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Student Interest Groups

All YSM student interest groups are open to all YSM students (MD, PA, and MD-PhD).

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African Health Professionals Interest Group (AHPIG)

The mission of the African Health Professionals Interest Group is to facilitate discussion and collaboration among medical, nursing, PA and public health students with an interest in healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa(SSA). Our goal is to promote, embrace and celebrate the diversity in African cultures, explore SSA healthcare systems and connect students with potential mentors.

Examples of Activities:

  • Welcome Event
  • African Health Today Round Table Discussions

Contact:

AI in Medicine

We aim to provide students with early exposure to AI in medicine, create awareness and address concerns about the 'new' advanced technology that is already or will certainly reach all areas of medicine, and prepare strategies or create initiatives for students to get actively involved with AI in medicine through research projects or other means.

Examples of Activities: We host a monthly speaker series in conjunction with the Biomedical Informatics & Data Science Group. We also help students get involved with research, attend conferences, and get them connected to different groups at YSM and YNHH working on AI applications to medicine.

Contacts:

Allergy Immunology Rheumatology Interest Group

AIR aims to connect students interested in the fields of allergy, immunology, or rheumatology with relevant faculty and clinical/research opportunities. We will cover a range of topics, exploring everything from immune system mechanisms to autoimmune diseases and cutting-edge immunobiologic therapies.

Contacts:


American Medical Student Association

AMSA is a national student-led organization that advocates for equitable health care. Chapter Leaders engage with the national organization, plan chapter events, and develop initiatives they are passionate about. Past leaders often continue their passion projects after transitioning chapter leadership.

Examples of Activities:

  • Hosted Innovation Networking Night, a university-wide venture and med tech networking night with YSM, YSPH, YSN, in collaboration with the Tsai Center for Innovative Thinking and the Solomon Center for Health Law and Policy
  • Funded a semi-finalist team to compete at AMSA’s annual national medical simulation competition (Future Physicians for Change conference, Phoenix, AZ)
  • Published research on national gun control and voting laws
  • Advocated for resident unions and disability rights for medical students
  • Hosted a theater for social change performance on abortion care at Future Physicians for Change conference, Phoenix, AZ
  • Conducted women's health sessions on abortion care at YSM
  • Hosting a documentary film screening of At Your Cervix and panel discussion in collaboration with the Office of Medical Education at YSM

Contacts:

Anatomy Teaching Program (ATP)

ATP is a science enrichment program in which YSM students teach basic anatomy to high school students from Hill Regional Career High School. Activities range from observation of dissected cadavers to examination of slides in histology laboratories to exploration of virtual anatomy iBooks.

Contacts:

Anesthesia Interest Group

Anesthesia Interest Group is a student interest group sponsored by anesthesia interest mission is to raise strong interest in anesthesia among the newer students, provide connection between faculty/resident mentors, host events to advertise ongoing, active, exciting research in the department, and also hold a anesthesia simulation workshop where you get to learn procedures like endotracheal intubation, IV line placement and A-line placement.

Examples of Activities:
  • One event that has the most interest is our anesthesia simulation workshop. This is mainly run by the anesthesia department here with huge thanks to the residents. We get to learn how to practice endotracheal and nasotracheal intubation, listen to lung sounds to make sure the intubation tube is on the correct space, and learn to place IV and central line.
  • Another interesting event we held was a career panel offered to second year students, with faculties from various different backgrounds and specialties talking about why they chose anesthesia.
  • And of course, there is the usual research meet and greet! We invite a lot of faculties (~8) who are all very heavily active in field of anesthesia research.

We welcome everyone with any kind of interest in anesthesia!! Everyone is very kind and welcoming, and we will provide plenty of free food for the event! We also welcome new ideas, so please don't be shy in letting us know your thoughts! Sometimes, grass is ACTUALLY GREENER on the other side.

Contacts:

Bioethics Interest Group

The Bioethics Interest Group (BIG) is a student-run interest group, serving as a resource for medical students, and students across Yale University, who are interested in the ethical challenges faced by patients and by those who work in healthcare and medical research. In collaboration with the Program for Biomedical Ethics, we host lectures, discussions, and small group seminars with experts from across the country. Members of BIG actively support each other in connecting with potential mentors, as well as finding ways to engage in research and clinical ethics. Central to BIG's mission is encouraging respectful disagreement among students, learning from the historical failures of bioethics, and working towards a future more ethical than the one we inherited.

Contacts:

Cancer Student Interest Group

The Cancer Student Interest Group (CSIG) works closely with the Yale Cancer Center to expose students to oncology and the oncological subspecialties. We coordinate events that seek to connect students with ongoing research, faculty mentors, and shadowing opportunities.

Contacts:

Cardiovascular Interest Group (CVIG)

Our mission is to connect medical students to structured means of finding opportunities for volunteering, research, shadowing, and learning in the field of cardiology. We aim to cultivate a relationship between medical students and residents, fellows, and attendings who are working or interested in the field.

Examples of Activities: Cardiovascular Faculty Meet-and-Greet, Cardiovascular Research Mentor Meet-and-Greet, CVIG MS1 Introduction Dinner

Contacts:


Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Interest Group / Donald J. Cohen Mentorship Program

The Donald J. Cohen Mentorship Program/Child Psychiatry Interest Group is sponsored by the Yale Child Study Center and designed to expose medical students to the field of child development and psychiatry. We strive to foster an interest in pediatric medicine and psychiatry through a variety of events, as well as through mentoring relationships with physicians in the Child Psychiatry Department.

Examples of Activities:

  • Opportunities to hear from, learn from and network with child psychiatrists
  • Opportunities to travel for child psychiatry focused conference

We would be very excited to be there for any students, especially those interested in child development and children's mental health. The Child Study Centre is a fantastic department with plenty of supportive resources for interested students. Yale is a global leader in psychiatry and child psychiatry, so it is a great place to explore these interests. You do not need to be committed to a career in child psychiatry to enjoy these opportunities!

Contacts:

Claudia Thomas Orthopaedic Society

Mission:

The Claudia Thomas Orthopaedic Society is an organization committed to increasing representation and opportunities for women through outreach and community engagement efforts in the field of orthopaedic surgery. All health professions students of any gender identity are encouraged to join.

Contacts:


Comics and Care

Comics in Care is dedicated to exploring the dynamic intersection of storytelling, art, and medicine through graphic narratives. Our mission is to cultivate a community where students can engage with Graphic Medicine as a tool for education, empathy, and empowerment. Examples of activities 1. Graphic Medicine Book Club: Regular meetings to explore and discuss graphic narratives that highlight diverse experiences with health, illness, and care 2. Creative Workshops: Hands-on sessions led by medical and arts faculty, guiding students to craft their own medical comic strips 3. Insightful Lectures: Talks by leaders in Graphic Medicine, offering insight into the field’s impact on healthcare and education

Contacts:


Committee on the Wellbeing of Students

The mission of the YSM Committee on the Well Being of Students is to foster an environment of healthy and sustainable living among students at YSM.

Examples of Activities:

  • Study breaks before each Qualifier, usually with dinner, snacks, sheet masks, etc.
  • Fall/Spring Warmups (we pair up students to meet/hang out)
  • M2 Pre-Wards Advice Dinners (Top 10 and Wellness Stations)
  • Valentine's Day Candygrams
  • We also work closely with YSM Mental Health and Wellness to offer student input and determine what types of events/classes are offered and when.

Contacts:

Connecting Through Art

Our goal is to enhance patient care and medical education through student-led arts and humanities initiatives.

Examples of Activities:

  • An Art x Medicine tour at Yale Art Gallery with gallery fellows
  • a Graphic Memoir Workshop exploring how graphic medicine can be used for personal narrative, op-ed, patient education and medical education,
  • portrait drawing workshop led by MFA students

We would love to welcome anyone with an interest in art appreciation!

Contacts:

Creative Writing Workshop

Creative Writing Workshop is a bi-weekly series of sessions led by Dr. Lorence Gutterman, physician, author, and playwright. The workshops aim to develop your lyrical prose and poetry writing while also enhancing empathy.

Contact:

Cushing Society

The mission of the Cushing Society is to foster a direct educational and research interface between Yale undergraduates and medical students with neurosurgery residents and faculty. To accomplish this, the Cushing Society is dedicated to: Building a mentoring network and community that spans all levels of neurosurgical training and interest, allowing students access to work closely with neurosurgeons and scientists. Connecting interested, dedicated students to basic science and clinical neurosurgery laboratories to spearhead research projects aimed at pushing our field forward.

Contact:

Dermatology Interest Group (DIG)

The Dermatology Interest Group (DIG) is a student-run organization committed to providing volunteering, networking, and research opportunities to medical students interested in a career in dermatology.

Examples of Activities:

  • Dermatology Research Panel
  • Dermatology Match Panel
  • Medical Student and Dermatology Resident Dinner at BAR

Contacts:

Diagnostic Radiology Interest Group

The Yale Diagnostic Radiology Interest group aims to help medical students learn more about diagnostic radiology through shadowing, small workshop sessions, and other hands-on activities.

Examples of Activities:

  • Radiology Mixer
  • Match Panel
  • skills nights

Contacts:

Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine Interest Group

The mission of the Diving & Hyperbaric Medicine Interest Group is to facilitate exploration and interest in diving and undersea medicine among medical students. We strive to give medical students exposure to this unique specialty by introducing them to faculty mentors within the field, connecting them with similarly interested peers, and providing opportunities for hands-on learning.

Contacts:

Emergency Medicine Interest Group (EMIG)

Yale's EMIG is a student-run organization that serves Yale School of Medicine. Our aim is to provide opportunities to students interested in Emergency Medicine to explore career options, network with professionals in the field, and gain hands-on experiences through workshops and volunteer opportunities. Most importantly, we hope to foster an engaging and supportive community for people interested in EM at all stages of training!

Examples of Activities:

  • Skills Workshops
  • Space Medicine Panel
  • Faculty Speed Mentoring
  • EM Match Panel
  • Stop the Bleed (joint with surgery)

Contacts:

Endocrinology & Diabetes Organization (ENDO)

Our goal is to connect students interested in endocrinology and diabetes with faculty, clinical experiences, and research opportunities to further explore and develop their interest.

Contacts:

Family Medicine Interest Group

The Family Medicine Interest Groups aims to expose Yale medical students to the many facets of the family medicine specialty.

Contact:

Food is Medicine (FiM)

The mission of Food is Medicine (FiM) is to increase awareness about the use of food as an integral part of patient care to specifically address chronic disease and health-related disparities. In pursuit of this goal, FiM is committed to: (1) creating a community at YSM for individuals interested in understanding how nutrition is part of evidence-based, preventative clinical care, and (2) offering ways to directly impart food-related knowledge to patients.

Examples of Activities: This spring, we will host a panel with various leaders in the field to expose students to the relevance and importance of nutrition education across a broad range of clinical specialties. Additionally, we will host several culinary medicine sessions in Yale New Haven Hospital's teaching kitchen, where students will be able to experience hands-on learning in the kitchen, while also learning about how to combat health disparities related to food and nutrition as future clinicians.

Contacts:

Geriatrics Interest Group (GIG)

Geriatrics Interest Group aims to acquaint healthcare students to the needs of older adults, who are an underserved population and will increasingly comprise a larger fraction of the patient population over the coming decades.

Examples of Activities:

  • Film screening showcasing the impact of YMCA aquatics classes nearby
  • book club discussion with dinner featuring books such as Elderhood, Being Mortal, etc.
  • case workshops to understand how to care for patients who are older adults

Contacts:

Global Health Interest Group (GHIG)

The Global Health Interest Group (GHIG) exists to support students interested in global health issues, going abroad, collaborating with international students and faculty, research, and obtaining the Global Health Certificate. We work closely with the Office of Global Health Education to publicize fellowships for global research, inform students about global clinical electives, organize socials with visiting international students, and collaborate with residents and faculty to host events. Through various opportunities for research, advocacy, and leadership, we hope to help students better understand the various ways in which we can ethically and responsibly partake in global health.

Examples of Activities:

  • Global Health Ethics Panel
  • Global Health Research Night
  • Yale Global Health Students United for Regional and Global Education (YGH SURGE) Program

The Global Health Interest Group is unique from many other interest groups since it is part of the Student Coordinator role in the Office of Global Health Education. This means that we interact much more closely with admin and faculty to organize or publicize almost all global health opportunities and events available to medical students and have a greater role in shaping the culture around global health at YSM.

Contacts:

Global Surgery Interest Group

To provide a network and foster collaboration between global surgeons and aspiring global surgery trainees.

Contacts:

HAVEN Free Clinic

The HAVEN Free Clinic (“HAVEN” or “the Clinic”) is a student-run health clinic partnered with Yale Medicine (YM) and Yale University. The mission of the HAVEN Free Clinic is two-fold: To serve as a sustainable free clinic that provides uninsured adults in the City of New Haven with primary care, wellness education, and assistance in securing health care. To educate Yale health professional students about primary care and the value of working in health care teams; to allow students to gain experience in community health; and to expose students to the challenges of managing patient care with limited resources.

Contact:

Healthcare Enthusiasts Assembling Remarkable Trivia Sessions

HEARTS seeks to build community among health science students through trivia session and foster the life-long pursuit of knowledge and the joy of learning.

Contacts:

Healthcare Policy Interest Group

The Healthcare Policy Interest Group (HPIG) at Yale School of Medicine aims to empower medical students to explore the intersection of medicine and policy. We provide opportunities for engagement through faculty mentorship, research, and interdisciplinary collaborations across departments at Yale working at the forefront of health policy. By fostering discussions on healthcare systems, legislative issues, and reform, we seek to cultivate a community of future leaders committed to advancing equitable and effective healthcare policies.

Contacts:

Health Economics & Policy Interest Group

Health Economics & Policy Interest Group is a student organization dedicated to examining how economic forces and policy decisions impact healthcare access, quality, and cost. Our mission is to equip future physicians with a deeper understanding of healthcare financing, reimbursement models, and policy frameworks that shape patient care and the medical profession. Through interactive discussions and expert-led panels, we provide students with the tools to critically engage with healthcare reform and advocate for evidence-based policy solutions. Examples of Activities: Guest Speaker Series: Experts in health policy, hospital administration, and health economics discuss pressing challenges such as value-based care, insurance reform, and physician reimbursement. Physician leaders from various fields will share their experiences on how to get engaged in policy advocacy, economics research, and management as a med student/physician. Workshops & Case Studies: Hands-on sessions analyzing healthcare spending, payment models, and policy implications on patient outcomes.

Contacts:

History, Health, and Humanities Working Group

The mission of HHH is to explore the political, social, and humanistic dimensions of medicine through a historical lens. Topics include, but are not limited to, race and health disparities, the history of bioethics and medical experimentation, health activism, and psychiatry and sexuality. This interdisciplinary group is open to medical students, residents, historians, and anyone interested in the history of medicine.

Contacts:

Infectious Disease Interest Group

Our goal is to connect students interested in infectious disease with faculty, clinical experiences, and research opportunities to further explore and develop their interest.

Contacts:

Internal Medicine Interest Group (IMIG)

The purpose of the Internal Medicine Interest Group is to facilitate the exploration and interest in internal medicine among medical students. We value connecting medical students to potential mentors and giving them the opportunity to learn from their peers who are pursuing internal medicine. Additionally, we partner with the CT ACP chapter to facilitate collaboration with UConn & Netter IMIG groups, and physicians across CT.

Examples of Activities:

  • Speaker dinner hosting a patient educator from the Amyloidosis Speakers Bureau
  • mentorship program connecting medical students and internal medicine residents/fellows
  • match panel a week after Match Day featuring students going to various IM residencies
  • research meet-and-greet to aid students in finding IM research mentors
  • events connecting Yale students to the ACP

Contacts:

International Ophthalmology Interest Group

The International Ophthalmology Interest Group (IOIG) at Yale School of Medicine is dedicated to fostering a community of future leaders passionate about advancing eye care on a global scale. Our mission is to introduce medical students to the field of international ophthalmology by providing them with educational experiences, mentorship, and hands-on opportunities.

Contacts:

Interventional Radiology Interest Group

The Interventional Radiology Interest Group is a student organization that aims to expose medical students to the diverse and evolving practice and training in interventional radiology. We also assist students in connecting with potential mentors for shadowing and research opportunities.

Examples of Activities:

  • IR faculty student dinner
  • faculty meet and greet
  • student research night
Dr. Fabian Laage-Gaupp is very involved in our interest group and is a great mentor for interested students!

Contacts:

Lifestyle Medicine Interest Group

Lifestyle Medicine Interest Group (LMIG) is a student-led community dedicated to exploring the six pillars of lifestyle medicine—nutrition, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, social connection, and substance reduction—as defined by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. Our mission is to empower future health care professionals with the knowledge and skills to integrate evidence-based lifestyle interventions into patient care. Through engaging events, expert-led discussions, and hands-on learning, we promote the prevention, management, and reversal of chronic diseases. LMIG is a space for students to connect, collaborate, and cultivate their own well-being while shaping the future of health care with a lifestyle-first approach!

Contacts:

Maimonides Society

Welcome to the Maimonides Society, which is a Jewish Medical Student Association for the Yale School of Medicine. The Maimonides Society aims to welcome and support students by creating a Jewish community and family. Over the course of the year, we hold classes, events, dinners, holiday parties, and philanthropic events. The Maimonides Society supports our members by helping in any way we can including connecting students to clergy, learning opportunities, services, etc on the Yale campus. The Maimonides Society continues to evolve and pursue the current students' passions from medical ethics to Jewish education.

Examples of Activities: We host events for the holidays, such as Chanukkah, Rosh Hashanah, and Passover. We also host mixers with other Jewish student societies on campus. Our internal events include movie nights and dinners.

Contacts:

Medical Education Interest Group

MEIG's mission is to encourage, empower, and support future medical educators and to provide opportunities to learn about and experience medical education as a profession. We have worked with the Center for Medical Education to establish and launch the longitudinal Medical Education Distinction at YSM that provides a structured pathway for medical students to pursue medical education opportunities, practice educating throughout their medical school careers, and strengthen applicable techniques for their future practice as educators.

Examples of Activities:

  • Medical Education Career Panel: A diverse panel of 5 medical educators beloved and respected by the YSM community spoke on their paths to med ed, opportunities available to students now, and their advice to students interested in pursuing med ed. House of Naan provided.
  • Medical Education Research Networking Event: An event for students who are interested in pursuing medical education research to network with numerous faculty members from YSM and YNHH, all of whom are conducting medical education research projects and are enthusiastic to involve student researchers. Food provided, of course!

If you are interested in medical education, look out for the MEIG emails! We send exciting med ed opportunities, information about achieving the Medical Education Distinction, future event details, and more! To join the MEIG YaleConnect, just reach out to any of our leaders.

Contacts:

Medical Students for a Sustainable Future (MS4SF )

MS4SF is a central organizing platform for medical students interested in climate change and environmental health at YSM, coordinating sustainability initiatives, curricular projects, and speaker events.

We’ll be hosting an Earth Day speaker event, co-run a climate health journal club, and are helping develop an integrated climate change/sustainability curriculum for both pre-clerkship and clerkship students.

Contacts:

Medical Students for Choice

Medical Students for Choice is an international organization of medical students and residents dedicated to integrating equitable and accessible reproductive justice education into the curriculum and works to foster the next generation of reproductive healthcare providers. Yales chapter of MSFC is a safe community to advance these goals, while collaborating with local organizations and activists, to secure comprehensive reproductive and sexual health care for all. MSFC is really special since it's a chapter of the MSFC international organization, so we're able to collaborate with MSFC chapters from other medical schools and try to enact action on a larger scale. We also collaborate frequently with Reproductive Health Equity Now (RHEN) at the School of Public Health and the If/When/How chapter at the Yale Law School.

Examples of Activities:

  • Panel with the Bad Old Days Posse (discussing the state of reproductive care in the pre-Roe era)
  • Testimonial Workshop to practice written and oral testimonies in favor of reproductive care for the CT General Assembly
  • Manual Vacuum Aspiration station at OB/GYN Skills Night

MSFC is really special since it's a chapter of the MSFC international organization, so we're able to collaborate with MSFC chapters from other medical schools and try to enact action on a larger scale. We also collaborate frequently with Reproductive Health Equity Now (RHEN) at the School of Public Health and the If/When/How chapter at the Yale Law School.

Contacts:

Med Peds Interest Group

To connect students interested in learning more about the combined internal medicine and pediatrics (Med-Peds) specialty with faculty in the field.

Examples of Activities:

  • MPIG ECHO Workshop Night
  • MPIG Case Conference Dinner with Faculty
  • MPIG Study Break with Faculty and Residents
Contacts:


Mindfulness in Medicine

The Mindfulness in Medicine Interest Group aims to explore the integration of mindfulness into clinical practice, both for our patients and ourselves. The interest group will provide opportunities to learn about programs, such as Mindfulness-Based Stressed Reduction and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, with first-hand experiential learning of the practices employed in these programs. We will delve into the clinical research on these therapies to raise awareness amongst providers. Additionally, we will discuss the difficulties and controversies of employing mindfulness-based practices, which are often adapted from different cultures and religious backgrounds, into a clinical setting. The Mindfulness in Medicine Interest Group will work to raise awareness amongst providers about evidence-based complementary treatments.

Contact:

Music in Medicine (MIM )

Music in Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine was founded to build community amongst musicians and promote opportunities to share music. All are welcome!

Contacts:

Neighborhood Health Project

Our mission is to provide health screenings and education as well as improve access to healthcare for low-income patient populations in the New Haven community. We also aim to educate and train future health professionals in the collaborative practice of medicine and community health.

Contacts:

OB/GYN Interest Group

The OB/GYN Interest Group strives to educate students about issues related to all areas in the field of OB/GYN and women's health, including maternal-fetal medicine, fertility, reproductive endocrinology, gynecologic oncology, family planning, as well as urogynecology and pelvic surgery. We seek to inspire health students to pursue research and clinical opportunities in the field through faculty shadowing and speaking events, mentorship, and hands-on skills workshops.

Examples of Activities:

  • OB/GYN Skills Night
  • OB/GYN Faculty & Resident Mentorship Program
  • OB/GYN Faculty & Student Happy Hour

Contacts:

Ophthalmology Interest Group

The Ophthalmology Interest Group (OIG) is a student-run organization at the Yale School of Medicine. The mission of OIG is to expose Yale Medical Students to the field of ophthalmology and foster excitement for the field. This is accomplished through peer-to-peer mentorship as well as faculty shadowing, mentorship, and research.

Contacts:

Palliative Care Scholars (PCS)

Our group aims to introduce students to the central tenets of palliative care including multidisciplinary teamwork, consideration of patient goals, thorough communication, and emotional support.

Examples of Activities:

  • Interdisciplinary palliative care team panel
  • Workshop on delivering bad news to patients
  • Upcoming companionship initiative where students can visit and chat with patients receiving palliative care

Contacts:

Pediatrics Interest Group (PIG)

The Pediatrics Interest Group is a student group dedicated to fostering and developing the interests of students in the field of pediatrics. We hope to give students the opportunity to interact with faculty across a range of pediatric specialties through small-group speaker series events, research presentations, and shadowing opportunities, and thereby expose students to the many ways in which they can care for children as physicians. We are excited for another great year!

Examples of Activities:

  • Resident and faculty Coffee mixer
  • Match panel
  • Pediatrics research night
  • Lunch case conferences

Contacts:

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Interest Group

To create an avenue for growing exposure, knowledge, skills and community for those interested/considering pursuing a career in PM&R.

Examples of Activities:

  • Sending students to AAPM&R each year
  • PM&R skills night (US and MSK exams)
  • patient mobility training sessions with YNHH PTs and OTs
  • resident panel
  • career night
  • monthly talks from a nationwide collective of PM&R IGs across the country over Zoom

Contacts:

Physician Admin Collaborative

Our mission is to facilitate networking and mentorship between Yale Physician-Administrators and medical students. We aim to provide opportunities for medical students to learn more about the administrator's role in the hospital and other healthcare settings.

Examples of Activities:

  • Physician-Admin Mixer,
  • Speaker series
  • Physician-Admin Panel

Contacts:

Pickleball and Prognoses

To engage in recreational activity while learning about the intricacies of medicine!

Examples of Activities:

  • Emergency Medicine x Pickleball Tournament
  • Outdoor pickleball sessions
  • Pickleball and medical case studies/review

All are welcome; you don't need any experience playing Pickleball to participate!

Contacts:

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Interest Group (PRSIG)

We aim to provide opportunities for students to do the following:

  1. Learn about the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery from attending and resident physicians, connect with attending physicians for shadowing and research opportunities.
  2. Become involved in plastic and reconstructive surgery research through the research opportunities we share through our listserv or research networking nights.
  3. Gain insight and skills beneficial for rotations and applying through match panels and skill labs.

Examples of Activities: Research networking night and match panel

If you’re interested in plastic surgery and would like to learn more about it, find research opportunities and network in an honest, collaborative environment, this group is for you!

Contacts:


Precision Medicine Interest Group (PSIG)

PMIG is a student-led organization dedicated to promoting student education and interests in precision medicine – a rapidly evolving, multidisciplinary field that seeks to tailor therapeutic and preventative care. Throughout the academic year, we will organize talks and panels from leaders in the field to help students to explore clinical, research, and career opportunities in precision medicine.

Examples of Activities:

  • Research night highlighting advances in precision medicine and connecting Yale PIs focused on precision medicine with medical students interested in joining projects
  • mentorship program matching students and leaders in precision medicine

We are currently developing new ways to bring students interested in precision medicine together to aid in collaborative innovation. We are also working together with another group to develop a lunch case workshop series featuring leaders in precision medicine.

Contacts:

Rackets and Remedies

Rackets and Remedies aims to foster wellness, camaraderie, and balance within the Yale School of Medicine community by promoting the joy of tennis. Through recreational matches, skill-building activities, and social events, we provide an inclusive space for medical students, residents, and fellows to unwind, connect, and thrive both on and off the court. Our mission is to strengthen personal well-being and professional bonds, one rally at a time

Contacts:

Radiation Oncology Interest Group

ROIG aims to promote interactive education about radiation oncology through mentorship, shadowing, research, and workshops.

Contacts:

Rising Youth

Rising Youth is a peer-led organization aimed at teaching local high schoolers about mental wellness. We believe that mental wellness is an essential skill to be taught, strengthen, and cultivated.

Contact:

Scrubs Addressing the Firearm Epidemic (SAFE)

We are the Scrubs Addressing the Firearm Epidemic (SAFE) student interest group here at Yale. Our mission is to ensure that YSM and the broader New Haven community are equipped with the skills and knowledge to tackle gun violence to prevent injury and death. We hold various events including lectures, outreach/advocacy opportunities, and gun violence research promotion.

Contacts

Andrew Schwartz

Lamley Lawson

Connor Haynes

Sara Locke

Socially Responsible Surgery at Yale

Socially Responsible Surgery at Yale is a resident and student led-organization that recognizes social responsibility as a core value of surgical practice, and surgery as an essential component of global health. This organization aims to identify opportunities for leadership, research, and collaboration in the training of globally-minded surgeons committed to surgical equity in and out of the hospital. Through our pillars of advocacy, education, service, and research, we believe in serving our local community as part of the larger global community.

Examples of Activities: Our primary project is a hospital service project in which we screen patients admitted for Emergency General Surgery for social determinants of health and help connect them with resources in the greater New Haven area if identified. Additionally, we educate patients on the floor on general post-op instructions, wound care, and dietary information. This helps support the team on the floor who may be too busy to spend additional time on patient education. Furthermore, we have a research committee dedicated to creating and leading projects specifically focused on the intersection of surgery and health equity.

SRS is an organization that started at Boston Medical Center and has spread nationwide. We are very excited about the chapter here at Yale, and are always looking for new ideas on how medical students interested in surgery can advocate for change on both an individual and systemic level!

Contacts:

Stamp Out Stroke

Stamp Out Stroke is a community outreach initiative led by the Yale Stroke and Vascular Neurology division. We are comprised of stroke physicians, nurses, neurology residents, and students. Our mission is to educate the New Haven and surrounding communities about stroke risk factors, warning signs, and the importance of receiving prompt care.

Examples of Activities:

  • Monthly, we attend senior centers to give presentations on stroke and prevention through modifiable risk factors.
  • Yearly, we run an event called Strokebusters to teach local high school students that are interested in science and medicine about stroke prevention, evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment.

We get to partner with awesome physicians, nurses, and students to spread life-saving information to our community, and we'd love to have you involved!

Contacts:

Student Interest Group in Neurology/Neurosurgery (SIGN)

SIGN fosters medical student interest in the field of neurology by providing educational opportunities to learn more about neurology subspecialties and participate in clinical, research, and service activities.

Contact:

The Ultrasounds

The Ultrasounds are YSM’s one and only acapella group! We welcome all experience levels and sing for fun.

Examples of Activities: We’ve sung at the General Internal Medicine holiday party!

We’re reviving the group since a hiatus over COVID, so anyone who is interested should please reach out and join!

Contact:

The New Haven Poverty Alleviation through Unity, Sustainability, and Empowerment Project

The New Haven PAUSE Project (Poverty Alleviation through Unity, Sustainability, and Empowerment), formerly the New Haven PAWS Project (Poverty Alleviation through Washing Soles), seeks to provide footwear and podiatric care to those experiencing homelessness and extreme poverty in New Haven. The PAUSE Project engages the greater Yale community in events centered around foot health, including foot washing services and shoe, sock, and hygiene kit giveaways.

Contacts:

  • Ryan Sutherland
  • Stacy Uchendu
  • Christina Pantzer
  • Carlos Hernandez- Castillo
  • Ezra Otto
  • Allie Webster
The Southwick Society

The Southwick Society provides Yale School of Medicine students with mentorship opportunities, clinical education, and tactile exercises to prepare them for a future career in orthopaedic surgery. Learn more about our group on our webpage.

Examples of Activities:

  • Sawbones Event - Students will first be exposed to the different types of bone healing and fracture fixation and then have a hands-on opportunity to fix some common orthopaedic fractures.
  • Orthopaedics is Awesome Event - A seminar introducing students to the field of orthopaedic surgery, the eight different sub-specialties within orthopaedics, and the surgeons within the Yale Orthopaedic Community. We also provide students with a ten step plan of how to become an orthopaedic surgeon.

Contacts:

The Hippocratic Society

Our mission is forming and sustaining medical professionals and students in the practice and pursuit of good medicine. Medical education often ignores the task of moral formation. We emphasize cultivating virtues that characterize good medical practice. Medical ethics often prioritize patient autonomy and third-party expectations at the expense of good clinical judgement. We seek to discern and do what good medicine requires, thereby fulfilling our healing profession. Corporatization of healthcare often reduces practitioners to interchangeable service providers, thus contributing to a crisis of medical morale. We embrace medicine as a sacred profession, helping practitioners flourish while pursuing their patients genuine good.

For more information about HippSoc, see the official website: https://hippsoc.org/.

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Urology Interest Group

Provide Yale medical students with an early exposure to the great field of Urology and connect interested students with faculty for mentorship, research, and shadowing.

Examples of Activities:

  • Surgical Skills Fair - often attended by 100+ medical students this is our biggest annual event - students rotate through workshops where they learn surgical and urologic techniques from faculty ranging from suturing to ureteroscopy and vasectomy.
  • Radiology Teaching Night - An annual event where Yale Urology faculty members walk medical students through the basics of interpreting imaging and diagnosing urologic diseases
  • Research Night - a night where Urology faculty members present their ongoing research projects and specific opportunities for interested medical students to get involved/get publications. Presentations are followed by dinner and an opportunity to mingle with faculty

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Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Interest Group (VESIG)

The Yale Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Interest Group (VESIG) provides medical students with early exposure to the specialty of vascular surgery. Medical students are also afforded the opportunity to integrate into the specialty in the form of research projects, clinical exposure and simulation activities early in their medical career.

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More Information about VESIG

Volunteers in Pediatrics

Volunteers in Pediatrics is a collaboration between the pediatric cystic fibrosis (CF), sickle cell disease, and oncology teams at Yale New Haven Hospital and students in the School of Medicine. It is an umbrella program that includes CF Buddies, Buddies and Sickle Cell Support (BASCS), and Kids in Cancer Support (KICS). The buddy program pairs pediatric patients with medical students who provide companionship and support for both patients and their families during clinical visits. VIP has been serving YNHH for over a decade and exists to create longitudinal support relationships for patients and their families.

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Women in Medicine (WIM)

The Women in Medicine interest group at the Yale School of Medicine is a group committed to promoting the academic growth of women in medicine and medical sciences. We host events for medical students to learn from and connect with female-identifying faculty and researchers in medicine at Yale.

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Yale Aerospace Medicine Student and Resident Organization (AMSRO)

We are Yale's chapter of AMSRO, the Aerospace Medicine Student and Resident Organization. AMSRO is part of the larger Aerospace Medicine Association (AsMA), which is the world's largest organization dedicated to aerospace medicine. We invite all Yale medical students to join us. We offer valuable networking opportunities through our speaker series, journal club, access to national membership benefits, scholarships, conference participation, finding aerospace medicine research opportunities, and connecting with AMSRO and AsMA members across the world. Whether you're an aspiring spaceflight surgeon or completely new to this fun specialty, this group has something to offer to everyone.

NOTE: Due to administrative constraints, participation in this group is limited to medical students; residents will not be able to join.

Examples of Activities:

  • speaker series featuring physician astronauts (Dr. Jay Buckey Jr., upcoming: Dr. Serena Auñón-Chancellor) as well as researchers in human spaceflight medicine (Dr. Mark Shelhamer)
  • journal club
  • trips to the Leitner Observatory
  • aerospace medicine simulation
  • info sessions from aerospace medicine residency and fellowship programs

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Yale Association of Women Surgeons (AWS)

The Association of Women Surgeons is dedicated to the mission of inspiring and supporting female-identifying individuals in all stages of medical training and to inspire, encourage, and enable female-identifying surgeons to achieve their personal and professional goals.

Examples of Activities:

  • AWS Surgeon Panel: Highlighting the experiences of female-identifying surgeons in medicine and providing students with time to network.
  • Yale AWS Mentorship Program: Matching student mentees with residents, fellows, and attendings in 10+ surgical specialties. Our current cohort includes 70+ participants.
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Yale Cardiothoracic Surgery Interest Group

Our mission is to help foster interest and encourage involvement in thoracic and cardiac surgery for medical students. Specifically we aim to help connect medical students to research opportunities, shadowing experiences, and mentorship in cardiothoracic surgery at Yale. The Integrated CT surgery program is still relatively new, so we would also like to introduce its advantages as a residency program to incoming medical students who may not be aware that such program exists.

Examples of Activities:

  • Research Day (Fall), where we bring together faculty/residents to present their research interests and potential projects for students!
  • Meet and Greet (Spring), social event to get to know faculty, residents and staff at a local bar!
  • Pig Heart Event (Spring), use a pig heart to learn about cardiac surgery in a hands on way!

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Yale Center for Asylum Medicine

The mission of the Yale Center for Asylum Medicine is to promote competence and compassion through allowing medical trainees to participate in asylum medicine evaluations for people seeking asylum.

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Yale Genetics Interest Group

The Yale Genetics Interest Group (YGIG) is a student run organization dedicated to exposing students to the growing field of genetics and genomics. We work closely with faculty in the genetics department as well as residents and other student groups to promote YSM medical student interest in medical genetics and its application to clinical medicine, research, and public health and policy. YGIG aims to do this through various events throughout the year such as career panel discussions, research mixers, and case discussions.

Examples of Activities:

  • Clinical Genetics Career Panel
  • YGIG Intro Meeting
  • Course Specific Genetics Case Conference
  • research mixers residents and faculty.

We're a newer group so we're always looking for more people interested in all things genetics!

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Yale Hands-On Pathology

Yale Hands-On Pathology (YHOP) aims to promote interest in Laboratory Medicine and Pathology by providing students with hands-on laboratory experiences led by Yale faculty and trainees.

Examples of Activities:

  • bone marrow biopsy simulation
  • facility tour plus resident panel with dinner
  • autopsies

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Yale Heath Professional Christian Fellowship

We are a non-denominations Christian group of health professionals and graduate students committed to living out a Christ-centered faith in medicine. Our activities include weekly Bible studies, guest speakers, social events, group retreats, worship nights, and book clubs.

Examples of Activities:

  • We do weekly Bible study series (The Character of God, The Christian Virtues)
  • weekly Christian literature book clubs (Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, A Grief Observed)
  • invite speakers to share their testimonies as Christian healthcare professionals (doctors, residents, professors)
  • hold various social events like our recent Valentine's Day and upcoming Journey of Giving retreat.

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Yale Medical Simulation Interest Group

The simulation interest group introduces students to working as a team to address acute medical problems in a simulation environment. Students learn from Dr. Samuel Buck, upper year peers, and each other. This is a great way to gain hands-on clinical experience and practice working as a team in a medical setting. At the end of the year, 1-2 teams of students participate in the Future Physicians for Change SIM Challenge.

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Yale Medical Student Psychiatric Association

Yale Medical Student Psychiatry Association (YMSPA) is a student interest group that seeks to foster interest in the field of psychiatry through events bringing faculty and students from Yale School of Medicine together. We also support student endeavors in psychiatry research and clinical experience.

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YaleMedX

YaleMedX is a student-run community aims to foster a culture of innovation at Yale School of Medicine and collaboration across Yale's innovation ecosystem.

Examples of Activities:

  • Small-group workshops
  • speaker panels
  • networking dinners
  • cocktail parties.
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Yale Ophthalmology Screening Initiative

The Yale Ophthalmology Screening Initiative is a student-led organization that is committed to promoting community eye health. The group works with local healthcare organizations to host preventative screenings and increase access to vision care.

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Yale Otolaryngology Interest Group (YOTO)

The Yale Otolaryngology Interest Group is dedicated to fostering interest, education, and collaboration in the field of otolaryngology - head and neck surgery. Our mission is to provide medical students with opportunities to explore this dynamic specialty through hands-on workshops, mentorship, research initiatives, and community outreach.

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Yale Patient Navigator Program

A student collaboration between the Yale School of Medicine, Yale School of Nursing, and the Yale Physician Associate Program, the Yale Navigator Program aims to identify and address barriers to care by connecting patients with community-based health and psychosocial resources. We value holistic, patient-centered care that respects the diverse priorities and identities of our patients. We strive to lessen gaps in current medical practice by encouraging communication and collaboration between patients, students, and healthcare and community-based resource providers.

Examples of Activities: We host monthly meetings with speakers from community organizations to discuss topics relevant to our mission and foster community building among volunteers. Volunteers work in groups of 2-4 in assisting an individual patient or a family.

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Yale School of Medicine Club Swimming

YSM Club Swim strives to provide a supportive community for swimmers of all abilities at YSM. We are dedicated to promoting health, camaraderie, joy, and excellence both in and out of the water.

Examples of Activities: weekly swim practices, swim lessons, swim meets (annual Harvard-Yale dual meet), team dinners.

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Yale School of Mileage

Yale School of Mileage strives to provide a supportive community for runners, walkers, hikers, bikers, etc. at YSM. We promote health and fitness and provide participatory events for people at all ability levels.

Examples of Activities:

  • Fun Runs with breakfast
  • Joint runs with the YLS and SOM
  • Informal races with YLS and SOM

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Yale Surgical Interest Group

Mission: YSIG is an organization for Yale Medical School students interested in exploring careers in surgery and its subspecialties. With support from the Department of Surgery, students are afforded the opportunity to become junior members of the surgical community.

Student Leaders:

Yale Veterans and Military in Medicine

We strive to provide a space for community building among Service Members and veterans at YSM, to foster mentorship from faculty with military background, and to connect YSM students with military and veteran groups throughout the greater Yale University community.

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Yale Vot-ER

Yale Vot-ER is a local branch of a national nonpartisan organization committed to improving access and awareness to civics particularly within the healthcare setting. We see healthcare as a unique avenue where many populations that may otherwise be neglected by more traditional outreach methods can be conveniently given resources and information about elections, policies, and similar. We aim to host events both within the YSM community and in the local community to achieve these goals.

Examples of Activities:

  • Voter registration drive for the YSM community, tabling at New Haven community events
  • organizing emergency absentee voting for hospitalized patients (future)

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YSM Assistive Innovation and Design

YSM Assistive Innovation and Design (YSM-AID) is a volunteer organization that seeks to assist rehabilitation patient needs locally and globally by designing and utilizing open-source 3D-printed assistive devices. The YSM student chapter is the sister organization / clinical partner to the Yale undergraduate student chapter of AID (Y-AID), in which medical students will collaborate with undergraduate engineers to 1. fabricate and donate otherwise expensive assistive devices and 2. design and innovate new assistive technologies specific to patient needs. All the while, spending therapeutic time with patients and learning more about their day-to-day lived experiences.

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YSMBee (Yale Medical Spelling Bee)

Drawing inspiration from the iconic movie, Akeelah and the Bee, YSMBee provides an opportunity for logophiles across the medical school community to gather and challenge their spelling prowess in the context of medical terminology. Spectators and competitors alike can attend the semiannual medical spelling bee, which will not only serve to foster etymological perspicacity, but also provide explanations and definitions of myriad terms across a plethora of medical disciplines. Through spelling, we strive to find the pulchritude in life and in our community.

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YSM Climbing Interest Group

To promote health, wellness, and community at YSM through climbing! To introduce YSM students to climbing and improve accessibility to climbing at YSM.

Examples of Activities:

  • Climbing at City Climb
  • Bouldering at Ascent

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YSM Habitat for Humanity

YSM Habitat for Humanity aims to connect with local community beyond Yale by volunteering with the New Haven chapter of Habitat for Humanity which supports families in need by providing and building affordable housing.

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YSM Peer Advocates

To provide a resource for medical student body to use for mental health support and resource access.

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YSM Softball

We are the official intramural softball team for YSM. We compete against other Yale grad schools on Sundays in the spring and Thursday evenings in the Summer. The team fosters community and wellness through bringing together students from all years with opportunities to play with (or against) YSM alumni and other graduate students.

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