Student Organizations and Interest Groups

Ambroise Pare Society

The Ambroise Pare Society provides an opportunity for discussions of current topics in oral and maxillofacial surgery from experts in the field as well as to introduce basic surgical techniques to aspiring oral surgeons on the second week of every month.

Student Contacts:
Julie McNeish, jmcneish@student.uchc.edu
Kroum Dimitrov, kdimitrov@student.uchc.edu

American Medical Association

AMA Mission: To promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health.

Core Values: Leadership, Excellence, Integrity, and Ethical Behavior

Like other organizations, the AMA chapter at the UConn School of Medicine creates and sponsors a range of educational, social and community service events. Our chapter hosts speakers who discuss leadership, financial aid, and professionalism in medicine. It organizes a mobile clinic that visits Hartford to offer free basic health screening and counseling. Importantly, UConn AMA provides services to its students such as business card printing, faculty meet-and-greets, participation in national and regional conferences, and professional development.

However, unlike other medical student organizations, we are voting members of the strongest medical organization in the country, the AMA. At national conferences, students interact with and influence leaders who create national health policy. The AMA provides democratic voting rights and participation to students at the highest levels of its policymaking. We are known affectionately as “The Conscience of the AMA" and have spearheaded such successful policy as universal health coverage, smoking prohibition in public spaces, and more.

Sign-up for the benefits but get involved to make a difference as a conscientious student physician locally, regionally or nationally.

Committees: Advocacy, Community Service, Event Planning, Newsletter and Media, Professionalism

Contacts:
Chair: Ray Lorenzoni, rlorenzoni@student.uchc.edu
Vice-Chair: Clifford Locke, clocke@student.uchc.edu
Public Relations: Luis Daniel Munoz, lmunoz@student.uchc.edu

American Medical Student Association (AMSA)

Mission Statement: The American Medical Student Association is committed to improving health care and health care delivery to all people; promoting active improvement in medical education; involving its members in the social, moral and ethical obligations of the profession of medicine; assisting in the improvement and understanding of world health problems; contributing to the welfare of medical students, premedical students, interns, residents and post-M.D./D.O. trainees; and advancing the profession of medicine.

AMSA's ten committees represent areas the Association feels all medical students should value as vital in becoming a socially responsible physician/healer. They promote these areas of interest and associated projects to AMSA members on national, regional and local levels and are integral in helping AMSA maintain its dynamic view of medicine amidst tremendous and rapid change. They are also a frontline for the association's dedication to redefining the culture and activities of medicine.

The committees are as follows:

• Grassroots Organizing Team
• Medical Education Team
• Health Policy Team
• Premedical Leadership Team
• Community and Environmental Health Action Committee
• Gender and Sexuality Action Committee
• Global Health Action Committee
  • Medical Professionalism Action Committee
  • Race, Ethnicity and Culture in Health Action Committee
  • Wellness and Student Life Action Committee

Local AMSA events include an annual welcome breakfast during first year orientation, a used book sale fundraiser, a wine and cheese social for students and professors, tabling for National Coming Out Day, Pharm Free campaign awareness lunch time talk, and speaker presentations. The board members meet once every two months to plan upcoming projects and attend a regional convention in the fall and a national convention in the spring. Students may choose to run for a national leadership position and be involved with shaping health care and public health policies.

Website: http://amsa.org

Student Contacts:
UConn Chapter President 2011-2012: Grace Shih, gshih@student.uchc.edu
UConn Chapter President 2011-2012: Yvonne Chu, ychu@student.uchc.edu
UConn Chapter Vice President of Programming 2011-2012: Christopher Steele csteele@student.uchc.edu
UConn Chapter Vice President of Finance 2011-2012: Jackeline Rodriguez-Smith jrodriguez-smith@student.uchc.edu
UConn Chapter Vice President of Membership 2011-2012: Ran Zhao razhao@student.uchc.edu

American School for the Deaf Health Education (ASDHE)

American School for the Deaf Health Education is an organization that was founded by Sarah Schlegel, M.D., and Chris Skurkis, M.D., when they were medical students. They discovered that there are many misconceptions regarding medical care and topics amongst deaf children, due to lack of exposure to information compared to hearing children. ASDHE, therefore, was developed in an effort to dismiss some of those misconceptions and to educate deaf children on various health topics.

Medical and Dental students teach classes to children and teenagers at the American School for the Deaf (ASD) throughout the year on numerous health topics. Classes are held in the evenings at ASD in West Hartford, Connecticut. At the beginning of each year, an orientation is held at the American School for the Deaf. A baseline curriculum for each topic is also provided to the medical/dental students beforehand. The students are welcome to tailor the curricula to best fit their teaching styles and objectives. Curriculum support/development is provided by the coordinators throughout the year Interested students are encouraged to contact one of the coordinators for more information and to learn about teaching opportunities.

Faculty Advisors:
Dr. Sarah Schlegel, sschlegel@ccmckids.org
Dr. Chris Skurkis, cskurki@ccmckids.org

Student Contacts:
Katie Schultz, kschultz@student.uchc.edu
Kattya Jules Antenor, kjulesantenor@student.uchc.edu  

American Student Dental Association (ASDA)

The UConn ASDA is a chapter of the American Student Dental Association at the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine. The American Student Dental Association is a national student-run organization which protects and advances the rights, interests and welfare of students pursuing careers in dentistry. It represents students with a unified voice and provides information, education, advocacy and services. The association introduces lifelong involvement in organized dentistry, and promotes change for the betterment of the profession.

Community activities include:

• Hartford Marathon
• Special Olympics
• KEEP Associated Oral Health Screenings
• Give Kids and Smile Day
• Healthy Smiles Program
• Supplies Drive to Zimbabwe
• Wax and Relax and Chill and Drill for Students
• Vendor Lunch and Learns

ASDA Chapter Officers:
1st Delegate: Laura Huling
2nd Delegates: Arabella von Walstrom and Brittany Sonnichsen
Community Service: Jaimie Vassiliou and Erica Knee
Fundraising: Kerrie O’Brien and Colleen Donnelly

Anesthesiology Interest Group (AIG)

Sleep better by taking part! The AIG is where students interested in the specialty of anesthesia come to get an insider view of the going-ons behind the curtain in the OR. Under the advisorship of Dr. Jeffrey Gross, various presentations are given by students as well as by residents/attending physicians that showcase various aspects of anesthesia. Students have the opportunity to mingle with residents and attending physicians to discuss the field in general, residency options, as well as gain added exposure to a field, without which, surgery does not occur! Previous talks in the past few years given by students have included Airway and Intubation, Pain management, Regional Anesthesia, and History of Anesthesia. Hands-on training has included intubation techniques and regional anesthesia ultrasound practice, just to name a few. As well, students get an inside opportunity to ask questions regarding the first-year preceptorship in anesthesia, where students between their first and second year of medical school have the opportunity to rotate for one month in anesthesia at either John Dempsey Hospital, Hartford Hospital, or Saint Francis Hospital. Interested students can contact the co-chairs.

Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Jeffrey Gross

Student Contacts/Co-chairs:
Adrienne Gleit, agleit@student.uchc.edu
Nick Haralabakis, nharalabakis@student.uchc.edu

Christian Medical and Dental Associations (CMDA)

Founded in 1931, the Christian Medical and Dental Society (CMDA) is a group of almost 10,000 Christian physicians, dentists and medical and dental students committed to living out faith through the health care professions throughout the world. CMDA recognizes the unique pressures that medicine and dentistry bring to families and individuals and offers resources to help meet those pressures. The CMDA is concerned about the ethical challenges brought by modern technology, and seeks to bring a biblical understanding to those challenges. It is dedicated to making the most of the exceptional opportunities for ministry afforded by medicine and dentistry. CMDA has the only extensive ministry of any Christian organization in the nation to medical and dental students, strengthening them during their demanding years of training, and preparing them for future years of practice and service. The UConn CMDA chapter is student-run and works to provide specific opportunities to grow in relationships, in spirituality, through service and missions, and intellectually.

The UConn chapter meets on a monthly basis for dinners hosted by different students, residents, and physicians in the area. This is a chance to gather for fun, food, and fellowship. The dinners are always open for anyone to attend including spouses and partners. Often different topics for discussion or presentation are part of the evening.

Other events include:

• Community service giving campaign around the holiday season.
• Hosting of Open Mike Coffeehouses in the spring and sometimes in the winter.

These are social events with food and entertainment that are well attended by the entire Health Center community.

More information about CMDA can be found at www.cmda.org.

Student Contact:
Grace Shih, gshih@student.uchc.edu

The Covenant House Medical Clinic

The Covenant House Medical Clinic is an interdisciplinary student-run clinic. This means that nursing, medical, premedical and pharmacy students work together to care for patients under the supervision of the attending physician. It is a great chance for students to practice history taking and physical examination skills while learning from the doctor, the patient, and each other!

The patients are of every ethnicity and generally have difficulties accessing healthcare. They tend to be highly appreciative and many have interesting stories. Treatment of acute problems occurs at the clinic and referrals of chronic conditions are sent to Generations, a local healthcare center.

Volunteers at the clinic are comprised of medical students, nursing and pharmacy students and an attending physician. The clinic is open on the third Friday of each month (some exceptions) for the hours of 5 to 9 p.m. and is located on Walnut Street in Willimantic, Connecticut.

Student Contact:
Shelly Burchsted, burchsted@student.ucuc.edu

Endodontics Interest Group

The Endodontics Interest Group is a group interested in learning more about the profession of endodontics. Faculty members, practicing endodontists, and upperclassmen are invited to talk to the group about their experiences and knowledge surrounding the profession. We hope to engage interested and enthusiastic students in learning about the lives of endodontic residents, how to gain acceptance to endodontic residency programs, and what to look for in different schools. Different practice techniques and patient management methods are also discussed. The group meets bi-monthly.

Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Qiang Zhu

Student Contact:
Arabella Von Walstrom, vonwalstrom@student.uchc.edu

Emergency Medicine Interest Group

The Emergency Medicine Interest Group at the University of Connecticut was created several years ago to stimulate interest and expose students to the exciting world of emergency medicine early in their careers. Meetings are held monthly at various faculty residences and follow a basic format. The evening begins with socializing and dinner followed by one to two interactive case presentations by senior students and finally a short talk by an emergency medicine physician. These meetings are a great opportunity to eat, learn, and communicate with people who know a great deal about the field. Members of the EMIG are also responsible for planning skills laboratories, mentoring opportunities, and organizing our annual Wilderness Medicine Symposium, where students have the opportunity to learn about triaging patients in the field, assembling appropriate medical packs, and splinting.

Currently the EMIG has no administrative board, but is a collaborative effort between many students and emergency physicians under the direction of Tom Regan M.D., Director of Education for Emergency Medicine. Membership is not limited to those planning a career in Emergency Medicine. All students at the UConn School of Medicine are invited and encouraged to attend the meetings.

More information can be found at http://uconnemig.wordpress.com.

Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Tom Regan

Student Contacts:
David Woo, siwoo@student.uchc.edu
Colin Huguenel, chuguenel@student.uchc.edu

FaithCare Wellness Center-UCHC

FaithCare Wellness Center-UCHC is a not-for-profit Christian organization that integrates healthcare delivery and spiritual healing in order to provide holistic medicine to the community. Founded in 1999, FaithCare Wellness Center embodies the combined efforts and beneficence of medical students, physicians, nurses, physician assistants, paramedics, and residents in hopes of delivering quality health care services to the greater Hartford community. FaithCare Wellness Center strives to address healthcare disparities in the system and attend to those patients who do not have the access or means to health services. The Wellness Center provides a nurturing environment for healthcare personnel and non-medical individuals to promote and exemplify the Christian word. With a focus on spiritual counseling and medical services, FaithCare Wellness Center is cognizant of the duality of medicine as a psychosocial and biomedical field, and seeks to alleviate patients’ symptoms as well as encourage healing through Christ. The Wellness Center is managed and coordinated largely by University of Connecticut medical and dental students in concert with a committee consisting of physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, respiratory therapists, dieticians, medical students, pregnancy and spiritual counselors, community pastors, among others, including members of the affiliated organization, FaithCare.

More information can be found at http://www.faithcare.net/Wellness_Center_Hartford.htm.

The Family Medicine Interest Group works to increase student awareness of family medicine as a career opportunity, and is open to all students interested in learning more about the specialty. The group hosts monthly to bi-monthly events discussing multiple topics relevant to family medicine and primary care. Meetings can occur on campus during the lunch hour, and more extensive workshops and discussions are hosted in the evening, often at faculty homes.

Past events have included:

• Sports Medicine Casting and Splinting Workshop
• Obstetrics and Gynecology Hands-On Night
• Global Health Video and Lunch
• Movie Night Hosted by Faculty
• “Can I Afford to Be a Primary Care Doctor?”: A Discussion with State Leaders

The FMIG leadership board meets every one to two months to discuss programming and develop new ideas. FMIG leaders, as well as all other students, are encouraged to attend regional and national conferences to increase their exposure to family medicine opportunities. FMIG is currently working to develop local community service efforts in conjunction with existing service projects at UConn. The FMIG is part of a national network of similar groups supported by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).

More information can be found on the virtual AAFP website at http://fmignet.aafp.org.

Faculty Advisors:
Dr. Kenia Mansilla, mansilla@uchc.edu
Dr. Ed Kim, eakim@uchc.edu

Student Contacts:
Co-chair: Shawnet Jones, sjones@student.uchc.edu
Co-chair: Luise Hampl, lhampl@student.uchc.edu
4th year Representative: Jessica Johnson, jjejohnson@student.uchc.edu

General Dentistry Interest Group (GDIG)

The goal is to promote General/Family Dentistry as a respectable career option and to provide a forum for students interested in a career in general dentistry to connect with each other and the dental community and to explore topics not covered in the dental school curriculum. The primary activity is lunch and dinner meetings to host speakers on various topics of interest to future general dentists.

Topics may include:

• Residencies
• Joining a practice
• Practice management
• Continuing education
• New technologies in dentistry
• Cosmetic dentistry
• Office design

These meetings are not intended to be solely a lecture, but rather a presentation with abundant question and answer interaction. Speakers will be invited from the regional dental community, within the dental school, and from the dental product and equipment industry. The group hopes to host at least one speaker per month.

Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Sarita Arteaga

Student Contacts:
Eric Navok, enavok@student.uchc.edu
Sara Kerin, skerin@student.uchc.edu

Graduate Student Organization (GSO)

For more information, visit http://grad.uchc.edu/current/gso/index.html.

President: Megan Miller
Vice President: Stavros Kopsiaftis
Secretary/Treasurer: David Drew

Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian ministry founded on the conviction that every man, woman and child should have a decent, safe and affordable place to live. We build with people in need regardless of race or religion. We welcome volunteers and supporters from all backgrounds. We typically have large support from the student body. We are affiliated with the Hartford Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. They provide us with 2 to 4 builds per year. If we are unable to fill the builds with students, we open it up to the whole UConn Health Center community. We are looking to expand and use our volunteers for other projects in the Hartford area such as helping to build the community gardens at the Burgdorf Clinic in Hartford.

Student Contact:
Viviane Trinh, vtrinh@student.uchc.edu

Hartford Health Education (HHE)

The Hartford Health Education Program is a collaboration between the Hartford School System and the Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine. Each year, pairs of students spend one hour a week in Hartford middle schools teaching about topics such as puberty, sexually transmitted diseases, violence prevention and drug abuse. The program is one of the few health education resources available to these children.

Student Contact:
Raymond Lorenzoni, rlorenzoni@student.uchc.edu

Healthy Smiles

A community outreach program aimed to teach oral health basics to the children of the Boys and Girls Club in Hartford. Most volunteers will participate in one of the four unique Friday afternoon sessions, in which they will educate the children about important oral health care topics through fun activities and discussion.

The four topics include:

• Going to the Dentist
• How to Keep Your Teeth Clean
• What Does the Dentist Do?
• The Importance of a Mouth Guard

Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Deborah Redford-Badwal

Student Contacts:
Kathleen Schultz, kschultz@student.uchc.edu
Lauren O’Hagan, lohagan@student.uchc.edu
Robert Yau, ryau@student.uchc.edu

Hematology/Oncology Interest Group

We are a group of students who are (or think they might be) interested in hematology and/or oncology.  This will be our first full year, and we are excited to get this group off the ground.

Our group is divided into several smaller groups, including:

• Adult hematology and oncology
• Pediatric hematology and oncology
• Radiation oncology
• Surgical oncology

You are welcome to attend all of our meetings, or only those that are directly related to your interest.

Our goals for this year:

•  Host about 4 to 6 meetings a year where we have guest lecturers, case presentations, or Jeopardy nights.
• Host a campus-wide bone marrow drive.
• Find, place, and participate in hematology/oncology related volunteer opportunities.

We are always open to new ideas, volunteer opportunities, and hosts/lecturers.

Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Robert Bona

Student Contact:
Christen Vogel, cvogel@student.uchc.edu

I.M.P.A.X.: International Medical Practice and eXchange

I.M.P.A.X. is a group of medical, dental, graduate, and public health students sharing an enthusiasm and passion for international health.

Their goals are:

•  To understand the cultural-context and evaluate resources of underserved communities around the world.
• To facilitate service projects for underserved communities.
• To encourage international exchange and to share experiences.
• To improve care for communities in the United States by exploring other healthcare systems and traditions.
• To advocate for education opportunities and cross-cultural skills while collaborating with other organizations at the UConn Health Center.

The group sponsors numerous activities throughout the year with a focus on global health and human rights. The Lunch and Learn committee sponsors speakers (often UConn physicians or health care workers in the community) with international medical experience. The Global Health and Human Rights Film Series organizes films followed by discussion with experts in their field. Supplies Over Seas (S.O.S.) is a program that sorts through thousands of donated medical equipment and supplies to send to undersupplied clinics through the Haitian Health Foundation. There are numerous opportunities for involvement and leadership. They are always open to new ideas that enhance our mission of expanding the knowledge about international medicine at the UConn Health Center.

Faculty Advisors:
Dr. Judy Lewis
Dr. Stephen Schensul
Dr. Kevin Dieckhaus

Student Contact:
Sara deLoizaga, sdeloizaga@student.uchc.edu

Integrative Medicine Interest Group (IM)

Integrative Medicine (IM) is a healing-oriented medicine that seeks to treat the whole person by incorporating both mainstream medical therapies and complementary and alternative therapies for which there is some high-quality evidence of safety and effectiveness. Meetings and events are held throughout the year.

The goal of the group is to:

• Promote awareness and understanding of IM.
• Offer opportunities to experience relaxation techniques and integrative therapies.
• Provide students with outside resources to pursue the exploration and utilization of IM.

Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Mary Guerrera, guerrera@uchc.edu

Student Contacts:
Christy Yuen, cyuen@student.uchc.edu
Mariah McAlister, mmcalister@student.uchc.edu
Christine Farag, chfarag@student.uchc.edu

Jewish Medical Dental Association (JMDA)

The Jewish Medical and Dental Association is a group for Jewish students at UConn. The group meets once a month to have Shabbat (Friday night) dinners where they socialize and say a few prayers that are traditional Jewish prayers said on Shabbat. There are plans to hold fundraisers for both Jewish organizations and for various charities. There is always laughter and fun at the meetings and non-Jewish students are always welcome to attend the dinners and club events.

Student Contact:
Naomi Levy, nlevy@student.uchc.edu

Medical Dental Student Government (MDSG)

The purpose of this organization is to represent the interest of the combined medical and dental classes in academic, cultural and social spheres.

Medical Spanish Interest Group

The Medical Spanish Interest Group’s main goal is to promote the importance of the Spanish language in the medical setting through bringing speakers to the UConn Health Center to discuss matters that are most important to the Hispanic population. It is also an opportunity for members to practice their Spanish-speaking skills. The group is open to all students, regardless of level of Spanish knowledge.

Some of the topics discussed by our invited speakers include:

• Immigrant health care
• Medical history taking and physical examination procedures in Spanish
• Various medical conditions that are common in the Hispanic population (e.g., diabetes, obesity, and hypertension)

Student Contacts:
Ricky Grewal, rgrewal@student.uchc.edu
Jeff Cranford, jcranford@student.uchc.edu

Medical Students for Choice (MSFC)

Medical Students for Choice is a nationally recognized non-profit network of over 10,000 medical students and residents in the United States and Canada. MSFC is dedicated to ensuring that women receive the full range of reproductive healthcare choices. MSFC recognizes that one of the greatest obstacles to safe and legal abortion is the absence of trained providers. As medical students and residents, we work to make reproductive health care, including abortion, a part of standard medical education and residency training.

The University of Connecticut School of Medicine chapter is currently headed by Arija Weddle (MSII). The chapter meets one to two times per semester and tries to host two large and two smaller events per year. Examples of past events have included a renowned abortion provider speaking about his experiences, a panel discussion showcasing a whole range of opinions and experiences with reproductive health care, a "contraception night" held in concert with Planned Parenthood, lunch-and-learns about abortion laws, film screenings, and much more. Participation in MSFC also affords students the opportunity to shadow at an abortion clinic, get hands-on experience with manual vacuum aspiration (on a papaya!), and attend the national conference to network with future reproductive health providers from across the country.

More information about the national organization can be found at http://www.ms4c.org.

Student Contact:
Mariah McAlister, mmcalister@student.uchc.edu

Migrant Farms

AA student run clinic that provides free health care to migrant farm workers throughout the summer and early fall. Each season on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons through the summer and autumn months, a group of medical, dental, physical therapy, nursing, and physician assistant students sets up a mobile clinic at various farm locations around the state. Depending on the size of the farm, supervision is provided by one or more attending physicians. The migrant farm clinics provide a great opportunity to volunteer and learn basic skills while providing health care to the migrant worker population in the state of Connecticut.

More information can be found at http://publichealth.uconn.edu/mfwc_info.php.

Student Contacts:
Jon Winkler, jwinkler@student.uchc.edu
Christine Yang, chyang@student.uchc.edu
Ray Lorenzoni, rlorenzoni@student.uchc.edu

OB/GYN Scholars Interest Group

OB/GYN Scholars is a student organization whose goal is to further students' interest and knowledge in the field of obstetrics and gynecology. Meetings are usually at night and include medical students, residents and attending physicians. Proposed meetings for this year include:

• Hands on night at Hartford Hospital
• Fourth year presentations
• Shadowing opportunities
• Research opportunities
• Other case presentations and discussion topics held throughout the year

The meetings are open to anyone who is interested in OB/GYN, might be interested in OB/GYN or just wants to enjoy some free food and interesting discussion.

Faculty Sponsor:
Dr. Karianne Silverman

Student Contacts:
Kate Wonneberger, wonneberger@student.uchc.edu
Laura Gruessner, gruessner@student.uchc.edu
Jessica Intravia, jintravia@student.uchc.edu

Orthodontics Interest Group

The Orthodontics Interest Group functions to promote students’ understanding of the discipline of orthodontics through lectures, discussions, and lunch and learns with local orthodontists and residents. The interest group also functions to educate students on the orthodontic residency process.

Student Contact:
Jaimie Vassiliou, jvassiliou@student.uchc.edu

Otolaryngology Interest Group

The Otolaryngology Interest Group is a student run group that introduces students to the surgical subspecialty of otolaryngology. Students who join have the opportunity to learn from residents and attendings about common and uncommon problems that otolaryngologists manage in an outpatient and inpatient setting. They will also learn how to give a thorough focused exam by having the chance to practice with some of the instruments used only by this specialty. New technology is rapidly expanding in otolaryngology, and this group will give members the opportunity to learn more about it by watching demonstrations of its uses.

Students will learn about the different problems that otolaryngologists manage surgically and the types of surgery they perform as well. There will be events that introduce members to some of the different subspecialties such as otology, head and neck, sinuses, and pediatrics. This group is really a great way to gain exposure to a part of medicine that is difficult to get exposure to otherwise. Otolaryngologic problems are encountered in all fields of medicine, so students interested in specialties ranging from primary care to surgery can benefit from learning more about otolaryngology.

Faculty Advisors:
Dr. Kourosh Parham
Dr. Jeffrey Spiro

Student Contacts:
Jim Naples, jnaples@student.uchc.edu
Alex Riley, criley@student.uchc.edu

Pathology Interest Group

The Pathology Interest Group is concerned with promoting awareness and interest of the field of pathology. They meet every month or two to have discussions with leading pathologists in various fields, and to learn what it means to be in their position. Also, they have field trips to the Pathology lab of John Dempsey Hospital to learn about the multitude of machines and personnel involved in creating the samples that are ultimately used by Pathologists for diagnosis. Finally, the group explores various pathological conditions via slide examination, to give examples of what it might be like to be a pathologist. It is a very small group, so there is a lot of student-faculty interaction, and all meetings are very informal and entertaining. Meetings are generally held in the evenings during the week, to avoid conflict with classes. It is their pleasure to provide dinner during these meetings.

Faculty Advisors:
Dr. Melinda Sanders
Dr. TV Rajan

Student Contact:
Jared Woods, jwoods@student.uchc.edu

Pediatric Scholars

Pediatric Scholars is a program developed by the Department of Pediatrics with several goals. The first is to provide any medical students with an interest in a career in Pediatrics a venue in which to meet other like-minded students and faculty in a relaxed atmosphere. It also provides a chance to either learn, or for fourth year students, to present about interesting topics. It also is the Department’s formal “Scholar’s” program and coordinates and runs the end of the year primary research presentations. It is from this group that Pediatric graduation award winners are chosen.

Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Mark Greenstein, mgreens@ccmckids.org

Peer Support

Peer Support is a student-initiated and student-operated organization offering confidential support services to help classmates meet the special needs and stresses of medical and dental school. Peer Supporters have undergone professionally supervised training to provide emotional support, encouragement, and direction. They will assist students in searching for ways to decrease stress levels, solve problems, and/or seek appropriate community resources as needed. Strict confidentiality is a foundation of Peer Support and no records are kept.

Free CONFIDENTIAL mental health and substance abuse services are available to all students through Outpatient Psychiatrics and CHIPS (Confidential Help for Impaired Professional Students). If you think that either service might be of help to you or a friend, there is no harm in calling up and talking to them. Or talk to a Peer Supporter who can listen and/or direct you where you need to go.

And most importantly, “If ever in doubt, contact a member of Peer Support. We are always ready to help you.”

Student Mental Health Service provides FREE stress management, counseling or medication management issues. To schedule an appointment please contact Debra Johnson, A.P.R.N., 10 Talcott Notch (3rd floor, East wing), 860-679-5435 or dvjohnson@uchc.edu.

For CHIPS, call 860-679-4485.

Student Note Sharing Program
Notes from previous classes can be downloaded as resources. If you would like to contribute to the collection or have questions, please contact Dr. Henderson at henderson@uchc.edu. Additional information is provided in the Peer Support Survival Guide.

Advisor:
Debra Johnson, dvjohnson@uchc.edu or 860-679-6700

Peer Supporters:
Alex Adami, aadami@student.uchc.edu
Jeff Cutler, jcutler@student.uchc.edu
Will Gionfriddo, wgionfriddo@student.uchc.edu
Nadia Lomakina, nlomakina@student.uchc.edu
Tim Murphy, timurphy@student.uchc.edu
Lauren O’Hagan, lohagan@student.uchc.edu
Kristen Pepin, kpepin@student.uchc.edu
Heidi Sanford, hsanford@student.uchc.edu
Christina Shaw, cshaw@student.uchc.edu
Viviane Trinh, vtrinh@student.uchc.edu
Jared Woods, jwoods@student.uchc.edu
Robert Yau, ryau@student.uchc.edu
Ke-You “Yoyo” Zhang, kezhang@student.uchc.edu

Periodontal Interest Group

The Periodontal Interest Group is a student run organization that discusses the dental specialty of periodontics. The group meets several times during the year to discuss the role of periodontics in dentistry, to meet with practicing clinicians and talk about the process of applying for a residency program. In addition to our meetings, students volunteer for a one day service project where they travel to a community health center to teach the geriatric population about oral hygiene.

Student Contacts:
Elizabeth Lucchesi, lucchesi@student.uchc.edu
Nicole Strobel, strobel@student.uchc.edu

Physicians for Human Rights (PHR)

‘Physicians for Human Rights’ is an organization that promotes health, human rights and activism - locally, nationally and globally. The protection of human rights is a vital medical and public health issue, and students across the United States are among PHR's strongest advocates! The UCHC PHR student chapter seeks to advance student’s lifelong investment in health and human rights, and contributes to making them better providers for their patients.

Examples of PHR student chapter activities include:

• Hosting an ‘HIV/AIDS Awareness Week of Action' with films, lectures, panel discussions focused on achieving universal access to HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention and care
• Hosting a conference on issues of importance (Darfur, global health disparities, access to medications)
• Meeting with members of Congress and other policymakers to educate on issues, and assert the credible voice of health professionals and health professional students
• Rallies, benefit concerts, protests, workshops, documentaries, film screenings
• Incorporating human rights lectures and classes into curriculum
• Running an educational lecture series that hosts national experts on human rights topics
• Attending the National PHR Conference!

The group meets two to three times per semester. Announcements about time and place related to meetings are typically made a couple of weeks prior to the meetings.

PHR website: http://physiciansforhumanrights.org

Faculty Advisors:
Dr. Edmund Kim, Department of Family Medicine
Dr. Audrey Chapman, Faculty affiliate of the Human Rights Institute of UConn and a member of the Gladstein Human Rights Committee

Student Contacts:
Kelly Holbrook, kholbrook@student.uchc.edu
Christine Farag, chfarag@student.uchc.edu
Ran Zhao, razhao@student.uchc.edu
Raj Shah, rshah@student.uchc.edu

Preventive Medicine Interest Group

The Preventive Medicine Interest Group is an independent, student-run group. The goal is to provide a forum in which both medical and dental students of all classes may join together in active service to the community. The group aims to meet bi-monthly at the Health Center or one of the members' homes in order to discuss plans and ideas in a fun and relaxed way over a delicious dinner. The aim of the Preventive Medicine group is to use all that has been learned in terms of maintaining health and preventing illness to lead by example, to showcase this knowledge in the community to the betterment of its members' lives, and to have fun feeling the well-being that comes from living well and helping others to do the same. Plans thus far include developing an informative poster series for display in the UConn Health Center dental clinics, preventive health lectures at various culture groups and clinics in the community, and aiding the Burgdorf Clinic wellness garden planting and development project. “So come join us and get your knowledge out of the classroom and onto the streets where we can begin to do some real good for real people!”

Student Contacts:
President: Elizabeth Artrip, eartrip@student.uchc.edu
Vice President: Jin Kim, jinkim@student.uchc.edu
Barbara Coons, bcoons@student.uchc.edu

Psychiatry Interest Group

The UConn Psychiatry Interest Group...also well known as the PIG has an active following of students. The group meets approximately 5 to 6 times per year for dinner gatherings where guest speakers are invited to present about a variety of topics relevant to psychiatry. One goal of the PIG is to try to present psychiatric topics that are relevant to other areas of medicine. The PIG aims to provide information about the diverse options within psychiatry as a specialty, support students interested in pursuing psychiatry, connect students with practicing physicians and residents, and provide information on exciting topics related to psychiatry.

Faculty Advisors:
Dr. Andrew Winokur
Dr. Catherine Lewis

Student Contact:
Christine Castater, castater@student.uchc.edu

Radiology Interest Group

Radiology Interest Group is a group designed for both students interested in pursuing a career in radiology as well as students interested in expanding their radiology knowledge. The group meets in the evenings multiple times over the course of the year. The topics change from year to year and residents and/or attending physicians are asked to speak and answer questions. In the past we have had a residents teach “How to Read a Chest Radiograph,” an overview of the abdomen followed by a live demonstration of an abdominal ultrasound, and a joint medical student/attending presentation on Interventional Radiology. At least one meeting a year is dedicated to helping medical students decide if radiology is a good fit for them and what medical students need to know about applying for a radiology residency. Upcoming topics may include chest imaging, body imaging, nuclear medicine, women’s imaging, musculoskeletal imaging, pediatric radiology, ultrasound, fluoroscopy and “What Study to Order When” depending on students interests.

Radiology website: http://uchcradiology.uchc.edu/

Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Harold Moskowitz

Scholars in Medicine (SIM)

The Scholars in Medicine Group serves many purposes at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Meeting on the second Wednesday of every month at the homes of various faculty members, students have the chance to socialize with their classmates as well as to meet clinical faculty who they may not have the chance to work with until their third or fourth year. Additionally, at each meeting fourth year medical students intending on pursuing internal medicine as a specialty choice give presentations on various topics from a rare clinical condition to the latest news from the clinical literature. Students who complete this presentation are awarded the distinction of “Scholar in Medicine” at the end of their fourth year. Highlights include an annual Jeopardy tournament as well as sessions set aside to discuss the residency application process. Each year, a group of fourth year medical students who have been active in the group act as the leaders for the year, organizing the presentations and serve as quizmasters for the annual Jeopardy tournament.

This Year’s Leaders:
Catherine Adams, coconor@student.uchc.edu
Sherry-Ann Brown, abrown@student.uchc.edu
Stephen Gannon, sgannon@student.uchc.edu
Dan Henderson, dhenderson@student.uchc.edu
Jenna Koliani, koliani@student.uchc.edu

School of Medicine Pediatric Clinic

The pediatric clinic is a student run clinic located at two different shelters in Hartford, My Sister's Place and Salvation Army Marshall House. Both clinics operate on a bi-weekly basis and allow students the opportunity to interact with children and local pediatricians in an acute care setting. In addition to our clinics there are educational events for the residents of the shelters, largely women and their children, which aim to educate families about normal childhood development and how to address common childhood illnesses. Students in all four years of medical school are encouraged to participate.

Contact:
southmarshalldoctors@yahoo.com

South Park Inn Dental Clinic

This program is accomplished in conjunction with the medical students. Dental students organize and provide oral health screenings and education for the men, women, and children that reside at the homeless shelter. Patients requiring emergent dental care are referred to School of Dental Medicine clinics. The program is conducted in fall through spring months. The program is coordinated by a third-year dental student.

Visit the South Park Inn website at http://fitsweb.uchc.edu/student/southpark/.

Student Contacts:
Sara Kerin, skerin@student.uchc.edu
Anu Nellissery, anellissery@student.uchc.edu
Hannah Hughes, hahughes@student.uchc.edu
Tyler Aten, taten@student.uchc.edu

South Park Inn Medical Clinic

The South Park Inn Medical Clinic is a student-managed medical clinic serving the homeless community of Hartford, Connecticut. The clinic was opened in October, 1987 by a group of medical students at the University of Connecticut, School of Medicine. For the past 20 years, the clinic has served over 750 patients per year, providing primary care, counseling and information for the community of the South Park Inn Shelter, in Hartford's south end.

The general medical clinic is open weekly and is staffed by hundreds of student volunteers and supervised by community physicians who donate their time. Every Tuesday and Thursday evening, clinic volunteers see 10 to 15 shelter residents ranging in age from 1 to 80 years old, with medical problems, concerns about safety, and hygiene. The primary goal of the clinic is to provide much-needed medical attention to the residents of South Park Inn, while providing an opportunity for medical students to become familiar with the special needs of a homeless population. The clinic is equipped to diagnose and treat minor medical and psychiatric problems and refer patients to area hospitals and support services when required. In addition to the general medical clinic, specialty clinics include Women’s Clinic which meets the 2nd Wednesday of each month, and Dermatology Clinic which meets the 1st Thursday of each month.

The clinic is governed by a board of directors who are democratically elected at the end of each academic year. The positions available include, director of the board, director of operations, director of student volunteers, director of resident education, director of women’s clinic among others. The board meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month except the months of June and July. The board meets from 6:30PM-8:30PM to discuss and address the concerns of members of the board: concerns including, but not limited to, clinic services, supplies, and troubleshooting during busy clinic nights.

2011-2012 Board of Directors:
Annie Gao, '13, agao@student.uchc.edu
Justin Moher, '13, moher@student.uchc.edu

For a list of all current board members, visit: http://fitsweb.uchc.edu/student/southpark/index.html

Student National Dental Association (SNDA)

Promoting good fellowship and cooperation among its members and aiding in the advancement if minority students in dentistry. It furthers these through publication of a newsletter, organization of the annual conventions, liaison with other national dental groups such as ASDA, and by assisting selected minority students financially, and all minority dental students interested in becoming actively involved with other dental students.

Officers:
President: Jantraveus Merritt, jmerritt@student.uchc.edu
Vice President, Stephanie Stoddart, sstoddart@student.uchc.edu

Student National Medical Association (SNMA)

The Student National Medical Association (SNMA) is the nation's oldest and largest student organization focused on the needs and concerns of medical students of color. Membership includes more than 8,000 medical students, pre-medical students, residents and physicians. The SNMA boasts over 40 years of service and is committed to addressing the needs of underserved communities, and increasing the number of clinically excellent, culturally competent, and socially conscious physicians. UConn’s SNMA organizes Culture Shock annually, which is one of the biggest social events of the year. It is a celebration of the diverse and unique heritage of the University of Connecticut student body and is attended by many members of the UConn Health Center community. In addition to the wonderful festivities, all proceeds are donated to a selected charity. National website: http://www.snma.org/.

Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Marja Hurley

Student Contacts:
Alisha Stephens, alstephens@student.uchc.edu
Elizabeth Kariuki, ekariuki@student.uchc.edu
Sadiya Thermidor, sthermidor@student.uchc.edu