Diary of an Intern On Her First All Nighter 
by Hope Olzewski
First Night Shift on Family Medicine Inpatient Rotation at Arrowhead RMC
(Note, not all nights have been this challenging, and this is an abbreviated form of the entire night.)
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How to activate your brain’s ability to learn:
In music, you have scales. In Jiu Jitsu, it’s drilling. Most of us just call it practice. Whatever you label it, many believe that greatness, heck even mere competency, requires training a skill well past proficiency. It’s continuing to practice your free throw even after you’ve nailed every shot. It’s playing through that song one more time even though you’ve made no mistakes. Scientists call this training past the point of improvement ‘overlearning.’ And a recent study in Nature Neuroscience suggests that it might improve performance by altering chemicals in the brain that “lock” in training.
I had a lovely conversation with Grace Nguyen, Vice President of Finance for SGA and on the board of CAPA as a student liaison. My question for her was: How do you manage the dual MPH, PA program and stay active in extracurricular activities?
According to Grace sticking to a schedule is essential. She manages her big priorities first. Her first semester in the program she just worked and worked and did not do anything fun. She was miserable.
By Brian Bush, COM 2019
Hi, my name is Brian Bush, and I’m a third-year medical student from Touro University. Having just finished my first clinical rotation in pediatrics, I can safely say that the third year of medical school is quite different from the first two. Instead of going to lectures or labs in the morning, I am going to the clinic or the hospital. Instead of my laptop, pens, and papers, I am now armed with my white coat, stethoscope and reflex hammer. I have a real hospital ID badge that says ‘Administration’ on it—which is a nice change of pace from the volunteer badges I am used to wearing.
By Megan McCaleb, MSPAS/MPH 2016 Class President
PA school requires a whole new set of study tools from your tool belt. Maybe you thought you had finally figured out what worked for you in undergrad, or while completing another master’s program. Don’t freak out, but welcome back to the beginning. The pace is faster, the materials are more difficult, and the standards are higher. It’s okay, have your moment of freak out. But then take a step back and try and understand what Touro will help you become. Bigger, better, faster, stronger (wait wait wait…. that’s Kanye.) Retract that. In all honesty, at the end of this program you will be faster. A faster thinker, a quicker test taker, someone whose synapses are firing and connecting more rapidly than the med students’ standing next to you on rotations. You will be stronger. Mentally, emotionally, and quite possibly physically (depending how many times you run up and down the stairs from Lander hall). And best of all you will be better. A better person. A better caregiver. More emphatic. More tolerant: because your classmates are a diverse group of individuals who will challenge you, push all of your buttons, and who you will walk away from after three years as family. Okay. So now that we have that settled… How do we get you from where you are now to graduation?
by Yasmin Bains COM 2020
“Burnout” has unfortunately become a popular buzzword within the medical community. I didn’t realize how real this problem was until I encountered it myself before starting medical school. When I decided to change careers and pursue medicine, I felt assured that years of working in a high stress environment with var
ious start-ups had prepared me adequately to deal with the challenges that lay ahead.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Hiroe Hu is a student in Touro University California’s College of Osteopathic Medicine.
“Know the big picture.” Despite its simplicity, this was one of the best pieces of advice that I ever received in medical school (thank you, Dr. Lin!). Over the past year, this has become my mantra that served me well in both my academic and personal life.
My study strategy almost always involves the “big picture sandwich.” First, I listen to lecture or watch YouTube videos to grasp the summary of the material. My second pass would be a more in-depth look into the materials: reading the slides, referencing textbooks, memorizing facts, and taking notes to put the knowledge into my own words.
No sooner did we post an item about a free speed reading tool than we found out the program had helped a current Touro student!
Christina Choy is a first-year student in the College of Pharmacy, class of 2020.
Legentas was very helpful at introducing me to speed reading. I had always thought that I read quite quickly, however after starting the program I realized that I was reading inefficiently.
This program offers various eye gymnastics exercises and trains you to increase your visual span, as well as read in a rhythm that allows for better retention. Before I started Legentas, I was reading 204 words per minute. By lesson three, I was reading at 334 words per minute!
Mey and her feathered friend, Nova.
We asked recent MPH alum Mey Saephan some questions about her time here at Touro — What did you find helpful? What did you find not helpful? What do you wish you knew before starting? — and this is what she had to say!
Public health is a broad field. Graduating with an MPH enables to you help people and hone in your skillset. Here are a few tips for how to be successful while you are here at Touro, finding your career path.
Megan McCaleb is the Joint MSPAS/MPH program 2016 Alumni & Class President
Megan and friend.
PA school requires a whole new set of study tools from your tool belt. Maybe you thought you had finally figured out what worked for you in undergrad, or while completing another master’s program. Don’t freak out, but welcome back to the beginning.
The pace is faster, the materials are more difficult, and the standards are higher. It’s okay, have your moment of freakout. But then take a step back and try and understand what Touro will help you become: Bigger, better, faster, stronger — wait wait wait . . . that’s Kanye, retract that! In all honesty, though, at the end of this program you will be faster. A faster thinker, a quicker test taker, someone whose synapses are firing and connecting more rapidly than the med students’ standing next to you on rotations.
