Office of Medical Education

December 13, 2024 Issue

The WeeklyWire is an official communication tool of the Larner College of Medicine. Student feedback led to its development and continues to inform iterative improvements. All non-curriculum-related email communications are directed through The WeeklyWire to help support manageable email inboxes for our students; it's a one-stop-shop for all med school happenings outside of the classroom!

Please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Medical Education with any questions.

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WeeklyWire 12/13/2024

Happy Monday!  My apologies for the delayed drop of this (sent via email on 12/16).

• THIS WEEK - SPECIAL SUBMISSION DEADLINE - WeeklyWire Winter Break Issue 12/20 – 01/03.  Submissions due no later than 3pm, 12/19, for the Winter Break issue of The WeeklyWire (Dec 20 - Jan 03). The next submission deadline will be 3pm, Thursday, Jan 09, for the following issue (Jan 10 - 17). 

FOR ALL MEDICAL STUDENTS

Community Connections 

• Dean Zehle Drop In Sessions: 12/20 12-1PM. These drop-ins are provided for students to connect with the Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education. We protect student drop-in sessions to ensure our students are able to discuss any arising issues or concerns, and to ensure your dean is always accessible to you. You can secure a 20-minute slot during the provided drop-in hours, using the Dean for Medical Education drop-ins sign-up. Please contact Colleen Case, the Executive Assistant to the Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education, if you have any questions or concerns. 
• Your Access to VisualDx is Safe: If you've received a message from VisualDx about your access expiring, ignore it! UVM/Health Network affiliates have access to VisualDx through the Libraries. For more info contact Faith Morgan, Communications Manager in the Libraries Dean's Office.
• Show Off Your UVM Spirit on Green and Gold Fridays: On Fridays. Wear green and gold and keep an eye out for Rally prowling campus and giving away fun prizes including Dunkin gift cards, Lake Champlain Chocolate & coupons, Jersey Mike’s coupons, and more! For more details contact UVM Campus Rec Marketing. 
• Survey for “Sense of Belonging”: Program directors for the FAM (Finding Affinity and Mentorship) program health professions students are requesting your help. We would love your input on your current "sense of belonging" and "sense of community" at UVM. The results of this survey will help inform future programming towards enhancing the sense of community for students at UVM.  You can access survey here. 
• Optional External Surveys for Medical Students: Rosalind Franklin U of Medicine and Science: Study on medical students’ patient-communication skills. Findings of the study will inform the development of future educational programming and curriculum guidelines for medical students. I am a doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. In fulfillment of my master’s thesis, I am conducting a study on medical students’ patient-communication skills. Findings of the study will inform the development of future educational programming and curriculum guidelines for medical students. We are recruiting medical students from accredited MD or DO programs in the United States and U.S. territories to participate in this study by taking an online survey. The survey involves responding to questions about a clinical vignette and should take approximately 15 minutes to complete. If you choose to participate in the study, you will be entered in a raffle to win one of several $50 gift cards in appreciation of your time. Your odds of winning will be 1:25. This project has been approved by the RFUMS Institutional Review Board [IRB Approval # CHP24-458]. For more info, contact Cara Simone, Evaluation and research Specialist 
• Survey for Student Health Insurance: Dean Zehle, Dean George, and the Wellbeing Office are interested in learning more about your thoughts about your health insurance. Please complete this quick survey (3- 5 minutes) to help us better understand your experience! If you have any questions, please reach out to Dr. Leigh Ann Holterman. 
• UVM LCOM-VT Campus Parking - Temp Holiday/Break Perks! :  12/16-01/12 If you have a UVM Parking Pass, you can park in most lots regardless of pass type, during these dates. Please be sure to review the full announcement to avoid confusion (/tickets) ... UVM Transportation & Parking Services 
• All UVM Administrative Offices Closed: 12/24/2024 - 01/02/2025. All UVM Offices, including the Office of Medical Student Education, are closed in observance of Holiday and Winter Break. Offices will re-open at 8am, Thursday, January 02. Please plan accordingly, and we apologize for any inconvenience. Read more about this closure and impacted services in our events calendar… 
• Moo Needed for UVM Mascot Birthday Celebration: 1/4/25, 5-6pm . Dr. Moo has been invited to attend Rally Cat’s birthday celebration at the UVM Men’s hockey game on Saturday, January 4th. Dr. Moo will attend a pre-game party before the UVM men's hockey game on January 4th from 5 – 6pm and participate in an activity during the first intermission of the game, potentially a mascot scrimmage with other local mascots attending. The College of Medicine is looking for someone to wear the Dr. Moo suit and one person to serve as Dr. Moo’s support person. If you are interested in attending Rally Cat’s birthday as Dr. Moo or being Dr. Moo’s support person, please contact Liz Dohrman  
• SAVE THE DATE! Seventh Annual StorySlamRx - "Voices in Medicine" Event: Thu, 01/23, 6-8pm (doors open @5:45). A Moth-style StorySlam for all members of the UVM-MED community (all Larner, NuvanceHN, UVMHN faculty, non-faculty physicians, residents, staff, students, etc.) and their loved ones; RSVP as an attendee and/or a prospective storyteller...For more details contact Kiersten Tavares, Medical Student Services Coordinator.

Career Counseling Opportunities

• New episode of Green Mountain Medicine Podcast : Click here to listen to this month's episode of Green Mountain Medicine Podcast. Ready for IM residency? You will get the scoop from Sofia, who's survived the grind and lived to tell the tale: How to Prep for Residency Interviews: Study the program’s vibe, know your stuff, and be able to talk about your experiences without sounding like a robot. Signaling on Applications—What the Heck is That? Gold vs Silver! Think of it as telling a program, "Hey, I’m interested in you,” without getting too desperate. How to Stand Out in Your Interview: Be yourself—seriously. Your personality is the secret sauce. Show them you’re not just a future doctor, but someone they’d actually want to work with for 80+ hours a week.
• AAMC FIRST Webinar: Public Service Loan Forgiveness: 12/20. Join us in welcoming Emma Crawford, Financial Planner, CFP®, as she breaks down the details of Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) -For more details contact Ryan Gates, Assistant Director Medical Student Financial Services 

Research Opportunities

• Re-run Research Opportunity for M2’s and M’3s:  If you were unable to attend the Research Opportunities Zoom meeting with Dr. Renee Stapleton, please view the recording of the meeting. Reach out Dr. Stapleton with any questions. Please click her for the link, Passcode #43XcHxC.
• Community Health Leadership Conference: Application Deadline 12/23. The Mitchell Wolfson Sr. Department of Community Service at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine invites you to apply for our upcoming Community Health Leadership Conference (CHLC) on March 14, 2025.CHLC is a student-run conference dedicated to enhancing community health initiatives of our nation’s medical schools through collaboration and discussion. Medical student leaders are invited to present their achievements and challenges in community health projects, network with their peers from other institutions, and engage in dialogues that further community health goals. We welcome applications for both poster and oral presentations. Awards will be given to outstanding submissions in each category. Application Link: Applicants will be notified of acceptance by January 13, 2025.Early-bird registration will be open from January 13 to January 27, 2025, at a rate of $135 per accepted abstract. Regular registration will run from January 27 to February 21, 2025, at a rate of $165. For each additional author attending the conference, there will be an $85 registration fee. Please find the conference flyer attached or visit our website for further details. We look forward to reviewing your abstract submissions! Please reach out at umdocschlc@gmail.com 
• Data + Open Science Summit/Workshop: 1/7-1/9, Patrick Leahy Building and Given Medical Complex. Sign-up for the Data and Open Science Summit at UVM in January 2025 is now open. Reserve your spot. Events are free for everyone at UVM and include • R for reproducible data analysis – a software carpentries workshop – learn how to use R for your data analysis with NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY • Open Science 101 offered by NASA • Sessions and workshops around data research methodology to help you dive deep or broaden your scope • Unconference on emerging data topics.  Attend all days or just one or two. For more details contact Patrick Payne, Quality Data Analyst. 

M1 STUDENTS (co2028) - Congratulations on completing FoCS. I hope you are getting some rest and relaxation!

• Option for summer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering: information session 1/13 ,      6-7pm  EST via zoom. Meeting ID: 952 1883 5715 . For more details contact Renee Stapleton 
• Galen V. Henderson SEED Program- Deadline for Applications: 12/15 application deadline. An 8-week immersive experience for medical students with “Stimulate Equity, Education, and Diversity (SEED)” in Organ Donation and Transplantation… 
• STUDENT LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY - CALL FOR NOMINATIONS (self-nominations warmly welcomed) – Technical Standards Annual Review: 01/19 nomination deadline (self-nominations encouraged). LCOM completes and annual review of Policy 300.00 - Technical Standards for Admission, Advancement and Graduation, and we are seeking student representative(s) to join this Committee. Do you have ideas on how we might improve this policy or know someone who could provide incredible insights on this policy? Please submit a nomination, now… 
• PNHP Medical Student Summer Internship Opportunity: June, July 2025 5-week, full-time summer Internship for first year medical and graduate health science or health administration students interested in health system organization and reform. Physicians for a National Health Program Northern New England Internship on Health System Reform Offered Remotely, Summer 2025 Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) is once again pleased to offer several paid, full-time summer internships for medical students who wish to augment their knowledge and leadership skills in the area of health system reform. Highly qualified students from other health professions and health administration will also be considered. The internship is 5 weeks long (dates TBD depending upon participants' availability) and carries a stipend of $1500. Interns will evaluate the successes and failures of US and foreign systems of health care organization in online meetings with a distinguished group of medical, corporate, and political leaders. PNHP faculty fill in gaps in the narrative, moderate discussions, and promote a seminar atmosphere. The goal is to enhance interns' confidence in advocating for policies likely to improve their patients' access to humane, affordable health care. A more complete description of this opportunity is found, together with application materials. Physicians for a National Health Program is a non-profit research and education organization of 20,000 physicians, medical students, and health professionals who support a universal, comprehensive, single-payer national health program. For details contact Ted Cody, MD Secretary.

M2 STUDENTS (co2027) - Congratulations on finishing HDRH and taking your CBSE. Please enjoy some time to rest and recuperate from this challenging semester!

• Approach to Step 1 Questions Series: 12/18, 6:30pm. This 2-part series with peer tutor Elle Cunningham will provide you with a systematic approach to Step 1 style questions and teach skills to use question stems to your advantage in order to interpret and answer questions more effectively. Link to Sign up here. For more info contact Elle Cunnigham, MS3 
• Complete the Y2Q!: Deadline 1/2/25. Enter to win PRIZES by completing the AAMC Year 2 Questionnaire (Y2Q)!We know you've been very busy and have a lot on your minds, but as you go into the winter break, we want to encourage you to take a little bit of time to complete the Y2Q if you haven't already done so. The survey takes 15-30 minutes to complete, and not only will you be eligible for fun prizes, but you will also be helping us continue to improve the LCOM experience for future students. Your feedback truly is important to us! If you can't find your unique survey link, please contact Y2Q@aamc.org. We will be drawing weekly winners before the winter break, and a monthly winner PLUS additional special prizes in the new year! Drop your completion confirmation in the box in OME or forward it to StudentCOMServices@med.uvm.edu to be entered. 
• 2025 Herbert W. Nickens Awards: Submit nominations no later than 11:59pm EDT, Sunday, January 12. $5k scholarships given to outstanding students entering their third year of medical school (co2027 student) who have shown leadership in efforts to eliminate inequities in medical education and health care... 
• New Step 1 Peer Support Group Series: 01/15, at 6pm, in MedED 300. Prepare for Step 1 success with our three-part series designed to guide you through every phase of your study journey. Developed by MS3's Ava Siegel and John Rustad, this new three-part peer-facilitated support series option is designed to guide you through every phase of your study journey. From getting started and organizing your approach to maintaining strong study habits and achieving a healthy balance during dedicated study time, these in-person sessions will equip you with valuable tools, strategies, and insights. Whether you're just starting to think about Step 1 or already busy studying, this series is intended to help you feel prepared, confident, and supported — in community. Sign up & Session details here. This new series is sponsored by the Medical Student Services Team.

M3 STUDENTS (co2026) 

• ICYMI last week, the meeting recording links for 1) 4^th year scheduling for students who have chosen their specialty and 2) Lottery Logistics are now available in the Advanced Integration area of the Learning Commons.
• Pediatric Grand Rounds “ College Bowl” : 12/18 8-9am Davis Auditorium https://uvmcom.zoom.us/j/123552961 and zoom (passcode required) . passcode pedsgr. Read More Here… 

M4 STUDENTS (co2025) - We are planning a rank information session on January 27 at 5PM. Please reach out to Dean Dolbec or me if you have any questions or concerns about your interview process or invitation numbers.

• Prep for Practice needs TAs!: If you are looking for a TA month, consider Prep for Practice! The Prep for Practice course is looking for 4 more TAs to work with the course directors on content and facilitation of this popular course. If you're still looking to fulfill your TA requirement (MD 1005), or if you're interested in medical education and have ideas for the course, please sign up! Contact Emma Faustner, Student Services Specialistwith questions.  
• Your Student Council and SEC are partnering to increase mentoring and build inter-class support and community connections at LCOM. Our goal is to be able to create a supportive community that will someday expand beyond our time at LCOM. Our first initiative is to increase support for M3 students as they begin 4th year planning/lotteries. The new Mentors program is an expansion of the Specialty Sibs Program and is intended to provide M3's access to advice and mentorship from M4 students in case they are not participating in the Specialty Sibs Program, change their mind on which specialty they are applying into, or want additional opinions/connections. As a Mentor, you would provide your name, contact information (email and/or phone #), and what specialty/specialties you are applying into as a general resource for the Class of 2026 to utilize and be able to reach out to you for support in planning for 4th year. This advice is not a substitution for career or academic advising, but a supplement to help pass on student knowledge. We greatly appreciate your willingness to serve in the Mentors program. If you are interested in participating, please fill out the following survey.  Click here for survey Contact LIz Kelley or Chellie Nayar with any questions.

Have a great week!

Karen George, MD, MPH (she/her)
Associate Dean for Students

Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Science

Larner College of Medicine, Office of Medical Education
University of Vermont
Given Courtyard N-100