Medicus

The autopsy has wide-ranging benefits on medicine, public health, and research. However, the rates of autopsies performed in the hospital have declined tremendously over the past several decades. The autopsy, accordingly, is often overlooked in medical education today. Emily Hagen, MD, has taken great interest in this. 

In this episode, we speak with Emily (former Medicus producer!) about her firsthand experiences with the autopsy, dating back to her pre-med days and continuing throughout her time at Stritch School of Medicine. She is a fierce advocate for the autopsy’s incorporation into medical education. While a medical student, Emily researched non-pathologist physicians’ experiences with and views toward the autopsy and she launched an autopsy observation program for Loyola medical students. The associated research has been presented at multiple academic conferences. She also helped to curate Autopsy/Forensic Pathology modules for the PathElective, an internationally utilized resource. 

As an aspiring internist, Emily discusses the relevance of the autopsy to physicians and the medical community at large. 

Tune in now to learn more about this important and interesting topic! 

To connect with Emily, email her at [email protected]. 

Episode produced by: Rasa Valiauga

Episode recording date: 6/4/24

www.medicuspodcast.com | [email protected]  | Donate: http://bit.ly/MedicusDonate

In this episode, host Julien Stroumza sits down with Medicus member Jackie Tarsitano to discuss the alarming rise of genetic testing fraud, a multibillion-dollar scam that targets Medicare beneficiaries. Tune in as they explore the financial and ethical implications of this deceptive practice, shedding light on its impact on patients, healthcare providers, and the system as a whole.  Jackie can be reached at [email protected] 

Episode produced by: Jackie Tarsitano

Episode recording date: 6/15/24

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In this 4th year medical student (MS4) series, we chat about the field of Neurosurgery. Our guest, Dr. Deja Rush, shares advice on how to set yourself up for success regarding matching into this competitive specialty and shares tips to help you stand out both on paper and in person.

Deja Rush, MD, was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. She is currently an incoming neurosurgery resident at Brown University. Deja attended The Ohio State University for college where she studied Biomedical Engineering and Spanish and graduated cum laude with honors research distinction. She went on to obtain her medical degree from Howard University where she finished first in her class and developed a passion for neurosurgery under the guidance of Dr. Damirez Fossett. Deja is extremely passionate about research that underscores disparities in healthcare, as well as mentorship, particularly for those underrepresented in neurosurgery.

To connect with Deja, reach out to her on Instagram or Twitter at @djrush8

Episode produced by: Rasa Valiauga

Episode recording date: 5/2/24

www.medicuspodcast.com | [email protected] | Donate: http://bit.ly/MedicusDonate

In the U.S., a medical emergency can quickly turn into a financial crisis, leaving many patients buried under insurmountable medical debt. In this episode, we delve into the world of medical debt relief with Jared Walker, the founder of Dollar For—a non-profit dedicated to helping patients eliminate their medical bills through hospital charity care. But how widespread are these programs, and where does the funding come from? Join us as we uncover the answers and share stories of lives changed by this vital work. Tune in now to learn how Dollar For is making a difference, one bill at a time.

You can follow Dollar For on Instagram and TikTok:

https://www.instagram.com/dollarfor/?hl=en

https://www.tiktok.com/@dollarfor?lang=en

And visit Dollar For at their website below!

https://dollarfor.org/

Episode produced by: Griffin K Johnson

Episode recording date: 7/24/2024

www.medicuspodcast.com | [email protected] | Donate: http://bit.ly/MedicusDonate

In this mini-series, we explore different health professions to get a better understanding of the variety of team members involved in patient care. For this episode, we spoke with Simranjit Kaur, MPH about her journey to becoming an epidemiologist.

Simranjit Kaur, MPH is an epidemiologist at a local public health jurisdiction in Northern California. Before becoming an epidemiologist, her experience spans a wide range of disease management aspects related to COVID-19, including case investigation, infection control, and disease prevention. She also managed all COVID-19-related website content and played a key role in developing outreach materials. She received both her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences and a Master of Public Health from the University of California Davis. She will be applying for medical schools in hopes of becoming a primary care physician to integrate her public health knowledge into her medical practice.

Episode produced by: Deborah Chen

Episode recording date: 3/29/2024

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In this 4th year medical student (MS4) series, we chat about the field of Internal Medicine-Pediatrics. Our guest, Bran Garcia, shares advice on how to set yourself up for success regarding matching into this unique specialty and shares tips to help you stand out both on paper and in person.

Brian Garcia, MD was born in Mexico City and immigrated to the United States at the age of 10. He grew up in a border town in south Texas, where he attended high school and completed his undergraduate education at Texas A&M International University. Growing up in a border town, he experienced the unique blend of Mexican American culture highlighted by its unique cuisine, traditions, and people. However, he also witnessed health disparities that exist within low-income communities. 

Prior to medical school, Brian worked in construction where he learned valuable lessons about resilience and hard work, while noticing the detrimental effects on people’s health due to lack of access to care as well as the language barrier that exists between Spanish-speaking immigrants and physicians. These experiences inspired Brian to pursue a career in medicine. During medical school, he focused on finding ways to extend access to care among low-income communities and minorities. Brian chose to pursue a specialty in Internal Medicine-Pediatrics because it allows him to treat patients of all ages while also working and learning from colleagues in other specialties. Brian is now an Internal Medicine-Pediatrics resident at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York.

If you would like to connect with Brian, reach out to him via email at [email protected] 

Episode produced by: Rasa Valiauga

Episode edited by: Jackie Tarsitano

Episode recording date: 5/4/34

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In this 4th year medical student (MS4) series, we discuss the field of Psychiatry. Our guest, Julia Versel, shares advice on how to set yourself up for success regarding matching into this increasingly competitive specialty and shares tips to help you stand out both on paper and in person.

Julia Versel, MD, MSc is a current resident at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School Psychiatry Residency Program. She is passionate about medical education, with a particular interest in incorporating medical student mentorship into her career. Please reach out to the Medicus team if you would like to get in touch with her!

To learn more about the field, check out these resources:

Psychiatry Student Interest Group Network (PsychSIGN): https://www.psychsign.org/

AADPRT Psychiatry Training Resources: https://www.aadprt.org/trainees/psychiatry-training

APA Roadmap to Applying for Psychiatry Residency: https://www.psychiatry.org/getmedia/b7007db1-b815-45fa-93bd-1f1eaf3dff99/APA-Roadmap-to-Psychiatric-Residency.pdf

APA Resources for Medical Students: https://www.psychiatry.org/residents-medical-students/medical-students

Episode produced by: Rasa Valiauga

Episode recording date: 4/25/24

www.medicuspodcast.com | [email protected] | Donate: http://bit.ly/MedicusDonate

Join us for a discussion about the journey through medical education and the destination of becoming an emergency medicine attending physician. Hear about the up and downs, and the courage to push forward when things get tough.

Episode produced by: Ari S. Peikes

www.medicuspodcast.com | [email protected] | Donate: http://bit.ly/MedicusDonate

In this 4th year medical student (MS4) series, we chat about the field of Anesthesiology. Our guests, Steph Ryan and Will Chan, share advice on how to set yourself up for success to match into anesthesia and share tips to help you stand out both on paper and in person.

Steph Ryan and Will Chan are both former students from Loyola Stritch School of Medicine, and will be transitioning to their first year of residency this summer. We chat about the things that separate anesthesiology from other specialties in the context of the residency application process. 

Episode produced by: Griffin K Johnson

Episode recording date: 04/08/2024

www.medicuspodcast.com | [email protected] | Donate: http://bit.ly/MedicusDonate

In this 4th year medical student (MS4) series, we chat about the field of Radiation Oncology. Our guest, Dylan Ross, shares advice on how to set yourself up for success regarding matching into this competitive specialty and shares tips to help you stand out both on paper and in person.

Dylan Ross, MD, attended the University of Minnesota for his undergraduate education where he met his now fiancée, Lindsey Greenlund, who is also a recent medical school graduate. While at Stritch, Dylan got involved with medical education and research with the radiation oncology department which were influential in his specialty decision. After a successful couple's match, Dylan is heading to Johns Hopkins for his radiation oncology residency following a transitional year at HCA Riverside Community Hospital.

To connect with Dylan, email him at [email protected] 

Resources mentioned in the podcast: NCCN Guidelines and Essentials of Clinical Radiation Oncology (The Red Book)

Episode produced by: Rasa Valiauga

Episode recording date: 3/27/24

www.medicuspodcast.com | [email protected] | Donate: http://bit.ly/MedicusDonate