Specializing in Heart Disease: Cardiology fellowship

Written By: Sharon Cretsinger

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States.  Every year, various kinds of heart ailments account for more than 25% of all fatal illnesses, accidents and other events.  The most common sub-type of heart disease out of all known cases is coronary artery disease.  It is caused by a build-up of plaque in the arteries (large blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart).  Over time, this accumulation causes atherosclerosis, or a decrease, or even a complete blockage, of blood flow.  The prevalence of this kind of heart disease has created a steady need for doctors who specialize in caring for the patients who subsequently suffer from it.  There are many opportunities in the Eastern part of the US to study for this kind of medical career, for example in a cardiovascular fellowship Washington DC.

Cardiology Fellowship DC: General Information

Individuals undertaking a cardiology fellowship are already highly trained physicians who will know some both general and specific information about the features of heart disease.  Here are a few general knowledge facts about heart disease that are part of the curriculum of a cardiology fellowship Washington DC.  Knowledge of this information helps the new physician practice in a way that is both medically and culturally sound:

• It is known that deaths from heart disease are not consistent across ethnicities.  Non-Hispanic Blacks and Whites have higher death rates from heart events than other groups like Native Americans, Asians, and Pacific Islanders.
• Where the Cardiologist practices will have some bearing on the rate and type of heart disease within the local population.  Certain areas in the South and Midwest regions of the US have much higher incidences than Northern and Western areas.
• Certain lifestyle factors make some individuals predisposed to arterial and other kinds of heart disease.  Some of these include a history of Diabetes, being overweight or obese, consuming a poor diet, a sedentary lifestyle, and excessive use of alcohol or other drugs.

The Benefit of a Family Medicine Residency

Written By: Rachael Kaine

Starting out a Medical Career With a Family Medicine Residency

As the final step before being legally permitted to practice medicine on your own, a family medicine residency is the perfect choice for those who want to help people of all ages with their medical conditions, overall health, and in making great decisions for themselves over the course of their lives. Family medicine allows for people to become comfortable seeing and following the advice of their medical professionals due to an intimate and complete knowledge of health history, which is what makes choosing this line of medical expertise so important. Even though you’ll continue to learn and grow as a medical professional long after your family medicine residency Baltimore has been completed, this core knowledge will give you a chance to build your reputation with the people who look to you for care and advice.

The Importance of Family Medicine Residency Programs

As long as people continue to have children, there will be a need for family medicine practitioners. The most basic difference between an internist and a family medicine practitioner is the age group of the clients that they practice on. Internists generally work with adult patients while those who have completed a family medicine residency Baltimore program work with people of all ages from children and adolescents to adults and the elderly. This wide age range for patients helps medical professionals learn their histories and proclivities, which can help to figure out what is happening when a patient becomes ill, develops a condition, or needs specialized care. Rather than trying to get health records together from many different care providers, a family medicine doctor will be able to not only forward or use all of these records as needed, but they can provide further insight into specific conditions when the need arises.

Competing a family medicine residency may be the last step needed to becoming a licensed health care professional, but it is nowhere near the final step of a medical career - rather, it’s only the beginning. An individual that sees the same professional or even the same team of professionals is more likely to become comfortable and keep on a schedule - this can reduce the likelihood of needing care for emergencies or health anomalies; regular visits and examinations can even help to catch changes in health before they become severe. Unlike other specialty areas of medicine, family medicine is needed in every single city and state in the nation, not just in densely populated areas or city centers.

Emergency Medicine Residency: A Typical Day

Written By: Sharon Cretsinger

In the United States, emergency medicine is its own field and specialty. This is unlike some European countries that follow a different model for treating acute patients. In these models, the same emergency services are provided by anesthesiologists and general surgeons.  Physicians in the US who wish to practice emergency medicine are required to undertake an emergency medicine residency in order to become qualified.  The EM residency Washington DC normally begins after the completion of a qualified medical school program of study.

Emergency Medicine Residency Washington DC:  What to Expect

Individuals who might be wondering what to expect in the course of a typical day in this kind of residency program will quickly learn that there is really no such thing as a "typical day" in emergency medicine.  In these times, issues with health coverage and the lack thereof have caused emergency rooms to be packed to capacity or even overflowing in large metropolitan areas.  The number of private practice physicians who are no longer accepting many insurance programs, particularly those that are government subsidized, are also contributing to the growing number of individuals who are seen daily for emergency care.

Physicians in an emergency medicine residency program Washington DC can expect to see a large number of patients every day.  These cases may range from broken bones and even more serious traumatic injuries to mild cases of common infectious diseases.  Many of the patients having minor ailments are in the ER because they do not have access to a primary care physician in the community.  In these instances, the specialty of emergency medicine overlaps considerably with that of urgent care.  The emergency medicine resident, under the supervision of a licensed physician, is expected to ultimately make a disposition for each of the cases having the outcome of either treatment and discharge or hospitalization.

Because of the volume of patients seen and the variety of case types presented, it is necessary for a physician considering an emergency medicine residency program DC to be willing to see a large number of patients daily and develop a diverse skill sent in many practice areas.

Choosing the Right General Surgery Residency

Written By: Rachael Kaine

To become a skilled and in demand surgeon, you must first complete a general surgery residency. This will prepare you with the skills and training needed to move forward in a career that will allow you to help patients on a daily basis and make a difference within the community. Before this can happen, you’ll need to find, apply to and match with a residency program from one of the many well respected residency programs offered within the United States. Some steps that can help you to make this selection process much simpler are listed below.

General Surgery Residency Common Questions

Do I want to learn in an urban or rural location? This question remains relevant for your intended career after studying a well, as the location in which you learn can determine what type of location will be the best fit for you as a professional. Though the skills necessary are the same for both locations, you’ll come into contact with a wider patient variety and a larger number of clients in an urban area than in a rural one, and training will often reflect this.

Does my academic record have bearing on what programs I can apply to? The short answer is that no, this doesn’t impact the programs that you can apply to, but your academic history could impact the schools and programs that will accept you, especially if you’ve scored low marks or have come from a location that isn’t nationally ranked high. While your grades and your past will make a large decision about whether or not you get into a program of your choice, a lot of it has to do with your overall personality and ambitions, too.

More Unusual General Surgery Residency Questions

Will a fellowship be sought after completing a general surgery residency Washington DC? If this is the case, and you’ll be looking for a more focused surgery specialty, you should choose a program that offers one - or that is affiliated with locations that do. The amount of people that choose to complete fellowships before going into practice is increasing, as is the number of people applying for them… so things can get a little competitive.

How committed are you? When trying to select and narrow down choices for a residency, you should consider your level of commitment and desire to complete this type of program. This includes taking your own needs, your family’s needs and your capabilities into consideration before moving forward with your plans for residency. The majority of your time during this phase of your life will be spent working with a great deal of the remainder spent sleeping or studying… it’s a lot to handle for many people.

Preparing for an Internal Medicine Residency

Written By: Allison Zahorcak

If you're a third-year medical student with a specialty career in mind, you're likely looking forward to applying for your internal medicine residency. Though the path ahead is challenging, you know it's well-worth the work. As early as possible, you need to begin preparing your medical resume for the application process.  In addition to the ERAS, you will need to ask for recommendation letters and begin preparing your personal statement. The key to easing the stress that is coupled with finding a residency is to prepare for the process. Work closely with your administrative office and advisers.  The biggest mistake medical students make when preparing for residence is not taking the time to prepare. Medical schools across the country understand the importance of this career step and have a slew of procedures, assistance, and benchmarks laid out to ease this process.

Don't make it more stressful than it needs to be!  Use the resources you can and look for more if you need additional help.

What to Look for in an Internal Medicine Residency Program Baltimore

Like most things in life, not all programs are created equal.  This is especially true for those who already have a specialty in mind.  If you have your heart set on gastroenterology, it's important that your applications and pursuits reflect that desire.  Again, this comes back to work with your adviser during the ERAS application and resume building phases. But more than that... it's important to research the options and interviews that become available to you.  On one hand, you may be offered the perfect position but fail to meet standards during the interview process.  On the other hand, you may find that the facility you've been invited to doesn't meet your standards.  That's why it's very important to do your research (which you should be used to as a medical student).

No matter what specialty you have in mind, it's important to examine the standards and curriculum of the programs you're invited to interview for.  Your residency is a defining time in your life and the education you receive should be on a university level.

 

 

 

What Is a Cardiology Fellowship?

Written By: Allison Zahorcak

A cardiology fellowship trains student doctors to become cardiologists. Cardiologists protect and serve one of the body's most important organs: the heart. From disease prevention and diagnosis to working with patients to maintain their health with abnormalities and other permanent heart conditions, these passionate physicians undergo intensive training in order to prepare them for life as a cardiologist.

Training is often comprised of various modules and trials that educate student doctors in the various methods of prevention and treatment needed to address the complexity of the heart. During this time, students will study and shadow other doctors as well as spend time working directly with doctors and patients across many different departments in order to get an accurate perspective for the field of cardiology.  This training typically takes three years or more, depending on the course of study.  Students must apply to programs and undergo interviews in order to be placed within a cardiology program.  Talk to your medical school about the application process if you're interested in looking for fellowships in cardiology.

Who Should Apply for a Cardiology Fellowship DC?

If the cardiovascular system fascinates you, a cardiology fellowship Washington DC could be an amazing fit. Generally speaking, these programs last for about three years to become a general cardiologist.  If you wish to further your career to include general surgery or other specialties, you can expect to have a few more years of fellowship under your belt once you begin your cardiovascular disease fellowship Georgetown

Cardiology is an amazingly rewarding career. Not only do you get the opportunity to work with patients and better their heart health, you are able to save hundreds of lives by addresses cardiovascular issues before they begin to threaten patients. With heart disease on the rise, this field of medicine couldn't be more vital. In fact, cardiology has always been one of the first fields of medicine to stretch the limits of care and look for new and innovative ways to conquer heart failure and other life-threatening conditions.

To learn more about cardiovascular studies or to find a program in your area, visit ttp://www.medstarhealth.org/.

 

 

 

What Is an Emergency Medicine Residency?

Written By: Allison Zahorcak

An emergency medicine residency is a 3 year program that trains medical students to prepare for careers in emergency rooms, trauma centers, and other intensive care related treatment centers. These programs are designed to cover a wide variety of emergencies such as burn care, heart attack, and broken bones. However, there is no limit to what an emergency room doctor can see throughout their time. For this reason, doctors that practice within trauma centers find that they continue to learn throughout their career and are pushed to further their knowledge on a day to day basis.  It's safe to say you'll never have a boring day at the hospital.

What to Consider Before Applying for an EM Residency Washington DC

Emergency care is no walk in the park.  Not only does the emergency room test your skills and further your knowledge as a doctor every day, it's a competitive place that's not for those who like their personal time. If you cannot handle the schedule of an emergency room doctor, then applying for an emergency medicine residency Washington DC probably isn't the best choice for you.  It's important to take your time and imagine your life in that field of medicine.  A residency is the first step in your medical career and in many ways, defines the path of your study and research from there on out.

On the other hand, individuals with high-energy and a thirst to further their medical knowledge often blossom in emergency medicine. If the knowledge of the human body fascinates you and you're constantly looking for a new challenge, you will thrive in the intense environment of the trauma centers.

In addition to physical weight of the decision to apply, the application process takes time.  Once you begin to near your third year of medical school, it's time to start thinking about your residency.  From recommendation letters and med school reviews, the application process is stressful for many students. However, it's well worth the work!  You've done the work of medical school, now the time to take it a step further.

What Is a General Surgery Residency?

Written By: Allison Zahorcak 

A general surgery residency prepares students for the surgical specialty that cares for the abdominal organs. This includes hundreds of different surgeries such as procedures for cancer treatment, stomach, and intestinal issues, as well as trauma surgery.  Though the majority of a general medicine residency Georgetown is focused on abdominal procedures, it is not meant to suggest an absolute.  Surgeons who complete a general residency DC may find themselves treating a variety of wounds on various areas of the human body.

In fact, general surgeons have the option to work in the emergency room and/or specialize in on of the following areas.

(We borrowed this clever list from healthcommunities.com):

• cardiothoracic
• general surgery
• gynecologic oncology
• ophthalmic (eye)
• orthopaedic
• pediatric
• urology
• colon and rectal
• gynecology and obstetrics
• neurological
• oral and maxillofacial (jaws and face)
• otorhinolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat)
• plastic and maxillofacial
• vascular

Altogether, that's 14 different possible specializations and 14 different careers paths that can put you near the causes and care you feel truly passionate about. By the end of your residency, you will understand how to diagnose and lead preoperative, operative, and post-operation care for your patients.  Many consider surgery to be the epitome of medicine, as you are intimately trained in a variety of different subjects to ensure you can conduct the aforementioned tasks. At the very least, you will never have a boring day.

Career After General Surgery Residency DC

General surgeons are lucky.  They can enjoy quite an array of different careers.  From emergency rooms and trauma centers to specialization, surgeons who complete these programs choose their career largely on their personal interests.  Some enjoy the every surprise that is the emergency room, where others would like to delve into a deep field of study and create a name for themselves.  Whatever you preference, a general surgery residency Georgetown will prepare you for an exciting life as a surgeon.

Serving the DC area is a great privilege as well as an exciting opportunity to care for a very diverse demographic.  If you're interested in making surgery your everyday life, the next realistic step in your education is a general surgery residency DC.  To learn more about programs in your area, visit: http://www.medstarhealth.org/.

Family Medicine Residency Interview Strategies

Written By: Rachael Kaine

Preparing for a Family Medicine Residency Interview

The most important parts of your life aren’t always things that you can prepare for, but a residency program to conclude your medical school career is one of the ones that you can do your best to contemplate. There isn’t a way for you to go into it 110% prepared, but there are many things that you can do in order to give yourself the best possible chance for success. A family medicine residency program Baltimore will help to prepare you to give patients the best possible care throughout your career, but it all comes down to the interview.

When you’re getting ready to go to this interview, ensuring that you cover your bases is very important. This means making solid travel arrangements, planning your trips so that you are not overbooked or overwhelmed, and taking (or providing) all documents, information and requested materials. Even though the programs themselves cover the same types of skills, requirements may differ when it comes to grades, letters of recommendation, and personal information or resume status. The best way to make sure that you’ve got what you need is to consult with a program representative or visit the program’s website; an example of which can be found at http://www.medstarhealth.org/education/affiliated-hospitals-2/medstar-franklin-square-medical-center/family-medicine-residency/.

Things to Remember During a Family Medicine Residency Interview

After being called in for an interview, it is imperative that you don’t make any mistakes. This means being honest, not forgetting information, ensuring that you are professional and polite throughout the duration of the interview and simply making a case for your admission into the program. You should always feel free to take notes, and ask questions. Many people feel that they simply need to observe and respond when appropriate, but being involved and inquisitive will show your interest in what the program has to offer.

Not only do you have to be a good fit for the family medicine residency Baltimore program, but the program has to fit you, too. This is important because if you’re unhappy or feel like you’re not going to get the most out of your time in the residency, then maybe you should look elsewhere. The interview process is a time for the program members to find out a lot about you, but it’s also a good time to ask questions, observe everything and see what the other residents and even some of the patients will be like.

The years you spend in this program working hard and training to be the best are very important, and even though the interview may seem long and overwhelming, just take things as they come and try to stay positive and excited. After all, the best years of your medical career will begin soon after your family medicine residency program ends.

Why Do I Need a General Surgery Residency?

Written By: Rachael Kaine

Explaining a General Surgery Residency

After more than 10 years of medical school, more likely than not, you’re ready to get out there and work with patients on your own - at least in your own mind. Throughout your schooling, you’ve learned many things including how to work with others, how to interact with patients and what the signs and symptoms of specific conditions may be, but the residency is where you’ll put everything to the test and practice your skills on patients. For a general surgery residency, you’ll be given the opportunity to finish your studies under the guidance of senior residents, experienced medical professionals and a network of peers that will be able to answer questions when you have them, provide backup if you need it and even help to boost your confidence when the time comes. This surgery residency DC is not only mandated by law, but it is a necessary final step in your journey to becoming a general surgeon.

What to Expect During a General Surgery Residency

This multiple year program is offered by many facilities and organizations across the nation, and is designed to allow you to hone your skills while becoming more confident and capable with them. By the time you graduate, you’ll be legally allowed to practice on your own, and will hopefully have had more than enough hands on experience to feel capable of doing so. This type of program spans multiple years with a different focus throughout. Sometimes you’ll be working rotations in hospitals or clinics, others you’ll be studying current medical trends and information - you’ll even have the opportunity during your general surgery residency to focus on an area of your choice, which allows you to look further into an area that you’re interested in.

You will be busy, and you will at times feel overtired and stressed out, but in the long run, these feelings and experiences are worth it because of the benefits. You’ll become someone capable of saving lives and providing hope for the future, so what are a few sleepless nights? This time is meant to prepare you for a career in medicine, and if it was easy, everyone would do it. It takes a special set of skills and abilities to complete a general surgery residency Georgetown and begin your own career, why not make the most of it? From doctors, nurses and other surgeons to the patients themselves, everyone that you come into contact with will have something to teach you - utilize them!

Ways to Excel in an Internal Medicine Residency Interview

Written By: Rachael Kaine

Preparing for an Internal Medicine Residency

During the fourth and final year of medical school, many students focus on the future of their careers: beginning with the residency interview and ending with a final graduation and the ability to practice on their own. There are many different fields of medicine that students may choose to practice, but one of the most popular (and necessary!) is that of internal medicine or one of the many, many sub-specialty branches that can be pursued. After applications to residency programs are mailed out, students will play the waiting game before being contacted to schedule these interviews and get accepted into their internal medicine residency program of choice. This time period can be just as stressful as the waiting that was done before their acceptance into medical school, but the time can be used wisely to prepare for the forthcoming interviews.

Internal Medicine Residency Interview Tips

Be prepared. This means being ready for anything. Having transcripts and letters of recommendation are not the only things you need to take into an interview with you; your attitude and personal appearance will also play a large part in the process. You will become a direct reflection of the program after acceptance, so looking professional, having a good attitude and being open and honest are just as imperative as having good grades and a positive academic reputation.

The interview process is not only lengthy, but can be exhausting. This isn’t speaking about individual interviews, but more about all of the interviews that you will complete. The vast majority of students are not accepted into the first school that they interview with, so going through the process many times is just another thing that prospective residents must prepare for. Multiple interviews are common, and you’ll need to plan them out so that they don’t overlap and you have adequate time to prepare for each. Be prepared to visit many facilities and answer the same questions repeatedly. This is just a normal part of the matching process.

Be ready to ask questions of your own. These questions do not always have to be related to the internal medicine residency program Baltimore (or other location), but inquiring about the surrounding areas, the population and the things you can expect during your residential years are important, too. Not only do you need to match with the program itself, but choosing an area you will be comfortable and confident in is necessary at the same time.

The interview process is a formal occasion, but you should always be yourself. Your personality needs to fit in with those you’ll be working with, and while the interview isn’t the best time to ask about “silly” things, or to be casual, letting those you’d be working and studying with know who you are and what you expect will help them make a decision as to whether or not you’ll fit into the internal medicine residency program that they offer, and have the chance to flourish.

Completing a General Surgery Residency

Written By: Rachael Kaine

What Does a General Surgery Residency Cover?

In order to become a licensed and practicing surgeon, it is necessary to complete a general surgery residency, which will provide you with the knowledge and ability to diagnose, prepare, operate on, care for post-op and potentially manage any complications for patients. This residency is an opportunity to focus on understanding and embracing the physiology and anatomy of the human body, plus wound healing, intensive care and immunology, among other things. This type of program is the final step into obtaining the license to perform surgical procedures of many types, and a surgery residency DC is highly recommended by many different currently licensed professionals.

What to Expect from a General Surgery Residency

During a general surgery residency Georgetown, you’ll be prepared to deal with and contribute to many different medical situations. The entire program is created and run with the idea that every situation - from classes to procedures to patient interactions - is a learning experience for the residents, giving them a chance to improve their skills and abilities each moment that they are on campus or in a medical facility. This isn’t about simply producing surgeons with proven skills, but about creating confident leaders and reliable professionals with a great deal to give back to the medical community as well as the communities that they operate within.

The graduates of the general surgery residency Georgetown program are highly sought after in the medical field, partially due to the fact that the training is so extensive that many residents will have already completed work and procedures that are often designated for fellowship programs - meaning that graduates of this program are often capable of advanced diagnostic skills and procedural performance. Though this might seem daunting to those thinking of applying, this has the potential to cut back on additional learning time and trouble if the decision is made to pursue a fellowship either through the same organization or with a different one.

This is a highly competitive field, and the residency program only accepts five individuals each year, meaning that the groups will be small, with an emphasis placed on individual progress and learning. The ultimate goal is to train those who will be tasked with becoming the country’s future surgical leaders - in essence, producing graduates that other surgeons would feel comfortable allowing to perform procedures on their family and other loved ones. This level of trust and skill says a great deal about the general surgery residency program’s expectations, as well as the past success rate and participant quality.

Staying Focused During an Internal Medicine Residency

Written By: Rachael Kaine

Struggling Through Your Internal Medicine Residency?

Years of medical school should have prepared you for sleepless nights, heavy workloads and disgruntled or stubborn patients. Even though this is true, the time you spend in a residency is going to be unlike anything you’ve experienced before, as it is meant to be the final step before allowing you to practice on your own as a licensed medical professional. The stress, anxiety and desire to be done and free to practice are natural feelings, but there’s really nothing that can be done in order to make the time go by faster except to understand that your internal medicine residency will, in fact come to an end, leaving you with the experience and preparation that you need to be a successful medical practitioner.

Things to Remember During an Internal Medicine Residency

- Stay focused by allowing yourself some “me” time. This might sound like common sense, but many residents are consumed by the need to study and work so that they can stay ahead of their assignments, forgetting to take a necessary break. This break time can be something as simple as treating yourself to a nap in the middle of the day when possible, or taking yourself out for a nice meal - even buying yourself a small gift like a new pair of shoes or a coat that you’ve had your eye on. Appreciate the small things, and take some time to give yourself a breather in order to step away from your busy schedule.

- Make the most of your surroundings. Some people will be able to reset and recharge by giving themselves an hour or two a week to take in the city or area that their residency is located in. An internal medicine residency program Baltimore offers residents the chance to explore the coast, visit the nation’s capital and experience beautiful scenery and a plethora of different types of people. Since your residency program will take multiple years, becoming familiar and comfortable with your surroundings is a great way to relax and make the program feel less like a chore and more like actual life.

- It’s ok to ask questions; you’re never going to be truly on your own. During an internal medicine residency Baltimore, you’ll be given the opportunity to work on your own and make decisions,but there’s always going to be a senior resident or an actual hospital employee’s watchful eye on you. This gives you a chance to become confident in your skills, but at the same time, gives you a reference point if you need it. Asking questions is the only way to learn, and it’s better if you get clarification rather than make a mistake, which takes a great deal of pressure off of you.

Choosing a Cardiology Fellowship

Written By: Rachael Kaine

What is a Cardiology Fellowship?

The only difference between a cardiology fellowship and other fellowships is that cardiology focuses on the heart’s function within the body. Though many people think that a residency program is the final step in the medical school marathon, those who wish to continue on into a specialty field must complete a fellowship program after their residency. During this time spent in a fellowship, you’ll be acting as either an attending or consulting physician, but always under direct supervision. Treatments, appointments and, even in some cases, procedures will be performed, giving fellows more hands on experience in their specialty field, ensuring that they’re properly prepared to do the real thing without supervision once the fellowship has been completed. While this is truly the final step in becoming a cardiology specialist in a specific field of the profession, there are further learning possibilities if you choose to participate in them, as well as continued learning requirements that you must complete in order to stay on top of changes in the field, both in terms of knowledge and available options.

Why a Cardiology Fellowship?

Like with all fields of medicine, there are different specialty areas that can be focused on during a cardiology fellowship Georgetown. Each organization that offers a fellowship program places emphasis on different parts of the field, allowing participants to choose which areas they want to focus on. For a cardiology fellowship, many people choose to practice general cardiology, but there are other options like surgery, cardiovascular perfusion, transplant and anesthesia fellowships.

Each of these options give you a chance to choose your own path; the years of medical school before your fellowship will prepare you with all of the general skills you’ll need to become a successful medical professional, but the final years of the fellowship will solidify your skills and abilities. Cardiology is a respected and necessary field, and having as many qualified professionals as possible ready and willing to assist patients is absolutely necessary.

Cardiology fellowship DC programs are designed to give participants a chance to experience everything that they’ll have to deal with during their careers like lab work, hands on patient experiences, procedure completion, and patient consultation, just to name a few. These clinical rotations will take place over the course of just about two years, giving you ample time to become more comfortable with the procedures and practices you’ll be performing. The idea of this type of program is to provide you with all of the tools you’ll need to become the best you can be, providing quality and necessary health care to any patient that walks through the doors of your office, no matter what their condition or medical needs.

Advice for Emergency Medicine Residency Applicants

Written By: Rachael Kaine

Getting Into Emergency Medicine Residency Programs

The first step in completing an emergency medicine residency is finding out more about the programs that are offered at various facilities around the country. In order to do so, there are multiple places that you can look. Brochures, websites (http://www.medstarhealth.org/), visiting campuses - all of these are options, but one of the most useful is going online and finding reviews and experiences that have been shared by past participants on message boards, blogs and even in some cases medical professional networking sites. This will give you a better idea what you should prepare for before you begin your studies, and give you a chance to make as informed a decision as is possible.

After selecting the programs that you want to apply to, you should begin to get your application together. This includes getting a photograph taken to include with the packet, filling in all required information in an appropriate manner and writing a personal statement. This application is the first contact that you will have with your potential residency program, making it absolutely necessary to take a good amount of time ensuring that it is as perfect as it can be. With your application to an EM residency Washington DC, you’ll also need to include letters of recommendation from the faculty members that you have worked closely with in the past - an emphasis placed on using emergency medicine personnel if you have any.

Interviewing for an Emergency Medicine Residency Program

After you have chosen the programs and have been asked to interview with one or more of them, you’ll need to prepare for these first face to face encounters. Many people recommend scheduling the interview for the program that you’d like to get into the most last; this way, you’ll have the prior experience of interviewing out of the way and and be more prepared and comfortable with whatever it is that they will ask. This is useful, because despite interviewing in many different places, a lot of the questions will be similar, giving you time to carefully construct and think about your answers a little more each time they are asked.

Many applicants make a huge mistake and interview at too few locations. Not only does this limit the likelihood of getting into a program, but it also makes it more possible that you will make fewer initial connections. There is a huge difference between getting into a third or fourth choice program and not getting accepted at all, so that’s important to consider when thinking the application process through. This is an incredibly competitive field, so waiting a year and applying again is not always a viable option for an emergency medicine residency program Washington DC.

What is a Family Medicine Residency Like?

Written by: Rachael Kaine

Beginning a Family Medicine Residency

As it is the final step necessary in order to become a licensed medical practitioner, a family medicine residency will require you to choose this as a specialty area of focus. The residency programs involve learning various skills and abilities that will be necessary to treat people of all ages in an office environment for a variety of conditions. The time spent in a residency will include time spent actively working with and on patients as well as coming up with the best ways to interact with peers and superiors; it’s all about being well rounded and experienced. The first few weeks or months can be quite the adjustment period, but over time, you’ll settle into the perfect routine to get you through.

What You’ll Learn During a Family Medicine Residency

The most important thing to remember about this type of program is that for the most part, this field will simply treat an assortment of bodily conditions that can impact the lives of people throughout their life stages. Patients will range from children to the elderly, suffering from conditions as simple as an ear infection to things as complex as chronic and recurring pain. Not all family medicine practitioners will be required to do the same things as they practice, and much of the medical community is in agreement that this is a very regionally specific profession, and those practicing in Arkansas will be faced with different situations than a doctor in New York; it all depends on the surrounding population.

After Completing a Family Medicine Residency

A Franklin family medicine residency Baltimore will allow you the opportunity to choose the specifics of your practice, and focus on becoming the type of doctor you would like to be. As each family medicine doctor is slightly different in nature, this career is extremely flexible. Doctors can choose to work alone in a private practice or in a group setting, and even after that, there are many different choices to be made. This flexibility offers you the ability to model your practice as you see fit; outpatient or inpatient only, a mixture of both, working in an academic setting, treating military employees; the options are vast, and it’s up to you to pick the best one.

Your career is ultimately up to you, and it will be what you make of it. Though this field is not as exciting or unpredictable as that of an emergency medical doctor or a surgeon, it is just as fulfilling and necessary, and millions of people each year need the guidance, expertise and care of people like you that choose to complete a family medicine residency in order to follow their dream medical career path.

Preparing For A General Surgery Residency

Written by: Rachael Kaine

Deciding That You Want to Complete a General Surgery Residency

Before beginning (or even choosing!) a general surgery residency Washington DC, there are some things that you should carefully consider. A surgical career isn’t the right choice for everyone, but completing your first few years of medical school will certainly put you on the right path. Some things to think about include :

- Knowing that you appreciate working with a team
- Having the ability to work and think on your feet and without hesitation
- Enjoying the idea of taking on responsibility and problem solving
- Enjoying learning new skills, gaining new abilities and feeling confident about the choices and decisions that you made for your patients

Though this isn’t an extensive list, it’s one that may convince you to take the next steps and begin a general surgery residency in the nation’s capital.

Finding the Right General Surgery Residency For You

While most general surgery residency programs operate on the same ideas, not all of them are exactly the same. In order to find and choose one that will resonate and agree with you personally, you’ll need to do some research. This means looking into what each program offers and expects, comparing lengths of time spent in specific rotations and areas, and figuring out what type of environment you’d like to work in. Larger cities like Washington DC offer residents the chance to work in a variety of facilities with a huge number of different patients, making it possible to experience many different procedures and patient stories in a short period of time.

Being a surgeon is a huge deal. Not only do you get to physically help people overcome health obstacles within their lives, you’ll get to see the outcomes. This means that there is a need for people of all types that are willing and able to complete the training to become licensed and skilled surgeons across the country. Your experiences during a surgery residency Georgetown will prepare you for a long and enriching career working with patients and learning from peers, and it can be learned about by visiting http://www.medstarhealth.org/education/affiliated-hospitals-2/medstar-washington-hospital-center/general-surgery-residency/.

Surgeons may always seem busy, but the truth is that this specialty area is no more demanding than others; after completing a residency and obtaining your medical license, you will have the ability to find (or create) a position that will allow you to work exactly as you wish - and for as long as you want.

Adrain Kantrowitz: Cardiology Fellowship Graduate

Written by: Sharon Cretsinger

Cardiology has to be one of the most difficult and sought after specialties within the field of medicine.  Individuals who have completed medical school and other prescribed academic and professional requirements may go on to a program such as the cardiovascular disease fellowship Georgetown as an entrance to this specialty.  Some physicians even go on to become very famous after completing a cardiology fellowship.

Pediatric Cardiology

Dr. Adrian Kantrowitz was a physician and surgeon who became very well known for his work in pediatric cardiology.  Perhaps the defining event of his career was performing the first pediatric heart transplant ever, in 1967.  It was the second ever heart transplant in the world.  In addition to having performed this groundbreaking surgery, he also invented a medical device called the intra-aortic balloon pump.  This invention would serve as the basis for the development of the modern pacemaker which is so important to the wellness of so many heart patients today.

Dr. Kantrowitz was born in New York City in 1918 and was interested in medicine from early childhood, perhaps owing to the fact that his father was also a doctor.  He graduated from the Long Island College of Medicine in 1943, successfully completing an accelerated program intended to alleviate the shortage of doctors available to serve in World War II.

During the war, Dr. Kantrowitz was a surgeon in Europe and Japan.  Upon returning to the United States, he pursued surgical training at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York.  Much of his career throughout the 1950's and 1960's centered around research intended to assist in the design of bioelectronic devices.  He implanted the first artificial pacemaker in a patient in 1961.

Dr. Kantrowitz was instrumental in pioneering heart transplants for surgeons all over the world.  His work has saved countless lives; and, he subsequently received many well-deserved awards, honors and academic appointments.  Doctors who may be interested in following him into the field of cardiology will have to complete a cardiovascular fellowship Washington DC or elsewhere http://www.medstarhealth.org/.

Internal Medicine Residency Specialties

Written by: Sara Loch

After graduating medical school, a doctor’s training continues with a residency.  Residents get hands-on training, often caring for their own patients under the direct supervision of a board-certified doctor.  Different types of residencies prepare participants for different medical specializations.  Those who would like to focus on treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of adult diseases will often do an internal medicine residency.  This can help to prepare residents to become general practitioners, or they can choose an internal medicine subspecialty.  Internal medicine residency Baltimore subspecialties include cardiology, gastroenterology, dermatology, and endocrinology.  

You can learn about applying for an internal medicine residency program Baltimore at http://medstarhealth.org/education/affiliated-hospitals-2/medstar-union-memorial-hospital/internal-medicine-residency.

Common internal medicine residency Baltimore sub-specialties

Cardiology is defined as the branch of medicine that deals with diseases and abnormalities of the heart.  This encompasses a broad spectrum of conditions, and cardiologists require further, specialized training after their internal medicine residency Baltimore.  Heart disease is one of our country’s most serious health problems, and according to the American Heart Association, is the leading cause of death.  Those who specialize in cardiology will spend their internal medicine residency Baltimore and other training learning not only how to treat heart disease, but also how to help prevent it.

Gastroenterology specializes in the gastrointestinal tract and liver.  The gastrointestinal tract is responsible for digestion, absorbing nutrients, and expelling waste.  Those who specialize in gastroenterology after their internal medicine residency program Baltimore will have to be expertly familiar with many organs, including: the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and every structure between the mouth and the anus.

Dermatology is the study of skin conditions and diseases.  Your skin is your largest organ, and because it is exposed to the environment it is vulnerable to growths, rashes, cysts, burns, injuries, infections, and other disorders.  A dermatologist might choose to start with an internal medicine residency Baltimore, but they will also need intensive residency training in dermatology.

An endocrinologist specializes in the treatment of hormonal conditions.  Your body uses hormones to control metabolism, energy levels, reproduction, growth, development, and response to injury and stress.  In medical practice, endocrinology is often linked with the study of diabetes and metabolism, or with the study of reproductive medicine and infertility.