Alyssa M.’s Post

Recently, someone who will be a first year #medicalstudent this fall reached out to me and wants to chat about medical school and beyond. This got me thinking about what I would have told myself (or others) almost 35 years ago when I was starting #medicalschool. I came up with 5 general bits of advice for this person and those about to tackle this challenge: 1) Get organized. Academically and in your life in general. Keep things and plans in place to help you be efficient. 2) Keep up. Do the work. Prepare and read ahead of time, and review often. Don't get behind. I would say that medical school can be 'hard', but mostly it is the sheer volume of knowledge to learn that can make it difficult. Especially the first two years. 3) Make connections. You will be surrounded by smart classmates and professors. You will make lifelong friends. Possibly a life partner. Invest in this. 4) Pay attention to your mental and physical health. By following numbers 1 and 2 above, you will have time to eat right, get proper sleep, and be physically active often. 5) A more practical one. If you know you have an interest in a particular area of #medicine, seek out the other students, #residents, and #faculty physicians in this specialty. Take the time to genuinely and humbly meet the faculty, go to grand rounds, shadow early, and look into the research that is going on in that area. You may be able to work with them during your first summer (and beyond) as well. These connections will be valuable as you assess your interests during these next 4 years and as you start to apply for #residency. Hopefully other #physicians and #surgeons in my network can add to these. #advice #lifehacks #neurosurgery #neurosurgeon #healthcare #intern #internship

Hey Opto Champs, The healthcare world is moving at warp speed 🌍, and guess what? You’re right at the center of it! As Optometry interns, you’re stepping into a field that’s transforming lives with tech, innovation, and passion. Let’s dive into what’s hot and how you can own your future 🚀✨. 🔹 Game-Changing Careers: Optometry is no longer just about glasses and contacts—it’s about rocking AI-driven diagnostics, exploring tele-optometry, and creating solutions that change the game. You’re not just interns; you’re future visionaries (pun intended)! 🔥👓 🔹 Future of Vision Care: AI and automation are making waves in healthcare, and optometry is riding that wave like a pro surfer 🏄♀️. Think AI-powered screenings, smart data insights, and virtual consultations. The key? Stay ahead of the curve and let tech be your bestie. 🤖💡 🔹 Knowledge = Power: This internship is your launchpad. Dive deep into clinical practice, soak up every bit of knowledge, and don’t hesitate to ask questions. These experiences are like rare Pokémon—you’ve got to catch ‘em all! 🎓🎯 🔹 Build Your Path: Your journey is YOURS. Want to specialize in pediatric vision care? Crush it in AI-powered diagnostics? Or maybe even lead the next-gen optometry movement? The possibilities are endless, and the power is in your hands. 🌟👊 Remember, the future of optometry isn’t just bright—it’s blindingly brilliant, and YOU are the ones making it happen. So, stay curious, stay bold, and keep pushing boundaries. Let’s make vision care cooler, smarter, and better for everyone! 💥🔥 Catch you on the path to greatness, Venkataramanan Ramasethu 16th November 2024 #OptoRising #FutureIsNow #VisionariesInTheMaking 💡👓🚀

To all the ongoing bachelor students, I completely understand the eagerness to start clinical practice as early as your second year. Many of you burn your vehicle’s petrol or catch a ride with little or no concept of what exactly is happening at the clinic, driven by an enthusiasm to be in the field and gain experience. However, it might be more beneficial to focus on your studies during your initial years—invest in understanding anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, and other foundational subjects. Consider reserving your clinical practice for the fourth year or your internship. Additionally, when you work tirelessly for 4-5 hours at a clinic (driven by a desire to learn), it can sometimes reduce the need for proper staff (from the clinic's perspective). This can result in lower wages for everyone, including yourselves. Also, be mindful of the camps you attend. While they may seem like great additions to your resume, they hold significant value only if they are state-accredited or national-level. Many renowned personalities won't share this with you because they benefit from your participation. So, take your time to build a solid foundation. Spend time in your hospital's operations and learn everything you need to. Your future self will thank you. For my LinkedIn community: How are the conditions in your state or country regarding this? If the situation is different, what steps did the higher authorities take to address these issues? #MedicalStudents #FutureHealthcare #ClinicalPractice #Education #MedicalTraining #ProfessionalGrowth

Journal Club Reflections: Yesterday, I attended a journal club where I had the opportunity to discuss with experts in the physical therapy world. It was inspiring to hear conversations with like-minded individuals. The topic of discussion was *Emergency Department Physical Therapist Services: A Study Examining Physician Perceptions*. This article left a profound impression on me, highlighting how such research impacts our profession and helps shape perceptions about our role. One key takeaway from the discussions was understanding how the role of a physical therapist varies significantly depending on the workplace. This reminded me of an incident during my internship. I am sharing this with you all now. In one private hospital, a physician once asked my senior physiotherapist why we, as physiotherapist interns, were present in the ICU. However, in another multispecialty hospital in the same city, physiotherapists were respected and valued for their role in ICU and emergency care. This stark contrast in perception among physicians reflects the need for more awareness and research like this. The journal club helped me appreciate how much we can learn and contribute to shaping our profession's future. #PhysicalTherapy #EmergencyCare #JournalClub #PhysiotherapyCommunity #HealthcareProfessionals #EvidenceBasedPractice #PTDiscussion #PhysiotherapyResearch #HealthcareInsights #ProfessionalDevelopment

As someone pursuing a career in medicine, I often reflect on the importance of empathy in patient care. While science and technology drive medical advancements, it’s compassion that builds trust and helps patients feel truly seen and heard. My experience in the anatomy lab and clinical internships has shown me that medicine isn’t just about diagnosing and treating—it’s about connecting. Patients aren’t just cases or charts; they’re individuals with fears, hopes, and unique stories. Athletics has taught me that empathy is a practice. Just as I’ve supported teammates through injuries or tough races, I’ve learned to listen deeply and offer understanding in medical settings. A kind word or a moment of patience can make all the difference. As future healthcare providers, let’s remember that caring for patients isn’t only about their bodies but their minds and spirits too. #EmpathyInMedicine #PatientCare #PremedJourney #FuturePhysician

Late post Hello connections. I am happy to share that we have completed our Internship Dissertation titled "Do Clinical Trials on Walking Dysfunctions in Stroke Rehabilitation Over the Past Ten Years Address Patient-Centered Outcomes and Reduce Research Waste? A Review". This review aimed to evaluate the extent to which clinical trials focusing on walking dysfunctions in patients with stroke address outcomes that are relevant (patient-centered outcomes) to patients with stroke. Conclusion: This systematic review highlights the advancements in research on walking dysfunctions in stroke patients while identifying crucial opportunities to improve relevance, inclusivity, and methodological rigor. Addressing these areas can enhance stroke rehabilitation practices and better meet the needs of survivors. I am grateful for the invaluable support and guidance from my mentors and peers throughout this journey. #research #Physiotherapy

Hello! I'm excited to share that I've concluded my 10-week internship at Vanderbilt University's Department of Biomedical Informatics. Looking back, it seems like the summer passed so quickly—yet I have learned so much from so many people. I want to thank Kim Unertl & Rischelle Jenkins for organizing this program and Brad Malin, Nicholas Jackson, & Victor Borza for their valuable mentorship this summer! Also, a special shoutout to my fellow interns for making the summer heat of Nashville not only bearable but enjoyable! If you're interested, here's a very, very, very, quick summary of my project this summer. THE PROJECT: Fairness in Dermatology Image Classification In the field of dermatology, physicians perform better on certain skin tones compared to others. Machine learning models also perform better on certain skin tones than others, which may be caused by imbalanced training data. We hypothesized that balancing our data with oversampling techniques and synthetic GAN-generated images would improve performance disparities across skin tones. I built a code framework to train/fine-tune CNN models and evaluate their performance/fairness on test sets (check the GitHub repo in my profile). Turns out that augmenting our training data with synthetic images may increase model performance while maintaining or even improving fairness. Very cool stuff! Reach out with questions!

Proving that you can find inspiration pretty much anywhere, I want to call out an unlikely source of inspiration. I'm talking about my former OB/GYN in California. Wait... what?!? Seriously. The first time I went to see Dr. Anahat Sandhu, MD, she took a full history and seemed to be paying close attention to everything I said. She asked detailed questions about my medical history, asking specifically about a rare condition I mentioned on intake. I told her about it, and told her that it had been cured with surgery and was no longer an issue. The next time I came in for an annual, she shared with me information about the condition, checked in, and asked questions about my experience. She had done a whole load of research, even though I didn't have an immediate need. (She demonstrated her excellence in many other ways too, just this is the one that landed with me so powerfully.) I have never had a physician demonstrate such keen intellectual curiosity. Looking back, it makes sense she should be interested in a condition related to her field. And I have never had a doctor do that before or since. As I now complete my internship in counseling, I keep her in mind. When a client tells me about a condition they are experiencing, I do my research. I learn, even if they don't think it's necessary. So here's me--in the requisite selfie--with my current brain-expanding material. Who has inspired you to be intellectually curious?

We caught up with Amber Smith, a senior at Gardner-Webb University on her summer internship with Dr. Gretchen Lawrence in Shelby, North Carolina, on what she learned and about her plans for the future. Amber will graduate with her B.S. in Biology with a Biomedical Science Concentration and a minor in American Sign Language. Her internship included observing Dr. Lawrence during diabetic foot checks and toenail maintenance as well as shadowing her during surgery. She also took medical notes during appointments and learned the various positions and angles used for foot and ankle x-rays. "My internship experience was very immersive. Dr. Lawrence gave me the opportunity to jump in alongside her and be as involved in the patient’s care as possible. She cultivated my ideal learning environment by allowing me to gain hands-on experience that has taught me so much." She said that her favorite experiences were the surgeries that she observed. Amber said she learned about the importance of access to healthcare during her time in the clinic. "A key takeaway from my internship experience in particular is how important it is to advocate and care for underserved communities. Healthcare that is geographically, financially, linguistically, and physically accessible is so important and is a goal that should be continually sought to achieve," she said. What did she learn about podiatric medicine during her internship? "Podiatric medicine is interesting to me because the foot and ankle are both so important to how a person feels. It impacts a patient’s activity, overall health, and quality of life, making foot and ankle care paramount." #medicine #internship #podiatricmedicine #diabetes #surgery #doctors #surgeons #surgery

As I share my recent achievements, I believe it's equally important to open up about the challenges I’ve faced along the way. Academia and professional fields often shy away from discussing personal struggles, but transparency can foster a more supportive and understanding community. Managing several chronic illnesses throughout my PhD program at Boston University School of Public Health has been an uphill battle, further complicated by a thumb injury on my dominant hand that's required me to wear a brace since September. Recent findings revealed a fully ruptured tendon, necessitating surgery this summer, squeezed between two pivotal conferences I'm attending: Geneva Health Forum and the AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting. This summer will be a delicate balance of focusing on my health while staying committed to my research. I confess, the upcoming surgery stirs a mix of emotions, especially considering my past experiences. When I started my bachelor's degree at Tufts University, I was recovering from elbow surgery, which led to taking a semester of medical leave due to complications, an additional surgery, and undiagnosed health issues at the time, delaying my graduation by a year. Acknowledging these apprehensions, my journey has also been one of growth and resilience in learning to manage my health with my professional and academic life. Despite undergoing extensive ankle surgery just 2.5 weeks before starting my internship at NORCE Norwegian Research Centre in fall 2022, I successfully completed a full-time internship and a challenging semester. This experience has taught me the importance of resilience, adaptability, and the incredible support network I have in my colleagues, mentors, and family. Sharing this isn't easy, but I hope it can highlight that behind every achievement, there might be unseen challenges. It's through facing these challenges that we learn, grow, and, most importantly, help others feel less alone in their struggles. Here's to a summer of healing, research, and preparation for what lies ahead. #AcademicLife #ChronicIllness #Resilience #PhDJourney #WorkLifeBalance #Academia