Sole Purpose 15
The Power of Email

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My roommate, who is also my medical school study partner, often jokes that my superpower is my ability to send and keep track of email. She's right—I'm super on top of my email game. I typically respond to emails and text messages very promptly. While the idea of email being a superpower is mostly a joke, if I were asked about the key to my success in medical school, I would genuinely attribute it to my email management skills. I've never hesitated to send an email, and it has opened numerous doors that I wouldn't have discovered otherwise. Below, I'll delve into the true, formidable power of email.

1. Staying Organized
In previous articles, I've discussed my penchant for color coding, making lists, and maintaining a high level of organization. Clinical rotations in medical school bring a constant influx of new paperwork and onboarding requirements each month for the majority of our two clinical years. It's crucial to stay on top of email and tasks, especially during externships (residency audition rotations).

After the Match, my current residency coordinator messaged me, expressing that she knew she wanted me as a resident the moment I sent back all my onboarding paperwork within 10 minutes of her request. This level of efficiency was possible because I've learned, through monthly onboarding experiences, to keep the standard documents they require saved in the files app on my phone. This practice enables me to easily send them out between surgeries in the OR or during my lunch break, ensuring I don't miss any deadlines that could potentially affect my rotation opportunities. Programs learned how responsive and efficient I am, not by me telling them, but by me showing them during the externship and residency appreciation process. Life is one big interview! You eventually realize that your phone must have access to all the files that you store on your computer, so that you can use them and send them wherever you are. Your phone can and should be a more portable extension of your PC or Mac.

Beyond paperwork, my email habits have earned me the reputation of being the friend in medical school who reminds everyone about deadlines and stays on top of all the first-come-first-serve volunteering opportunities for the team. I firmly believe that if I can respond to an email or resolve a situation within a minute, and I'm not currently busy, I should do it right away. This approach has ensured that I've never missed a homework assignment…like ever…in my entire life.

Staying on top of email isn't just about managing emails themselves; it also helps clear some mental clutter so I can concentrate on the present moment. Dr Atul Gawande explains this concept in his book, Checklist Manifesto.¹ In medicine, our attention is constantly pulled in different directions, and our memory can fail when dealing with urgent matters. So, the easiest way for me to manage everything is to respond to emails immediately or set a reminder to do so during lunch or whenever I have a free moment. This approach also demonstrates to programs that I'm reliable, organized, and responsible— all the qualities needed for a successful future resident.

2. Asking Questions
My middle school science teacher used to limit me to one unrelated science question every day because she knew that if I were allowed to ask more than one, I would spend her entire lunch break asking her to help me look up answers. My passion for learning and understanding everything and anything stems from a deep-rooted curiosity about how things work. I always have questions.

During the preclinical years, I often found myself with questions about slides in pre-recorded lectures or concepts I didn't fully grasp. In such cases, I would send an email asking for clarification or request to meet the professor during office hours. This approach not only made the faculty more familiar with me but also made me comfortable enough to seek help regularly whenever needed.

3. Networking and Opportunities
I've lost count of how many times I've nervously cold-emailed professionals in our field. The catalyst for my involvement in the "She’s a DPM" podcast with Dr Stephanie Oexeman was a simple email expressing my admiration for the podcast and my eagerness to contribute. I've also landed numerous research projects by reaching out after conferences or lectures, expressing interest, and sharing my ideas.

Before applying to externships, I made it a point to email the residency coordinator to request a conversation with a current resident. This helped me understand the program better and ensured that I applied to externships aligned with my residency goals. It may seem a bit eccentric and over the top, but it's been incredibly beneficial.

Initially, I wasn't considering an externship in Indiana, which is 1,774 miles away from my home in San Diego. I had heard it was a good program but didn't feel that the information on the website set it significantly apart from other programs on my list. Plus, it was all the way in the Midwest, where I didn't know anyone. However, after emailing the residency coordinator and scheduling a time to speak with the chief resident at St. Vincent, I realized it was a great fit for me. It checked all the boxes, and I would be lucky to extern there. Now, I'm thrilled to be moving 1,774 miles away to be a resident in their program. I'm very excited, although I'll need to invest in a snow jacket!

Detach to Achieve Balance
Just like everything in life, there's always a need for balance. While I almost always respond to emails and texts within the day, I can't always be on my phone. When I'm with loved ones, I try to compartmentalize my life by putting my phone on Do Not Disturb and just enjoying the moment. Fortunately, because I'm usually so on top of my email, it's almost impossible for dinner and a movie to cause an overwhelming amount of change in my inbox.

Overall, I hope this inspires you to send that email, ask whatever question you have, and take a minute to do a quick task that you've been putting off! The power of email is strong, but as one of my favorite residents used to say while suturing, it's not about the strength of the sword but the person who wields it.