in-Training

24/07/2024

We are proud to announce the publication of the next Pager Publications, Inc. print book, The Perfect Doctor, curated by Dr. Sasha Yakhkind and featuring 40 narratives written by patients, physicians and trainees about the imperfect pursuit of an ideal.

Learn more about the book at http://theperfectdoctor.org. You can purchase the book at http://tinyurl.com/theperfectdoctor.

All members of Pager Publications, Inc. are unpaid volunteers, and all book proceeds go to support the website hosting costs of our fellow online peer-managed publications, including in-Training.

10/05/2024

We are excited to announce in-Trainings’s new editorial board for the 2024-2025 academic year!! ✨✨✨🤩

Editors-in-Chiefs: Marissa Millwater () and Grishma Reddy ()
Managing Editors: Jasmine Richards () and Sabeen Rokerya

20/06/2023

We are proud to announce the publication of the next Pager Publications, Inc. print book, Girl In A Bowtie: Lessons of a Pediatric Resident, by Dr. Ogie M. Ezeoke.

The book is currently on sale: https://tinyurl.com/girlinabowtie

Join pediatric cardiology fellow Dr. Ezeoke, the Girl In A Bowtie, in her residency adventures in the big hospital by the sea. From pages to potassium to the angry airway, each chapter is a lesson in the art of medicine and the wonder of pediatrics.

All members of Pager Publications, Inc. are unpaid volunteers, and all book proceeds go to support the website hosting costs of our fellow online peer-managed publications, including in-Training, in-House, North Wing Magazine, Mosaic in Medicine, and Intervene Upstream.

16/12/2022

Congratulations to our founder Dr. Ajay Major, MD, MBA on his presentation at the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting in New Orleans about the entrepreneurial lessons learned from founding in-Training and our parent 501c3 nonprofit literary corporation Pager Publications, Inc.

29/11/2022

A new article over on our fellow publication in-House about improving time management and patient care during residency.

It’s only 7:15 a.m.? I can finish folding my clothes before I have to leave for clinic, I thought to myself. Though the day was young, I had already been quite productive -- I started the laundry, made myself breakfast, picked up around my room, and even found time to journal briefly about the day...

26/11/2022

Check out the latest column from our fellow publication in-House about the experience of an international medical graduate.

A few months have passed since I wrote my last column article, so now it’s time to get back into it. What has happened in the meantime? Well, I had baby #2, which meant I was lucky enough to take seven weeks of maternity leave from residency.

31/10/2022

For our ongoing in-Training 10-year anniversary series, read the latest article by family medicine physician and former in-Training writer Dr. Morgan Shier about a touching encounter with a patient.

"'I’m doing okay. Thank you for asking.' We stare at each other for a moment, and then both look away, trying to hold back the tears forming menisci on our lower lids. I reach for the tissue box to my left and hand her the box. It’s too late for us both, our masks quietly absorbing the moisture of our shared sorrow."

My mother likes to tell the story of how, as a small child, I referred to the superficial wounds sustained in my first head-over-handlebars accident as an "abrasion." I remember staring at my knee, fascinated by my body's ability to heal itself. The sacred anatomy of wounds, atoms as spacious as gal...

27/09/2022

We are announcing a new column on our fellow publication in-House, the online peer-reviewed publication for residents & fellows:

'Surviving IM/G' by Dr. Aline Gottlieb, an international medical graduate from Germany restarting her medical training in internal medicine in the United States and sharing her experience adjusting to an American residency. Follow along for her first-hand account of the barriers that IMGs face in their transition.

Let’s start with a very brief introduction: Hello! My name is Aline, and I am an international medical graduate (IMG) from Germany. I used to work in Germany in internal medicine, where I have completed four out of five years of training. I would like to share my experiences, thoughts, and later a...

20/06/2022

Neurocritical care physician Dr. Sasha Yakhkind, MD, MS, in collaboration with our parent publishing house Pager Publications, Inc., is compiling a new print book about the diversity of perfection in medicine. Does the perfect doctor exist? If so, what would they look like?

Manuscripts from all members of the health care team are welcomed, including patients, students, physicians and allied health professionals.

Book proposals are due August 15. Read more about the book and how to submit here: https://pagerpublications.org/the-perfect-doctor-call-for-submissions/

02/05/2022

All our trainee-managed publications, including in-Training, in-House, North Wing Magazine, Mosaic in Medicine, and Intervene Upstream, are produced and edited entirely by volunteers. The entire team at our parent publishing house Pager Publications, Inc. is also unpaid and volunteer.

All your donations and proceeds from the sale of our print books at https://pagerpublications.org/ go to support the web hosting costs for our publications. We encourage your donations to support these important works for the medical education community.

You can donate here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/pagerpublications

Go to paypal.me/pagerpublications and type in the amount. Since it’s PayPal, it's easy and secure. Don’t have a PayPal account? No worries.

02/05/2022

Happy 10-year anniversary to in-Training! We just turned 10 years old in April, and we are publishing works by the in-Training family to celebrate our first decade as the premier online peer-reviewed publication by & for the medical student community.

Check out the first 3 articles!

https://in-training.org/covid-19-an-opportunity-for-self-introspection-and-a-new-hobby-26146

https://in-training.org/medical-humanities-a-pathway-to-patient-centered-care-26143

https://in-training.org/when-art-and-medicine-collide-2022-26148

31/03/2022

"Medical training centers around the evaluation and examination of another human being. The perspective and bias of the physician can, at times, be a liability, tarnishing objectivity. Maintaining neutrality is vital during a patient interview — personal introspection and reflection are distant considerations at best."

Jeffrey Phillips, a medical student at Oregon Health and Science University, writes about their psychiatry rotation.

At the start of my psychiatry rotation, I was most apprehensive about performing the “bread and butter” exam of the specialty: the psychiatric interview. I was not afraid of forgetting which questions to ask, but rather how to ask said questions.

30/03/2022

"In the hospital lobby, three police officers

surrounded a woman in an oversized, white T-shirt,

sitting in a corner chair that nearly swallowed her whole,

enveloping her in its dull, floral pattern."

Tulsi Patel, a medical student at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, writes for .

In the hospital lobby, three police officers / surrounded a woman in an oversized, white T-shirt, / sitting in a corner chair that nearly swallowed her whole, / enveloping her in its dull, floral pattern.

29/03/2022

"These nuanced interactions are so common within pediatrics and are one of the reasons that I love the field. The opportunity to speak to the notoriously-difficult individual that is a teenager, coupled with the potential to truly establish a connection, is unmatched. The necessity of creative thinking to bridge these divides tests even the best clinicians. And, the clinicians that emerge victorious — rewarded with this connection — are the ones who recognize how powerful going back to the bedside can be."

Sahr Yazdani, a medical student at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, writes about speaking to teenagers.

She sat on her bed in a bright magenta shirt covered in glittery animals, with her arms folded tightly across her chest. Her green eyes were trained on the muted television broadcasting Disney cartoons, and her bed was strewn with coloring books and crayons. This scene looked quite different from th...

28/03/2022

"Nineteen. Oh the joy of being nineteen years old. Can you remember back that far? Reminisce on the butterflies you felt as you waited for your date to pick you up for your very first college party. Remember all the late night study sessions with new classmates which led up to your first big exam of the semester. Recall the feeling of excitement as you learned to explore the new freedom and opportunity found right at your fingertips. No longer a child, yet not quite an adult. So much life left to be lived at nineteen."

Allison Jacobs, a medical student at Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, writes about a young patient.

Nineteen. Oh the joy of being nineteen years old. Can you remember back that far? Reminisce on the butterflies you felt as you waited for your date to pick you up for your very first college party. Remember all the late night study sessions with new classmates which led up to your first big exam of....

28/03/2022

This April is the 10-year anniversary of in-Training, and we invite all members of the in-Training family to contribute articles and other artistic works to celebrate our first decade as the premier online peer-reviewed publication by and for the medical student community.

All writers at all levels of training are welcome to submit on a rolling deadline, with the following writing prompt: "What do in-Training and the medical humanities mean to you?"

If you are interested in contributing, please email us at [email protected].

25/03/2022

"Why – why did you die?
Your soul took to the sky
without a conscious goodbye
not even a gasp or a sigh
to signal your departure was nigh"

Melissa Huddleston, a medical student at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, writes for .

Why - why did you die? / Your soul took to the sky / without a conscious goodbye

24/03/2022

"My interest in radiology began, as it does for many, with the thrill of coming to a solution based on imaging and some sparse words on a patient’s chief complaint. Reading radiologic scans is like learning a language — a code composed of axial and coronal views, enhancing and nonenhancing areas and anatomical landmarks. When you dive into the millimeter slices of a contrast CT and the defect snaps to your attention, you are hooked. "

Fiona Doolan, a medical student at Trinity College Dublin School of Medicine, writes about their interest in Radiology.

My interest in radiology began, as it does for many, with the thrill of coming to a solution based on imaging and some sparse words on a patient's chief complaint. Reading radiologic scans is like learning a language -- a code composed of axial and coronal views, enhancing and nonenhancing areas and...

23/03/2022

"Like many medical students, I am familiar with the antiparasitic medication ivermectin, a common drug taught in medical school. Ivermectin became an unexpected subject in the COVID-19 pandemic. However, after seeing a patient in the clinic taking ivermectin as an alternative to vaccination, the news hit differently."

Daniel Pham, a medical student at University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, writes about ivermectin.

Like many medical students, I am familiar with the antiparasitic medication ivermectin, a common drug taught in medical school. Ivermectin became an unexpected subject in the COVID-19 pandemic. However, after seeing a patient in the clinic taking ivermectin as an alternative to vaccination, the news...

04/03/2022

"~ The quaternary code, the winding staircase
of you, incommensurate in its beauty.

Incomprehensible. Impossible
to think of the untold millions of mistakes"

John Newman, a medical student at Emory University School of Medicine, writes for .

~ The quaternary code, the winding staircase / of you, incommensurate in its beauty.

03/03/2022

"There is a fine line between medicine and mortality: give too much and it can kill someone; give too little and even that could kill someone. We show up to the hospital with the intent to save lives, and anything that deviates from that goal is seen as a failure of the system, or, at times, of ourselves. However, over time, we come to learn that there is an in-between where we are at once trying to preserve life, all the while embracing the idea of human mortality."

Joan Nambuba, a medical student at The Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, writes about a patient death.

There is a fine line between medicine and mortality: give too much and it can kill someone; give too little and even that could kill someone. We show up to the hospital with the intent to save lives, and anything that deviates from that goal is seen as a failure of the system, or, at times, of ourse...

01/03/2022

"It’s great to be trendy: designer belts, curtain bangs and flared jeans can all make you feel like an icon. Trends come and go, some faster than others. Similarly to fads in fashion, getting admitted to medical school requires the observation of trends. What trends can you leverage as a student switching careers into medicine? The first step in crafting your medical school application is to take an honest look at yourself and your accomplishments. Assess whether you are a traditional applicant or a “non-traditional” applicant. This article is tailored to non-traditional applicants who are pursuing medicine as a second career."

Coco Thomas, a medical student at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, writes for .

Trends come and go, some faster than others. Similarly to fads in fashion, getting admitted to medical school requires the observation of trends. What trends can you leverage as a student switching careers into medicine?

28/02/2022

"During my OB/GYN rotation, one of my primary roles as a medical student was to observe and assist during labor and delivery (L&D). However, to be honest, I don’t think I touched a single baby in the entire six weeks. What I did regrettably lay my hands on over and over again was the placenta. I consider the placenta – that hematogenous, life-sustaining, gelatinous mass – to be the most alien-like structure in human anatomy. There is good reason why you rarely hear about or see the placenta on TV."

James Burden, a medical student at UT Houston/McGovern Medical School, writes about a messy day in Ob/Gyn.

During my OB/GYN rotation, one of my primary roles as a medical student was to observe and assist during labor and delivery. On one particularly memorable Friday afternoon, after we welcomed a healthy baby boy into our world, I delivered the placenta wholly intact on my own. However, while I felt sa...

22/12/2021

"The 24-hour urine collection was nearing its 18th hour when the nurse on the floor approached me with a sheepish expression. I’ve gotten used to being the person with the least amount of authority and have historically thought of myself as unintimidating, and yet here I was, preparing to receive her confession. She said the sample from this hour was flushed away, never to be seen, heard from or counted. We would have to start over. All the way over."

Mallory Evans, a medical student at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, writes about a patient with pancreatic cancer.

Lots of people get bigger bellies as they age. My aunt used to say it was because of all the love in your life building up. This man noticed his belly was growing a little more than expected.

21/12/2021

"I heard about the blood
that you described as a flood,
and the terrible stomach pain
that gets worse when you strain.
your bowel movements aren’t flowing
since your stomach is growing.
I know what foods you’re allergic to,
the kegel exercises that you do."

Holly Pittard, a medical student at Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, writes for .

I heard about the blood / that you described as a flood, / and the terrible stomach pain

20/12/2021

"A young woman approximately my age, this patient had been living with an eating disorder (ED) for at least two years, and I suspect much longer. Her weight had steadily declined until three months ago, when she finally agreed to enter ED treatment. As a rule in ED recovery, one should refrain from using numbers to describe body size, so suffice to say that even after three months of progress, her BMI was still far from normal. "

Lisa David, a medical student at Florida International University, writes about diabetes.

“What about my sugars?” she asked. In all honesty, since she was not hypoglycemic, I had not examined her specific blood glucose level or hemoglobin A1c too closely. Scrolling through the extensive list of her lab results, I spotted them and felt a knot form in my stomach.

17/12/2021

"anatomy
biochemistry
ethics
pharmacology
physiology
pathology

These are the subjects
you taught me, but as I sit in this
despair, they don’t comfort me.
I need you to teach me more."

Nneoma Eneh, a medical student at St. George's University School of Medicine, writes for .

These are the subjects / you taught me, but as I sit in this / despair, they don't comfort me. / I need you to teach me more.

16/12/2021

Mallory Evans, a medical student at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, writes for .

This is Water is an attempt at documenting intentional living. This column will strive to highlight the extraordinary meaning of the often unnoticed, and to greet the hard and joyful parts of the medical school experience with gratitude (even when, especially when, we don’t feel like it).

I was the student on the pediatric surgery service consulted to monitor her during her hospital stay -- making sure we were ready to intervene if her esophagus ruptured and all that. After admitting her to the floor, we attempted to contact her parents. Mom was somewhere in Illinois, Dad doing I-sti...

15/12/2021

"'Abuse is of use.'
That is what we tell ourselves.
That it makes us stronger.
That we can use it to grow,
or to become more empathetic and loving.
We can understand others’ pain,
as if we’ve felt something similar."

Holly Pittard, a medical student at Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, writes for .

"Abuse is of use." / That is what we tell ourselves. / That it makes us stronger.

14/12/2021

"In the Pediatric ICU, a call was received from another hospital to give sign out for a patient already en route. The child being transferred had experienced a traumatic brain injury. The child was intubated after receiving every sort of therapeutic management imaginable in a desperate attempt to salvage any remaining brain function, but the prognosis was dire. Residents, fellows and attendings alike looked at one another, a clear consensus of dismal expectations. For a moment, profound sadness clouded the room, but it was quickly cast aside by the need to act. If there was anything to be done, they needed to be ready."

Samantha M Rodriguez, a medical student at Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, writes about a pediatric patient.

In the Pediatric ICU, a call was received from another hospital to give sign out for a patient already en route. The child being transferred had experienced a traumatic brain injury. The child was intubated after receiving every sort of therapeutic management imaginable in a desperate attempt to sal...