Felt like absolute royalTEA last month touring DC with Tea Around Town. My friends and I went all out Bridgerton style to make the most of the experience and it did not disappoint!

If you love sightseeing, serenades, and spilling the tea (literally and figuratively) with friends, you'll love Tea Around Town. This mobile tea party takes place on a floral themed double decker bus. It includes a 90 minute guided tour of the must see landmarks while you enjoy a variety of teas, pastries, and other treats. The live entertainment makes it even more enjoyable, with singing, dancing, and tea drinking. The only thing I wish was different was the number of different teas (we tried three flavors but would have loved to try more than that).

It's the perfect activity for birthdays, celebrations, bachelorettes and weekends in the city. Right now, you can "sip, savor, and sightsee" in these seven major cities: DC, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Dallas, Austin, and Houston.

Learn more and get tickets HERE. Also, you get to keep the complimentary travel thermos!

Last month I was invited to be a guest speaker at @amsanational’s 75th annual Future Physicians For Change medical conference in Washington, DC.

The American Medical Student Association (AMSA) is a student-run organization that empowers pre-meds, doctors-in-training, interns, residents, fellows, and current physicians to advocate for healthcare issues and expand education and awareness in medicine.

I talked about all things med school admissions, from debunking myths to sharing advice I learned from my own experiences. I highlighted my time studying with @kaplanmedical as a pre-med and med student and now working with them as an attending physician and medical school admissions consultant.

The following is a list of the Top 10 Med School Admissions Tips:

1. Understand Prerequisites: Each medical school has specific course requirements, typically including biology, chemistry, physics, and math. Check with individual medical school requirements early on to ensure you’ve fulfilled all prerequisite requirements.
2. Prepare for the MCAT: The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a crucial part of your medical school application. Start studying well in advance by taking advantage of Kaplan’s abundant resources and packages including online and in person classes, learning modules, practice questions, and sample tests.
3. Earn that GPA: A solid undergraduate GPA is important to showcase that you are invested in learning and gaining a strong knowledge foundation. Work toward a competitive GPA, especially in your science courses.
4. Gain Clinical Experience: Early hands-on experience in healthcare settings is a MUST to demonstrate your understanding of this career path. Volunteer or work in hospitals, clinics, and other medical environments to not only show your commitment but also learn what the role of a physician entails and what it means to be in the medical field. Some examples include becoming a scribe, emergency room volunteer, spending time with different specialties as an observer, volunteering as an emergency medical technician, or even participating in medical mission trips.
5. Do Research: Participating in research can enhance your application. It shows that you have an interest in advancing the field of science and medicine while also demonstrating how well you work with a team, which will build your communication and collaboration skills. Seek opportunities in laboratories or clinical research that align with your interests, submit abstracts to present at conferences and if possible, case reports and manuscripts for publication.
6. Get Involved: Involvement in extracurricular activities like clubs, leadership positions, or community service illustrates to an admissions committee you’re well-rounded and dedicated to improving society as a whole.
7. Have Strong Letters of Recommendation: Cultivate relationships with professors, physicians, mentors, and supervisors who can write strong, personalized letters of recommendation for your application. Submit your personal statement and CV with your request (if mailing, have a stamped/addressed envelope to give to them as well) and make sure to write them a thank you note afterward.
8. Show Don’t Tell: For your personal statement, you want to write a compelling essay that reflects your passion for medicine, your unique and individual journey, and your future goals. Be authentic and introspective while answering the question of why you want to be a doctor.
9. Prepare for Interviews: Be ready for interviews by practicing common questions and scenarios. This will help you hone your skills in communication and professionalism. Draw from your own experiences, especially those that relate to medicine and why the medical school you’re applying to should pick you to be part of their next class.
10. Stay Informed: Keep up with current events, especially healthcare news, medical advancements, and ethical issues in medicine, from reading scientific journals and news articles, to reviewing research papers and attending medical conferences. This knowledge can help during interviews and shows your genuine interest and commitment to the field.

Lastly, consider seeking advice from current medical students, residents, fellows, and attending physicians or advisors to further navigate the process and be sure to check out Kaplan Medical School Admissions Consulting for more information and packages.

A dragon without their rider is a tragedy. A rider without their dragon is dead.

Welcome to the Fourth Wing.

Growing up, I've always loved reading fantasy, especially as an escape from reality. Last weekend I had the opportunity to see one of my favorite fantasy authors Rebecca Yarros discuss her latest book Onyx Storm - the fastest selling adult novel in 20 years as featured in the NYTimes. The Q&A event was held in Philadelphia, PA at The Miller Theater with moderator and author Xio Axelrod as hosted by Red Tower Books, Ensemble Arts Philly, and Books A Million.

It was incredible to hear Rebecca's thoughts on writing Onyx Storm as part of the third installment to her epic adult fantasy series after Fourth Wing (Book 1) and Iron Flame (Book 2). Without giving too much away, the books follow Violet Sorrengail, who enters Basgiath War College to become a dragon rider. It’s fast-paced with incredible world-building, witty dialogue, and strong character development. I also love the inclusivity and representation with an emphasis on those with chronic illness.

The best part of the evening was being surrounded by so many other people who love entering the world of dragon riders and epic adventures as much as I do, including my dear friend (and soon to be birthday girl), Amanda. The two of us "channeled" our inner Violet Sorrengail, adorned with silver-tipped hair, Empyrean-themed nails, flight leathers and dragon scales.

Of course, I had to complete the look with Sparrow and Wilde's back dragon relic tattoo.

In addition to receiving a signed copy of Onyx Storm, we got to hear some non-spoilery spoilers for the upcoming books along with great writing advice for aspiring authors.

"You can't edit a blank page." - Rebecca Yarros

You have to start somewhere, whether that's writing as you go or plotting and planning ahead of time with a storyboard. As Rebecca explained, if you just write one page a day, by the end of the year you'll have a book. This is how she wrote her first novel. She also discussed her writing process including her next book, which will be a contemporary story, then taking the summer off to be with family before she returns to the fantasy genre.

Also for anyone who has read and finished Onyx Storm, if you're wondering where Broccoli is - Rebecca confirmed that he's with Drake in Cordyn!

With two more books left in the Empyrean series and unknown release dates, I'll be deep diving into theories and predictions with the Fantasy Fan Girls Podcast. The books themselves have so many layers and easter-eggs, from foreshadowing, symbolism, and relationship development to religious, political, and military commentary. My mind is still reeling from dissecting all the epigraphs, characters, timeline, context, and sentence structure but thankfully Variety's recent interview with Rebecca Yarros answered some of those questions many of us readers were left with in the cliffhanger. There's also mention of Amazon's plan to bring the books to the screen under Michael B Jordan's production company. Now I'm not sure which one I'm more excited for - the TV show or the fourth book.

So what are you waiting for? Get your leathers. We have dragons to ride!