Med School Minutes

Kaushik Guha

Med School Minutes is where we discuss all things related to medical education. Provided by Saint James School of Medicine, this podcast tries to educate students on selecting and successfully completing a medical school. Our topics are fun and educational, and our hosts are knowledgeable and fun. 

  1. Aug 10

    Med School Minutes-Ep. 65 | How to Match Into Fellowship as an IMG | Dr. Brandon Gordon

    What does it really take to match into a medical fellowship as an IMG? In this episode of Med School Minutes, we sit down with Dr. Brandon Gordon, Saint James School of Medicine alumnus and Pulmonary & Critical Care fellow at the University of Florida Jacksonville, to discuss the journey from medical school to residency, chief residency, and fellowship. Dr. Gordon shares what he learned navigating the fellowship application process, including why connections matter, how research and quality improvement projects can strengthen your application, and what fellowship programs are really looking for during interviews. In this episode, we discuss: • How fellowship applications differ from residency • The importance of research, case reports, and QI projects • How networking can help you land fellowship interviews • Why social media can be a valuable networking tool • Whether becoming a chief resident can improve your chances • What fellowship interviews are really evaluating • Fellowship and visa considerations for international graduates • Why physicians choose to subspecialize Whether you're currently in medical school, preparing for residency, or already thinking about your next step after residency, this episode offers practical insight into what it takes to pursue fellowship training as an IMG. 🎙️ Guest: Dr. Brandon Gordon Saint James School of Medicine alumnus Pulmonary & Critical Care Fellow, University of Florida Jacksonville Subscribe to Med School Minutes for more conversations about medical school, residency, the Match, and life after earning your MD. #MedicalFellowship #IMG #InternationalMedicalGraduate #MedicalResidency #SaintJamesSchoolofMedicine #MedSchoolMinutes

  2. Jul 10

    Med School Minutes-Ep. 64 | Beauty Queen to Medical Student | Monica Aguilar's Journey to Medicine

    👑 What do international beauty pageants and medical school have in common? More than you might think. In this episode of Med School Minutes, Monica Aguilar shares her remarkable journey from competing on some of the world's biggest pageant stages to becoming one of the top students in her medical school class. Monica discusses what it really takes to compete internationally, the misconceptions surrounding pageantry, and how years of discipline, resilience, and hard work prepared her for the demands of medical school. She also reflects on balancing ambition with purpose, breaking stereotypes, and why she ultimately chose a career in medicine. In this episode, you'll learn: • What international pageants are really like behind the scenes • The biggest misconceptions about beauty queens • How pageantry helped prepare Monica for medical school • Why discipline matters more than talent • Advice for aspiring medical students • Why there is no single path to becoming a physician Whether you're considering medical school, curious about the world of international pageantry, or looking for inspiration to pursue an unconventional path, this conversation is for you. Learn more about Saint James School of Medicine: https://www.sjsm.org 🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations with physicians, students, and medical education experts. 00:00 Introduction 00:30 Meet Monica Aguilar 02:20 Breaking Beauty Queen Stereotypes 06:18 The Reality of International Pageants 13:08 Choosing Medicine 14:23 How Pageantry Prepared Her for Medical School 18:14 Monica's Future in Medicine 23:07 Changing the Image of Beauty Queens 26:23 Does Medicine Have an Image Problem? 33:49 Rapid Fire Questions 36:20 Final Thoughts #MedicalSchool #FutureDoctor #MedSchoolMinutes #Medicine #CaribbeanMedicalSchool #MedicalStudent #WomenInMedicine #Pageantry #MissIntercontinental #MissSupranational #FuturePhysician #SJSM

  3. Jun 10

    Med School Minutes-Ep. 63 | How One Woman Became a Doctor at 73 w/ Dr. Dawn Zuidgeest Craft

    What does it take to become a doctor at 73 years old? In this inspiring episode of Med School Minutes, host Kaushik Guha sits down with Dr. Dawn Zuidgeest Craft, a Saint James School of Medicine graduate who recently matched into a Family Medicine residency at the age of 73. After decades of service as a neonatal nurse practitioner, educator, and professor, Dr. Dawn made the extraordinary decision to return to school and pursue her MD. She shares the experiences that shaped her career, the challenges of medical school later in life, and why her passion for learning and serving others never faded. This conversation explores: • Why Dr. Dawn chose to attend medical school after an accomplished healthcare career • The value of lifelong learning and curiosity • Lessons from decades of patient care and teaching • Medical education, mentorship, and healthcare workforce development • Advice for non-traditional medical students • Matching into residency and what's next in her journey Whether you're a future physician, a healthcare professional considering a new path, or someone pursuing a goal others might consider impossible, Dr. Dawn's story is a powerful reminder that it's never too late to follow your purpose. 🎓 Learn more about Saint James School of Medicine: https://www.sjsm.org 🎙️ Subscribe for more Med School Minutes episodes featuring physicians, students, residency experts, and healthcare leaders. 00:00 Introduction 01:08 Meet Dr. Dawn: Becoming a Doctor at 73 07:53 From Nurse Practitioner to Medical Student 11:50 Why Go to Medical School After an Entire Career? 23:57 The Future of Medical Education 32:53 Advice for Future and Non-Traditional Medical Students 43:49 Why Dr. Dawn Chose Saint James School of Medicine 50:03 Lifelong Learning, Residency, and Final Thoughts #MedSchoolMinutes #SaintJamesSchoolOfMedicine #MedicalSchool #ResidencyMatch #FamilyMedicine #NonTraditionalStudent #FutureDoctor #MedicalEducation #CaribbeanMedicalSchool #LifelongLearning

  4. Mar 10

    Med School Minutes-Ep. 60 | Dr. Jesse Oswald Built a Healthcare Company While Surviving Med School

    Most medical students are trying to survive exams, rotations, and endless study hours. Dr. Jesse Oswald was doing all of that… while building a healthcare company. 🚀 In this episode of Med School Minutes, we talk with a Saint James School of Medicine student who launched and scaled a kinesiology startup serving hundreds of patients while attending medical school full-time. Jesse shares how he started his practice, grew Hyperion into a multidisciplinary healthcare company, and managed the intense demands of medical school while running a real business. We also discuss preventive medicine, building interdisciplinary healthcare teams, and why entrepreneurship and clinical training don’t have to be mutually exclusive. 🩺 If you’re a premed student, medical student, or someone interested in healthcare innovation, this episode offers a real look at what’s possible with focus, discipline, and determination. 00:00 Intro 01:38 Jesse’s Background and Path to Medicine 04:44 Early Career and MCAT Challenges 07:13 Founding and naming Hyperion 11:10 Growing a business during medical school 15:03 Current operations and team snapshot 22:46 Future plans for medical practice integration 26:30 Balancing clinical rotations and entrepreneurship 30:45 Residency interviews and final reflections #MedicalSchool #MedStudent #FutureDoctor #MedSchoolLife #HealthcareEntrepreneur #DoctorJourney #Premed #HealthcareInnovation #MedSchoolPodcast #SJSM

  5. Feb 10

    Med School Minutes-Ep. 59 | The Science Behind Viagra w/ Dr. Arthur Burnett

    In this episode of Med School Minutes, we sit down with Dr. Arthur Burnett, a Johns Hopkins urologist, researcher, and professor whose work helped unlock the science behind Viagra and reshape how medicine understands male sexual health. In recognition of Black History Month, we reflect on Dr. Burnett’s groundbreaking career, his impact on men’s health research, and the importance of representation and mentorship in medicine. From nitric oxide and vascular health to aging, prostate cancer, and longevity, this conversation explores how scientific discovery shapes both medicine and culture, and what future physicians should know. 🎙️ Topics covered: • The science behind erectile dysfunction • Nitric oxide and vascular health • Aging, longevity, and prostate cancer • Representation and mentorship in medicine • Why there’s no shortcut to becoming an MD 00:00 Introduction & Episode Overview   00:41 Meet Dr. Arthur Burnett (Johns Hopkins, Urology & Research)   05:50 The Science Behind Viagra and Nitric Oxide   12:42 How ED Research Changed Medicine and Culture   23:05 Aging, Longevity, and Men’s Vascular Health   28:10 Prostate Cancer, Screening, and What Men Should Know   38:43 Representation, Mentorship, and Diversity in Medicine   47:44 Advice for Future Physicians and Final Thoughts   #MedSchoolMinutes #MensHealth #MedicalPodcast #Urology #SaintJamesSchoolOfMedicine #SJSM

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Med School Minutes is where we discuss all things related to medical education. Provided by Saint James School of Medicine, this podcast tries to educate students on selecting and successfully completing a medical school. Our topics are fun and educational, and our hosts are knowledgeable and fun.