#myVUSM
Fourth-year med students reflect on Virtual Match Day and offer advice for other med students
Apr. 13, 2020—by Emma Mattson Each year, Match Day marks an important milestone for fourth-year medical students transitioning into residency. This year, we asked ten fourth years to share their reflections on our virtual Match Day, as well as a piece of advice for other med students. Here’s what they had to say. Shaunak Amin I thought...
Robert F. Miller Service Awards announced; recipients share their motivation and goals for service work
Apr. 6, 2020—by Emma Mattson We’re excited to celebrate the 2019-2020 recipients of the Robert F. Miller Award for Community Service and Engagement: Carlos Ortega (VMS1), Sarah Brown (VMS2), Grant MacKinnon (VMS3), Kaitlyn Reasoner (VMS4), and Danny Sack (MSTP). The Robert F. Miller Award was established in 2018 and recognizes five students for their commitment to service....
“This is what you trained for:” A conversation with Class of 2020 President Varun Menon on moving forward in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak
Mar. 23, 2020—by Emma Mattson We spoke with VUSM Class of 2020 President Varun Menon (VMS4) about the experience of being a medical student during the COVID-19 outbreak. Here are the words of reflection and encouragement he shared during this crisis. What reactions and responses have you heard from your class in light of the recent COVID-19...
At the Precipice of the Unknown: VUSM Alumni share their memories from past Match Days!
Mar. 9, 2020—by Emma Mattson Michael Young started looking forward to Match Day before he even entered medical school. As a college student, Young (VUSM Class of 2009) watched a recording of Vanderbilt’s Match Day. Even then, he sensed the excitement of the event and wondered what his own Match Day would be like. The event certainly...
Community-inspired Health Equity: a conversation with Dean Consuelo Wilkins
Mar. 2, 2020—by Emma Mattson “Being able to bring people together and collaborate, come up with shared mutual interests and strategies that benefit both institutions—that’s what drives me.” That’s Dr. Consuelo Wilkins, Vanderbilt professor of medicine and Executive Director of the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance, a trans-institutional partnership between Meharry Medical College and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Wilkins’ love...
Facing outward, giving back: MD Student Ambassadors offer a unique resource to new classes of medical students
Feb. 24, 2020—by Emma Mattson Third-year medical student Matt Lan still fondly remembers his interview day, which coincided with Vanderbilt’s College Cup, an annual Olympics-style competition between the four School of Medicine advisory colleges. “I just remember seeing all the students being really happy and really close with each other,” Lan said. “There were faculty around as...
“All Different Forms of Diversity:” A conversation with Dr. Kim Vinson about diversity and inclusion at VUSM
Feb. 17, 2020—by Emma Mattson Today you can find Dr. Kim Vinson seeing patients at the Vanderbilt Voice Center or developing new diversity initiatives in her office in Light Hall. But Vinson’s path to becoming an otolaryngology specialist and assistant dean for diversity affairs began more than twenty years ago, when she first joined the Vanderbilt community...
Pop-up teaching kitchen gives Vanderbilt medical and nursing students a new perspective on patient nutrition
Feb. 11, 2020—by Emma Mattson “When we come across cases of food insecurity, we want to help, but we just don’t know how.” That’s Sarah Rachal, a third-year medical student at Vanderbilt. Like many other Vanderbilt students, Rachal volunteers at Shade Tree Clinic, a primary care clinic run by Vanderbilt medical students that provides comprehensive health care...
Across the Atlantic and Back Again: How Adrian Cadar’s cardiac research took him to Germany and what he brought back with him
Feb. 6, 2020—by Emma Mattson Adrian Cadar’s passion for heart research began in an unexpected place: the fishing pond. “When I was a kid, I fished a lot with my dad. Fishing was boring, but the coolest thing was when we cut the fish open, we could actually see the heart beat for the first time,” Cadar...
Sunday Coffee Cup and Kudos with First-Year Mason Alford
Nov. 11, 2019—We spoke with first-year medical student Mason Alford on creating his Sunday Coffee Cup newsletter. Here’s what he shared about its creation and reception by fellow classmates. Tell us a little about yourself. My name is Mason Alford, and I am the President for the Class of 2023 here at VUSM. I grew up on...
Vanderbilt Well Represented at First National Conference on Medical Student Mental Health and Well-Being
Oct. 10, 2019—by Maxwell Roeske (MSTP G2) (left to right: Dean Amy Fleming, Maxwell Roeske (G2), Jackie Lee (M3), Stephanie Hadley (M4), Lizzie Flook (G3), Thao Le (G2), Dr. Michael Pilla) MSTP student Maxwell Roeske recaps the inaugural National Conference for Medical Student Mental Health and Well-Being, an event hosted by Weill Cornell Medicine in mid-September. This event...
My Research Year Out in the Medical Scholars Program
Oct. 7, 2019—by Stephanie Hadley, MS4 At the beginning of my third year of med school, I began to seriously consider applying for a research year. Having gone straight from college to medical school, I thought that doing a year of research before starting residency would be a good opportunity to gain experience in a different field...
Third-Year Reflections on Clerkship: A Letter to Second-Years
Sep. 11, 2019—by Peety Kaur, MS3 Peety Kaur, current third-year medical student, wrote the following letter to our second-year medical students as they begin their clerkship year. Reflecting on her clerkship year, Peety shares advice, encouragement, and the reminder that “time spent with patients is never time wasted. This year is a trial run at being a...
5 Tips to Make the Most Out of First Year
May. 24, 2019—Get Involved! With many groups on campus, it’s easy to find one that caters to the things you’re passionate about. It’s a great way to make friends, too! Make Time to Be Well VUSM emphasizes wellness. Remember to make time for activities you enjoy outside of the classroom and clinic. Remain Present Our early clinic...
Top 5 Places to Run Near Vanderbilt
Apr. 19, 2019— 1. Belmont + 12 South loop -probably our most popular run 2. Capitol Hill and Downtown Bridges -the capital mall is beautiful this time of year and there are 3 bridges spanning the Cumberland with great views 3. McCabe Park -easy 2.8-mile loop with a nice golf course in the middle 4. Shelby Bottoms/East...