up with new personal statements in the matter of hours, which is exactly what I had to do for family medicine. As Markus said in a previous posting, the website was down and no one could send in applications (because like LOL, heaven forbid the ERAS website works when it needs to).

I spoke with a friend who match into IM the year before through SOAP and she guided me through the process while she was at work. She told me to apply to the IM prelim, IM categorical, and family med programs that had the MOST open spots. I had only 45 spots to pick from and I used 5 of them on psychiatry programs that were unfilled. Then I went through family medicine and internal medicine. In retrospect, I could’ve used those 5 on family medicine or IM spots but what’s done is done.

 

 

So on Monday you found out that you didn’t match. Then during the week you went through the SOAP.  Friday comes along and you find out that you didn’t SOAP into a residency. How did that feel?

By that point, I had already gone through the five stages of grief. Denial set in when I was in the car. Then anger when I was cursing at anyone on the road that was slowing me down from getting home (which is what I do on a regular basis and I’ve been trying to work on but YOU try driving on I-95 in Fort Lauderdale and Miami and tell me you don’t have road rage, but I digress…). Bargaining was SOAP. Depression set in when the 5th round of SOAP happened and I hadn’t received any offers. It continued for a week when all I saw on Facebook were my friends posting that they matched at their number one or number two choices. It wasn’t that I wasn’t happy for them. Every single one of us had a unique journey and even the people I didn’t like, I respected them enough in a professional sense to be proud that they get to continue their journey. It was more about the fact that I didn’t get to continue my journey with them.

Several months had passed and I hadn’t reached the acceptance stage of grief. It wasn’t until I went to the AAFP National Conference in Kansas City at the end of July that I had realized that I had been in the wrong field all this time. I realized within the first hour of the conference that I had such a wrong idea as to what family medicine and primary care entailed. There are so many opportunities for me as a family medicine doctor, whether it be to provide medical care for a whole family, work as a hospitalist, deal with mental health issues, or even perform procedures. After I didn’t match, I had told myself that something big was in store for me, and I finally believed it. Networking at the expo hall with the residency programs made me realize that I was a perfect fit for family medicine and that there are programs out there that WANT me. As I’m writing this, I can definitely say that I wasn’t supposed to match into psychiatry because I realized that I was meant to match into family medicine (I’m hoping). It feels good to be in that acceptance part of grief!

 

 

Why do you think you didn’t match? What were your step scores? Was your application particularly weak in any one specific area?

I had thought about not giving exact numbers here, but in all honesty, who cares? Step 1 was a 208, and step 2 CK was a 209 (yes, the EXACT passing score). Step 2 CS was a pass and everything was on the first try. I expected my Step 1 score but my CK was an absolute miracle. I had worked harder for CK than I did for step 1 and yet, I was not getting anywhere with my studying. I took a UWorld assessment two days before just to get more questions in and I had about 179. So in two days, my score JUMPED 30 points. (This is NOT a plan I recommend to ANYONE, by the way.) I know I’m a terrible test taker and that in rotations, I shined and my letters of recommendation reflected that.

In addition, I had failed one course in basic sciences, and THAT was a reason why a program didn’t take me. They were too worried that I may not pass step 3 (which I’ll go into below) and therefore, not be able to be licensed. However, my scores were good enough to get some interviews at university programs so I must have done SOMETHING right.

 

 

Do you think the fact that you attended a Caribbean medical school played a factor?

Not at all. The places I had interviewed at were very IMG friendly, as were the residencies I spoke with at the AAFP National Conference.

 

 

What do you plan to do while you wait to apply for the 2017 match?

I am currently a Clinical Teaching Fellow for Ross University. Some of my colleagues know it as “junior faculty” but teaching fellow is the formal title and you better believe I am using that on my CV. For those who don’t know what that is, my role is to act as a standardized patient for the incoming 3rd year medical students and assist other junior faculty in teaching how to handle difficult patients and certain common primary care cases, as well as how to begin to formulate an efficient style of medical interviewing. I also assist in Ross’s Ambulatory Care Competencies elective, where we prep the 4th year students for Step 2 CS by presenting cases and critiquing their notes.

Outside of Ross University, I tutor for Huntington Learning Center (which I have been doing since 4th year of med school), where I mostly do SAT/ACT math and high school subject tutoring in math as well. In addition, I’m getting my MBA in Health Services Management through Keller Graduate School of Management, which is one of the sister schools of Ross University. What’s great about that is that they have an “MD to MBA” program where I was able to get credit for 5 out of the 16 courses, so now I only need to complete 11 of them. In addition to working, I plan on taking Step 3 by the end of October. Needless to say, I only know one speed and it is full speed ahead.

 

 

How are you handling your loan debt?

Some of my loan debt could not be deferred or put into forbearance, so I have been paying that off. However, since starting grad school, I’ve been able to defer most of my loans while taking out more. Thanks, Uncle Sam!

 

 

What words of wisdom would you give to someone knowing what you know now?

Have plans A through Z ready to go from the jump. You don’t want to rely on them, but you want them ready if you have to execute them.

Go to as many networking conferences as you can. I know those things can cost money, but at the very least, go to the big ones run by the specialties to which you are applying.

But most importantly, it’s not a matter of “if” you become a resident, but rather it’s a matter of WHEN. 2016 was not my time and I realize that now. However, come 2017, I will be a better applicant and in a better frame of mind to continue on in the next chapter.

 

 

Thank you Steven for an informative and entertaining interview. I look forward to finding out where you match in 2017.

 

Next week I interview a Ross University graduate who matched into a categorical general surgery position. Be sure to subscribe to my blog, like me on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter so you don’t miss it!

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Spotlight interview: Joey from Brooklyn lands a PM&R residency

I know him as Joey from Brooklyn and had the pleasure to rotate with him before he was Dr. Seldin. Here’s what he had to say about his journey to landing a Physical Management & Rehabilitation (PM&R) residency.

 

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Who are you professionally? Who are you outside of the hospital? What was your path to medicine?

The best way to tell about myself is to start from where my family is from. My father is from Brooklyn and my Mother is from Queens. I grew up on Long Island and my wife is from the Bronx. And its not hard to tell when you talk to me, my accent says it all.

I went to college to the University of Buffalo and received a BS in Psychology. During this time I became very interested in Fitness and Nutrition, performed in Body Building Shows, and learned from one of the greatest Trainers in Buffalo John Schweikhard. This love for fitness and nutrition pushed me in the direction of perusing a masters degree in nutrition from Columbia University. While earning my Master’s I lived in Washington Heights and would spend my free time on the Upper West Side (UWS). One Friday in June of 2008 I was in a Bar on the UWS of Manhattan at a place called Burbon St. I was there early and she walked in, I looked at her and said “yo legs come over here” and we hit it off. At the end of the Summer, July 28, 2008 I was in a bad accident and lost my right eye. This was hard time for me. I finished my masters thesis a few months later. 90% of the people I studied with at Columbia went right into medical school all over the country.

I lost my flow, this was the first time in my life that I wasn’t in school anymore and didn’t have a job and didn’t know what to do. After a year and a half, when I had more confidence after loosing my sight and multiple surgeries, I fell back on my fitness and nutrition knowledge and decided to professionally train people. At the same time my little brother starting to box and I put a lot of effort into helping him train. I would make his meals and slept on his couch in return. Then I came to a point when I realized I needed to really go for what I wanted my whole life which was a to become a doctor. At this time I was professionally training several doctors and one of them who was a cardiologist said, ‘if you want it then go for it’. I took the MCAT and honestly very did poorly. So I took it again, and again and again. Finally I was at a party and this kid who was shadowing at one of my client’s offices was like, ‘I’m going to Ross’. I didn’t know anything about this school and said to myself it is worth a try.

Outside the hospital I am a family man, I had my son two weeks before the start of my 3rd year of medical school. It was hard to give time from my family and study but I pushed through. I had my 2nd child 6 weeks ago. She was due the day before we started residency but she arrived early. It was perfect timing because it gave me a chance to get to know her.

 

 

What specialties did you apply to? How did you come to choose them?

Before I started medical school, I came to know this field called PM&R, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. While I was training clients I came to build a lot of great relationships. One of them worked at North Shore LIJ hospital system and he helped me volunteer at their hospital in the PM&R division. I didn’t know it at the time but this small step may have gotten me the career I have today.

So I knew in my head before I started medical school that this may be the field for me. What most people don’t know is, I kept an open mind during my 3rd year of medical school and really enjoyed all of my rotations. The closest thing to PM&R for me was emergency medicine. I also met the best attending physician there who really inspired me and peaked my interested in that field too.

So I applied to both PM&R and EM.

 

 

So going into PM&R means you have to do a transition year. Did different programs have different requirements for that transition year?

Most programs require you to complete a preliminary year in either internal medicine, family medicine, surgery, or a transitional year (this is like 5th year medical school- you rotate in surgery, OB/GYN, medicine, the ICU, EM, and some electives). Some programs have a categorical position, meaning you do your first year in that program as a medicine resident. Medicine is the most relevant in my opinion. The thing I didn’t know was that internal medicine preliminary spots are very hard to get. See, the ophthalmology, dermatology, radiology, and anesthesia guys and gals are going for IM prelim spots as well. So they’ve got the top step scores and they are US students. Where I am just in the top of the scores applying as an international medical graduate.

 

 

What was it like applying and interviewing for both of them?

I truly enjoyed the interview process and anyone who knows me also knows I am a talker. And when it comes to interviews, I thought to myself this is probably the only time I can get away with talking about myself all day. Another thing about applying to specialty fields is you don’t get interviews until October and until late December. It was mid October and I had like 4 interviews. My buddy applying to IM had like 20 by the end of September. Then all of a sudden I was bombarded with them.

 

 

How many programs did you end up applying to? What was your reasoning for that number of programs? How many interviews did you receive for each respectively?

I applied to 129 programs but I didn’t break the bank like other people I know. It ended up costing about $1,600. I applied to 10 transitional, 39 PM&R, 55 EM, and 25 IM programs. I got 10 PM&R, 10 IM Prelim, 6 EM, 1 TY interview for a total of 27 interviews. Of these interviews, 6 of these interviews I got by bugging programs to interview me and one of them is where I matched.

 

 

How did you end of ranking your programs?

My ranking was not an easy task. I went on a lot of interviews and honestly there a few things to consider for you rank. Some people rank based on location, academics, specialty, and other things. For me the most important was location. Staying in NY and being close to both my wife’s family and my family meant a lot.

 

 

What was the most challenging aspect of applying to PM&R?

There are not a lot of programs and in many programs are only 2-4 spots per year. I think there is only like 116 spots in the whole northeast.
For EM the IMG is non-existant these days. The programs are big into US students. There was lots of spots, lots of programs but I got only a few interviews.

 

 

Any crazy stories from the interview trail?

So SUNY Downstate PM&R pre-interview social, was at a bar in the village. It was open bar with top-notch drinks. The kicker was that we had to drink a certain amount to get a discount. So the residents had us downing beers and shots. I drank 6 Chimays and Duvels and downed a glass of Jonny Walker Blue. Then I had the interview the next day…good thing it wasn’t until 12pm.

 

 

What do you think were your greatest strengths about your application?

I applied locally. There are by far the most programs in NYC and having ties to an area can boost your ranking. I also scored very well. It is a special feeling when you go on an interview and pretty much know you probably have better scores then most of the people sitting next to you. If you go to Ross you know how hard it is to make it off that island and you know how hard you can work. I know I can work harder than anyone out there. I had a child right before my 3rd year of school and still was able to go up 17 points on step 2.

 

 

In contrast, what were your greatest weaknesses about your application?

The medical school I attended I would say was the greatest weakness. But is only the limiting factor for getting interviews. 80% for sure if you get an interview, they really want you otherwise they wouldn’t interview you.

My first interview was at Stony Brook PM&R, the director said, hey you go to Ross, great school. I laughed hard in my mind. Turns out that a resident many years ago at Stony Brook was a super star. On the flip side, there are hurdles with advanced match. See you can score a PM&R place on match day but that is only years 2-4 for your residency. You still need to also match in prelim as well. Now I matched in both of course otherwise I wouldn’t be talking to you about it. But sometimes a programs ranks someone in PM&R and the person doesn’t secure a prelim spot, and can’t soap into a spot either. Pretty much just fucked.

 

 

How did you do on the USMLE’s? What were your step scores? Do you think your step scores negatively/positively affected the number of interviews your received?

Step 1 242 and Step 2 257. They definitely helped me and I looked up the average scores on the ERAS stats list. No one scored as high as I did in 2014 in PM&R on Step 2. I know if my scores weren’t as good I would not have gotten close to the number of interviews I had.

 

 

What advice would you give to other Caribbean and/or American medical graduates who want to apply to PM&R?

Take every interview you can get. Also make sure you can rotate at a place that will let you go on your interviews during your rotation. On one of my electives I went on 4 interviews in one week and they didn’t give me any shit about it, which was great.

If you have shit scores, plan for back ups. Don’t be foolish. And if your scores suck, make sure you can relate to the field you are going for and kill it on the interview. I know one guy (and if he reads this will know who he is) has bad step one scores, but improved on step 2 but still under the average and landed a great residency. The reason is he related to the field and in the end of the day you only need one place to rank you (or two places if you’re going into PM&R…one prelim and one advanced spot). Even if it was your last rank, it’s better than nothing.

Take your test seriously. In June during my last 3rd year rotation I took a practice NBME and got a 220. I took another NBME one month later and got a 225. I finished 3rd year and had 4 uninterupted weeks to study. I took my 3rd NBME and got a 235. Took another 1 week later and got a 236. I wasn’t too happy at this point. But had got a lot down in the last 2 weeks of studying. 1 week before my exam, I took the USMLE World self-assessment got a 256 and was happy. 1 week later and got a 257. Holy shit was I happy.

Don’t worry about how many hours you will work as a resident in one field or anther. Before I started I didn’t know if I could really do this. But I did know I can push myself hard. Honestly I am up at 5 am every day, get to hospital 6-6:15am and finish about 5-6pm on a regular day. Not to mention short call and weekends. But I never feel like I can’t do it. You will do it. You’re so busy that the day flies by. You know your job is awesome when I go in on a Saturday at 6:30am and look at my clock and its 5pm and I need to get these last few notes done before sign-out. You can do it too I promise. I really can say that I love my job.

 

 

Thank you Joey for giving us a candid look at your application process. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss my second interview with an unmatched psych applicant.

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Spotlight Interview: a family medicine resident who failed step 1

Emily Chan is a Ross University graduate who successfully matched into her top choice residency program. However, it wasn’t an easy route to residency. As a Canadian citizen she could only apply to programs that would sponsor her visa. Oh and she also failed USMLE step 1. Here’s her story.

As a close friend, I know you pretty well. Can you tell my followers a little bit about yourself? Who are you professionally? Who are you outside of the hospital?

I’m from the beautiful area of Niagara Falls, Canada. True to stereotype, I am polite, love maple syrup, and say “eh” often. I received my Bachelor’s in biomedical sciences at the University of Montréal – in French.

Professionally, I am a hard worker and a team player. I show up to the office or the hospital with a smile and do my best. People have described me as a problem solver because I will come up with quick solutions for anything.

Outside of the hospital, I indulge in my hobby of cooking and baking. Nothing makes me happier than sharing good homemade food with friends. I also attempt, with varying degrees of success, to justify my paid gym membership even though I hate working out.

You matched into your top choice family medicine program. That’s an amazing accomplishment. Why did you choose to apply to family medicine?

Thank you! It is the most amazing feeling. I knew since I was 12 years old that I wanted to be a family doc. I’ve always loved talking to people and listening to stories about themselves, their families, and their lives. I believe that every personality fits in a certain branch of medicine. How will you know? Trust me, you’ll just feel it, you’ll know. Family medicine was my perfect fit.

Where are you from originally? Did you want to match in the US or Canada? Did you experience any extra hardships trying to match in American programs as a Canadian?

As a Canadian, I knew the odds were not in my favour across the board. Many factors influenced my choice to not pursue a Canadian residency. Canada made it very difficult for me to apply (poor matching stats, inconvenient availability of mandatory tests, and difficulty to obtain Canadian electives). I felt that if my own country made it so challenging for me to come back, then I wasn’t going to put up a fight. Instead, I concentrated all my energy to match in the US. I am very glad my strategic gamble paid off. Yes, you face discrimination because as a resident you will require a visa. I was ineligible to apply to many programs because they did not want to deal with the headache of visas. Disappointing, sure, but I don’t blame them.

Speaking of hardships, I remember the day that we all received our step one scores. You and I, along with three close friends of ours, were living together in Florida. I remember the moment when you came downstairs from your room and told us what every medical student dreads to even think of. That you failed step one. What happened? Why do you think you failed? Were you doing poorly in school? Did it come as a shock to you?

Oh that dreadful day… It was awful! I was so glad to be surrounded by friends like you when I found out I failed. You all rallied around me in a big group hug and reassured me that everything was going to be ok.

Failing Step 1 was a huge blow and I did not expect it at all. Granted, I’m not the strongest student so by no means did I expect to have a stellar score. I just expected to pass. So when I learned I was a few points shy of passing, I was crushed. I had done fine in school up to that point. I never failed any tests on the island, never repeated a semester, and I even passed the comp on the first try. Everything suggested that I’d be fine.

In hindsight, I realized what I thought was enough preparation for the test ended up being insufficient. To tackle Step 1 a second time around, I had to prepare more than ever before.

What was step 2 CK like for you? What steps did you take to make sure you didn’t make the same mistakes again?

Step 2 CK was definitely better than Step 1. I will say, all the self-doubting and insecurities resurfaced when I was prepping for Step 2. I spent 6 months studying and even delayed my test till October – meaning I applied to match without a CK score. As anyone and everyone will tell you, it’s best to apply to match with a full and complete application but mine lacked the CK. It was a risk I was willing to take. I absolutely could not afford to fail a second USMLE exam. Aside from doubling the time I dedicated to study, I got weekly tutor help to go over questions on UWorld that I got wrong. I also made sure that I took plenty of practice tests.

How many programs did you end up applying to? How many categorical? How many preliminary? How many interviews did you end up going on?

I applied to every single FM program in the US for which I was qualified. All categorical, no prelim. I spent a little over $3,100 on my 140+ applications. In the end, I only had 2 interviews. Yes, you read that right, two interviews. One interview was where I did all my core rotations in 3rd year. I got the other interview because I clicked well with residents from that program while attending the AAFP National Conference. I knew from the get go that on paper I was less than stellar so I worked hard on networking. I attended family medicine residency fairs like it was going out of style. In 12 months, I attended 3 residency conferences.

What was match day like for you?

Every medical student will tell you that match day is a nerve-wracking day, and for me, it was no different. I was hoping to match but I also mentally prepared myself that there was a good chance I would not match. When I learned that I successfully matched, I cried tears of joy and relief. Knowing that I beat the odds was the most incredible feeling. It validated all the people along the way who believed in me and said I would make it. I now had proof that outside people (not just family and friends) believed I was worthy of pursuing this profession.

I know we’ve talked a lot about a major weakness in your application but what do you think were your greatest strengths about your application? What set you apart from the other applicants?

Academia has never been my forte. I knew clinical years were my time to shine. It’s what I do best; it’s where I feel most comfortable. I worked diligently and was rewarded with A’s in all my core and elective rotations, except surgery. I genuinely connected with my attendings and they wrote me beautiful letters of recommendation. My strong LORs were undoubtedly a key component to my match success. I’ve always been a people person so interviews came naturally to me. When applying to medical schools, I had 4 interviews and was accepted to all 4. I knew I had strong interview skills. I harnessed that same energy and left my 2 residency interviews feeling confident.

The fact that you failed step one, the proverbial kiss of death to any applicant’s dream of obtaining a residency, but still managed to match into your top choice family medicine program is quite an accomplishment. In closing, what advice would you give to a medical student who failed or didn’t do well on step one?

I want people reading this to say to themselves, if she can match her top choice in her dream specialty with a 203 Step 1 score, a 215 Step 2 score, and only 2 interviews, I can do it too. One failure does not define you. You will encounter people along the road who will encourage you to quit medicine (one of my Ross professors counseled me to pursue non medical careers) or take time off (I was strongly encouraged to delay my graduation date and my match by a year) or give up all together. Take all that advice as fuel to prove them wrong.

Thank you Emily for bravely sharing your inspirational story. You are proof that it is possible to fail USMLE step 1 and still earn a residency. I’m sure it was an emotionally tumultuous path and taught you a lot about yourself along the way.

—

UPDATE: Unfortunately due to the high volume of requests to speak with Dr. Chan I can no longer forward her private email. If you have questions for her please comment below. After sufficient questions have been posted we plan to release an updated blog post with the most frequently asked questions. Thank you for your understanding.

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31 Things Only Ross Students Will Understand

The little things we all encounter that remind you that you went to a Caribbean medical school.

1. Dominica- NOT the Dominican Republic

Dominica

Every time someone asks where you go to school you have to open up Google maps and explain that Dominica is not the same thing as the Dominican Republic. Every. Single. Time.

 

2. And getting there is an all around terrible experience

2. Liat

You cringe at the thought of flying with them. They’ve lost your bags multiple times, forgot to send a plane big enough to seat all of their passengers, and may have ran out of fuel mid flight and had to turn back around. LIAT- because your Luggage Is Always Tardy.

3. But we do have some beautiful sunsets

3. Sunset

Possibly one of the few things you’ll miss about the island. And you’re leaving just in time because I think your friends are starting to catch on that all of your Instagram sunsets look awfully similar…

 

4. And waterfalls

4. Waterfalls

Okay, I guess there are a few things we’ll all miss about this island.

5. Lots of them5. Lots of them

 

6. And double rainbows

6. Double rainbows

 

7. And lots of diverse wildlife

7. Lots of wildlife

 

8. Like cows just chilling on the side of the road

8. Cows

 

9. And these little guys

9. Little guys

 

10. And other little guys

10. Others

 

11. And massive bugs

11. Bugs

 

12. And boobs12. Boobs

Like you’ve never referred to Cabrits as that.

13. But definitely not gonna miss these guys

13. Bugs

These primeval creatures have existed for about four-hundred-million years…and some can be highly venomous. And you just saw one in your apartment? No worries. You probably didn’t feel like getting any sleep tonight anyway.

14. Okay, calm your nerves with a refreshing beer

14. Beer

Refreshing is a relative term. But you’re not a stranger to a different variety of beverages when you’re enjoying a night out in Portsmouth. Don’t feel like having a rum punch? How about a bucket of Kubuli and a pizza from Tulip’s? If not, I think I saw someone outside of Big Poppa’s selling ‘coconuts’..

15. De Champs

15. De Champs

Whether you’re enjoying fine dining, playing trivia during taco Tuesdays, having a mimosa-filled boozy brunch, completing the 12-hour challenge, buying the hottest faculty and students at the Ped’s Date Auction, chugging from the flabongo, or just dancing your drunken ass off, we’ve all had amazing times at this place. Probably too much fun. Shit, who did I try and make out with last night? God I hope I didn’t take too many embarrassing selfies..

 

16. Chop my money!

You never heard this song before you came here and you are likely never to hear it again. You know, once you delete it from your iPod.

Let’s also not forget the first time you heard this song. Chocolate codeine? Chuck my mommy? WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY SAYING?! Ohhhh…CHOP my MONEY. Gotcha.

 

17. Machetes & coconuts

17. coconuts

The perfect alternative to the swiss army knife, the machete is the best all around tool for just about anything and everything. Need to open a coconut? Machete. Need to cut the grass? Machete. Machete? Machete!

*Honorable mention goes to the weedwacker- the noisiest but seemingly most common gardening tool on this island

 

18. The New & Improved Tomato’s

18. Tomatoes

If you recognize this picture then you’ve been on the island long enough to remember when Scrappy was homeless. The servers at Tomato’s still yell out orders incomprehensibly and they seem to always forget that you ordered extra ranch with your buffalo chicken wrap. But at least we don’t have to huddle under the umbrellas anymore when it starts to rain!

19. And It Rains Here…A Lot

20. Did I Mention How Much It Rains Here?

21. Seriously?! It Didn’t Even Rain That Hard Today! Guess I’m Not Showering.

21. Not showering

This is the product of using gravity as a filtration system. And you’re about as surprised by dirty water coming out your faucet as you are when subway runs out of…well, everything.

 

22. Speaking of Subway..

22. Subway

You’ve eaten Subway more often since being on the island than you ever have your entire life. You’ve eaten there even after they ran out of lettuce. And meat. And bread. Just never expect extra toppings without an attitude- its like you’re stealing from their personal stash of banana peppers and ranch dressing!

23. But Seriously, Its Always Hot and/or Raining

https://youtu.be/wTay1NOGWaw

Did you you just come from the gym? Nope, but I did just walk here from my apartment!

 

24. There Are Dogs Everywhere

https://youtu.be/3OU1UY6So5w

25. That Silly Jingle The Electricity Meter Makes

The best part of getting more electricity? Air conditioning was a good guess but we all know you secretly love that catchy jingle the electricity meter makes when you top up.

26. Hot Commodities

26. Chairs

When it comes to studying in comfort, you aren’t a stranger to getting up at the crack of dawn just to secure one of these bad boys. Just don’t sit in my cube. Or in the cube next to my cube. Seriously, I don’t know you. Even if I did, I wouldn’t want you to be this close to me. And you smell a little. Go away.

27. The truth

27. Truth

Your friends and family stopped asking ‘what you’re up to lately’ because you always seem to be studying and yet they still seem surprised when you don’t come home tan. Or ‘freckly’ for the melanin challenged.

 

28. Boiling lake

28. Boiling lake

But you always manage to find some time to explore the island

29. Scotts Head

29. Scotts Head

Where the Caribbean meats the Atlantic

 

30. Morne Diablotin

30. Morne

Or climb the tallest mountain on the island

 

31. But mostly we just can’t wait to go home

31. Home

 

Not everyone’s experience in Dominica is the same. What do you miss about the island?

 

—

This post was originally published on BuzzFeed

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Medical Student Sunday Interview with Daily Medicine

The following interview was originally published on Daily Medicine, a blog full of quotes, ideas, lists, and general knowledge. Check it out for your daily dose of medicine!

In the first “Medical Student Sunday” of 2016, Daily Medicine Blog welcomes fourth year medical school student Marc Katz! Many of you have asked me for a look into a Caribbean medical school and now the chance has come to meet a great student from Ross University. Soon he will be matching into a residency spot and I can not wait to congratulate him. Until then, peek into his life through this candid interview:

 

Who are you to the world?

I’m a first generation American born to South African immigrants, a fourth year medical student currently finishing up my last few interviews for residency in internal medicine with plans to pursue a fellowship in cardiology. I also run a blog, MyKatz, where I advice pre-med and medical students about the hidden curriculum of medical school and try and teach others through my mistakes and experiences. My hope is that I can one day I can use my blog as a medium to educate my patients and expand their understanding of disease, health, and wellness. When I’m not in the hospital or library you can find me playing basketball at the gym, playing Call of Duty, finding a new show to watch, or reading a new book in the park. Right now I’m finishing up Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis and the next book on my list is The Man in the High Castle. My cousins told me that the show the book is based on is really good so I want to try and read it before I watch it. It’s the same way that I got into Game of Thrones. Except for GoT I binge watched the first two seasons and then didn’t want to wait for the next season to come out next year so I just read the books instead.

 

What has been your journey to medical school? (Were you a traditional or non-traditional student? Did you always want to be a doctor? Etc)

I went straight from undergrad at SUNY- Binghamton to Ross University School of Medicine. I didn’t realize I truly wanted to pursue medicine until my junior year of college so unfortunately my GPA was ever so slightly below average when I was applying. Ross accepted me for the fall semester so I jumped at the opportunity to start my medical career.

Although my grandfather was a well-respected pediatric surgeon in South Africa I was never really pressured into pursuing medicine. It just kind of happened. I blame the years of watching ER growing up. Fun fact, Christiaan Barnard, the man who performed the first successful human-to-human heart transplant in the world, was my grandfather’s resident!

 

What is it like attending a Caribbean medical school? (A lot of students ask me this and I would love a more detailed answer to this particular question)

I loved attending Ross University! It was an amazing experience to study abroad in such a beautiful country. Sure, we had some annoyances. Dominica’s water filtration system was gravity. So when it rained heavily it would trudge up mud and our water would be turned off. I remember walking home from the gym and it started to pour. Lo and behold when I got home I had no running water. Luckily I prepared for this situation and I had a nice shower with bottled water the day before my exam. But it’s not all bad. My strongest memories are those spent with the friends I made on the island. Attending medical school in Dominica is like going to war because only those who experience it can truly understand what it’s like. I spent almost every waking moment with the friends I made on that island for four semesters straight. I seriously wouldn’t have gotten through medical school without my island family and I’ll love them forever for it. Just please don’t tell them I said that. It would be sooo embarrassing if they knew.

 

To you, what is the hardest part of medical school?

Hell, where should I begin? I almost appreciated being on a literal and figurative island during my first two years of med school. We had no distractions and nothing to do besides study…and maybe drink. So focusing on my studies wasn’t difficult but figuring out how to study was. It took me a few weeks to realize how I study best and it was my first major hurdle in medical school. It’s also been the basis of a few blog posts I’ve authored, like How To Study In Medical School, because of how important it is during any graduate education. The next part, actually studying, is even worse.

You have an average of five to six hours of lecture material every day followed by five to six hours of studying every day. It sucks and there is no shortcut. Thankfully I’m a huge nerd and I enjoyed learning about most of the material, but let’s be real…nobody actually enjoys memorizing the enzymatic steps of the Kreb’s cycle.

 

What is a normal day like for a 4th year medical school student?

I actually wrote a blog post about the day to day life of a third year which you can check out here, The Day To Day Schedule of a Third Year, but I’ve never been asked about fourth year before because there really is no ‘normal day’ of a fourth year medical student. The day-to-day life of a fourth year really depends on the rotation and the individual. I’m willing to bet someone who is going into a surgical residency might have a completely different clinical schedule than I do. I wanted to tour everything internal medicine has to offer so my fourth year schedule has been cardiology, nephrology, hematology & oncology, a medicine sub-internship, gastroenterology, pulmonology, and I’ll be finishing up medical school with an HIV/AIDS elective. Some rotations work you hard and keep you long hours while others let you enjoy your last year of freedom before residency starts. So in that regard fourth year is kind of like third year…you’re just slightly less of an idiot.

Fourth year also includes interview season and it leaves you tired and drained during November and December. That being said, my fourth year has been my favorite year of medical school so far. I’m not constantly anxious about having to go study for step one or step two and there aren’t any more tests, just patients. So I finally get to be self-driven about studying and pursue learning about what interests me. I’m just really excited for residency to start. And for my trip to South East Asia with my friends before residency starts.

 

What is the best advice you ever received?

Never yell at the food staff before you get your food and always pay for your date’s meal. Though I have a feeling you meant it with regards to medicine. If that’s the case then I must admit that the best advice I’ve been given isn’t all that original. I distinctly remember two different people telling me the same advice for two different reasons.

As a third year I was growing frustrated in my attempts to impress my attending whom I wanted a strong letter of recommendation from. And as a fourth year on my medicine sub-internship I was growing frustrated by my patient’s family’s indifferent attitude about the medical care of their loved one. In both instances my roommate and senior resident, respectively, gave me the same advice that was applicable to both situations. They told me to provide and coordinate the best possible care for my patient.

Instead of trying to read my attending’s mind I simply focused on taking care of my patient. I did what I could to make someone feel better everyday. I learned that I can sleep at night knowing that at the end of the day I did everything in my power to take the best care of my patient to the best of my abilities.

 

What qualities in a shadowing pre-medical student impresses you? 

The most impressive pre-med students are those that are awake. Seriously, if you’ve got a heartbeat, a smile on your face, and a skip in your step then you’re already better than half the kids I’ve seen. I remember my favorite pre-med student that was shadowing a surgeon I was working with for the month. During surgery she would diligently write down notes about things she wanted to look up later. She would come back with information that she looked up and asked us follow up questions. When we were waiting for rooms to be cleaned she asked to go watch other surgeries. She showed us that she wanted to be there by being engaged. She was visibly excited to be there and it made my day more fun when she was around. They are the same values and characteristics that make for a good medical student. You can read more about what qualities in a shadowing pre-medical student impress me the most in my blog post, Premeds: How To Shadow Like a Boss.

 

What do you like to do for fun?

Does brunch count as a hobby? Well besides drinking coffee, Bloody Mary’s, and mimosas, I also like to visit my brother at Barclay’s Center where he works and try to go to as many Brooklyn Nets and Islander’s games as I can. I’m also currently trying to knock out my New York City bucket list just in case I don’t match here. By the way, turns out the MOMA closes at 5:30pm during the week in case you wanted to go. Made that silly mistake last week. Still trying to find time and someone to go to the top of One World Trade Center with.

 

Do you have a few tips for medical school students & premeds?

I have too many tips for medical students and premeds! I could preach for days about mistakes I’ve made en route to medical school and how to avoid them as well as how to succeed in medical school. But I do have one real piece of advice for premeds and medical students alike and its not going to be very popular with your friends or family. It is to be selfish. Nobody else is going to make your medical education as their number one priority. That is your job. You are going to miss birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, holidays, parties, and average day to day moments that your friends and family will spend together. You on the other hand should be in the library or hospital studying. As I’ve stated before in a post about The Match, you need a strong step score in order to get past residency program filters and the only thing standing in your way is you. So be selfish and go study.

That being said, if anyone reading this has a more specific questions you can always comment on my blog and ask me a question here or tweet at me at @MarcKittyKatz and I’ll do my best to get back to you as soon as I can!

 

If you are in a relationship, how do you handle balancing school and a committed relationship? 

I am probably the worst person to ask about this…because science is my lady. Just kidding! My life isn’t that sad. I am currently single but I can comment that having a relationship during medical school is totally doable. Tons of classmates of mine met their significant others on the island and during rotations. In my humble opinion, you just have to be honest with yourself and your partner about your med school obligations and make your relationship a priority. It’s just like when people say ‘they don’t have time to exercise’. Nobody in medical school has an extra hour or two in their day but you can make time to exercise and you can make time to date and have a relationship. You just have to make it a priority. I mean, it’s not like it’s going to get any easier in residency. And when in doubt, swipe right.

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Where in Dominica Should I Live?

A new semester is starting at Ross University and that means a whole lot of first semester students need to find somewhere to live. I’m certain that there are other students out there who will tell you differently but I will share with you my advice on where to live in Dominica.

First off you should know that a family friend of mine told me where I should live first semester and I ended up staying there for all four semesters on the island. I lived at Old Avies Ville because it was cheap and was in a good location. Rent is relatively cheap at around $500/month. Other places can run you close to a grand. I personally didn’t want to waste a lot of money on rent in Dominica because I knew I wanted to come back and waste a lot of money on rent in New York. I will admit though that a few of my friends paid around $800 to $1,000 in rent per month but they got what they paid for. One apartment complex right next to The Barn provides you a Caribbean view and really is a much nicer apartment than I lived in. Other places were much closer to campus and the only gym on the island. Again, I would choose to live somewhere cheaper the first semester and then figure it out once you are actually living on the island for the following semester.

As for location, Old Avies is situated down the road from my favorite grocery store Picard Grocery. There is another grocery store, IGA, that is down the road and is closer to what you might picture when you think of a grocery store but when you have to walk your groceries all the way back to your apartment it only takes one sweaty stroll with heavy grocery bags to appreciate the  convenience of Picard Grocery. As one of my favorite blogs, From Louisiana to Dominica, about life in Dominica explains ‘you will get to know the stores quickly and figure out which places sell which goods’. So in my humble opinion it was nice having Picard Grocery up the road from me.

Besides a grocery store, Old Avies is also down the hill from ‘The Barn’, my favorite study spot. It’s also down the hill from Tomato’s restaurant/bar, Tulip’s bar, and the main campus. All of those locations are within a ten minute walk from Banana Trail where Old Avies is situated. Old Avies Ville also provides cleaning services on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday so I would normally cook my weekly meals on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Old Avies also has drop off laundry services on the premises, and a small pool that one or two residents would use to swim laps in the morning.

It’s newer cousin, New Avies Ville, is up the hill and is a little bit more expensive. When I visited friends who lived in the New apartment complex I found that it was a little bit prettier and maybe a little bit bigger but not worth the couple hundred dollar price tag increase. So live in Old Avies Ville your first semester and then go see your friends apartments and figure out what your priorities are. Lastly, I never had any trouble with payments or with safety while living there. Just lock your door when you leave your apartment and don’t walk down that sketchy, poorly lit part of town late at night.

Here are some links that might help:

My next post will go over what you should bring in your barrel to the island! Good luck on your upcoming semester and congrats on starting your first semester of medical school!! And as always, happy studying.

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My Review of Step One Review Courses

The most highly requested topic about studying for step one has easily been which step one review course to use. The problem when giving advice about which course to use it that it is incredibly subjective. Choosing which step one review course to use is like choosing between mac or PC, Xbox or play station, vanilla or chocolate. They’re both good. It just depends which one you have a personal preference towards. Which one best fits your study habits and study style?

I have been exposed to two major step one review courses- Doctors In Training and Becker (formerly Falcon). Although I have watched Kaplan videos during my first two years of medical school I do not know enough about their step one review course to constructively comment on it. I used Becker for the comp but I’m biased towards DIT because I used it for step studying. I like DIT because it consists of multiple online videos that you can watch at your own speed. I needed to be alone so I could discipline myself to focus on subjects that I needed to spend more time on, like HIV pharmacology, while I could fast forward through sections I was more adept in, like anatomy. Becker on the other hand is a live review course that is done in a small group that I knew would be too distracting for me.

DIT also provides students with personalized daily schedules and long-term study calendars. The daily schedule has blocks of time for resources you use like Picmonic, Pathoma, and UWorld whereas the long-term calendar provides you with a week-by-week overview of what you are going to study. For instance, six days of studying and then a practice test. While creating your schedule, DIT also asks about any scheduled holidays or study breaks and etches them into your calendar for you. They take some of the stress out of studying. For instance, I went on a weekend snowboarding trip and had three guilt-free days spent outside of the library on the mountain with nothing but fresh powder and a few shots of tequila (not at the same time of course). To be fair though, after speaking with friends who have completed the Becker review course it seems like Becker also creates a calendar and daily schedule for you too.

Two big differences between Becker and DIT are the cost and the overall style. DIT can be done alone with your review book and an internet connection whereas Becker is an in person review course completed with a small group of students. Financially, Becker is the clear winner for Ross students. Becker offers a free live review course for Ross students. DIT offers a student discount which takes the price to around seven hundred dollars. Now just like your career decisions, you shouldn’t make your choice about which review course to use based solely on the financial aspect. Make sure that whichever review course you choose is the right fit for you and that you mesh well with their overriding philosophy.

Ultimately, both DIT and Becker are great review courses. Friends of mine have done wildly successful with both of them. So don’t stress out about which one is more or less qualified. If you dedicate yourself to studying for step one and don’t cut any corners then there is no reason that either one of these two resources will provide you with the tools necessary to earn above a 240 on step one. At the end of the day your personal preference toward one or the other matters the most. So try out DIT for one day when you are studying for your final this semester and try out Becker for a day when you are studying for the comp. Do your research about the daily and monthly schedule that each one follows, find out which system works best for your specific needs, choose one, and go with it. Happy studying!

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Preface

After passing step one, I’ve decided to write a series of posts that will encompass everything involved in studying for step one of the United States Medical Licensing Exam for fellow Ross University students. During my fourth semester on the island I felt lost in a sea of resources, conflicting study ideologies, and differing mindsets on how to approach studying for the comprehensive shelf exam…let alone the step. Thus, my study timeline that I will describe will begin with passing your fourth semester, studying for the comp, and extend until your step test day. My discussion on how to study for step one will include my guiding philosophy on how to approach studying for the exam, different study strategies, resources, and a few tangential but entertaining topics. My hope is to illuminate shades of confusion that plagued my studies while on the island and give current Ross students a little hindsight to make more informed decisions about their study strategy with even greater confidence.

As always, if you have a specific question or concern that you’d like me to address please post a comment below or hit me up directly on twitter via @MarcKittyKatz. Enjoy!

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Reflections After Finishing Second Year of Med School

As I walked home last night I glanced up at the evening sky of Dominica. Twinkling down at me was what seemed like a surprisingly bright star compared to all the rest. It couldn’t be a plane because planes very rarely fly over this Caribbean island. It seemed stationary so it couldn’t be a meteor. Confused, I pulled out my Sky Map on my iPhone and discovered it was not a star at all but instead turned out to be the planet named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty- Venus.

Earlier the same day I sat in my last lecture of my first two years of medical school and it felt strange. There was a buzz in the air. My entire class was about to be done learning new material. From then on out, we were to learn everything we already knew but in more depth and with greater stress on integrating each subject in preparation for the step. Except nothing seemed to change. I went to the same place for lunch that I normally do, went and got coffee like any other day, and procrastinated like a pro as always.

It took me until later that evening, looking up at the night sky, to register the significance of this transition. In that moment, staring up at the night sky alone with my thoughts, a smile snuck onto my face. It’s a smile that my close friends know quite well. It’s the same exuberant smile from the moment I first tried to place an IV port in my friend’s vein. It’s the same smile from the galvanizing moment when I successfully found my other friend’s uterus using an ultrasound. It became a smile from the moment that clarified how utterly happy I was to be on my journey in pursuit of medicine.

As corny and ironic as it sounds, I had to literally stare at the planet named for the Roman goddess of love and beauty to remember how much I love learning about the human body. Ever since I was a little kid I’ve always wanted to know how the silent orchestra of salient biochemical processes worked so well in perfect harmony. For me, its breathtaking to realize that I have learned most of the important processes that were once such a mystery to me and that I will one day be able to expand upon the zeitgeist of medicine.

It’s important to remind ourselves of our goals and our original reasons for why we wanted to pursue medicine- to remind ourselves that the sleep, sanity, and social life that we sacrifice are worth it. To remember why we spend our days in the library instead of on the beach.

I got lucky in that I’ve always wanted to learn about medicine and that I am happy to do so. I got even luckier in that I stumbled upon a strangely bright ‘star’ that reminded me of my passion which has given me willpower to complete my remaining exams with the utmost ferocity and determination. My passion and curiosity to understand the human body was a small part of my original reason for wanting to enter medicine but has become an integral engine that drives me to learn everyday. It is what will power me through the next few months leading up the step exam and beyond it as well.

Ultimately, I could try to answer the age-old interview question of ‘why did I choose medicine?’ except I don’t think it’s the most important question for current medical students anymore. Instead, ask yourself- ‘why do you still choose medicine?’.

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See One, Do One, Teach One

I have completed countless dissections in the anatomy lab and have observed even more through videos provided by Ross University. Like any diligent student I have studied anatomy by creating my own drawings, mnemonics, notecards, and through the ever popular rote memorization. This semester as an anatomy TA I have been given the opportunity to teach first semester students the anatomy of the human body from head to toe. As the phrase ‘see one, do one, teach one’ suggests, my medical learning experience will finally come full circle. I’ve made it this far- how hard can teaching really be?

An experience I had with three first semester students in the gross anatomy lab in the beginning of my second semester made me realize how rewarding teaching is. In no time, I ran through the anatomy of the upper limbs and superficial back with them and quickly quizzed them on the brachial plexus. Not only was I amazed at how much material I had retained but I recognized that I was still learning, compounding new and old information, and making even stronger connections this time around. I loved being able to integrate the 2nd semester anatomy of the pelvis with the 1st semester anatomy of the lower limb. Being able to take the material I memorize and integrate it with the material I actually understand.

My favorite part, however, was how innate my understanding of the arteries of the body felt. It was like driving through a familiar town I hadn’t visited in a while. For instance, last weekend I visited Binghamton. When I drove through the city I lived in during my undergrad years it felt as if I had never left. The map of the city is engrained in my head. Even after major road construction, I could still contemplate the deviations and possible detours I could take to shorten my journey. Likewise, the twisting and often times confusing pathways of arteries of the human body is now engrained in my head. My understanding has become second nature as to how the arteries of the head and upper limbs branch from the arch of the aorta before it becomes the abdominal aorta and continues down to give rise to major branches like the celiac trunk, superior mesenteric and inferior mesenteric arteries. How the splitting of the abdominal aorta gives rise to all the major arteries of the lower limb. These arteries are a roadmap to the human body and I don’t have to stop for directions.

Besides improving my own understanding of the body, it was rewarding to help others improve theirs. It always amazes me when I see the material a student in the semester above me is studying. The work always seems infinitely harder, more complex, and something that I’ll surely never be able to understand…at least until I start chipping away at it. I’ve come to find that the most challenging part of studying is similar to the most challenging part of running- the first step. It’s easy to become overwhelmed with the vast quantity of material I need to cover or how far I plan to run. It’s what makes studying for a final exam that much more daunting. But by simply taking that first step, studying becomes a smoother and less stressful experience. And that’s what the best TAs did for me. They gave me a gentle push in the right direction. A spark to ignite my engines. Momentum to overcome inertia.

However, the best TAs weren’t always the smartest ones. Well, maybe they were. I never really stopped to survey them about their grades. The best TAs would always exhibit the same qualities that my favorite middle and high school teachers and undergraduate and medical school professors have exhibited over the years. They were able to take an innate understanding of a complex concept and simplify it so that someone with a rudimentary understanding could grasp the material at hand. Furthermore, they did so in an entertaining and engaging way utilizing clear and concise language that made the material relevant to me. Don’t just tell me that melanocytes are found in the stratum basale of the dermis. Tell me how the melanin of fair-skinned gingers like myself is both produced in smaller quantities and is also degraded more quickly than dark-skinned individuals.

Using relevant examples and clear language in teaching is a simple enough concept but I recall as an undergraduate physics lab TA when it was far from second nature. I remember how unprepared I was. How I fumbled over my words. How difficult it became to describe velocity and sound equations to my peers who didn’t have the same understanding of the material as I did. I wasn’t the best physics TA to say the least but I learned a lot from that experience like the importance of communication in teaching. This brief but captivating 5 minute TED talk illustrates three key points to good communication between scientists and the public. Whether you are a TA or a tutor or just helping a friend with a concept they have trouble with, these three quick and easy communication tips can help anyone improve his or her teaching skills:

First, as Melissa Marshall from the Department of Communication Arts & Sciences at Penn State explains, “When you’re describing your science, beware of jargon. Jargon is a barrier to our understanding of your ideas. Sure, you can say “spatial and temporal”, but why not just say “space and time,” which is so much more accessible to us?” Likewise, the Latin or Greek name for structures often confuse students. Sure, you can use the term ‘profunda brachii’, but you could rather explain how it translates to ‘deep artery of the arm’, thereby making it more relatable [1].

Second, “tell us why your science is relevant to us. Don’t jus tell me that you study trabeculae, but tell me that you study trabeculae, which is the mesh-like structure of our bones because it’s important to understanding and treating osteoporosis. [1]”

Lastly, “a slide like this, shown below on the left, is not only boring, but it relies too much on the language area of our brain, and causes us to become overwhelmed. Instead, the slide on the right, an example by Genevieve Brown is much more effective. It’s showing that the special structure of trabeculae are so strong that they actually inspired the unique design of the Eiffel Tower. And the trick here is to use a single, readable sentence that…students…can key into if they get a bit lost, and then provide visuals which appeal to our other senses and create a deeper sense of understanding of what’s being described.[1]”

Trabeculae

Ultimately, communication skills are one of the many talents that an individual must master to become an effective teacher. Teaching is an art and quite possibly one of the most difficult arts to master because, as John Steinbeck wrote, “the medium is the human mind and spirit’.

Teaching is similar to other forms of the arts like painting, writing, or playing a musical instrument in that it can be learned. We rely too heavily on ‘the naturals’- people who have innate abilities to teach. Part of the problem is that we rarely teach individuals how to teach. For instance, I have a friend who understands our lecture material far better than anyone I know. He has stellar grades and can easily provide me an answer to almost all the questions I ask him, except he can’t convey his thought process to me. He might understand the material but I can’t understand him. In the end, teachers, tutors, and TAs must work to improve their own teaching skills with assistance from their universities to communicate material more clearly and improve their students’ understanding of lecture material.

1- Melissa Marshall: Talk Nerdy to Me. By Melissa Marshall. Perf. Melissa Marshal. TED: Ideas worth Spreading. N.p., Oct. 2012. Web. 05 May 2013.