It’s 11:43 a.m. on a Tuesday. The fluorescent lights are buzzing with the quiet rage of neglect, and I, a hospital wall, age 74, cracked in three places and suspiciously damp in one, am just minding my business, absorbing the emotional wreckage of another day in hell.  I haven’t been washed since 1986. There’s a faint outline of a “Hand Hygiene Saves Lives” poster that fell off in ‘09 and was never replaced. And in my bottom left corner? A particularly stubborn patch of dried c. diff that’s been clinging on like a bad residency match. 

The halls smell like burnt coffee, moth balls, crushed dreams, and the faint musk of someone who hasn’t slept since pre-rounds. A medical student stands quietly leaning against me. They’re nose deep in notes, muttering “infraspinatus... infraspinatus...” like it’s going to unlock some kind of clinical third eye. I can feel the anxiety radiating through their unwashed white coat, years of education, thousands of dollars, all coalescing into one fragile human sandwiching themselves between me and the slow death of their dreams.

Then I feel it. A shift in the air. The kind that only knows one antibiotic by the name of ancef. Thump. Thump. THUMP. Each step louder than the last, echoing through my tiles. An attending turns the corner at terminal velocity, 6’3”, 240 pounds of pure lumbar lordosis, Patagonia vest flapping through dim lit walls. 

IMPACT

The student drops like a loose pen during a pimping session. Their notes go flying, one sheet sticks to me (hello again, rotator cuff). Another floats down next to the C. diff corner. And then the weirdest part, the student starts apologizing. Like they’ve just slapped the attending's mother. The attending looks down, all broad shouldered and mildly inconvenienced, and delivers a stare that causes even the asbestos in me to tremble. 

He mutters something about a misspelled “infraspinatus” like it’s a felony.  The student, still collecting their loose papers, slowly leans back against me again. I try to comfort them. I stay standing. Because I’m a hospital wall. Ive held up fuming surgeons, the tears of interns, and residents shattered dreams. And today, I held up one med student’s last ounce of dignity.  

Stay upright, kings. And if you lean on me, maybe bring a disinfectant wipe.

“I’m not a doctor but that sure looks like cellulitis to me.”

“I’m not a doctor but, honestly, 600 mg ibuprofen is fine.”

For the last four years, “I’m not a doctor but” has been the absolute cornerstone of my giving medical advice to friends and family and spouting opinions on the verisimilitude of The Pitt. Graduating soon and wondering how I’ll get by without it. What, am I supposed assume responsibility for my takes?

I guess I’ll always have “this is not medical advice but…” but I worry it won’t be the same.

I’m a soon-to-be 4th-year medical student. When I started medical school, I was set on pursuing anesthesia. Unfortunately, I didn’t pass COMLEX Level 1 on my first attempt, but I did pass on my second try after making significant adjustments to my study approach. Since then, I’ve managed to fix my studying ( I even managed to high-pass my FM and IM rotations haha), which was encouraging.

However, I recognize that matching into anesthesia with a board failure is extremely challenging, so I began exploring other specialties. I actually posted about this on here awhile ago and decided to look for another speciality that I could love as much as anesthesia. Surprisingly, one of the fields that caught my interest was pathology. After visiting a pathology lab, I found myself genuinely enjoying the process of making definitive diagnoses and collaborating with colleagues to discuss results. I particular the time where I was helping in the lab on the anatomical pathology. I’ve also realized that I probably wouldn’t miss direct patient contact as much as I once thought.

Currently, I’m planning to dual-apply to both anesthesia and pathology, but I’ve noticed my passion for anesthesia waning. Part of me wonders if this is because I know how much of an uphill battle it would be to match. I’m planning to take Step 2 and Level 2, and even with strong scores, I imagine it would be a tough journey, possibly involving matching into a prelim year and then trying again in the next cycle. While matching into pathology isn’t easy either, it feels more attainable after the numerous people who have graciously advised me on this path (no pun intended lol).

I feel conflicted, though. A part of me doesn’t want to give up on anesthesia just because I failed COMLEX . My ego keeps pushing me to stick with the hard path and dual-apply because “you never know.” On the other hand, I wonder if it would be better to fully commit to pathology and put all my energy into one specialty rather than dividing my focus.

I would really appreciate advice from others who have faced a similar situation. How did you handle letting go of a specialty you once dreamed of/wanted ? Did you ever change your path because of unexpected challenges? I’m trying to come to terms with the idea that it’s okay to choose a different route if it aligns more with my evolving interests and realistic prospects. Any insight or experiences would be incredibly helpful.

Hey everyone! I’m a USMD about 1 week in to my first rotation. Over my first two years, I feel like I’ve gained a good amount of weight and have really wanted to lose 10-15 lbs over the next few months/year. I do have some back issues which have made lifting tough recently but have started again with really light weight. I’ve been thinking of buying a road bike and maybe slowly easing into running (due to my sensitive back) but I’d really appreciate any insight or advice on how people stayed fit or lost weight during the packed schedule of 3rd year and beyond. Any nutrition or exercise advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

DO with a 220 Step 2 and a barely passing Level 2.

I barely got any interviews. I didn't attend conferences. I wasn't a member of the radiology club at my school. I don’t have many publications. I didn’t have any special connections.

I am an ordinary person with interests and a good life outside of medicine.

What I did have was:

• A bunch of away rotations
• A genuine interest in the field
• A good attitude
• A strong work ethic
• And the ability to be a pleasant, normal human in the reading room, in the hospital, during my interviews

I wasted so much time and energy:

1. Doubting myself
2. Listening to people who didn’t believe in me
3. Reading negative shit on the internet about not matching into radiology

You’ll probably read a lot of negative posts on the internet (I know I did—it’s hard not to). If you’re in a tough spot right now or in the future, come back to this one. Let it remind you that there is hope.

If you’re out there worrying you’re not enough, or not doing enough—stop. You are.

Whatever you do, don’t count yourself out before this crazy game even starts.

***Edit: these comments are wild. A reminder that my step 2 and level 2 are only one part of my academic history. For additional context: I didn’t start med school aiming for rads. I do have strong research experience. I was very active in extracurriculars throughout med school. I worked my ass off throughout, especially during clinicals, which helped gain support from letter writers. My evals for every rotation were excellent. Applying with these scores is a gamble and I panicked the entire time and was advised by many people that it is likely it wouldn’t work out this time. But, I was very willing to apply again and not soap into a different speciality because rads is all I want. I took a huge risk. I knew my strengths and tried to capitalize on those throughout this whole process. Knew I had to get in front of ppl and do a ton of aways. I am lucky and very thankful. Obviously we all know there are flaws in the process. But it is not impossible.

Hey people ! I am a medical student from Balkan Region and my university has its own published book for anatomy which I do not find very great ! Im between Thieme Anatomy and Greys Anatomy by Elsevier as a primary resource for my medical education and a feedback or personal experiences would be appreciated ! Also wanted a feedback about the Neuroanatomy book in third slide ! Thank you for the time dedicated reading this post and thanks in advance if you answer !

I was sitting in the hallway waiting for my imaging results following my pickleball accident, when BAM — out of nowhere, a human body hit the floor like a sack of bones and dreams.

Papers everywhere. Looked like someone had detonated a medical textbook. There was a half-eaten granola bar tragically squished between a femur diagram and what I think was an “Infraspinatus” that had clearly been spell-checked by a sleep-deprived goblin.

Then he arrived. The orthopedic overlord. 6-foot-something, biceps like overinflated bike tires, and a Patagonia vest that looked like it had never seen the inside of a tent. The words “Chief of Ortho” were embroidered across his chest in a font that might as well have been called Intimidation Sans.

He didn’t yell. No, this was more of a controlled burn.

“You didn’t see me?” he asked the poor student, who was already on the floor collecting both paper and shattered confidence.

I was sipping my hallway apple juice like it was a front-row seat to the season finale of Grey’s Anatomy.

Then he hit him with the coup de grâce: “You misspelled infraspinatus.”

I choked on my juice.

No “Are you okay?” No “Sorry for steamrolling you like a sentient freight train.” Just a spelling correction that somehow carried the weight of a thousand crushed dreams.

He disappeared down the hall like a Marvel villain, and the student sat there for a minute — not crying, but definitely reconsidering his life choices. I swear I could see the exact moment he decided to join a gym.

A few weeks later, I came back for a follow-up.

The kid was still there — now standing straight, walking like he had just bench-pressed his own shame. He nodded at me. Looking thick, solid, tight.

I nodded back, silently acknowledging his glow-up.

Then I tripped over my own foot and spilled apple juice on a nurse’s Crocs.

We locked eyes as I lay on the floor, dignity leaking out of me like contrast dye. He crouched down, handed me a napkin, and said:

“Eyes up, sir.”

I wanna begin working on research and i totally lost , can you tell where i can begin

I was a fourth-year med student—bright-eyed, idealistic, and maybe a little too convinced that hard work alone would earn me my place. I grew up far from privilege. No legacy connections, no fancy Patagonia vest with “Chief” stitched into it. I always had an unshakable belief that orthopedic surgery didn’t have to mean toxic flex culture. I thought knowledge and humility would be enough.

It was my first week on the ortho service at a large academic hospital. I was reviewing rotator cuff anatomy—literally trying to memorize the insertions between bites of a cold granola bar—when it happened.

I didn’t even see him coming. One second, I was trying to stay out of everyone’s way, the next, I was sprawled on the floor, papers everywhere, heart pounding in my throat.

He towered over me. 6’3”, 240, probably. Patagonia vest. “Chief of Ortho.” It was embroidered like a threat.

“You didn’t see me?” he sneered. “I’m not exactly inconspicuous.”

I apologized—instinctively, embarrassingly so. My voice shook. My hands fumbled for the looseleaf that now looked like my entire future had exploded onto the linoleum.

Then came the final blow.

“You misspelled infraspinatus.”

He didn’t even wait for me to respond. Just turned, the hallway swallowing him as he barked out his final line: “Next time, eyes up, kid.”

I sat there for a few seconds longer than I should have. Not because I was scared—well, maybe a little—but because for the first time I realized something.

This wasn’t just about knowledge. It wasn’t about grades or Step scores or how many anatomy flashcards you could recite at 2 AM. In this world—his world—respect was earned in iron and sweat.

So I started going to the gym.

Not to impress anyone. Not really. But because I knew that if I ever stood face to face with someone like him again, I wouldn’t be the one looking up. I’d be the one standing tall. Calm. Solid.

Bench? I’m past 225 now. Not that it matters. But it does.

Rotator cuff anatomy? Nailed it. Spelled correctly, too.

But more than that, I learned something he probably never meant to teach me:

Respect doesn’t come from fear. It comes from never letting anyone make you feel small again.

Next time? My eyes will be up. And I’ll be ready.

Has anyone rotated at Uchicago or are planning on rotating there? I got an offer for the July slot, which starts on July 1st and ends on July 31st. This feels like a weird date range for me since it spans 5 weeks, which eats into my plans for the following August block. 

What is even more weird is that their August block is the normal starting on Monday of first week and ending on Friday of 4th week. I’m wondering if they would be flexible for the normal 4 week schedule, or if they just put a general date range instead of specific dates? 

Hello! Sorry if this is a dumb question but I was wondering if writing a case report on an infectious process that grows bacteria that are not typical in that area (non pseudomonas aeruginosa on malignant otitis externa) is something that is worth trying? Ive read on PubMed of some cases reporting the bacteria that grew in our patient (MDR Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii), but it is kind of rare. Im not sure if the fact that it has already been reported in some cases makes this less "impactful" or not worth writing about. How do you guys go on about addressing these types of questions when deciding what to write about? Is it worth the try in this case? Thanks in advance!

Edit: typos

Hi everyone,

I’m an OMS-III who was put in a position to take a LOA because I didn’t score well enough on the COMSAE for Level 1. My school wanted me to take a year off but I took the exams as soon as I could and advocated to begin my rotations asap. I’m currently on my second to last core rotation (FM for those looking at the schedule) and have to decide if I should apply for match this year or the next. For reference, I’m a a very average to below average student with some extracurriculars, volunteering, and research and want to apply IM. Long term would love to do a fellowship and so matching academic IM is the goal. Educators at school are pushing me to graduate a year later so that I can have Flex Time for interviews and scheduling sub-is/ auditions. I’ve attached the potential schedules above, would love 4th year and beyond’s opinions on this. Thank you sm.

I’m an attending at a large academic hospital (orthopedic surgery by the way). I was walking in the hallway when suddenly some scum medical student was standing in the middle of the hallway staring straight down at their notes, completely oblivious to their surroundings. I quickly sized up the student, and I quickly computed their bench press to be a pathetic sub 225. I knew I had to assert my dominance over the little scrawny twerp.

I proceeded to run into the student and watched as they crumpled to the ground. The student looked up in horror, and instead of standing up for themselves, they profusely apologized as I towered above them. I had never seen anything more pathetic in my life. “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry I didn’t see you there”.

I sneered. “You didn’t see me? I’m 6’3”, 240, and wearing a Patagonia vest embroidered with Chief of Ortho. I’m not exactly inconspicuous.”

The student scrambled to gather their papers, hands shaking, probably wondering if their future just ended in a pile of looseleaf and shame. I looked down at the crumpled printout—some pathetic attempt at learning the rotator cuff muscles. I scoffed.

“You misspelled infraspinatus,” I said, crushing what little spirit they had left.

They stammered something—probably a desperate plea for forgiveness or a last-ditch effort to salvage their eval. I don’t remember. I was already walking away, dictating op notes in my head and wondering if this kid would even survive a week on trauma call.

But just before turning the corner, I paused. I turned slightly, just enough so they could hear me:

“Next time, eyes up, kid.”

Was reading the application info and was saying crap about it sometimes taking weeks…? My program wants it by April 15th —

Edit title: conference abstract submissions’ suggestions

I finished writing a meta-analysis a abstract about graft-versus-host-disease after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Can anyone suggest any conferences I can submit to? I want to attend the conference later this year.

I searched and found a small conference called “Society of hematologic oncology”, is it legit?

https://sohoonline.org/SOHO2025/SOHO2025/Program.aspx

Just curious how a program with 600+ applicants manages to assess their publications. If they interview 20% of the applicants they still have to sift through ~120 applicants.

How does this usually unfold? Can they easily separate the paper vs poster/presentation count after they narrow down to ~100 applicants?

hi friends, im a US-IMG and on my ob/gyn rotation. it's my third rotation and getting into the zone of how the rotations flow. the rotations itself go by great, i get along well with the doctors, residents, and students, always show up on time and volunteer to help any way I can. It's just the shelves itself that are my Achille's heel. The other two have thankfully been fine, but I really want to continue to stay on top of it and even improve. What resources do you guys, especially the 90th percentile scorers, recommend to study for this shelf? also, are mehlman pdf's still helpful for OB? thanks everyone!

Hello all. I took step this last Friday and just realized my school gives me access to Kaplan from now and throughout 2nd year. I was wondering how beneficial it would be to start working my way through some of these questions? I don't really plan on grinding or anything before clinicals, but wouldn't mind knocking out some questions every now and again if it'll have some benefit.

TIA!

What do you guys think? is anesth going the way of EM? They both are certainly very similar (hospital based, service specialty...etc) and corporate america has lots of incentive to increase supply to slash salaries (EM went from being top dollar per hour to meh in a blip).

Do you think they can pull it off or will the ASA shield the field?

Just want something simple and easy bc def not getting much back.

Was asked to give a presentation to premeds yesterday about med school.

One student asked me how the culture was in med school. I told him, “honestly dude, it’s kind of clique-y. And kind of like high school because you’re with the same people all day every day for the most part. There isn’t as much drama in my experience but people tend to form their groups and stick with them.” BUT I did say how helpful my class is with sharing study materials and guides with everyone, etc.

The M1s giving the presentation with me got offended by my comment and went on a 15 minute rant about how everything is basically rainbows and sunshine and med school isn’t like that at all lmao.

What do y’all think?🤨 am i just a Debbie downer ?

Hey peeps! I'm a foreign M3 student whose been wanting to do my residency in the US since probably the start of med school. However, after spending some time on this sub and seeing a lot of people with multiple pubs, extracurricular activities, etc. not getting the specialty they wanted, I am starting to think i have no chance. For context, i rank in the 50th percentile of my class, got 2 papers pending, 3 externships and a solid amout of extracurricular work. Now of course i will continue working on myself but i was just curious about my chances of matching for specialties like interventional radiology and anesthesia?

Our school has sent us a bunch of files and emails that I should still review. Does anyone have any tips on how I can prepare for IM rotation especially since it's my first ever clinical rotation? I'm especially nervous thinking about my very first day. Like what am I even gonna do when I show up? I don't know anything 😭😭 how do I make sure I'm not super confused and lost. Thanks yall

I hate this process so much. I'm applying anesthesia, and I have currently have around 90 applications sent in (not 90 programs, but 90 applications with different dates for each school). Most of them were submitted within a day of opening. All I've gotten have been rejections. Like what are they even looking for and wtf do I do if I don't even get one to take me.