| A | B | C | D | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Name of Organization | Student Leader(s) | Advisor(s) | Mission | Type of Group |
2 | Access Penn Med | Jessica Campanile Yehuda Elkaim Abigail Kholer Eleanor Lustig Megan Shen | Laura Ashley Stein | Access Penn Med is PSOM’s affinity group for students with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses. Our group is committed to providing an accessible and supportive community for students living the duality of being both a patient and a physician-in-training. Access Penn Med champions a social model of disability, acknowledging that sociocultural identification as someone with an accessibility need or health concern can exist outside of the confines of strict medical diagnoses. As an organization, we focus on raising awareness of and educating the Penn Med community on disability issues in medicine, advocating for relevant policy and process reform to make the PSOM experience more accessible to all, promoting outreach to the Philadelphia disability community, and engaging with faculty, staff, and students who are passionate about accessibility and disability issues. | Cultural Affinity |
3 | Addiction Medicine Interest Group | Mandy Perez Becca Shapiro Yousef Khan Will Butkiewicz Elizabeth Whidden Christian Bogardus Lily Wieland | Deepa Rani Nandiwada Jeanmarie Perrone | The purpose of this organization is to promote collaboration between students at the Perelman School of Medicine interested in treating and preventing substance use disorders and the practitioners, community organizations, and local and national policy makers doing that work across the city. The organization also aims to build the base of providers trained in addiction medicine by connecting students with faculty mentors, organizing training sessions, and linking students to opportunities for further engagement with the field, including fellowships and conferences. Finally, the Addiction Medicine Interest Group will collaborate with existing organizations to amplify ongoing work across campus and across the city, such as overdose reversal trainings and advocacy for safe injection sites. | Clinical Interest |
4 | Agnew Surgical Society | Rohan Polanki Nicholas Kelly Linda Saikali | Ari Brooks | The Agnew Society sponsors several informal lectures on topics in surgery at meetings throughout the year, as well as skills workshops and a shadowing program for pre-clinical students. | Clinical Interest |
5 | American Physician Scientist Association (APSA) | Kevin Zhang Margaret Tamburro | Skip Brass | The American Physician Scientist Association (APSA) is a national student-focused group founded in 2003, that actively supports medical student participation in research pursuits. Our local Penn Chapter focuses on supporting medical students interested in pursing careers as clinician-scientists as well as volunteering in outreach efforts to interest local youths in the clinician-scientist pathway. | Clinical Interest |
6 | Anesthesia Interest Group (AIG) | Sarah Langer (MS4)
Katie Kanter (MS4) Katie Luchette (MS4) David Jimenez (MS4) Rebecca Chun (MS3) Katie Xue (MS4) Charissa Iluore (MS4) | Jason Ochroch Nabil Thalji | The goal of the Anesthesia Interest Group is to foster opportunities for professional development and mentoring for first year through fourth year medical students. | Clinical Interest |
7 | apenndx | Yuen Ting Chow (MS1)
Millie Huang (MS1) Bonnie Hu (MS1) | Amanda Swain | We are a student-run bi-annual magazine that would provide a publishing outlet for students interested in both science communication (i.e. Scientific American or Popular Science) and narrative medicine (i.e. literary magazines), covering both biomedical research at UPenn and the narrative medicine realm for students. We aim to increase a. scientific communication skills with the aim of developing skills to communicate science to patients in the future in an engaging way, b. foster creative skills for students to express their emotions in medicine through prose, poetry, photograph, and art, and c. provide a publishing outlet for student work. | Arts |
8 | Academic Resilience Team (PHRC) | Sarah Langer Susannah Colt Maurizio Porco Julia Giordano | Jason Ochroch Nabil Thalji | The mission of the Anesthesia Interest Group is to engage Penn medical students in opportunities to discover and explore the exciting field of anesthesiology, to provide professional development, research, outreach, and mentorship opportunities to students, and to facilitate supportive connections among students, trainees, and faculty within the Penn Anesthesia community. | |
9 | Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA) | Stephanie Tang (MS1)
Patrick Akarapimand (MS1) Megan Tran (MS1) Emily Sheng (MS1) Andrew Li (MS1) Aaron Zhao (MS1) | Yu-Heng Guo | Community service and guest speaker events to promote the health of Asians and Pacific Islanders and voicing the interests of APA medical students. | Cultural Affinity |
10 | Association of Women Surgeons (AWS) | Michaela Hitchner (MS4)
Mattia Mahmoud (MS3) Shikha Singh (MS3) Elizabeth Bernstein (MS3) Maya Alexis (MS4) Sarah Barnett (MS2) Mikhal Yudien (MS4) Morgan Leff (MS2) | Emily Carter Paulson | The chapter of the Association of Women Surgeons at Perelman aims to build a community of support for women interested in surgery to encourage and enable them to realize their personal and professional goals. | Clinical Interest |
11 | Association of Womens Student MD PhDs | Ankita Reddy (CDY4)
Angela Gong (CDY3) Eren Kafadar (CDY3) Vainavi Mukkamala (CDY1) Leonie Kurzlechner (CDY1) Josephine Thrasher (CDY1) | Aimee Payne Audrey Odom John Maggie Krall | Nationally, women are underrepresented among physician-scientists, MD-PhD students and MD-PhD applicants. Our program is committed to organizing and promoting events and resources that support women MD-PhD students around issues that are important to women and/or may affect women differently than men. We also help women students and applicants connect with female role models among physician-scientist faculty at Penn. In addition, the program recognizes that gender disparities affect individuals of any gender identity, and that all people can be invested in working to address gender inequality. We are actively working on our diversity, inclusion, and intersectionality initiatives (see above) to be more inclusive of various intersections of identity that one may experience, such as the interplay between gender and race, sexuality, socioeconomic status, etc. As always, we welcome ALL students to our events, regardless of gender, sexuality, race. | Cultural Affinity |
12 | Beyond the Stethoscope | Sarah Hamimi Sai Mannam Christian Bogardus | Aasta Mehta | The mission of this organization is to empower future doctors with the mindset and skills to be agents of political and structural change that centers the patients and the communities we serve. | Activism |
13 | Cardiology Interest Group | Giselle Fisher (MS1)
Ivy Han (MS1) Yi-An Ko (MS1) Fawaz Naeem (MS3) Shanelle Mendes (MS3) | Howard Julien | We propose to form the Cardiology Interest Group in service of the triple aim of: exposing Perelman School of Medicine students to the breadth of cardiovascular career opportunities; facilitating connections to clinical and research mentors; and providing meaningful opportunities for students to engage in sustainable, longitudinal community outreach projects targeted toward helping residents of West Philadelphia optimize preventable risk factors for cardiovascular disease. We specifically intend to encourage participation by women and underrepresented minority medical students. | Clinical Interest |
14 | Cardiothoracic Surgery Interest Group (CSIG) | "Aidan Crowley (MS3) David Rekhtman (MS3) Brian Lu (MS1) Sankrit Kapoor (MS1)" | Pavan Atluri | The Cardiothoracic Surgery Interest Group (CSIG) at the Perelman School of Medicine aims to increase medical student exposure and access to the field of cardiothoracic surgery. CSIG connects medical students to CT surgery faculty and residents, facilitating mentorship, shadowing, and research engagement. CSIG also organizes educational talks and surgical simulation events throughout the year. | Clinical Interest |
15 | Cards for Courage at Penn Med | Jade Ikahihifo-Bender (MS1) | Madhura Pradhan | Our mission is three-fold: to provide emotional support to patients through hand-drawn cards with uplifting messages; to teach art as an outlet for creativity and a means for kids to learn about, serve, and connect with patients in their community; and to engage medical students in the important roles of educating young minds, providing compassionate support to patients, and facilitating a sense of connection between members of the greater Philadelphia area. | Activism |
16 | Caritas | "Octavio Lopez (MS1) Michael Semanek (MS1)" | Kristen Rock | Our mission is to offer fellowship within the school while exploring how Catholic thought influences our lives and our practices as budding physicians. To this end, we host events including lunch and dinner talks and get together regularly for Sunday dinners after mass. Caritas is building a network of students and Catholic physicians who are available to offer guidance and mentorship. | Cultural Affinity |
17 | Center for Surgical Health | Lauren Ross Tara Conlon Courtney Chappelle | Jon Morris | Our primary objective is to serve as a triage clinic for uninsured or underprivileged patients presenting with surgical conditions (hernias, abscesses, skin lesions) and help facilitate appropriate higher-level care at Penn free of charge. | Community Outreach |
18 | CHOP Homeless Health Initiative (HHI) | Tavian Sanchez (MS1)
Ish Sethi (MS1) Madhav Subramanian (MS1) Rebecca Drachman (MS1) | Nikki Jaffe Kaitlyn Murphy | CHOP’s HHI provides free health services to women and children living in local emergency housing shelters. Dedicated volunteers from the HHI offer high-quality medical and dental care and health education during weekly clinic nights at three shelters in the Philadelphia area. Medical students assist residents during their history and physical exams of children at homeless shelters. | Community Outreach |
19 | Clyde F. Barker Vascular Surgery Interest Group (VSIG) | Tracy Du Anh Dang Shanzay Khan | Julia Glaser Anna Ohlsson | The Clyde F. Barker Vascular Surgery Interest Group (VSIG) at the Perelman School of Medicine strives to provide exposure and opportunities for engagement for medical students within the Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy at the University of Pennsylvania. Medical students can learn more about the specialty through clinical opportunities, research projects, and educational / simulation sessions. The VSIG also affords those students interested in pursuing residency training in vascular surgery the opportunity for longitudinal mentorship relationships with current trainees and faculty. | Clinical Interest |
20 | Cope Society for Interventional Radiology Interest Group | Amy Jang (MS1)
Alexander Mcleod (MS1) Lazlo Nziga (MS1) Michael Semanek (MS1) Satvika Kumar (MS3) | Julia D'Souza Tamim Khaddash | The Interventional Radiology Interest Group serves to expose the field of IR to medical students and facilitate mentorship and research opportunities for interested students. | Clinical Interest |
21 | Cornfeld Pediatric Society | Chelsey Chen (MS1) Ivy Han (MS1) Felicia Ho (MS1) | Morgan Greenfield | The Cornfeld Pediatric Society aims to serve as a bridge for medical students to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, connecting students to general pediatrics, pediatric medical and surgical subspecialties, shadowing, grand rounds, and volunteering. We also provide mentorship from faculty and senior medical students toward our goal of helping students discern a career in pediatrics and apply to pediatric residency programs. As a PSOM student group, we collaborate with other interest groups related to pediatrics, including the CHOP Homeless Health Initiative, CHOP Family Connects, and more. | Clinical Interest |
22 | Correctional Health Initiative | Yousef Khan Nicole Easo | Rose Onyeali | CHI advocates for the health needs of the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated, who face a disproportionate lack of access to quality care. We aim to achieve our goals through education of students and healthcare professionals, direct involvement with care of the incarcerated, and grassroots community efforts. Examples of events include a prison healthcare facility walkthrough, community involvement in needle exchange efforts, and lunch talks. | Community Outreach |
23 | Covenant House (Cov House) | Christian Bogardus Lillian Wieland Gandolina Melhem Kameron Banks Eleanor Lustig Gennady Vulakh Ohyoon Kwon | Ken Ginsburg | We provide support to the clinic and to the youth at Covenant House. Covenant House is a crisis center and residence for homeless teens and young adults in Philadelphia that provides immediate crisis care and services and helps residents prevent against future homelessness. | Community Outreach |
24 | Creative Learning Of Wonderful New Skills (CLOWNS) | Carlos Rodriguez (MS1) Aaron Zhao (MS1) Isha Thapar (MS1) Patrick Akarapimand (MS1) Aaron Singer (MS1) | The clowns of PSOM are dedicated to fostering camaraderie and student wellness through the learning of various skill toys and sports. Previous examples include but are not limited to: yo-yos, juggling, Rubik’s Cubes, table tennis. We will host regular training sessions throughout the semester for all those interested, building towards a chance to put your skills to the test during an end of year competition. | ||
25 | Critical Care Interest Group (CCIG) | Lydia Federico Andrew Siaw-Asamoah | Sarah Lyon | The mission of the PSOM Critical Care Interest Group is to: expose PSOM medical students to clinical practice and career opportunities in the world of critical care medicine; provide opportunities for PSOM medical students to develop clinical skills relevant to critical care; help interested students find mentorship and research opportunities in critical care fields. | Clinical Interest |
26 | Culinary Medicine Interest Group (CMIG) | Olivia Lee | Maria Mascarenhas | The goals of CMIG are to help students learn how to advise and guide future patients on diet and cooking strategies. Our club emphasizes practical interventions for common nutritional problems and concerns. | Clinical Interest |
27 | Cut Hypertension | India Jackson Darbentz Olmand Joya Sims | Howard Julien | Cut Hypertension is a community outreach program run through the Student National Medical Association (SNMA). Our group aims to address health disparities by providing blood pressure screenings, information about the risks of hypertension, and ways to reduce hypertension every Saturday at Philly Cuts, a barber shop in West Philadelphia. | Community Outreach |
28 | Dance for Health | Varshini Babu (MS1) Abigail Perelman (MS1) | Cindy Christian | To promote dance-related physical activity, provide education about health and wellness, and eventually set up the basis for a student-run clinic. | Community Outreach |
29 | Dermatology Interest Group (DIG) | Medha Sharma (CDYO) Nikki Perry (MS3) Sriram Palepu (CDYO) Radhika Gupta (MS3) Alyssa Manaois (MS1) Giorgio Cocchella (MS1) | Katherine Steele | To increase interest in the field of dermatology and to create a community for medical students interested in dermatology to interact. | Clinical Interest |
30 | Educational Pipeline Program | Karen Xu | Sharon Lewis | The Educational Pipeline Program is a collaboration between the Perelman School of Medicine, the School of Veterinary Medicine, and the Netter Center for Community Partnerships. Our mission is to provide mentorship and education at all levels while encouraging high school students from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine to aspire to medical careers. | Community Outreach |
31 | Elizabeth Blackwell Society | Emily Ertmann (MS1) Isha Thapar (MS1) Suditi Shyamsunder (MS1) Ivy Han (MS1) Vainavi Mukkamala (MS1) | Rachel Kelz | To inspire, empower and connect women physicians and medical students through monthly informal gatherings, a mentorship program, and community outreach. | Cultural Affinity |
32 | Emergency Medicine Interest Group (EMIG) | Sam Stedman Brook Bernardin Christian Bogardus Jonathan Walsh Bushra Amin Katie Luchette David Jimenez Kiran Raja Justine Wang Ivan Covarrubias | Kristyn Smith | Dedicated to promoting and fostering interest in the field of emergency medicine among PSOM students. | Clinical Interest |
33 | Family Medicine Interest Group | Elizabeth Whidden | Anna Van Niekerk | The Family Medicine Interest Group supports medical students interested in the field of family medicine to learn about the broad scope of practice. The group provides a space for students interested in primary care or family medicine to find mentors, speak with more senior students about their experience in family medicine, and learn about the role of primary care providers in addressing challenges facing Philadelphia, such as the opioid epidemic, trauma, gentrification, and more. | Clinical Interest |
34 | Fine Arts & Medicine (FAM) | Jade Riopelle (MS1)
Lily Huang (MS1) Millie Huang (MS1) Setareh Gooshvar (MS1) Bonnie Hu (MS1) | Lyndsay Hoy | The Fine Arts & Medicine student group aims to integrate art within the medical school community through art-making sessions, arts & crafts volunteering, and learning about research in creativity. | Arts |
35 | First Generation Low Income (FGLI) | Christian Bogardus Gennady Vulakh Sabrina DaSilva Chau Phung | Neha Vapiwala | Foster a community amongst low income and/or first generation college students at Penn Med Mentor current first generation undergraduate students interested in medical careers Recruit this traditionally underrepresented group of low income and or first generation students applying to medical school. Educate fellow students on the impacts of socioeconomic status on health outcomes | Cultural Affinity |
36 | FReSH (Food Redistribution to Support Health) | Alice Zhang (MS1)
Sriya Potluri (MS1) | Daphne Owen | FReSH an initiative focused on delivering groceries and necessities to the residents of West Philly to combat the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on this population. | Activism |
37 | Geriatrics, Aging, and Neurodegenerative Disease in Medicine and Society (GrANDMAS) | Jessie Cheng (MS1)
Jonathan Szeto (MS1) | Alyson Michener Lauren Massimo | To inform medical students about new developments in Geriatric Medicine and Aging/Neurodegenerative Disease Medicine/Research, connect students across disciplines that emphasize geriatric/neurodegenerative care, and mentor students with a particular interest in these fields. | Clinical Interest |
38 | Global Health Interest Group (GHIG) | Elizabeth Corn (MS1)
Gerardo Perla (MS1) Natalie Mango (MS1) Ana Acevedo (MS3) Yvonne Su (MS3) | Daphne Owen | This interest group serves to not only expose the student body to burgeoning interventions and topics in global health, but also to engage in longitudinal professional development and identify near-peer mentors based on research areas of interest. It is our hope to facilitate a pre-professional track that students could continue to rely on in the future for considering summer and away rotation placements abroad or at the IHS, residencies with global health tracks, fellowships, and academic careers. While other similar student organizations are fantastic collaborators, this organization is strategically placed to provide resources about the immense field of global health while not limiting itself to oncology or surgery. | Clinical Interest |
39 | Global Oncology Interest Group (GO) | Kathryn Farrell (MS1)
Natalie Mango (MS1) | Lawrence Shulman | To provide an opportunity for students to explore global health opportunities in oncology, and to support the non-profit Global Oncology, which seeks to improve cancer care for underserved populations around the world. | Clinical Interest |
40 | Health Science Exploration (HSE) | Meredith Kossoff (MS1)
Love Ossunuga (MS4) Mohannad Alkhatib (MS1) Madhav Subramanian (MS1) Ola Swiatek (MS1) | Atul Kalanuria | Teach science and health-related topics to elementary-school (5th and 6th graders) children at Benjamin B Comegys Elementary School in West Philadelphia. | Community Outreach |
41 | Healthcare Sustainability Group | Elizabeth Whidden Jacob Niculcea Jessica Campanile | Hari Shankar | The Healthcare Sustainability Group seeks to encourage sustainable practices within the Perelman School of Medicine as well as within the greater University of Pennsylvania Health System. We also seek to educate future clinicians about the impacts of climate change on health and healthcare. | Activism |
42 | Homeless Outreach Project | Connie Yu (MS1)
Camden De Sanctis (MS1) | Joseph Teel | The Homeless Outreach Project is a partnership between the Perelman School of Medicine and Philly Restart that promotes active engagement with the city's homeless population on the streets. | Community Outreach |
43 | Interprofessional Women's Council (IPWC) | Johannah Smarzinski (Dental Year 3) Nikki Wei (Dental Year 3) | Sharon Lewis | Our goals for the council are multi-pronged, and include: (1) fostering awareness across the Penn community of issues plaguing the advancement and well-being of women in the workplace, (2) inspiring activism among both women AND men by illustrating the way in which these issues harm us all, (3) to empower women by arming them with the tools necessary to navigate these troubling landscapes, and (4) to build community between the different arms at Penn, and to possibly collaborate with organizations (e.g. non-profits) with similar goals in the future. | Cultural Affinity |
44 | Language Access Alliance | Jasmine Larrick (MS2) Kyra Reu (MS2) | Language Access Alliance aims to educate the student body on the role of language in healthcare and advocate for improvements to language services in our community through student-driven initiatives, collaboration with administrators, and interdisciplinary networking. | ||
45 | Last Writers | Andrew Scherffius (MS1)
Patrick Akarapimand (MS1) Isabel Yoon (MS3) | Last Writers pairs student volunteers with patients on hospice to write personal memoirs or collections of short stories, providing patients and their loved ones with a physical gift and a lasting testament to their life. These memoirs are published, printed, and distributed to the patients and their families. This is a wonderful way for you to engage with patients and form a longitudinal relationship during an incredibly meaningful point in their lives. | ||
46 | Langfitt Neurosurgery Society | Kiran Raja | Han-Chiao Isaac Chen | Introduce students to fellow students interested in neurosurgery, to Penn's neurosurgery faculty and to discuss relevant topics in neurosurgery on a student level. | Clinical Interest |
47 | Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) | Diana Abraham Gerardo Perla | Ignacio Tapia | The Latino Medical Student Association represents Latino and non-Latino medical students at the Perelman School of Medicine who are interested in health-related issues that affect the greater Latino community. | Cultural Affinity |
48 | Leo Leung Orthopaedic Surgery Society | Justine Wang | Joseph Bernstein | Leo Leung Orthopaedic Surgery Society is a student group at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania dedicated to sparking interest in orthopaedic surgery and related research. With this goal in mind, our group organizes regular events to provide students with exposure to orthopaedic surgery from both clinical and research perspectives. We also collate and distribute resources and opportunities for students interested in orthopaedic surgery. | Clinical Interest |
49 | Lifestyle Medicine Interest Group (LMIG) | Waleed Mujib (MS1)
Abraham Profeta (MS1) Elizabeth Gavin (MS2) | Randel Swanson | The mission of the Penn LMIG shall be twofold: 1) to provide information about the specialty of Lifestyle Medicine, and 2) to educate members about evidence-based practices of helping individuals and families adopt and sustain healthy behaviors that affect health and quality of life. | Clinical Interest |
50 | Maimonides Society | Eli Feldman (MS1)
Seth Welensky (MS1) | Daniel M. Feinberg | Maimonides is a group for Jewish students of all backgrounds and denominations at Penn Med. We hold shabbat dinners, holiday celebrations, and lunch talks about faith in medicine, and serve as a center for Jewish life on campus. We also help connect students to the broader Jewish community in Philadelphia. | Cultural Affinity |
51 | Medical Education Club | Anusha Naik Devyn Rigsby | Jennifer Kogan | The Medical Education Club organizes student-to-student teaching projects and professional development activities for students interested in medical education to improve the medical school curriculum and promote the development of future medical educators. | Education |
52 | Medical Mandarin | "Ruoheng Zeng (MS1) Brian Lu (MS1) John Lin (MS1) Stephanie Tang (MS1) Jessie Cheng (MS1)" | Yu Kang | The goal of Medical Mandarin is to teach students medical terminology, cultural aspects, and patient communication skills that they can apply towards the care of Mandarin-speaking patients. | Education |
53 | Medical Spanish | Sarah Wornow (MS1) | Iris Reyes | Medical Spanish is an elective designed for non-native speakers to improve their knowledge of basic medical vocabulary in Spanish and facilitate communication and cultural sensitivity with Spanish-speaking patients. | Education |
54 | Medical Students for Choice (MSFC) | Simone Advaney (MS1)
Suditi Shyamsunder (MS1) | Sarah Gutman Chioma Adaeze Ndubisi | Medical Students for Choice is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that works to destigmatize abortion provision among medical students and residents, improve reproductive health education and training, and support medical student advocacy. Our chapter aims to provide the Perelman community with information surrounding reproductive rights and abortion provision, encourage and empower future pro-choice physicians, and incorporate reproductive justice conversations into our medical school education. | Activism |
55 | Music & Medicine at Penn (M&M) | Tracy Du (MS4)
Sylvia Rhodes (MS4) Megan Shen (MS4) Kirin Naidu (MS2) | Horace DeLisser | Music & Medicine at Penn has a mission to share live music performances with our patients and colleagues. We hope that our performances in the PCAM lobby and other clinical locations can spread joy and the healing powers of music, while fostering a sense of community between the performing students and listeners. | Arts |
56 | Muslims in Medicine | Nassim Abu-Halaweh (MS2)
Fawaz Naeem (MS3) | Nahla Khalek | To build a network of Muslim students, trainees, and faculty who can share the joys and struggles of practicing medicine as a Muslim. To educate the wider Penn Medicine community about Muslims | Cultural Affinity |
57 | NAMI On Campus | Jacob Jensen Matt Rock | Tina Chen | NAMI on Campus is local campus based, student run branch of the National alliance on Mental Illness. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. This includes providing resources for individuals suffering from mental illness, engaging in education efforts to destigmatize mental illness, and fostering a community that is conducive to those who are suffering from the effects of mental illness. | Activism |
58 | Nourish | Abigail Perelman (MS1)
Ivie Osagiede (MS1) Julia Gardner (CDY1) Leah Bush (MS1) | Octavia Pickett-Blakely | Nourish's mission is to equip Penn Med students with the nutritional skillset to advise patients on diet and nutritional components of disease. We seek to 1) supplement the nutrition education of the Penn Med curriculum, 2) foster an understanding for how social factors influence population-level dietary health, and 3) engage in outreach with Philadelphia communities to promote wellness and disease prevention. | Clinical Interest |
59 | Nowell Pathology Interest Group | Zhuoyang Wang | Roseann Wu | The Nowell Pathology Interest Group (NPIG) was formed for medical students to gain exposure to the diverse subspecialties and practices within pathology, as well as to provide mentorship and support to those applying to pathology residency programs. The group hosts career panels, seminars, and special events throughout the year featuring residents, fellows, and faculty from Penn Medicine’s Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, including the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania (CHOP). The NPIG also collates pathology-related career resources, connects students with shadowing opportunities, and encourages membership and engagement with national pathology organizations. | Clinical Interest |
60 | Nu Sigma Nu | William Song | Ivor Asztalos | "Incepted in 1921, Nu Sigma Nu is the co-ed medical fraternity at Penn Med, whose purpose it is to promote camaraderie amongst medical students and to serve as a social resource for the medical school at large. By providing space for several large-scale, school-wide events, our organization hopes to foster a culture of collaboration and mutual support between students and their classmates, Penn Med peers, faculty/alumni mentors, and colleagues at other grad programs." | Other |
61 | Ob/Gyn Interest Group | Riemke Bouvier (MS1)
Varshini Babu (MS1) Cassie Tian (MS1) Rebecca Schapiro (MS4) | Caroline Cox | The OB/Gyn interest group seeks to introduce students to the vast, multidisciplinary field of obstetrics and gynecology, increase awareness of sexual and reproductive health issues, and to provide clinical, community outreach, and advocacy exposure in the field to PSOM students. | Clinical Interest |
62 | Oncology Interest Group (OIG) | Sarah Wornow (MS1)
Chelsey Chen (MS1) Emily Ertmann (MS1) | Julia Tchou | The purpose of the Oncology Interest Group is to provide medical students with opportunities to explore the field of oncology, across the spectrum from basic science to clinical application. We hope to expose students to the variety of career paths within oncology, connect students with research opportunities, and facilitate relationships with faculty. Communication to this end will include, among other means, class emails and fliers. At the same time, we aim to raise awareness of the prevalence of cancer and contribute to efforts to improve outcomes for those affected. | Clinical Interest |
63 | Palliative Care Interest Group | Connie Yu (MS1)
Bonnie Hu (MS1) Keshav Goel (MS3) | Alana Sagin | The mission of the Palliative Care Specialty Interest Group is to expose Perelman students to the field of palliative care, from career paths to its benefits for patients, and allow them to engage with palliative care outside of the academic curriculum. As medicine advances and palliative care continues to grow, we aspire to promote its benefits among all PSOM students, regardless of intended clinical specialty, in order to improve the quality of life of future patients. | Clinical Interest |
64 | Penn Climbing Club | Miguel Fiandeiro (MS2) Olivia Lee (MS2) Dominic Rich (MS2) Ben Rees (MS2) Spencer Kim (MS2) | The Penn Climbing Club is committed to fostering community and wellness through climbing and physical activity in the outdoors. We strive to build problem solving, communication, and friendship one rock wall at a time. We seek to bring medicine into the outdoor context where resources are limited. | ||
65 | Penn Global Surgery | Sai Mannam Sarah Hamimi | David Spiegel | The Penn Global Surgery Group is a dynamic group of students, residents, and faculty interested in the exciting field of global surgery. We host lectures, organize a bi-annual symposium featuring leaders in global surgical development, and collaborate with global surgery groups in the United States and abroad. We are also actively engaged in research and publish a quarterly newsletter with news and narratives about surgery from across the world. | Clinical Interest |
66 | Penn HealthX | Karan Naik Jonathan Waikim | Roderick Wong | PennHealthX is a student-led organiztion within the Perelman School of Medicine with the intention of supporting students with interests in healthcare management, entrepreneurship, technology, and business. | Other |
67 | Penn Med Christian Fellowship | Giselle Fisher (MS1)
Jennifer Hong (MS2) | Joshua Uy | The Penn Med Christian Fellowship (PMCF) is a student-run organization that seeks to glorify God in all that it does, inviting all people to experience the joy of Jesus’ reconciling love and submit to his kingship. We meet on a weekly basis to foster a community which: affirms the importance of studying God’s word, the Bible; allows God’s word to transform our lives; seeks to understand how we can emulate Christ-like compassion in medicine; supports students in making connections to local churches; serves as missional ambassadors and witnesses of the gospel to our neighbors; and builds relationships of mutual encouragement, stirring one another up to love and holiness. | Cultural Affinity |
68 | Penn Med Medical Ethics Interest Group | Lily Huang (MS1) Scout Hayashi (MS1) | Ravi Parikh | To create a space for the understanding and discussion of the principles and issues present in medical ethics, with an emphasis on practical applications and lived clinical experiences. | Arts |
69 | Penn Med Pride | Scout Hayashi (MS1) - co-chair
Parker Kronen (MS1) - co-chair Leah Bush (MS1) Isabella Panse (MS1) Eli Feldman (MS1) | Caitlin Clancy Jeffrey Eugene | Penn Pride is Penn Med’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer student and student allies organization. Our group of LGBTQ students and allies is committed to increasing visibility of LGBTQ people at Penn Med; educating the Penn Med community about LGBTQ health best practices through a speaker series and curriculum development; promoting LGBT-health related community outreach; providing opportunities for professional development; and cultivating our vibrant community of LGBTQ students, faculty, staff and allies at Penn Med. | Cultural Affinity |
70 | Penn Med Rare Disease Interest Group | Caleb Rhodes (MS1)
Shridar Parthasarathy (MS1) Kathryn Farrell (MS1) Daniel Chafamo (MS1) Giorgio Cocchella (MS1) Caroline O'Rourke (MS1) | Denise Adams | The Penn Medicine Rare Disease Interest Group’s (Penn Med RareDIG) aim is to create a community in which medical students can learn about and advocate on behalf of those who suffer from rare diseases. Given the high collective prevalence of rare diseases, we believe medical students should be properly prepared to treat these patients in adult and pediatric realms. | Clinical Interest |
71 | Penn Med Symphony Orchestra | David Zhang | Martin Heyworth | Our group’s mission is to establish and sustain a full symphonic orchestra composed of primarily graduate and professional students at Penn as well as undergraduate students, residents, fellows, postdoctoral associates, physicians, faculty, staff, and other members of the Penn community. Our goals as an organization are: (1) to leverage music as a mechanism for promoting wellness, (2) to connect graduate and professional students across the Penn campus, (3) to create a sustainable community at Penn and in the greater Philadelphia area through music, and (4) to pursue artistic excellence. | Arts |
72 | Penn Med Veterans | Nick Vandal Nate McLauchlan Jacob Harris | Jeremy Cannon | Our mission is to share knowledge about and foster interest in military medicine by creating an inclusive and educational community for members of the Perelman School of Medicine with military affiliations or interests. | Cultural Affinity |
73 | Penn Med Votes | Julia Dunker (MS1) Armaan Nallicheri (MS1) Eleanor Lustig (MS2) Elizabeth Whidden (MS3) | Judd Flesch | Penn Med Votes is a health-system wide organization that is dedicated to increasing civic engagement among patients and staff by promoting voter registration and helping hospitalized patients file emergency absentee ballots during elections. | Activism |
74 | Penn Radiation Oncology Interest Group (Penn RadOnc Interest Group) | Sylvia Rhodes (MS4)
Keshav Goel (MS3) | Michael LaRiviere | We will continue our mission of supporting students who are interested in the field of radiation oncology, bringing in speakers to talk with them about the field, connecting them with clinical and research mentors, and help them learn more about multidisciplinary cancer care. | Clinical Interest |
75 | Penn Scribble | Lillian Wieland Darbentz Olmand | Lance Wahler | We aim to encourage medical students to develop and share their literary interests and talents with each other. Our group focuses on writing of all kinds, with a particular interest in narrative medicine. We host monthly/bimonthly writing workshops and hold lunch talks with successful writers. | Arts |
76 | PennMed One Health Club | Jade Riopelle (MS1)
Claire West (MS1) Alice Zhang (MS1) | Jonathan Dunham | One Health is a movement calling for a collaborative effort of professionals and scientists across disciplines to concurrently improve the health of humans, animals, and our shared environment. It began primarily with veterinarians but has gained broad international traction in the 21st century. | Clinical Interest |
77 | PennMedXR | Reed McGraw Jonathan Wakim Ryan Gallagher | William Levin | PennMedXR seeks to push Penn Medicine to become a global leader in XR research and development through early adoption; to connect PSOM students with industry and academic leaders to foster innovation; and to provide an open forum for discussion of medical XR research initiatives across disciplines and specialties in order to facilitate collaboration and progress. | Other |
78 | PennStudentTalks | Keshav Goel Michael Baumgartner | Mitch Lewis | PennTalks is a student group founded last year to deliver talks by students for students about their interests, academic or (more often) non-academic. Last year, we were blessed with incredibly interesting, diverse talks, such as MS2 Alder Strange discussing her several-month long journey hiking the entire Pacific Coast Trail before starting medical school. We hope it has provided a space for medical students to showcase their unique interests in a laid-back, seminar style format. | Education |
79 | Perelman Barbecue & Joy Society (PB&J) | Osahon Iyamu Gandolina Melhem | Mitch Lewis | The mission of Perelman Barbecue & Joy Society is to foster community and joy by practicing and teaching the art of wood fire smoked barbecue. We seek to foster a community of students with a passion for cooking, eating, and learning from one another. | Recreational |
80 | Philadelphia Human Rights Clinic (PHRC) | Elizabeth Whidden Brendan Ho | Alisa Gutman | Our mission is to provide medical evaluations for asylum seekers due to persecution and/or torture in their home countries. The clinic trains physicians to perform physical & psychiatric evaluations of asylum seekers and educates medical students about the process of asylum seeking and achieving refugee status, as well as the role that healthcare professionals play in this process. Medical students are also trained to support physicians at the evaluations by taking notes and writing up a draft of the affidavit to be presented to the judge." | Community Outreach |
81 | Philly TREEs Initiative | Jonathan Szeto (MS1) Alice Zhang (MS1) Meredith Kossoff (MS1) | Eugenia South | With the support of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Philly TREEs partners with local environmentalists to increase urban tree canopy in Southwest Philadelphia to improve neighborhood health along a variety of axes: temperature control (cardiovascular disease, etc.), air quality (respiratory disease, etc.) and mental health. Through talks, panels and, most importantly, volunteer prunings/plantings, we build medical student familiarity and facility with racial and environmental health issues, and improve relations between Penn and the medical apparatus generally and those living in underprivileged areas of our city. | Activism |
82 | Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) Interest Group | Ellie Gabriel (MS1)
Caroline Conlan (MS3) Zhiye Lu (MS3) | Stephen Hampton Jasmine Zheng | The PM&R Interest Group aims to raise awareness and advocate for people living with disability after overcoming serious illness or injury, and to create opportunities for Penn Med students to learn more about and get involved in rehabilitation medicine. We accomplish this through coordinating educational lunch talks and opportunities for volunteering and clinical shadowing. | Clinical Interest |
83 | Plastic Surgery Interest Group (PSIG) | Jared Shulkin Michaela Hitchner Linda Saikali | John Fischer | The mission of the Plastic Surgery Interest Group (PSIG) is to serve as a resource for students at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania who are interested in learning more about and applying for residency in plastic surgery | Clinical Interest |
84 | Radiology Interest Group (RIG) | Michael Yao (CDYO)
Stephanie Wang (MS3) Amy Jang (MS1) Lori Huang (MS1) Michael Edozie (MS1) | Scott Simpson | The Radiology Interest Group offers mentoring, networking, and research opportunities for Penn students interested in radiology and imaging sciences/technology. We work closely with Penn physicians and faculty to organize educational seminars and panel discussions, along with mentorship and research opportunities. As formal education/exposure to Radiology is quite low at the medical student level relative to other specialties, we believe it is imperative to offer extra-curricular opportunities to inform and excite those interested in the field. | Clinical Interest |
85 | Refugee Health Interest Group | Eda Algur (CDY4)
Michelle Onyekaba (MS1) Millie Huang (MS1) Andrew Li (MS1) Amy Jang (MS1) Ivy Han (MS1) Megan Tran (MS1) Ashlynn Cobb (MS1) | Rachael Truchil Aba Barden-Maja | The Refugee Health Interest Group encompasses a range of educational, advocacy and volunteer opportunities for Penn Med students to engage with Philadelphia’s refugee population. This includes opportunities to provide health education to patients and shadow providers in the general refugee clinic, refugee women’s clinic, and CHOP refugee clinic, as well as to volunteer with HIAS. We also create opportunities to learn more about advocating for refugee health, lead quality improvement initiatives in the clinics, and learn about the unique health needs of refugees. | Community Outreach |
86 | Scrubs Against the Firearm Epidemic (SAFE) | Ivan Chan (MS1) Camden De Sanctis (MS1) Leah Bush (MS1) | Elinore Kaufman | Rally the medical community to advocate for gun violence to be viewed as a public health threat instead of a political one. This will allow us as healthcare professionals to be supported with facts and information that will in turn allow us to support our patients in making the most informed decisions surrounding firearms. | Activism |
87 | Sight Savers / Ophthalmology Interest Group | Alan Huang (MS1) Aaron Zhao (MS1) Danielle Johnson (MS1) Mohannad Alkhatib (MS1) Alex Than (MS1) Megan Tran (MS1) | Prithvi Sankar | The Penn Student Sight Savers Program is an organization that provides free vision screening for communities within the city of Philadelphia. Our primary goal is to identify patients with suspected glaucoma and refer them to Penn Ophthalmologists and programs that may aid them in receiving quality eye care. We also aim to garner and support student interest in ophthalmology subspecialties. | Clinical Interest |
88 | SONO Ultrasound Interest Group | Andrew Peev Miguel Fiandeiro Kyra Reu T Peterson Wagner Divya Jain Spencer Kim | Wilma Chan Christy Moore | SONO aims to supplement the existing ultrasound curriculum at Perelman SOM by reinforcing the concepts taught during formal class time and broadening students’ exposure to ultrasound techniques and applications beyond the scope of the ICM course. The group accomplishes these goals through a series of guided and open scanning sessions with faculty and upper-level medical student instruction, ultrasound-oriented career advising sessions from Penn clinicians, and clinical shadowing of 4th-year ultrasound fellowship students. Additionally, SONO will incorporate a competition-based image review session in which teams will correlate abnormal findings to course material. | Clinical Interest |
89 | South Asian Medical Student Association (SAMoSA) | Varshini Babu (MS1) Ish Sethi (MS1) Omkar Anaspure (MS1) Suditi Shyamsunder (MS1) | Sid P. Shah | We aim to unite all members of the South Asian community at the Perelman School of Medicine. We aim to share and celebrate South Asian culture with the entire Perelman community.We seek to utilize awareness of cultural issues and medical disparities to better advocate for the rights and health of the South Asian population. | Cultural Affinity |
90 | Spoof | Carina Guerra Carl Bannerman Benjamin Frost Connor Wagner | N/A | We write jokes and sometimes songs to turn your pain into laughter for two blissful hours each spring. Written, produced, and performed by aspiring MDs. | Other |
91 | Sports Medicine Interest Group (SMIG) | Margaret Tamburro Elizabeth Bernstein Jessica Rosenblum | Arsh Dhanota | The Sports Medicine Interest Group is dedicated to (1) educating MS1-MS3 students about the variety of paths available for a career in sports medicine (primary care, orthopaedic surgery, PM&R, and emergency medicine), (2) providing hands-on medical volunteer opportunities at sporting events, and (3) connecting students with mentors in sports medicine through shadowing or research opportunities. | Clinical Interest |
92 | Squish Squash | Analiese Lahey (MS1) Patrick Akarapimand (MS1) Andrew Li (MS1) Gerardo Perla (MS1) Robert Zorc (MS1) | Vijay Srinivasan | Squish Squash aims to provide an avenue for students to bond over and enjoy playing squash together. Playing a sport is an excellent social event for people to connect with their peers as well as stay active through a busy medical school career. | Recreational |
93 | Strecker Psychiatry Interest Group | Ashhad Qureshi (MS3) Alyssa Manaois (MS1) | Andrew Siegel | The Strecker Psychiatry Interest Group aims to not only provide medical students with opportunities to explore the field of psychiatry, but also address critical issues of mental health access and delivery impacting vulnerable communities. Some of our past work includes organizing crisis intervention training workshops, hosting discussions on stigmatized mental health issues within medicine, creating and maintaining a repository of free resources for mental health crises and basic needs, proposing changes to the medical school curriculum as it relates to psychiatry and mental health, and connecting students to research opportunities and physician mentors. Through our work, we hope to empower aspiring physicians to create meaningful change across the mental health landscape through the realms of clinical medicine, research, academia, advocacy, and activism. | Clinical Interest |
94 | Student Interest Group in Neurology (SIGN) | Nicholas Szabo (MS1) Abigail Perelman (MS1) Caroline O'Rourke (MS1) Diane Rafizadeh (CDY5) Helene Chesnais (MS3) | Daniel Cristancho | The purpose of SIGN is to form a community of medical students interested in neurology careers; build networks with Penn neurology faculty and students; and to help students pursue neurology-related research. | Clinical Interest |
95 | Student National Medical Association | Justice Austin (Co-President, MS1)
Jacob Thomas (Co-President, MS1) | Sharon Lewis | The Student National Medical Association is committed to supporting current and future underrepresented minority medical students, addressing the needs of underserved communities, and increasing the number of clinically excellent, culturally competent, and socially conscious physicians. | Cultural Affinity |
96 | Students Against Weight Stigma (SAWS) | Michael Xiang (MS2) | Renee Betancourt Laura Emerson | Our goal as an organization is to help train a group of physicians that treats all patients with respect and dignity, regardless of body size and weight. | Activism |
97 | Students Opposed to Racism in Medicine (StORM) | India Jackson Kameron Banks Montita Sowapark Islam Elsaid Yousef Khan | Roy Hamilton Jaya Aysola | StORM is a student group dedicated to spreading awareness, promoting critical thinking, and equipping medical students with the skills and knowledge needed to advocate and address inequalities and oppression in medicine derived from identity related politics (Read: Race, Gender, Sexuality, Religion, etc.). In doing so, StORM intends to create an environment of inclusivity and respect. | Activism |
98 | Tachycardic Tuesdays | Michael Xiang | DaCarla Albright | Tachy Tuesdays is aimed at providing weekly opportunities for students to participate in group workouts in a fun and supportive environment. We welcome students of all physical abilities, and focus on crafting enjoyable, easily modifiable workouts. | Recreational |
99 | The Magnolia Project | Danielle Katz (MS3) | Ryan McAuley | The mission of The Magnolia Project is to repurpose florals from Penn events to gift to hospital patients. Through arranging and delivering re-vased bouquets to patients, we hope to provide joy and hope to patients, a form of de-stressing for student volunteers, and a means of increasing sustainability in our community. | Community Outreach |
100 | The UpLIFT Project | Ashlynn Cobb (MS1) Bonnie Hu (MS1) Camden De Sanctis (MS1) Cassie Tian (MS1) Emily Ertmann (MS1) Garvey Cummings (MS1) Helen Molteni (MS1) Jailene Paredes Casado (MS1) Joy Gonzalez (MS1) | Horace Delisser | First-generation and/or Low-income students are one of the most underrepresented groups in medicine. With more than 75% of all US medical students hailing from the top two income quintiles in the united states, recent data supports that a substantial barrier for FGLI students to achieve admission to medical school is in the admission process itself (i.e AMCAS and interviews). Furthermore, FGLI students are less likely to have strong connections to mentorship and reliable advising in comparison to their more privileged peers. Our group has been formed from a synergy between students who are passionate about educational equity and the leaders of the FGLI affinity group. Together, we seek to publish the UpLIFT Guide (Underrepresented Low-Income/First Time Guide ) as a reliable source of material in an open-access, online format for pre-medical students from all socioeconomic backgrounds to receive mentorship from the shared experiences of Penn Medical students. | Community Outreach |