logo
episode-header-image
Oct 30
1h 3m

Med School Stereotypes Shattered: What W...

The Students of the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
About this episode

Turns out medical students are regular humans who happen to need to memorize the Krebs cycle

We’ve all got that mental image of medical students – the type-A perfectionists grinding through textbooks even on the porcelain throne, right? Well, our first-year medical students at Iowa are about to blow up every assumption you’ve ever had. Turns out the people memorizing a zillion anatomical structures aren’t exactly who you’d expect.

M1s Chase McInville, Lillian Schmidt, Jonah Albrecht, and Abbie Townsend reveal why your pre-med study plans are probably useless, how a hockey ref’s confidence translates to patient care, and why some medical students refuse to study on Saturdays. We explore the real traits that matter (spoiler: it’s not being a genius), bust the myth about cutthroat competition, and discover why medical school might actually be more collaborative than your average undergrad group project.

Plus, we settle the burning question every pre-med wants answered: can you actually prepare for medical school, or should you just go backpacking in Europe instead? These Short Coats share what non-medical experiences shaped them most, from building houses with Habitat for Humanity to working political campaigns to reffing hockey games to farming vegetables with zero agricultural background.

This isn’t your typical “day in the life” medical school content. We’re talking about the messy reality of learning to learn again, the unexpected diversity of personalities in short white coats, and why the smartest thing these students do might be admitting they don’t know everything.

The episode ends with the Short Coats working together to hash out the vibes of med student life. Hint: there should really only be five nerves.

Episode credits:

  • Producer: Jonah Albrecht
  • Co-hosts: Abbie Townsend, Chase McInville, Lillian Schmidt, Jonah Albrecht

The views and opinions expressed on this podcast belong solely to the individuals who share them. They do not represent the positions of the University of Iowa, the Carver College of Medicine, or the State of Iowa. All discussions are intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as professional, legal, financial, or medical advice. Nothing said on this podcast should be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical condition. Always seek qualified professional guidance for personal decisions.

We Want to Hear From You: YOUR VOICE MATTERS!

We welcome your feedback, listener questions, and shower thoughts. Do you agree or disagree with something we said today? Did you hear something really helpful? Can we answer a question for you? Are we delivering a podcast you want to keep listening to? Let us know at https://theshortcoat.com/tellus and we’ll put your message in a future episode. Or email theshortcoats@gmail.com.

We need to know more about you! https://surveys.blubrry.com/theshortcoat (email a screenshot of the confirmation screen to theshortcoats@gmail.com with your mailing address and Dave will mail you a thank you package!)

The Short Coat Podcast is FeedSpot’s Top Iowa Student Podcast, and its Top Iowa Medical Podcast!  Thanks for listening!

We do more things on…

You deserve to be happy and healthy. If you’re struggling with racism, harassment, hate, your mental health, or some other crisis, visit http://theshortcoat.com/help, and send additions to the resources there to theshortcoats@gmail.com. We love you.

 …

Up next
Nov 20
Harsh Truth: Most Pre-Meds Don’t Get Accepted
Co-hosts M2 Daniel Haws, M3 Fallon Jung, and M2 Cara Arrasmith talk about why they had to try an extra time or two--what they did wrong and how they fixed it--with CCOM admissions expert Rachel Shulista. Stop wasting thousands of dollars on medical school applications that go now ... Show More
1h 1m
Nov 13
The Rural Doc Crisis and the Med Students Who Plan to Be Where They’re Most Needed
We’re talking about rural medicine, where the needs are huge, the systems are broken, and sometimes, you just have to trust the process. Did you know that rural Americans have only 13.1 docs per 10,000 people compared to 31.2 in urban areas? Yeah, the need is real. But why are th ... Show More
52m 42s
Nov 6
Med Student Leaders: Juggling Roles at School and Home
Our co-hosts--M2s Zach Grissom, Megan Perry, Sarah Upton, and Chase Larsson--lead specialty interest groups, student government, advocacy organizations, and their learning communities; all of their roles compete for their time. Then someone asks if they want to start a new thing, ... Show More
1h 4m
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2024
🥑 Food (Part 3) + Transcript
Get our IELTS Speaking parts 1, 2, and 3 episode archive: http://patreon.com/ieltssfs Do people in your country grow plants at home? Are there any difficulties with doing that? Are there any difficulties with doing that? Do most people prefer vegetables from shops or grown at h ... Show More
24m 53s
Mar 2025
DIP Ep 579: Don’t Lose Sight (a lesson for medical students, residents, and attending physicians)
Medicine can very commonly cause people to acquire blindspots in key areas that are important to their wellbeing. Why did you get into medicine in the first place? In this short podcast, I examine some of these issues and discuss practical tips for correcting them. Audio Download 
22m 21s
Mar 2023
Lesson 36: Advanced English Speaking / Idioms - Phrasal Verbs
Liam and his best buddy were in high school when they started up a plan and thought ahead about becoming doctors in the future. There were like birds of a feather flocking together. They had the same way of thinking. They are always on the same wavelength when it comes to plannin ... Show More
4m 13s
Nov 2024
#164 TPN/PPN Parenteral Nutrition: 5 Pearls Segment
<p>How is TPN and PPN similar and how is it different? When should each be used? How does bacterial overgrowth lead to complications? Does TPN cause diarrhea?</p><p><a href="https://www.coreimpodcast.com/2024/11/14/tpn-ppn-parenteral-nutrition-5-pearls-segment/" rel="nofollow"><s ... Show More
29m 31s
Sep 2
#217: Why 1 Billion People Are Struggling (And The Simple Fixes That Actually Work)
In this heartfelt episode, Arnold tackles why more than one billion people worldwide struggle with obesity and mental health challenges. Spoiler alert: it's not what the experts are telling you.Arnold reveals why we overcomplicate simple solutions and search for "magic" when the ... Show More
12m 14s
Mar 2025
Behind the Knife Rural Surgery Series: Ep. 3 - Rural Surgery Practice 2
In the third episode of our rural surgery series, Dr. Cody Mullens meets with Dr. Randy Lehman, a rural general surgeon from Rensselaer, Indiana to discuss rural practice, lifestyle, resources, and tips & tricks for general surgery residents interested in pursuing rural practice. ... Show More
51m 40s
May 2018
9: Education 👩‍🎓 User Experience – Students
It’s not uncommon for us to ignore the impact of poor UX on our daily routine. A poorly designed app might make us miss a bus. A poorly designed door might make us look foolish. Often the effort required to right the wrong outweighs the cost. But in the case of education, a poorl ... Show More
43m 16s
Aug 2024
#157 Handoffs: Contingency Planning
<p>Signouts! How can we do them better? Hear these memorable stories &amp; ask yourself these FIVE questions when getting your handoff ready for the covering team.</p><p><strong>Sponsor</strong>: <a href="https://www.coreimpodcast.com/GlassHealth" rel="nofollow">Glass Health</a> ... Show More
31m 8s