Boston University Medical Campus
Student Affairs

Student Organizations

Please find below an alphabetical listing of the current student organizations at B.U. School of Medicine, including a brief description and contact information for each.

If you are currently a member of a student organization and would like to schedule an event, please complete the online form: 

(BUMC Educational Media Center).

Student Organizations at BUSM – Listed by Group with Description

The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG), founded in 1951, has over 46,000 members and is the nation’s leading group of professionals providing health care for women. ACOG is dedicated to the advancement of women’s health through education, practice, research, and advocacy. The BUSM Student Chapter of ACOG was founded in January 1999. Since its inception, the Chapter has hosted events such as lectures, lunches, movie screenings, and a social hour with residents with the following objectives:

Officers:

• Fonda Chan, fondac@bu.edu
• Keyona Gullett, gullettk@bu.edu
• Sandra Truesdell, strue@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is the premier professional organization of health care providers dedicated to improving the health and well-being of all older adults. With an active membership of over 6,000 health care professionals, the AGS has a long history of effecting change in the provision of health care for older adults. In the last decade, the Society has become a pivotal force in shaping attitudes, policies and practices regarding health care for older people. Through panels, discussions, and residency advising, the BUSM Student Chapter seeks:

Officers:

• Jennifer Kao, kaoj@bu.edu
• Ichen (Sally) Tsai, itsai@bu.edu

Visit the American Geriatrics Society web site at

Officers:

• Neepa Shah, neepa@bu.edu
• Kate Neubauer, neubie@bu.edu
• Ryan Seibert, rseibert@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

Students at BUSM have a strong history of serving in national leadership roles with AMSA, including the Medical Education Action Committee Chair, Regional Trustee, and Legislative Affairs Director. At the local level, the AMSA chapter at BUSM offers students the chance to learn about and become involved with finding solutions for important issues in health care that they may not otherwise be exposed to as a part of their formal medical education. These opportunities include discussions on topics such as nutrition, complimentary and alternative medicine, lobbying, leadership skills, and providing affordable health care to all. The local chapter supports students in their efforts to attend regional and national AMSA meetings such as the annual convention, humanistic medical retreats, and political leadership institutes.

During the 2008-2009 school year, AMSA, as one of the most active student organizations at BUSM, led a variety of exciting events, including an annual used book sale, a practice practical exam for anatomy students, a global health speaker series, a white coat embroidery service, a medical activism panel featuring physician-activists, and a screening of Unnatural Causes, a documentary about health disparities. We also had success in two major campaigns: the PharmFREE campaign to bring education about conflicts of interest and medicine-pharmaceutical industry relations to the BUSM curriculum; and the Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM) campaign, which has taken important steps to ensuring technologies developed at BU will become available and affordable to third world countries.

To learn more about AMSA, our strategic priorities, or joining the organization, please visit us online at http://www.amsa.org or contact one of the officers here at BUSM.

Officers:

• Albert Do, Ethnicity, Culture, and Health Chair, albertd@bu.edu
• Doreen Gidali, Global Health Chair, dgidali@bu.edu
• Carly Grovhoug, Community & Environmental Health Chair, callison@bu.edu
• Shireen Heidari, Student Life Chair, shireeni@bu.edu
• Stan Henkin, Treasurer, shenkin@bu.edu
• Candace King, Humanism in Medicine Chair, cnking@bu.edu
• Iyah Romm, Region 1 Director, iromm@bu.edu
• Davida Schiff, Chapter Co-Coordinator, dschiff@bu.edu
• Jin Xu, Chapter Co-Coordinator, jinxu@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

The American Medical Women’s Association is a national organization whose purpose is to address the unique issues facing women in medicine and to provide awareness about women’s health. Over 10,000 female physicians and medical students are members. At Boston University, the AMWA chapter serves the student body through regular events to both educate and socialize. Past events, including lectures, doctor panels, and social dinners, helped students learn about the challenges and rewards of being a female physician. In 2008-2009, we plan to host a Women in Surgery panel dinner, a Women in Medicine social dinner, self-defense classes, and a series of lectures.

Officers:

• Lina Nazartchouk, lnazartchouk@gmail.com
• Emily Reiff, Emily.reiff@gmail.com

For more information about AMWA or to join please visit the AMWA website: http://www.amwa-doc.org

(as of 8/18/09)

AIG is a relatively new organization on the BU medical campus founded locally by students. The mission of the organization is to expose medical students to the exciting speciality of Anesthesiology and educate them on issues related to anesthesia, airway management, pain medicine and critical care. The organization holds luncheons throughout the year with invited speakers from the Anesthesia Department at BU and other local medical schools and hospitals. AIG also offers students “hands-on” experiences to learn about procedures and skills commonly utilized in the profession of anesthesiology at BU’s Anesthesia Clinical Stimulation Center. Please contact us if you’d like to become involved in the organization or would like to gain exposure to the speciality of Anesthesiology.

Officers:

• Emily Reiff, emily.reiff@gmail.com
• Nicole Nguyen, nicole.phuong@gmail.com
• Faculty Advisor: Eddy Feliz, em_feliz@hotmail.com

(as of 8/18/09)

Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA) is a national organization that aims to address those issues important to Asian American medical students as well as to the Asian Pacific American community. The Boston University chapter of APAMSA strives to celebrate and educate the medical student body of Asian Pacific American culture and to help future healthcare professionals understand how to provide healthcare in a culturally conscious manner. We have planned a series of seminars and various social and cultural events throughout this upcoming year, in the hopes of promoting awareness and advocacy of health issues that specially impact peoples of Asian ethnic backgrounds.

Officers:

• Tristen Chun, tchun@bu.edu
• Viet Cai, vcai@bu.edu
• Ken Nguyen, kdnguyen@bu.edu
• Zi Huang, zihuang@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

The Organization of Student Representatives is a group of the American Association of Medical Colleges that represents undergraduate and graduate medical education in the United States. The OSR is composed of student representatives from each of the 125 allopathic medical schools in the United States, but its constituency is all medical students nationwide. Its concerns are with academic medicine and medical education. The representatives are responsible for not only communicating the ideas and concerns of your student body to the national officers, but also informing and educating your student body of the priorities and objectives dealt with on a national level.

Representative(s):

• Catherine Spina, kspina@bu.edu
• Ariel Shuckett, arielshu@bu.edu

Visit the Association of American Medical Colleges web site at http://www.aamc.org

(as of 8/18/09)

The Boston University Chapter of the Boston Coalition for Adult Immunization, through partnership with Anna Bissonnette, RN, MS, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, represents medical and public health students from Boston University committed to promoting effective adult immunization including, but not limited to, influenza and pneumoccal disease.

In the Fall semester, interested medical students are trained to administer injections and are encouraged to utilize their skills through active participation in the community. Throughout the Flu season, students may volunteer to provide free vaccinations at clinics, homeless shelters, and nursing homes throughout the Boston area, servicing the homeless and elderly populations, as well as other at risk individuals. The Chapter works in conjunction with medical students from Harvard and Tufts to provide opportunities to learn about public health issues in medicine and to serve the Boston community.

Officers:

• Jason Leung, jasonata@bu.edu
• Arlene Pak, apak@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

The mission of the Peer Advising Program is to provide non-academic advice and a uniquely personal student perspective about life and learning at BUSM in an informal way to all medical students, primarily during their 1st and 2nd years. Peer Advising is the student complement to the more formal advising provided by the Academies of Advisors. Through the Peer Advising Program, medical students will gain an informed student perspective on BUSM which is based on their Peer Advisor’s personal experience at BUSM. Formal academic advising will continue to be provided by the Deans and Academy Advisors.

Officer(s):

• Hannah Milch, hsmilch@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

The BUSM Wellness Club’s mission is to encourage a healthy lifestyle, balance, and wellness among medical students, as well as within the Boston community.

With the stress of class work and the obligations of clinical rotations, we may often lose sight of our own well-being. The Group strives to enhance health and wellness throughout medical school by organizing unique events; including on-site yoga classes, nutrition education, as well as an educational wellness package that we offer to community members, including knowledge regarding nutrition, exercise, and tools for stress reducation.

As we become more aware of our own wellness, and begin to educate others in our community, we will also become better equipped to promote these ideas to our future patients. Overall, the Group serves as a springboard for students to achieve a healthy, well-balanced, altruistic, and enjoyable medical school experience.

Officers:

• Rob Feeley, rjfeeley@bu.edu
• Nicole Roselli, nroselli@bu.edu
• Faculty Advisors: Rob Saper, MD, MPH, and Michael Grodin, MD

(as of 8/18/09)

CMDA at BUMC is a group of students, staff, and faculty at BUMC who meet together regularly for fellowship and spiritual growth. Through the disciplines of Bible study, prayer, and worship, we seek to glorify God and to become more like His Son, Jesus Christ, in all areas of our lives. We are particularly interested in exploring how the Gospel informs our practice of medicine. CMDA welcomes people of all religions and beliefs, wherever they may be along their spiritual journeys.

We aim to:

• Meet together on a consistent basis for fellowship, prayer, worship, and Bible study
• Grow stronger and more mature in our faith through support and prayer from one another
• Proclaim God’s truth and share the joy that comes from the gospel with seekers
• Continue to discuss what it means to be a Christian physician, and how our faith can/should inform our practice of medicine
• Serve as a resource about local churches

Officers:

• Ingrid Chang, ingridtc@bu.edu
• Marsha Kocherla, kocherla@bu.edu
• Faculty Advisor: Stephen P. Christiansen, MD

(as of 8/18/09)

The mission of the Clinical Neuroscience Society (CNS) is to foster and to sustain students’ interest and involvement in the neurosciences throughout their medical and graduate school tenure, with an endpoint of preparing students to pursue academic and research careers in the clinical neurosciences. Founded in the spring of 2001, CNS incorporates a variety of components in its program. These include mentoring by clinical faculty members, a journal club, membership in the Boston Society of Neurology and Psychiatry, the Neuroscience Seminar Series, behavioral neuroscience rounds, brain cuttings performed by a renowned pathologist here at BMC, many academic and social events, research opportunities, and the Clinical Neuroscience Pathway. CNS is a student-run organization, provided with invaluable guidance by our faculty advisor. But CNS goes beyond being a student interest group in that it incorporates a unique feature, the Clinical Neuroscience Pathway. In order to successfully complete the CNS program and, hence, the Clinical Neuroscience Pathway, members must participate in at least 50% of the scheduled events over the four-year period. Students who accomplish this will receive acknowledgment in their Dean’s Letter or Graduate Record.

Officers:

• Lina Nazartchouk, lnazar@bu.edu
• Rachel Jordan, rcjordan@bu.edu
• Lisa Force, lisaforce@bu.edu
• Cassie Kovach, ckovach@bu.edu
• Chad Farris, cfarris@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

The Community Action Interest Group is a student group focused on promoting community-based health initiatives and leadership skills that empower individuals to take action in their communities and achieve sustainable results. The group plans to bring guest lectures to BUSM to promote the ideas behind community-based development and further educate students about the great successes community-based organizations have experienced. We also plan to organize seminars that will provide students with the skills necessary to develop and implement successful community-based health initiatives. A quote that embodies the practices that this group hopes to promote: “Go to the people. Live with them. Love them. Learn from them. Start with what they have. Build on what they know. But the best of leaders, when their task is accomplished, their work is done, the people will all remark we have done it ourselves.” – Lao Tzu

Officers:

• Alexander Lauder, lauder@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

The Creative Arts Society exists to provide and promote venues for artistic collaboration on the BUSM campus.

Officers:

• Shireen Heidari, shireeni@bu.edu
• Nate Brooks, brooksn@bu.edu

 (as of 8/18/09)

The Dermatology Interest Group serves as a forum for medical students to explore the field of dermatology. Our events include a journal club, guest lecture series, skin cancer screenings, and community outreach.

It is our mission to cultivate interest in academic investigation, to be a source of information related to the field, and to be actively involved in service and advocacy. We are affiliated with the Dermatology Interest Group Association (DIGA), a national, student-run, non-profit organization.

Officers:

• Lisa Nguyen, Co-Chair, lisa@bu.edu
• Stephanie Gan, Co-Chair, sgan@bu.edu
• Faculty Advisor: Amit Garg, MD

(as of 8/18/09)

EMIG exists to increase attention and awareness among medical students in regards to Emergency Medicine. EMIG hopes to foster interests through shadowing opportunities, skill workshops, community involvement and monthly lectures. Topics range from issues affecting Emergency physicians to building a strong residency application. Membership is not limited to only those planning a career in Emergency Medicine; anyone with an interest is encouraged to participate. We will continue to keep students informed about upcoming events.Feel free to contact us at EMIG@bu.edu with any comments or questions.

Officers:

• Marissa Mayor, rismayor@bu.edu
• Christopher Graziano, ceg38@bu.edu
• Matthew Griswold, mgriswold@bu.edu
• Babu Singh, singhba@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

The FMIG (Family Medicine Interest Group) was created with the purpose of increasing awareness and interest in Family Medicine, as well as helping anyone interested in pursuing a career in Family Medicine. This year’s events will include several lunchtime talks with Family Medicine doctors and residents, both in academic and private practice and a panel discussion. In addition, we will be holding a residency fair, introduction to SOAP notes workshop (for second years preparing for the wards), and a procedural workshop designed to help medical students develop their clinical skills. FMIG also promotes student awareness of and attendance at the national AAFP (American Association of Family Physicians) Conference. Interested students are provided with funding in addition to information regarding the event itself. FMIG endeavors to provide information about educational opportunities not offered through the traditional medical school curriculum, and to provide assistance to students seeking residencies in Family Medicine.

Officers:

• Jessica Chi, chi@bu.edu
• Caitlin Christie, caitc@bu.edu
• Erkeda DeRouen, eld@bu.edu
• Carly Grovhoug, callison@bu.edu
• Neetika Srivastava, nsrivast@bu.edu
• Lucas Thornblade, lthornbl@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

The Boston University International Health Organization is a network of students committed to developing the following goals:

• Informing the Boston University Medical Community about global issues through guest speakers, an informal board and membership in the International Health Medical Consortium.
• Educating the Boston University Medical Community about the interrelationship between the health of populations within and outside of the U.S.Encouraging consideration of health within socio-economic, cultural, religious and political contexts.
• Promoting service to the underprivileged communities abroad and within the U.S. Maintaining a database of international health organizations, contacts abroad and projects dedicated to serving immigrant communities in the U.S. Providing medical students with guidance and financial support to conduct international and domestic projects that reflect the organization’s mission.

Officers:

• Anahita Fallahi, afallahi@bu.edu
• Valerie Halls, vhalls@bu.edu
• Alexander Lankowski, aj14@bu.edu
• Roxane Handal, rhandal@bu.edu

Visit the IHO at http://people.bu.edu/iho

(as of 8/18/09)

The Iranian Health Care Students Association is dedicated to bringing together students of the Boston University Medical Campus and Greater Boston doctors and health care professionals to address and act upon health care issues in Iran and Iranian communities in Boston and across the United States. In addition, through educational and outreach programs, the association will provide opportunities for students to be exposed to and learn about Iranian culture and society.

Officers:

• Atisa Beihaghi, atisa@bu.edu
• Leila Zamani, lzamani@bu.edu
• Babak Sadighi, bsadighi@bu.edu
• Faculty Advisor: Alexander Norbash, MD

(as of 8/18/09)

The Maimonides Society, a program of the Hillel Foundation of Boston University, is the Jewish Student Association of Boston University Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, and Public Health. The goal of the society is to welcome and support students by providing them with a sense of Jewish community and culture. Monthly lunch events are organized to discuss relevant medical ethical issues from the Jewish prospective. Topics of discussion have included Jewish Medical Ethics, Holocaust education, health care, social issues, and The Boston University School of Medicine – The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School Student-Faculty Exchange Program. The Maimonides Society is open to all.

Officers:

• Ilan Mizrahi, imizrahi@bu.edu
• Jonah Rubin, jorubin@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

Our organization showcases the diversity of the students, faculty, and staff at the medical campus and joins the network of many other LGBT organizations within the Boston University system and the surrounding community. The primary goal of LGBTPM is to provide a safe, supportive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and allied students, faculty, and staff. We are here to educate future and current health professionals on the social issues and health concerns of the LGBT community in order to break down prejudices and misconceptions that can undermine patient care and personal growth. We encourage professional and personal development through discussions, conferences, socials, community activism and advocacy.

Officer:

• Jessica Gereige, jessikag@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

Medical Students for Choice (MSFC) stands up in the face of violent opposition, working to destigmatize abortion provision among medical students and residents, and to persuade medical schools and residency programs to include abortion as part of the reproductive health services curriculum. MSFC is an internationally known non-profit organization with a network of over 10,000 medical students and residents around the United States and Canada. MSFC is dedicated to ensuring that women receive the full range of reproductive health care choices. MSFC recognizes that one of the greatest obstacles to safe and legal abortion is the absence of trained providers. As medical students and residents, we work to make reproductive health care, including abortion, a part of standard medical education and residency training. More specifically, these are our goals:

• To bolster MSFC’s grassroots network of support and activism;
• To reform medical school curricula and residency programs to include reproductive health and abortion care;
• To expand education and training opportunities in abortion and reproductive health; and
• To support residents seeking reproductive health clinical training after graduating from medical school.

As a student organization, we arrange educational programming that fills the gaps in our medical education when it comes to comprehensive sexual education including women’s health, contraception, options counseling, and abortion.

Last year we held lecture events focused on teaching students about types of contraceptives, abortion statistics, and clinical procedures and had a panel of abortion providers speak about their experiences. We also sponsored the first annual BUSM production of the Vagina Monologues, supporting local women’s shelters and domestic violence prevention.

In the year ahead, we look forward to planning more abortion education programming, women’s health advocacy, and hands-on clinical training. MSFC also sponsors students through the Reproductive Health Externship Program, which provides a stipend for clinical exposure to abortion services. MSFC focuses not only on future abortion providers but also incorporates those individuals who are pro-choice but do not know how to help the pro-choice movement. We welcome all types and levels of involvement.

Officers:

• Sandra Truesdell, strue@bu.edu
• Leah Evans, leahe@bu.edu
• Faculty Advisor: Nilda Moreno

Visit the MSFC website at: http://www.ms4c.org/

(as of 8/18/09)

Officers:

• Monica Jain, mjain@bu.edu
• Alexander Lauder, lauder@bu.edu
• Jacqueline Yano, jyano@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

The Orthopaedic Surgery Interest Group is a valuable resource for students interested in pursuing a career in the surgical specialty of orthopaedics and sports medicine. Supported by the residents and faculty in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at BUSM, there are ample opportunities for shadowing, finding research projects, and getting advice about life during residency, applications, boards, and more. Events throughout the year include dinner with residents for a question and answer panel, casting/splinting workshops, and year-specific small groups to get advice for attaining the residency of your choice.

Officers:

• Charles Ekstein, cekstein@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

The focus of the Otolaryngology (ENT) Interest Group is to educate students about and develop interest in the field of otolaryngology, as well as act as a liaison between the students and the Otolaryngology Department here at BUSM/BMC. This will be executed through a series of lecture, coordination of clinical experiences (shadowing) between the department and students, and assistance in finding research projects.

Our events are not limited to those intending to become otolaryngologists; we endeavor to plan events that are interesting to a wide audience. We encourage all students to contact us with any questions, comments, or suggestions, especially related to ways in which we can further our mission.

Officers:

• Ashley Decker, abdecker@bu.edu
• Monica Jain, mjain@bu.edu
• Daniel Stein, djstein@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

The BUSM Outreach Van Project (OVP) is a student-run, student-directed project that was started in January 1997 by a group of medical and public health students from Boston University. Inspired by the former Executive Director of Health Care for the Homeless in Boston, the project has received a great amount of support from the Boston University school administration and its students, as well as from many organizations around the city of Boston.

The mission of OVP is to fulfill the unmet needs of the medically underserved populations in the Greater Boston area (the homeless, migrant workers, immigrants, and others) particularly with regard to providing health care and access to services, while allowing an opportunity for students to learn skills in community outreach. The Outreach Van leaves BUMC one night per week staffed by students from the Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, Public Health, and Social Work, and a licensed physician.

For more information, please visit our website: www.people.bu.edu/outreach

Officers:

• Pamela Emmanuel, outreach@bu.edu
• Matt Gonzalez, mhgonzo@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

The Pediatric Education and Development Society provides many great opportunities for students to learn about the field of Pediatrics. This group allows interested students to meet and network with many great Peds physicians as well as other students interested in working with kids. We sponsor many delicious lunch meetings throughout the year to learn about various specialties within Pediatrics (neonatology, cardiology, development, community medicine, etc.). Students can also shadow physicians in the Pediatric ER and hang out with kids by volunteering with the child life department, a great way to experience Boston Medical Center through the eyes of a young patient.Please feel free to contact us with questions or suggestions for future events!

Officers:

• Lisa Force, lisaforce@gmail.com
• Laura Michelis, dmicheli@bu.edu
• Chris Han, cch@bu.edu
• Nicole Roselli, nroselli@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

The Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Student Interest Group was created with the purpose of increasing awareness of PM&R and helping interested students in pursuing a career in Physiatry. Physiatrists tend to the assessment, care, and management of a wide array of extremely complicated medical issues (e.g. Traumatic Brain Injury, Stroke, Spinal Cord Injury, Orthotics/Prosthetics, Sports Medicine, Pain, Musculoskeletal and Neurologic deficits, Rheumatologic ailments, Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and many others) with a mind and plan to maximize functional outcomes, to help reconstitute the best possible Quality of Life for patients.

We will seek opportunities to enrich the medical school curriculum with exposure to the clinical reasoning, purpose and need for Rehabilitation in the lives of our patients. Interested students can look forward to talks with invited PM&R specialists, residents, patients and disability advocacy groups from around our community and the country. Students contemplating residency training in PM&R will have a resource of ever-increasing information regarding the specialty, the nationally available programs and advice for how to best plan and navigate the application process.

Website: http://busmpmrsig.com

Officers:

• Gerassimos Bastas, gbastas@bu.edu
• Duc Tran, dtran@bu.edu
• Vassiliki Pravodelov, vpravode@bu.edu
• Amanda Price, ahmprice@gmail.com

(as of 8/18/09)

Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is an international organization that brings health professionals, including physicians, nurses, public health specialists, and scientists, together to help promote health, dignity, and justice. Additionally, PHR works to investigate and end human rights abuses around the world. The goal of PHR’s student chapters is to educate the health professional community and to inspire them to promote health and human rights locally, nationally, and internationally. At BU, our PHR students attend local and national conferences, organize discussions and talks on campus, and participate in activities such as meeting with elected officials and attending rallies like the Global Days for Darfur in April of 2007. Current PHR campaigns that we’ll be working on this year are Health Action AIDS, Darfur Survival Campaign, Campaign Against Torture, Health and Justice for Youth, and Campaign to Ban Landmines. Beyond these campaigns we will also be involved in local health and human rights issues.

Officers:

• Caitlin Christie, caitc@bu.edu
• Anahita Fallahi, afallahi@bu.edu
• Lisa Force, lisaforce@gmail.com
• Doreen Gidali, dgidali@bu.edu
• Jennifer Kao, kaoj@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

The Preventative and Integrative Medicine Association (PIMA) seeks to improve medicine through promoting the exploration of integrative medicine therapies, as well as emphasizing their potential utility in modern medicine. We aim to further the dialogue between science and health by bringing together those interested in the clinical practice of body-mind medicine, and fostering educational discussions amongst students and professionals.

Officers:

• Albert Do, albertd@bu.edu
• Eugene Lee, phoenix@bu.edu
• Rob Feeley, rjfeeley@bu.edu
• Winston Wu, wwu85@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

Project Trust is a part of Boston Medical Center’s HIV Counseling, Testing, and Referral services. This organization offers free and confidential HIV testing and counseling to patients at BMC as well as other individuals at various other off-site locations. Students involved with Project Trust commit to being educated regarding HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, and STIs as well as trained in both HIV counseling and testing during a weekend seminar in the winter. Once trained, students volunteer weekly, counseling individuals, offering risk reduction information, and performing rapid HIV tests. The mission of Project Trust is to provide members of the community with accurate information regarding HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, and STIs and encourages individuals to know their HIV status. In addition, it offers medical students the opportunity to serve the BMC and greater Boston community while offering them an opportunity to further develop their basic interviewing and communication skills with patients.

Officers:

• Lisa Rauh, lrauh@bu.edu
• Anu Hazra, ahazra@bu.edu
• Danielle Farrar, dfarrar@bu.edu
• Nate Brooks, brooksn@bu.edu
• Jenna Wheelhouse, jwheelh1@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

The Psychiatry Student Interest Group at the Boston University School of Medicine aims to educate and inform classmates about several aspects of psychiatry, including career paths, residency, practice, research, and our own mental health as medical students. One way we plan on doing this is to organize interactive and informative talks given by invited speakers to discuss relevant issues in their fields.

Our goals are to introduce topics within psychiatry that are not covered in the traditional medical school curriculum.

Previous guests have included such dynamic speakers as Dr. Jim Chengelis, “Beyond Teamwork: Cases from the Consult Liaison Service”, and Child/Adolescent Psychiatrist Dr. Timothy Rivinius, speaking on the topic of pediatric bipolar disorder (see “Previous PsychSIG Events” for more info).

We also try to plan at least 2 panel discussions throughout the academic year with BU Psychiatric residents in order to answer any questions students have about psychiatric residency training, lifestyle, and discussions about their future plans (i.e. Where do BU Psych residents go after their training there? Is there a “typical” track? What sort of fellowships are available? Etc.).

Future projects include:

- Psychiatric Shadowing: we hope to create a list of available Psychiatrists (in and outside of the BU network) who are willing to make themselves available to BU medical students in several ways, such as mentoring, shadowing, application advice, etc.

- Research Opportunities: we hope to hold a forum that will expose interested students to a diverse group of research psychiatrists who will be available for mentoring research projects.

- We plan to pursue collaborative efforts with other student interest groups to assist in showing the multiple facets of psychiatry, such as Neuroimaging and the Domestic Violence Awareness group.

- We plan on pursuing a charity drive aimed at helping an under-served community linked to important psychiatric issues.

- We plan on pursuing a project that will be aimed at creating an awareness of common mental health issues in medical students and methods to combat them.

Officer:

• Jeffrey Seal, jeffseal@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

Social Entrepreneurship in Health is a student organization dedicated to fostering an environment for individuals to learn about and to pursue social business endeavors – where a social business is an enterprise, profitable or not profitable, whose primary mission is positive social impact. In doing so, we invest in the power of the individual and of communities to provide innovative solutions to social problems, especially in the Healthcare field.

We leverage existing resources within our community at Boston University and beyond to provide action-focused training opportunities for our group members. Our goal is for everyone to harness the skills they learn to fulfill their own dreams of positive social change.

“Social Entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish, or to learn how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the entire fishing industry.” – Bill Drayton, Founder of Ashoka

Officer:

• Marcel Tam, mtam@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

This organization was founded in 1994-95 to represent medical students of South Asian origin and to enhance awareness of South Asian culture.SAMSA invites you to help raise awareness of South Asian culture and to promote unity amongst our community. We will serve as ambassadors for the South Asian community by hosting seminars and lectures to educate our peers about the health issues affecting Asian populations. This awareness alone can impact how effectively our future clinicians treat their patients of South Asian descent.Every spring, we have a cultural show which celebrates the food, culture, and dances of South Asia. In addition, SAMSA has established affiliations with national organizations of South Asian physicians and with South Asian medical students at other institutions.

Officers:

• Monica Jain, mjain@bu.edu
• Neetika Srivastava, nsrivast@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

Officers:

• Nikki Chamoy, nicole.chamoy@gmail.com
• Carolee Estelle, cestelle@bu.edu
• Lisa Force, lisaforce@gmail.com
• Melissa Dowd, melissamdowd@gmail.com

(as of 8/18/09)

SCOMSA is the student government of Boston University School of Medicine. It is a committee of students comprising elected representatives from each class. Members meet on a monthly basis to review budget requests from campus organizations for campus-wide events, and to discuss important issues facing the student body. The committee serves as a liaison between the students and administration, and its goal is to facilitate open communication between the two.SCOMSA also funds individual and group travel to conferences, and provides funding to student interest groups for meetings and seminars. As well, SCOMSA funds or organizes BBQ’s, the fall informal, the winter semi-formal, match day events, skit night, exam breakfasts, and other activities.

Officers:

• Daniel Kirshenbaum, Chairperson, dankirsh@bu.edu
• Jacquie Yano, Vice-Chairperson, jyano@bu.edu
• Roxane Handel, Treasurer, rhandal@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

This is the first and only medical student organization affiliated with the American Academy of Neurology and supported by Boston University School of Medicine’s Neurology Department. The organization consists of local chapters at the accredited North American medical schools. Boston University School of Medicine chapter was established in January of 1999, and it is a new and exciting opportunity for students considering a career in Neurology or those who are interested in learning more about the specialty. The purpose of SIGN is to introduce medical students to the field of Neurology through discussions by neurologists, patient presentations, seminars, journal clubs, learning materials, and arranged shadowings of neurologists in the workplace. This will allow medical students to become aware of opportunities and participate in activities related to the field of Neurology. All medical students, faculty, and staff associated with the institution are eligible to join. Information on free medical student membership with the American Academy of Neurology and the American Academy of Neurology Medical Student Summer Scholarship is available.

Officers:

• Kristen Lindgren, M.D./Ph.D. Rep, kal@bu.edu
• Danielle Farrar, dfarrar@bu.edu
• Rachel Jordan, rcjordan@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

SNMA is the nation’s oldest and largest student-run organization focused on the needs and concerns of students of color. SNMA, developed as a student organization to the National Medical Association (NMA), has membership which includes over 6,000 medical students, pre-medical students, residents, and physicians. The organization strives: to create an atmosphere wherein professional excellence and moral principles can find fullest expression; to disseminate information relative to minority involvement within the field of medical education; to take the necessary and proper steps to eradicate prejudicial practices in the field of medical education and related areas, as these practices appear to be based on race, creed, color, sex or national origin; to develop workable programs for the implementation of better urban and rural health care; to provide national leadership in the promulgation of legislative policies for the provision of better health care; to sponsor programs for minority youth and encourage their entrance into the health professions; and to raise the levels of minority school recruitment, admissions, and retention in schools training health care professionals.

Officers:

• Kari-Claudia Allen, kcallen@bu.edu
• snma@bu.edu

 (as of 8/18/09)

The Student Oncology Society is a student-run organization at Boston University School of Medicine that aims to offer students the chance to enhance their understanding of cancer and stimulate their interest in the field of oncology outside of the classroom. As the rate of cancer diagnosis and cancer-related deaths will continue to increase in the years ahead due to the growth in the size of the population and an increase in the proportions of elderly persons in our society, we believe that we, as future physicians, are required to improve our understanding and awareness of the disease in order to provide optimal care to our future patients. Through seminars and workshops designed to help students gain early exposure in the field of conology, we will endeavor to instill motivation and enthusiasm among medical students, which, in turn, will help produce competent and compassionate cancer physicians in the future.

Officers:

• Tristen Chun, tchun@bu.edu
• Arti Parekh, artip@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

The Surgical Society was established to foster interest in general surgery and the surgical subspecialties among medical students at Boston University. Our goal is to introduce students to the field of surgery and to prepare them for third-year surgical clerkships, regardless of their future specialty choices.

We host a series of morning seminars given by faculty members representing different surgical specialties at Boston Medical Center.

Topics covered include residency placement, research interests, and case presentations. Each semester we organize several suture workshops where first and second year students can learn the fundamentals of wound closure and basic suturing techniques. We also host a lunchtime panel with residents from general surgery and other surgical specialties. All students are welcome to attend the breakfast seminars and workshops.

Website: http://people.bu.edu/surgery

Officers:

• Ebony Lawson, eblawson@bu.edu
• Julia Manasson, manasson@bu.edu
• Kathryn Neubauer, neubie@bu.edu
• Faculty Advisor: James Becker, MD

(as of 8/18/09)

Officers:

• Lisa Force, lisaforce@gmail.com
• Roxane Handal, rhandal@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)

The Urology Interest Group serves to promote awareness in this unique and competitive surgical sub-specialty. We hope to serve as a forum where students can discuss lifestyle, applications, and other interests regarding surgery or urology. The group provides students with guest lectures about various topics and issues in the field, as well as forging a conection to physicians or residents in urology.

Officers:

• Kevin Chapla, kvjc11@bu.edu
• Jason Leung, jasonata@bu.edu

(as of 8/18/09)