Dr. Neel Desai advocates for students to continue to learn how to absorb materials better, faster, and for longer.
In Part 2 with Dr. Neel Desai, he advocates for students to continue to learn how to learn. The material, the science, and the medicine will continue to evolve and change. It is more important that you learn how to absorb materials better, faster, and for longer periods of time than to know everything there is to know right at this moment. He also wants students to focus on being Happier, Healthier, Wealthier, and Wiser. This is a theme that you will also hear via his contributions to the Happy Doc Podcast. Medical students should focus on developing other aspects of their lives as well during their clinical rotations.
For students, it is important to get on the same page as your preceptor. Neel likes to know what type of educational medium the student most frequently uses so that he can “speak their language” and better tailor the content to the student. He also advises students to reach out to potential mentors, creatives, and thinkers. By developing these networks early on – and possibly creating your own content to begin fostering your online reputation – students can form mutually beneficial cooperatives within the given fields of interest.
For those interested in a strong Letter of Recommendation for Residency, see this opportunity from the eyes of the preceptor. A patient praising you to the physician when you leave has a lasting positive impression on the preceptor. The reverse is also true. Finding resources that are useful to you, and personally curating your own curriculum is quickly becoming one of the best practices in medical education as well.
You can reach Neel via email or @TheHappyDoc on social media.
