The 4 Stages You Undergo Before You Become an Expert (or: Why Failure is Better Than Success) Many consider themselves “experts”. But only a few reach the highest level. Spoiler alert - those are the ones who failed. Friday’s Digest #151 Table of contents Story Time! Tools and Tips Readers’ Favorite Stuff Story Time! I'm in high school. 10th grade. A few days ago, we took our final physics test. I love physics. Before this test, I even helped my classmates study for it. We used to stay after...
13 days ago • 4 min read
Should I Continue Writing This Newsletter? After 150 issues, it's time to look back on 3 years of writing this newsletter. Friday's Digest #150. Table of contents Life Update Tools and Tips Readers’ Favorite Stuff Life Update This week, a manuscript of mine got published. In short— it's about using small pieces of tumor (that was just resected) to predict a response to treatment. Long version— my goal is to develop treatments for Head and Neck Cancer that utilize our immune system to beat...
20 days ago • 3 min read
What to Do When You Have Zero Motivation (and: Why Some People Don't Mind "Wasting" Time) What do I do when I've run out of motivation? And why do some people not mind standing in a slow line at the grocery store? Friday’s Digest #149 Table of contents Life Update Tools and Tips Readers’ Favorite Stuff Life Update This week I was again sleep deprived 🥱. Having been in this situation more times than I can remember, I'm used to what it entails. Aside from feeling tired, it kills my creativity...
27 days ago • 4 min read
The Power of Reading Less (and: How Rotating My Computer Screen 90 Degrees Changed Everything for Me) I can't believe I hadn't thought of this before! I recently flipped my computer screen from landscape to portrait. This is why you should, too. Friday's Digest #148. Table of contents Life Update Tools and Tips Readers’ Favorite Stuff Life Update Last weekend I had some alone time and decided to catch up on my reading. Not scientific reading. Leisure reading. With scientific reading, I want...
about 1 month ago • 5 min read
Happy Birthday! (and: The Little Things During Wartime) Even during wartime, there are the little things. Also: How should I celebrate my birthday? Friday’s Digest #147 Table of contents Life Update Tools and Tips Readers’ Favorite Stuff Life Update Today is my birthday! It's funny— it always takes me a moment to remember exactly how old I am. Don't get me wrong, I'm not having trouble remembering my age. It's more like: "I'm 45. No, wait. 44. No, no. 45. It's 45." I assume there's a...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
My "End of Day" Ritual: The Habit That Stops Work From Invading My Home Life How do you separate your work life from your home life when you’re job is so demanding? I do these 3 things. Friday’s Digest #146 Table of contents Life Update Tools and Tips Readers’ Favorite Stuff Life Update This week, a manuscript of mine got published. If there's one thing I absolutely hate, it's the "author's proof." This is when you look for last-minute mistakes that need correction— misspelled words, grammar...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
3 Things I Do to Increase My Productivity (and: “Is There a Doctor on the Plane?”) Everyone wants to be more productive. But it usually means giving up on something or working harder. But there’s another way. Friday’s Digest #145 Table of contents Life Update Tools and Tips Readers’ Favorite Stuff Life Update Last week, I came back from Singapore after attending an international conference for oral and maxillofacial surgeons. Flying was never something I liked, and this flight was no...
about 2 months ago • 5 min read
The Annoying Question of “How Many Publications Do You Have?” The doctor-scientist path has evolved substantially over the last decade, but Universities are too slow to adapt. Friday’s Digest #144 Table of contents Life Update Tools and Tips Readers’ Favorite Stuff Life Update If there's one thing I regret in my life right now, it's not running. I've always been able to accomplish what I set my mind to. But somehow I can't find time to run 🏃🏼. I simply do too many things. This has got to...
2 months ago • 4 min read
Have We Lost The Ability to Read Books? Not long ago, we read books and newspapers. Nowadays, everything is bite-sized. But is that necessarily bad? Friday’s Digest #143 Table of contents Life Update Tools and Tips Readers’ Favorite Stuff Life Update This week I'll be visiting Singapore for a conference. A nice opportunity to meet my friends and colleagues from abroad and catch up. However, packing and preparing for the flight is a headache. This one in particular. You see, at these...
2 months ago • 3 min read