Comfortable in Our Skin (CIOS@BUSM)

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Margaret Lee, margaret.lee@bmc.org

Student Leadership:

Overview:

Comfortable in Our Skin at BUSM (CIOS@BUSM) is the first medical school chapter of CIOS, the nonprofit organization founded by Dr. Margaret Lee to aid young people in achieving their full potential through peer support group workshops and activities that celebrate creativity and individuality.  While to date CIOS has focused on helping young people with dermatological conditions, the organization celebrates and includes all forms of individuality with the goal of boosting self-confidence, self-awareness, and self-compassion among preteens through young adults.  This service-learning group is an outgrowth of the CIOS organization that gives medical students the opportunity to develop and implement CIOS workshops in schools throughout Boston.  Some examples of CIOS workshops include Bullying Survival Skills, Instagram-Glam: Media Awareness, and Creativity is Beautiful: The Artist in You.  Overall, CIOS@BUSM aims to be a positive presence on campus that emphasizes the importance of peer support, fosters creativity and leadership skills, and encourages collaboration across disciplines.

Mission:

Our mission is to provide BUSM students with the opportunity to create CIOS workshops in order to help young people of all appearances and abilities achieve their full potential by fostering peer support and celebrating individuality. 

Goals:

  1. To deliver workshops designed to celebrate individuality, to promote self-confidence, and to create an inclusive, judgment-free zone where youth can explore what true beauty is and find it in themselves
  2. To foster peer support among adolescents and children throughout Boston public schools
  3. To provide BUSM students with mentorship and leadership opportunities 
  4. To present BUSM students with the opportunity to work closely with pediatric populations in a fun and creative way and to acquire group facilitation skills
  5. To encourage collaboration among students interested in a variety of disciplines including the arts, pediatrics, dermatology, and psychology