Opinions

Daniel Pham Daniel Pham (1 Posts)

Writer-in-Training

University of Oklahoma College of Medicine


Daniel Pham is a medical student at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. He has interests in mental health, social medicine, health policy/ethics, and the medical humanities. He tweets at @danielxpham.




The Significance of Artistic Observation in Medical Education

Studies have shown that physicians with exposure and background in the humanities are more empathetic, ethical, expressive and even healthier. Recently, medical school curricula across the country have begun to emphasize communication, teamwork, problem solving and humanistic care, as the dichotomous view of the sciences as a separate entity from art and literature is becoming obsolete. 

With USMLE Step 1 Changes, Earlier Planning is Key from a New Medical School

As a fourth-year medical student from a new medical school who just finished interviewing for ophthalmology residency, I can credit much of my interview season experience to intentional career planning and preparation early on. The ultimate impact of the upcoming changes to the USMLE Step 1 to pass/fail is yet to be fully determined. However, in my perspective, this monumental shift in medical education will place a greater emphasis on the need for thoughtful career planning earlier in medical school. 

Self-Reflection: Defining Resilience in the Elderly

With a growing interest in geriatrics, I began to wonder what resilience looks like for elderly patients, who unlike children, present their life trajectories to physicians much later. This is perhaps challenging and even uncomfortable to discuss for those who perceive resilience as a long-term goal — overcoming significant barriers in order to improve over time. Resilience may not seem as relevant for elderly patients who may be nearing the end of their lives. 

COVID-19 Quarantine: An Emerging Risk Factor for Heart Disease

As COVID-19 continues to rage around the world, extended quarantine measures have been responsible for saving innumerable lives. Now, as we slowly catch glimpses of light at the end of the tunnel, or face the possibility of rising cases returning us to the heights of the pandemic, it is important to examine the long-term side effects of our self-prescribed quarantine treatment.

Health, Identity and History: Vaccine Hesitancy Among Minority Groups in the COVID-19 Pandemic

With the development and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine and the arrival of the summer season, people are feeling happier and beginning to come out of their homes. It’s clear that there is a growing sense of hope that the pandemic may be approaching its conclusion. However, standing in the way of our pursuit of normalcy is the refusal among some to partake in the vaccine, despite its proven efficacy and safety by experts.

Lilli Schussler Lilli Schussler (1 Posts)

Contributing Writer

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai


Lilli Schussler is a third-year medical student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, NY, Class of 2023, and Master's student in the Program of Narrative Medicine at Columbia University. In 2017, she graduated from Columbia University with a Bachelor of Arts in German. She enjoys biking and long walks in her free time. Lilli is interested in pursuing a career in Internal Medicine.