Becoming a Surgeon and Mastering the Craft

This guest post by Jenna Smith discusses the necessary ingredients for becoming a surgeon.

Individuals pursuing surgery as a career have to have what it takes to handle the job. With a lot of responsibility involved, including having another person’s life in your hands, surgeons have a tremendous amount of pressure to perform well at their jobs. Mastering the craft as much as possible can happen as long as people are willing to put in the work starting from when they’re in school and all the way through to the end of their career.

Learning How to Handle Surgical Equipment
Surgery cannot happen without the proper equipment. It isn’t possible to cut into flesh and fix broken bones without certain utensils and instruments necessary for those types of jobs. Everything from a scalpel to a surgical light needs to be well understood. Watch how others use these items whenever possible, either through video or observation. Another useful tip is to check out resources such as the Surgical Lights Buyers Guide to get acquainted with product details and better understand how to operate the equipment so it works the most efficiently.

Choosing a Specialty
Though general surgery is an option, most people opt for a more specialized field. Plastic surgery, for example, is one of the most sought-after choices in the surgical world. After graduating from college, individuals then must go on to learn at a medical school. A doctor of medicine degree is received after completing four years. During the next three years, hopeful surgeons must complete their residency training. Doctors complete general training first before getting to choose a specialty and focus on only that area. A special certification will need to be obtained to practice surgery in one particular field, such as earning certification through the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Study, Study, Study
If students think they can go to medical school and never have to study simply because they didn’t study much at their former college, they will be incredibly mistaken. Getting through medical school and preparing to become a surgeon takes a tremendous amount of work. Individuals need to study, study, and study some more if they are going to want to remember all of the information that gets packed into just four years of classes. Medical terminology, proper procedures, hospital rules and regulations, and laws all need to be learned and memorized before school is finished. Having a study system in place will be key to being successful.

Study Some More
Studying for school isn’t the only thing to worry about. Once school is completed, students still need to become certified if they want to practice medicine. The ACLS and PALS tests are two options. If the job specialty you want requires these certifications, then it will take even more studying to prepare for either of them. Finding some good study methods that help retain as much information as possible is important for getting through these exams.

Don’t Forget to Keep Learning
Too many people believe that because they attended medical school and completed all of the required work and hours to become a surgeon, the learning is complete. They have now learned everything they need and can continue to do their job the same way forever. This is not true when it comes to surgery, not to mention medicine in general. Everything is always changing and adapting. New medicines are discovered. New machines are made for efficiency. Doctors must constantly continue learning and adapting to the world of medicine so they can offer the best care.

Becoming a surgeon takes a considerable amount of effort, patience, and desire. People will quickly find out once they start practicing medicine whether they’re truly cut out for the field. With the gruesome tasks, life or death situations, and vast amount of responsibility, only those who can truly master the craft should perform surgery.

Jenna Smith has been blogging since she graduated from the University of Utah.  She finds herself spending less time writing due to a new venture called “MARRIAGE!” She enjoys her new venture very much. Lucky for us, she still finds time to write great articles, including this one.

Acing Your Medical School Interview

The following sponsored post discusses important considerations for an outstanding medical school interview. 

Going to medical school is no laughing matter. Not only do you have to be smart and hard working but you also have to be determined, patient, strong etc. On top of that you need to have resources or the money to pay for the tuition fee, expensive books, and all the other requirements you'll need. Furthermore, you have to think a hundred times if you really want to be a doctor so that no matter how hard it gets you won't easily give up. You should also be the type who doesn’t complain when they're swamped with homework and would do every single one of them with enthusiasm. Otherwise, you'll end up like those medical students who purchase assignment just to be able to survive med school.

Having said that, you definitely won't be able to enter medical school with only good grades in hand. You must ace the interview or else your chances of getting accepted will be greatly reduced. Interviewing applicants is very important because this is where you'll get essential information that won't appear in any test and academic records. It provides interviewers with an insight on how these students carry themselves in the patient room. Their answers let interviewers know how good and comfortable you sound when interacting with other people which is very important. Since you don't want to fail, there're steps that you can take to ace the interview.

To prepare for an interview, the student should know and understand the different types of interviews. A panel interview is where you'll meet several interviewers in a single meeting and is usually a cross section of the medical school faculty and may include a medical student. A stress interview determines how an interviewee would behave under pressure and often involve personal and sensitive topics. In an open interview, the interviewer may choose the specific information to which he is acquainted with. In a blind interview, the interviewer doesn't know anything about the student and would ask him to say something about himself. Behavioral interviews operate under the theory that past performance is often the best indicator of how you’ll perform in the future.

Being well prepared is a must in any type of medical school interview. Learn and study the usual interview questions, give good answers, and practice the way you'll answer them. In preparing, you must know your strengths and weaknesses and prepare to address them. Get ready to be asked with ethical and moral questions. You should also try your best to make a good first impression. Furthermore, get ready to answer questions as to why you want a career in the medical field.

It's also essential to know the mistakes they’re usually committed so as not to make these mistakes such as answering questions too fast and not staying on topic. You should also stay positive and professional at all times. Always remember to relax and don't give out robotic answers. It's likewise important to listen very carefully to the interviewer so as to get a hint of what they're interested in. Learn about the specific programs and medical specialties the university offers and while you're on campus, talk to medical students and ask them about the program.

Radu Anthony is a blogger who writes about education, travel, health, finance and technology.

How The National Residency Matching Program ("The Match") Works

Every spring, graduating medical students in the United States stress out in the middle of March over the results of the the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP), generally celebrated by medical school as "Match Day." No other profession operates like this. Lawyers after law school, PhDs after graduate school, MBAs after business school - all enter a competitive job market. Medicine instead has a nationalized system that ostensibly relies on de jure collusion between residency programs to assure a reasonable allocation of residents to programs on a predictable schedule. How did this come to be?

The History of The Match

In the United States prior to 1952, medical students found residency positions much like their colleagues in other fields, through a decentralized, competitive market. However, as residency programs wanted the best residents, they often competed to offer spots earlier and earlier to the brightest candidates, causing undue stress. As Sara Robinson writes:

Medical internships were introduced around the turn of the last century as an optional form of postgraduate education. Because interns were a source of cheap labor for hospitals, Roth explains, slots soon outnumbered applicants and competition for interns was fierce. Salaries and working conditions of the internships were specified ahead of time, even then, and there was no negotiation in the process. Thus, the competition manifested itself in timing rather than price: Hospitals began to insist that their offers be finalized before those of their competitors. The average date for finalizing an internship gradually crept from the end to the beginning of the senior year. By the mid-1940s, internships were being finalized at the beginning of the junior year of medical school, and some inquiries came even during the sophomore year. 

Recognizing that the situation was out of hand, the Association of American Medical Colleges adopted a resolution prohibiting medical schools from disseminating student transcripts or reference letters before a certain date during the senior year. This fixed the advancing-date problem but created a new one: Students tended to hold onto offers as long as possible, hoping for offers from better schools. The hospitals were unhappy with this situation; if a student rejected an offer at the last moment, the hospital might have trouble filling the slot with a desirable applicant. So the hospitals, still battling fiercely for residents, passed a series of resolutions shortening the time a student could sit on an offer. At one point, hospitals had telegrams offering residency positions delivered at precisely 12:01 A.M. on the earliest allowed day; the students were forced to accept or reject these offers within hours. 

In response to this clearly unsustainable situation, all parties decided, in the early 1950s, that it was time for drastic changes in the procedure. The centralized system created as a result had students and hospitals communicating with each other as before, but it replaced the rounds of offers by ranking lists, submitted by both sides to a central authority. Following a standard procedure, the central authority then matched students with residency programs. Such was the inception of the residency-matching algorithm, although it took some fiddling (trial and error) to get a procedure that worked.

The situation improved, although economists and game theorists argued that the situation favored the hospitals.

The NRMP Algorithm

In general, the problem of matching residents to programs is one of two-sided matching, or more amusingly called the "Stable Marriage Problem."  The basic problem is stated as:

Imagine a set of n boys and n girls. Each boy B ranks each girl G, and vice versa. The first boy goes to his preferred girl and proposes. If he is on the top of her list, she says 'Maybe' (for now); otherwise, she says 'No.' If she says no, he goes on to his next choice, until he finally gets to a 'maybe.' Then, the next boy repeats the same process with the remaining girls, which goes on until all the boys have paired off with all the girls.

The original research showed that while this produces a stable set of pairs such that no improvements can be made by any couple re-pairing (ie, no cheating), it was also shown that this process favors the boys (the ones asking) over the girls. Another implication was that the girls could game the system by lying about their true preferences. Economist Alvin Roth and others showed that the original NRMP algorithm was equivalent to the stable marriage problem and that it favored the hospitals. In the 1990s, Roth was recruited by the NRMP to revise its algorithm as well as make it more equitable for couples entering the match.

Despite these changes, several medical students filed an anti-trust lawsuit against the NRMP in 2002, accusing it of abetting medical schools in colluding to keep wages low. The suit was unsuccessful, but the lobbying efforts of the NRMP fared better: President Bush signed a pension law that had an attached rider specifically granting immunity to the NRMP from such claims in 2004.

Navigating the Match

In an ideal world, simply putting down your true preferences and having the residency programs do the same would lead to optimal outcomes. In reality, the process entails much subjectivity as programs want not only qualified applicants but also want to claim they did not have to go very far down their list to fill their spots. This is more an issue of vanity than practicality, but it impacts how programs structure their rank lists. Awareness of this social reality behooves the applicant to clearly state their desires for programs they are interested in during the interview process, despite not having fully considered all their options. It also necessitates clear communication with programs of interest after the formal interviews in order to ascertain if the feeling is mutual. While the degree of communication between applicants and programs is restricted per the NRMP guidelines, if any programs or applicants deviate, it is in the best interests of each applicant to also deviate (to understand this better, check out the prisoner's dilemma). Ultimately, the applicant should take whatever steps necessary to clarify his preferences with programs of interest.

If you are interested in learning more about how to navigate the match, check out:

   

References:

• Robinson, Sara. "Are Medical Students Meeting Their (Best Possible) Match?" SIAM News, Volume 36, Number 3, April 2003
• Antitrust Lawsuit Over Medical Residency System Is Dismissed - New York Times
• National Resident Matching Program - Wikipedia

Changes Coming to the MCAT

For those of you considering applying to medical school, the MCAT is about to be revised for the first time in 25 years. Per the Wall Street Journal:

The 8,200 aspiring doctors expected to take the Medical College Admission Test, or MCAT, this week will find a very different exam than their predecessors took. 

The new test, the first major revision in 25 years, is longer (by 3 hours), broader (covering four more subjects), and more interdisciplinary than past versions. Throughout, students will need to demonstrate not just what they know, but how well they can apply it, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, which develops and administers the MCAT. 

The changes are designed in part to mirror the evolution of health-care delivery and even the nature of illness, the AAMC says.

 Regardless of the changes, the same keys to succeeding as an applicant will apply: strong grades, competitive MCAT scores, well-rounded extracurriculars, outstanding recommendation letters, and a promising interview. Speaking of scoring well:

 

Additionally, the QBanks are essential for practicing test questions, because you will perform as you practice. Want to know how you might perform? Check out Kaplan's FREE MCAT practice test today! - Good luck!

Ultrasound Technician Online Classes

Our guest post today talks about the exciting field of ultrasound and online ultrasound technician classes: 

The field of ultrasound technology is focused on utilizing advanced equipment to direct sound waves into a human body and analyzing the outcome images to diagnose medical ailments. Ultrasound technicians, also known as sonographers, must be well acquainted with sonographic instruments as well as human anatomy and the physics. Online ultrasound technician course offers students insight into different sectors of sonography including echocardiography, abdominal sonography, ob/gyn sonography, and vascular sonography. These courses allow students to improve their critical data analysis, manual dexterity, administrative, communication, and computer skills.


Knowledge Gained

Online ultrasound technician classes offer students with knowledge in various sectors, including:

• Abdominal Sonography: Students may learn to use noninvasive imaging to detect and analyze medical ailments within the organs and structures of the abdominal area. This area of study includes the spleen, kidneys, urinary bladder, pancreas, gallbladder, and liver. 
• OB/GYN Sonography: Classes concentrated on ob/gyn discuss the fields of gynecologic sonography and obstetric sonography. The gynecologic sonographic deals with the organs of the pelvic region, while the obstetric sonography examines the progress and condition of an expecting woman and her fetus. 
• Vascular Sonography: The vascular sonography classes teach students about the pathology of the veins and arteries of the human body. Students learn to diagnose the diseases of the blood vessels that can cause conditions such as aneurysms, strokes, peripheral arterial diseases, and pulmonary embolisms. 
• Anatomy and Physiology: Anatomy and physiology classes teach students about the structure of body. Through these courses students become familiar with respiratory system, circulatory system, skeletal system, functions, placement and appearance of organs, and many more. 
• Sonographic Instrumentation: Students learn about the physics and different advanced sonography equipment. Typically the coursework of sonographic instrumentation include digital imaging station, EKG machine, and ultrasound transducer/probe. 

Skills Developed

The online sonography classes help students to develop their skills in various areas including:

• Communication: It is a must for potential ultrasound technicians to master the medical dialect. They must be able to communicate properly in a hospital setting, deal directly with patients, and convey the condition of patients to superiors properly. 
• Administrative: Students learn to do the administrative tasks which go along with the technical activities. They learn how to prepare various reports, record results, participate in the maintenance of laboratory accreditation, and organize tight schedules for the specific machines. 
• Computer Skills: The computer classes teach students about the current medical technologies. Students are taught about the software which is required to create ultrasound waves and turn them to proper digital images. 
• Data Analysis: Students learn how to analyze and interpret the data returned by the ultrasound frequencies and differentiate between pathologic and normal findings, as well as the different sorts of phenomena that can take place during imaging such as propagation artifacts and attenuation artifacts. 
• Dexterity: Students learn to manipulate the transducer around different areas of human body, maintain advanced sonography equipment, and take care of other related health care materials. They are also taught to place the patients in proper position for imaging procedures. 

Kenneth Miller is a career counselor and a blogger. He has written lots of articles about online education and training. Find out more on his blog.

How to Get into Med School The Second Time Around

This guest post sheds some light on those of you who are reapplying to medical school: 


The first time you attempted to go to medical school, things didn't really work out so well. For whatever reason, you either did not make it there, or you left before you could finish. Now, you are ready to try again. If this sounds like you, check out these tips, because the process may not be as straightforward as you think.

Brush Up
If it's been some time since you last attended a college course, you need to brush up on those hard sciences. This will facilitate success on both your application and your eventual coursework. While you may not need to take every single class over again, you should pay particular attention to those courses in which you didn't do well. Perhaps you didn't get into medical school because your grades were low, and now you have an opportunity to fix these problems. To save money, find out if the school will accept community college credits. It's key to remember that med schools are looking for big improvements. If you earned a B in Organic Chem, shoot for nothing less than an A. Simply upgrading to a B+ won't do much for you.

Study, Study, Study
The MCATs are a huge part of getting into medical school, so you must be prepared. Remember, in order to score well on the MCATs, you also need to sharpen your writing skills. Enrolling in a class specifically designed for medical school students is the smartest thing that you can do. If you took the MCATs the first time you tried to get into medical school, think about what might have gone wrong on that particular exam. Even if you did well, your score should improve, at least marginally. The last thing you want to do is get better grades and more life experience, but do worse on your MCAT.

Gain Practical Experience
Speaking of which, how can you help yourself if your grades are low and you don't think they're going to improve? In all honesty, it will be tough to get into medical school with sub-par grades. Furthermore, it may be a sign that you won't do so well once you're there. However, if they are hovering somewhere that you still think you have a shot,, adding on more practical experience could certainly be of help. Try to attain an internship in your desired field. Since you probably have a bachelor's degree in an associated field, look for job openings that require the use of your skills. When medical schools see that you have practical experience in the field, it's a sign that you're serious and can see yourself there everyday. However, this can definitely reach a point of diminishing returns. If you've already got great internships, part-time jobs and more on resume, consider something big. How about a year volunteering in a medical clinic in Africa? You want to stand out - don't let yourself fall between the cracks of generic candidates with a 3.56 GPA, a few years as a CNA and 29 on the MCATs.

Set Realistic Expectations
Knowing what schools you can reasonably get into is a major part of succeeding in your application endeavor. For example, when your grades and MCAT scores are just average, you are probably not going to get into the top medical school in the country. Of course, you can still submit your application, but you should have some more practical choices lined up in there as well. Talk to your college adviser or find out if the campus career center has any information to offer you. You want to be sure that you are applying to a wide enough range of schools that you actually get into one of the programs you want. You may need to apply to international schools in the Caribbean if you really want to be a doctor.

Stepping Stones
Sometimes, you need to take a step back to really set yourself apart. Consider applying to a PA, Nursing or MPH program. If you know you have the skills to succeed there, you could do well in the degree program, get a few years of experience, find solid recommendations and then come back to earn your MD within a few years. It may not sound practical, but it may exactly what you need to be successful.

You might feel a little bit discouraged since you did not get into your intended program the first time you applied to medical school. However, you shouldn't give up hope. Instead, think a little bit harder this time around and figure out exactly what you need to do to succeed. Always, always, always meet with professional advisors to be sure you're putting your best self forward!


Jackie Taylor writes about education. Her recent work is on online health informatics degrees.

The Do's And Don'ts For Medical School Admissions

While this blog is typically targeted at students already in medical school, many readers have questions about how to get into medical school. This guest post by Carey discusses a few tips for getting past that medical school admissions committee:

When it comes time to decide what you want to do with your life, things are hard enough. Maybe you have already decided you want to be a doctor and you want to try your hand at getting into medical school. If this is the case, there are many things you need to prepare yourself for before getting into medical school. Here are so do's and do nots for getting into medical school.

The Do's

Study Hard
If you want to get to the first step for getting into medical school, which is the interview, you will need to study hard and ensure your grades and GPA are up to par. Your best bet is to have a GPA of 3.5 or higher. You will also need a MCAT score of more than 30 to get many interviews. This is your future so you will want to do whatever it takes to get into the school of your choice.

Gain Some Experience
Do some volunteering at your local hospital to gain some experience. Medical schools like potential students who have tried working in a hospital and still want to go further with getting a medical degree. Volunteering at a hospital or doing something medical related will ensure you stand out from other applicants, and in a good way.

Extracurricular Activites
Choose an extracurricular activity and stick with it for a while. Make sure it is something you enjoy doing. Medical schools like to see that you are committed and will stay with something for a long time. This will not only make you look good but will help you receive a leadership position that you could be happy with.

Get Involved
Get involved with whatever you can. Whether it is sports, research, the arts or helping out with the community. Doing one of these things will surely get you some points with the admissions people.

Harvard Medical School

The Do Nots


Major in Pre-Med Only
Do not just major in one thing when in pre-med. Just because you are a pre-med student doesn't mean you need to only major in medical or science related classes. Try French or journalism as a minor at least. This will show you are interested in many other things as well.

Forget to Breathe
Don't forget to breathe. Don't study too much or you will get burnt out fast. Medical schools like to see well rounded and organized people. You don't have to hit the books too hard, just enough to get the interview.

Stress
Don't stress yourself and make yourself sick. Yes, there are a lot of medical school applicants wanting a chance just as much as you do but there is no need to make yourself sick with worrying about not getting in right away. If you don't get in to be a doctor, why not try for a nursing degree, physician assistant or a nurse practitioner?

You can do it! Take these tips and advice and make yourself stand out from the rest of the crowd applying for medical school.


Carey has been writing professionally for many years now. She started out small on the freelance writing ladder and has climbed her way to the top with bestessay.com.