The OSA Insider
by University of Maryland School of Medicine Office of Student Affairs
A podcast about medical student life and the journey to becoming a physician. Featuring survival tips, wellness strategies, inside scoop on major milestones, and interviews with inspirational faculty members, residents, and students. Join host Dr. Neda Frayha and find out what doctors wish they knew when they were in medical school. From the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Office of Student Affairs.
Episodes
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Episode 144: M2 Jules Einhorn and Five Questions with Dr. Nirav Shah
Second-year med student Jules Einhorn continues his mini-series called "Five Questions," in which he interviews different faculty members and asks five questions to get to know them better. In this episode, Jules sits down for his second "Five Questions" conversation with Dr. Nirav Shah, a...
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Episode 143: Emergency Medicine Residency Program Director Dr. Sarah Dubbs
Our series featuring interviews with residency program directors continues with Dr. Sarah Dubbs, the Emergency Medicine residency PD at the University of Maryland Medical Center. She shares what she looks for in applicants, do's and don'ts for interviews and second look days, and some recent...
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Episode 142: The First Gen Task Force at the UMSOM
On the podcast, we are highlighting some exciting new initiatives that the UMSOM has been launching. In this episode, we are shining a light on the First Generation Task Force, a group of students creating a support structure and social and educational events to help all first-gen medical…
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Episode 141: M2 Jules Einhorn and Five Questions with Dr. Devang Patel
Second-year med student Jules Einhorn approached The OSA Insider's team to propose a mini-series called "Five Questions," in which he interviews different faculty members and asks five questions to get to know them better. We were all for it. In this episode, we get to know Jules a little bit and...
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Episode 140: A Student's Perspective on the BS-MD Program at the University of Maryland
In our last episode, we introduced you to the new BS-MD program at the University of Maryland, in which a cohort of premed students at UMCP can continue to medical school at UMB as part of an integrated program with dedicated leadership and mentorship. In this episode, we're introducing you to…
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Episode 139: The University of Maryland BS-MD Program
A truly exciting new program at the University of Maryland is a combined BS-MD program, in which undergraduate students at the University of Maryland, College Park can embark on a path that leads to the University of Maryland School of Medicine, accompanied by dedicated mentorship from faculty on...
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Episode 138: Student Engagement and Student Life with Dr. Tonya Webb
Dr. Tonya Webb is a Professor of Microbiology and Immunology whose scientific work focuses on cancer immunotherapy. She is also the Assistant Dean for Student Engagement and Student Life in our Office of Student Affairs. What does this particular role mean? How does her office engage medical...
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Episode 137: Transferring Residency Programs
We all assume that once we match at a residency program, we're set. It's practically etched in stone that we'll spend the next 3-7 years of our life at that one hospital. But what if the residency program isn't the right fit? What does it mean to transfer residency programs? How hard is it to…
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Episode 136: MS4 Aidan Wiley on the Transition to Third Year
The Student Clinician Ceremony is a rite of passage for our medical students as they move from the classroom to clinical rotations. As a companion piece to the upcoming Student Clinician Ceremony, we are delighted to bring you the wisdom and perspectives of Aidan Wiley, MS4. He shares stories of...
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Episode 135: Pediatrics Program Director Dr. Vandana Racherla
We're continuing our Applying to Residency series with this lovely, informative, pearl-packed conversation with Dr. Vandana Racherla, pediatrician and Program Director of the Pediatrics residency program at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Her guidance is highly relevant to future...
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Episode 134: Records and Registration with Mr. Brian Wynder
Happy new year! For our first episode of 2026, we are featuring a topic that's not flashy, but it is so important - records and registration. What are the differences among MedScope, Vida Nova, SURFS, and UMB's MyHub? What should you do if you have a hold on your record? What if your future...
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Episode 133: Applying to Dermatology Residency with 2025 Grad Dr. Emily Ma
Our series on applying to residency programs marches on with a deep dive into the Dermatology application process with SOM 2025 graduate, Dr. Emily Ma. She shares practical, down-to-earth advice for applying to such a competitive specialty.
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Episode 132: Applying to Ophthalmology Residency with 2025 Grad Dr. Fernando Martinez Guasch
We are continuing our series on applying to residency programs, this time with a warm, wise conversation with Dr. Fernando Martinez Guasch. He graduated from the SOM in 2025 and is completing his internship year before pursuing an Ophthalmology residency. He shares so many insights about the…
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Episode 131: General Surgery Program Director Dr. Steve Kavic
Our series on applying to residency programs continues, this time with UMMC's General Surgery Program Director, Dr. Steve Kavic. He shares a wealth of information on what he looks for in candidates, how to approach personal statements and interview days, and how he supports his residents to…
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Episode 130: Internal Medicine Program Director Dr. Danny Baek
Our special series on applying to residency continues, this time with an interview with Internal Medicine Residency Program Director Dr. Danny Baek. She shares her approach to the residency application process and match, how signaling works in her field, what she looks for in applicants, and her...
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Episode 129: Applying to Residency! Interventional (and Diagnostic) Radiology with New SOM Grad Dr. Shirin Parsa
We continue our series on Applying to Residency with brand new SOM grad Shirin Parsa. She's a prelim surgery intern who will complete her residency in Integrated Interventional Radiology at the University of Maryland. She shares her residency application journey, including the mentorship she...
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Episode 128: Applying to Residency! Dr. Pharibe Pope on ENT
We are kicking off a brand new series on Applying to Residency with recent SOM graduates who recently went through the Match. We'll get to know their individual stories, special considerations for applying to their field, and how they approached items like their personal statement, letters of...
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Episode 127: Deciding on a Specialty in Third Year
Imagine that you start medical school knowing exactly which field you want to go into. You line up your mentors and your research projects in that field. Whenever you shadow a physician, it's in that specialty. Eventually, you start your 3rd year of med school, and you tell everyone what you want...
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Episode 126: Starting a Family in Medical School with M4 Olivia Torre
One of the most commonly asked questions about life and medicine is: "When is the right time to start a family?" It's such a good question, and there's no single, one-size-fits-all kind of answer. In this episode, we'll get to know a student who has been juggling parenthood and medical school…
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Episode 125: The Hidden Curriculum with Dr. Sarah Dubbs and Dr. Sandra Quezada
We all know about the medical school curriculum. But what about the hidden curriculum, or how students learn about the unspoken culture of medicine through everyday, informal interactions? In this episode, Dr. Sandra Quezada and Dr. Sarah Dubbs explore the hidden curriculum with some examples…
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Episode 124: Improvising Adulthood with Amanda Hirsch
The path to becoming a physician - and then working as one for the rest of your career - can feel like a highly regimented road, with little room for side journeys. A new book called Improvising Adulthood: What I Wish Someone Had Told Me makes a bold claim: that adult life is a lot like an improv...
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Episode 123: The Wellness Committee, with M4 Nicol Tugarinov and M3 Nycole Hidalgo
We are always looking for great suggestions of people and topics to cover on this podcast. So when a few people suggested an episode on our school's Wellness Committee, we were thrilled to sit down with M4 Nicol Tugarinov and M3 Nycole Hidalgo, both of whom sit on the Wellness Committee, to learn...
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Episode 122: Three MS4s on the Transition to Third Year
The Student Clinician Ceremony is a rite of passage for our medical students as they finish their preclinical years and enter clinical rotations. As a companion piece to the upcoming Student Clinician Ceremony, we are delighted to bring you the wisdom and perspectives of three wonderful MS4s:...
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Episode 121: MS3 Kerrigan Dougherty and the Skylight Boutique
Many medical students pursue passions and hobbies alongside their medical studies. Kerrigan Dougherty, MS3, was featured in The Baltimore Banner for their work with the Skylight Boutique in Baltimore. In today's episode, they share some of their life story, their nonstandard path to medicine…
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Episode 120: Motivational Interviewing with SOM Alum Dr. Michael Baca-Atlas
No matter which field of medicine we go into, counseling patients can be an enormous part of our daily practice. Motivational interviewing, a patient-centered technique, allows us to better address our patients' readiness for change and support them as best we can. Dr. Frayha got to interview SOM...
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Episode 119: Fourth Year Scheduling with Dr. Beth Lamos
It is that time of year again: 4th year scheduling season is here for our MS3s. Dr. Beth Lamos clarifies, demystifies, and reassures us about Advance Phase Scheduling - essentially everything that comes after Step 1, with a focus on the individual experiences that come after clerkships. She…
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Episode 118: Grief, Debriefing, and Decompartmentalization with Dr. Marissa Flaherty
During the course of our medical careers, we see a lot of hard things. We're in the room when patients die. We see the effects of enormous physical, emotional, and psychological trauma. We watch our peers and colleagues go through really hard times. We often compartmentalize this pain in the…
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Episode 117: Situational Awareness and Judgment with Dr. John Allen
Situational awareness and judgment are two of the most important ingredients to success in life and definitely medical school, especially the clinical years. Even if you don't know what you're doing on day 1 of a new rotation, or even where the bathrooms are, situational awareness will allow you…
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Episode 116: Medical Student and Physician Safety with Dr. Marissa Flaherty
Sometimes, patients may exhibit agitated or even violent behavior in the clinical setting. It is so important to understand background and context, try to preserve the therapeutic relationship, and also ensure our and our patient's physical safety in these challenging circumstances. Dr. Marissa...
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Episode 115: Catastrophic Thinking with Dr. Beth Lamos
Does your brain ever jump to worst-case scenarios, no matter the situation? Many of us in medicine can relate to this phenomenon. It's called catastrophic thinking, and in this episode, Dr. Beth Lamos helps us understand what it is, why we do it, why it may be adaptive, all the ways it can be...
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Episode 114: Step 1 P/F, Residency Applications, & More with Dr. John Allen
The UMSLE Step 1 exam going pass/fail in 2022 has been a huge change in medical education. In this episode, the OSA's Dr. John Allen talks through how the change has impacted our students at the UMSOM, the OSA's approach to residency and career advising, Step 2 CK prep, and the residency...
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Episode 113: Caring for the Formerly Incarcerated Patient, with Dr. Evan Ashkin
Nearly ten million Americans are currently incarcerated, on parole or probation. This population has specific health care needs, especially those who were formerly incarcerated. Today, we bring you a very special conversation featuring two UMSOM alums, Dr. Michael Baca-Atlas and Dr. Matt Zeitler,...
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Episode 112: Charm City Checkup with Dr. Caroline Knoop
Graduating Pediatrics resident Dr. Caroline Knoop had an innovative idea for her scholarly project in residency: create a podcast about social justice issues in Baltimore for Pediatrics residents, by a Pediatrics resident. And so, Charm City Checkup was born. Listen in as Dr. Knoop shares how she...
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Episode 111: Top 10 OME Myths with Dr. Joe Martinez
There are a lot of myths floating around when it comes to the Office of Medical Education (OME) and the Office of Student Affairs (OSA). Myths like, if a student visits these offices, it will show up in their residency application, or visiting the student counseling center will make its way back…
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Episode 110: The Peer Support Network with M3s Nicol Tugarinov and Alanna Stefano
What do you do if you need help with something in medical school, or you have a question about life in Baltimore, and you don't quite feel like asking a faculty member? That's what the Peer Support Network is for. Two almost-fourth-year students, Alanna Stefano and Nicol Tugarinov, share…
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Episode 109: UMSOM History, Larry Pitrof, and the Medical Alumni Association
Match Day is coming up soon, and each year, the Match Day celebration at our medical school is sponsored by the Medical Alumni Association. This organization - much like the School of Medicine - has been around since the 1800s. Its office is located in Davidge Hall, the oldest medical education...
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Episode 108: Step 1 Pass/Fail - Then and Now
Four years ago, we learned that the USMLE Step 1 exam would become graded on a Pass/Fail basis, rather than each student receiving a 3-digit score. We covered this change in episode 54 of The OSA Insider, featuring an interview with national expert Dr. J. Bryan Carmody. This change went live in...
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Episode 107: Just Culture with Dr. Nidhi Goel
Think about the last time you made a mistake. Now, imagine this happened at work, with a patient, and that your clinical setting is a punitive place where people are shamed for their mistakes. Would you want to tell anyone about this error? What if, instead, you worked somewhere that embraced…
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Episode 106: Get to Know UMB President Bruce Jarrell, M.D.
As we close out 2023, we get to become acquainted with Dr. Bruce Jarrell, transplant surgeon and President of the University of Maryland, Baltimore. He taught our host Dr. Neda Frayha when she was a medical student, so this reunion conversation felt very special. We learn about his decision to...
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Episode 105: A Gap Year Before Residency with MS4 Manaahil Rao
We are continuing our series on fourth-year students pursuing creative, slightly nontraditional paths to achieving their long-term career goals, this time with MS4 Manaahil Rao. She will be taking a gap year in between med school and residency. What will she be doing? How does she hope this...
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Episode 104: All About Preventive Medicine
Preventive Medicine is a fantastic field that can feel like a bit of a mystery. We don't always learn about it as a residency option, or know what a career in preventive medicine might look like. This episode will change all of that. In this conversation with preventive medicine physicians and...
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Episode 103: Gap Years with MS4 Kimia Abtahi
Have you ever wondered about taking a gap year during medical school? There are so many factors that go into this decision. What you would do, what you hope to accomplish, how you make it all happen, and what it's like to join a whole new medical school class when your gap year is done. Fourth…
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Episode 102: Global Health with MS2 Sarina Maini and Dr. Devang Patel
In this special, student-led episode, MS2 Sarina Maini and Dr. Frayha speak with Dr. Devang Patel about the importance of global health, what a career in global health might look like, helpful resources and opportunities at UMB and the SOM, and the importance of entering clinical experiences…
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Episode 101: From Adaptive to Maladaptive: When Good Habits Go Bad
As we start a new academic year, Dr. Frayha has been reflecting on the habits that help us survive, and even thrive, in medical school and beyond. How many of these habits are adaptive at first, and then become maladaptive? Why don't we take stock of these habits more often, and assess whether a...
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Episode 100: Two MS4s Reflect on Leadership Lessons
Graduating medical students Grace Begnell and Nick Fioravante have learned a lot from their leadership experiences. And in this episode, being released just days before our SOM 4th years graduate, Nick and Grace share how they found their way to leadership roles, the best and hardest parts of…
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Episode 99: Tess Gillis Can Help
Ms. Tess Gillis, Senior Academic Development Specialist at the SOM, is here to help you. She works with students across all four years of medical school on personal academic goals, learning differences, specific struggles, and even when things are going well. She is a wealth of information, a...
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Episode 98: Perfectionism
Are you a perfectionist? Chances are, the answer is yes, at least some of the time. How can perfectionism help us, and also how can it hold us back? When do we know the difference? How can we train our brains for the better? Dr. Beth Lamos and Dr. Marissa Flaherty are back with our Personal…
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Episode 97: Get to Know Dean Mark Gladwin
There's a new Dean in town! In this special episode, we sit down with SOM Dean Mark Gladwin to learn about his first year as Dean, the unique opportunities facing both the SOM and the medical profession at large, and how he hopes to prepare our medical students for the future.
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Episode 96: Communication Skills
We are continuing our Personal Growth Series with Dr. Marissa Flaherty and Dr. Beth Lamos, this time with a conversation on communication skills in med school and beyond. How can we work on our communication styles to be as effective as possible, in both preclinical and clinical years? How can we...
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Episode 95: A Current MS4's Brave Career Path
After our episode featuring SOM alum Dr. Alice Chen's career at the FDA and NIH, MS4 Chloe Snow reached out to us to share that she, too, would be choosing a nonclinical path after medical school. In Chloe's case, she'll be pursuing a career in management consulting. She shares how she came to…
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About this show
A podcast about medical student life and the journey to becoming a physician. Featuring survival tips, wellness strategies, inside scoop on major milestones, and interviews with inspirational faculty members, residents, and students. Join host Dr. Neda Frayha and find out what doctors wish they knew when they were in medical school. From the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Office of Student Affairs.
Hosted by
University of Maryland School of Medicine Office of Student Affairs