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

It’s a freestyle episode…can’t we just have a rambling conversation? Sometimes it’s nice to just sit down and have a rambling conversation. That’s this episode, with MD/PhD students Madi Wahlen and Sahaana Arumugam and M3s Jacob Hansen and Jacob Lam. We discuss the non-weighty topics of why people don’t know they shouldn’t stare at a ball of fusion in the sky, niche online community drama, a Texas transplant surgeon accused of manipulating transplant lists, everyday things that might not be things someday, why Dave doesn’t yet want an electric vehicle, the co-hosts plans for their futures beyond seeing patients, and so much more that is barely relevant to medical school. If you don’t like this kind of episode, do we have a solution for you--https://theshortcoat.com/tellus!

Med Students discuss their “Why Medicine?” answers. Dave welcomes newly minted medical and PA students at the Carver College of Medicine to share their first-week experiences and the challenges of adapting to medical school. M1s Sydney Skuodas, Michael Arrington, Alex Murra, Luke Geis, and PA1 Harrison Parker discuss what they’ve learned about time management, personal growth during “gap years,” overcoming imposter syndrome, and balancing personal life with rigorous medical training. The co-hosts also discuss the personal motivations behind their decisions to pursue medicine, revealing stories of past careers, family influences, and the aspiration to impact lives directly. Don’t worry about the shock device we’re using, I’m sure they’re fine, plus it was Luke’s idea.

5 listener questions ANSWERED! Dave Etler is joined by co-hosts MD/PhD student Riley Behan-Bush, and M1s Zach Elias and Demir Tuken, and M3 Hend Al-Kaylani to tackle a backlog of listener questions. Listener DeeDee shares her struggles with med school, parental expectations, and anxiety and depression–should she be in medical school at all? Cameron worries about overcoming a rocky academic start, Marvin’s trying to understand the value of an undergrad minor degree, Avery wants our take on how well CCOM integrates LGBTQ+ health education into the curriculum, and the cohosts weigh in on the differences between allopathic and osteopathic schools for Zion. We’re bringing our personal experiences, practical advice, and our flip phones to the table!

You need things to keep you grounded, so keep those hobbies going, or find some. We've said it before, we'll say it again: studying medicine will consume everything if you let it...so don't let it. Your hobbies--whether you pursue them steadily or they shift over time--help you achieve your goals in medicine, too. M3 Jeff Goddard, MD/PhD student Miranda Schene, and M2s Kaitlin Grimes and Sri Nandakumar talk about their hobbies and what they get out of them. Whether it's reaching that flow state, increasing their engagement in their work, reducing the chances of burnout, or adding to their understanding of the world they live in, pastimes and avocations keep docs grounded and creative.