Once again, we decide who's the asshole. Dave is joined MD/PhD students Riley Behan-Bush and Miranda Schene, M3 Jeff Goddard, PA2 Julie Vuong, and M2 Holly Hemann for yet another AITA episode on humor in medicine, debating the appropriateness of jokes at others' expense and the limits of comedy among emotionally volatile family members. The group also considers the complexities of family expectations, particularly in cultural contexts where children are perceived to owe careers to their parents' investments. Listener feedback is highlighted, addressing concerns about biased opinions on PA and NP independence discussed in a previous episode. They share candid insights on dealing with criticism and the professional way to handle conflicts between NPs, PAs, and physicians, and dissect themes of academic preparation, sibling rivalry, and the stress of high-stakes professional examinations.

MD/PhD student Riley Behan-Bush, M4 Katie Higham-Kessler, and M3s Olivia Jenks and Elvira Nguepnang discuss 2024's trends and topics in healthcare and medical education with Medscape's Senior Editor of Reports Jon McKenna. The episode kicks off with exploring how AI is being adopted in healthcare, particularly in note-taking and administrative tasks, rather than diagnostic applications. The panel delves into Medscape's recent report on the medical school experience, highlighting issues like imposter syndrome, wellness, and equity in medical education. Jon provides insights from his surveys, noting encouraging trends in students' sleep and exercise habits. The discussion also covers the challenges residents face, including work-life balance and the impact of systemic changes on residency experiences. The episode wraps up with an examination of the gender pay gap in medicine and what (if anything) can be done about it.

It's the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, so M4 Katie Higham-Kessler, PA2 Julie Vuong, and MD/PhD students Miranda Schene and Riley Behan-Bush give thanks to their future patients' for their surprising questions (as suggested by Reddit's r/AskDoctors and similar subs). Should one be concerned about foamy pee? How can one get white again? What can one do about a head dent? The crew also express thanks by giving and receiving compliments, something Dave thnks doesn't happen enough (although that's probably just him). Happy Thanksgiving!

The First Patient Students Learn From. M1 students Emily Baniewicz, Zach Grissom, Srishti Mathur, and Sydney Skuodas share their experiences and insights on the gross anatomy lab experience--what many call "the first patient." Special guest Dr. Darren Hoffman, Associate Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology joins us to discuss the significance of donated bodies for medical education, and the people and their families, who make the study of anatomy possible with their donations. The group explores the emotional and physical challenges of anatomy lab, the limitations of the language used to teach anatomy, teamwork dynamics, and the roles the donors take on through their gifts. We take a look at the potential future of anatomy education with virtual and augmented reality technologies, including their benefits and, importantly, their limitations. It's an inside look at a part of medical school that most know about, but that necessarily remains respectfully hidden from view.

Its Our monthly roundup of news from the margins of medicine! M1s Fallon Jung and Taryn O’Brien, M2 Jeff Goddard, and MD/PhD studnet Riley Behan Bush are on hand for our monthly news roundup. Including news that presidential candidate and anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy’s brain was ‘eaten’ by a worm and his love of tuna sandwiches. Virtually all healthcare providers globally suffer from a clinical psychiatric disorder. Beethoven really liked lead-sweetened wine, which is probably why he was so sick and deaf. And a Tesla Cybertruck owner smashed his own finger with his vehicle’s frunk to prove that his vehicle’s frunk couldn’t smash his own finger. And can we guess what the shitty life pro tip from Reddit is? Plus lots more observations and revelations from the margins of medicine!

Why are the AMA and the AAPA Fighting? PA2 Olivia Quinby, PA2 Raginya Handoo, PA2 Julie Vuong, and M4 Katie Higham-Kessler dig into the intense ‘scope creep’ debate between the American Medical Association ("Scope creep will destroy everything!") and the American Association of Physician Assistants ("WTF we're just trying to fill the gaps, bro!"). They discuss arguments from both sides about non-physician practice rights and the impacts on healthcare quality and access. And then there’s this question: should this rivalry break out into the patients’ view, what will it mean for their trust in a system many already find untrustworthy? Meanwhile, listener Olivia, a hopeful PA student herself and fearing that she missed the mark this year, seeks advice on strengthening her application while she waits to hear back from her schools. The hosts provide personal insights and practical tips on standing out in PA school applications, focusing on experiences, recommendation letters, and writing skills. We’ve all been there, Olivia–hang tight!

[We tried to put together a Halloween episode, but everyone was doing med school stuff. Rude. So enjoy this re-run!] As another physician shortage looms, M2s Jeff and Olivia and M1 Fallon look at the reasons–the market forces, political issues, and the missing incentives. There is some good news–a shortage of physicians means that residents get a ton of solicitations for post-training jobs. Elon Musk’s Neuralink might be bad for monkeys, but the FDA has cleared the way for human trials to begin. What place do techbros–who have a rep for “moving fast and breaking things”– have in medicine where lives are at stake? And Dave gives a pop quiz on this year’s Ig Nobel Prize winners--listen to learn more about the latest technology in excretion analysis!

Dave is joined by MD/PhD student Miranda Schene, M1 Chase Larsson, M2 Radha Velamuri, M2 Fallon Jung, and M2 Holly Hemann for our monthly dip into relatable Reddit's 'Am I the Asshole' stories: Is it okay for my husband to combine his MD career with a new passion for working at McDonalds? Is it okay to clarify to everyone I meet that my boyfriend is in fact not a doctor of essential oil therapy? Why do all my former pre-med friends hate me very much, it's a total mystery, I'm just dropping my doctor truth bombs? How should I not engage with my childhood friend about vaccine fears? Also, stories of hospital code blues, Fallon overcomes her elevator anxiety, and Dave's theory that humans are just garbage large language models floating on a lizard brain. Finally: please make a plan to VOTE in this year's elections! Find out how to vote and what's at stake for your area at vote.org.

Self-reflection is key to choosing what med schools to apply to. Listener Virginia dropped us a line at https://theshortcoat.com/tellus to ask us how she might go about selecting from the 195 med schools in the US to build her list of schools to send her application to. M1s Chase Larsson, Sarah Lowenberg, Luke Geis, and M4 Katie Higham-Kessler look back on how they made their decisions, taking into account family proximity, costs, personal interests, geography, and vibes! Also, an unsurprising JAMA Surgery review of the risks associated with professional slap fighting. And the group practices a necessary medical school skill: confidence in the face of uncertainty (AKA speaking on things about which they know nothing).

On this episode we welcome guest Dr. Joshua Trebach, an emergency medicine physician here at Iowa. This past spring he posted on X that medicine must "lose the mentality of thinking its okay to be miserable for years (or decades) to justify it being 'finally worth it' in the end."

We couldn't agree more--live now, not later! Which is why PA2 Julie Vuong, M2 Fallon Jung, and MD/PhD student Madi Wahlen are each finding ways to reject that mentality. Indeed, medical education is changing, perhaps slowly, to reinforce the idea that just because medicine can be a difficult life doesn't mean that you should obsessively look forward to the day it gets better. That day is a long way away, so do what you can (what you must) to be who you want to be even as you're drinking from the firehose.

Also, we answer one of listener Mohamed's questions on how he can jump right into his first year this fall with his eyes on patient advocacy.