James Lee, MD

“My job is to make sure [my students] find a job” - spoken by a surgeon I’ve met once. A sign of a true surgical mentor. You can ‘pass’ residency but you will never excel your expectations without the proper mentor(s). #medx #Neurosurgery #MedTwitter #medicine

@PonziniF 👏 its rare, but stick with someone who invests in you by teaching you how to operate in the OR. Avoid politician-surgeons, surgeons who pretend to teach, and those who are malicious. Pay forward to your future learners.

one year of being a doctor I had no idea what was in store: the good, the bad & everything in between. the mentors and the friends/family I'd gain, the growth I'd make, the changes in my why and what I want my future to look like. there is still a lot to learn, but i'm ready

People only seem to care about the Ws. But it’s no accident that Ls are the only one you can stack to climb to the next level. Ws are great, but are nothing more than a celebration of your past. Ls, while painful, are the building blocks that allow you to celebrate your future.

What are the key, practical alignment parameters in cervical spinal deformity surgery? Hope colleagues find this review (from a few years back) addressing this topic helpful. If you’re operating with MRIs only, you may be undertreating the patient or unintentionally creating a deformity. MRI shows where to decompress. CT shows where to release. X-ray shows where to realign. sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

So there I was, 2 a.m., patient’s pressure’s droppin’ like a rock, lungs soundin’ wet, creatinine lookin’ mean… And I thought: ‘You know what? Let’s cowboy this up — a lil’ bit of saline to keep the pipes runnin’, and some furosemide to drain the swamp.’” Then boom — here come Cardiology, ICU, Renal, and the Code Team lookin’ at me like I just gave the man holy water and snake venom at the same damn time.” Cardiology’s thinkin’: “Where’s the CVP? Where’s the echo? Who raised this savage?” ICU’s like: “You tryin’ to make this man pee or drown him?” *Renal’s sittin’ there, hand on chin, calculatin’ the fractional excretion of your soul. **And CCOT? They’re already callin’ ethics.*” But me? I stand firm, cowboy boots on, Gatorade in hand, sayin’: “Y’all ever heard of loop diuretics with a preload cushion? That’s advanced rodeo nephrology right there.”

Why do we in #spinesurgery still subject our incidental durotomy pts to the medieval torture of “bedrest”? We even have (rare in #neurosurgery) Level 1 evidence that it’s not necessary. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31552537/

For #ResidentAppreciationWeek, we residents got a personal microsurgical training set! Grateful to be part of a department @IowaNeurosurg that invests in our growth. Huge thanks to our faculty (especially Dr. Yamaguchi) for this wonderful gift! #neurosurgery

Thank you for teaching this to me too when I was an intern. I’ve been doing the same thing for years and it worked well

You should rank first the residency program where you feel happiest—a place where you can make lifelong friends who will be there for you every day, even for long hikes 😂 @StanfordNsurg

@NeuroAlx Oof remember it too well as PGY1-2

Neurosurgery without words. (Hospital car park)

This is great. In an academic setting, the key is mentorship, encouragement, and support for trainees. Hope everyone matches to programs with attendings who have a genuine outlook like this. #match2025 #Match2024 #MedTwitter #medx

@fuqekgs 😂pgy 1-8

How it feels to get through med school

@jasonryanmd True. if you gave your best efforts despite hurdles in your personal life, be proud. Ask your mentors to help for the residency match, keep working hard, be truly compassionate towards patients and be a team player w colleagues. #MedTwitter #medx #matching2025

Most important thing to remember is that step exams are not your destiny. Many who struggle with these tests go on to become division chiefs, leaders in medicine or even just plain old great doctors. No test is a reflection of all that you are. Keep grinding.

When it’s all said and done, it’s about people: Partners, colleagues, mentors, mentees. It’s about elevating each other and celebrating the successes of each other. It’s about genuine connections that inspire. It’s about building trust and credibility. 🎉 to a great 2025.

@JoyfulAstrocyte @UTHealthSA Definitely. A program with genuine, honest staff, faculty, and big group of co-residents is the most important factor for success. Always investigate before choosing a program. #Matchday #neurosurgery #match2025 #MedX #MedTwitter

Choose a program which supports you not just in residency, but every aspect of your life. This one is for my amazing program coordinator who took time out to give me driving lessons for me to finally pass my test. To little wins 🎉 @UTHealthSA

@hapyresearchers Definitely applies for MDs as well. #match2025 #MedX #MedTwitter #Neurosurgery

A prospective PhD student should look for a kind and understanding mentor, not necessarily the most brilliant one or someone working at a prestigious institution. A kind mentor will focus on your progress and work to uplift you.

@SFabaraMD Brightest, most compassionate friends from medical school are in ID (and other medical subspecialties w less compensation and tireless hours) Definitely pay increase and more benefits. I have zero tolerance for residents who say disrespectful things to our medicine colleagues.

120+ unfilled spots in ID fellowship this year highlight a troubling trend. Infectious diseases are critical to public health, yet the specialty faces significant recruitment challenges. How do we make ID more appealing to future trainees? #infectiousdiseases #ID #fellowshipmatch

It’s a combination of low pay compared to other specialties and long hours. How do you convince trainees to go into ID when they see us getting 15 plus consults a day, having inpatient lists of 20-30 patients and writing notes till all ends of the day A number of things need to change

@NaderDahdaleh Agreed! Challenge can be overcome with great supportive system of mentors, friends, and family! Challenges are fought together w/ your compassionate team. Aspiring trainees out there, it’s important to differentiate it & recognize abusive/toxic environments. Always ask around.

If you’re a positive person, you’ll see the potential for success in every opportunity, no matter how challenging it may seem.

Always neat to illustrate an AVM 🧠✍🏻