The Short Coat Podcast

The MD isn't the only degree offered by many medical schools. For those who get excited about data, research, and advancing medical knowledge, you can add a Doctor of Philosophy degree. Of course, there are those who get their PhD separately from their Medicinae Doctor. Others get their PhDs from combined degree programs, including Medical Scientist Training Programs (MSTP). Aline Sandouk and Jayden Bowen took on the topic with a number of first-year MSTP students--why is an MD/PhD something you should consider? Join them and Ossama Abu-Halawa, Hassan Ahamed, Akansha Jain, Madi Mix, Nate Mullin, Miranda Schene, Hannah Van Ert, and Qi Wang as they reveal reasons you might want to consider this sort of combined degree and the types of programs to choose from. What questions do you have about MSTP or MD/PhD programs? Call us at 347-SHORTCT anytime, visit our Facebook group, or email theshortcoats@gmail.com. Do all three! The post Bonus Episode! Why You Might Want an MD/PhD appeared first on The Short Coat

This week, listener Jen sent us an article from JAMA in which the author bemoans his tendency to let the electronic health record (coupled with his data-entry difficulties) dominate his attention at the expense of his ability to really see and empathize with his patients. The cost: missing clues that indicate a patient's progressive decline and family dynamics that contribute to the condition. Meanwhile, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend find themselves chewing on sleeping pill side effects, causing us to wonder--why is Ambien still on the market, unless it's to create really great slam poetry? And we practice our teamwork in a mobile game called SpaceTeam, proving perhaps that not all such games make for good podcast fodder--you decide, but don't @ us, we already know the answer. Will we see a shift in the standard of care for appendicitis, now that a Finnish study has backed up the mounting evidence that it can often successfully without surgery? And a study on the high costs of poor healthcare around the w

In most of India, palliative care--a medical specialty focused on improving the quality of life of people with life-limiting or disabling diseases--is available to only 1% of people who need it. But in Kerala, one organization is making lots of headway in promoting this vital specialty. In this episode, Pallium India's founder, chairman, and 2018 Nobel Peace Prize nominee Dr. MR Rajagopal visited the University of Iowa College of Medicine to talk about their efforts to introduce to Indian providers a new way of thinking about pain and other symptoms by providing emotional, social and spiritual support. As you might expect from such a practitioner, Dr. Rajagopal is an extraordinarily thoughtful man with a kind, quiet voice that belies what must be an extraordinary force of will needed to accomplish his goals. Tony Rosenberg, Ellie Ginn, Rachel Schenkel, and Jayden Bowen discussed how he began his journey, what his fellow Indian providers made of these ideas, and what his hopes are for the future of palliati

Fifi Trixiebell (not her real name) wrote to theshortcoats@gmail.com asking us to discuss what medical students learn about nutrition, and whether they think the keto diet is just another fad. Luckily, Madeline Slater, Emma Barr, Kyle Kinder, and newbie Sam Palmer--M1s all--just had a unit on nutrition so that's an easy one. But Fifi Trixiebell had written in before, a message which--despite his policy of answering every listener question--Dave had passed over. Why did he ignore it? He's not sure; it was a while back, but it may have triggered him. We also discuss an article from HuffPo about the "unique and persistent trauma" doctors visit upon their obese patients. Plus, with the announcement of the 2018 Ig Nobel Prizes, we cover the weird winners in medicine; and Dave puts his co-hosts to the test on their knowledge of past winners. Sure, when a person is stressed out, the cortisol and adrenaline circulating in the blood mediate the body's responses, but what about mitochondrial DNA? Have you ever h

Listener Hannah wrote in after shadowing physicians, noting that many of the morbidly obese patients she observed resisted their doctors' advice to lose weight. Is there any hope that doctors can treat this intractable illness when patients don't "want" to do the work? Aline Sandouk, Claire Casteneda, Ali Hassan and Kylie Miller offer their views and what they've learned so far about treating this difficult disease. Also, in Dave's constant quest to 'contribute' to his co-hosts clinical skills, we visit the saddest place on the Internet, Yahoo! Answers, so they can practice their patient education techniques. Congratulations, Sperm Donor #2757! You're the father of 45 girls and boys between the ages of 1 to 21 years old, and your generosity has made things very weird! And we discuss yet another questionable beauty practice, the vampire facial, which OH COME ON NOW, HOW CAN THIS BE REAL? What are your views on the obesity epidemic...is it hopeless? Call us at 347-SHORTCT anytime, visit our Facebook group,

Aline Sandouk, Jayden Bowen, Aditi Patel, and newbie Madeline Slater are on hand to answer listener questions, such as J's query about the utility of post-bacc programs for med school applicants, and Chelsea's question about the use of primary literature in medical school curricula. We also discuss how membership in Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society boosts residency applicants' competitiveness, and what some schools are doing to ensure they don't leave out minorities underrepresented in medicine. Plus, have you considered acquiring a medicine bag of polished stones from everyone's favorite MD, Gwyneth Paltrow? With the news that her company GOOP has settled a lawsuit in several states alleging some of their products make questionable health claims, we explore some of the items promoted at their recent convention. Hospitals are tired of shortages of vital medicines, so some are banding together to make them by forming their own non-profit drug company. Do you know anyone who uses GOOP products? Call

Activia (not her actual name, though it probably should be. Feel free to take that name, anonymous caller) emailed us at theshorcoats@gmail.com to ask whether she should retake her physics classes (which she took while coping with other unfortunate life-related stuff) or concentrate on getting great grades in other courses. In addition, she wanted to know if admissions committees REALLY take into account extenuating circumstances? Well, you're in luck, Activia! We've got answers from non-traditional first-year students Kyle Kinder, Nick Lind, and Emma Barr; and our friendly admissions staff Dan and Amy chime in, too. We also play a game of Psych! while Dave tries to use their performance to make judgements about their personalities. Can he do it? No he can't, though he notes with concern Kyle's suspicious ideas about male anatomical structures and function. Too late, Admissions, you said yes! Facebook has become known as a place where you can find any number of suspicious ideas, but it seems ready to

On today's show, we'll answer a question from listener Victoria about having a feeding tube during med school interviews--should she worry that it will make her look weak and infirm, and thus not a good applicant for med school? Aline Sandouk, Mark Moubarek, Jayden Bowen, Marissa Evers and Gabe Conley tell her why she should OWN it by not being the first to mention it! Go Victoria! Meanwhile, Mark discusses what he did to overcome his sadness in the past year after his wife moved to pursue her own medical education in California while he finishes up at CCOM, and what he's learned by adopting his new unconventional lifestyle. Go Mark! A CNN story about an alleged "medical kidnapping" of an 18-year-old brain aneurysm patient shocked many, but it turns out the story wasn't as simple as the article made it appear. And reaction to New York University's plan to make tuition absolutely free to all medical students forever took the med ed world by storm...but some aren't buying that it will have the ostensible c

Our visit with pre-health students in the Carver College of Medicine's Summer Health Professions Education Program continues as co-host Teneme Konne talks with SHPEPers Asjah Coleman, Kirsten Grismer, Ahone Koge and Margaret Mungai. Before the show, Teneme also visited with two of Iowa City's homeless population, and gained some insight into their lives as well as the reasons they are living on the streets. Plus, we play a game of Mafia, SCP style. Will the hospital administrator, the attending, or the resident escape death? And who is the mystery disease that threatens them all? Dun, dun, duuuunnnn. Also, we discuss LGBTQ+ health disparities, and a review of the evidence that criminalizing drug use has negative effects on efforts to prevent the spread of HIV and other illnesses. Were you lucky enough to take advantage of a SHPEP program, or are you looking forward to participating in the future? Call us at 347-SHORTCT anytime, visit our Facebook group, or email theshortcoats@gmail.com. The post A Crucial

The Summer Health Professions Education Program, SHPEP, has become a summer tradition at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. Students from around the country participate in SHPEP’s goal: "to strengthen the academic proficiency and career development of students underrepresented in the health professions and prepare them for a successful application and matriculation to health professions schools." Iowa program's SHPEPers Hailey Phillips, Hiancha Pinho, and Meranda Pham join co-host Teneme Konne to discuss the program, what it accomplishes for them, and how mentorship -- examples of success in healthcare -- are crucial for those who are underrepresented in medicine. Are you underrepresented in medicine? Who is your mentor? What barriers have you faced and/or overcome? Call us at 347-SHORTCT anytime, visit our Facebook group, or email theshortcoats@gmail.com. The post SHPEP: A Crucial Healthcare Professions Pipeline appeared first on The Short Coat Podcast.

Executive Producer Jason has kindly let Dave go on vacation, so Aline Sandouk takes over the hot seat, with Irisa Mahaparn, Hillary O'Brien, Elizabeth Shirazi, and Jayden Bowen. Together they unravel the mysteries of the human body and med school. For instance, why do med students feel guilty about having to take time off to deal with their bed bug infestations? And what would having many normal or two overly large testicles do to fertility? Such brilliant questions!!! Does Amazon's Jeff Bezos have Toxoplasmosis? Our lawyers say definitely not, but toxo does have a link with risky behaviors, and business people can win big by taking risks. So, naturally, a new study looks at how likely students with toxo are to be business majors. Also, the mental health consequences of sucking up to your boss, and one woman's warning that her child's Hot Cheetos habit led to her losing her gallbladder. So, what's up with you? Call us at 347-SHORTCT anytime, visit our Facebook group, or email theshortcoats@gmail.co

While Dave and the crew try a recipe from the Med School Success Cookbook, they consider listener Imari's question: how much did co-hosts Aline Sandouk, Eric Schnieders, Gabe Conley, and Irisa Mahaparn think about finances when choosing a medical school? While it's important to know what your financial standing will be when you graduate, including your loans and how they're affected by scholarships and living situation, we think there are more important things to think about. And Maggie has noticed many med schools have co-ed fraternities and wants our thoughts on their benefits for students. Happy to help explore this interesting and fun possibility for lowering costs, sharing responsibilities, and joining a new med school fam, Maggie! Now that the Large Hadron Collider has finished tearing a hole in the universe, researchers are using the technology in its subatomic particle detectors to create 3D color x-rays. And CRISPR-Cas9 has proved to be an excellent tool for editing genomes...and also tearing the

'tis the season to be applying to medical school. Which is why we got so many listener questions to address on this episode (thank you!) Listener Magnus wanted suggestions for how to prepare for MMI and regular admissions interviews, so we invited our resident experts, Amy A'Hearn (from CCOM med student admissions) and Tom O'Shea (from CCOM physician assistant admissions, for his experience with MMI interviews) to help out. They, along with Aline Sandouk, Jayden Bowen, Marc Moubarek and new co-host Shakoora Sabree, also answered questions from listeners Cameron and Sarah about whether opening up about personal/political views and sexual orientation is okay on applications and in interviews. And listener Jake wanted to know how med students learn to cope with death. Do you have something to add to the discussion, or a question we can answer? Call us at 347-SHORTCT anytime, visit our Facebook group, or email theshortcoats@gmail.com! The post Interview Prep, Opening Up, and Death. appeared first on The Shor

Listener Amari returns to ask Aline Sandouk, Jayden Bowen, Tony Rosenberg, and Mark Moubarek--what do they think of med school YouTubers? Is it advisable to broadcast your life during med school in an age when everything you do online has a permanent risk associated with it? Of course, there are some recommendations for residency program directors in searching social media for candidates' info. Next up, Jordan is looking for advice on great pre-med activities that will teach him as well as look great on his application. And Richard is both shy and working in a lab, and he's worried that it will be difficult for him to make connections with doctors for things like shadowing. Have you ever regretted your social media footprint professionally? What pre-med activities would you recommend to Jordan? How can Richard break out of his shell? Call us at 347-SHORTCT anytime, visit our Facebook group, or email theshortcoats@gmail.com. Do all three! The post Med School Youtubers, Pre-Med Experiences, and Overcoming

Listener Hanna wrote in to ask an important question: is it better to apply this year despite possibly ending up in the second tier of applicants due to a late MCAT score, or should she just wait until next year? Good question, Hannah! Aline Sandouk, Irisa Mahaparn, Tony Rosenberg, and admissions counselor Dan Schnall (in absentia) have the answer. Another listener, Amari (and we hope we've spelled that right), phoned in to the Short Coats Hotline to find out if there is a medical school equivalent to the infamous Freshman 15 many undergrads suffer through, and if so, what she could do about it when she starts her journey in medical education. Med students aren't, in general, known for being good liars; they tend to be a pretty ethical bunch. But perhaps they suspend their morality enough to fool each other with lies about their time in medical school. We'll see about that, as they play Two Truths and a Lie. Researchers discover what might be a vaccine to treat diabetes...and it's already in use around

How can you brag about yourself without bragging about yourself? We are taught from a young age (most of us, anyway) not to brag. It is better, we may sometimes be told, to show confidence. Listener Rachel wrote in with a question about the secondary application: how does one confidently talk themselves up without coming across as a braggart? Lucky for Rachel, we have Daniel Schnall from our Admissions staff, on hand to help Mark Moubarek, Kylie Miller, Aline Sandouk, and Gabe Conley with some great advice about how to sell yourself on your application and also back it up. Don't want to look like a chump? Dan has your answer, Rachel. Plus, Kylie wants to feed the (med student) world, and the group plays Doctor Forehead. Do you know the terms and concepts Dave found in the news last week, and why they were even being talked about? Meanwhile, everyone knows ortho residents don't get enough exercise. Skinny, pale, weak, they're practically collapsing under the weight of their own skin. Which is why we'

We love when listeners get in touch, which is why Dave was glad to hear from Adil who, after listening to our discussion of the new national Right-To-Try legislation, sent us a paper he wrote on the subject the year before. It really helped clear some things up that we weren't sure of. Like the fact that it doesn't actually do anything to help patients get faster access to experimental drugs, has a kind of informed consent problem, allows patients to further conflate research with therapy, and more. And with thousands of new medical students poised to matriculate this fall, Dave and co-hosts Aline Sandouk, Kylie Miller, and Amy Hanson try out a new awkward icebreaker activity to see if it has some utility for new student orientations. The Trump administration walks back their recent decision to claw back money earmarked for fighting epidemics around the world. Back home, St. Louis University opens an influenza hotel. And the function of REM sleep finally revealed...maybe. The post Hotel Influenza, Confirm

Steve Sosebee is the president and CEO of the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. He’s married to Dr. Zeena Salman, a pediatric oncologist working with the PCRF. For 25 years, PCRF has been leading medical missions to help children in the Middle East, helping children get medical treatment abroad, and delivering humanitarian aid. Their recent visit to the Carver College of Medicine gave Short Coats Reem Khodor, Ethan Craig, and Nico Dimenstein a chance to sit down with them to discuss the challenges and realities of working to provide healthcare within the confines of an occupied territory. The post Healthcare In Occupied Palestine: The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund appeared first on The Short Coat Podcast.

Listener Meghan is about to start med school in the fall, and is thinking about what sort of regular habits medical students like Aline Sandouk, Tony Rosenberg, and new co-host Jayden Bowen use to keep them on track. Not only do we look at some routines they use (and debate whether they're even helpful), but we also have a suggested routine for the new student. And Dave, who's begun writing dean's letters (or 'Medical Student Performance Evaluations') for students who will be looking for jobs this year, has some sobering news for his co-hosts: they are, themselves, already writing them. Dave thinks most first-year medical students have never heard of this important document, nor do they know what will be in it...and how it could help or hinder their efforts to land that plum residency. Dermatologists are less accurate in diagnosing melanomas than the stupidest artificial intelligence...but don't cancel your derm dreams yet. Meanwhile, patients get the 'right to try' from the Trump administration...but is a

Irisa Mahaparn, Tony Rosenberg, Aline Sandouk, and Rachel Schenkel--a crew of rising M3s and an MD/PhD candidate--were on hand this time to help answer some listener questions. Arman writes in to give us his method for combating test anxiety, and Jen wants to know what med students learn about physicians' bias against obese patients. Plus, our Short Coat Podcast keyfob giveaway is still kicking--listen to find out how to get one of your very own for free. But first, Irisa has strong feels about her local community supported agriculture subscription, so she made us some snacks. Most of them were delicious. One of them was...well, surprising is a word for that one, given Dave's reaction. Dave learned this week about one company that says cockroach milk is a superfood. Do you want free advice from people who've been there? Leave a message at 347-SHORTCT, visit our Facebook group, or email theshortcoats@gmail.com! The post Another Test Anxiety Killer, Physician Bias, and Suspicious Meat appeared first on The