Student Clubs
Medical students at UVA organize a wide range of student organizations centered around specialty interest groups, community service, healthcare advancement, hobbies, and wellness. Participating students gain valuable leadership skills, learn useful knowledge, and develop camaraderie through coordinating events, social gatherings, educational lectures, journal clubs, research opportunities, workshops, and volunteering opportunities. An excel sheet of existing clubs could be found here.
Club Leader Resources
The Mulholland Society provides a variety of resources and funding for our existing clubs as well as students interested in starting new organizations. These resources and how to access them are listed below.
The Mulholland Society votes on new clubs twice a year; once in the fall and once in the Spring. Please submit this new club application (https://forms.gle/M16HPyyEAmXSQRTu5) by the noted deadline. For the Fall of 2022, the deadline will be September 10th at 11:59 pm. After submitting the application, we also ask one representative from each prospective club to present the club proposal at the September Mulholland Meeting on September 21, either virtually or in-person, before new club voting begins. The Spring due date will likely be in February, but the Mulholland team will be in touch with details as we approach the semester.
Prior to submitting a new club application, please review the list of current 2022-2023 clubs (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17aCvi3g5pJxjDnK4O-t04JQRGh9Y8IzHoBsFnHEcp1I/edit?usp=sharing). If there might be overlap between your club’s mission and the mission of an existing club, please reach out to that club’s leaders to see if you could expand/join the existing club rather than starting a new organization.
If you are interested in starting a club at one campus that already exists at the other campus, please view this flowsheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zKzX6sIBVALp9jH7I6xgDo4dYibD7Flz/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116796066575659514257&rtpof=true&sd=true
A comprehensive guide to the application process and the available resources for student clubs at UVASOM is currently under construction and will be available here once it’s done!
Steps for how clubs can access funding through the Mulholland Society:
- Please submit a funding request form before the event takes place/purchases are made (at least 2 weeks for requests less than $250 and 1 month for requests greater than $250).
- The Mulholland Bylaws detail the process for funding requests based on the amount requested.
- The Mulholland Executive Board will reach out to you with a decision on how much money was approved.
- Please ensure you stay within the amount approved when making purchases as it will be difficult for us to reimburse for any amount exceeding the approved amount.
- After receiving word from the Executive Board, you can then make the purchases. Please remember to obtain itemized receipt.
- Please note Mulholland is not allowed to reimburse for alcoholic drinks.
- After the event, please fill out a reimbursement form. If possible, please try to submit the reimbursement form within two weeks of the event.
Please reach out to Daniel Soto (zrt2rh@virginia.edu) with any questions.
Specialty Interest Groups
Specialty interest groups host faculty meetings, panels, speakers, and journal clubs. Faculty members address a variety of topics related to their specialty, including general overviews, subspecialties, lifestyle issues, residency matching, and cutting-edge research in the field. Participating in specialty interest groups is a great way to connect with faculty members for mentorship, shadowing, and research opportunities.
The UVA Aerospace Medicine Club is an all-student run organization that aims to increase student awareness of and involvement with the field of aerospace medicine. We have a wide array of exciting programming, including a year-round lecture series, student-led and guided field trips to local and DC-area museums and attractions, and our SIM site partnership, which aims to increase involvement in the STEM fields among at-risk youth particularly as pertains to space and medicine. If you’re interested in joining or would like to know more about our club, please reach out to Teo Rudic at tnr8xr@virginia.edu. Thank you!
Contact Information: Teo Rudic (tnr8xr@virginia.edu)
A club for students interested in learning more about cardiology both as a field and as a profession! We have fun upcoming events such as faculty panels, workshops, and fundraisers!
Contact Information: Gauri Misra (gm5um@virginia.edu), Alper Turgut (aot3qx@virginia.edu), Srikar Tallavajhala (srt3udn@virginia.edu), Priyanka Kundur (pk4me@virginia.edu), Ajay Mehta (amm9rh@virginia.edu)
CTSSA’s purpose is to provide research opportunities and facilitate simulation-based learning for interested students. We host a variety of invited talks with surgical residents and basic and advanced surgical skills workshops.
Contact Information: Frances Morales (flm3hu@virginia.edu)
Contact Information: Varun Jain (vj3u@gmail.com)
UVA dermatology interest group is a club dedicated to introducing students to the field of dermatology and connecting students with opportunities to get involved with dermatology through community service, research, and shadowing. We host various events throughout the year including but not limited to: a patient panel, a UVA dermatology faculty panel, a “How to Write a Case Report” lecture, a Dermatology images jeopardy review, and a panel with M4s who match into dermatology. We also offer service opportunities through Sun Protection Outreach and Teaching by Students as well as the annual skin cancer screening event through the dermatology department.
Contact Information: Nicole Edmonds (nle2fy@virginia.edu), Courtney Heron (ch3vg@virginia.edu), Erica Mark (ejm5we@virginia.edu)
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The Emergency Medicine Interest Group aims to expose medical students to the wonderful world of EM. Emergency Medicine is one of the most popular specialties in medicine and, unfortunately, many students do not get adequate time in the emergency room and with emergency medicine faculty.
The EMIG is open for everyone and provides learning opportunities such as guest lectures on topics such as airplane medicine, toxicology, and ultrasound. We also provide procedural skills workshops such as suturing and plan on expanding our procedural workshops to allow students to practice intubations and lumbar punctures in the simulation center.
Communication and mentorship between EM residents and medical students is a main focus of our interest group, and students who are interested will be paired with a resident to guide them through the journey of applying to EM residency.
Contact Information: Kevin Livingstone (kl6wu@virginia.edu), Walter Banfield (whb2cs@virginia.edu), Ignacio Ognian (io8ze@virginia.edu), John Arnold (jra7az@virginia.edu), Jack Borucki (sb5kgs@virginia.edu), Laura Gerrick (vcf8em@virginia.edu)
We are a club dedicated to providing a space for students interested in the Chinese language and culture to learn and practice Chinese in a medical context. We have beginner sessions for teaching students the basics of Chinese grammar and conversation as well as advanced sessions to help students learn medical vocabulary and hone their interviewing skills. We also celebrate Chinese cultural events in order to help students better understand Chinese culture and build rapport with future patients.
Contact Information: Xiaoyu Cai (xc7fy@virginia.edu)
We are a club to provide a space to students interested in the Korean language to learn and practice their Korean in a medical context. We have beginner sessions for teaching students the basics of Korean grammar and conversation to build rapport with patients as well as advanced sessions to help students learn medical vocabulary and hone their interviewing skills. We welcome any students with an interest in learning the Korean language and culture to reach out to us at any time!
Contact Information: Xiaoyu Cai (xc7fy@virginia.edu)
The UVA Chapter of MSFC is committed to ensuring that reproductive healthcare and rights are a standard part of medical education and training at UVA. We are focused on educating ourselves and our peers about reproductive medicine, including birth control, vasectomy, abortion, and other health issues affecting reproductive health. In the past, we have held events to help future physicians learn about reproductive health and develop the skills needed to be qualified reproductive healthcare providers (IUD insertion workshops, vasectomy workshops, etc.). Together, we hope to educate and empower tomorrow’s pro-choice physicians.
Contact Information: Marissa Rayner and Emilee Hall (uva.msfc@gmail.com)
The OB/GYN Interest Group represents and supports medical students with an interest in this field. We provide access to physician mentors, educational panels, research, and other professional development activities. We welcome all students who want to explore and learn more about obstetrics and gynecology. If you’re interested in learning more about OB/GYN and/or participating in our events this year, please join our listserv here if you haven’t already!
Contact Info: uvasom.obgyn@gmail.com
The Oncology club is an ASCO-recognized organization who aims to educate medical students about current trends, research, and career paths in oncology and to offer a network between the medical students and residents/fellows as well as attendings of UVA.
Contact Information: Omar Elghawy (oe8sd@virginia.edu)
The Ophthalmology Interest Group is here to introduce medical students to the field of ophthalmology through physician panels and educational talks. We also organize opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience with ophthalmological tools through slit lamp workshops and glaucoma screenings. We always welcome any interested students to come to our events or contact us to learn more about the club and get involved!
Contact Information: Xiaoyu Cai (xc7fy@virginia.edu), Amen Nigussie (bn4xe@virginia.edu), Sloane McTavish (sam5va@virginia.edu), Brett Goerl (bag4ze@virginia.edu)
The orthopaedics interest group works to involve and immerse the student body in the field of orthopaedic medicine through faculty-led didactic lectures, journal club with residents, sideline shadowing at local sports events, hands-on workshops, and mentorship opportunities. Our hope is to expose interested students into the various fields of orthopaedic surgery including pediatrics, upper extremity/hand, arthroplasty, sports medicine, spine, foot/ankle, oncology, and trauma. To join our listserv, fill out this Google form (https://forms.gle/Z8Ha8cBsCYqMckqZ6).
Contact Information: Alexander Wahl (ajw4zx@virginia.edu) and Kristina Kurker (kpk6sdn@virginia.edu)
Our goal is to help students learn more about the amazing field of otolaryngology, as well as its subspecialties, including Head & Neck Oncology, Otology/Neurotology, Rhinology/Sinus Surgery, Laryngology, Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Pediatric Otolaryngology, and Sleep Surgery. We also hope to connect students with shadowing opportunities as well as research opportunities through the otolaryngology research database. We host events throughout the year including a faculty panel, procedural skills lab, or journal club. To join our listserv, email Hannah at hlk3fc@virginia.edu!
Contact Information: Peter Larner (pwl8p@virginia.edu), Andrew Zaninovich (atz8buw@virginia.edu), Shahzeb Hasan (ssh4yg@virginia.edu), Taylor Lear (tl4xq@virginia.edu), Will Osae (wao8yma@virginia.edu)
We as the Pathology Interest Group aim to show medical students what being a pathologist entails and the important role they play in patient care, offer educational support to students in the pre-clerkship curriculum by hosting review events for pathology-heavy systems, and connect students interested in pathology with resident and faculty mentors.
Contact Information: Natalie Hillerson (ndh8cy@virginia.edu)
The PM&R Interest Group connects medical students to shadowing, medical coverage of sporting events, and other volunteering opportunities with PM&R faculty and residents. We also offer resident-run ultrasound and physical exam workshops, as well as lectures from faculty on the field of PM&R and specific specialty topics. Our goal is to provide medical students with exposure to the field of PM&R through volunteering and educational opportunities.
Contact Information: Dylan McCaleb (dlm2sp@virginia.edu), Parker Holum (uju5pa@virginia.edu), David Lee (yum8pz@virginia.edu), Jasmine Johnson (jrj6nwy@virginia.edu)
Our aim is to provide a space for medical students interested in Psychiatry – we host talks about the specialty, opportunities to meet with Psychiatry residents, and volunteer opportunities.
Contact Information: Yi-Ting Liu (yl5pq@virginia.edu), Caroline Greer (ceg2ks@virginia.edu), Daniel Wesley (dlw2nk@virginia.edu), and Emma Craige (ekc5he@virginia.edu)
RIG is a group for students interested in diagnostic and/or interventional radiology. We provide helpful resources for students interested in exploring/applying to the specialty, hold events for career exploration, and connect students to residents and faculty for shadowing, research, and networking.
Contact Information: Julia Kariher (jrp3xh@virginia.edu)
Learn more at: https://med.virginia.edu/radiology/education/medical-student-education/radiology-interest-group/
Transplantation Interest Group attempts to advance the knowledge and awareness about transplantation among students and empower them to engage with the transplant community. Its mission is to support this vision by providing leadership, advocacy, training, education, and community-based opportunities to its members. Students will:
(1) gain a better understanding of the pre- and post-operative responsibilities of the patient and his/her medical, surgical, and organ procurement organization teams,
(2) become more knowledgeable about the field of living and deceased organ donation,
(3) become more knowledgeable about research related to transplantation, and
(4) become aware of current ethical and social issues surrounding transplantation.
Our faculty mentor is Kenneth Brayman, MD, PhD, FACS (Director of UVA kidney, pancreas, and islet transplant programs, Center for Cellular Therapy and Biologic Therapeutics).
Contact Information: Rachel Atkins (rea6kvd@virginia.edu)
Sign up for our listserv: https://lists.virginia.edu/sympa/subscribe/tigatuva
The Urology Interest Group is a student-run club with the primary goal of exposing students to the wonderful field of urology. This club aims to provide mentorship, research, and shadowing opportunities for individuals that are interested in pursuing urology. We will plan to have meetings every other month with guest lectures from the UVA Urology Department. If you are interested in learning more about urology or would like assistance connecting with urology faculty please feel free to contact us.
Applying to urology residency is a challenging process and we hope the Urology Interest Group can provide additional guidance and support for success. We will have a resume and personal statement review for 4th-year students starting each June.
Contact Information: Bahrom Ostad (bjo3sh@virginia.edu)
Surgical interest group aimed at providing students increased exposure to vascular surgery through operative workshops, research opportunities, and faculty mentorship.
Ideal for those interested in integrated vascular or CT residencies.
Contact Information: JungEun Ahn (ja5sxe@virginia.edu), Long-Quan Pham (ldp3kn@virginia.edu), Quang Le (qhl5ea@virginia.edu), Paranjay Patel (pdp2px@virginia.edu)
Advocacy and Service Groups
Advocacy and service groups host volunteering events and discussions to educate students on important healthcare topics. Participating in advocacy and service groups is a great way to connect with faculty mentors, give back to the Charlottesville community, and learn more about current issues in healthcare.
Women in science and medicine face unique challenges and obstacles that can hinder career advancement and overall success. Through panel discussions, seminars, and social events our organization strives to 1. Educate and increase awareness about the inequalities women face in medicine and sciences. 2. Prepare its members for successful careers in academic medicine 3. Develop a network of current students, alumni, and physician-scientist mentors who are available to provide guidance to students.
Contact Information: Sarah Wang (scw5dn@virginia.edu)
Learn more at: https://mstp.med.virginia.edu/current-students/student-resources/affirm/
The American Medical Association (AMA) and Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) serve as the
premiere medical advocacy bodies for national and state legislation respectively. The AMA/
MSV student chapter works with other chapters to draft and advance policy to the respective
legislatures, collaborates with local organizations to progress philanthropic endeavors, and
educates students on the systemic shortcomings of medicine. Over the last year, the AMA/MSV
student chapter hosted JAMA journal clubs, organized a naloxone and Haven clinic training,
hosted invited speakers by AMA/MSV members, organized lobby days with state legislators,
sent student representatives to both the state and national conferences, and submitted policy
proposals. Join AMA/MSV today at https://www.msv.org/membership/students/.
Contact Information: Jesse Cochran (jc6gdt@virginia.edu), Mallory Maza (hza7dq@virginia.edu)
GeriPal Club is an organization sponsored by the Section of Geriatrics for students who are interested in geriatrics and palliative medicine. GeriPal provides opportunities for networking with peers and faculty, knowledge-sharing on topics ranging from geriatric syndromes to end-of-life care, and community outreach to the older adults in our area.
Contact Information: Drew Vipperman (asv7qqg@virginia.edu), Lydia Prokosch (lsp7mz@virginia.edu), Emily May (elm3tj@virginia.edu)
For medical students and physicians, it’s important to understand the system and rules that control the field we all work in. The Health Policy Group is focused on educating ourselves and our peers (you!) about domestic health policy and health policy research. Past meeting topics have included the scope of nurse practitioner practice, healthcare views of presidential candidates, price transparency in healthcare, and the state of Virginia’s public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Contact Information: Shreya Mandava (sm2mw@virginia.edu), Rusty Hawes (rbh2equ@virginia.edu), Parker Holum (uju5pa@virginia.edu), Robert Walls (tuw2ap@virginia.edu), Krystyna Cios (kjc3wj@virginia.edu)
The UVA Latino Health Initiative (LHI) is an organization that aims to improve the health and wellbeing of the Latino community in the Charlottesville area and by doing this narrow the gap between the University of Virginia and this community. This work is accomplished through 5 different community health programs: The Latino Clinic, the Cardiovascular Initiative, the Compañeros Training and Empowerment Program, Family Health Evenings at Southwood, and an educational radio program. Additionally, the LHI has been heavily involved in staffing weekly community COVID testing and vaccine outreach efforts. More information can be found at https://med.virginia.edu/uva-latino-health-initiative/.
Contact Information: Marcelo Sanabria (qkp6fj@virginia.edu)
Mulholland Pre-med Mentoring is led by one M1 and one M2 UVA School of Medicine medical student who aim to serve premeds in the undergraduate community. We host two events per month where we discuss content from premed coursework, MCAT strategies, personal statement writing, and more. We frequently include additional guest students and faculty to help students build connections and offer more diverse perspectives.
Contact Information: Angela Wang (aw7rb@virginia.edu), Lam-Phong Pham (lnp5au@virginia.edu)
The mission of Rafiki is to foster long-term relationships with medical students and pediatric patients. Rafiki means friend in Swahili which highlights the role our volunteers play as a companion to their buddy each time they have a hospital visit. As part of the club, we match up students with a patient with a long-term, complex medical condition to provide respite for the families as well as help students gain insight in the experience of a pediatric patient and their family over time.
Contact Information: rafiki.uva@gmail.com
Club leaders: Caleigh Smith (cs9hn@virginia.edu), Natalie Goldfield (ng3dk@virginia.edu)
SCCA at UVA is a group of health professional students (from the SOM, SON, and other health graduate programs) who recognize the impact of the changing climate on human health and the inequitable distribution of the resulting health burden. As clinicians-in-training, we aim to learn, educate, advocate, and practice medicine with planetary health in mind. In doing so, we will better care for our future patients, communities, and selves.
Contact Information: Lena Bichell (lmb9tzd@virginia.edu)
Attention students interested in Health Justice! SNaHP is the student arm of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP), a 19,000-member group advocating for universal healthcare. We believe that a single publicly funded, privately delivered universal healthcare system is a necessary precondition for us to provide high quality care to all our patients and achieve Health Justice in the US healthcare system. Please contact Mark Rudolf (mar4as@virginia.edu) to learn more, and go to https://student.pnhp.org/ to sign up for a free SNaHP student membership.
Contact Information: Mark Rudolf (mar4as@virginia.edu)
Learn more at: https://student.pnhp.org/
Teen Promise Project is a club that provides evidence-based and medically accurate comprehensive sexual and reproductive education to adolescents in the community. Curriculum is approved by American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) and students teach multiple sessions covering a range of topics on healthy relationships, body positivity, and sexual health. Teen Promise Project provides an opportunity for medical students to gain experience teaching and discussing sexual health with adolescents while engaging in meaningful community service.
Contact Information: Laura Fuhr (lif3ry@virginia.edu), Jess Miele (jam7ccc@virginia.edu), Ashley Silver (as2gm@virginia.edu)
The UVA MSR is a student-run medical school journal launching in 2021. Our mission is to encourage diverse scholarship dedicated to the advancement of health, equality, and discovery. As life-long learners, we in the healthcare field are committed to creating an environment of collaboration, service to our community, and creativity. This journal serves as a means for healthcare scholars to share ideas and experiences — reaching across different disciplines, fields, and specialties to promote wellness and integrity within our community. We aim to promote the highest standards in order to solve difficult problems and uncover mechanisms previously unknown.
Contact Information: Erica Mark (ejm5we@virginia.edu)
Learn more at: https://www.uvamsr.org/about
VWI is committed to conducting evidence-based, student-organized health screening and education events in Charlottesville. These events are designed to help empower the people of Charlottesville with knowledge that will help them make informed decisions to safeguard their own health.
Contact Information: Maggie Selesky (mls9za@virginia.edu), Lydia Hanson (lvh4ucw@virginia.edu), Sarah Flores (sef2zn@virginia.edu)
Healthcare Advancement Groups
Healthcare advancement groups host faculty speakers and hold workshops to explore concepts in healthcare implementation, healthcare innovation, and high value care.
AR and VR are helping patients, providers and healthcare students see a new side of medicine. Join this club to learn more about applications, try out software (anatomy education, surgical planning, simulation, anatomical modeling, etc), and start/join projects.
Contact Information: Zuhayr Shaikh (zs8zfm@virginia.edu)
The IHI is a not-for-profit national organization focused on improving healthcare quality and safety. Our chapter was established in the Fall of 2017 by former UVA SOM students to promote quality improvement (QI) research, make changes to the curriculum to improve it or teach about QI, and have interprofessional partnerships. In addition to hosting events to discuss QI projects, we have a curriculum committee and networking committee to help fulfill our objectives. We are always looking for interested students to join the committees and work with us!
Contact Information: Chapter Email (uva.ihichapter@gmail.com), Kelley Mark (krm7pk@virginia.edu), Christie Zheng (cz3xc@virginia.edu)
Learn more at: http://www.ihi.org/
Data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning are becoming increasingly more prevalent in the medical field. These fields are not only impacting basic and translational research, but gaining traction in practice optimization and clinical-decision making. The purpose of this club is to introduce medical students to the impact that data science and artificial intelligence has on the medical field, as well as foundational concepts for interested students. We hope to provide real-world examples through faculty presentations, journal articles, and seminars that bring together experts from the School of Data Science and School of Medicine.
Contact Information: Alper Turgut (aot3qx@virginia.edu), Zuhayr Shaikh (zs8zfm@virginia.edu), Ani Chandrabhatla (ac2fp@virginia.edu)
Contact Information: Varun Jain (vj3u@gmail.com)
Contact Information: Varun Jain (vj3u@gmail.com)
As medical students, our founding team has seen firsthand how barriers in access to care create divides among people and infringe upon healthier and happier living. We have also seen how transformative healthcare innovation can be, and believe in the power of collaboration and creativity to make lasting differences.
Through strategic programming, pro-bono healthcare innovation consulting, and network facilitation, IAC hopes to play a leading role in advancing high-impact solutions that empower others with access to care.
Contact Information: Zuhayr Shaikh (zs8zfm@virginia.edu), Tien Comlekoglu (tc2fh@virginia.edu), Michael Salomon (mss2ud@virginia.edu)
Learn more at: https://www.iac-now.com/
Robotic surgery has revolutionized medicine and adoption of robotic surgery is projected to continue growing in the future.
The primary purpose of this club is to help UVa medical students stay on the cutting edge of robotic surgery through seminars, collaborations with the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences for medical design competitions, and hopefully practice simulations.
Contact Information: Ani Chandrabhatla (ac2fp@virginia.edu), Anthony Nwankwo (akn5xkz@virginia.edu), Zuhayr Shaikh (zs8zfm@virginia.edu)
3D printing of medical devices, including personalized prosthetics and catheters, and bioprinting of tissues for transplant and regeneration have the potential to change medicine as we know it. Come join 3D Printing in Healthcare to learn from experts in the field, learn basic CAD and 3D printing, and 3D print something of your very own.
Contact Information: Jasraj Raghuwanshi (jsr8ac@virginia.edu), Zuhayr Shaikh (zs8zfm@virginia.edu), David Miller (dm2ts@virginia.edu)
Identity Groups
Identity groups host events and service projects to support a culture of diversity and inclusivity at the University of Virginia School of Medicine.
AccessMed aims to serve students and faculty who identify as disabled or who are allies to the disability community as a central outlet for education and advocacy/support efforts. For students with disabilities, we provide a larger system of support throughout medical school and connection with mentors who can help them navigate school and residency. For allies, we want students to gain exposure to the diversity that exists within the disability community by providing opportunities for discussions, volunteering, education, and presentations from patients with disabilities, with the goal of improving our ability to care for future patients with disabilities.
Contact Information: Patrick Andrews (pha6ve@virginia.edu), Seth Tersteeg (smt8enr@virginia.edu)
The Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA) is a national organization that aims to bring together Asians, Pacific Islanders and others interested in the health issues that affect Asians and Pacific Islanders. We are interested in both directly promoting the health and well-being of the Asian and Pacific Islander community as well as in helping all health care workers who work with these communities understand how to care for the Asian or Pacific Islander patient in a culturally sensitive manner. Finally, APAMSA provides an important forum for APIA medical students to meet, exchange information and experiences and develop personally and professionally.
Contact Information: Felix Li (fl8du@virginia.edu)
Christian Medical Association is the local UVA chapter of the national organization CMDA (Christian Medical and Dental Associations). We exist to provide community, accountability, encouragement, and Biblical teaching for medical students here at UVA! We have weekly Bible studies or speakers and occasional social events and hang-outs. We regularly host and connect with UVA faculty and physicians to hear about how faith and medicine intertwine or simply to gain insight from those who have walked this path before. If you’re looking for Christian fellowship while in medical school, you’ve come to the right place! Anyone and everyone is welcome!
Contact Information: Lindsey Furness (wqa4rs@virginia.edu), Samuel Wachamo (sw6bj@virginia.edu)
The Ethiopian Eritrean Medical Students Association, EEMSA for short, is a cultural organization aiming to contribute to the diversity of UVA SOM. We want to promote the Ethiopian and Eritrean culture through the means of events showcasing different elements of the countries, including but not limited to their traditions, foods, clothes, and music. We also want to actively recruit and mentor pre-medical Ethiopian/Eritrean students in order to increase the number of physicians from that population. We will also make sure to touch on health disparities present in our communities, both nationally and globally, and our roles as future physicians to mitigate these issues. We have a lot planned for this organization and we look forward to involving the greater UVA SOM community to promote cultural competency.
Contact Information: Alshaday Gudina (aag5um@virginia.edu), Amen Nigussie (abn4xe@virginia.edu)
At the University of Virginia School of Medicine, we want to ensure that our focus and efforts surrounding diversity, inclusion, and health disparities at least match or exceed what is offered at other medical schools and is sustainable. The inclusion and identity council is tasked with continually evaluating the needs of our diverse medical student population, identifying relevant campus issues around identity, and promoting an academic environment of inclusion, self-awareness, and social responsibility. The council is responsible for providing ongoing direction for programs and/or curricula at UVA SOM that support inclusive learning and promote respectful and effective communication with diverse patients and colleagues around issues of identity (examples include but are not limited to socioeconomic status, race, religion, LGBTQ+ status, genders, disability, etc.). We hope our medical school benefits from a more proactive and ongoing process around diversity that can enhance the learning experience for all students.
Contact Information: Aanini Dwivedi (ad5be@virginia.edu) and Hakeem Oufkir (ho8uj@virginia.edu)
JMSA is a student organization dedicated to connecting Jewish medical students. We put on holiday celebrations and Shabbats, as well as events connecting Jewish medical students to medical students of other faiths with other School of Medicine organizations. JMSA also works with UVA Hillel to provide our members with volunteering opportunities within the wider Charlottesville community.
Contact Information: AJ Winkelman (ajw6na@virginia.edu)
Welcome to MMA! We are looking to form a community here at UVA SOM.
Contact Information: Mazin Ahmad (sma7pf@virginia.edu)
qMD is the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) medical student organization at UVA. We work to promote awareness surrounding LGBTQ+ issues in medicine and are a source of support for queer students and their allies. qMD is dedicated to raising awareness of queer topics in medicine for the benefit of patients, healthcare providers, our community, and medical education.
Contact Info: Michael Chen (mzc2uz@virginia.edu), Joey Michel (jam8ve@virginia.edu)
Learn more at: https://students.med.virginia.edu/qmd/
Our aim is to promote awareness about South Asian culture within the medical school, and to provide a place for those interested in South Asian culture to hang out!
Contact Information: Amaal Bhaloo (ab4qr@virginia.edu)
St. Luke’s Catholic Medical Society is named for the patron saint of physicians and exists to bring together Catholic students (and anyone else!) with opportunities for worship, fellowship, and building relationships with Catholic physicians. Future plans include service projects and interfaith fellowship and dialogue. We can’t wait to meet you!
Contact Information: Havens Clark (hhc2dr@virginia.edu), Christine Huynh (cnh2nw@virginia.edu)
The Student National Medical Association (SNMA) is the oldest and largest student-run medical organization addressing the health concerns of minorities and underserved students. Membership is open to URM students as well as allies. The award-winning UVA chapter of SNMA hosts several events each semester to support members, academically and socially. Past events have included Study Strategies Workshops, Program Director Panels and Social Mixers. UVA SNMA members have also served the greater Charlottesville community through initiatives such as Discover Medicine, Sickle Cell Awareness Month, the Annual Toy Drive, Community Health Fairs, Pre-Med Mentoring and Unity Week Campaigns. There are also opportunities at the regional and national levels of the organization for SNMA members to further their leadership skills.
Contact Information: Elissa Moody (ejm5gb@virginia.edu), UVA SNMA chapter email (uva@snma.org)
Learn more at: https://med.virginia.edu/snma and follow @UVASNMA on Instagram
Hobbies
Hobby groups host events and performances to bring together students with similar interests. University of Virginia School of Medicine offers a wide variety of hobby groups with the goal of providing social opportunities of interest to all students.
We are The Arrhythmics, UVA SoM’s Acapella group. We meet Tuesdays 6:30-8:30 pm and have performances throughout the year. We have various group bonding events, including apple picking and movie nights. We would love to have you sing with us! Auditions are held once a semester. No experience is necessary. Auditions are casual, and all you need to prepare is a verse and a chorus of a song of your choice.
Contact Information: Lindsey Furness (wqa4rs@virginia.edu), MK Howard (swd7hc@virginia.edu), Toni Hoidal (phb4kc@virginia.edu)
Learn more at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBpGUPlsjCAyd5lCZTEkx9g/featured
We meet to work on art projects and socialize! This club is a space for arts and crafts in our busy lives and a time to celebrate our creativity with our peers. We paint, draw, embroider, etc as we watch movies and eat food!
Contact Information: Katheryne Chun (kqc6um@virginia.edu), Sushma Reddy (snr4pz@virginia.edu)
Our Goal: Freedom of expression & stress relief!
What we do: We host dance workshops & performances and choreograph many styles (Hip-hop, Contemporary, Jazz, Lyrical, Bhangra, Bollywood, Heels, Tap, and More!)
Why you should join: We just dance for fun – no prior experience necessary! All are welcome!
Contact Information: Ziyan Chen (zc3he@virginia.edu)
The medical school flag football league is a cherished part of UVA SOM! Usually consisting of 7-9 teams of around 12-15 students, the league runs for 8 weeks in the fall before the playoffs begin and a champion is crowned. Participation from all talent levels is encouraged by the commissioners and the rules, which support involving multiple people on each drive. See you out on the field for some fun, healthy competition!
Contact Information: Ben Robinson (bcr5us@virginia.edu)
We research plants with different medicinal uses, that can grow in the Virginian climate and are trying to create a garden on grounds for students to enjoy. We will be working with the administration to create green spaces in the med ed building and outside of it. The gardening itself is a stress-relieving activity and it will be a place of greenery and peace. Additionally, the garden’s plants will have a historical fact sheet with their uses in medicine and contribution to our history. Medical students will be allowed to grow their own plants regardless of whether they are medicinal or not. We also aim to create a butterfly garden with native plants that pollinators like in order to create a beautiful and relaxing space in the med school.
Contact Information: Sushma Reddy (snr4pz@virginia.edu), Steven Neal (smn2gzk@virginia.edu)
A club for med students who like to go outside to climb, run, kayak, and more! We have weekly meetings on Tuesdays at 7 PM to climb and hang out at UVA’s Slaughter Recreation Climbing Center. We usually hold an outdoor event once a month.
Join our listserv here: https://lists.virginia.edu/sympa/subscribe/som_outdoor_adventures?previous_action=infohttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15YalfwzlEXt5Q3Wf-MTHzIi6bVS0o7CMYd273reiEVM/edit
Follow our Instagram: @UVAMedOutdoorAdventures
Contact Information: Mallory Maza (hza7dq@virginia.edu), Moritz Lange (nzx2bh@virginia.edu)
Interested in crafting with a fun group and giving back to the UVA community? Want to learn something new? Join Procrastiknitters! Throughout the semester, we’ll send out project ideas that you can work on to donate or keep. We’ll have social events to work on projects and learn new skills! To join our listserv, email Hannah at hlk3fc@virginia.edu!
Contact Information: Hannah Kenny (hlk3fc@virginia.edu), Grace Forster (glf5gg@virginia.edu), Xiaoxiao Cai (xc7fy@virginia.edu), Kelley Mark (krm7pk@virginia.edu)
The SOMdance Film Club is a UVA School of Medicine organization created to provide movie-related activities for all students interested in film. Every few months, the Film Club screens a movie for students and holds a discussion afterward. Movies are chosen based on student interest and some showings are co-sponsored with other organizations in the School of Medicine including the UVA Medical Alumni Association and APAMSA.
Contact Information: AJ Winkelman (ajw6na@virginia.edu)
This group was created in the hopes of bringing medical students together through a common love of the sport, no matter the skill level. The group has courts booked on a regular basis, and events planned for watching tennis open’s together. We’d love to see you on the courts!
Contact Information: Sunny Murthy (sm3ma@virginia.edu)
Sign up for the listserv at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeflXFawsoDETQr7Hw9NG8hVvP_dtG4ONgbSxPtW1l0R7P-jQ/viewform
The Virginia Medical Strength club is proud to announce that UVA SoM is once again the strongest medical school in the country! We have yet to be challenged on that front. VMed Strength is UVA SoM’s hub for all things physical fitness. We have moved to a new space in the old Elson Student Health building that is outfitted for all types of physical activity and open to all medical students, regardless of self-proclaimed fitness ability. We offer a variety of small group fitness classes and personal training, free of charge, run by medical students for medical students.
Contact Information: Danielle Rinaldi and Najwa Labban (vmed.strength@gmail.com)
Wellness and Humanities
Wellness and humanities groups host relaxing events that promote student wellness.
Mission: Cultivate the minds of young introverts and literary intellectuals.
What we ACTUALLY do: READ BOOKS! The SOM Book Club selects 1 book each month to read and discuss. We read a variety of genres including biographies, mystery, fantasy, classics, science fiction, plays, and more!
Contact Information: Feven Gezahegn (fzg7g@virginia.edu), Sushma Reddy (snr4pz@virginia.edu)
CALM is a student group at V-Med that seeks to promote wellness in the medical school community through group activities and retreats (yoga, meditation, potlucks, social gatherings, bringing positive vibes). We provide opportunities to improve the community around us and contribute ideas to the UVA Wellness Committee. Our goal is to provide healthy outlets to deal with the stressors of medical school and prevent burnout. We do this through retreats, hosting panels on a variety of topics, and guiding our peers on meditation and mindfulness techniques that work best for them. We have a listserv that we reach out to our members with but we often use the class listservs for our larger events.
Contact Information: Jeffrey Bellinger (jrb6dup@virginia.edu), Alexander Wahl (ajw4zx@virginia.edu), Amber James (alj5xq@virginia.edu), Mannet Dhaliwal (mkd7jtz@virginia.edu), Nancy Shen (nws2gh@virginia.edu), May Saito (ms5uq@virginia.edu), Jessica Miele (jam7ccc@virginia.edu), Troy Sterling (tes7nc@virginia.edu), Nicole Calautti (nmc7zf@virginia.edu)
Veritas is the University of Virginia School of Medicine’s arts & literary magazine. Published annually in the spring since 1994 and student-edited since 2000, Veritas showcases original writing, art, and photography by UVA medical students. In addition to the magazine, our organization holds an annual winter art exhibit open to the public, and sends art/writing prompts and creative content published in a quarterly newsletter.
Instagram: uva_veritas
Contact Information: Sushma Reddy (snr4pz@virginia.edu) and Caroline Greer (ceg2ks@virginia.edu)
Learn more at: www.veritasmag.org