Academic Medicine Podcast

I had not role modeled cynicism or pessimism. Rather, my student’s statement was a sign of learning and understanding what I had taught: processing and handling the reality of medical practice. Beatrice T.B. Preti reflects on  teaching students to be aware of the systems they work in (including limitations and flaws), which helps them to prepare for future practice. The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching and Learning Moments column in the May 2025 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.

Authors Joan Cangiarella, MD, and Catherine Coe, MD, and medical student Lily Ge discuss the goals, features, evolution, and outcomes to date of accelerated 3-year MD programs, focusing on the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the University of North Carolina School of Medicine FIRST Program. They explore the experiences of accelerated program medical students and how these programs fit into broader efforts to improve medical education.  Read the articles discussed and access the episode transcript at academicmedicineblog.org [https://academicmedicineblog.org/key-features-and-outcomes-of-accelerated-3-year-md-programs/].

Authors Eric Warm, MD, and David Hirsh, MD, and medical student Kate Jennings join host Toni Gallo to discuss the unintended consequences of the shift to pass/fail grading in undergraduate medical education and current challenges in the residency application and selection process. They explore the feedback culture and incentives for pursuing clinical excellence in medical school. They also present the complex adaptive system model as a framework to consider the dynamics at play and ways to improve the transition to residency.    Read the article discussed and access the episode transcript at academicmedicineblog.org [https://academicmedicineblog.org/navigating-the-shadow-economy-of-effort/].

As I reflect on my initial years of training, I am deeply moved by the kindness that surrounded me, especially during hands-on interactions with patients as an anxious new trainee. The warmth and guidance that were shown to me had a profound influence on my personal learning and growth. Oscar Li and Yeonsoo Sara Lee reflects on their experience inserting a Foley catheter for the first time, and how crucial a supportive environment in medical education is. The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching and Learning Moments column in the February 2025 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.

In some ways, I walked a mile in the refugee doctors’ shoes. I learned about culture through my mistakes instead of being explicitly taught. Although mistakes aid learning, they also have the potential to erode relationships. Samantha E. Smith reflects on her experience teaching refugee doctors and the importance of intercultural competence teaching for international medical graduates and the faculty who train them. The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching and Learning Moments column in the January 2025 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.