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.