MD-PhD Student Council

The mission of the MD-PhD Student Council is to provide broadly representative student feedback and suggestions about program activities to program leadership. Each class has, 2-3 student representatives who solicit feedback from their classmates on ways to improve the program, meet with MD-PhD program leadership monthly, and participate in planning program activities, such as, the annual retreat, recruitment activities, mentoring programs, an annual holiday fundraiser, the MD-PhD House System, and new initiatives.

MD-PhD Socials are events organized by the MD-PhD Student Council that help connect MD-PhD students across all years in the program. The events are held at least once per season (winter, spring, summer, and fall) and are an excellent opportunity to meet junior and senior students in a relaxed atmosphere. In the past, events have included happy hours, bowling nights, and a dog park social. The Student Council often collaborates with other programs including the House System, DEI committee, and PASS to plan events.

MD-PhD House System: Created in 2019, the House System seeks to facilitate vertical integration of students across all years in the program and to foster a sense of community within the program. The System is comprised of 6 Houses (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple), each with a representation of students across all years in the program. Houses meet multiple times per year for program sponsored social events, which have included brunch or dinner at student’s homes or restaurant and hiking trips. The current director of the House System is Student Council member Samuel Liburd (Samuel.liburd@yale.edu).

MD-PhD Peer Advising by Senior Students (PASS): Created in 2018 by Student Council members, PASS now stands as its own peer mentorship program within the MD-PhD program. PASS leaders typically attend Student Council meetings to collaborate on events and provide updates. https://medicine.yale.edu/mdphd/activities_resources/pass/

Annual Holiday Fundraiser: Each December, the MD-PhD Student Council chooses a local organization to support during their annual holiday fundraiser. Past organizations have included the Connecticut Violence Intervention Program (CTVIP), The Community Action Agency of New Haven (CAANH), New Reach, and BHCare. We consistently raise over $1000 yearly for the chosen organization.

For more information, please contact Student Council Co-Chairs Hannah Batchelor and Sarah Fitzpatrick.

If you are a current MD-PhD student interested in joining the committee as a class representative, please connect with the MD-PhD Registrar, Kayla McKay.