Interested in leading a new interest group? Apply Here!
Contact Arvind Suresh and Seth Ramin, Chairs of Professional Development with any questions/comments.
SPECIALTY INTEREST GROUPS
- Aerospace Medicine Student and Resident Organization
- Anesthesiology Interest Group
- Anesthesiology Interest Group
- Cardiovascular Medicine Interest Group
- Interest Group (DIG)
- Emergency Medicine Interest Group
- Ethics Interest Group
- Family Medicine Interest Group
- General Surgery Interest Group
- Internal Medicine Interest Group
- Neurology Interest Group
- OBGYN Interest Group
- Oncology Student Interest Group
- Orthopedics Interest Group
- Plastic Surgery Interest Group
- Radiology Interest Group
- Trauma and Critical Care Interest Group
- Ultrasound Student Interest Group
- Vascular Surgery Interest Group
GEISEL CHAPTERS OF NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
- American Medical Association Geisel Chapter
- Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association
- Association of Native American Medical Students
- Geisel Medicine in Motion
- Association of Women Surgeons
- Latino Medical Student Association
- Phi Delta Epsilon
- Student National Medical Association
- Students for a National Health Program
DICE GROUPS
- Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association
- Association of Native American Medical Students
- Latino Medical Student Association
- PrideMD
- Student National Medical Association
Scholar Groups
- Community Health Scholars
- Digital Health Scholars (DHS)
- Geisel Health and Humanities Scholars
- Medical Education Scholars
- Science Scholars
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CLINICS and SERVICE
- Community Flu and COVID-19 Clinic
- Community Service Committee
- Good Neighbor Health Clinic
- Hixon House Haven Dinners
- Upper Valley Human Rights Clinic
FAITH-BASED GROUPS
- American Muslim Medical Student Association
- CRUNCH
STUDENT-LIFE and ‘OTHER’ GROUPS
- Design for Health
- First-Generation Student Association
- Geisel First Year Orientation Trips
- Geisel Medicine in Motion
- Geisel Parents and Partners Group
- Geisel Students for Reproductive Justice
- History of Medicine Society
- Medical Students for a Sustainable Future (MS4SF)
- Nutrition for the Medical Student
- The Geisel Performance Association
- The Geisel Performance Institute
Specialty Interest Groups
Aerospace Medicine Student and Resident Organization
Contact: Joseph W. Bello
Description:
The Aerospace Medicine Student and Resident Organization aim to promote an understanding of the science and art of Aerospace Medicine and to inform about the career opportunities available in the developing field. The program will encourage students’ involvement in our own local community, encourage student involvement in larger issues of health policy and health equity, and will create a space for students to develop their advocacy skills. We recognize that discovery and innovation are core values that Geisel upholds in its mission and goals. Space Medicine is a developing field with unique challenges and medical implications which offer exciting opportunities for future physicians to be involved in. The presence of the Space Medicine Innovations Lab on our campus further endorses this philosophy. In turn, we believe that establishing an official Aerospace Medicine Student and Resident Organization chapter at Geisel will further uphold our community’s goal of preparing future leaders that utilize innovation and discovery to tackle unique challenges in health care.
Goal(s):
- Promote space medicine continuing education by drawing from the National Space Medicine Association-sponsored curricula
- Expose students to Geisel’s Space Medicine Innovation Lab and the learning opportunities it offers
- Discuss space medicine in the context of topics related to the medical school’s curriculum
- Learn how physiology in space is different from physiology on earth and what the implications are for medicine
- Expose Geisel students to the growing career opportunities in space medicine (There are currently 5 accredited U.S. Residency Programs for aerospace medicine)
- Support students interested in pursuing careers in Space Medicine
Anesthesiology Interest Group
Contact: Derek J. Colaizzo
Description:
The Anesthesiology Interest Group aims to inspire and connect medical students interested in anesthesiology.
Goal(s):
To help facilitate faculty and clinical student mentorship with preclinical students.
Cardiovascular Medicine Interest Group
Contact: Evan D. Watkins
Description:
The Cardiovascular Medicine Interest Group was founded to provide medical students the opportunity to obtain early exposure in the field of cardiology. We believe that as a competitive and growing field, cardiology has much to explore, and students should be afforded guidance and resources to delve into this subspecialty earlier in their medical careers. This group will enable students to learn more about the field of cardiology and engage with faculty and fellows practicing cardiology at Dartmouth and beyond.
Goal(s):
- Pique student interest in cardiovascular medicine and related fields
- Provide exposure to specialists and specialties within cardiovascular medicine
- Provide resources/content to students outside of the formal medical school curriculum
- Host workshops and skills sessions related to cardiovascular medicine
Dermatology Interest Group (DIG)
Contact: Chenin K. Ryan
Description:
The purpose of the Dermatology Interest Group is to help Geisel students gain exposure to and support within the field of dermatology, to foster a greater sense of community among students interested in dermatology, and to increase the dermatologic health of the Upper Valley. We host meetings with dermatology residents and attendings, share advice on research opportunities and residency applications, provide skin cancer education and screenings at community events, and provide hands-on sessions to hone general skills like performing biopsies and suturing.
Goal(s):
- To be a community and resource for Geisel students considering a career in dermatology and to build skills applicable to other fields of interest as well
- Help Geisel students gain exposure to and support within the field of dermatology, foster a greater sense of community among students interested in dermatology, increase the dermatologic health of the Upper Valley
Emergency Medicine Interest Group
Contact: Andrew J. Pettit
Description:
The Emergency Medicine Interest Group at Geisel is a student-run organization committed to promoting the intellectual, social, and experiential development of medical students with aspirations to start a career in Emergency Medicine. The Emergency Medicine Interest Group at Geisel was created in order to provide students with the opportunity to explore the field of emergency medicine. The Emergency Medicine Interest Group at Geisel is a student-run organization committed to promoting the intellectual, social, and experiential development of medical students with aspirations to start a career in Emergency Medicine.
Goal(s):
To facilitate the intellectual, social, and experimental growth of medical students interested in Emergency Medicine! We hope to serve as the starting point for career exploration in this dynamic and exciting field through practical skills workshops, clinical shadowing experiences, presentations by practicing physicians and facilitating connections for research during the preclinical years.
Ethics Interest Group
Contact: Alexandra E. Conway
Description:
The Ethics Interest Group promotes thoughtful discussion and inquiry of topics of ethical relevance at every level of medicine. Our purpose is to invite students and faculty to join us in an open discussion on the ethical issues that practicing physicians face today. Ethical dilemmas exist in a wide scope of areas and fields; we hope to confront a few of these through panels/lunches throughout the year in order to facilitate conversations about topics that are not covered in our traditional medical school curriculum.
Goal(s):
To join students and faculty in the discussion of ethical issues not explored in the formal curriculum by hosting speakers, lunches, and evening panels throughout the year.
Family Medicine Interest Group
Contact: Omar M. Sajjad
Description:
The Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG) serves to promote engagement and educational opportunities relating to family and community medicine at Dartmouth. FMIG encourages the exploration of family medicine as a career option, connects students with potential mentors in the field, and facilitates learning opportunities. The Family Medicine Interest Group at Geisel is a student-run organization that will serve as the base for career exploration in this longitudinal and rewarding medical field through practical skills workshops and presentations by practicing family medicine physicians during the preclinical years.
Goal(s):
We will organize opportunities for Geisel students to learn more about family medicine and gain valuable mentors. Skills nights will cover the breadth of skills in medicine from intubation, suturing, vaccine administration, and more! We will coordinate with the American Academy of Family Physicians to share opportunities to attend regional and national conferences.
General Surgery Interest Group
Contact: Jack F. Donaghue
Description:
The General Surgery Interest group supports students by informing them about the lifestyle, professional requirements and unique opportunities associated with careers in surgery. The group also connects students to faculty mentors, skill building, research, and shadowing opportunities necessary to make informed career decisions and to be successful residency applicants.
Goal(s):
To ensure each student has a mentor they can reach out to, provide research opportunities, and gain the surgical skills necessary to succeed in clerkships.
Internal Medicine Interest Group
Contact: Omar M. Sajjad
Description:
Internal Medicine Interest Group meets regularly with Geisel and DHMC faculty in the field of internal medicine. We hold various events ranging from dinner discussions to Journal Club to expand our knowledge and interest in internal medicine. We also explore the intersection between internal medicine and other fields of medicine, such as public health, global health, and medical education.
Goal(s):
- Increase the percentage of ACP Medical Student Membership.
- Promote student involvement in ACP events, such as the NH/VT annual meeting.
- Encourage students to submit research abstracts to ACP.
- Hold at least one IMIG event per term during the 2021-2022 academic year to inform students about internal medicine as a specialty.
- Connect interested students with local internists for shadowing, research opportunities, and mentorship.
Neurology Interest Group
Contact: Soo Hwan Park
Description:
We aim to provide students with the opportunity to increase their knowledge of neurology as a branch of medicine and potential specialty. We also support students with research, funding, and service opportunities within the field and engage members with mentors at different stages of their careers.
Goal(s):
- Host meetings with neurology residents and attendings to discuss their career path, share advice on residency applications, and provide room for questioning.
- Host informational sessions discussing neurology subspecialties, research opportunities, and significant publications.
OBGYN Interest Group
Contact: Grace R. Martin
Description:
OBIG holds panels, discussions, and skills workshops to provide information to students about OBGYN, connect students interested in the field, and get exposure to relevant skills.
Goal(s):
- Connect students with potential mentors in the field of OBGYN
- Connect students with research opportunities in OBGYN
- Provide information on the field of OBGYN
- Provide practice of OBGYN-specific skills if possible
Oncology Student Interest Group
Contact: Shannon M. Robins
Description:
Our primary goal for the Oncology Interest Group this upcoming year is to introduce students to the field of oncology in various disciplines. To do this we will hold panel sessions with current Hem/Onc fellows at our institution and subspecialty panels with physicians from different branches of oncology, such as surgery and pediatrics. We also hope to spark interest in oncology research by hosting journal clubs.
Goal(s):
- To foster interest in Oncology.
- To establish potential mentor relationships between current Oncologists and pre-clinical students.
- To provide programming to elucidate career and training options within the field.
Orthopedics Interest Group
Contact: Kenneth J. Greco II
Description:
The purpose of the Orthopedics Interest Group is to help Geisel students gain exposure to the field of orthopedics whilst constructing a strong community that provides support, guidance, and practice with clinical skills. We hold frequent meetings, skills nights and other events which foster a strong bond between members and residents/attendings while providing advice on research opportunities, career options, fellowships and residency applications.
Goal(s):
To train our future physicians to embody our guiding principles, and to provide the resources and opportunities in order for them to do so.
Plastic Surgery Interest Group
Contact: Reade Otto-Moudry
Description:
We aim to support students who are interested in pursuing plastic surgery.
Goal(s):
To create more opportunities for students to engage with plastic surgery faculty and to gain relevant skills.
Radiology Interest Group
Contact: Liam N. Locke
Description:
Radiology Interest Group aims to achieve its goals through educational and career activities such as: Participating in student activity fair to introduce the interest group to the student body. General information session that provides an opportunity for interested medical students to ask any questions related to radiology practice, research and lifestyle.
Goal(s):
- Conduct 8 educational/career workshops with at least two hands-on clinical skills (e.g., ultrasound skills night, PACS/image analysis tutorial).
- Increase students’ understanding of radiological concepts and the role of radiologists in health systems.
- Improve students’ preparedness for board exams on content related to imaging.
Trauma and Critical Care Interest Group
Contact: Adam Schwendt
Description:
The mission of the Trauma and Critical Care Interest Group at the Geisel School of Medicine is to provide extracurricular exposure to the interdisciplinary fields of trauma and critical care. Our aim is to enhance student interest, learning, and opportunity within trauma and critical care. We aspire to create relationships with physicians at Dartmouth Health Medical Center and provide guidance to students interested in treating people with life-threatening injuries as future physicians. The group serves as a forum for all students who share a common interest in trauma and critical care and want to explore and learn more about these fields.
Goal(s):
The goal of the TCCIG is to provide students with an early exposure to trauma and critical care, and to facilitate research, shadowing, and networking opportunities. The group activities will include workshops related to trauma and critical care cases, information sessions with trauma surgeons and critical care trained physicians, and general interest meetings with students.
Ultrasound Student Interest Group
Contact: Evan D. Watkins
Description:
Our program organizes learning sessions at the DHMC ultrasound suite where faculty and residents teach ultrasound techniques to students using real ultrasound equipment on volunteers. Students rotate through different stations learning new skills and learning from different instructors with different backgrounds and teaching styles.
Goal(s):
- Give every student at Geisel an opportunity to familiarize themselves with ultrasound techniques used in the clinical setting.
- Use ultrasound as a tool for medical students to apply pre-clinical knowledge of anatomy to clinical scenarios.
- Foster collaboration and connections between faculty and students in a small group setting.
Vascular Surgery Interest Group
Contact: Isabel A. Jarmel
Description:
Vascular surgery is a dynamic field that combines open surgical and minimally invasive endovascular approaches. The Vascular Surgery Interest Group (VSIG) is dedicated to increasing exposure to this exciting field and providing opportunities for career development through clinical experience, research, didactic sessions, and skills workshops. By doing so, VSIG aims to help students gain the knowledge and mentorship they need to pursue a career in vascular surgery.
Goal(s):
- Provide networking opportunities between students, residents, and faculty.
- Foster mentorship and research relationships early in undergraduate medical training.
- Create a forum for building academic presentation skills.
- Prepare students to present at regional and national meetings.
Geisel Chapters of National Organizations
American Medical Association Geisel Chapter
Contact: Derek J. Colaizzo
Description:
Our AMA MSS chapter will represent Geisel students at the AMA, where many decisions and resolutions are made regarding health policy, advocacy, and medical education. We will also work within our own community at Geisel to participate in community service programs, health policy discussions, and foster conversations about the needs of the medical field and the communities we serve.
Goal(s):
- Represent Geisel and ensure that Geisel students’ needs are advocated for to the AMA
- Leverage the AMA’s resources to benefit Geisel students
- Be a part of the AMA’s national and regional advocacy efforts
- Conduct local outreach and community service under the AMA umbrella
- Ensure that all Geisel students who want to be involved can do so
Geisel Medicine in Motion
Contact: Michelle D. Dong
Description:
The Medicine in Motion chapter at the Geisel SOM serves to create a sense of community among students interested in fitness and philanthropy. The organization's goal is to promote fitness and wellness within the medical community to prevent medical student and physician burnout.
Goal(s):
- Creating a sense of community at Geisel and DHMC through fitness, philanthropy, and community building
- Participating in, hosting, and promoting philanthropic fitness events such as Hanover’s CHAD Hero event, to facilitate interdisciplinary community building
- Supporting research examining levels of burnout within the medical community
- Increase student involvement in wellness through group fitness
Association of Women Surgeons
Contact: Ovya Ganesan
Description:
The mission of the Association of Women Surgeons is to inspire, encourage and enable women surgeons to realize their professional and personal goals. Our goals are to promote professional growth and development, to enhance and facilitate interaction among women surgeons throughout the world, to foster an environment supportive of personal values and individual diversity, and to advance the highest standards of competence and ethical behavior.
Goal(s):
The group aims to connect women within Geisel School of Medicine with other medical students interested in surgery as well as to surgical attending physicians and residents at DHMC. With close partnership with DHMC surgeons, we hope to increase exposure to surgical specialties through educational activities, such as mentorship, suture clinics, and shadowing opportunities. In addition, we hope to provide an open environment where students can learn about the surgical field as well as the process of matching in surgery from surgeons currently active in the field. Lastly, we hope to provide students within the pre-clinical phase of medical school with support and resources to properly prepare for a future career in surgery.
Phi Delta Epsilon
Contact: Kristian K. Sogaard
Description:
Phi Delta Epsilon (PhiDE) is the only co-ed international professional medical fraternity, with thousands of members from institutions throughout the world. The organization’s goal is to create physicians of integrity with a lifelong commitment to the guiding principles of philanthropy, equity, and education. PhiDE supports its members through fellowship, service, mentoring, and formal training in leadership, science, and ethics. Diversity and inclusion are at the core of PhiDE’s values, providing students with unique mentorship and networking opportunities with a global network of physicians, residents, fellows, and other students. Through a host of planned activities throughout the academic year, PhiDE members develop leadership and professional skills which complement a basic understanding of medical science. When the time comes to match for residency, active membership in PhiDE is often seen as an indicator that a student is well rounded and motivated. In addition, there are numerous planned chapter activities designed to help relieve the stress of studying. PhiDE members are also presented with many opportunities to develop relationships on both a personal and professional level that last a lifetime--on a local level within the Geisel community as well as nationally and even internationally.
Goal(s):
- Hosting PhiDE sponsored leadership and career building seminars
- Providing members with opportunities to attend PhiDE’s various annual conferences and events which will help facilitate networking
- Providing members with a network of more than 35,000 members through whom students can gain first-hand information about the medical profession
- Utilizing PhiDE’s various educational programming to sponsor panel discussions, distinguished lectures and seminars, and other professional and social events
- Promoting an inclusive community that is not only diverse but also spans across all 4 years at Geisel with the goal of facilitating relationships amongst preclinical and clinical students as well as residents and fellows
- Hosting a variety of campus-wide community service and social events
- Inviting current physician/fellow/resident/members to develop relationships with current Geisel students
Physicians for Human Rights
Contact: Ovya Ganesan
Description:
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is an independent, national organization that uses medicine and science to stop mass atrocities and severe human rights violations against individuals. We use our investigations and expertise to advocate for the:
- Prevention of individual or small-scale acts of violence from becoming mass atrocities.
- Protection of internationally guaranteed rights of individuals and civilian populations.
- Prosecution of those who violate human rights.
Goal(s):
- To continue to create projects addressing various human rights and social justice issues.
- To foster a community of thoughtful, caring individuals.
- To engage with the broader community around important social justice issues (locally, regionally, and nationally)
Students for a National Health Program
Contact: Delaney B. Taylor
Description:
SNaHP is a single-issue organization advocating a universal, comprehensive single-payer national health program with more than 19,000 members. We believe that a single publicly funded, privately delivered universal health care system is necessary for us to provide high quality care to all our patients.
Goal(s):
To learn about the forces impacting healthcare and advocate for healthcare reform.
DICE Groups
Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association
Contact: James X. Feng
Description:
The Asian Pacific American Medical Students Association (APAMSA) is a national organization of medical and pre-medical students committed to addressing the unique healthcare challenges of Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) communities. The Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association was founded in 1995, addressing the issues of AANHPI health that were largely ignored by existing organizations. Geisel's chapter was founded in recent years. Our mission is to bring together Asians, Pacific Islanders, and others interested in the health issues that affect Asians and Pacific Islanders so that we may have a strong, collective, public, and political voice. We are interested in both directly promoting the health and well-being of the Asian and Pacific Islander community as well as in helping all health care workers who work with these communities understand how to care for the Asian and Pacific Islander patient in a culturally sensitive manner. Finally, APAMSA provides an important forum for APIA medical students to meet, exchange information and experiences and develop personally and professionally.
Goal(s):
- Educate Geisel students to be culturally sensitive to the APIA patient population
- Engage with and mentor Dartmouth College pre-medical students
- Reach out to APIA community in the Upper Valley and address the challenges they face in medical care
Association of Native American Medical Students Contact: Chenin K. Ryan
Description:
The Association of Native American Medical Students (ANAMS) is a student organization representing Native American graduate health professions students throughout the US and Canada. The goals of ANAMS include providing support and a resource network for all Native Americans currently enrolled in various allied health professions schools. ANAMS strives to increase the number of Native American students in medicine and other health professions. Exposure and recognition on a national level throughout the medical community is what we continue to promote.
Goal(s):
To provide an organization at Geisel for students who identify as Native American as well as for students interested in working with Indigenous communities.
Latino Medical Student Association
Contact: Macri Gil Diaz
Description:
LMSA is a student organization focused on building a strong and diverse community at the Geisel School of Medicine. We hope to unite Latinx and non-Latinx students in a relaxed, welcoming environment and provide a safe, supportive space for Latinx students. We host different events throughout the year such as talking to undergraduates about pursuing medicine, movie screenings about social issues, and taco/food nights. We also attend the LMSA Northeast Regional Conference, representing the GSM in the LMSA community.
Goal(s):
- To unify all Latinx medical students into one organization
- To provide a voice for underrepresented medical students
- To actively promote recruitment and retention of Latinx students at all levels
- To educate medical students on Latinx health issues
- To advocate for the rights of Latinx in health care
- To provide leadership opportunities for Latinx
PrideMD
Contact: Isabel A. Jarmel
Description:
PrideMD is the Geisel School of Medicine's LGBTQQIA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, intersex, and ally) interest group. This organization supports the social and unique needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender medical students by providing a space to fellowship, discussing LGBTQ+-relevant health issues, and providing tips to navigate the queer-friendly social opportunities available in the Upper Valley. PrideMD will work to bridge connections with teens, reaching out to Rural Outright and other organizations in the upper valley, and connect the queer physicians of the Upper Valley with the medical students. The organization encourages a healthy dialogue about the intersections between sexual orientation, gender identity, the health care system, and our role as future medical practitioners.
Goal(s):
To provide a community for medical students at Geisel in the LGBTQIA+ community. We hope to provide social, networking, and community outreach events.
Student National Medical Association
Contact: Derek J. Colaizzo
Description:
Student National Medical Association (SNMA) 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. SNMA chapters based at allopathic and osteopathic medical schools throughout the nation, and some colleges, implement our programs and activities locally. SNMA programs are designed to serve the health needs of underserved communities and communities of color. In addition, SNMA is dedicated both to ensuring that medical education and services are culturally sensitive to the needs of diverse populations and to increasing the number of African American, Latino, and other students of color entering and completing medical school.
Goal(s):
- To serve as a credible and accurate source of information relevant to minority issues in the field of medical education.
- To encourage and foster the development of minority faculty in order to increase the presence of minority mentors and biomedical researchers in academic health centers.
- To evaluate and cultivate the necessary measures to eradicate practices in the field of health profession education that compromises the goal of providing quality education to minorities and women.
Uniformed Services Student Group
Contact: Meaghan T. Raab
Description:
In 2018, the military interest group was reinstituted as the Uniformed Services Student Group (USSG) and began reconnecting with the greater veteran community. The Uniformed Services Student Group (USSG) at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth is the community of medical students of various backgrounds who all share military service as past, present, or future members of the Armed Services who seek to foster camaraderie and understand what it means to serve as a physician providing services to veteran community. A group, open to all, with an interest in the military population and the unique challenges experienced by our nation’s veteran community.
Goal(s):
A group, open to all, with an interest in the military population and the unique challenges experienced by our nation’s veteran community.
Scholar Groups
Community Health Scholars
Contact: Monika C. Gabriele
Description:
Community Health Scholars is a formal scholar group offered during the first year of medical school at the Geisel School of Medicine. The scholar group combines classroom didactics with experiential community-based learning to foster a deep sense of empathy and understanding for the challenges experienced by underserved and stigmatized members of the Upper Valley community. The Community Health Scholars program seeks to directly address this mission by focusing on the complex social determinants of health that impact the care provided in the Upper Valley as well as explore health disparities that we may not have had first-hand experience with. To fully engage with this mission, it is essential to begin addressing difficult health care issues and improving lives in the community with which we are learning.
Goal(s):
- To provide a one-year curriculum, with facilitated discussions and community engagement, that equips participants with the skills and knowledge to better address health disparities both in the Upper Valley and in their future careers.
- To prepare medical students to become competent, compassionate health care providers to underserved populations and agents for the advancement of health equity within the United States.
Digital Health Scholars (DHS)
Contact: Soo Hwan Park
Description:
Digital Health Scholars is a diverse group of medical students interested in the implementation and development of technology and analytical tools to improve human health through bioinformatics, precision medicine, and predictive modeling of epidemiology and diseases. Our target for educational outreach includes medical students and physicians. We strive to expand and engage with research projects that develop the digital infrastructure that will better medical practice, medical education, and patient care.
Goal(s):
- Develop a comprehensive curriculum that parallels that of the preclinical courses while intentionally integrating data science concepts
- Introduce students of all levels to statistical methods and programming techniques
- Connect students with potential computational research based on clinical interests and experience level
- Help students understand the broader impact of data on health, society, and their future clinical practice
Geisel Health and Humanities Scholars
Contact: John F. Emery
Description:
The Health Humanities Scholars are a group of diverse medical students who believe in the ability of the humanities - art, literature, anthropology, history, religion, philosophy, and more - to fortify the scientific practice of medicine. Collectively, scholars strive to expand, enhance, and contribute to teachings, practices, and discussions around the humanities in medical education at Geisel. They aim to strengthen the connection between Geisel, Dartmouth College, Dartmouth-Hitchcock, and the larger community of artists in the Upper Valley. Guided by their physician mentors, they will become the next generation of physician-leaders in health humanities in scholarship, leadership, and practice. The group was founded by Lauren Kascak (MED ‘20) and Celestine Warren (MED 21) and launched officially in 2020.
Goal(s):
We seek to host monthly events open to all members and other students. At these events we want to highlight all aspects of the humanities from narrative medicine to the performing arts.
Medical Education Scholars
Contact: Justin B. Fong
Description:
Medical Education Scholars is a tremendous program that has created excellent academic physicians at Geisel for many years. The Medical Education Scholars program is both an interest group and a semi-formal curriculum to introduce students to the field of Academic Medicine. This program will also give student participants skills to make them more competitive for academic medicine/GME programs. Geisel students in Med Ed Scholars program will become leaders in Academic Medicine.
Goal(s):
- To learn more about medical education and academic medicine.
- To engage and teach our fellow students about medical education.
- To improve medical education at Geisel.
Science Scholars
Contact: Abigail J. Dutton
Description:
Science Scholars have been around as an interest group for about 10 years now, traditionally led by MD-PhD students at Dartmouth. In the past two years, it has also become a successful resource for preparing first-year medical students for applying to selective summer research opportunities. This course aims to introduce first year medical students to the fundamentals of scientific research and prepare them for their research experience during the summer between first and second years of medical school. Students will attain the basic skills for a career in basic, translational, or clinical research through a series of ten workshops led by Dartmouth faculty members, as well as one-on-one mentorship sessions with assigned peer mentors [MD-PhD students, PhD students, or former (M1 students) Science Scholars]. Students will be also assisted with looking and applying for summer research positions and funding.
Goal(s):
During our workshops, students will develop a foundation in basic research skills tailored for future leading physicians, such as the following:
- Basic understanding of statistical methods utilized in research
- Reading scientific literature
- Designing and testing hypotheses
- Basic understanding of clinical trials
- Writing a one-page research proposal
- Looking for and applying for research funding
- Using PubMed and similar search engines
- Balancing research career with clinical practice
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CLINICS and SERVICE
Community Flu and COVID-19 Clinic
Contact: Constance P. Fontanet
Description:
The vaccine clinics began as a partnership between Dartmouth-Hitchcock, the Upper Valley Public Health Council, and students at the Geisel School of Medicine to organize community influenza vaccine outreach clinics each October in towns throughout the Upper Valley. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, this effort has expanded to train medical students as volunteer vaccinators for various COVID-19 vaccine clinics that will be taking place throughout the Upper Valley for the upcoming year. In partnership with the NH Department of Health and Human Service and Dartmouth College, medical students who have been properly trained will administer COVID-19 vaccines to the Dartmouth students, faculty, and staff under the supervision of faculty physicians.
Goal(s):
- Host multiple student-staffed community vaccine clinics each fall
- Safely administer vaccinations to Upper Valley community members
- Train medical students how to administer intramuscular vaccine injections
- Raise awareness about the public health benefits of flu and COVID-19 vaccines
Community Service Committee
Contact: Haider S. Ghiasuddin
Description:
We believe that constant service and community solidarity is part of becoming the kind of physicians and human beings we should be in the future. We'd like to encourage everyone to find some way to get involved during your time at Geisel. We're challenging you - look around, find something you're interested in, or start your own project! We're here to support you in any way we can, so don't hesitate to drop us a line and get plugged in. It's The 100% Challenge - we believe that every one of our years one and two students can participate in at least one service activity or project this year. So, dive in! Ready, set, serve!
Goal(s):
Actively involve both preclinical and clinical students to longitudinal, major service events throughout the Fall, Winter, and Spring, while also constantly reviewing and approving funding for independent service projects brought to us by the student body and local community partners!
Good Neighbor Health Clinic
Contact: Helen A. Thomason
Description:
In 1992 the Good Neighbor Health Clinics began as the vision of two doctors: Dr. Peter Mason and Dr. Paul Manganiello. Recognizing the lack of healthcare for the homeless and underinsured, they began to offe
r primary care and other services at the Haven.
In 1996, and in response to the increased need for dental care, the Red Logan Dental Clinic became part of the organization. In 2001, with the help of a federal grant obtained by Senator Jim Jeffords and generous contributions from our supportive community, the former Gates Memorial Library was restored and transformed into the vibrant, warm, comfortable health center that it is today. The now restored facilities are located in downtown White River Junction, in a neo-Gothic revival building listed in the National Register of historic buildings. Two satellite clinics are located in Lebanon and Enfield, NH.
Good Neighbor Health Clinics is a member of the Vermont Coalition of Clinics for the Uninsured. Our organization collaborates and cooperates with regional hospitals and health centers and supports initiatives to provide better care for the regions population. Good Neighbor Health Clinics depends on community support to provide services to residents of New Hampshire and Vermont.
Today, Good Neighbor Health Clinics proudly provides services to 3,000 residents of the Upper Valley region of New Hampshire and Vermont every year.
The different GN clinics include:
- Claremont Soup Kitchen
- Dermatology Clinic
- Endocrinology Clinic
- GI Clinic
- LGBTQ Clinic
- Patient Assistance Program
- Telehealth/ Headrest
- WRJ Main Site
Goal(s):
The Good Neighbor Health Clinics promote the health of people in the Greater Upper Valley who are in need and do not have the means to pay, by providing free medical and dental care, mentoring aspiring health care professionals, and advocating for improved access to dental and health care.
Hixon House Haven Dinners
Contact: Alexandra E. Conway
Description:
The Hixon House is an adult shelter for homeless adults without children that was built in 2010 with the purpose of giving people a safe place to live while they are making positive changes in their lives. As part of their program, Hixon House utilizes volunteer dinner teams to prepare meals for their residents. Geisel students who are a part of this group will volunteer once a month to cook and serve dinner to the residents of Hixon House.
Goal(s):
To prepare and serve healthy meals to the residents of the haven.
Upper Valley Human Rights Clinic
Contact: Allison G. Booher
Description:
The mission of the Upper Valley Human Rights Clinic (formerly PHR Asylum Clinic) is to assist with the asylum application process for Upper Valley refugees. We hope to complete medical evaluations that will lead to higher rates of asylum granted cases and facilitate asylum seekers becoming a part of our local community and healing from the trauma they have experienced. Along those lines, we aim to create a welcoming atmosphere for refugees within our office, and within the Upper Valley community. By supporting the asylum seekers, we hope to increase the diversity and multinational culture of the Upper Valley. We believe this area should be a haven for everyone.
Goal(s):
- Allow asylum seekers in the Upper Valley to be evaluated by medical and mental health professionals
- Develop more robust relations between the legal and medical services in the Upper Valley
- Provide services to gain a better understanding of marginalized populations in the Upper Valley
- Allow students to witness fully physical and mental health evaluations for asylum seekers
- Train students how to document physical and mental health examinations for a legal document via an affidavit
- Conduct outreach efforts to give students and community members a stronger understanding of local immigrant populations and marginalized persons in the Upper Valley
FAITH-BASED GROUPS
American Muslim Medical Student Association
Contact: Omar M. Sajjad
Description:
AMMSA aims to build a network of Muslims and friends in all stages of their careers and training. Together we can navigate the challenges and joys of practicing medicine while Muslim and give back to the surrounding community. We work closely with Dartmouth College's Al-Nur Muslim Student Association, as well as other graduate schools to cultivate our students' Muslim life at Geisel.
AMMSA is also an educational resource for the wider Dartmouth Medicine community to learn about Muslims and Islam.
Goal(s):
- To host a range of events including prayer services and quarterly socials
- Planning to host interfaith events and mentoring mixers with residents and attending physicians
- Organize community gatherings, such as our Ramadan Iftars where we share Ramadan traditions with our classmates.
CRUNCH
Contact: Grant M. Larson
Description:
By promoting the spiritual health of students and building a strong support community within Geisel, our program contributes to Geisel’s vision to promote the education of the best future physicians and scientists, while building an inclusive community that enriches learning. Our mission is three-fold:
- Foster a Christian community within Geisel that serves as a platform for students to engage with Christianity and integrate faith into their education and career.
- Enable students to approach their journey in medicine with purpose, intention, and a biblical perspective rooted in selflessness, service, and compassion.
- Provide an open space for students to share the joys and hardships related to life in medicine, and to support one another through Christ-like community and prayer.
Goal(s):
- Host weekly devotionals consisting of worship (song), a message tying a biblical concept to medicine, prayer, and conversation.
- Identify opportunities to engage with Christian groups from other medical schools, possibly via the Christian Medical and Dental Association (CMDA).
- Host occasional social gatherings to promote strong community relationships.
STUDENT-LIFE and ‘OTHER’ GROUPS
Design for Health
Contact: Kenneth J. Greco II
Description:
Design for Health empowers students to tackle healthcare problems by providing a homebase for teaching and practicing innovation methods, hosting speakers, sponsoring hackathons, and connecting students with researchers, providers and patients to implement solutions to real healthcare problems in our hospitals and communities. We collaborate with other design-minded organizations at Dartmouth like the Tuck School of Business, Thayer School of Engineering, DALI Lab, the Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship (formerly DEN), and The Dartmouth Institute.
Goal(s):
- Inform and practice design thinking in answering healthcare problems with creative solutions
- Provide a means to utilize life experiences outside of medicine in medical decision-making process
First-Generation Student Association
Contact: Connor J. Bridges
Description:
Our mission is to create a campus community that supports first-generation students to and through medical school while allowing them to flourish and recognize themselves as the trailblazers that they are.
Goal(s):
- Create a welcoming space for first-generation students to share the challenges that they are facing and support each other through the obstacles of medical school.
- Connect students with either first-generation residents, faculty, or alumni in their area of medical interest.
- Integrate the group into the admissions process so that future students are aware of the supportive and welcoming systems in place for them before beginning the significant next step of matriculation.
Geisel First Year Orientation Trips
Contact: Thomas A. Skipper
Description:
Our mission for this program is to promote belonging and community within incoming Geisel students more than previous models of large group orientation settings.
Goal(s):
We hope that by improving the M1 orientation process, we will strengthen the Geisel community which would help the overall goal of the school to educate complete physicians.
Geisel Medicine in Motion
Contact: Michelle D. Dong
Description:
The Medicine in Motion chapter at the Geisel SOM serves to create a sense of community among students interested in fitness and philanthropy. The organization's goal is to promote fitness and wellness within the medical community to prevent medical student and physician burnout.
Goal(s):
- Creating a sense of community at Geisel and DHMC through fitness, philanthropy, and community building
- Participating in, hosting, and promoting philanthropic fitness events such as Hanover’s CHAD Hero event, to facilitate interdisciplinary community building
- Supporting research examining levels of burnout within the medical community
- Increase student involvement in wellness through group fitness
Geisel Parents and Partners Group
Contact: Tina L. Hoisington
Description:
The Geisel Partners & Parents Group is an organization established to assist partners of Geisel Medical School students in transitioning to the Upper Valley and providing a network of support. ANYONE who is a significant other or spouse of a Geisel student is considered a "Partner." We provide updates on events around campus and the Upper Valley, organizing social events throughout the year, and providing volunteer opportunities.
Goal(s):
Organize family friendly events that create community within the school.
Geisel Students for Reproductive Justice
Contact: Chinmayee H. Balachandra
Description:
We work to destigmatize abortion provision among medical students and to persuade medical schools and residency programs to include abortion as a part of the reproductive health services curriculum. We hope to support the provision of contraceptive and pregnancy termination choice in medicine by providing room for discussion and education -- including disparities and addressing the social determinants of health that affect patients' choices in reproductive health.
Goal(s):
- We hope to support the provision of contraceptive and pregnancy termination choice in medicine by providing room for discussion and education -- including disparities and addressing the social determinants of health that affect patients' choices in reproductive health.
- We hope to support medical students who are passionate about the right to bodily autonomy. We aim to empower medical students towards comprehensive reproductive health education and provide them the tools to advocate for their patients within individual and systemic spheres.
History of Medicine Society
Contact: Omar M. Sajjad
Description:
The History of Medicine Society aims to promote and foster intellectual inquiry and discourse on the historical background of contemporary medicine.
In recent times, medicine has become the locus for some of society's most ambitious hopes and acute anxieties. The History of Medicine Society is aimed at Geisel students who would like to uncover the broader context behind these current topics in medicine.
Goal(s):
One of our primary goals is to host invited speakers each semester, during which a guest lecturer shares an aspect of the history of medicine with students over lunch. Other planned activities include organizing student presentations, a journal club, and visits to Dartmouth Library's expansive History of Medicine Collections.
Medical Students for a Sustainable Future (MS4SF)
Contact: Jessinta T. Palack
Description:
This student group aligns itself with Geisel’s vision of setting the standard for educating future physicians who will act towards improving health locally and globally, and of generating new knowledge with the goal of effecting positive change. In educating ourselves and working with others throughout the Geisel and DHMC community on the topics of climate change and health, we are preparing ourselves to more effectively understand and respond to the challenges facing our local and global communities.
Goal(s):
- To generate sustainability initiatives aimed at understanding and reducing the environmental impact of our medical school and main affiliated hospital.
- To think creatively about curricular opportunities and reform, student-led research projects, and ways to collaborate with faculty, residents, staff, and administrators.
- To create programming aimed at educating ourselves about topics related to climate change and health, and to collaborate with community organizations
Nutrition for the Medical Student
Contact: Benjamin A. Levy
Description:
Our vision for the group is fluid, but ultimately, we would like to engage with our classmates on all things ‘Nutrition.’ We envision classes, workshops, and lectures on a variety of topics ranging from knife techniques and basic cooking skills to things like fad diets, adolescent nutrition, nutrition advocacy, and the gut microbiome.
Goal(s):
- Fill knowledge and self-efficacy gaps in the nutrition curriculum provided by Geisel (basic culinary skills, fad diets, nutrition advocacy, etc.)
- Help students understand what is a dietitian? and how/when to refer to a dietitian when appropriate.
The Geisel Performance Association
Contact: John F. Emery
Description:
We hope to create a space where graduate students can come together to learn new and different styles of performance and social dancing. Through dance, we hope that students can reflect on the different musical and cultural influences on different dance styles, and how this can be better applied to a career as a physician. We also seek to build and maintain ties with our fellow graduate students on campus. As it is right now, all the graduate schools at Dartmouth lack a cohesive sense of community that is so vital and so palpable elsewhere in the Upper Valley. Through dance, we hope to embrace our shared struggle of pursuing a graduate degree and build a community that will last.
Goal(s):
Host at least one lesson and practice session a month and host one big social event per semester.
The Geisel Performance Institute
Contact: Benjamin A. Levy
Description:
We strive to inspire and motivate ourselves and our classmates to maximize our physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing through weight training and to build a community around enthusiastic, welcoming, and accessible fitness education. Additionally, we hope that by sharing our individual knowledge of different exercises, we will be able to offer a broader, better informed exercise advice to our future patients. This serves to make fitness a part of students’ lives through creating a routine where fitness and self-care are everyday practices.
Goal(s):
We hope to have training groups at the gym at least 4 days per week during the academic year and have opportunities for new and senior members of the group to spend time working together to make the gym a more accessible place for those who are interesting in learning about weight training.