Programming & Student Committees

The goal of the MSTP Alumni Relations Committee is to engage current and former Vanderbilt MD/PhD trainees with programming aimed at building interprofessional connections and a sense of community within the physician-scientist field. We accomplish this goal by helping to coordinate a meet-up event during VUSM Reunions to facilitate mentorship between current students and alumni, to organize educational events including alumni-led seminars, and to host periodic social outings for students and alumni alike. 

Leadership 

TBD

The mission of the Vanderbilt Chapter of the American Physician Scientists Association (APSA) is to develop the careers of physician-scientists via networking at the local, regional, and national levels and to inspire others to pursue careers in research through community outreach and undergraduate mentoring. During their two-year commitment, the APSA representatives meet monthly to invite innovative and engaging speakers to the Physician-Scientists Speaker Series, and attend the annual AAP/ASCI/APSA Joint Meeting in Chicago. The MSTP student body elects the incoming Representative-Elect during the annual MSTP retreat.

Leadership
Thomas Clarity (APSA Representative) and Emma Fritsch (APSA Representative-Elect)

Each year, the members of the G2 class assume the responsibility for planning the upcoming MSTP retreat. The goal of this retreat is to welcome in the new M1s, to celebrate program transitions (G1 white coat ceremony, M4 graduating students), and to learn about the science of upper-level graduate students. The members of the G2 class decide the retreat location, theme, and keynote speaker, and are able to alter retreat programming to reflect the values and interests of their class. As such, each MSTP retreat reflects the members of the G2 class and illustrates how each individual class integrates with the entire program.

Leadership

Michael Valencia and Channing Chi (co-chairs)

Data, Ideas, & Beverages (DIB) is our weekly summer seminar series that features graduate phase students giving 30-45 minute TED-style talks on topics including research in progress, exciting side projects, a review of core facilities at Vanderbilt, scientific topics of interest, didactics like biostatistics and personal journeys. DIB serves to introduce new students to various labs and all that Vanderbilt has to offer. This is also a time to allow fellow G-phase students to update colleagues on a couple of pieces of data, seek out advice on how to interpret a tricky figure or curious result, and tell their story.

Leadership
Cass Atzrodt and Katie Caja

The College Advisory Board (CAB) is the cornerstone of the MSTP Advising College System and is responsible for organizing activities geared toward developing strong relationships and vertical mentorship within each college. An elected G2 and G1 representative from each college organize CAB Days for 4-5 days per academic year that facilitate group discussions centered on a broad range of topics spanning from faculty/mentor-led career talks to skill workshops. Representatives also help plan college outings and social events. A CAB President coordinates the efforts of the CAB by organizing an annual meeting with faculty mentors and the MSTP leadership team and maintaining open lines of communication throughout the year as needed.

Leadership
CAB President – Thomas Clarity
Avery-Cohen CAB leaders – Mason Lee and David Nemoto
Edwards-Goodpasture CAB leaders – Alex Lombardo and Emma Fritsch
Stahlman-Thomas CAB leaders – Andrea Liu and Channing Chi
Sutherland-Watkins CAB leaders – Ezechukwu Nduka and Cass Atzrodt

The MSTP Communications Committee is responsible for generating content for the Vanderbilt MSTP website, managing MSTP social media accounts, and publishing the monthly MSTP Newsletter. Our content supports the larger goals of the MSTP: fostering critical thinking, broadening scientific backgrounds, providing career development advice, and maintaining a work-life balance. Another goal of the Communications Committee is to bring the MSTP together as a community by involving MSTP alumni and prospective students.

Leadership
Anvith Reddy and Dayle Wang

Contact
mdphd@vanderbilt.edu

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The goals of the MSTP Individual Fellowship Mock Study Section are (1) to provide actionable feedback on central fellowship documents to students applying for grants and (2) to provide a training opportunity for senior MSTP students to learn how grants are reviewed at study section. Grants are reviewed by at least one senior MSTP student and one faculty member according to NIH guidelines and discussed in a formal study section. Mock study sections are convened for each of the three major NIH individual fellowship submission deadlines.

Leadership
Reilly Fankhauser and Landon Clark (co-chairs)

The MSTP Leadership Workshop I Committee is responsible for the curriculum development and organization of the biennial Leadership Workshop for G1/G2 students. The goal of this workshop is to provide formal instruction on leadership competencies fundamental to the physician-scientist career path.

Leadership
Kevin Zhang, Thomas Clarity, Claire Hanson, and Peyton Hickman

The MSTP Leadership Workshop II Committee is responsible for the curriculum development and organization of the biennial Leadership Workshop for senior level MSTP students (G4/G5+/M4). The goal of this workshop is to revisit leadership concepts introduced in Leadership Workshop I and focus on leadership skills necessary for the next steps in the physician-scientist career path (clinical team dynamics, leading a team, career transitions).

Leadership
Bruno Hidalgo and Anvith Reddy

The goal of the Outreach Committee is to engage with our community by developing outreach, service, and mentorship programs and to introduce children in Nashville and the surrounding areas to science and medicine topics and careers. We accomplish this through the four main components of Outreach Committee activities, which are Mini-MSTP, Vanderbilt and community outreach, high school and pre-med mentoring, and other service opportunities.

Leadership
Hannah Giannini

The MSTP Seminar Series is the flagship course of the Vanderbilt Medical Scientist Training Program. It is a student-driven seminar course guided by Advising College faculty preceptors. The seminar series is interdisciplinary in scope, with topics drawn from all areas of biomedical research. The primary focus is on cutting-edge, discovery-based and hypothesis-driven research. Guided by the faculty preceptors and topic-specific experts, students in the MSTP have primary responsibility for choosing the publications to be presented as centerpieces of the seminars. More advanced students are asked to serve as mentors before, during, and after the presentations.

The Seminar Series Planning Committee coordinates with the MSTP Leadership Team and College Leaders in organizing, scheduling, and managing weekly seminar events while developing and introducing new initiatives within the MSTP Seminar Series. Members meet several times during the summer and once in the winter to complete planning activities, and actively respond to issues and feedback that arise within the Seminar Series during the year. 

Leadership
Aamina Dandy and Cass Atzrodt

Check the MSTP Calendar for upcoming seminars

The Southeastern Medical Scientist Symposium (SEMSS) is an American Physician Scientists Association (APSA) regional meeting that brings together aspiring physician scientists from schools around the southeastern United States. The focus of this event is to provide networking opportunities and expand upon the career development knowledge of MSTP students, educate undergraduate students interested in MSTP programs, and share the interesting science that both undergraduate and MSTP students are involved in. We feature outstanding plenary and keynote speakers, representing the best and newest ideas in fundamental, clinical, and translational science. We are proud of 15 years of fostering a collaborative and interdisciplinary educational environment for biomedical science trainees within the region.

Leadership
Gabby Longway and Sara Stiens (Co-Chairs)

http://www.southeasternmdphd.org/
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The MSTP Student Advisory Committee (SAC) is a student-run board that meets monthly with the mission to resolve arising problems, address important questions, and to facilitate programming in the MSTP. It is composed of the MSTP Leadership Team and three student representatives from each MSTP class (Table 3). Anonymous feedback survey can be found here.

Chair: The individual who served as Chair-Elect during the previous academic year will serve as Chair of the SAC for the next academic year.

Chair-Elect: The Chair-Elect will ideally begin this position during their G1 or G2 academic year and will serve a two-year term (first year as Chair Elect, second year as Chair).

Representatives: There are three student representatives per class. Each representative is expected to serve a two-year term. The M1 cohort selects representatives from within their class and then are appointed by representatives at the end of their term. Approximately, all students in the MSTP are expected to serve on SAC at some point.

Leadership
Emma Hope (SAC Chair) and Claire Hanson (SAC Chair-Elect)

The goal of the MSTP Wellness Committee is to address the mental, emotional, and physical health needs specific to the MSTP community. The committee serves to enhance the wellness of the student body through programming aimed at decreasing stigma, increasing exposure to resources, and educating about the challenges facing physician-scientist trainees.

Leadership
Chris Guan

The Women in Training (WIT) committee is dedicated to supporting women training in the physician-scientist career pathway. Through the lens of service, advocacy, and leadership, this sub-committee organizes events to foster connection among students and identify career opportunities and obstacles, with the goals of increasing retention among female physician-scientists and promoting long-term career success.