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.

What Shouldn’t I Do During an Internal Medicine Residency?

Written By: Rachael Kaine

Many people that choose to complete an internal medicine residency do so in a totally new area, meaning that they are essentially starting over. This means moving away from family, friends and the life that they’ve known previously. Starting an extensive program like this in a new city can be overwhelming, which causes some people to make decisions quickly, but there are a few things that you should avoid during a residency program so that you may focus your attention where it belongs - on your future career.

Common Mistakes to Avoid During an Internal Medicine Residency

- Do not avoid or put off work duties. This includes everything from studying to paying attention to what you see and hear in the hospitals and clinics from your superiors. These things are important for you to carry into your future, and time spent pushing things to the side or ignoring them can mean a lot of catch up later.

- Don’t make huge life decisions during a residency, as this can add to the stress and feelings of being overwhelmed you feel. While it is possible to maintain serious relationships during an internal medicine residency, it is usually not a good idea to plan a wedding or have a baby during this time.

- Always remember to take care of yourself. You’ll be working for anywhere from 12 to 16 hours a day some days, so proper nutrition and getting as much rest as possible can help to ensure that you’re as alert and aware as you can be. Getting sick or being overtired all of the time won’t help you any.

Ways to Make an Internal Medicine Residency Simple

An internal medicine residency requires you to be sharp and alert at all times, but this takes practice. During the years spent learning from senior residents, hospital staff members and your colleagues and classmates, you’ll pick up many different techniques and ideas that will help you out as you grow and develop your skills.

Internal medicine is all about learning to treat the different ailments and conditions that impact the daily lives of adults, but this can only be done with a clear head and an open mind. While it may seem like a never ending cycle of classes, patients, information and meetings, a residency is the most important few years of your life, and you need to make the most of it. This will ensure that you’re able to help people in the exact ways that they need, time and time again. Take a deep breath, eat a good breakfast and go into each day with a clear head and an open mind.

Getting Through An Internal Medicine Residency

Written By: Rachael Kaine

Depression During an Internal Medicine Residency

The time spent completing an internal medicine residency Baltimore can seem endless, which often will result in you feeling a lot of different emotions. Some days will be good days, others will be great... and some will be downright awful. The awful days might make you feel as if you made the wrong decision or chose the incorrect field, but these feelings will pass as long as you’re able to adequately deal with them. Depression during the residency years is a common occurrence; it just takes some time to learn how to handle it.

Talking about things can help a great deal. Chances are that you’re not the only person that is having these feelings, and a lot of times, letting other people know that you’re suffering can be enough to get you out of a rut and turn your feelings around. Take some time for yourself. This can be anything from getting out to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air to simply stopping to ensure that you’re eating right and sleeping as much as possible. These simple changes can give you a new perspective on your situation, and allow you to refocus and evaluate your priorities. Never, ever be afraid to ask for help. The medical field is about helping others, but you cannot do that without first helping yourself.

Internal Medicine Residency Stress

Like depression, stress can often sneak up on medical residents during the worst times. Maybe you’re overloaded with work, missing having a life, and off of a normal sleep or eating schedule. These are typical stress factors, especially for those completing an internal medicine residency, where people will be watching your every move and evaluating you to make sure that you’re doing what you need to be doing.

Getting through this stress is essential for success, but it might seem hard to think about what comes next when you’re up to your ears in patients, work, and everyday life. A few things that can be done in order to combat stress during your residency include not taking things personally, ensuring that you have some downtime for yourself each day, and learning to appreciate the small things.

It is normal for residents to be reprimanded and pulled aside by their seniors, but this isn’t meant to dishearten you - instead, this is an opportunity for you to learn; they are simply trying to help. Even 30 to 45 minutes each day spent doing something you enjoy like reading, listening to music or sitting outdoors can help to reduce stress, and it can give you a chance to take everything in. The stress you may feel, much like depression and the residency itself are only temporary.

General Surgery Residency: What to Expect

Written By: Sharon Cretsinger

All medical residencies tend to be rigorous and possibly exhausting.  This is usually not a surprise, or a much a deterrent, for individuals who have already completed college and medical school.   General surgery residency DC may vary a bit between facilities, but there are some aspects of general surgery residency that are fairly consistent across programs.

A Typical Day in General Surgery Residency DC

General surgeons invariably put in very long days at the hospitals where they practice.  The same is true of individuals completing a Georgetown surgery residency.  A typical day may start as early as 5:30 am.  Residents will accompany mentoring physicians on morning rounds each day, which means seeing patients who are scheduled for surgery, or who are post surgery.  It is important for general surgical residents to learn how to appropriately prepare patients for surgery, and how to notice possible issues in follow-up visits.

Residents will spend some time observing actual surgeries when they are scheduled.  Mentoring physicians will explain the surgical procedures to the residents as they are performed.  This is, of course, a very important part of any surgery residency Georgetown.

Other activities that may take up the resident's day include various conferences that explore the procedures and related issues for specific kinds of surgery.  There may be surgery clinics, other conferences on topics like emergency room or trauma surgery, and meetings with mentoring physicians or hospital administrators.  General surgeons have to be well-informed on new and developing procedures and standards of care.

In the late afternoon, around 4:30 pm, residents can expect to begin evening rounds.  This means that all of the surgical patients assigned to a mentor physician's caseload will need to be seen again for pre- or post- surgery evaluation.  These rounds will carry on until each patient has been seen and any issues with their care have been addressed.  Taking this into consideration, it is easy to see how an individual participating in a surgery residency DC could put in a twelve to fourteen hour day.

Internal Medicine Residency Options

Written By: Rachael Kaine

The Completion of an Internal Medicine Residency

This field of medicine focuses on the diagnosis, treatment and care of adult patients that are experiencing a variety of conditions that start with basic health issues to complex and serious illnesses. Often, those who complete an internal medicine residency are referred to as a “doctor’s doctor”, because they are able to help other types of doctors figure out what is wrong based on signs, symptoms and test results. Everything from simple allergies and reactions to chronic illnesses and diseases can be seen and assessed by an internist. From common to rare, the most puzzling problems and situations can be taken to someone that has completed a Georgetown internal medicine residency and solved.

Careers After Completing an Internal Medicine Residency

Though there are many different career specialty paths that internists can follow, three of the most common and most necessary include hematology, allergy and immunology and pulmonary disease careers. Many of the internists that practice a specialty area divide their practices, focusing sometimes on the specialty area and other times on general internal medicine practice to serve the largest number of people possible.

Hematology: This specialty field focuses on patients that have blood, bone marrow and lymphatic system disorders. Conditions like anemias, congenital disorders and acquired disorders like coagulation and thrombosis as well as hematological malignancies are also the focus of this area of medicine.

Allergy and Immunology: For disorders related to the immune system, this is the type of specialist that should be consulted. While most internists see only adult patients, allergists can treat patients of all ages for conditions that are common as well as rare. Things like conjunctivitis, respiratory tract conditions like asthma, occupational lung diseases and even sinusitis are all capable of being diagnosed and treated. Adverse reactions to foods, drugs, stinging insects, abnormalities of the immune system and even skin related allergic conditions and reactions are all the focus of this type of doctor.

Pulmonary Disease: When it comes to focusing on, diagnosing and treating conditions that impact the respiratory system, specialists of this nature can be called upon to provide assistance. Pulmonologists are often used to treat and manage the more difficult and complicated conditions that general internal medicine residency graduates cannot figure out. The expertise that pulmonologists have can be an asset to the medical community because it means the difference between recognizing a common ailment and knowing how to treat one less common or prevalent.