EMBound_InLine

A newsletter for medical students pursuing a career in emergency medicine

November 2020
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Letter from the Editor:
Hello, wonderful #EMBound Med Students- It's truly been a pleasure and honor to create this resource for you. Over the past 6 months, we have been so thankful for the opportunity to help find a way we can help you on your journey to becoming an Emergency Medicine Physician. In this unprecedented time, we see your courage, resiliency, and grit to press forward. We see how you have not given up on learning and growing, and continue serving our patients and community. This issue will build on Octobers’ newsletter on the interview process because so much of the Match depends on putting your best foot (or virtually- best presence on-screen) forward. As the next wave is upon us- please stay safe, continue to stay focused on your dreams, and know we are here with you every step of the way.

--Sree Natesan MD, EM Bound Editor-in-Chief
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TOP NEWS

bridge to em
Reminder: Interested in EM but not sure where to start in a field that requires you to know everything? Bridge to EM is designed to help you through this 8-week guide to provide structured preparation that is free for students. It contains vetted up-to-date information to help you shine on your ED rotation.

Making the Most of YOUR Interview

Al’ai Alvarez, MD, EM Bound Top News Section Editor
Look back five years ago. Likely, you were interviewing across the country to find the medical school of your dreams. Location, ranking, tuition cost--these are some of the areas you were considering. Forget how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed things for a moment. I’m sure back then, you were not thinking about November 2020 and embarking upon another series of interviews. While ranking and tuition cost may not factor in your calculation, this go-around, location, “fit,” and the opportunities to pursue your interests in Emergency Medicine become the currency of discussion points.

How do you get the most out of your interview day? After all, with the pandemic restrictions, your interactions with residents and faculty may be limited. This limitation narrows the “gut” feeling you were hoping to get that many traditionally experience with in-person interviews. Last month, we talked about optimizing your virtual interview. Now let's talk about how we can make the most of your interview day.
  • Attend pre-interview events included in your interview packet: Programs these days offer a series of events for applicants. While these are important for you, they are not mandatory. However, those included in the interview packet, such as interview socials the night before, are highly recommended. It’s your chance to get to know the residents with their guards down and the residents to get to know you as future members of their family. You also get to ask any questions you may have like: “What are things residents do for fun during your days off?” or “What is it like being a resident here?” Use these opportunities to gain perspective of your “fit” within this program.
  • Don’t be too familiar: While it may be tempting to share your inner secrets and have some alcoholic beverage with you during these virtual socials- don’t. These social gatherings are part of the interview, and residents are likely to share with their program leadership any untoward, overly-familiar experiences they have with you. Be friendly, but professional.
  • Enjoy your time: There’s a nice balance between being appropriately cautious and also allowing yourself to enjoy the conversations. In large part, this has to do with the content of the conversation. If you love surfing, share that. Residents want to know how you’re going to be when you’re in residency with them.
  • Be genuinely inquisitive: Ask the residents where they’ve gone for their electives and any other fun experiences they’ve had during that trip. “I heard about this elective in Nepal. Have you gone? Can you tell me more about it?” This is a great opportunity to learn deeper than what is on the program websites about the inner workings of the program.
  • The program coordinator is your friend: I still remember our program coordinator in residency. Elizabeth was there during times of celebrations and tears. Find moments during your interactions to connect with them. No doubt, they are having a hectic day, just like you. “How are you doing?” and “Thank you” go a long way. The program coordinator is also an integral part of the program- show respect and kindness. Your interactions with others are definitely taken into account as you interview.
  • Seize opportunities as they arise: Did a faculty or resident mention a project you would love to join in the future? Ask if you can reach out later to get more information. Ask if they can connect you with someone who’s done the track of your interest. Making connections is a great way to show interest, but only do this if you are genuinely interested in that project/opportunity.
  • Reflect on your day: How did the residents interact with each other? How do they refer to the residency leadership? What were your virtual “gut” feelings? Grab your phone and record a video of you recounting this. You’ll remember your emotions, the tone of your voice, how excited or frustrated you are. What did you like the most? What didn’t you like? Who did you meet that made your experience better? Worse? This video will be an excellent complement to the notes you’ve taken during your interview.
The interview season can be exciting and stressful at the same time. How you make the most of your interview day is entirely up to you. Just remember, we’re excited to meet you!

Resources:
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SPOTLIGHT

ALiEM EM Match Advice Spotlight


EM Match Advice Series was started in 2014 by Dr. Micheal Gisondi and ALiEM’s very own Dr. Michelle Lin. The series has provided informational material on prior Match results, panel discussions from program leadership, and interview tips.

The latest episode of EM Match Advice brought together Dr. David Caro (University of Florida, Jacksonville), Dr. Erica Shaver (West Virginia University), and Dr. Cedric Lefebvre (Wake Forest University) to discuss Virtual Residency Interviews in the COVID-19. Find some highlights of the show notes below.
  • Patience will be key: Although the timeline from ERAS opening to The Match remained roughly the same, interview invites may be delayed a few days from previous years as application review started a few days later. Residency leadership is having to adapt as well. Programs previously created well-oiled machines for sifting through applications and deciding interview invites, all of which were disrupted as well.
  • Over-interviewing may occur: There has been speculation that the virtual interview process will lead to students submitting applications and accepting interview invitations to more programs than they would have otherwise since there is no need to travel. Programs, in turn, may over-interview applicants as it’s easier to host students virtually and in order to avoid the possibility of unfilled spots.
  • It will be an interview process, not a single interview day: Programs will be looking at creative ways to optimize the virtual interview process. Some may request responses to questions or prompts in advance of interviews, in an attempt to achieve a more holistic view of the student. Virtual tours, Q&A sessions, and second-look opportunities will reign over social media to allow programs a more visible presence.
  • Interviews may be structured differently: Panel interviews, shorter interviews, more interviews, breakout room activities-there will be variability between programs.
  • Take a deep breath and enjoy the ride: Although fundamentally different than previous years, try to focus on the unique opportunity afforded by the residency application cycle to learn about the different programs, cities, and career paths that could be in your future. Take advantage of all the extra programmatic presence online to truly get to know a program.
  • Professionalism still reigns supreme: Be on time. Be respectful. Be present.
  • Embrace the home-field advantage: Find comfort in knowing your suit won’t get lost, you know where the bathroom is, you don’t have to catch a cab or worry about parking.
Listen to more of the EM Match Advice Series for guidance and words of wisdom on ERAS, NRMP’s The Match, and EM Fellowship Match.
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COVID-19 UPDATES

As numbers are rising across the US, it's important now more than ever to stay diligent in your awareness of what is going on during the pandemic and adhering to safety guidelines of wearing a mask, staying 6 feet away, and washing your hands. Vaccinations are in the near future, but we must be a voice to help educate family, friends, and our community on how to stay safe. Check out our archived EM Bound newsletters from April-May for COVID-19 information, as well as links to important websites and videos.

Here's the link to ARCHIVE newsletters.

Resource:
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CLERKSHIP LIFE &
RESIDENCY APPLICATION SEASON

How to "Be" Successful in Residency Interviews

David Gordon, MD, EM Bound Clerkship Life Section Editor

Ready or not, here they come! November has arrived which means so has the interview season. While the format and feel will be different this year, the core elements of a great interview will remain the same. Here are five keys ways to "Be" successful in convincing programs you are a top applicant that anyone would be lucky to have:
  • Be Insightful: The substance and depth in which you can describe your activities can be more important than the activity itself. Whether it be a research study, community service project, or medical school involvement, discussing your endeavors in detail and with enthusiasm will help impress your audience. The way you discuss your experiences could cast a positive impression on your ability to think critically, navigate challenging situations, and contribute to the life of the program. In addition, don't underestimate the power of a great hobby or former job. It's fun for interviewers to break up the repetition of the season by talking about non-medical experiences. Teach your interviewer something new!
  • Be Engaged: Interviewers are sensitive to verbal and non-verbal cues that convey a potential lack of interest. Be mindful of body language, eye contact (within reason for virtual teleconferencing), and energy level. It won't matter how good you look on paper if it's perceived on interview day that you lack enthusiasm and rather be somewhere else. On a similar note, be mindful of the length of your answer. The bigger issue tends to be providing overly short replies such that the interviewer feels like they have to work hard to fill up space. On the other hand, being mindful of the time and helping the interviewer stay on schedule could be particularly important in this year's virtual setting and serve as a nice display of professionalism.
  • Be Positive: You may have heard by now that emergency medicine has a "2 am test." What this implies is that at some point during the conversation, your interviewer is likely going to imagine the ED busting at the seams in the wee hours of the morning, they look over to their left, and they see you by their side. How are they going to feel? A large part of the answer will, of course, revolve around your perceived clinical ability, but your attitude will also be a major factor. Are you a glass half full or half empty kind of person? Will you get ensnared by minor frustrations or work past them to get to the patients in need of care? This is not to say that emergency physicians shouldn't have or express negative emotions, but rather that in an interview setting, it's best to demonstrate you can see life and discuss your personal experience through a positive and optimistic lens. Emergency medicine is a team sport. Show that you can be an awesome teammate.
  • Be Inquisitive: The hardest question during an interview can literally be "Do you have any questions?" You should expect to be asked this and come prepared. Think about questions in advance that have personal meaning and relate to your interests rather than those that could be generically asked by anyone. For example, if you are interested in education, you could ask about opportunities to participate in teaching activities and examples of what current residents are doing. A reliable standby for good conversation is to ask an interviewer to share their personal story and what they enjoy about the place. Residents are a great resource to learn more about faculty interactions, peer relationships, and local living. One important thing to remember is to avoid adopting a challenging tone in your questioning. You do not want to put your interviewer - especially the program director - on the defensive with phrasing like "why is it" or "explain to me." Use inviting language like "I am interested in learning more about..." This will help ensure you come across as both inquisitive and nice.
  • Be Visionary: No one is expecting you to know for sure what you are going to do with the rest of your life after residency, but having a vision of where you could see yourself or what you want to learn more about the next couple of years will help shape you as an interesting applicant. This vision can come in many different flavors. It could be a strong notion of wanting to work in an urban academic environment versus serving a smaller rural population; it could be a loose curiosity about pursuing a fellowship in global health or maybe ultrasound, or it could be a broad commitment to an area of practice such as clinical research or health care disparities. Conveying this vision will help provide the program with a sense of how you might fit in while also doing the same for you.
Best of luck with the interviews. Programs everywhere are excited to meet you and welcome you to our amazing specialty.
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EXPAND YOUR
SOCIAL MEDIA HORIZONS

November is a busy month. Election. Interviews. Thanksgiving. Snow for some of you. Enjoy some Emergency medicine art, learn from thought leaders in medical education, explore other ways to expand your skills in emergency medicine, and expand your horizons and learn more about our brothers and sisters in medicine.
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IF I KNEW THEN
WHAT I KNOW NOW

Faculty Perspective

Sree Natesan, MD, EM Bound Editor-in-Chief

It's humbling the fluxes of life. What feels imminent and all so life-transforming whispers away as the next challenge or obstacle that must be overcome approaches. Must and will be overcome. Who you are and how you got to this point is important. You have moved mountains and climbed out of valleys to get to this point of logging onto your virtual interview. Insecurities, nerves, and worries may be a flurry in your mind. But remember, this too shall pass and you will find the residency that will help you to continue to grow into the incredible EM physician that you are meant to be.

Like all challenges, your approach and perspective to it can truly affect your experience and performance. Great athletes often perform their best because they have a pregame routine to help them ‘get in the zone.’ Having the right mindset, remembering your value and accomplishments, and believing you have so much to offer can help you to shine even despite the virtual environment.

Here are a few top tips for a pre-interview routine:
  • Create a routine or ritual to get in the zone: Routines really help us stay organized and be successful. They can help calm nerves and help you get into performance mode. Some will skim over their CV, read over notes on the program they are interviewing at, etc. Whatever it is- make it fit with what will help you get ready and feel confident and prepared.
  • Get a good night’s sleep: While this will be easier due to the lack of travel, make sure you’ve got what you need to get a good night’s sleep. Avoid food/drink that keeps you up, medications that can make you groggy, or scheduling an interview when you know you’re gonna be out-of-it (s/p marathon or long work-week, etc).
  • Food is fuel: Consider eating a meal or having snacks available to avoid fluxes in your blood sugar and energy levels. This can help you from being hangry or irritable during your interviews.
  • Take a lead in your schedule: You know yourself best: choose to perform or interview when you have the best mental clarity. If you aren't a morning person, schedule afternoon interviews. Think of when you work best and use this as a guide in your scheduling.
  • Find the ‘just right’ caffeination zone: While caffeine is key for many, be careful! You don't want to be bouncing off the walls from too much or in a haze from too little. Be like Goldilocks: you want just the right amount.
  • Pause and breath: Right before logging on, take a moment. Remember how far you’ve come, the countless hours of work, tears, and effort to make this dream a reality. Take a deep breath and join the interview knowing you have so much to offer.
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ALiEM HIGHLIGHT REEL

The 3 most popular blog posts relevant for medical students in October 2020 were the following:
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EM BOUND TEAM

Editor-in-Chief: Sree Natesan, MD (Duke University)
Top News Section Editor: Al’ai Alvarez, MD (Stanford University)
SpotLight Section Editor: Moises Gallegos, MD MPH (Stanford University)
Clerkship Section Editor: David Gordon MD (Duke University)
Chief Advisor: Michelle Lin, MD (University of California, San Francisco)
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