tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62310683634940095682024-02-19T16:51:36.315-08:00Kwasi's road through Medicine and LifeKwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.comBlogger148125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-68374160512773422052020-07-11T06:18:00.000-07:002020-07-11T06:25:57.398-07:00Should you quit applying to residency?If i did not match I definitely do something about. Some people give in, some people move on. When is the right time to move on?<br />
<br />
Applying is very expensive residency programs is very expensive. It costs money to apply to programs, it costs money to go for interviews. It costs money to travel around and do externships, ie. if you are an FMG. Sometimes there is just too expensive to keep applying.<br />
<br />
One of the worst things about not matching is the depression and sense of inferiority that comes with not matching. It hits you hard. Trust me, I know. I have been there. You just don't want to talk to anyone about it, you just do not want to deal with it anymore.<br />
<br />
But its not only you that is affected. Your friends and familys are in it with you. In my last time applying, the season I matched, I could see the stress that my family was under. I found myself hiding rejections emails from them because I did not want to make them feel the ups and downs that is the application process. I would only tell them about the positives, the interviews. Maybe I might mention 1 or 2 rejections but not more than that.<br />
<br />
You look for another way in. In medical school I met a DO student that matched and said screw it he is not going to residency. I was confused. I asked him why. He told me his life story. In short he used to be an img. He applied a few times and did not make it into residency so he decided he would go the DO route. Now he was in his final year, he had been through a lot and decided that he did not want to do that anymore. This is what this journey can do to you. This is what depression can do to you. I did not keep contact with him after the rotation so I do not know if he continued into residency but i hope he did.<br />
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You look back at all these things and think to yourself, maybe I should just quit so I do not have to deal with all of this anymore.<br />
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You look around and you start to see that there is no career you can just hop into with your medical school degree. You can not become a nurse, physician assistant, a radiology tech, or even a medical assistant. You have to start from scratch. Maybe go to PA school, nursing school.<br />
<br />
Its a very emotionally draining path for some.<br />
<br />
Do I think that you should quit trying to match? Ultimately, you know yourself and you have to make the decision yourself. However, I would try again and definitely try everything I can. What I would do is look for the bridge, the thing that i was missing, that connects to a residency program and build it, ie. fix what needs to be fixed.<br />
<br />
Things you can do.<br />
1) go on forums and get advice<br />
2) search for youtube channels that can give you information- I have a youtube channel that is dealing with all things residency match, all things medical school, all things img.<br />
3) get help<br />
-- friends that HAVE MADE IT. Everyone has advice but 99% of people giving it don't know what they are talking about. It sounds nice but usually its crap.<br />
--coaches: There are many out there. Find one that trust. I will be coaching a maximum of 5 people to get into residency. (if you are interested email me: @ thesuccessfulimg@gmail.com)<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG_thdpSOro2O--JDJ9D6Gg?view_as=subscriber" target="_blank">My Youtube page</a>: <b>all things match</b>, all things medical school, all things img.<br />
<br />
Coaching: <b>increase your chances of matching</b>. Email me at thesuccessfulimg@gmail.com<br />
<br />
<a href="https://kwasiroadthroughlife.blogspot.com/2017/05/my-journey-to-residency.html" target="_blank">My journey to the match</a>Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-87605822869452860112020-07-10T06:52:00.003-07:002020-07-10T06:52:59.169-07:00Become the ideal candidate for the Match!!Hi guys,<br />
<br />
I have released a second video on my youtube channel. It tells you who the ideal candidate is for the match. Your job is to model yourself as close as you can to this kind of applicant.<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ljsR6ACA3R0/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ljsR6ACA3R0?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-46950769686649999372020-07-05T06:06:00.003-07:002020-07-05T06:06:57.320-07:00Launching of Youtube channelI have launched my YOUTUBE channel!!! I will be making videos that should help others along the journey into residency as well. Hopefully you all benefit. Below is my first video. I hope you enjoy it. <div>
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<div>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8BIiyCjneQ">HOW THE NRMP MATCH WORKS</a></div>
Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-42960075241591197932020-07-05T06:03:00.000-07:002020-07-05T06:03:03.314-07:00Finished!!! Residency!!!!Guys I'm proud to say residency is done. I can't believe it. Time sure does fly.<br />
<br />
It was not an easy journey. High school, undergrad, medical school, masters, residency and now I get to work in the profession that i love, doing what I love.<br />
<br />
Whats next for me?<br />
For now, The plan is to work in Urgent Care.<br />
<br />
Then, with whatever free time I have I will try to make videos to help people also get into residency. I have created a youtube channel! The first video was released on thursday. Go like and subscribe to my video. Hopefully it helps you guys.<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8BIiyCjneQ">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8BIiyCjneQ</a>Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-66650458666924533132020-06-06T05:59:00.001-07:002020-07-05T06:13:03.754-07:00Almost finished!!!Almost finished with what?<br />
<br />
With RESIDENCY!!!!<br />
<br />
There are just a few wks left.<br />
<br />
Whew. Looking back it has been quite a journey just to get to where I am now. Getting into residency was tough after medical school, and it was a very bumpy ride, fraught with multiple rejections/multiple attempts at matching.<br />
<br />
I've decided to create a YOUTUBE page dedicated to giving advice on matching into residency. I'll launch it some time in July. I'll post a link here around that time. Stay tuned.<br />
<br />
And of course, to those of you that have matched good luck in residency!! It is tough journey but worth it. Have fun.Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-36994950402581066752019-04-17T22:56:00.000-07:002019-04-17T22:56:11.359-07:00Almost PGY-3Whew! Time sure flies. It wasn't too long ago that I had to master the application process in order to match. Now in just a few months I'll be in my third year. I've learned a lot and grown a lot. Can't wait till I start 3rd year. For those of you who are about to start the journey as interns work hard and all will be fine. Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-3973314516947897452018-12-31T04:48:00.001-08:002018-12-31T04:53:26.302-08:002018 in reviewHey guys!!!<br />
<br />
What a year its been. I'm currently a second year in residency. Time is flying😱😱. Its crazy. Looking back on three other things I did last year and on my goals I notice I was able to accomplish at least half of my resolutions!! Not too shabby right! Here are my 2018 goals in review.<br />
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My goals for this year are<o:p></o:p></div>
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1 )<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>HIT 400’s in the ITE exam. I got a 370 and that was with no studying.<o:p></o:p></div>
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- nooope. Did not hit it. I did worse actually, 340😭😭. However I felt that most of the multiple choice questions had answers that were intentionally and unnecessarily close. Like hey what do you do in sepsis give fluids over 3 hours or 30 minutes... With my luck I picked the wrong choices. Still I know what to work on. <span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></div>
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2)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Read 6 books. I tried to read more than a book a year, however, that didn’t pan out in 2017 because of my busy schedule. 6 books a year is not too bad and it will be more than the 3 books I read last year.<o:p></o:p></div>
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CCCHHHEECCK. Done. I read way more than 6 and even listened to a while bunch of audio books. The total is about 21 or so.<br />
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3)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Volunteer work. I want to volunteer. I did look for different sites where I can volunteer maybe in a soup kitchen but all these places required you to fill out all these forms. I put it off till next tiem and the next time never came. I will try to get on it this time.<o:p></o:p><br />
- - CHECKKKKK. I did go to a fair to represent my hospital. </div>
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4)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Giving speeches to the youth. I would like to motivate and inspire young minds, to held set them up for a successful life in regards economics/finances/attaining their goals. I’m still trying to figure out how I will get this accomplished.<o:p></o:p><br />
- Noooope! 😡</div>
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5)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Blog at between 6 -12 x this year. This bar is really low. Looool. It’ll definitely be cathartic but hopefully serve some value to whoever reads this. <o:p></o:p><br />
- Chheeeccckkkk! This post makes 11!! 💪💪💃💃<br />
6) Buy an apartment.<br />
- Checkkkkk!! I got my first property. I'm so happy. Took me a whole year and change of looking to find the right one but I finally got one.<br />
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So 4 out of 6 were done. I'm happy with that. Looking forward to 2019.... ... Which is tomorrow😂😂😂. Its been real 2018.Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-56664694615804293332018-06-07T18:22:00.002-07:002020-07-05T06:14:24.467-07:006/7/18 randomIts always nice when people you give advice to end up matching. Its also nice to tutor people and help them pass their exams.<br />
<br />
Its my day off post 24 hour call and all i did was sleep. The night was soo busy and admissions were coming in fast and furious.Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-68470252578480054192018-05-14T03:53:00.002-07:002018-05-14T03:53:34.672-07:002 slots available for Step 2 CS tutoringI have 2 slots available guys. Contact me if you would like me to help you pass your CS exam on your first attempt. Even if you have failed your CS exam in the past, do not worry, I will guide you through it.<br />
<br />
email me: step2csbuddy@gmail.com<br />
call me: 18448505248Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-47652798649881808812018-05-08T02:39:00.000-07:002018-05-14T03:35:04.600-07:00CongratulationsFinding time to tutor the CS is tough. The only time that is available is after a long day of work. As such the fact that my students,tutese, continue to ace their exams make me proud and make the effort I put in to tutor completely worth it. To those that recently passed, Congratulations!!💃💃💃Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-46545155321553116082018-03-24T16:37:00.000-07:002018-05-14T03:50:08.156-07:00What I wish I had done prior to residency<br />
Residency is hard. It's a lot of work. Many people made it through, some, of course, didn't. However, many people made it. Yes, this bears repeating. When I first heard I matched I was elated. This excitement was then replaced by fear. I was scared because everything I would do had a direct impact on another persons life. That is a huge responsibility for one to have over ones shoulder or ones head. Before I started residency I scoured the net to find a way to prepare for residency. Most articles or blog posts I came across were useless.During residency I have come across a few things that I wish i had seen, read, or known. It will be helpful for you if you are starting out in family medicine residency.<br />
<br />
As an intern looking back there are things that you consistently get called for. If you know these things you will have a leg up on others, and feel more comfortable handling the floors. I happened to have a book in my possession that I did not read prior, but after starting residency my voraciousness for reading medical books has increased. The book I found was the "internship survival guide by washington manual." There is a second book that I got even later and thought was even more appropriate for preparing for primary care medicine intern year and that is the "onlinemeded Intern survival guide." Read either of these books if you have it in you and you will be more comfortable.<br />
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Another tool, other than the aforementioned books, that can help during residency are apps. The main apps that I currently use are epocrates for drugs, and ePSS for preventative care during clinic. I have also used FPnotebook in the past.<br />
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Intern year is almost over. I can barely believe it. It flew by so fast. Soon we will be welcoming the next interns. For all who matched congratulations.Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-75632903808558763752018-03-02T02:37:00.001-08:002018-03-02T02:37:26.302-08:002018 reading list: 6th and 7th book in the bagNot quite the book or books that were next on my reading list but I finished them non the less. As per my last post I wanted to complete an EKG book called, by Dubins. However, I ended up reading two very different books.<br />
<br />
1) Build a rental property empire, by Mark Ferguson: This book has zero to do with medicine. However, I'm very interested in investing so any chance I get I scour through an investing book. The book provided a behind the scenes look at how he bought and how you thought through buying his properties.<br />
<br />
2) Washington Manual Internship Survival guide: I read through this whole book. And let me tell you I wish I had read this book before I started residency. Its short, well for medical book its short, and an easy read. It goes over the some of the tools that you need to have in your repetoire: antibiotics, ekg, procedures, and management of some common cases. It is not pocket medicine with hundreds of diseases and pathologies with their management, this is just, in my opinion, a book that touches on many different areas that a resident needs competency in.<br />
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I'm technically done with my reading goals for the year!!! I have read the desired 6 books and even read another one on top of that.Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-31180108928057565102018-01-26T03:45:00.000-08:002018-01-26T03:46:18.285-08:00Interview Season is over at my programFor those of you that I met during your interview trails good luck. Remember when you rank, listen to no one but yourself. Rank where you will be happy to go, where you feel best suits your needs for whatever reason, because in the end you will have to deal with the place you pick, and not the person giving you advise.<br />
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Note: the season is over at my program but it might still be going on in other places.Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-52488802112416096872018-01-18T19:13:00.000-08:002018-01-18T19:13:04.864-08:002018 reading list: 5th book in the bagFinished my 5th book. OOO yeaa.<br />
<br />
Book 5: <a class="a-link-normal" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012Z13T5O/ref=oh_aui_d_detailpage_o06_?ie=UTF8&psc=1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #c45500; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline-offset: -2px; outline: 0px;">Speed Reading: The Comprehensive Guide To Speed Reading - Increase Your Reading Speed By 300% In Less Than 24 Hours</a> : This is about the 4th book that I've read on reading. All the books have been different. This book dished out the usual techniques to speed read that the other ones expose but in addition to that it also gives ways to solidify and maintain your reading speed. I increased my reading speed to the upper 400wpm, but I never solidified it and I'm back hovering around high 200s and early 300's. My goal is to reach 600 wpm. Anyways back to the book, I thought it did a good job explaining how you can chip away at increasing your speed overall and making it a life long change.<br />
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One more book until I've finished my reading goals for the year, one more book till 6 books.<br />
<br />
On another note my vacation is almost over. My vacation came at a good time<br />
, it's almost over and its almost time to get back to the grind. Its back to work next week monday. For my last book I'm going to finish the Dubins EKG book.<br />
<br />Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-5623249652891631142018-01-17T15:11:00.000-08:002018-01-17T15:11:06.654-08:002018 Reading list: 4th book in the bagFinished reading my fourth book 2 days ago, monday. 2 more books and I am done with with my reading goal for 2018. Yes. This doesn't mean thats all I will read; I will read a few more.<br />
<br />
book:<br />
book 4: Jab, Jab, Jab, Right hook - by Gary Vaynerchauk: this is a book about marketing on social media. Good book. I give it 4/5 stars. It talks about the kind of material to post and how to post them.<br />
<br />
Hmmmm... which book to read next?Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-36465231409493640072018-01-14T15:40:00.001-08:002018-01-14T15:40:59.210-08:002018 Reading list: 3 books in the bagI loove love love books. I love to read. But problem is time, where is the time to read. With busy residency I come home exhausted and too tired to pick up a book. Of course some months are better than others. I'm currently on a two weeks staycation - vacation spent at home and in my city- and I'm enjoying just relaxing. Up till now I've read 3 books two for fun and one to work on a skill.<br />
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1) The House of God by Samuel Shed: This details the ordeals of a intern in a hospital called the House of God. Its true depiction of life as an intern, sharing not only what happens to the interns, how they react to it, but also how they feel emotionally and physically. After 6 months in my intern year I can say there are quite a few things that I saw happened to me as well. I did not agree with some of the protagonists -the authors- conclusions. Still its a great book if you want to get an insight as to how Intern year is.<br />
2) Speed Reading: How to double (or triple) your reading speed in just 1 hour! by Justin Hamond: This book was a quick read. I always wanted to improve my reading speed. I thought the book was short and to the point. While I do not think my reading speed improved in 1 hour I think I with practicing the tips in the book will rev up my reading speed.<br />
3) Pimp, the story of my life - by Iceberg Slim: I first heard about this book while watching a Dave Chapelle skit. An ex pimp looks back on his life and gives vivid details of the horrific things he did to others or that were done him. It reads like a movie. At the end of this book I question whether these events really happened because some of these things seemed so inordinate, or extraordinary or outlandish.<br />
<br />
<br />
I have already read 3 of the 6 books that I plan on reading this year.Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-30882492037715780522018-01-08T05:38:00.000-08:002018-01-08T05:52:19.704-08:00The year 2017 in review and plans/goals for 2018<div class="MsoNormal">
1/8/2018<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
FINALLY A BREAK. Today is the first day of my very first vacation in Residency. Its
been 6 months of growth and managing patients. I started residency in 7/1/17
and it has been go go go. I haven’t had the time to sit down and analyze what I
will be doing, what my plans will be for this new year, and what look at what I
accomplished last year. I’m going to take a look at my resolutions from last
year and see how things panned out. Dun dun dun dun dun. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“In 2017,
my goal is to match into a good residency program, to give a speech in front of
a high school students, make more youtube videos, compete in the World
championship of public speaking, and give you readers more value by blogging
about the standardized exams that Medical students and Residents face.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://kwasiroadthroughlife.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2017-02-07T06:36:00-08:00&max-results=5&start=35&by-date=false">The year 2016 in review and plans for 2017</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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I did match into a great residency program! Yay! I did
compete in the world championship of public speaking however I did not make it
to the finally stages. I blogged decently until I started residency and it
happened far and in between. Out of the minimum of 13 books that I was supposed
to read – because I read about 3 books and am literally past the half way point
of 3 other books. As for giving a speech in front of large crowds that has not
happened yet. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This year I will carry over the things that I was not able
to accomplish plus add a few more. For the things I was not able to accomplish
I will set the bar a little lower so that I can accomplish them. The idea being
so long as I can get the ball rolling and stay consistent I will more likely to
follow through. This way of thinking has served me well through out my years.
Enough rambling… <o:p></o:p></div>
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My goals for this year are<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--> 1 )<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->HIT 400’s in the ITE exam. I got a 370 and that
was with no studying. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--> 2)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Read 6 books. I tried to read more than a book a
year, however, that didn’t pan out in 2017 because of my busy schedule. 6 books
a year is not too bad and it will be more than the 3 books I read last year. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--> 3)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Volunteer work. I want to volunteer. I did look
for different sites where I can volunteer maybe in a soup kitchen but all these
places required you to fill out all these forms. I put it off till next tiem
and the next time never came. I will try to get on it this time. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--> 4)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Giving speeches to the youth. I would like to
motivate and inspire young minds, to held set them up for a successful life in
regards economics/finances/attaining their goals. I’m still trying to figure
out how I will get this accomplished<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--> 5)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Blog at between 6 -12 x this year. This bar is
really low. Looool. It’ll definitely be cathartic but hopefully serve some
value to whoever reads this. <o:p></o:p><br />
6) Buy an apartment</div>
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Will review again in 3 months – March. <o:p></o:p></div>
Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-46455900146624014352017-09-09T17:01:00.003-07:002017-09-10T09:17:30.381-07:00Selecting a program to apply to PART 3This is the method that I myself used in applying to programs. I am not saying that this is the best way to select programs to apply to, however I had certain restrictions; I'm not made of money, loool. My goal was to find programs whose criteria I met. Below are the steps that I followed:<br />
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1) got a list on matcharesident that was based on my scores<br />
2) I looked through all of these and picked only the programs that had about 50% imgs in their program<br />
3) took a list of all the programs that are in my state and added it to the list from matcharesident<br />
4) After that I went to the website of each of these programs and combed through the information there. Most programs list what they are looking for. I made sure I fit their criteria. I had a CS failure so all the programs that insisted on having a one time pass I took them off my list, unless I had a specific reason to still apply and try my luck.<br />
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At the end of these steps, while my goal was to apply to 200 programs, I found only 130 that passed my filters. I applied and the rest is history.<br />
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The end goal of applying is to match so use the best method that in your opinion will put your application in front of programs that will like you AND you will like. Plan out how you will apply, do not just pick randomly. Of the three methods -1) applying to every program in your specialty, 2) applying to programs that alumni from your school matched in, 3) using the filters I mentioned- none of them are right or wrong. Pick the one that suits you best. Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-84830728716047019592017-09-09T16:46:00.001-07:002017-09-09T16:46:26.584-07:00Selecting the right programs to apply to PART 2Are you ready for ways to select programs to apply to number 2. The first method is one that I mentioned in the prior post. The second method is one that another friend used. He was able to get a decent amount of interviews that way.<br />
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The method he applied to places that graduates from my school applied to. The wonderful thing about our school in particular is that they keep a record or list of places that the schools graduates matched into. He combed through those records and selected some to apply to.<br />
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The good things about this method is that he got a lot of interviews. Now, it could also be linked to not having a single failure on his step exams on his record so take it with a grain of salt. Secondly, he saved money since he did not apply to every program in his specialty. Applying to about 200 programs means you will spend about 5000$. Imagine family medicine has upwards of 400 programs and you want to apply to all of them. Lastly, if you know the person that matched into the program they could put in a good word for you.<br />
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The cons of this method is you are limited to places where your fellow graduates matched into. You might miss out on places where you might be a good fit. Also, its tedious going through program by program. <br />
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Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-72789307906525734642017-08-01T21:39:00.002-07:002017-08-01T22:05:02.183-07:00Which programs should one apply to: Method 1Imagine you send out your application only to programs that don't like you as an applicant... Exactly, you will wasting your time. Picking the right mix of programs to apply to is almost as important is it is to make sure you have a solid application. I will be sharing with you 3 ways you can select which programs you can apply to. Two of the ways were used by my friends and one was the way I used.<br />
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As a quick side note: none of these methods are fool proof. Also this is not a discussion on which specialties you should apply to. That is an entirely different topic.<br />
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The method I will be discussing today was used by a friend when he was applying. I've also heard of other people using this method. </div>
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The good thing about this method is that it includes all of the programs that could possibly like you, every single one of them. It might be the safest bet when it comes to applying.</div>
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The bad thing about this method is that it includes all of the programs that do not like you. It is also the most expensive way of applying so it is not a method that everyone can use. </div>
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Whats the method? If you haven't figured it out as of now, it is applying to every single program in the specialty you want. If your specialty has 400 programs then you apply to 400 hundred programs. If it has 250 programs you apply to 250 programs. </div>
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Whether you will use this method or not usually depends on the availability of money. If you have the money to cover the cost of applying to that many programs then you can try using this method. However, not many people have that kind of cash lying around, and I am certainly not one of these kinds of people. I personally had to find a way to filter my programs so that I could afford it. </div>
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Next post: Which programs to apply to: method 2<br />
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Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-23450984279964041912017-07-27T17:13:00.001-07:002017-07-27T17:13:50.679-07:00The love of coffee is sooo right but soo wrongDrinking coffee is unacceptable.... but necessary.<br />
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I have been adamantly against drinking coffee because I do not like the taste. At least this is how I felt until residency started. Since July started I have been drinking coffee everyday. About 2 weeks ago I started to feel hmmm... not so bad. Now i feel this is actually good.<br />
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I started drinking a type of coffee called Dunkichino and have actually been looking forward to it. It has a hint of coffee but then wait wait there's hot chocolate there too. As a lover of hot chocolate the hint of each was simply orgasmic.<br />
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Even after a day of drinking a cup of coffee i would come home exhausted - I know it is normal to be tired after a long days work but I don't like it. If I am not careful coffee will become my morning routine, something I depend on to give me an energy boost. Coffee is not something that I want to be addicted to, or to rely on, as such I have turned back to exercising.<br />
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After I injured my knees playing amateur league soccer I have abstained from any vigorous exercise of any kind especially soccer/kick boxing/running. Its been about 2 years since the pain in my knees was so much that walking was an effort. Now while I can walk without pain I will still not play soccer or do kick boxing. I found something else i can do.<br />
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Yesterday was the first day I did cardio shadowing boxing for 1 minute. Today I did that for 10 minutes in addition to my usual routine of push ups and sit ups and squats. This is the plan after each work day from now on. I am doing this so that I can build up my energy and stamina for the day. While I might not feel a change in energy in the first week or two, I'm sure by the 3rd week I should start increasing my stamina so that I do not get tired at the end of the day.<br />
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When I can stop get to the point where coffee is not only unacceptable but ALSO UNnecessary, at that point I will stop drinking coffee. Until then I will dabble in coffee like a pro...Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-24922920589481866962017-07-24T09:51:00.000-07:002017-07-24T09:51:38.044-07:002017 Family Medicine Conference in Kansas City, MOThe family medicine conference will be taking place in day or so. Go make connections. Heres the link to the <a href="http://www.aafp.org/events/national-conference.html">website</a>.Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-11592127224279582732017-07-18T19:15:00.000-07:002017-07-18T19:15:02.021-07:002 weeks into ResidencyWell, its slightly more than 2 weeks into PGY-1. I have learned two things. One that the learning curve is ridiculously steep, and two that my focus should not be on instantly knowing everything but rather on making sure I grow day by day, by learning from my seniors, events, attendings etc.<br />
<br />Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-49604012942607087082017-07-10T14:12:00.003-07:002017-07-10T14:12:58.968-07:00Residency: the very beginning!!!Its been two weeks now since I started my intern year, and I just keep thinking that today is Sunday, even though it is monday.<br />
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These two weeks have both been exciting and frustrating at the same time. More so on the frustrating side. Lets start with the bad.<br />
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My first day I was on Day call. It was quiet in the beginning and then after 12 pm the pager and the phone kept going of. It got to the point were I was internally imploring the pager to please chill. lol.<br />
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In seeing patients, drafting and writing out my the management plan I could see the vast gap of experience that I had to learn. I felt like I knew nothing; like an empty vessel walking around the hospital wearing a white coat.<br />
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I have been paired with a senior for my day float-which is a month of day call on saturdays and sundays. He has been very helpful, guiding me through each encounter. On my very first day, he together with another senior that was present walked me through every thing. Through them I gradually picked up the ways of the hospital, the how to use the EMR system -which is completely different from the ones I used prior- and ways to polish up my notes.<br />
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While I have been fortunate to have this support, it is still frustrating knowing you do not know things. Initially, I felt overwhelmed, but with each passing day I'm feeling a bit more confident.<br />
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As Doctor, even as a fresh intern, we know a lot. Through out medical school we study a lot, learning a many different subjects. We go through clinical experiences through clinical rotations. We take numerous grueling tests that each last 6 hours and above. We are knowledgeable but there is still a wide gap in experience and minor how to's that we can only learn by doing. If it's not evident before, it becomes evident the moment you start.<br />
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About a month and a half prior to starting I felt a certain nervousness creeping up on me. Will I measure up, will I be able to close the gap. I spoke to numerous friends that said that it was normal and that they felt the exact same way on starting. They said if everyone gets through it so can I.<br />
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After my first few days, I was frustrating about the things i did not know, however I caught a glimpse of what i could become. I could see that it will be a journey of growth, almost like an adventure. This chance to make myself grow, using hard work to overcome the difficulties on my path is what makes me excited. i look forward to learning and learn, growing through experience, and finally molding myself into the physician I want to be.<br />
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For now I look forward to this journey. I look forward to learning from my experiences both mistakes and the right things.<br />
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To all those in intern year, good luck we can do it. To all those applying to residency I wish you the best of luck, and I hope your journey starts soon.<br />
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Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231068363494009568.post-65834926354895432832017-06-25T16:43:00.003-07:002017-06-25T16:43:41.673-07:00Intern year starts in 6 daysIn anticipation of the start of family medicine internship, I have been thinking through what I can do to start on a good footing. I made a list of skills that I felt I needed to be proficient in and tried to read up my first rotation, Obstetrics, from books that i owned. I also searched online for tips from survivors of intern year, PGY-2's and 3's. Out of the articles that I have panned through I liked this one the best: <a href="http://medicalschoolhq.net/ten-tips-for-successfully-starting-your-internship/">"Ten tips for successfully completing your internship"</a>.<br />
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If things work out smoothly I will try to draft an intern survival guide of my own. However, for now I must go through it myself. 6 more days...Kwasihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12880965317883497743noreply@blogger.com0