Ted O'Connell, MD, FAAFP on LinkedIn: Delivery science bloomed under Division of Research Director Tracy Lieu (2024)

Kaiser Permanente Northern California Medical Education supports numerous pathway programs to help students on their journeys to careers in healthcare. From middle school through medical school, we have you covered with dynamic programs providing exposure to medicine and scholarly activities, all intended to support your development and diversity the healthcare workforce. We also have a networking and mentorship platform called Connect at KPNC (https://lnkd.in/gmFTR6NW). Come check us at and see all we have to offer.https://lnkd.in/grFkSEycKaiser Permanente Northern California Residency and Fellowship Programs Kaiser Permanente The Permanente Medical Group, Inc. Physician Recruitment Services Permanente Medicine Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine Keedra McNeill, MD #pipeline #pathway #healthequity

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Many thanks to Dr. Jeff Velotta for his continued excellence in thoracic surgery and clinical research. In addition to the great care he provides for our patients, Dr. Velotta has been able to share his clinical expertise through his many research endeavors. This amplifies his work and impacts patient lives outside our institution as well. Dr. Velotta is also positively impacting the next generation of surgeons by involving residents and fellows in his research projects. In the past 8 years, 19 of Dr. Velotta's research projects have involved residents and fellows, teaching them the value of this work and helping to develop their careers.The Permanente Medical Group, Inc. Keedra McNeill, MD Maria Ansari MD FACC jeffrey velotta

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The average medical school debt is$202,453, excluding premedical undergraduate and other educational debt. The average medical school graduate owes $250,995 in total student loan debt. Now imagine completing four years of undergraduate education and four years in medical school and not matching into a residency program where you can begin your training. That is the reality for about 7% of graduates from US medical schools each year. Despite their qualifications and dedication, there are simply more applicants than available positions. This gap not only represents a significant loss of talent but also exacerbates the existing physician shortages. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plays a pivotal role in funding these essential training programs. However, the current funding levels are insufficient to meet the growing demand for healthcare services and the increasing complexity of patient care.Here are a few reasons why increased CMS funding for residency and fellowship training is crucial:1. Addressing Physician Shortages: The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) projects a significant shortage of physicians in the coming years, and this is already being seen in many areas. Funding and developing more residency and fellowship positions can help address this critical gap and ensuring that all patients have access to timely, high-quality care.2. Enhancing Healthcare Quality: Adequately funded training programs ensure that residents and fellows receive comprehensive education and hands-on experience. This directly translates to better patient outcomes, as well-trained physicians are more adept at diagnosing and treating complex medical conditions.3. Supporting Healthcare Innovation: Residency and fellowship programs are often at the forefront of medical research and innovation. Increased funding can bolster these initiatives, leading to advancements in medical technology, treatment protocols, and patient care strategies.4. Promoting Equitable Access to Care: With more funding, programs can be expanded to underserved areas, promoting health equity and ensuring that all communities have access to skilled physicians.5. Fostering a Diverse Workforce: Increased funding can support initiatives aimed at diversifying the healthcare workforce, ensuring that it better reflects the diverse populations it serves. A diverse workforce is essential for culturally competent care and improving health outcomes across different demographics.Investing in the future of our healthcare system by increasing CMS funding for residency and fellowship training is not just a necessity—it's a commitment to the health of our communities. #Healthcare #MedicalEducation #ResidencyTraining #FellowshipTraining #CMSFunding #FutureOfMedicine #PhysicianShortage #MatchCrisis

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I am happy to announce that regional Continuing Medical Education (CME) department of The Permanente Medical Group, Inc. has been awarded the 2024 Innovation in Continuing Medical Education by the California Medical Association for our Pediatric Fundamental Critical Support program. Congratulations to Dr. Michael Myette, Vallerie Kolasinska, Alejandra Corral, MPH, Dorian Williams, Ron Bullock, and Lisa Roberts, Ed.D for this well-deserved recognition.

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We are so excited to welcome our incoming cohort of residents for New Resident Orientation. We’ll have a panel of speakers including Dr. Danny Sam, Dr. Christy M. King, DPM FACFAS, and Dr. Alhanee Whitaker sharing their thoughts on successfully transitioning from medical school to residency. Dr. Tracy Lieu and Dr. Juleon Rabbani, DrPH will provide an overview of our Fivision of Research and the support provided to our residents for their scholarly work. Cole Brauer will give a keynote address on “Navigating the High Seas: Lessons from an Ocean Racer on Wellness in Medical Residency.”

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I've been reading Walter Isaacson's biography of Elon Musk. It's an engaging biography but perhaps an even more interesting business book. Though I have concerns about Elon's politics, leadership style, interpersonal approach, and plenty of other domains, what he has been able to do at Tesla and SpaceX is extraordinary. Not to mention his involvement with PayPal, Starlink, openAI, and other companies (X/Twitter excluded as this is a bit of a dumpster fire).One section of the book outlines his algorithm which he has applied to many of his companies and helped Tesla through his self described "production hell" of getting the Tesla Model 3 manufacturing process up to speed. Though he tried to fully automate his production lines, he actually learned that the automation process should come last and that not everything should be automated. Many of the principles of this algorithm have application to other industries and are worth considering. The following is quoted from Isaacson's book:1. Question every requirement. Each should come with the name of the person who made it. You should never accept that a requirement came from a department, such as from "the legal department" or "the safety department." You need to know the name of the real person who made that requirement. Then you should question it, no matter how smart that person is. Requirements from smart people are the most dangerous, because people are less likely to question them. Always do so, even if the requirement came from me. Then make the requirements less dumb. 2. Delete any part or process you can. You may have to add them back later. In fact, if you do not end up adding back at least 10% of them, then you didn't delete enough.3. Simplify and optimize. This should come after step two. A common mistake is to simplify and optimize a part or a process that should not exist.4. Accelerate cycle time. Every process can be speeded up. But only do this after you have followed the first three steps. In the Tesla factory, I mistakenly spent a lot of time accelerating processes that I later realized should have been deleted. 5. Automate. That comes last. The big mistake in Nevada and at Fremont was that I began by trying to automate every step. We should have waited until all the requirements had been questioned, parts and processes deleted, and the bugs were shaken out.

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Embarking on the journey to become a medical professional is as much a financial commitment as it is an academic one. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the median debt for medical students upon graduation is around $200,000 and is increasing by approximately 3% annually. The costs associated with medical education extend far beyond tuition fees. Aspiring physicians also must account for expenses related to textbooks, living costs, and crucial exam preparation materials. Preparing for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) or the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination of the United States (COMLEX-USA), can be a significant financial burden. These exams are three-level, national standardized examinations required for licensure. The exams require a substantial investment in high-quality study resources to prepare for the exams. Students often spend thousands of dollars on review books, question banks, and practice exams, not to mention the exam fees themselves (a total of $2265 for USMLE and $2370 for COMLEX). Economic disparities can impact some students' access to study materials and perpetuate inequities in medical education.MedPrepToGo was created to help students maximize their study efficiency and performance without breaking the bank. The mission of the platform is to improve medical student wellness and reduce education debt by providing high-quality and mostly free content in online and audio formats. It includes online question banks, audio question bank, podcasts focused on medical education content, and a blog of high-yield tips for succeeding in medical school. By making medical education content available to study on the go, students and residents can get time back in their day so they can focus on their health and wellbeing.Raj Dasgupta MD, FACP, FCCP, FAASM Christopher Breitigan American Medical Student Association (AMSA) Student National Medical Association The Latino Medical Student Association MedPrepToGo IFMSA | International Federation of Medical Students' Associations Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA) American Medical Association American College of Physicianshttps://medpreptogo.com/

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Thank you for having me on the podcast, Chris Grant. It was great to speak with you and Dr. Lindia Willies-Jacobo, MD, FAAP about how we can address our national physician shortage. As I said during the interview, "We need to be expanding the pool of people who potentially see themselves as future healthcare practitioners."

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