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PODCAST · education

Dear D.O.

by Dear DO:

Hello! My name is Michaele Garrison, host of Dear DO podcast. I'm a current neurology resident. My journey to medical school was chaotic to say the least, as it lacked structure as well as mentorship. When I looked online at other people’s experiences, I felt inadequate and lost. In a world of instagram-worthy medical content, it’s easy to feel subpar. Through my podcast, I hope those pursuing medicine will feel more seen and have the mentorship I wish I had.

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Episodes

  1. 34 - Wellness, loans, and PSLF with Dr. Mike Siegel, MD

    This week we check in, then answer your questions about wellness in medical school and residency. We discuss student loans, and how the current decisions in Washington may shape our loan repayment. Music by kalon. Production by Michaele Garrison.

  2. 33 - Different Strokes for Different Folks

    I'm back!!! Back at it with fresh perspective. This week we discuss what's new, discuss a little about MATCH and the NRMP Match Day traditions, plus answering your questions about neurology audition rotations and MCAT. Music by Kalon.

  3. 32 - As a Parent and Hopeful Physician, is Medical School Worth it?

    This episode, Dr. Herrell and I dive into a question from a listener who asked us about having a family during medical school. Can you have a family while pursuing medicine? Is it worth it? Does instagram romanticize being a parent and physician? What about PA school or NP school? And what is...

  4. 31 - Stop Glamorizing Burnout!

    Burnout!!! In this week's episode, Dr. Herrell, MD and I discuss the intricacies of burnout, abuse, and the glamorization of it all. Primarily centering our focus on the "You signed up for this" narrative mixed with attention seeking on the internet, and how it makes us all just feel lousy. The...

  5. 30 - Finding a Good Fit In Your ERAS Era!

    Hello lovely humans! Very excited about this week's episode, I tackle your questions from social media regarding ERAS applications for residency. This episode brought back so many memories for me, but the biggest take away is about FIT! If you have a scenario you'd like my two cents on, or just...

  6. 29 - And That's Residency Season, Baby!

    This week I want to give the highlights of the residency interview trail, from open houses to letters of intent and everything inbetween! Not sure what to expect during a meet and greet? What questions to ask? I got you. This short and sweet episode is your TLDR summary, essential for all 4th…

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  7. 28 - How to Befriend Your Imposter Syndrome with Dr. Howard Herrell, MD

    This week we answered a question submitted by a listener, how exciting! If you didn't know this before, answering all of your questions in this kind of format is *quite literally* why I started this podcast. This week, I was accompanied by Dr. Herrell, MD to answer a letter about imposter…

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  8. 27 - Residency is a Marathon, Not a Sprint with Dr. Ashley Hamati, DO

    In this second half of the conversation with Dr. Ashley Hamati, we go more in depth about her schedule as a PGY-1 OBGYN resident. She gives us the breakdown of her day in the life, what rotations she loved the most, her most proud moments in OBGYN and more! If OB isn't your thing, don't worry…

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  9. 26 - Tour de Suit Case with Dr. Ashley Hamati, DO

    In this week's episode I had the absolute privelege of speaking with Dr. Ashley Hamati, PGY-2 OBGYN resident at Doctor's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. She is one heck of a human being! We chatted about what happens when you need time away from medical school, aka medical leave. We give suggestions...

  10. 25 - The GOAT of Time Management Himself, Dr. Max Jump, DO

    Dr. Max Jump is a PGY-1 Internal Medicine resident, aspiring to become an outpatient physician with focus in preventative care. He walks me through how to stay organized and minimize anxiety while having time-consuming and unpredictable extracurricular activities. He was student body president…

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  11. 24 - Women in Medicine with Dr. Brittany Ladson, DO

    In this week's episode, Dr. Ladson and I talk about her phrase coined in her TEDx Talk at MSU, "If you can see her, you can be her". We also talk about what "STEMinism" means and why it matters. Even as medical school populations are now majority female, there is still work to be done. Listen to...

  12. 23 - Transitioning to Medical School! Preparing, Anki, & Time Management

    Are you about to start medical school? Or maybe trying to decide if you should do a gap year? This week, I answer your questions from social media about transitioning to medical school from undergrad! Questions include "how to balance time?", "is anki really necessary?", or just "how do you...

  13. 22 - A Good Fit: The Greatest Medical School Underdog Story with Dr. Delaney Bieber, DO, Incoming PGY-1 OBGYN Resident

    This week, I sat down with Dr. Delaney Bieber, DO and we talked about mentorship in undergrad vs in medical school as students without family ties to medicine. We muse over how AWFUL premed advisors can be, even if they have good intentions. We discuss how stressful it can be during third year…

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  14. 21 - Physician Home Loan FAQ with Dr. Meredith Herman, DO

    This week we tackle your questions about the home loan process as a physician! Some questions we answered include "when do you qualify for a physician home loan?", "what kinds of properties qualify?", and "how much do you need in the bank to buy?". We also discuss some myths of home buying, which…

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  15. 20 - Buying a Home with Dr. Meredith Herman, DO, Pathology Resident

    Have you heard of the physician's loan? Do you know how it compares to a conventional loan? Do you know the difference between a FRM and an ARM? What can you do now, as a medical student, to set yourself up to buy a home after Match Day? We answer all this and more in this episode! Dr. Meredith...

  16. 19 - Dr. Gunnar Orcutt, DO and General Surgery Resident Drops His Knowledge on Studying in Medical School, Residency Apps, Auditions, Couples Match, Anki, and More!

    In this week's episode, Dr. Gunnar Orcutt and I talk about medical school, residency applications, auditions and couples match. We muse about Anki, how it helped both of us, and why some students may not has as much success with it. Gunnar was a major inspiration for me throughout medical school,...

  17. 18 - The Return of Dr. Herrell: Tips for Entering Intern Year and Clinical Clerkships

    This week Dr. Herrell brings his top tips for tackling clinical rotations and intern year. We go through the "What, Why, and What If" scenarios you should be asking yourself during your day-to-day, how to look up information yourself, as well as why being skeptical of everything and everyone in...

  18. 17 - A Program Director Perspective on Audition Rotations, Residency Success, Interview Season, the Magic of Neurology and More with Dr. Blake Buletko, MD

    This week I have the absolute privilege of speaking with Dr. Blake Buletko, MD in this portion of the podcast titled "The Human Behind the White Coat". We talk about things from the residency application and interview season success, to how mindfulness in residency can shift your perspective to...

  19. 16 - Psychiatry with Michael Harber, Getting Pets in Medical School, Audition Rotation Tips, and More

    On this week's episode of Dear DO: The Human Behind the White Coat, I chat with (soon to be) Dr. Michael Harber, DO and incoming PGY-1 psychiatry resident. We talk about psychiatry, neuropsychiatry, functional neurologic disorder, as well as how to make your ERAS psychiatry application stand out,...

  20. 15 - Neurology, Applications, Advanced vs Categorical, Letters of Recommendation, and More!

    Don't be fooled, this episode isn't just for my neurology peeps. This episode goes over a little about the entire ERAS application, the supplemental app, as well as objective information about the specialty of neurology, fellowship options, and why I love it oh, so much. Original music by Kalon....

  21. 14 - Residency Applications, the World Tour of Audition Rotations, and the Weber-Rinne Test with Incoming PGY-1 ENT Residency, Nicholas Breier

    On this week's episode of Dear DO podcast, I sat down to chat with Nicholas Breier, incoming PGY-1 ENT resident, about his application process, his "World Tour” of audition rotations, how to shine on aways, and we even cover if ENTs actually use the Weber Rinne test. All of this and more on this...

  22. 13 - What to Look for in a Residency, Questions to Ask, and Open House Information

    This week I cover how I stayed organized in my residency search, what I looked for in a program, questions to ask, etc. I also cover what Residency Open Houses are, as well as why I wish I attended more of them. As always please feel free to ask me your questions, I'll make sure to answer them on...

  23. 12 - Ophthalmology & the San Francisco Match with Kiersten Dawson, Incoming PGY-1

    Today we talk about Kiersten's journey as a DO candidate applying for ophthalmology through the San Francisco Match. She walks us through how she stood out on her residency applications, how she found her passion for retinas, and her journey through SIX audition rotations. Whether you're applying...

  24. 11 - How to Prepare, Schedule, and Impress on an Audition Rotation

    This week I go over how I prepared for audition rotations, how much they cost, what questions to ask while rotating, preference on timing interviews, and so much more. If you have audition rotations coming up, definitely give this episode a listen! Original music by Kalon, recording and…

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  25. 10 - Match Day, SOAP, the Scramble, and More!

    This week I chat about the Match Day, the biggest day of our lives as medical students! I also dive into what happens when someone unfortunately does not match, how the SOAP process works, the scramble, the shortage of residency positions in America and so much more. Can not wait to hear your...

  26. 9 - Preparing for Medical School, Premed Advice, and More with Misha Dilmaghani

    This week I sit down and chat with incoming MS-1, Misha Dilmaghani. Misha has a B.S. in Neuroscience from FAU and will be attending Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Joplin, MO in the Fall. We talk about medical school interviews, gap years, preparing for medical school,...

  27. 8 - Stay Squeaky! Interview with Dr. Colin Hanock, DO PGY-1 Surgery Resident.

    In this week's episode we sit down and chat with Dr. Colin Hanock, DO PGY-1 surgery resident at Wright State University/Wright Patterson Air Force Base. We talk about the military match, couples match, surgery residency, going to medical school at an osteopathic program, and SO much more. You can...

  28. 7 - Ending the DO vs MD Stigma

    In this week's episode we dive into what it means to be a DO, how we stack up to our MD counterparts in the Match process, why DO's love primary care, and so much more. Whether you are a premed, a medical student, or a current resident physician this episode will (hopefully) teach you something....

  29. 6 - Personal Statements 101 for Residency Applications

    This week we are getting all the information on personal statements for residency applications! We dive into what they are, why they matter, the do's and don'ts, examples, as well as my favorite personal statement formula for success. Feel free to submit all your questions in my DMs on...

  30. 5 - DO vs MD with Dr. Howard Herrell, MD

    In today's episode, we muse about TikTok comments regarding DO vs MD and settle how DO schools stack up to MD schools. We also answer: Are traditional grades better than pass/fail systems? Are all undergraduate GPAs created equally? What should someone look for in a medical school? Is medical...

  31. Dear DO: Trailer 2023

    Dear DO is a podcast for honest advice on your journey to becoming a physician. We'll be with you each step of the way! Original music by Kalon, recording and production by Michaele Garrison.

  32. 4 - How to Study for Step 2/Level 2

    In this week's episode, I dive into how to effectively study for Step 2/Level 2, including how I increased my Level 2 score by over 130 points! We'll be talking about Step 2/Level 2 study schedules, the best approach to practice question sets, practice exams, what resources to use, ALL of the...

  33. 3 - For Third Year Medical Students, An Approach to All Things Fourth Year

    This week I'm giving you a glimpse into planning your final year of medical school! I go over how to research residency programs, what auditions are, how to schedule them, the MSPE, letters of interest, and so much more. This episode is perfect for current third year medical students. Stay tuned...

  34. 2 - A Pre-Med Guide to Medical School Applications

    In this episode, I take you through deep dive into the medical school application requirements! I go through everything you need to know as a pre-med and what I would have done differently. From prerequisites to the personal statement, you don't want to miss this informational and honest chat all...

  35. 1 - An Overview of Medical School Applications with Dr. Howard Herrell

    Debut episode of the podcast Dear DO, the podcast about all things medical school which aims to serve as a beacon of hope and resources for hopeful pre-meds and medical students alike. This episode gives a sneak peek into future topics of discussion, along with helpful insight into some important...

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Hello! My name is Michaele Garrison, host of Dear DO podcast. I'm a current neurology resident. My journey to medical school was chaotic to say the least, as it lacked structure as well as mentorship. When I looked online at other people’s experiences, I felt inadequate and lost. In a world of instagram-worthy medical content, it’s easy to feel subpar. Through my podcast, I hope those pursuing medicine will feel more seen and have the mentorship I wish I had.

HOSTED BY

Dear DO:

CATEGORIES

education

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Dear D.O. have?

Dear D.O. currently has 35 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Dear D.O. about?

Hello! My name is Michaele Garrison, host of Dear DO podcast. I'm a current neurology resident. My journey to medical school was chaotic to say the least, as it lacked structure as well as mentorship. When I looked online at other people’s experiences, I felt inadequate and lost. In a world of...

How often does Dear D.O. release new episodes?

Dear D.O. has 35 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Dear D.O.?

You can listen to Dear D.O. on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Dear D.O.?

Dear D.O. is created and hosted by Dear DO:.
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