The OSA Insider
A podcast about medical student life and the journey to becoming a physician. Featuring survival tips, wellness strategies, the inside scoop on major milestones, and interviews with inspirational faculty members, residents, and students. Join host Dr. Neda Frayha and find out what doctors wish they knew when they were in medical school. From the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Office of Student Affairs.
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Episode 112: Charm City Checkup with Dr. Caroline Knoop
05/28/2024
Episode 112: Charm City Checkup with Dr. Caroline Knoop
Graduating Pediatrics resident Dr. Caroline Knoop had an innovative idea for her scholarly project in residency: create a podcast about social justice issues in Baltimore for Pediatrics residents, by a Pediatrics resident. And so, Charm City Checkup was born. Listen in as Dr. Knoop shares how she got the brand new podcast off the ground, the lessons she's learned along the way, and how she studied the impact of her podcast for her residency's research symposium.
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Episode 111: Top 10 OME Myths with Dr. Joe Martinez
04/29/2024
Episode 111: Top 10 OME Myths with Dr. Joe Martinez
There are a lot of myths floating around when it comes to the Office of Medical Education (OME) and the Office of Student Affairs (OSA). Myths like, if a student visits these offices, it will show up in their residency application, or visiting the student counseling center will make its way back to the med school deans. False and false! In this episode, Dr. Joe Martinez, Associate Dean for Medical Education and Student Experience, sits down with Dr. Frayha to debunk the top 10 myths about how the OME and OSA work with our students.
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Episode 110: The Peer Support Network with M3s Nicol Tugarinov and Alanna Stefano
04/06/2024
Episode 110: The Peer Support Network with M3s Nicol Tugarinov and Alanna Stefano
What do you do if you need help with something in medical school, or you have a question about life in Baltimore, and you don't quite feel like asking a faculty member? That's what the Peer Support Network is for. Two almost-fourth-year students, Alanna Stefano and Nicol Tugarinov, share everything you need to know about the Peer Support Network - what it is, how to become involved, how peer support leaders are trained, the kinds of questions they're happy to help with, and so much more. Resource: from the OSA Academic Handbook
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Episode 109: UMSOM History, Larry Pitrof, and the Medical Alumni Association
03/08/2024
Episode 109: UMSOM History, Larry Pitrof, and the Medical Alumni Association
Match Day is coming up soon, and each year, the Match Day celebration at our medical school is sponsored by the Medical Alumni Association. This organization - much like the School of Medicine - has been around since the 1800s. Its office is located in Davidge Hall, the oldest medical education building in the United States in continuous use. And its executive director, Mr. Larry Pitrof, has been leading the organization since 1994 - for 30 years. In late February, I visited him in Davidge Hall to learn more about his life and what he's seen throughout his decades at our medical school. On the day of our interview, Davidge Hall was filled with activity - renovations, HVAC installation, contractors everywhere. And I felt such powerful nostalgia being in that space. Memories from my first week of med school and from my own Match Day, among so many other important milestones. Larry and I got to talk about the history of Davidge Hall and of the SOM, why he was drawn to our Medical Alumni Association in the first place, how the MAA helps medical students and alumni, and, after 30 years, what comes next for him.
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Episode 108: Step 1 Pass/Fail - Then and Now
02/25/2024
Episode 108: Step 1 Pass/Fail - Then and Now
Four years ago, we learned that the USMLE Step 1 exam would become graded on a Pass/Fail basis, rather than each student receiving a 3-digit score. We covered this change in episode 54 of The OSA Insider, featuring an interview with national expert Dr. J. Bryan Carmody. This change went live in January 2022, and we can't help but wonder: where do things stand today? Why did this switch to P/F happen in the first place? Are things better? How are med students feeling about Step 1, anxiety-wise? And how is the UMSOM responding to the current moment? Dr. Nirav Shah and Dr. Devang Patel answer all of these questions and more in their conversation with host Dr. Neda Frayha. Resources: UMSOM OME page on
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Episode 107: Just Culture with Dr. Nidhi Goel
01/29/2024
Episode 107: Just Culture with Dr. Nidhi Goel
Think about the last time you made a mistake. Now, imagine this happened at work, with a patient, and that your clinical setting is a punitive place where people are shamed for their mistakes. Would you want to tell anyone about this error? What if, instead, you worked somewhere that embraced open conversation about errors, and looked without judgment at all the factors that might lead to mistakes? This is at the heart of Just Culture - a philosophy and process that looks at both the individual and the system in a non-punitive way to figure out where something went wrong, and how we can all learn from it and make changes so it doesn’t happen again. Our guest for this episode is Dr. Nidhi Goel - UMSOM alum, Med Peds physician, a leader in quality and safety for both the medicine and pediatrics departments at our hospital, and Director of the Medicine Clerkship - for a practical conversation on exactly what Just Culture is and how it impacts our students. Spoiler alert: she shares a real-world example of the Just Culture process that our team will never forget. Resources: AHRQ's from the UMSOM Course Catalog
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Episode 106: Get to Know UMB President Bruce Jarrell, M.D.
12/11/2023
Episode 106: Get to Know UMB President Bruce Jarrell, M.D.
As we close out 2023, we get to become acquainted with Dr. Bruce Jarrell, transplant surgeon and President of the University of Maryland, Baltimore. He taught our host Dr. Neda Frayha when she was a medical student, so this reunion conversation felt very special. We learn about his decision to pursue surgery as a career, his approach to leadership, his path to the presidency of UMB, how he thinks of UMB and its role in the surrounding community, and his advice for all students listening.
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Episode 105: A Gap Year Before Residency with MS4 Manaahil Rao
11/20/2023
Episode 105: A Gap Year Before Residency with MS4 Manaahil Rao
We are continuing our series on fourth-year students pursuing creative, slightly nontraditional paths to achieving their long-term career goals, this time with MS4 Manaahil Rao. She will be taking a gap year in between med school and residency. What will she be doing? How does she hope this experience will help her as a physician? And will she really come back to clinical training? Listen in for answers to all these questions and more. The road to being a physician is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor, as you'll hear in this episode.
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Episode 104: All About Preventive Medicine
10/25/2023
Episode 104: All About Preventive Medicine
Preventive Medicine is a fantastic field that can feel like a bit of a mystery. We don't always learn about it as a residency option, or know what a career in preventive medicine might look like. This episode will change all of that. In this conversation with preventive medicine physicians and leaders Dr. Marissa Khajavi and Dr. Cara Dooley, we'll shine a light on preventive medicine, how to know if it might be a good fit for you, what different roles in the field might look like, and how to learn more about it.
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Episode 103: Gap Years with MS4 Kimia Abtahi
09/18/2023
Episode 103: Gap Years with MS4 Kimia Abtahi
Have you ever wondered about taking a gap year during medical school? There are so many factors that go into this decision. What you would do, what you hope to accomplish, how you make it all happen, and what it's like to join a whole new medical school class when your gap year is done. Fourth year medical student Kimia Abtahi wants to shine a light on this topic. She suggested this episode covering gap years, to demystify and even destigmatize the idea of taking a year away from medical school to do something else. You'll hear all about her experiences, why a gap year might be a good idea, and how the process of it all works. Spoiler alert: she loved her gap year! At the end, you'll also hear from Dr. Beth Lamos from the OSA, sharing the OSA's perspective and support. Resource:
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Episode 102: Global Health with MS2 Sarina Maini and Dr. Devang Patel
08/19/2023
Episode 102: Global Health with MS2 Sarina Maini and Dr. Devang Patel
In this special, student-led episode, MS2 Sarina Maini and Dr. Frayha speak with Dr. Devang Patel about the importance of global health, what a career in global health might look like, helpful resources and opportunities at UMB and the SOM, and the importance of entering clinical experiences around the world with an open mind and appreciation for local practices. Resources for students:
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Episode 101: From Adaptive to Maladaptive: When Good Habits Go Bad
07/24/2023
Episode 101: From Adaptive to Maladaptive: When Good Habits Go Bad
As we start a new academic year, Dr. Frayha has been reflecting on the habits that help us survive, and even thrive, in medical school and beyond. How many of these habits are adaptive at first, and then become maladaptive? Why don't we take stock of these habits more often, and assess whether a given behavior (perfectionism, people-pleasing, desire for control, hypervigilance, the list goes on) is still serving us or our patients? In this episode, she shares some guidance around creating opportunities to reevaluate our own ways of being and working, and deciding with intention which habits we should continue versus which ones we should leave behind.
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Episode 100: Two MS4s Reflect on Leadership Lessons
05/15/2023
Episode 100: Two MS4s Reflect on Leadership Lessons
Graduating medical students Grace Begnell and Nick Fioravante have learned a lot from their leadership experiences. And in this episode, being released just days before our SOM 4th years graduate, Nick and Grace share how they found their way to leadership roles, the best and hardest parts of being leaders, what has surprised them along the way, and how all students can tap into their inner leader. They say it's easier than you think. This episode is part of our ongoing Personal Growth Program series, where we explore skills and habits to help all of us be the best people we can be, in addition to the best medical students and doctors. We couldn't think of a better way to celebrate our 100th episode than by featuring the voices of two graduating medical students as they reflect on leadership.
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Episode 99: Tess Gillis Can Help
04/03/2023
Episode 99: Tess Gillis Can Help
Ms. Tess Gillis, Senior Academic Development Specialist at the SOM, is here to help you. She works with students across all four years of medical school on personal academic goals, learning differences, specific struggles, and even when things are going well. She is a wealth of information, a fountain of helpful resources, and a wonderful person. In this episode, we get to know her as a person and also as a resource for our med students. Take a listen, and stop by to "Talk with Tess."
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Episode 98: Perfectionism
03/02/2023
Episode 98: Perfectionism
Are you a perfectionist? Chances are, the answer is yes, at least some of the time. How can perfectionism help us, and also how can it hold us back? When do we know the difference? How can we train our brains for the better? Dr. Beth Lamos and Dr. Marissa Flaherty are back with our Personal Growth Program series, this time tackling all things perfectionism.
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Episode 97: Get to Know Dean Mark Gladwin
02/15/2023
Episode 97: Get to Know Dean Mark Gladwin
There's a new Dean in town! In this special episode, we sit down with SOM Dean Mark Gladwin to learn about his first year as Dean, the unique opportunities facing both the SOM and the medical profession at large, and how he hopes to prepare our medical students for the future.
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Episode 96: Communication Skills
02/02/2023
Episode 96: Communication Skills
We are continuing our Personal Growth Series with Dr. Marissa Flaherty and Dr. Beth Lamos, this time with a conversation on communication skills in med school and beyond. How can we work on our communication styles to be as effective as possible, in both preclinical and clinical years? How can we "read the room" when we enter into a new setting? How have we messed up in our own communication attempts through the years? Listen in for answers to all these questions and more.
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Episode 95: A Current MS4's Brave Career Path
01/09/2023
Episode 95: A Current MS4's Brave Career Path
After our episode featuring SOM alum Dr. Alice Chen's career at the FDA and NIH, MS4 Chloe Snow reached out to us to share that she, too, would be choosing a nonclinical path after medical school. In Chloe's case, she'll be pursuing a career in management consulting. She shares how she came to this decision, what she'll be doing, and how to embrace a career path that may be a little bit different from what everyone else is doing. Spoiler alert: she is so excited for what comes next! Her experiences and wisdom are relevant to any major life decision, clinical or otherwise.
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Episode 94: A Personal Story (Woman, Life, Freedom)
12/07/2022
Episode 94: A Personal Story (Woman, Life, Freedom)
Time Magazine just announced that their Heroes of the Year are the Women of Iran. Today we're bringing you a personal story about these heroes, an essay written and recorded by our host Dr. Neda Frayha. This was originally written and recorded for Mighty Forces, where it was published under the title "Iranian Women Are A Mighty Force." https://mightyforces.substack.com/p/iranian-women-are-a-mighty-force
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Episode 93: Procrastination
11/15/2022
Episode 93: Procrastination
Today we are continuing our conversation on organization and time management as part of the OSA's Personal Growth Program, with a focus on procrastination - how it happens and how to deal with it. Dr. Beth Lamos and Dr. Marissa Flaherty are back to share pearls, insights, and tips for managing procrastination in our lives.
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Episode 92: Improving Your Organization and Time Management Skills
10/30/2022
Episode 92: Improving Your Organization and Time Management Skills
In the OSA, Dr. Marissa Flaherty and Dr. Beth Lamos are spearheading a Personal Growth Program to help medical students keep growing and developing as human beings in addition to future physicians. With topics like Confidence, Communication Styles, Purpose, Passion, Relationships, and Leadership, their monthly series helps us tend to all the parts of our humanity that are so easy to forget in med school. In this conversation, Drs. Lamos, Flaherty and Frayha cover Organization and Time Management skills that can help you throughout your entire lives, really. From task batching to bullet booking to calendar management tools, they cover concrete strategies to help you become more organized and efficient. Later this month, we'll feature a follow-up conversation on procrastination and how to manage the most common time sucks in our busy lives.
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Episode 91: Get to Know the OSA's Dr. Marissa Flaherty
10/12/2022
Episode 91: Get to Know the OSA's Dr. Marissa Flaherty
Dr. Marissa Flaherty is the newest faculty member in the OSA, a graduate of the UMSOM class of 2014, an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, and an all around awesome human. In this episode, we get to learn about her, her career trajectory, how she chose her specialty, and what she is most passionate about when it comes to mentoring and advising medical students.
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Episode 90: The 4th Year Student Who Decided Against a Clinical Career
08/28/2022
Episode 90: The 4th Year Student Who Decided Against a Clinical Career
Imagine being a 4th year student and deciding that you're not going to pursue a clinical career. How much courage that would take, especially when everyone around you is applying to residency programs. Today, we get to meet Dr. Alice Chen, a UMSOM graduate who found herself in this exact position several years ago. She shares her story in this episode, including how her career has evolved since med school graduation, as well as incredible advice when it comes to making any major life decision. This episode is part of our ongoing series on SOM alumni who pursued fulfilling, fascinating, nontraditional careers after graduating from medical school.
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Episode 89: Educational Support and Disability Services with Ms. Deborah Levi
07/06/2022
Episode 89: Educational Support and Disability Services with Ms. Deborah Levi
Have you ever wondered if you might need additional educational support? Do you feel like something is holding you back from functioning, studying, and working at your best? Today's podcast guest, Ms. Deborah Levi, the Director of UMB's Office of Educational Support and Disability Services, knows how to help. She shares helpful insights on how to define disability, understand if you might benefit from an accommodation, connect with her office, and so much more. UMB Educational Support and Disability Serivces: https://www.umaryland.edu/disabilityservices/
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Episode 88: Mentorship Pearls with a Mentor Mentee Duo
06/15/2022
Episode 88: Mentorship Pearls with a Mentor Mentee Duo
We are continuing our series on mentorship with a wonderful conversation between a real-life mentor and mentee: Dr. Rena Malik from the Department of Urology and MS4 Sara Ashai. They share what makes a mentor/mentee relationship successful, along with common pitfalls to avoid. This episode was Sara's idea, and we're so glad she made this happen!
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Episode 87: Financial Wellness with Sofia Cascio
05/03/2022
Episode 87: Financial Wellness with Sofia Cascio
We are continuing our series on living our best lives, this time with concrete tools and strategies to help us achieve financial wellness throughout medical school and beyond. Our special guest is Ms. Sofia Cascio, MBA, the school's first Director of Student Financial Planning. We get into creating and maintaining a budget that makes sense, debt management, and other tools to help us make the smartest financial decisions we can.
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Episode 86: The Student Counseling Center with Dr. Cassie Moon
04/12/2022
Episode 86: The Student Counseling Center with Dr. Cassie Moon
We all need help sometimes, and the Student Counseling Center at UMB is here for just that reason. We sit down with Dr. Cassie Moon from the counseling center to learn all about the resources available to students, how to access them, overcoming barriers to care, and the importance of recognizing that we are human beings before anything else.
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Episode 85: Mentorship Success: Mentee Perspectives with Chloe Snow and Dr. Rebka Tekeste
03/21/2022
Episode 85: Mentorship Success: Mentee Perspectives with Chloe Snow and Dr. Rebka Tekeste
With Match Day 2022 in the books, we wanted to bring you a conversation on mentorship, including how to find an excellent mentor and how to cultivate helpful, strong mentor/mentee relationships. MS3 Chloe Snow and Pediatrics Chief Resident Dr. Rebka Tekeste share their strategies for success as mentees.
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Episode 84: Outpatient Treatments for Covid-19 with Dr. Devang Patel
02/15/2022
Episode 84: Outpatient Treatments for Covid-19 with Dr. Devang Patel
So much has changed since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, including all the new treatment options for outpatients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. From oral medications to IV infusions, the range of options can feel overwhelming. Which treatment should we prescribe when? And for which patients? How does the omicron variant surge affect our choices? What’s even available? In this conversation originally recorded for Hippo Education, our own Dr. Devang Patel joins host Dr. Neda Frayha to break it all down for us. Feel free to check out the quick reference medication table as an added resource. Resources:
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Episode 83: Nontraditional Career Paths and Entrepreneurship with Dr. Maurice Reid
01/29/2022
Episode 83: Nontraditional Career Paths and Entrepreneurship with Dr. Maurice Reid
It is so easy to go through medical school without being exposed to the range of career paths available, regardless of which specialty you pursue. And so, we are starting a new series on alums who have gone on to enjoy "nontraditional" career paths. In this episode, we hear from Dr. Maurice Reid (of the Reid Rooms!) about his career in Emergency Medicine and then as an entrepreneur who started his own highly successful business.
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