As we begin 2019, the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine looks back at some of our most popular posts of the past year. From the benefits of culinary medicine to sage advice to first-year students to alums reporting back from residency, these posts highlight the diversity of experiences students bring to their work and their future careers as physicians. Here are the top five posts of 2018:
From the Farm to the Doctor’s Office
By Conner Soderquist ‘20
An incredible mentor gave me some of the best advice I’ve received in medical school so far: Now is the time to build healthy habits that will sustain me for the rest of my career. Yes, I want to become a competent medical student and doctor, but I also want to be a good husband, friend, and member of my community. Engaging in projects I’m passionate about reminds me why I’m on this path to become a doctor, and it’s this desire to carve space for wellness (and fun) that brought me to the field of culinary medicine. Read the full blog post
My First Year as Resident: A Sense of Shared Purpose
By Bryce Bludevich, M.D.’17
Almost every resident and attending will tell you that nothing prepares you for your first day of residency. I will tell you the same thing, but that said I have to admit that the Larner College of Medicine prepared me as well as possible. The transition to residency can be rocky, but thanks to the hard work and dedication of the residents and attendings at the University of Vermont Medical Center, I felt ready to start my intern year at UMass Memorial Medical Center. Read the full blog post
Empowering Residents to Improve Health Equity
By Gaurab Basu, M.D.’10
In the 19th century, there may have been no more consequential biomedical scientist than Rudolph Virchow. His scientific research at a molecular level has had a profound impact on modern medicine even today, more than 150 years later. For me, however, it is his work in social medicine that has made a lasting impression on my understanding of the responsibilities clinicians have to the health of their society. Read the full blog post
Am I Cut Out for Medicine? (The Answer is Yes). And Other Fourth-Year Wisdom
By Julia Shatten, M.D.’18 and Vic Hudziak, M.D.’18
In the first and second years of medical school, the end goal – an M.D. – seems far away. But Vic Hudziak ’18 now knows that despite that first-year slow-mo feeling, four years actually flies by. She and classmate Julia Shatten ’18 have some great tips for current students and those getting ready for medical school. Read the full blog post
My Interview Day at UVM: How I Survived and Even Had Fun
By Katelyn Donaldson ’19
Walking into the University of Vermont College of Medicine on a snowy Vermont winter morning as a medical school applicant, I was instantly overwhelmed by the sea of interviewees. I had already been to a number of medical school interviews, but none of them had as many applicants. Everyone I met during the pre-interview day breakfast seemed so friendly and impressive. How was I ever going to stand out? A simple ice breaker game in smaller groups, combined with meeting a very personable first-year student ambassador, thankfully began to lessen my anxiety, and it soon began to feel more like the tight-knit community that I have grown to realize is intrinsic to UVM. Read the full blog post
