The Short Coat: An Inside Look at Getting Into and Getting Through Medical School

• Harsh Truth: Most Pre-Meds Don’t Get Accepted

  Co-hosts M2 Daniel Haws, M3 Fallon Jung, and M2 Cara Arrasmith talk about why they had to try an extra time or two--what they did wrong and how they fixed it--with CCOM admissions expert Rachel Shulista. Stop wasting thousands of dollars on medical school applications that go nowhere. This episode breaks down the reasons admissions committees reject candidates and shows you how to build the clinical experience and academic profile that gets you accepted!

  --------  

  1:01:45

  --------

  1:01:45
• The Rural Doc Crisis and the Med Students Who Plan to Be Where They’re Most Needed

  We’re talking about rural medicine, where the needs are huge, the systems are broken, and sometimes, you just have to trust the process. Did you know that rural Americans have only 13.1 docs per 10,000 people compared to 31.2 in urban areas? Yeah, the need is real. But why are these students signing up for the challenge? And what the heck does a $50 billion Senate program have to say about processed cheese slices?

  --------  

  52:42

  --------

  52:42
• Med Student Leaders: Juggling Roles at School and Home

  Our co-hosts--M2s Zach Grissom, Megan Perry, Sarah Upton, and Chase Larsson--lead specialty interest groups, student government, advocacy organizations, and their learning communities; all of their roles compete for their time. Then someone asks if they want to start a new thing, and somehow they say yes. even if they say no. It's a mystery how that happens. Plus, listener Evan's question about parenting in med school, and news from the margins of medicine!

  --------  

  1:04:01

  --------

  1:04:01
• Med School Stereotypes Shattered: What We’re Really Like Inside

  Turns out medical students are regular humans who happen to need to memorize the Krebs cycle We’ve all got that mental image of medical students – the type-A perfectionists grinding through textbooks even on the porcelain throne, right? Well, our first-year medical students at Iowa are about to blow up every assumption you’ve ever had. Turns out the people memorizing a zillion anatomical structures aren’t exactly who you’d expect. M1s Chase McInville, Lillian Schmidt, Jonah Albrecht, and Abbie Townsend reveal why your pre-med study plans are probably useless, how a hockey ref’s confidence translates to patient care, and why some medical students refuse to study on Saturdays. We explore the real traits that matter (spoiler: it’s not being a genius), bust the myth about cutthroat competition, and discover why medical school might actually be more collaborative than your average undergrad group project. Plus, we settle the burning question every pre-med wants answered: can you actually prepare for medical school, or should you just go backpacking in Europe instead? These Short Coats share what non-medical experiences shaped them most, from building houses with Habitat for Humanity to working political campaigns to reffing hockey games to farming vegetables with zero agricultural background. This isn’t your typical “day in the life” medical school content. We’re talking about the messy reality of learning to learn again, the unexpected diversity of personalities in short white coats, and why the smartest thing these students do might be admitting they don’t know everything. The episode ends with the Short Coats working together to hash out the vibes of med student life. Hint: there should really only be five nerves. Episode credits: Producer: Jonah Albrecht Co-hosts: Abbie Townsend, Chase McInville, Lillian Schmidt, Jonah Albrecht The views and opinions expressed on this podcast belong solely to the individuals who share them. They do not represent the positions of the University of Iowa, the Carver College of Medicine, or the State of Iowa. All discussions are intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as professional, legal, financial, or medical advice. Nothing said on this podcast should be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical condition. Always seek qualified professional guidance for personal decisions. We Want to Hear From You: YOUR VOICE MATTERS! We welcome your feedback, listener questions, and shower thoughts. Do you agree or disagree with something we said today? Did you hear something really helpful? Can we answer a question for you? Are we delivering a podcast you want to keep listening to? Let us know at https://theshortcoat.com/tellus and we’ll put your message in a future episode. Or email [email protected]. We need to know more about you! https://surveys.blubrry.com/theshortcoat (email a screenshot of the confirmation screen to [email protected] with your mailing address and Dave will mail you a thank you package!) The Short Coat Podcast is FeedSpot’s Top Iowa Student Podcast, and its Top Iowa Medical Podcast!  Thanks for listening! We do more things on… Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshortcoat YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theshortcoat You deserve to be happy and healthy. If you’re struggling with racism, harassment, hate, your mental health, or some other crisis, visit http://theshortcoat.com/help, and send additions to the resources there to [email protected]. We love you.  …

  --------  

  1:03:57

  --------

  1:03:57
• My Family Thinks I’m a Doctor Already

  What med students wish their families actually understood about medical school. Your family means well… but when you start med school, suddenly every ache, rash, and conspiracy theory in the house is your domain! In this episode, the Short Coat crew gets real about what it’s like to be seen as a doctor when you’re really drowning in flashcards. M2s Srishti Mathur and Nick Abouassally, and M1s Anna Royer, and Drew Bolisay trade stories about how their families misread med school life — from assuming they’re “on the wards” in year one to asking them to diagnose random symptoms at family gatherings. They unpack what kind of support actually helps (spoiler: food) and what doesn’t (“It’s just a season of life, honey”). You’ll hear heartfelt moments about parental pride, intergenerational tension, and cultural expectations — plus a final improv game that proves even fake medicine is hard work. If you’ve ever tried to explain Step 1 to your grandma, this one’s for you.

  --------  

  1:06:51

  --------

  1:06:51

More Education podcasts

Trending Education podcasts

About The Short Coat: An Inside Look at Getting Into and Getting Through Medical School