First Line | Pre-Med and Medical Student Professional Development and Mental Health

Episode 90. ⁠The personal statement is the most important part of your application for many specialties. It is also the part of your application that you uniquely have control over.

The 2021 program director survey cited that in all specialties, the personal statement is more important when selecting who to interview than other factors including 1) volunteer and extracurricular experiences, 2) awards and honors, 3) the prestige of your medical school, and 4) research experience.

The personal statement was even more important than 1) USMLE/COMLEX scores and 2) your school grades for applicants applying to many specialties including child neurology, family medicine, neurosurgery, PM&R, psychiatry, and vascular surgery. Now that Level 1 and Step 1 is pass/fail, many more specialties are likely to join the ranks of these specialties that look more at the personal statement for a more holistic review process.

Top 10 tips:

Avoid these 5 mistakes:

View all my editing services for Pre-Med and Medical Students (CV, personal statement, applications): https://www.fiverr.com/firstlinepod

First Line is created and hosted by Aubrey Ann Jackson. Visit First Line’s website where you can view blog posts: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.firstlinepodcast.com⁠

For a discount on your TrueLearn subscription use link: https://truelearn.referralrock.com/l/firstline/ and code: firstline

First Line is on Instagram @firstlinepodcast and on Facebook www.facebook.com/firstlinepodcast You can also reach First Line via email at [email protected]

Content on First Line is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please see your primary care physician (DO or MD) for any medical concerns you have. All ideas expressed are individual ideas of the host and do not represent any organizations the host is linked to.

Episode 89. There are three types of intelligence: thinking intelligence, feeling intelligence, and doing/instinctual intelligence. Everyone has all three types of intelligence, but everyone has one dominant center of intelligence. The Enneagram numbers can be sorted into triads, and these triads also line up with a center of intelligence.

Head triad = thinking center of intelligence (5, 6, and 7), motivated by fear

Heart triad = feeling center of intelligence (2, 3, and 4), motivated by shame

Gut triad = doing/instinctual center of intelligence (8, 9, and 1), motivated by anger

This episode goes into detail each of these triads and centers of intelligence and how they show up in each individual number.

First Line is created and hosted by Aubrey Ann Jackson. 

Visit First Line’s website and blog: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.firstlinepodcast.com⁠

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Content on First Line is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please see your primary care physician (DO or MD) for any medical concerns you have. All ideas expressed are individual ideas of the host and do not represent any organizations the host is linked to.

Episode 88. This episode is composed of three parts: one recording from after rank lists are due (discussing my initial thoughts and providing an overview of how the Match Process works through NRMP), one recording after receiving the first match week email that states if an applicant matches or not (spoiler: I matched!), and a final recording with a reflection after I learn what program I matched at.

Personal Statement Editing Service:https://www.fiverr.com/share/Llqb2p

CV/Resume Editing Service: https://www.fiverr.com/share/KaAZqW

Listen to my episodes entitled "Preparing for 4th Year of Medical School: Away Rotations" (episode 78), "How to Perfect Your Pre-Med or Medical School CV or Resume" (episode 81), and "Residency Applications: Timeline and New Changes to ERAS" (episode 85). Stay tuned for a future episode on tips for the personal statement!

For a discount on your TrueLearn subscription use link: ⁠https://truelearn.referralrock.com/l/firstline/⁠ and code: firstline

First Line is created and hosted by Aubrey Ann Jackson. Visit First Line’s website where you can view blog posts: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.firstlinepodcast.com⁠

Episode 87. Female anatomy and the physiology of the female reproductive system is often misunderstood while other women don't even know the basics about how their own bodies work! This episode is important for everyone to listen to, not just individuals who have a uterus. In addition to discussing the structure and function of the organs that make up the intricate female reproductive system, I also go over what goes on during the menstrual cycle.

Please note that during this episode I use terms such as "female", "women", "maternal", etc. when describing the population of individuals who have a uterus, vagina, etc.; however, I do not intend to exclude individuals who have these anatomical parts who identify as a gender other than female. I also realize that not everyone who identifies as a women will have these parts. Terminology I use in this episode is consistent with sex assigned at birth. 

First Line is created and hosted by Aubrey Ann Jackson. Visit First Line’s website where you can view blog posts: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.firstlinepodcast.com⁠

This episode is sponsored by TrueLearn. For a discount off your TrueLearn subscription use link: https://truelearn.referralrock.com/l/firstline/ and code: firstline

First Line is now available on Spotify, Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Stitcher, Amazon Music, Audible, iHeartRadio, Vurbl, Breaker, Castbox, PocketCasts, Castro, Player Fm, Pod Bean, Reason, Vurbl, and TuneIn.

Content on First Line is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please see your primary care physician (DO or MD) for any medical concerns you have. All ideas expressed are individual ideas of the host and do not represent any organizations the host is linked to.

Episode 86. I discuss three types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Learn about these conditions that everyone should know, including the ABCs of melanoma (red flags to look out for when you do self-checks).

Editing Service and One-on-One Consultation for Pre-Med and Medical Students (CV, personal statement, applications): ⁠https://www.fiverr.com/firstlinepod⁠ 

Visit First Line’s website and blog: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.firstlinepodcast.com⁠

Content on First Line is for educational and informational purposes only, not as medical advice. Views expressed are my own and do not represent any organizations I am associated with.

Episode 85. As an applicant in the 2023 ERAS season, I share my insights into ERAS and how to plan for your application. Here's why you should devote time and energy to crafting a competitive application. A competitive ERAS application starts with a well-constructed curriculum vitae (CV) or resume, which you should start working on in your first year of medical school and update as you gain experience throughout medical school. Join my Medical Student CV Masterclass here

Visit First Line’s website and blog: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.firstlinepodcast.com⁠

For a discount on your TrueLearn subscription use link: ⁠https://truelearn.referralrock.com/l/firstline/⁠ and code: firstline

Content on First Line is for educational and informational purposes only, not as medical advice. Views expressed are my own and do not represent any organizations I am associated with.

Episode 84. Let's dive into atopic dermatitis (eczema), exploring its causes and common triggers. I'll also cover treatment for managing flare-ups, along with my own experience with eczema that started in infancy and has continued through adulthood.

Editing Service and One-on-One Consultation for Pre-Med and Medical Students (CV, personal statement, applications): ⁠https://www.fiverr.com/firstlinepod⁠ 

Visit First Line’s website and blog: ⁠https://www.firstlinepodcast.com

For a discount on your TrueLearn subscription use link: ⁠https://truelearn.referralrock.com/l/firstline/⁠ and code: firstline

Content on First Line is for educational and informational purposes only, not as medical advice. Views expressed are my own and do not represent any organizations I am associated with.

Episode 83. Topics covered include the following: cherry hemangioma, pyogenic granuloma, melasma, acanthosis nigricans, seborrheic keratosis, acrochordon (skin tag).

Editing Service and One-on-One Consultation for Pre-Med and Medical Students (CV, personal statement, applications): ⁠https://www.fiverr.com/firstlinepod⁠ 

Visit First Line’s website and blog: ⁠https://www.firstlinepodcast.com⁠

View the blog post with images of skin lesions here: https://www.firstlinepodcast.com/post/skin-lesions-pyogenic-granuloma-melasma-skin-tags-and-more-with-images

Instagram: @firstlinepodcast

Facebook: ⁠www.facebook.com/firstlinepodcast⁠

Email: [email protected]

Content on First Line is for educational and informational purposes only, not as medical advice. Views expressed are my own and do not represent any organizations I am associated with.

Episode 82. Most lesions on the skin are benign. While waiting for your dermatology appointment, here are some descriptions of the most common "spots" you might have. Don't be scared into thinking you have skin cancer because that's what Dr. Google (or Dr. TikTok) told you.

Topics covered: nevus/nevi (moles, freckles, birthmarks), solar lentigo (liver spots, sun spots), verruca vulgaris (warts).

Editing Service and One-on-One Consultation for Pre-Med and Medical Students (CV, personal statement, applications): ⁠https://www.fiverr.com/firstlinepod⁠ 

Visit First Line’s website and blog: ⁠https://www.firstlinepodcast.com⁠

For a discount on your TrueLearn subscription use link: ⁠https://truelearn.referralrock.com/l/firstline/⁠ and code: firstline

Content on First Line is for educational and informational purposes only, not as medical advice. Views expressed are my own and do not represent any organizations I am associated with.

Episode 81. Listen for tips on crafting your resume or CV! You may need a CV while pre-med (for leadership positions, internships/co-ops, work-study, volunteering experiences with organizations, scholarship apps, and eventually the AMCAS and AACOMAS) and while in medical school (research, leadership, letters of recommendation, chair letters, applications for away rotations/audition rotations/sub-Is, award applications, MSPE (Dean’s letter), and ERAS applications).

Editing Service and One-on-One Consultation for Pre-Med and Medical Students (CV, personal statement, applications): ⁠https://www.fiverr.com/firstlinepod⁠ 

Visit First Line’s website and blog: ⁠⁠https://www.firstlinepodcast.com⁠

Content on First Line is for educational and informational purposes only, not as medical advice. Views expressed are my own and do not represent any organizations I am associated with.