Going to medical school is hard work even if the degree is well worth it in the end. Students can expect to get little sleep, study long hours and take a significant hit to their social lives just to stay afloat. Sometimes it can be nice to get some reassurance that you’re not alone, remind yourself why you got into the field in the first place, and just enjoy reading about medical topics for something other than class. These blogs offer medical students at all levels a chance to do just that, with insights and advice from others in their position, doctors and health care experts from around the world.

News and Views

Check out these blogs to read the latest medical news or to hear commentary from those working in the field.

• The Health Care Blog: This blog is one of the best sources of health care news and articles about those working in the medical profession. If you’re not already a regular reader, bookmark it.
• MedGadget: Keep up with the latest emerging medical technologies by making this blog a regular read. Recommended Post: “Electronic Contact Lenses for Better Vision.”
• DrugWonks: Through this blog, you’ll stay in-the-loop when it comes to following the nation’s drug policies– something that can and will affect you every day on the job.
• Center for Healthcare Research and Policy: This foundation offers up the results of their research into the field of healthcare on this blog, free for you to use to better educate yourself. Recommended Post: “Propensity Scores: What Do They Do, How Should I Use Them and Why Should I Care?“
• Johns Hopkins Medicine: If you want to keep up with the research being done at this world-renowned institution, make their blog a regular part of your daily reading. Recommended Post: “Johns Hopkins Researchers Turn Off Severe Food Allergies in Mice.”
• RangelMD: If healthcare news commentary is what you’re looking for, this blog is an excellent source of information and insight. Recommended Post: “Massachusetts to Force Doctors to Accept Lower Rates or Lose License.”
• WSJ Health Blog: From news about the politics of healthcare to articles about the latest research, you’ll find a wide range of useful medical information on this site. Recommended Post: “How To Help People Lose Weight? Give ‘Em Free Meals and Money!“
• Medical Lessons: This oncologist shares his thoughts on medical news, communication, health care and more on this blog. Recommended Post: “You’re Sick and I’m Not, Too Bad (on Empathy).”
• Clinical Nature: If you’d like to work with some less traditional methods in your medical career, this blog offers up news about alternative treatments without neglecting progress being made in other, more traditional methods of health care practice. Recommended Post: “Qualitative and Quantitative Research in Integrative Medicine.”
• Medical Blog: If you’re looking for basic information on medical conditions, drugs, news and other issues, this blog can be a good place to start your research. Recommended Post: “Immune System. “

For Students

Students will find helpful resources and information on these blogs, which can help them make it through every part of medical school.

• Scrub Notes Medical Blog: Need some tips on how to succeed as a medical student? You’ll find them in spades on this great site. Recommended Post: “How To Study First Year Medical School Anatomy.”
• Medical Educator: Prepare for your exams and get ahead in schoolwork with some help from this site, perfect for any struggling medical student. Recommended Post: “Historical Horror Stories in Medicine.”
• Future Docs: Read about issues related to medical education on this great news blog geared towards medical students. Recommended Post: “Attending Rounds with the iPad: Hype or Hindrance?“
• The Student Doctor Network: Whether you’re looking for support, advice, help or answers to your own questions, this blog and its accordant resources are a must-bookmark for any student, young or old. Recommended Post: “Interview Advice: What to Wear, What to Wear.”

By Medical Students

Bond over the long hours and impossible courses you take as medical students when you read these great blogs written by others still in school.

• Jennifer Hawke: This blogger shares how she’s completing medical school while juggling being a new mother at the same time.
• The Underwear Drawer: Covering topics like medical school, residency, exams and more, this medical student and parent shares her journey. Recommended Post: “dr. wiki.”
• MD Journey: This unconventional medical student shares his thoughts on everything from applying to making it through your first years of medical school here. Recommended Post: “Countdown To Med School.”
• ScienceRoll: This student of genetics shares his journey through medical school as well as some great links, information and news ideal for a student in any field. Recommended Post: “Internet in Medicine University Course: Wikipedia and Medical Wikis.”
• The Long Road to Medical School: Here you’ll find a former businesswoman who decided to finally pursue her dream and head to medical school. Recommended Post: “Biostatistics vs. Lab Research.”
• Of Ditziness and Doctoring: Check out this fun blog for stories of one young woman’s journey through medical school, trying to learn, care for patients and have some fun at the same time. Recommended Post: “dissections.”
• Life as a Medical Student: Being a medical student can be rough, so you can relate to the posts this blogger shares about life, learning and everything medical school. Recommended Post: “EKG Training.”
• Dose of Reality: This blog is a great resource for medical students. Published by the University of Michigan Medical School, it contains posts from students, residents and doctors alike.
• Anonymous Doc: Check out this blog for a little perspective on the medical profession from a second year medical student. Recommended Post: “Is false hope better than no hope?“
• Midwest Med Student Meets East Coast Politics: Focused on health care and family medicine, this blogger shares her experiences training for her future career in Portland, OR on this blog.
• Restless Med Student: With posts on topics like ethics and cancer and a few good old medical school rants of frustration, this blog is a well-rounded read for students. Recommended Post: “Nasopharyngeal Cancer.”
• Defying Gravity: This blogger is a fourth year medical student in Scotland, sharing experiences both at work and in life at large through this site. Recommended Post: “Thoughts At The End Of SSM.”

Academic

Health care professors and researchers maintain these interesting blogs giving you insights into how to perform better in class and some career opportunities that might be available to you when you graduate.

• Clinical Cases and Images: You’ll be able to read news about the latest research and clinical cases on this blog, maintained by an assistant professor at the University of Chicago. Recommended Post: “How Doctors Use Google.”
• Reflections in a Head Mirror: Located on the Medical College of Wisconsin’s main site, this blog written by Bruce Campbell (the doctor, not the actor) is a great source of medical information. Recommended Post: “The Small Things.”
• db’s Medical Rants: On this site, you can hear Dr. Robert Centor rant about all things medical from internal medicine to the state of American health care. Recommended Post: “Sometimes Money Buys Better Health.”
• Aetiology: Assistant Professor Tara C. Smith studies epidemiology and shares some of her insights to the most infectious diseases in the world here.
• DocNotes: Started in 2009, this blog focuses on topics like health, technology and family medicine. Recommended Post: “Bronchitis and Product Management.”
• Dr. Thompson’s Blog: This doctor is fed up with today’s medical system and shares some scary stats and interesting articles here. Recommended Post: “The Tragedy of Hospital Infections.”
• Harvard Medical Labcast: Learn what the doctors and researchers at Harvard Medical Lab are working on with this amazing series of podcasts and blog posts. Recommended Post: “More on episode 6: Your genome, your future.”
• Medical Futility Blog: This blogger is both a doctor and a lawyer (and a professor) and shares insights into the legal side of the medical world here. Recommended Post: “Surrogate Selection in Another Futility Dispute.”

Doctors

These doctors show you what life will be like once you finally finish your degree program and are out in the real world.

• Inside Surgery: L. Marcucci, MD shares insights into the world of surgery through this blog. Readers will find everything from bits of news to information about the latest research. Recommended Post: “Dr. Chad Gordon Develops New Patient-Doctor Communications App.”
• KevinMD: From using an iPad in patient care to better understanding public healthcare, this popular blog is a must-read for anyone entering a health care profession. Recommended Post: “Is the critical value reporting system truly life saving?“
• Incidental Findings: This internist and blogger offers up his take on the downsides of being a doctor quite candidly. Recommended Post: “Death and failure.”
• GruntDoc: You’ll get a chance to read some exciting, interesting and sometimes entertaining stories about life in the ER on this blog– as well as some pertinent news articles. Recommended Post: “Online doctor ratings aren’t very helpful– USATODAY.com“
• The Examining Room of Dr. Charles: Dr. Charles blogs about medical news, clinical studies and interesting facts, though he also shows a passion for poetry and literature. Recommended Post: “Exfoliating Soap is Full of Plastic. Seriously.”
• Aggravated Doc Surg: This general surgeon talks about life in the operating room and the joys of life outside of his work as well. Recommended Post: “We Don’t Speak the Same Lingo.”
• Dr. Wes: Dr. Wes is an internist, cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist who shares his love of medicine and experiences working in hospitals and universities here. Recommended Post: “Why Medical Errors are Good for You.”
• MDOD: Check out this blog to hear what working in the real world is like for nine different American doctors. Recommended Post: “Top 5 MD Myths, Busted.“

Hospitals

Many medical students will end up working in a hospital during their time at school or after graduation. Learn more about the politics, economics and other issues that affect how these institutions operate from these blogs.

• Wachter’s World: Get commentary on hospitals, hospitalists and issues related to patient care like safety, quality and more on this blog. Recommended Post: “A Game-Changing Statistic: 1 in 250.”
• The Happy Hospitalist: This blogger has a passion for creating better, more efficient hospitals and shares everything from humor to serious news articles here. Recommended Post: “Is Patient Noncompliance a Marker for Emotional Spousal Abuse?“
• Not Running a Hospital: Here you’ll find the blog of the former CEO of a large Boston hospital who shares his thoughts on patient care, quality control, process improvement and other issues related to health care and hospitals. Recommended Post: “The message you hope never to send.”
• Hospital Impact: Running a hospital, even a non-profit one, is a business. This blog offers insights into how medical and business professionals can improve the business of health care. Recommended Post: “How we upgraded our backup data system and cut IT costs.”
• The Hospitalist Leader: Even your bosses have bosses when you work at a hospital. Get some ideas on how better management can help a large hospital or medical facility run more smoothly. Recommended Post: “The Spend We Don’t Have.”
• Medical Staff Leader Blog: Medical school is all about learning from others, so at some point in your studies or career you will be managing someone else. Learn more about how to do it well here.
• Hospital Medicine Quick Hits: Get quick news tidbits about clinical studies and more on this blog. Recommended Post: “Significant reductions in ICU transfusions over 10 years.”