MSTP Blog
MSTP Senior Leadership Workshop
Oct. 30, 2017—MSTP Senior Leadership Workshop Twenty-one students attended the biennial MSTP Senior Leadership Workshop on Saturday, August 26th, 2017 at Alumni Hall. The purpose of this half-day workshop is to provide continued leadership training to students in their final years of the MSTP. Before the workshop, M3 and M4 MSTP students completed a survey to assess and...
Shut Up and Write!
Oct. 30, 2017—Shut Up and Write! Have you struggled with finding quiet time to put the finishing touches on your F30 application or to finally write that manuscript? Then maybe it’s time to “Shut Up & Write”! "Shut Up & Write," hosted by Edge for Scholars (Vanderbilt's clinical and translational research career development group), creates a structured time and...
MSTPets: Part 7
Oct. 30, 2017—by Rachel Brown (G1) An ode to our furry friends who have helped us study for anatomy practicals, kept us company while we wrote our papers and thesis dissertations, and welcomed us home after a long shift on surgery. MSTPet: Luna Age: 2 years old MSTParents: Nick Petersen (M1) and Josh (honorary first year...
MSTP Celebrations – October 2017
Oct. 30, 2017—MSTP Celebrations – October 2017 Chike Abana (G3) successfully defended his dissertation entitled, “Human CMV Epitope-Specific CD4+ T Cells Are Persistently Elevated and Cytotoxic in HIV+ Subjects” (Microbiology and Immunology, PI Simon Mallal). Congratulations, Dr. Abana! MSTP students participated in the Iron Chef competition as part of VUSM's College Cup weekend! Caleb...
The Surgeon-Scientist: A Conversation With Alumni Continued
Oct. 30, 2017—Part 2: After the MSTP by J-N Gallant (M3) A conversation with alumni, including: Charles Davis, M.D., Ph.D., Class of 1991, Professor of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Penn State University David Poon, M.D., Ph.D., Class of 1996, general surgeon, Kaiser Permanente, San Diego Elizabeth Tyler-Kabara, M.D., Ph.D., Class of 1997, Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, University of...
MSTPets: Part 6
Sep. 28, 2017—MSTPets: Part 6 MSTPets: Nex (newest addition, a male Apistogramma agassizii, upper left), MCD (one of several cardinal tetras, upper right), Dino (male swordtail, with a friend in bottom center), Roe, Struvite, Wade, and friends Ages: 2 months to 2 years old MSTParent: Ben Fowler (M2) Nex’s Field of Study: Unwanted snail reproduction MCD’s Dissertation:...
Meet the New PSTP Associate College Advisors
Sep. 28, 2017—Meet the New PSTP Associate College Advisors Get to know a little bit more about the new PSTP Associate College Advisors! Avery-Cohen Julie M. Chase, M.D., Ph.D. What residency/fellowship program and year are you in? I am a PGY-3 in the Categorical Pediatrics Residency program and am currently in the process of applying for fellowship in Pediatric...
Alumni Profile: James Atkinson, M.D., Ph.D. (’81)
Sep. 28, 2017—by Rachel Brown (G1) Dr. James Atkinson Professor, Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology Vice Chair for Undergraduate Medical Education, Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology Vanderbilt University Medical Center Vanderbilt MSTP Class of 1981 After growing up in Alabama, Dr. Atkinson attended Vanderbilt University, where he received a B.A. in Biology. He then entered...
MSTPublications: September 2017
Sep. 28, 2017—MSTPublications: September 2017 Congratulations to all of our MSTP students on their successful publications! Take a look at the great work our students are doing. First Author Original Research: Dietary Manganese Promotes Staphylococcal Infection of the Heart. Juttukonda LJ, Berends ETM, Zackular JP, Moore JL, Stier MT, Zhang Y, Schmitz JE, Beavers WN, Wijers CD, Gilston BA, Kehl-Fie...
Transitioning to Medical School: Advice from the M2 Class
Sep. 28, 2017—The uniqueness of the Foundations of Medical Knowledge (FMK) phase makes it a challenge to offer advice without falling into clichés: “it’ll all be okay in the end,” “you’re doing fine,” and “just keep swimming.” Most of you have arrived in a new environment, have new responsibilities, and have left another life behind you, all before...
Tips for Conquering the Literature
Sep. 28, 2017—As a new graduate student, I struggled with identifying the most relevant papers, organizing interesting publications, and remembering why I flagged an article as “Super Important!!!” months after I read it. I’ve synthesized a few tips for taming the task: Identify relevant articles: Pick an approach for keeping up with new publications and tailor your...
MSTP Celebrations – September
Sep. 28, 2017—MSTP Celebrations – September Several members of the M2 and M1 class tested their knowledge at the Harry Potter trivia held at Soda Parlor. The M2 team (Retired Ravenclaws) placed 4th, whereas the M1 team (Witches get Snitches) placed 3rd. Graham Johnson (M1), his wife Leah, and his son Ollie welcomed baby boy Moby into...
Alumni Corner – September 2017
Sep. 28, 2017—Alumni Corner – September 2017 Stay up to date with the professional and personal accomplishments of our Vanderbilt MSTP Alumni! Congratulations to Kristen Eckstrand (’15) for receiving the Peter Henderson MD Memorial Award from the American Associate of Directors of Psychiatry Residency Training! Learn more here. Albert Powers (’12) recently had a first-author publication in...
Creation of the Alumni Committee
Sep. 13, 2017—by Matt De Niear (M4) This past year, the MSTP Alumni Committee was created to engage former graduates of the program, maintain connections between former MSTP classmates, and provide networking opportunities for current and former students. Including the newly graduated Class of 2017, 267 students have earned MD-PhD degrees from the Vanderbilt University MSTP. As...
Alumni Corner – August 2017
Aug. 28, 2017—Stay up-to-date with the professional and personal accomplishments of our Vanderbilt MSTP Alumni! Jason Metcalf (’16) and his wife, Elise Pfaltzgraff (’15 PhD in Cell & Dev. Biology), recently adopted a newborn baby girl, Eleanor, born June 28, 2017. Jason is currently a Pediatric Resident at the University of Michigan, and Elise is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Michigan....