Vitamin Z | Medical School Podcast

Dr. Mike Natter, MD is an artist and physician who just finished internal medicine residency in New York City. He speaks about his experience as an intern, imparts valuable advice for new doctors, and how he's used his artwork as an outlet to express the struggles and triumphs of being a physician-in-training.

Dr. Saud Siddiqui, MD is a co-founder of Sketchy Medical and emergency medicine physician. He sits down for a conversation about physician entrepreneurship, how he and his fellow medical students created the venture, ethical considerations of the medical test prep industry, and his ideas for the future of the company.

In the first ever Vitamin Z double-header, we start with a conversation with a PGY-0, one of dozens of medical trainees across the country who took the hippocratic oath historically early to be on the frontlines of a pandemic. Next, we hear audio narratives from different medical students who helped spearhead creative initiatives to help their communities cope with COVID: PPE2NYC (Mericien Venzon), GW Reaching Out (Julie Merriam), and DC Covid Sitters (Lawren Wooten and Libby Wetterer).

Dr. Jay Pandya, MD, is a PGY-1 intern in emergency medicine at SUNY Downstate, working at Kings County Hospital. He talks about his experiences on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. 

Fourth year medical student Braedon Murdock returns to discuss how to best prepare for the USMLE Step 2 CS exam.

Two fourth year medical students give their advice on how to prepare for USMLE Step 2 CK. 

Dr. Katherine Chretien and fourth year medical student Kate Curley discuss balancing motherhood and a demanding career in medicine.

Dr. Leana Wen is an emergency physician, public health leader, and a passionate advocate for patient-centered healthcare reform. She is the former health commissioner for the city of Baltimore and former President of Planned Parenthood. She talks about her career in physician advocacy and health policy and lends advice to medical students interested in advocacy. 

We break down how to do well on USMLE Step 1, from the preclinical curriculum, dedicated study time, and test day. I am joined by my classmate David Strum, a fourth year medical student at George Washington University School of Medicine. 

Dr. Matthew Mintz, MD, is a board certified internal medicine physician who is a licensed medical marijuana provider in Bethesda, Maryland. He has been in academic medicine for twenty years before starting his own private practice. We have an evidence-based discussion about medical marijuana. 

Dr. Christopher Lawrence, MD, is a radiology resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He explains why medical students should consider a career in radiology. 

Dr. Patricia Smith, MD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at GW. She explains why medical students should consider a career in OB/GYN. 

Dr. Adam Friedman, MD, is the Chair of the Department of Dermatology at GW. He is widely recognized as an expert in his field, has appeared on Fox News and Good Morning America, and has been quoted in Vogue, WebMD, and more. He talks about why medical students should consider a career in dermatology.

Dr. Andrew Fanous, MD, is a neurosurgeon at Inova Alexandria Hospital who is fellowship-trained in minimally invasive and complex spine surgery. He gives his pitch on why medical students should consider a career in neurosurgery. 

Dr. Hassan Nayer, MD is the Chairman of Pathology at Inova Health System. We take a deep dive in the pink and purple, and explain why medical students should consider a career in pathology.

Dr. Max Mandelbaum, MD, a PGY-1 resident in plastic surgery at Mt. Sinai, explains why medical students should consider a career in plastic surgery. 

Dr. Joe Park, laryngology fellow at Johns Hopkins University, explains why medical students should choose a career in ENT. 

Dr. Amar Bhat, MD, a cornea fellow at the University of Pittsburgh with a vitreous sense of humor, explains why medical students should choose a career in ophthalmology.  

Dr. Jacob Oppenheimer, MD, a senior urology resident at George Washington University, explains why medical students should choose urology as their future specialty.

Dr. Uchechi Iweala, MD, a chief resident in orthopedic surgery at George Washington University, explains why medical students should consider a career in orthopedics. 

Dr. Jeffrey Roberson is a general surgery resident at the University of Pennsylvania. He explains why medical students should consider a career in general surgery. 

Dr. Kat Ogle is an Assistant Professor in Emergency Medicine at the George Washington University Hospital, passionate medical educator, and ultrasound guru. She talks about why medical students should consider a career in Emergency Medicine.

Dr. Marian Sherman, MD, is an assistant professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She explains why you should consider a career in anesthesiology. 

Dr. Charles Samenow, MD, MPH, is an associate professor of psychiatry and associate director of medical student education at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. He explains why you should consider a career in psychiatry. 

Dr. Pritha Ghosh, MD is an assistant professor of neurology at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences and co-director of the movement disorders program at the GW Medical Faculty Associates. She explains why you should consider a career in neurology. 

Dr. Ankoor Shah, MD, MPH, is an attending pediatrician with Children's National Health System, medical director of IMPACT DC, and Director of the DC Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He explains why you should consider a career in pediatrics. 

Dr. Adam Hodes, DO is an internist and instructor of medicine within the Division of General Internal Medicine at The GW Medical Faculty Associates, and also a wicked smart guy. He talks about why you should choose internal medicine as a specialty, and gives some tips for the application process.

The inaugural dose of Vitamin Z. Hear from fourth year medical student Braedon Murdock on how to succeed during your clerkships.