Table of Contents

1. Life Update

2. Tools and Tips

3. Readers’ Favorite

4. Stuff

Life Update

This week, our apartment move shifted into high gear.

The official move is in 13 days, but I plan to transport many items myself beforehand.

Why on my own?

Because when I move things myself, I can skip the boxing process.

I'll transport it in my car — clothes in suitcases, kitchenware in padded bags, and small furniture in my back seat.

I also want to buy and assemble furniture in the evenings and on weekends. This way, I won’t have to mess around with phone calls and scheduling deliveries.

Some of you might think this is a waste of my time. That a professional moving company could handle it all for me.

You may be right.

However, delivery services have failed me many times before. And I need fit everything into a tight schedule.

I’ll keep you posted.

Speaking of relocations, today I want to focus on something I get asked about all the time — how to get accepted into fellowship and residency programs.

So today, I'll share my 2 best pieces of advice.

By the way, these tips have also helped people far beyond medical training programs.

They apply to any position or role you're pursuing.

Number 120!

Enjoy!

Tools and Tips

Most of us are comfortable where we are. We get paid for our work, and we stay close to our home base.

It's how (most of) the world works.

Think about it:

When was the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone to work harder for less money?

Yet, this is how you gain an edge over others.

Looking back over my 20 years of training, two things always made the difference: spending time in person and working for free.

Let's dive deeper:

🔵 Spend Time In Person

This is hands-down the best thing you can do to get what you want.

Spend time at the place where you want to be.

When I was a third-year resident, I wanted to get accepted into a head and neck cancer fellowship program.

I wanted both the research and the hands-on clinical work.

From that moment on, I focused on creating in-person opportunities.

Let’s be realistic— attending conferences won't give you this face time.

The coffee breaks are too short, and your conversations will always get interrupted.

You can't establish long-lasting relationships in these conferences.

Instead, you need to make the effort and visit the other person at their home base.

You need to book that flight, reserve that hotel, and spend quality time with the person who can help you achieve your goals.

Before landing my first fellowship, I flew out 3 times for in-person meetings at the same place. 3 times!

So, in-person time must be your top priority.

TOP priority.

🔵 Work for Free

This might be controversial.

But here's the truth: working without pay can accelerate your path to success.

When I signed my first fellowship contract, I did so without a guarantee of getting paid.

For my second (paid) fellowship, we were fully aware of Boston's high cost of living.

Financially, these opportunities meant less money in the bank.

We spent more than we earned. Much more.

But the experience was priceless— for our professional development, our family's growth, and our children's experiences.

The concept of "working for free" extends beyond formal positions. You're probably already doing it in some way.

Every time you stay late to work on research, you're "working for free."

Every time you arrive early, you're "working for free."

So make that "free work" count— do it in the right places.

You won't regret it.

Readers’ Favorite

“Slow Productivity” is a nice concept. Do less and achieve more.

Does it actually work?

Read what I think here.

Stuff

💡Gear I use -  Ronin X6 Headlight

I've been using this headlight for 2 years, and this is my long-term (non-sponsored) review.

🔋I love the battery life and the ability to turn it on and off without breaking sterility. At 40% brightness, which works best for me, a single battery lasts through 12 hours of surgery.

😷 Even when the scrub nurse needs to change the battery, it's a straightforward process that maintains sterility.

I LOVE the built-in battery indicator and the fast charger (2-3 hours for a full charge).

🏋️‍♀️ What about the weight and the location of the battery?

The battery sits at your waist with a cable running to your head. This design makes the Ronin much lighter on your head and allows you to access the controls (on/off, intensity) through your sterile gown— something impossible with other head-mounted controls.

💰Price?

$3,250 for fellows and residents.

You can also spread it over 36 months.

Epilogue

That’s it for this issue.

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See you next week!

Shay