Student Parent Survival Guide

Chronic exhaustion. ⠀

⠀

Anybody else having one of those days? 🙋🏾‍♀️⠀

⠀

Whether you work inside or outside of the home, being tired as a parent is a way of life. But, that is no excuse for not getting the job done, so we learn how to power through. 🏃🏾‍♀️⠀

View this post on Instagram

Breastfeeding & Radiology reading at the same time. Get er done. #medschool #motherhood #multitasking #MrsMommyMD

A post shared by Jasmine Johnson, MD|MFM Fellow (@mrsmommymd) on Sep 9, 2013 at 7:26am PDT

⠀

Here are some of my quick tips for getting your work done with kids especially while in professional school:⠀

⠀

📝 get up early or stay up late: this one takes some time to train your body, but it’s worth it. The early morning is when I do my best work. It is quiet, I feel fresh, and there are no little humans running around.⠀

⠀

📝 Don’t wait for the perfect conditions to study: it may not always be the way you want it, but you can study anywhere, listening to podcasts in the car, perusing through your notes or QBank questions while you’re nursing, listening to lectures while making dinner, or while your kid plays the kiddie pool ;-) Time is a potential space and you can fill it creatively throughout the day with small bursts of studying for review - even with kids around. ⠀

⠀

View this post on Instagram

Pool Partaaaay! @nathanj9

A post shared by Jasmine Johnson, MD|MFM Fellow (@mrsmommymd) on May 15, 2013 at 1:37pm PDT

📝 use your village: when I knew that I had a week of exams at the end of the block, we would have little Nate stay with my mom or big Nate‘s mom during that time so that I could get some uninterrupted marathon studying in. And Little Nate would get grandparents’ time, so it was a win for everyone. ⠀

⠀

📝 use your space: when I was in medical school, we bought big sheets of clear plexiglass from the hardware store to put on our guestroom wall. It was my own dry erase board for writing out things that I wanted to memorize. This helped me to create a library-like space within my home so I didn’t feel so disconnected from the family.⠀

View this post on Instagram

The House of a Med Student: Where Grown Ups Write on Walls...

A post shared by Jasmine Johnson, MD|MFM Fellow (@mrsmommymd) on May 1, 2012 at 2:44pm PDT

⠀

Those are my faves. You can find more tips on the med student page of my blog. 

You got this!⠀

📟 Paging all parents, share your productivity tips below!⠀

Paying for Medical School **WITHOUT LOANS**

After my Insta post earlier this week, I got quite a few questions about how I managed to get a full tuition scholarship to medical school. I have been meaning to give a run down on how to pay for medical school for a long time, so this is the perfect reminder...

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jasmine Johnson, MD (@mrsmommymd) on Dec 3, 2018 at 4:58am PST

Before I get started, I think that it is very important for those of you who are not yet familiar with the medical school process, who are interested in going to medical school, to know that YOU CANNOT WORK A JOB IN MEDICAL SCHOOL. 

I realize this is a really extreme statement, and I am a woman who prides herself in doing what others say she cannot do, but medical school requires a significant amount of time outside of class studying, and any non-related medical school job could potentially sabotage your performance. Your full time for job four years is to graduate (and maybe parent, but mostly graduate HA!). All that to say, planning to “pay as you go” is not a good plan...

Secondly, medical school is SO EXPENSIVE. Many times, students walk away with upwards of $100,000+ worth of loans. After graduation, we stare at that terrifying amount, and residency for most of us, causes us to kind of push it into the back of our minds to “deal with it later” when we think we have the mental bandwidth - usually not until we are done with training. 

Having been that resident that dealt with it later *read student loan deferment and compound interest 😩😭😰🥴😳* don’t be me. Deal with it now. Think about it now. You will thank yourself later.

Choose a school wisely (i.e. choosing in-state tuition or public institutions over private institutions).

As Indiana resident, I had significantly lower tuition than my out-of-state classmates. So, although many of apply broadly to medical schools, if you have the opportunity to receive in-state tuition, this is likely the smarter choice.

Also look for schools with amazing programs like NYU. NYU announced this past year that they were offering full tuition scholarships to all of their students...AMAZING!

Save as much money as you can BEFORE starting medical school.

I was not one of the smart ones to do this, but I frequently hear about people on the Dave Ramsey Podcast who are about to enter graduate school, and through sheer determination, were able to save a significant amount of their tuition beforehand. If you are non-traditional student with a previous career, take advantage of this!

Find Scholarships.

Scholarships to medical school are rare but they do exist! 

Scholarship sources include private companies (like insurance payers, pharmaceutical companies, organizations that tailor to special demographics), military, and the medical schools themselves. 

I was fortunate enough to be awarded two scholarships. One was from a fund established by a former  IUSM alumni whose mission was to train physicians for the underserved populations of Indiana. The second was from the general scholarship fund at IUSM. I was notified of this amazing blessing when I was offered admission to medical school. 

Finally, although this lifted a huge burden off of me as I entered medical school, I still needed to take out student loans to help cover our living expenses, so also keep that in mind. Applying for scholarships can be tedious but little by little it can make a big difference. 

Ask the schools that you are interested in about their scholarship opportunities, and here are some sites to help start your search: 

AAMC

HRSA

FastWeb

White Coat Investor
Physician on Fire

For those of you who have made the journey, how did you pay for medical school? Did you get any scholarships? If so, please share which scholarship and how someone can apply.

**Landau Back to School Scrubs Review**

This is a sponsored post, but all opinions are my own.

As my first year of fellowship gets underway, I am even more in awe of how variable my days can be.

After dropping off the kids, my morning can range from anything from ultrasound clinic, seeing my own pregnant or postpartum patients in continuity clinic, or performing procedures in the OR suite.

At lunchtime, I am able to recharge, and then the afternoon hustle commences – just as unpredictable as the morning with dedicated learning time, research and department meetings, or more clinic. If I am not headed home for the night, at 5:30pm I head to Labor and Delivery for call. I love it all!

No two days are the same, and my schedule may change from month to month. I get bored easily when things become routine, so this is one of the many things that drew me to OBGYN. It definitely makes me love MFM – a subspecialty dedicated to the “un-routine” as they like to say.

The hospital is pretty strict on what we wear in the OR, but I get creative license with everything else :read socks, earrings, and scrub caps:

I have really enjoyed being more fashionable in clinic attire, but honestly, sometimes it is not the most practical when you could be pulled into a procedure in any moment. And y'all, even on some of our most tame days, obstetrics is messy - there is blood, and amniotic fluid, and lots you don't want to know... 

So a great pair of scrubs that makes you look the part, but is still functional, comfortable, and stylish is something you quickly learn to hold on to. The New Urbane Scrubs Contemporary Fit is just that. I had the pleasure of trying out their scrubs in “steel gray”, which is the color our division uses so I can match the rest of the MFM team…

Here are some of the things that make these scrubs special:

●     Their exclusive fabric construction is the perfect balance of breathable and flexible to keep you feeling cool and less restricted – perfect for me running from clinic to Labor & Delivery. Seriously, these may be one of the most comfortable pair of scrubs I own…They are like yoga pants!

●     The fabric has been tested for durability, shade consistency, and color fastness to keep you them looking brand new after each wash.

●     Pockets for days to keep all my essentials on hand.

●     The scrubs come in a variety of sizes ranging from XS to 5XL

●     Despite their functionality, they are also stylish – look at that neckline!

You can find Landau Urbane scrub retailers here:http://www.urbanescrubs.com/.

***I received a pair of scrubs and compensation for this post. All opinions are my own. #LoveUrbane #AcornInfluencer #Ad ***

***PURE Maevn Scrubs: Review & Contest***

This summer, I got to try another set of Maevn scrubs - I did a review back in January for their EON collection.

Maevn has a new brand within their line called PURE, and I think this may be my favorite pair of scrubs thus far! This time I opted for Pewter, mainly because now that I’m a Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellow (!!! still cannot believe this) these scrubs will match the department scrubs that they give us.

What sets these scrubs apart from hospital scrubs, are the stretchy and breathable fabric that is not only practical but also soft, all the essential pockets, and the awesome color selection.

Pictured are the following styles:

Modern V-neck Top; size S
Ladies Relaxed-fit Elastic Drawstring Cargo Pant; size M

I’m so excited to add these new scrubs to my wardrobe as I keep myself comfortable (and well put together!) while coming in and out of the hospital.

You can find Maevn scrubs in over 500 stores and online retailers.

Also, Spiderwoman-Policewoman Isabelle was determined to get in on this photoshoot. If this doesn't say "Mrs. Mommy M.D." I don't know what does...HA! 

***For this post, I was given a pair of Maevn scrubs for review. All opinions are my own.***

The generous team at Maevn scrubs has arranged for one of my readers to get a free pair of EON scrubs. The details of the contest can be found on my Instagram post **here**

***Back-to-School for Trainees: Medelita Lab Coat Review***

Did you know that July is back-to-school time for doctors? 

For some of us, this means that it is our first time putting on that White Coat and being called "doctor". It's ALL brand new and every day is something we haven’t seen (or done) before o_O 

For some of us, like myself, this isn't our first go-round. But July means gaining new responsibilities that add a new perspective to what has been familiar. 

One thing is for sure, no matter where we are in our journey, everybody loves getting new things to prepare them for back to school. Am I right?!

And today is HUGE, because it is my first day of Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellowship(!!!), and I am no different. I am super excited about my new planner, I have a bag full of things to decorate my new desk in my new office! :faints: And thanks to Medelita, I even get to rock a new white coat!

The sweet team at Medelita gifted me the Vandi Athletic Fit Lab Coat. This coat puts a modern spin on the coats we all know and love. 

To make my new coat extra special, I was able to get my name embroidered AND rep my new division - Maternal-Fetal Medicine(!!!). They even have a color called “Carolina Blue” which, obviously, is what I chose... :swoon:

Here is what I love most about my new coat...

• The Vandi style adds a little bit of variety amongst the white coats in the hospital. It definitely has subtle differences, but they’re noticeable.

• The sleek and modern fit, tapers at the waist for a more tailored look compared to the frumpy, unisex coats that we got in residency

• The embroidery is beautiful!

• The M3 material is a polyester-cotton blend that feels smooth as silk. 
• Even though it feels purely cosmetic, the material is perfect for the hospital because it prevents stains by repelling fluids and any soils

• So many pockets! There are external pockets for days with cool features like a pocket-within-a-pocket for your phone, and internal pockets to increase my carrying capacity for everything I could possibly need during rounds... and snacks 

Thanks to Medelita, I am feeling extra fly this "new school year"!

***For this post, I was given a Medelita lab coat for review. All opinions are my own.***

8 Things to Remember While Parenting in Residency

Four years ago when I finished medical school, I wrote an article for Student Doctor Network called Six Things to Remember While Parenting in Medical School.

A lot of what I wrote back then still holds true for residency, but I thought I would give an updated run-down on some important things to remember while parenting in residency...

1. It really is about quality of time over quantity. I used to think that people were saying this to me so that I wouldn’t feel badly about not being around all the time, but it really is true. Your kids want to be with you no matter whether it is during a 15 minute visit on Labor and Delivery, or a whole golden weekend. They love you and anything you do together can be memorable. The biggest thing is to make the most of the time that you do have with them.

Visitors on Nights during Intern Year

Visitors during Nights during Chief Year

2. Don’t forget to do something for yourself. Between working, and trying to be everything to everyone at home, it is easy to forget about yourself. You need those hobbies you had before this thing started - whether it is long bubble baths, writing, working out, or your favorite TV show. You have to TREAT YO SELF too. 

That Disney trip we took? Definitely mostly for me ;-) 

3. Residency is not going to be easy with children, no matter what specialty you choose, but it can be done. Social media sometimes can hurt us, because we are looking at everyone’s highlight reel and end products without seeing all of the outtakes or mess in between points A and B. Let me tell youThere is so much mess. And it is still going to be OK. 

4. Take the pictures (even if the school year is halfway over). Take the seemingly inconvenient overnight trip (even after being on the third hellish rotation in a row). Go to the movie. The time is going to pass you by and these moments are going to be things that you cherish with your fam when the going gets tough.

5. Make even the simple things a family affair. Isabelle always points out that she is willing to “rest” or “watch the news” with me. Train 'em up! 

6. Get creative about making what is important to you happen. You will be able to make it to :some: of the kids'/family things. It just takes a lot of advanced planning, and the support of your people who are willing to cover you if need be.

7. Ask for help. I have NO SHAME in sending out the yearly "recruitment email" to our extended family letting them know when we need them most during the year. 

8. Don’t forget to say thank you. And say it often - not just when you are all done. You didn't get here alone and don't forget it.