Bundle Of Hers

When you think about the future of medicine, what do you see? What do you envision? Together with our home teams, University of Utah School of Medicine and University of Utah Health, we traveled to Phoenix, Arizona for the 2019 AAMC Annual Meeting to ask how the rest of the country is shaping the future of medicine.

In a new environment, it is human nature for most of us to want to fit in. We want to feel like we belong and are part of a community. But if we are trying to be like everyone else, at what point do we lose our own identities? Harjit and Margaux welcome back Bushra and Leen, and talk about adapting to new environments while on their away-rotations.

One’s reading journey is an interesting thing. We started with other people reading to us, then we read single words, then sentences. It began with picture books, then chapter books, textbooks, then research papers. We read for different reasons, too. For some people, reading is therapeutic. Others read for knowledge and understanding. Harjit and Margaux talk about how reading can introduce new perspectives, and how the introduction of new perspectives helps them become better healthcare providers.

One’s reading journey is an interesting thing. We started with other people reading to us, then we read single words, then sentences. It began with picture books, then chapter books, textbooks, then research papers. We read for different reasons, too. For some people, reading is therapeutic. Others read for knowledge and understanding. Harjit and Margaux talk about how reading can introduce new perspectives, and how the introduction of new perspectives helps them become better healthcare providers.

It is easy to go with the flow—going against the current is the difficult task. And bringing up topics of race, prejudice, biases, and discrimination can be uncomfortable. But it is okay to be comfortable with being uncomfortable, because being an ally can be uncomfortable. Allyship is "the key to unlocking the power of diversity.” In part two of a two-part discussion, Harjit and Margaux talk to Dr. Amy Cowan about what it means to be an ally.

Race and discrimination can be sensitive topics that people may find uncomfortable to speak about. But they do not have to be. Talking about race does not make you racist. Not talking about race does not mean you are not racist. Allyship is "the key to unlocking the power of diversity.” In part one of a two-part discussion, Harjit and Margaux talk to Dr. Amy Cowan about what it means to be an ally.

If a parent or sibling (or any family member) is also in the medical field, does that mean you are going into a family business? If you grew up in a medical family, you know what we are talking about—"Are you going to be a doctor, too?” How do you know if you are on this path because of passion or because the path is familiar? Harjit and Margaux talk to classmate Natalie Wall about the good and bad parts of growing up in a medical family, and how having a family member in medicine has impacted their own journeys in medicine.

If a parent or sibling (or any family member) is also in the medical field, does that mean you are going into a family business? If you grew up in a medical family, you know what we are talking about—"Are you going to be a doctor, too?” How do you know if you are on this path because of passion or because the path is familiar? Harjit and Margaux talk to classmate Natalie Wall about the good and bad parts of growing up in a medical family, and how having a family member in medicine has impacted their own journeys in medicine.

"The persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one's own efforts or skills" is Oxford Dictionary’s definition of imposter syndrome. In this episode, Harjit and Margaux share stories about when they have felt like imposters in med school and how they have overcome the feeling of not deserving something.

Let's all agree to agree on food. We all need to eat—it is an essential part of living. But yet, some of us skip meals more often than our bodies can handle. The issue of finances or access to food aside, sometimes you just do not have time for food. Due to the nature of a lot of our jobs, sometimes we leave the house in the morning on an empty stomach, and it stays empty until later that evening. Sometimes we are in a hurry, and it is a sugary donut for lunch. Margaux and Harjit talk about their coping strategies for tackling "the food situation" as fourth-year med students with unpredictable schedules.