Podcasts about aamc

Welcome back to the Jack Westin CARS Podcast with Usher and Molly! In this episode we walk through the June 10th daily CARS passage titled Play, a surprisingly engaging read about the nature of play, why Americans crave it, and what professional sports have lost along the way.This one is a great example of a passage that draws you in naturally but still demands sharp critical thinking on the questions. If you have ever let your guard down on an interesting passage and paid for it on the questions, this episode is for you.Get started with our resources!

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! We just finished amino acids and protein structure. Now it is time for one of the most feared topics in MCAT biochemistry: analytical and separation techniques.If you have ever stared at a Western blot figure in a passage and had absolutely no idea what you were looking at, this episode is exactly what you need. Mike spent years running these experiments in the lab and still has the PTSD to prove it. Together, Mike and Molly break down every technique you need to know, from the foundational logic of electrophoresis all the way to interpreting banding patterns on a gel.Get started with our resources!

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! Last episode we broke down all 20 amino acids. Now we take it to the next level and answer the question every biochemistry student eventually has to face: how do these amino acids actually come together to build the machines that run your entire body?This episode is a deep dive into all four levels of protein structure, why structure and function are completely inseparable, and exactly how the MCAT will test you on this material. Get started with our resources!

Welcome back to the Jack Westin CARS Podcast with Usher and Molly! In this episode we walk through the June 3rd daily CARS passage titled Averoes, a philosophy passage about the 12th century Muslim thinker Ibn Rushd and his exploration of the relationship between faith and reason.If philosophy passages make you nervous, this one is a great study tool. It is dense, it builds slowly, and it rewards students who know how to track arguments across paragraphs without getting lost in the details. Get started with our resources!

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! This episode covers the single highest yield topic on the entire MCAT: amino acids. And no, memorizing structures is not enough. If you have ever known your amino acids cold and still gotten questions wrong, this episode is exactly what you need.Mike and Molly go way beyond the list. They break down every amino acid by category, explain what makes each one chemically unique, and show you exactly how the MCAT connects amino acids to neurotransmitters, protein structure, acid-base chemistry, lab techniques, enzyme regulation, and more.

Hosted by Michael Tetreault | Editor-in-Chief, Concierge Medicine Today Episode Overview In one of the most comprehensive episodes in DocPreneur Leadership Podcast history, host Michael Tetreault takes an honest, evidence-based, and encouraging look at the cash-pay and subscription-based primary care landscape — who it serves, how it works, where it's heading, and what every physician and advanced practice clinician needs to understand before making a career-defining decision. This episode doesn't take sides. It takes a clear-eyed look at the full picture — including the parts that don't always make it into the conference keynote. What's Covered in This Episode The Foundation Not all subscription-based primary care models are the same. Two models operating in this space share surface-level similarities but are structurally distinct businesses with different economic logic, different patient populations, and different long-term trajectories. Understanding which one you're considering — and why — changes everything about how you plan. A Lesson From Healthcare History Before committing to any practice model, it helps to understand what happened to the movements that came before it. This episode traces three instructive parallels: the micropractice and ideal medical practice movement of the early 2000s; the decades-long fight for healthcare price transparency and what happened when physicians finally got it; and the rise and reality check of retail health — what scaled, what didn't, and why. The common thread in every model that has achieved durable scale in American healthcare is the same: structural fit with the economic environment, not ideological purity. Two Pathways, One Brand Name The episode walks through both economic models in the cash-pay primary care space — the purist, cash-only, no-insurance model and the employer-integrated model — explaining how each works, who each serves, and what the financial picture actually looks like for physicians considering either path. The revenue math is done out loud. The sustainability data from peer-reviewed research is cited. The patient demographic fit for each model is examined honestly and specifically. Who Each Model Serves — and Where Other Models Fit Better A detailed breakdown of the patient populations each model genuinely serves well — and an honest, evidence-based look at the patient populations where other models may be a better structural fit. Including Medicare-eligible patients, patients with complex chronic disease, lower-income households, and employees of small and mid-sized businesses. The Overlooked Opportunity — NPs, PAs, and Advanced Practice Clinicians One of the most significant and underexplored opportunities in subscription-based healthcare delivery today is the direct-care model as a pathway for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other advanced practice clinicians. The evidence on NP and PA-led primary care outcomes is strong and peer-reviewed. The physician shortage projections make the need urgent. And the organizational infrastructure for advanced practice clinician-led direct-care practices is largely unbuilt — which means the opportunity belongs to whoever moves first. The Organizational Landscape An honest look at what the multiplicity of organizations, coalitions, and alliances in the cash-pay primary care space tells us — and what research on professional association dynamics says about the long-term implications of organizational fragmentation for legislative effectiveness and individual practice planning. One Brand, Two Directions Drawing on four documented historical parallels from the history of American medicine — the AMA and managed care, osteopathic medicine's identity divide, family medicine's emergence as a separate specialty, and the micropractice movement — the episode makes the case that two communities with genuinely different economic interests and regulatory priorities currently sharing a brand name may, consistent with historical precedent, find their own distinct professional homes over time. This is presented as pattern recognition grounded in verified historical evidence — and as practical planning context for physicians building practices today. The Tax and Structuring Update A clear, practical summary of the 2025 "One Big Beautiful Bill" Act changes — effective January 2026 — and what they mean for HSA eligibility of cash-pay membership fees. What qualifies, what doesn't, and why legal counsel is essential before making any representations to patients about tax-advantaged payment options. Eight Questions Before You Commit A practical pre-decision checklist — eight specific questions every physician or advanced practice clinician should be able to answer clearly before committing to any cash-pay practice pathway. Key Takeaways Cash-pay primary care and concierge medicine are not the same model, do not serve the same patient populations, and should not be evaluated as interchangeable alternatives. The purist cash-pay model has grown from approximately 100 practices in 2009 to over 2,100 by 2023 — real and meaningful growth. The financial sustainability data, however, reflects consistent challenges that peer-reviewed research has documented specifically in lower-income markets and solo practice settings. The employer-integrated pathway has stronger structural sustainability — multiple revenue streams, embedded benefit relationships, and documented employer cost reductions of 12 to 20 percent over three to five years. A December 2025 Johns Hopkins study found concierge and cash-pay primary care practices combined grew 83.1 percent between 2018 and 2023. The employer-integrated model is the primary driver of that growth trajectory. Concierge medicine — particularly the PCM model — is not retreating. The global concierge medicine market is projected to surpass $34 billion by 2032 and is growing at a compound annual rate that outpaces most healthcare market segments. The National Academy of Medicine's 2021 Future of Nursing report, AAMC physician shortage projections, and peer-reviewed NP/PA outcomes research collectively point to advanced practice clinician-led direct-care models as one of the most significant underexplored opportunities in subscription-based healthcare delivery. Pattern recognition from healthcare history — price transparency, retail health, the micropractice movement — consistently shows that the distance between a compelling healthcare idea and durable scaled impact is longer and more complicated than early advocacy suggests. Models that have achieved durable scale in American primary care share one characteristic: structural fit with the economic environment, not independence from it. Sources and Citations All claims in this episode are supported by published, verifiable sources. Full citations below. Micropractice and Practice Model History Moore, G. (2002). "Accountability and Improvement in Physician Practice." Family Medicine. Moore, G. & Showstack, J. (2003). "Primary Care Medicine in Crisis." Health Affairs. healthaffairs.org AAFP TransforMED Initiative. (2006). aafp.org Nutting, P.A. et al. (2010). "Initial Lessons From the First National Demonstration Project on Practice Transformation to a Patient-Centered Medical Home." Annals of Family Medicine. Rittenhouse, D.R. et al. (2009). "Primary Care and Accountable Care." New England Journal of Medicine. Rittenhouse, D.R. & Shortell, S.M. (2009). "The Patient-Centered Medical Home." JAMA. Price Transparency Research Pathak, Y. & Muhlestein, D. (2024). "Public Awareness and Use of Price Transparency: Report From a National Survey." West Health Institute / Gallup. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Parente, S.T. (2023). "Estimating the Impact of New Health Price Transparency Policies." Inquiry.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ScienceDirect. (2025). "Outcomes of Price Transparency Policies for Healthcare Services in the United States: A Systematic Review." sciencedirect.com Retail Health Fein, A.J. (2017). "Retail Clinic Check Up: CVS Retrenches, Walgreens Outsources, Kroger Expands." Drug Channels. drugchannels.net CNBC. (2024). "Why Walmart, Walgreens, CVS Retail Health Clinic Experiment Is Struggling." cnbc.com Healthcare Finance News. (2023). "Retail Clinics Seeing Utilization Soar, Popularity Grow." healthcarefinancenews.com MedCity News. (2023). "Retail Clinics Are Gaining Momentum." medcitynews.com Cash-Pay and Subscription Primary Care Market Data MedCity News. (March 2026). "DPC Is Scaling — The Financing Architecture Isn't Ready." medcitynews.com Johns Hopkins. (December 2025). Study on concierge and cash-pay practice growth 2018–2023. As cited in MedCity News, March 2026. Liaw, W. et al. (2024). "Direct Primary Care: Financial Analysis and Potential to Reshape the U.S. Healthcare Landscape." Journal of General Internal Medicine. springer.com Lujan, D.Y. (2025). "Why Direct Primary Care Models Fail." KevinMD. kevinmd.com Doan, L. et al. (2019). "Physician Perspectives on Direct Primary Care." Family Medicine. Eskew, P.M. & Klink, K. (2015). "Direct Primary Care: Practice Distribution and Cost Across the Nation." Health Affairs. healthaffairs.org Tseng, P. et al. (2018). "Administrative Costs Associated With Physician Billing and Insurance-Related Activities." JAMA Internal Medicine. Medscape Physician Compensation Report. (2023). medscape.com Employer-Integrated Model Spann, S.J. et al. (2020). "Employer-Sponsored Direct Primary Care." Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions. (2021). purchaseralliance.org Kaiser Family Foundation. (2023). Employer Health Benefits Annual Survey. kff.org National Business Group on Health. (2022). businessgrouphealth.org Employers Health Coalition. (2022). employershealthcoalition.org Patient Demographics and Population Health Anderson, G.F. (2010). "Chronic Conditions: Making the Case for Ongoing Care." Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Tikkanen, R. & Abrams, M.K. (2020). "U.S. Health Care from a Global Perspective." Commonwealth Fund.commonwealthfund.org Collins, S.R. et al. (2022). "Paying for It: How Health Insurance and Healthcare Costs Are Shaping the Lives of American Adults." Commonwealth Fund. commonwealthfund.org Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023). "Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements." bls.gov Petterson, S. et al. (2012). "Unequal Distribution of the U.S. Primary Care Workforce." Annals of Family Medicine. Advanced Practice Clinicians and Nursing Laurant, M. et al. (2019). "Revision of Professional Roles and Quality Improvement in Primary Care." New England Journal of Medicine. Naylor, M.D. & Kurtzman, E.T. (2010). "The Role of Nurse Practitioners in Reinventing Primary Care." Health Affairs. healthaffairs.org National Academy of Medicine. (2021). "The Future of Nursing 2020–2030." nationalacademies.org AAMC. (2021). "The Complexities of Physician Supply and Demand: Projections from 2019–2034." aamc.org Legal, Tax, and Compliance Eischen, J. (2025). Legal Commentary on Cash Practice Structuring. eischenlawoffice.com DLA Piper. (2025). "Paying for Direct Primary Care Arrangements With HSAs." dlapiper.com IRS Notice 26-05. irs.gov CMS. "Opt-Out Affidavits and Private Contracts." cms.gov Organizational and Professional Identity Research Hoff, T.J. (2010). Practice Under Pressure: Primary Care Physicians and Their Medicine in the Twenty-First Century. Rutgers University Press. Scott, W.R. (2008). Institutions and Organizations: Ideas and Interests. SAGE Publications. Freidson, E. (2001). Professionalism: The Third Logic. University of Chicago Press. Wolinsky, H. & Brune, T. (1994). The Serpent on the Staff: The Unhealthy Politics of the American Medical Association. Putnam. Gevitz, N. (2004). The DOs: Osteopathic Medicine in America. Johns Hopkins University Press. Stephens, G.G. (1989). "Family Medicine as Counterculture." Journal of Family Practice. Colwill, J.M. (1992). "Where Have All the Primary Care Applicants Gone?" New England Journal of Medicine. Meltzer, D.O. & Chung, J.W. (2014). "The Population-Based Physician Workforce." Health Affairs.healthaffairs.org Bodenheimer, T. & Pham, H.H. (2010). "Primary Care: Current Problems and Proposed Solutions." Health Affairs. healthaffairs.org Grumbach, K. & Grundy, P. (2010). "Outcomes of Implementing Patient Centered Medical Home Interventions." JAMA. Concierge Medicine Market Data Grand View Research. (2022). Concierge Medicine Market Size & Growth Report. grandviewresearch.com Precedence Research. (2023). U.S. Concierge Medicine Market Size and Forecast. globenewswire.com MDVIP. (2020). Personalized Primary Care Reduces ER Visits, Hospitalizations, and Outpatient Expenditures.mdvip.com AAPP / Software Advice. (2023). "Concierge Medicine Salary and Definition." softwareadvice.com Disclaimer The DocPreneur Leadership Podcast is produced by Concierge Medicine Today, LLC, an independent healthcare leadership publication. This episode and its accompanying summary are intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing in this episode or summary constitutes medical, legal, financial, or accounting advice. The information presented reflects publicly available research, published data, and editorial observation, and is not intended to replace the guidance of qualified medical, legal, financial, or business professionals. All factual claims are supported by named, verifiable third-party sources, which are cited in full above. Concierge Medicine Today makes no guarantee regarding the completeness or currency of external sources cited and encourages listeners to verify information independently. References to specific organizations, publications, legal decisions, or market data are provided for educational context only. Mention of any organization, publication, or individual does not constitute endorsement, and no commercial relationship exists between Concierge Medicine Today and any source cited in this episode unless otherwise disclosed. Physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other clinicians considering any practice model change are strongly encouraged to seek qualified legal counsel with specific experience in healthcare compliance, tax structuring, and the applicable regulatory environment in their state before making any practice or business decisions. © 2007–2026 Concierge Medicine Today, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction or distribution of this content without written permission is prohibited.

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! Last episode we broke down the neurobiology of language; Broca's, Wernicke's, split-brain patients. This episode we zoom all the way out and ask a question that's fascinated scientists for centuries:Does the language you speak actually shape the way you think?This is one of the most debated topics in MCAT psychology and one of the most fascinating. Mike and Molly break it all down, name by name, theory by theory.

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! In this episode, we're breaking down one of the most high-yield neuroscience topics on the MCAT, the biology of language and the brain areas behind it.Ever wonder why some people lose the ability to speak clearly after a stroke, while others speak fluently but make zero sense? That's not random, it comes down to specific brain regions, and the MCAT loves to test exactly this.

In this episode of the Jack Westin CARS Podcast, Usher and Molly tackle one of the trickier philosophy passages in recent memory, "Moral Relations" from May 6th. If philosophy passages make you nervous on the MCAT, this one's for you.Get started with our resources!

Lisa Doyle Howley, PhD, joins the Ripples: Physician Well-Being podcast to explore how intentional support, psychological safety and clear expectations can better prepare medical students for the transition from medical school to residency. Season 5 of "Ripples" focuses on bringing your best self to residency training while avoiding common pitfalls. ABOUT GUEST SPEAKER:  Lisa Doyle Howley, PhD is an educational psychologist and a national leader in medical education. She serves as the Senior Director for Transforming Medical Education at the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), where she drives advancements in competency-based medical education (CBME) and fosters innovation in teaching and learning.  With more than three decades of experience in academic medicine, Dr. Howley has held leadership roles at institutional, regional, and national levels. She currently leads a diverse portfolio and team dedicated to transforming models of teaching and learning across the continuum of medical education. Her work accelerates the adoption of CBME, reinforces the fundamental role of the arts and humanities, advances faculty development, and ensures that new and emerging areas of medicine are effectively integrated into curricula across AAMC's member schools and teaching hospitals. Dr. Howley holds an adjunct faculty appointment at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.  Earlier in her career, she was a member of the medical education faculty at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, where she designed and implemented performance-based assessments and simulation-enhanced curricula. She earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Central Florida and both her M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Virginia. A frequent speaker and thought leader, she is dedicated to shaping the future of medical education through strategic collaboration, scholarship, and innovation.

Is stress a bad thing? Not according to the science. In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly flip the coin from last episode's neurobiology of emotion to the psychology of emotion and stress. They walk through the major theories of emotion, break down eustress vs. distress, explain cognitive appraisal, and connect it to the MCAT study experience in a way that might actually change how you approach test day.Get started with our resources!

Did chimpanzees domesticate us? And if wild chimps don't exploit each other, why do captive chimps exploit humans? In this Jack Westin CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Usher and Molly break down the daily CARS passage "Chimpanzee Domestication" (April 29th), a surprisingly philosophical passage about the mutual relationship between humans and chimps that's way more nuanced than it first appears.Get started with our resources!

Why do you remember your most stressful moments so vividly but can't recall what you had for lunch last Tuesday? It's all about the limbic system. In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly break down the biology of emotion and stress, covering every limbic system structure, the HPA axis, cortisol, and general adaptation syndrome, plus how all of it directly applies to surviving your MCAT prep without burning out.Get started with our resources!

What do you do when a CARS passage gives you a laundry list of examples in one paragraph and then repeats the same idea with a new layer in every paragraph after that? You learn to recognize the pattern and stop over-mapping.In this Jack Westin CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Usher and Molly break down the daily CARS passage "Ritual Failures" (April 22nd), an unusual passage that blends philosophy, anthropology, and speech act theory to explore why rituals go wrong. This one is packed with examples, parallel structure across paragraphs, and a rare gift-wrapped thesis statement that makes the main idea surprisingly clear if you know what to look for.Get started with our resources!

Alpha, beta minus, beta plus, gamma. Do you know which decay changes mass, which changes identity, and which changes nothing? In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly finally cover the topic they've been putting off for over a year: atoms and radioactive decay. They build from the ground up, starting with atomic structure, isotopes, and stability, then walk through every type of decay and connect it all back to PET scans and carbon dating.Next episode: The limbic system, emotion, and stressGet started with our resources!

In part one of this two-part 20-Minute Health Talk, host Chethan Sathya, MD, sits down with David Skorton, MD, President and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), for a candid look at a career defined by curiosity, openness, and unlikely pivots. Dr. Skorton traces his nontraditional journey from aspiring Los Angeles session musician to internist and cardiologist, to university president (Iowa and Cornell), to Secretary of the Smithsonian, and back to academic medicine at the AAMC. He shares lessons on saying yes to unexpected opportunities, seeking mentorship in all directions — including a charge nurse who guided him through his first night as an intern — and leading with a “beginner's mind.” Mentioned in this episode: The Fundamental Role of Arts and Humanities in Medical Education — FRAHME: www.aamc.org/about-us/mission-areas/medical-education/frahme Northwell is New York State's largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians. We're making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom: Press releases Insights Podcasts Publications Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities. Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.  For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

In the second episode of this two-part 20-Minute Health Talk, the conversation turns to the future of medical education in a world reshaped by AI, information overload, and eroding public trust. David Skorton, MD, discusses with host Chethan Sathya, MD, how academic medicine can responsibly integrate emerging technologies — from ambient listening tools to AI competencies — while ensuring curricula, faculty development, and assessments keep pace. He underscores the importance of ethical guardrails and continuous learning for students, as well as listening with humility and engaging communities as partners. Mentioned in this episode: The Fundamental Role of Arts and Humanities in Medical Education — FRAHME: www.aamc.org/about-us/mission-areas/medical-education/frahme Northwell is New York State's largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians. We're making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom: Press releases Insights Podcasts Publications Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities. Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.  For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

What do you do when a CARS passage goes back and forth on the same idea for six paragraphs and only gives you the answer in the last sentence? You stay calm and trust the process.In this Jack Westin CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Usher and Molly break down the daily CARS passage "Philosophical Driving" (April 15th), one of the toughest and least interesting passages they've covered on the podcast. This episode is essential for anyone who struggles with dense philosophical CARS passages or who panics when the author doesn't take a clear stance until the very end.This is one of the best episodes for building your tolerance for uncomfortable, unclear CARS passages where the author makes you wait for the punchline.Get started with our resources!

There are only two scenarios in MCAT magnetism. That's it. In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly break down everything you need to know about magnetic fields, both right hand rules, the key equations, and how it all connects to how MRI machines actually produce those high-resolution images of your brain.Next episode: Atoms and radioactive decay (and how it connects to PET scans)Get started with our resources!

How do you find the main idea when every paragraph has a different argument? In this Jack Westin CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Usher and Molly break down the daily CARS passage "Teacher's Merit Pay" (April 8th), a passage they've both taught many times in their CARS strategy courses. This one is packed with arguments, counterarguments, examples, and named individuals, making it the perfect passage to practice identifying what actually matters.Get started with our resources!

You probably had a psychoactive drug today and didn't even realize it. In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly break down every major class of psychoactive drugs you need to know for the MCAT, including how each one hijacks your synapses, which neurotransmitters are involved, and why some are incredibly addictive.Next episode: Magnetism and how MRIs actually workGet started with our resources!

Why did humans invent the wheel when animals never did? And what does a running spider have to do with your CARS score?In this Jack Westin CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Usher and Molly break down the daily CARS passage "Wheels" (April 1st) sentence by sentence. This passage blends history, evolutionary biology, and a surprisingly entertaining argument about why human legs are, well, mid. Together they show you how to stay engaged with a fun passage without letting your reactions pull you off track.Get started with our resources!

You spend a third of your life doing it, but do you actually understand how sleep works? In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly break down everything you need to know about consciousness, sleep stages, circadian rhythm, and dream theories for the MCAT, plus how all of it connects directly to optimizing your own study schedule.Get started with our resources!

70+ med schools now require or recommend the Preview exam. Do you know how to answer it?In this Jack Westin Pre-Med Admissions Podcast episode, Dr. Anita Paschal (MD, double PhD, 35+ years on admissions committees) gives a complete breakdown of the AAMC Preview Professional Readiness Exam. She walks through the format, scoring system, and decision-making framework, then applies it to real practice scenarios so you can see exactly how to rate responses on the four-point effectiveness scale.Get started with our resources!

Electrostatics doesn't have to be the topic you dread. In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly break down everything you need to know about charge, forces, electric fields, potential energy, and voltage, then connect it all back to how EEGs and ECGs actually work.Whether electrostatics is your weakest topic or you just need a solid review, this episode gives you the conceptual foundation and equation relationships to handle any question the MCAT throws at you.Next episode: Consciousness, sleep stages, and psychoactive drugsGet started with our resources!

Can evolution explain why you love your family? In this Jack Westin CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Usher and Molly break down the daily CARS passage "Family Genes" (March 18th) sentence by sentence. This passage blends biology and philosophy in a way that feels familiar to pre-meds but still requires pure CARS reasoning to navigate.Get started with our resources!

What's the difference between a weak CASPer answer and one that lands in the top quartile? Structure.In this Jack Westin Pre-Med Admissions Podcast episode, Dr. Anita Paschal (MD, double PhD, 35+ years on admissions committees) walks through her exact 6-step framework for answering any CASPer question, then applies it to six real practice scenarios (three typed, three video) so you can see exactly what a strong response looks like.Get started with our resources!

Which brain imaging technique should you pick on the MCAT? In this episode, Mike and Molly break down every major brain imaging method you need to know: EEG, CT, PET, MRI, and fMRI. They cover what each technique actually measures (structural vs. functional), when to use each one, key limitations, and how to answer those tricky "which imaging method is most appropriate?" questions. Includes a rapid-fire quiz to test your understanding.Next episode: Electrostatics and how it connects to brain imaging.Get started with our resources!

Do you actually need to stress about CASPer and Preview? What do admissions committees really do with your scores? And how do you answer these situational judgment questions the right way?In this Jack Westin Pre-Med Admissions Podcast episode, Molly Kielty (Director of Instruction) hosts Dr. Anita Paschal (MD, double PhD, 35+ years on admissions committees) for a complete breakdown of both the CASPer and Preview exams. Dr. Paschal shares insider committee perspective on how these scores are actually used, walks through real practice scenarios with strong and weak responses, and gives you the exact framework to approach every question.In this episode, you'll learn:

In this Jack Westin CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Usher and Molly walk through a daily CARS passage about Quentin Tarantino's use of pop music in violent film scenes. Together they break down each paragraph in real time, showing you how to identify arguments, separate key ideas from supporting details, and build a passage map that actually helps you answer questions.In this episode, you'll learn:

What's the actual difference between sensation and perception? And why does the MCAT test it so heavily?In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly break down one of the most commonly confused topics in psych/soc: sensation vs. perception. They walk through the key definitions, thresholds, theories, and perceptual principles you need to know, all with real-world examples, MCAT applications, and even a few optical illusions to prove how easily your brain can be tricked.In this episode, you'll learn:

Discussing Academic Medicine's and MedEdPORTAL's new policy guiding the use of AI tools in the peer review process are editors-in-chief Laura Roberts, MD, MA, and Lauren Maggio, PhD, MS(LIS), Academic Medicine associate editor Krisztina Fischer, MD, PhD, MMSc, and AAMC director of journals Mary Beth DeVilbiss. They provide an overview of the journals' new policy and use a series of common peer review scenarios to explore what's appropriate, what's not, and what you should think about before using AI as a reviewer. Check out the resources discussed, including the journals' AI policies for reviewers and authors, and access the episode transcript at academicmedicineblog.org.

How does your brain actually detect smell and taste? And why does the MCAT care so much about the difference between flavor and taste?In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly break down everything you need to know about olfaction and gustation for the MCAT. Building on our previous episode about GPCR signaling, we walk through how smell and taste both rely on chemoreceptors, why they use different signaling pathways, and how they combine to create your perception of flavor.In this episode, you'll learn:

A brilliant pre-med student. 521 MCAT — 98th percentile. 4.0 GPA. Published research. Primary author. Rejected by ten medical schools. If that résumé isn't good enough, what is?On The Real Story, I examine how Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies are reshaping medical school admissions. Across the country, schools describe “holistic review,” equity mandates, and diversity goals as central to their mission. Academic metrics are no longer the primary standard and that merit is being subordinated to ideology.We break down AAMC data, LCME accreditation shifts, pass/fail grading trends, and looming physician shortages. Medicine is not a sociology lab. When you're on an operating table, credentials matter. Excellence is not negotiable. Thank you to our sponsor: Preserve Gold - text "ASK PHIL" to 50505 and go to https://DrPhilGold.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join us for an insightful conversation with Dr. Lee Jones, who is a clinician, medical educator, mentor, and leader. Dr. Jones completed his bachelor of arts in psychology at Dartmouth, his doctorate of medicine at Columbia, and his residency in psychiatry at UCLA. Dr. Jones then served as chief resident at UCLA, before completing a fellowship in clinical and research consultation-liaison at Memorial Sloan-Kettering, and another research fellowship at UCSD. At Rush Medical College, Dr. Jones is the Vice Dean for Education and Student Experience.Dr. Jones has worked across the full spectrum of health care. His roles have ranged from clinician and educator to chief of multiple services, medical school dean, and national leadership positions with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Throughout his career, he has led efforts in regulatory compliance, accreditation, and conflict resolution within large, multi-specialty medical organizations. Nationally, he has served on the LCME, and in numerous roles at the AAMC. His clinical practice has focused on emergency medicine and consultation-liaison psychiatry.Come along as the conversation ebbs and flows from the technical to the philosophical.Host: Samantha ShihGuest: Lee JonesProduced By: Samantha ShihAlert & Oriented is a medical student-run clinical reasoning podcast dedicated to providing a unique platform for early learners to practice their skills as a team in real time. In each episode of ‘The Doctor's Playbook' series, one medical student host interviews an expert attending clinician or leader in the medical field. Guests are recruited from diverse specialties and backgrounds. Through structured, yet conversational interviews, the host engages the guest to reflect on their clinical journey – giving listeners insight into the guest's career trajectory.Follow the team on X:A&OA fantastic resource, by learners, for learners in Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Surgery, Primary Care, Emergency Medicine, and Hospital Medicine.

Mike and Molly just dropped a clear, test-focused breakdown of G protein coupled receptors that covers everything the AAMC expects you to know without the textbook overwhelm.Here's what we walk through:

Mike and Molly just dropped a clear, test-focused breakdown of G protein coupled receptors that covers everything the AAMC expects you to know without the textbook overwhelm.Here's what we walk through:

What do med school admissions committees actually look for after the GPA/MCAT screen? In this Jack Westin Pre-Med Admissions Podcast episode, Molly Kilty (Director of Instruction) hosts Dr. Anita Paschal (MD, double PhD, 30+ years on admissions committees) as she breaks down the CLASS framework for building a well-rounded application: Clinical, Leadership, Academic enrichment, Service, and Social.Dr. Paschal explains why acceptance rates hover around 40–44%, why many applicants with strong stats still get rejected, and how committees review your application through categories, hours, time commitment, and evidence of core competencies.In this episode, you'll learn:- How med schools screen applications and what happens after GPA/MCAT ✅- The CLASS framework to assess your readiness for med school

In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly break down MCAT signaling cascades with a clear, test-focused walkthrough of G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs). You'll learn the core GPCR structure, how GDP → GTP activation works , why signaling pathways create amplification, and how cells shut signals off with built-in termination steps.We cover the high-yield cAMP pathway in detail, including Gs vs Gi, adenylyl cyclase → cAMP → protein kinase A (PKA), plus the key ideas behind the Gq pathway (PLC and calcium signaling). We also connect GPCR signaling to common MCAT contexts like hormones, fast cellular responses, and a classic passage-style example (cholera toxin) to show how the AAMC tests cause-and-effect in pathways.In this episode, you'll learn:

MCAT CARS Reading Skills Workshop: Struggling to find the main idea on MCAT CARS passages? In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast, Molly and Usher break down the Jack Westin Daily CARS Passage "Hamburger University" sentence-by-sentence, showing you exactly how to track competing ideas, understand arguments efficiently, and identify the most-supported argument even when the author buries it mid-passage.In this episode you'll learn:✅ How to read actively and ask "why?" at every step ❓

Struggling with the AMCAS Work & Activities (Experiences) section and the Most Meaningful entries? In this episode of the Jack Westin Pre-Med Admissions Podcast, Dr. Anita Paschal (MD, double PhD, 30+ years on medical school admissions committees) breaks down exactly how admissions committees evaluate your 15 AMCAS experiences, your 700-character descriptions, and your 3 Most Meaningful (1,325 characters) sections.You'll learn:

In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly break down how vision works from start to finish, tying together physics (optics) and biology (retina + neural pathway) in the exact way the MCAT can test it across Chem/Phys, Bio/Biochem, and Psych/Soc.You'll learn how light refracts through the cornea and lens, why the cornea does most of the refraction, and how the eye focuses images onto the retina. Then we walk through transduction in the retina (rods and cones → bipolar cells → ganglion cells), how signals travel through the optic nerve, cross at the optic chiasm (by visual field, not by eye), relay through the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), and arrive at the primary visual cortex in the occipital lobe for perception.We also cover high-yield MCAT optics and vision topics, including:Cornea vs lens refraction and why LASIK reshapes the corneaFovea and why cones drive high-acuity color visionRods vs cones (low light vs color/detail)Myopia vs hyperopia and which lenses correct each (diverging vs converging)The blind spot and why it existsWhy real images are inverted on the retina and how the brain interprets vision

In this throwback episode honoring National Women Physicians Day, host Shikha Jain, MD, with Physicianary's Hansa Bhargava, MD, and Mend the Gap's Dagny Zhu, MD, discuss the evolution of empowering yourself and others and advocacy with a panel of guests. ·       Intro 0:32 ·       What does it mean to empower women in medicine, and what are the ways that we can really empower others to achieve the things that they may not see for themselves?  1:37 ·       What are some ways in which you have empowered or hope to empower women in medicine? Are there tips or skills that have worked well?  4:41 ·       How have you been empowered by others, or have helped others find their voices?  7:37 ·       Do you agree that the conversation is changing toward a cultural shift in empowerment for women in health care? 12:23 ·       What are some challenges facing advocacy and empowerment? […] What do you do when your advocacy work is not being received or it is a struggle to speak up for someone?  17:10 ·       Emphasizing the importance of communication in advocacy work. 22:23 ·       Intro to Physicianary's part 3 on physician burnout and work-life balance. 22:51 ·       Thanks for listening 23:31 Be sure to listen to Part 1 and Part 3 of Healio's Women In Medicine roundtable discussion, streaming everywhere now! Vineet Arora, MD, MAPP (NAM), is a Herbert T. Abelson professor of medicine, vice dean of education in the biological sciences division and dean for medical education at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. She is also an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine. She is a founding member of the 501c3 Women of Impact and advisor to the Women in Medicine Summit. Jennifer Bepple, MD, MMCi, is a double board-certified physician in urology and informatics. She is a member of the American Telemedicine Association, American Urologic Association and American Medical Informatics Association and holds a certification from the American Board of Telehealth and the American Board of AI in Medicine. Hansa Bhargava, MD, is Healio's chief clinical strategy and innovation officer. Listen to her Healio podcast, Physicianary. Shikha Jain, MD, FACP, is a board-certified hematology and oncology physician. She is a tenured associate professor of medicine in the division of hematology and oncology, the director of communication strategies in medicine and the associate director of oncology communication & digital innovation at the University of Illinois Cancer Center in Chicago. Mara Schenker, MD, FACS, FAOA, is an orthopedic trauma surgeon at Grady Memorial Hospital. She is double board certified in orthopedic surgery and clinical informatics. She serves as the chief of orthopedics and associate chief medical information officer.  She is an associate professor of orthopedics at Emory University School of Medicine. She serves on multiple boards for medical and digital technology advisory and sits on major national committees for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, AAMC, American College of Surgeons and the Orthopaedic Trauma Association. Dagny Zhu, MD, is a cornea, cataract and refractive surgeon and medical director and partner at NVISION Eye Centers in Rowland Heights, CA. She can be reached on X @DZEyeMD. Listen to her on Healio's Mend The Gap: Equity In Medicine podcast. We'd love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to Dr. Jain at oncologyoverdrive@healio.com. Follow Healio on X and LinkedIn: @HemOncToday and https://www.linkedin.com/company/hemonctoday/. Follow Dr. Jain on X: @ShikhaJainMD. Disclosures: The hosts and guests report no relevant financial disclosures.

In this episode, we break down the Jack Westin daily CARS passage “Sibling Relationships” (Feb 11) sentence-by-sentence to train you how to:Identify key ideas in each sentence and paragraphTrack repeating themes across short paragraphsLock in the main idea (without bringing in your own opinions)Build a clean passage map you can use on test dayAvoid the #1 trap: letting your personal experience change your answersWe also unpack the passage's biggest throughline: how sibling competition, family roles, and birth order connect to personality traits (first-born vs last-born vs middle child), plus terms like de-identification and finding a “niche” in the family environment.✅ Try the passage before you listen (recommended): pause here, attempt it, then come back and follow along with the walkthrough.

Light and optics show up everywhere on the MCAT, especially when physics meets biology (vision). In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly break down the must-know foundations of light as a wave and how it behaves in optical systems so you can stop memorizing and start solving.You'll learn:

Med school admissions is not just GPA and MCAT.In this Jack Westin Pre-Med Admissions Podcast episode, Mark White sits down with Dr. Anita Paschal (35+ years on admissions boards) to break down how admissions committees actually read your application and what separates “qualified” from “accepted.”In this episode, you'll learn:

(00:00) — Curiosity in the halls of Mass General: Her mom's triple‑negative breast cancer and remission shape an early interest in medicine.(02:54) — Choosing a major without a premed major: From biochemistry to discovering neuroscience and why UMass ultimately fit.(06:04) — Double majoring without burning out: Overlap with prereqs, honest advising on dual degrees, and following interests.(09:13) — Make advising work for you: Meeting early, becoming a peer advisor, and hearing hard feedback you don't want to hear.(12:56) — Rethinking gap years: Fears about money give way to growth, responsibility, and better prep for med school.(17:23) — What went wrong on the first MCAT: Cramming, no plan, and taking it during senior year.(19:33) — The retake that worked: Six months, 3 hours a day, weekly full-lengths, and using AAMC practice tests.(22:52) — Lining up letters after graduation: Staying in touch with advisors and professors, and using undergrad resources.(25:34) — Clinical path: EMT to pediatric ER clinical assistant: Building skills during COVID, behavioral health work, and a role that cemented medicine.(32:05) — The application surprise: Not prewriting secondaries—and why she won't skip that again.(33:43) — First interview jitters and prep: Early invites, mock interviews, and centering fit.(35:52) — Eight interview invites: Why authenticity and geography beat obsessing over stats.(40:33) — Toughest interview prompt: Answering “Tell me about yourself” and a bartender curveball.(44:10) — The first acceptance: A full-circle moment at work and calling mom.(45:40) — Final advice to premeds: Keep an open mind—and be kind to yourself.Today's guest traces a clear, practical path from childhood curiosity in the halls of Mass General—while her mom underwent treatment and later entered remission—to a medical school seat built on consistency, flexibility, and honest self-reflection. She shares how starting at UMass in biochemistry, discovering neuroscience, and building an early relationship with her premed advisor shaped smarter decisions—like delaying the MCAT and embracing gap years she once feared.We dive into the first MCAT attempt that fell flat (no schedule, cramming during senior year, few practice tests) and the 15‑point turnaround that followed: six months post‑graduation, three hours a day, AAMC full‑lengths every Thursday, and a real study plan. She details lining up letters before leaving campus, keeping in touch after graduation, and why not prewriting secondaries became her biggest application headache.Clinically, she moved from EMT certification and campus EMS to behavioral health sitting and a clinical assistant role in a pediatric ER—experiences that cemented her desire to practice. Finally, we cover interviews (including a surprise bartender question), eight invites, the first acceptance at work, and her closing advice: keep an open mind—and be kind to yourself.What You'll Learn:- How to build a productive relationship with your premed advisor- A realistic MCAT retake plan: pacing, practice tests, and scheduling- Why gap years and nonclinical jobs can strengthen your application- Finding schools by fit and mission instead of fixating on stats- Timing letters and prewriting secondaries to avoid bottlenecks

Med school admissions is not just GPA and MCAT. In this Jack Westin Admissions episode, Mark White (Academic Advisor) sits down with Dr. Anita Paschal (35+ years on admissions committees) to break down how medical schools actually screen applicants and what separates “qualified” from “accepted”

In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Molly and Usher break down the Jack Westin Daily Passage “Cuban Crisis” (Feb 4) sentence-by-sentence to help you read faster under time pressure, map smarter, and avoid common CARS traps

Send us a textFor those of you that don't know, in the modern system of medical school clinical rotations, students typically rotate at their "home institutions" or medical school affiliates.  One of the criticisms of post-graduate Osteopathic Medical education is that at some schools, students need to do a significant number of away rotations especially if they are interested in competitive surgical specialties.  The VSLO is an organization through the AAMC which allows American MD and American DO students to coordinate these rotations with outside hospitals.   This episode is mainly in response to posts on Redit and Youtube commenting on the process for Osteopathic Medical Students.  To shed some light on the topic, In this episode, we will interview Robin Carle, the director of VSLO at the AAMC to shed some light on the VSLO process and the validity of the comments regarding biases within the system against DO's.