During one of our Internal Medicine Live Board Review Courses, we met with Co-Director Aaron Calderon, MD and discussed his passion for helping physicians improve patient care. Here's an inside look at what he had to say about MedStudy's Internal Medicine Course and advice for those preparing for upcoming exams.
Dr. Calderon has been working with the MedStudy team since 2012 to bring the best of the best in high-yield internal medicine review materials to physicians. He went to medical school at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and did his residency at the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center.
He is currently the Chair of the Department of Medicine at Saint Joseph Hospital, Internal Medicine Residency Program Director, and Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Colorado SOM.
Dr. Calderon's Guidance on Studying at the Internal Medicine Live Board Review Course
Course Co-Directors, Dr. Calderon and Dr. Hannaman at an Internal Medicine Live Board Review Course
Since Dr. Calderon is the Internal Medicine Residency Program Director at Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver, he knows a thing or two about giving course and exam advice. We asked:
What should the Internal Medicine Live Board Review Course attendees know about you?
"That I am invested in their education and that I not only want them to pass the boards, but also to learn more medicine so that they help more patients!"
What do you like most about speaking at MedStudy courses?
"I enjoy the energy and the thirst for knowledge that all of the attendees have! I also enjoy the challenge of presenting challenging and voluminous information in a way that's easy to digest and understand. Being Co-Director, I also enjoy the camaraderie, support, and effort put on by the MedStudy team to make everything seamless."
What advice do you have for those who are attending the course?
"Take a deep breath! It's a lot of information. Don't worry about every little detail or you might go crazy. Rest assured that you have access to the videos for a year after the course and can always go back and review something. Enjoy your time and support/engage with your colleagues. Get a good night's sleep and use caffeine strategically as these two things help long term memory."
What is your favorite memory from a MedStudy course?
"Wow, I am not sure if I can come up with just one! I always enjoy seeing seasoned clinicians who take the course as their annual CME, [and] giving advice to the numerous residents who also take the course. Feeling like I'm making a difference for someone is my favorite memory every year."
Dr. Calderon’s Best Tips for Studying & Exam Prep
Do you have any go-to study tips for docs preparing for boards?
"Pace yourself. Don't wait until the last minute. You will not retain as much information and you will be more stressed. Practice lots of questions and understand why each wrong answer is incorrect. Stimulate your recall as much as possible and mix up the different subjects.
1) Practice stimulating recall (using spaced retrieval)
2) Write items and facts down
3) Summarize information in a way that you can understand it
4) Get good sleep to better retain information after studying"
We’re grateful for the insights and expertise of knowledgeable contributors like Dr. Calderon! Tell us which MedStudy physicians you'd like to hear from next.
Meet more of MedStudy’s expert physician educators by registering for the next Internal Medicine Live Board Review Course where you can see more outstanding MedStudy course speakers and contributors.
