As an aspiring orthopedic surgeon; my intention in this post is to share a bit about my experiences as a medical student and to articulate the role that JoMI plays in my advancement.

Orthopedics is a challenging field to enter – its growth matched by its competitive nature. One is always looking for an edge. In order to show dedication and interest in the operating room, the most useful asset for a medical student is to come prepared – to know the case, the anatomy, and even the particulars of the different surgeons. Having the opportunity to scrub-in is additionally advantageous to display competence at a level where little is expected. As a student, I would look to my library, colleagues, and online forums to find resources to invest my time preparing efficiently.

If you were to compare an internal medicine textbook to one on general surgery, the first difference you might notice is the number of images. Undoubtedly, surgery attracts visual learners, and the best form of education in related fields is practical experience. Just short of OR experience, an overhead projector, displaying a still shot or Netter’s anatomical depiction, and a laser pointer have been the ideal way of communicating information to students and colleagues for the past two decades. Access to surgical videos was limited until the advent of Youtube, upon which the sharing of ideas visually flourished.  Now, high traffic educational resources, such as Orthobullets, link to available video content. Some of the content is useful but, overall, unregulated and widely varying in quality, with a majority of them filmed by people with little experience in video production.

This is where I feel JoMI is a tremendous resource for medical students in my position.

JoMI offers extremely high-quality physician-narrated videos of surgical cases. Situated in the heart of Boston, JoMI has filmed at some of the most renowned hospitals, including MGH, Brigham and Women’s, BMC, Rothman Institute, New England Baptist, and Tufts, with plans to continue growing. High definition video capture from multiple angles, in addition to interviews and live explanations from world leaders in their respective specialties, offers the medical student, resident, or curious established physician an intimate virtual experience into one of many well respected operating rooms. A dedicated video production team offers viewers a constant high caliber with every video published. As a journal, JoMI screens submissions for quality assurance, including supporting literature, to provide a reliable experience second to none.

I highly recommend JoMI as an essential tool for medical students (3rd and 4th years) and young residents. Its quality excellence is surpassed only by its value as an educational resource.

Michael C. Nasr, MD
Research Fellow, CAOS, BIDMC
Orthopedic Medical Editor, JoMI