About the Author

Gaelen Stanford-Moore, MD MPhil

As a Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude at UC Berkeley, Gaelen Stanford-Moore completed her BA in Molecular and Cell Biology in 2012. Following undergrad, Gaelen completed her MPhil of Public Health at the University of Cambridge in 2017, and went on to pursue her MD at UCSF. During medical school, Gaelen was awarded honors in Surgery, Internal Medicine, OB/GYN, Neurology, and Psychiatry. The same year as her graduation, Gaelen was also inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society for her outstanding work in medical school. In 2018, Gaelen matched into Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery at UCSF, a top 15 program in this field, where she is currently completing her residency. Gaelen has also been a medical school admissions committee officer for two years at UCSF, and is a published academic author. Her work can be found here.

Studying for USMLE Step 1 During MS1: When to Start Studying

An MS1 student studying for the USMLE Step 1 in a library in front of several textbooks.

4876 Views

First year is about learning how to study, how to increase your efficiency, how to retain high yield information, and then how to apply this information into real-life patient scenarios. As for studying for USMLE Step 1, here are some tips for concerned students.

Top 5 Bad Habits Which are Keeping You From Passing USMLE Step 1

Frustrated medical school student studying for the USMLE Step 1.

2048 Views

Studying for USMLE Step 1 is a daunting task, but you don’t want to study the wrong way to make matters worse. Here is a list of common bad habits students fall into when studying, and how you can avoid them to get you on the right track to passing your Step 1 exam!

A Quick User’s Guide to Pathoma for USMLE Step 1

Someone on laptop using Pathoma for USMLE Step 1

13961 Views

While medical school curricula often emphasize physiology, it never quite seems to stick by the time the board exams roll around. Pathoma is the best tool for this job.

Residency Matching: How to Cancel an Interview the Right Way

A residency applicant speaking on her phone to cancel her residency interview.

11218 Views

After four years of college, four years of medical school, countless research projects and long hours shadowing you finally got a residency interview and you want to cancel it?! Yes, it happens. And here’s how to respectfully decline.

When to Start Studying for USMLE Step 1

Medical school student studying at home for the USMLE Step 1 with a laptop, looking at multiple textbooks.

6072 Views

I often recommend first-year medical students start getting facile with USMLE-specific references as they study for their medical school’s core curriculum.

How to Painlessly Prepare for USMLE Step 3 & COMLEX Level 3

A group of DO candidates studying simultaneously for USMLE Step 3 and COMLEX Step 3.

6129 Views

USMLE Step 3/COMLEX Level 3 is the final examination in a three-part series for medical licensing in the United States. Learn about how to study for Step/Level 3 as well as when to take each exam.

Applying to ENT Residency

An ENT resident using an otoscope to examine his patient.

4223 Views

Do you love the ears, nose and throat? Me too! The residency application process in ENT can be daunting and stressful – the best way to navigate the system is by talking to friends and colleagues who have been through it before!

Residency Letters of Recommendation: Everything You Need to Know

A medical school student requesting a reccomendation letter from her clinical rotations instructor.

8546 Views

Letters of recommendation (LoRs) are becoming an exceedingly important part of a candidate’s residency application

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