Student Clubs
Medical students at UVA organize a wide range of student organizations centered around specialty interest groups, community service, healthcare advancement, hobbies, and wellness. Participating students gain valuable leadership skills, learn useful knowledge, and develop camaraderie through coordinating events, social gatherings, educational lectures, journal clubs, research opportunities, workshops, and volunteering opportunities. An Excel sheet of existing clubs could be found here.
To reach any officer or club leader, please do not hesitate to send them an email at [computingID]@virginia.edu (e.g. abc123@virginia.edu). All computing IDs are listed below. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to email mulholland.uva@gmail.com and a member of the Executive Board will get back to you!
Club Leader Resources
The Mulholland Society provides a variety of resources and funding for our existing clubs as well as students interested in starting new organizations. These resources and how to access them are listed below.
The Mulholland Society votes on new clubs twice a year; once in the fall and once in the Spring. New club applications are currently open here until February 2nd, 2024 at 11:59 PM. [CLOSED NOW]
Here is a comprehensive guide containing everything you need to know as a prospective or current club leader!
Steps for how clubs can access funding through the Mulholland Society:
- Please submit a funding request form before the event takes place/purchases are made (at least 2 weeks for requests less than $250 and 1 month for requests greater than $250).
- The Mulholland Bylaws detail the process for funding requests based on the amount requested.
- The Mulholland Executive Board will reach out to you with a decision on how much money was approved.
- Please ensure you stay within the amount approved when making purchases as it will be difficult for us to reimburse for any amount exceeding the approved amount.
- After receiving word from the Executive Board, you can then make the purchases. Please remember to obtain itemized receipt.
- Please note Mulholland is not allowed to reimburse for alcoholic drinks.
- After the event, please fill out a reimbursement form. If possible, please try to submit the reimbursement form within two weeks of the event.
Please reach out to Nala McKie with any questions.
Specialty Interest Groups
Specialty interest groups host faculty meetings, panels, speakers, and journal clubs. Faculty members address a variety of topics related to their specialty, including general overviews, subspecialties, lifestyle issues, residency matching, and cutting-edge research in the field. Participating in specialty interest groups is a great way to connect with faculty members for mentorship, shadowing, and research opportunities.
We’re here to provide resources and opportunities for all students interested in anesthesia, perioperative medicine, critical care, and all things airways and drugs.
Contact Information: uvasom.aig@gmail.com
Co-presidents: Zuhayr Shaikh (zs8zfm) and Lam-Phong Pham (lnp5au)
VP: Gaby Li (ghl3au)
Secretary: Marcelo Sanabria (qkp6fj)
Treasurer: Derek Petrosian (nya8aj)
INOVA rep: Thi Nguyen (tpn2bs)
The UVA chapter of AMSUS aims to provide mentorship and guidance to current and prospective military medical students, particularly students attending UVASOM through the Health Professions Scholarship Program.
Contact Information: Micayla Menchel (mmm5xn@virginia.edu), David Miller (dm2ts@virginia.edu), Brenna Douhitt, Gabriella Norbert (zna3ge@virginia.edu)
The Breastfeeding Interest Group focuses on the benefits behind breastfeeding and how physicians and medical students can work alongside those who lactate to make their experience the best it can be. In the past, we have held monthly meetings to address and educate medical students on different topics in breastfeeding medicine.
Contact Information: Shivani Singh (ss6gbr)
The Cardiology Interest Group allows students to explore the field of cardiology with opportunities to shadow, network with physicians and other students, research, attend panels, and more!
Contact Information: Isabelle Ciaverelli (mqd4sa), Gabriel Ramos (uvw3hp), Elizabeth Farrar (), Sriyaa Suresh (ywu8kf), Liam Giffin (zwe8sn), Sanya Bansal (gzk2xu)
Goal of the organization is to promote awareness and interest in cardiothoracic surgery and connect students with networking, research, and shadowing opportunities.
Contact Information: Abhinav Kareddy (president, vmw2cx)
Our aim is to help expose students to career options available in IM, help develop applicable clinical skills, and prepare for residency.
Contact Information: Anjola Toyon (usc9mt), Vivek Parikh (jkp3mw), Aditya Singh (as2tgj), Nidhi Purohit (nmp6sv)
The CCM Interest Club is an organization dedicated to fostering an interest in this area of medicine through workshops, simulations, didactics, and research and networking opportunities. The ICU can be intimidating to many medical students, and we hope to make the field less daunting by exposing students to critical care concepts early in medical school. There is no single path to become involved in CCM, and we embrace the many avenues one could take, whether it be Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Anesthesia, Surgery, EM, or others!
Contact Information: Abigail Dupre (Gsz5jw)
The Dermatology Interest Group is dedicated to providing opportunities for medical students to learn, explore, and discover more about the specialty of Dermatology.
Contact Information:
Aaron D. Smith (kdf2eb)
Seren Vilasi (smv5qv)
Catherine Lyons (vss7ua)
Katherine Byrnes (nef2gp)
Meg Mercante (szh6bt)
Follow us on Instagram! @uva_dig
The Edgerton Society is dedicated to improving student exposure to the innovative, essential, and exciting field of plastic and reconstructive surgery. Through Grand Rounds events, speaker and journal club series, mentorship connections, research opportunities, and hands-on skills sessions, we aim to provide resources and experiences that make a career in plastic and reconstructive more accessible to any medical students who are interested, regardless of background.
Contact Information: Sanjana Challa (sc6red), Sadie English (pkn2ex), Ishaan Rischie (crn6vj)
The Emergency Medicine Interest Group is dedicated to providing opportunties for medical students to learn, explore, and discover more about the specialty of Emergency Medicine.
Contact Information: Laura Gerrick (vcf8em), Daniel Wu (dw7ztw), James Vithoulkas (jv6vd), Rachel Heynen (ufv2fa), Benton Spirek (yrt7xm), Toni Hoidal (phb4kc), Ethan Mick (xcw5un), Wafa Saleh (wss9fb), Rithvik Gundlapalli (rvg6sb)
The Endocrinology Interest Group hopes to educate students on topics in endocrinology and foster interest in the specialty during the early years of medical education.
Contact Information: Ashley Lin (asl6dd), Margaret Kobelski (kua8xu)
The goal of EBM is to develop critical thinking skills to appraise and incorporate scientific evidence into clinical practise. In medical school we “learn” (memorise) many treatments, factoids, exams, and buzzwords, at the expense of using our brain to actually think. Meanwhile many physicians themselves disagree, with evidence for some lacking or being at best outdated! EBM features stimulating conversations with UVA faculty ranging from cutting edge science to debunking therapies.
Contact Information: Gerrett Ott (xnx9fa), Summer Kirkpatrick (sak8ut)
This is an interest group for those interested in pursuing a career in family medicine!
Contacts: Lindsey Furness (wqa4rs), Giorgia Borgarelli (gb7ut), Nina Gu (gfq5cz), Casey Little (gvz8fg)
The Gastroenterology Interest Group aims to provide students with shadowing, networking, and research opportunities for students interested in gastroenterology and host workshops and panels to introduce students to the field.
Contact Information: Marietta Kocher (wtx8ru), Sara Stambaugh (rjs3sx), Calvin Tilson (cct8xh), Sriyaa Suresh (ywu8kf), Janice Oh (kyq4xz), Nidhi Talasani (nrt3rbm)
The Infectious Disease Interest Group aims to educate and expose medical students in the field of infectious disease through career development panels, shadowing and research opportunities, ID-related interdisciplinary seminars, discussions about the current trends and innovations in ID, as well as networking/mentorship opportunities with fellows and faculty.
Contact Information:
Vignesh Senthilkumar, President, brx5pd
Mary Oster, Vice-President, pbn9yd
The International Medicine Club serves students interested in global health by providing information on research/clinical opportunities abroad, connecting them with volunteering opportunities in Charlottesville/INOVA, exposing them to general global health topics, and fostering collaboration with the UVA Center for Global Health Equity and Partners in Health Engage.
Contact Information: Antonia Hoidal (phb4kc), Caroline Sublett (crs9ca)
The Med-Peds Interest Group aims to increase awareness of the Med-Peds residency program and provides students with shadowing and networking opportunities to interact with physicians practicing in the intersection of internal medicine and pediatrics
Contact Information: Sriyaa Suresh (ywu8kf), Nidhi Talasani (nrt3rbm)
This club looks to (1) explore genetic tools and their application in the context of medicine and (2) to provide workshops for helping students become more familiar with genetic data and analyzing genetic/ omic data.
Contact Information: Patrick Hart (pah4yu)
The UVA Chapter of MSFC is committed to ensuring that reproductive healthcare and rights are a standard part of medical education and training at UVA. We are focused on educating ourselves and our peers about reproductive medicine, including birth control, vasectomy, abortion, and other health issues affecting reproductive health. In the past, we have held events to help future physicians learn about reproductive health and develop the skills needed to be qualified reproductive healthcare providers (IUD insertion workshops, vasectomy workshops, etc.).
Contact Information: Margaret Kobelski (kua8xu), Abigail Dupre (gsz5jw), Emilee Hall (gvm4yn), Jessie Bryant (jlb3ya)
The aim of our club is to raise awareness for critical men’s health issues, including testicular and prostate cancer, heart disease, mental illness, and suicide. In the process, we hope to learn to take better care of ourselves, while simultaneously gaining knowledge about men’s health that we can later utilize in our clinical practice.
Contact Information: Joey Fontana (jrf5fs), Andrew Mathias (qky6ff), Carlos Justo-Jaume (csj4bd)
NTIG aims to help those interested in pursuing nephrology and/or transplant medicine to connect with peers and mentors, learn more about the field by shadowing in clinic, and engage in relevant research through journal clubs.
Contact Information:
Kavi Wick (zgn7jy), Divya Narayanan (wyp8ub), Max Stempel (wmw5rj), Nabeel Raza (nar9st), Eibhlin Goggins (eg8yr)
Neurosurgery Interest Group provides mentorship and speaker events for students interested in neurosurgery.
Contact Information: Timour Abduhalikov (tta8pg), Abhinav Kareddy (vmw2cx), Abhi Kumar (nfc2bw), Vik Mahajan (vrm2ka), Nala McKie (jun4wx)
The OBGYN Interest Group creates a space for those interested in pursuing this specialty to connect with peers and mentors, learn more about the field, and engage in workshops and community service focused on women’s health.
Contact Info: uvasom.obgyn@gmail.com
Rachael Cal (aru2rg),Shreya Venkat (ddh4fe), Maddie Leonard (jdy6qb), Havens Howell (hhc2dr)
The Oncology Interest Group is an ASCO-recognized club that aims to expose medical students to current trends, research, career paths, and community outreach in oncology, as well as offer networking and mentorship opportunities with fellows and attendings.
Contact Information: Reema Patel (rp5mg), Anant Tewari (art5cb), Abhi Mullapudi (apm7pe), Joseph Nguyen (jdn4de), Joslyn Jung (jhj4at)
OIG seeks to create opportunities to gain exposure to the field of ophthalmology through journal clubs, resident panels, skills workshops, and community screening events
Contact Information: Brett Goerl (bag4ze), Clayton Grundvig (apb7bm), Tuyet-Minh Tran (tt2ed)
Orthopaedic Interest Group provides students with opportunities to explore orthopedic medicine through discussions, workshops, and networking with professionals in the field.
Contact Information: Rohan Boyapati (rb4jqn), Chris Baiocco (cmb9bs)
Our goal is to help students learn more about the amazing field of otolaryngology, as well as its subspecialties, including Head & Neck Oncology, Otology/Neurotology, Rhinology/Sinus Surgery, Laryngology, Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Pediatric Otolaryngology, and Sleep Surgery. We also hope to connect students with shadowing opportunities as well as research opportunities through the otolaryngology research database. We host events throughout the year including a faculty panel, procedural skills lab, or journal club.
Contact Information: Jessica Pagel (jml8bdu), Feyisayo Adegboye (fa7fy)
We as the Pathology Interest Group aim to show medical students what being a pathologist entails and the important role they play in patient care, offer educational support to students in the pre-clerkship curriculum by hosting review events for pathology-heavy systems, and connect students interested in pathology with resident and faculty mentors.
Contact Information: Briana Wilson (bw9bj), Michael Vitti (dkd6fb)
The Pediatrics Interest Group serves as an interest group for medical students interested in pediatrics, connecting them with service and research opportunities in the field!
Contact Information: Paige Howard (edw4zd), Seth Tersteeg (smt8enr), Awa Franklin (zqf4mk), Reem Abbaker (edc9ap)
The PM&R interest group serves to connect medical students with clinical, volunteer, and informational opportunities to explore the Physical Medicine and Rehab specialty.
Contact Information: David Lee (yum8pz), Royce Le (aem8xv), Surbhi Mathur (sm5ug)
The Preventive Medicine Club promotes cutting-edge advancements in preventive medicine across multiple specialties through faculty speaker events and journal clubs, as well as supports established screening and health education outreach programs through partnerships with community organizations and hospital departments both at the Charlottesville and Inova campuses.
Contact Information: Reema Patel (rp5mg), Tuyet-Minh Tran (tt2ed), Lindsey Furness (wqa4rs), Jason Miller (qjp3ye), Hirra Chaudhary (fjt9gc), Hajira Wehelie (dbc7hd), Kelly Denhard (jqv2dk), Bhavik Patel (bap3wp), Joelle Nilak (jcn6xzt), Michael Richard (jez4aw)
Our aim is to provide a space for medical students interested in Psychiatry – we host talks about the specialty, opportunities to meet with Psychiatry residents, and volunteer opportunities.
Contact Information: Mackenzi Oswald (ajz9mg), Lucy Miao (emb5zr), Christine Huynh (cnh2nw), Ally Price (ajp5nm)
To expose early medical students to the field of radiation oncology, and to connect students interested in radiation oncology with opportunities, research, and activities
Contact Information: Niki Tselepidakis (mxm5ge)
To connect students interested in Radiology with opportunities, research and activities
Contact Information: Malinda Gong (tsv8xb)
Learn more at: https://med.virginia.edu/radiology/education/medical-student-education/radiology-interest-group/
The rural health interest group is really excited to create opportunities and experiences for students interested in learning about a career in a rural setting. The rural communities in Virginia are ample and are largely medically underserved. In 2024-2025 we will be establishing consistent volunteer opportunities at free clinics in the rural areas surrounding Charlottesville, hosting physicians for monthly lecture series including topics such as Poverty in rural America, HIV care, Telemedicine, EMS, and a panel on Rural Primary Care. Additionally, we will be hosting monthly book club discussions and periodically attending Remote Area Medical pop-up clinics around the state. Please reach out with questions and we hope to see you at our events this year!
Contact Information: Margaret Kobelski (Kua8xu), Emma Harrison (ech4jn), Kieland Chandler (kgc2dh), Sage Royston (wcv3jy)
The purpose of the University of Virginia (UVA) Chapter of Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society (RJOS) is to promote professional development of University of Virginia female medical students of all backgrounds to succeed in orthopaedic surgery. This includes all who identify as female. More broadly, UVA RJOS is open to all students interested in orthopaedics who are interested in fostering a diverse and inclusive community within the field.
Contact Information:
Kathryn Riggs (bjc7pc)
Stephanie Malta (smm3vw)
Meg Plain (mjp4ff)
The Sports Medicine Interest Group at UVA SOM is dedicated to promoting student engagement and education in the field of sports medicine by offering a platform for learning, networking, and professional development. Our mission is to expose students to the diverse opportunities within sports medicine, including injury prevention, rehabilitation, performance optimization, and the roles of various medical specialties such as family medicine, orthopedics, cardiology, nutrition, and mental health. We are committed to fostering a collaborative environment where students can interact with experts, participate in hands-on workshops, and explore the intersections of sports, health, and wellness. By highlighting the importance of a holistic and team-based approach to patient care, we aim to equip future physicians with the knowledge and skills to support active lifestyles and improve the overall health of athletes and active individuals.
Contact Information:
Zuhaad Hameed (zh5dw)
James Temple (jrt5fp)
Shivam Gandhi (spg6td)
The Student Interest Group in Neurology (SIGN) seeks to engage and shape the next generation of neurologists at UVA through meaningful research opportunities, one-on-one mentorship through the Department of Neurology, volunteering and community engagement activities, exciting skills workshops, fun interest events, and partnership with the American Academy of Neurology!
Contact Information: Daniel Soto (co-president, zrt2rh), Emily Kopp (co-president, kqf6yz), Claire Maher (co-vice president, sks9rw), Krystyna Cios (co-vice president and treasurer, kjc3wj), Nina Jannatifar (research chair, nj7xxx), Anuradha (Anu) Raghu (programming chair, ar9gkc)
The Surgical Interest Society is the UVA SOM general surgery interest group. The society exists to introduce and expose medical students to the various surgical fields through our research opportunities, panel discussions, skills clinics, and more. Our mission is to foster interest in surgical careers while demonstrating to students the potential impact they can have on their future patients through surgery.
Contact Information: Caila Bachmann (Inova Co-President, bxg3wr), Natalie Kessler (Charlottesville Co-President, npk5ns), Purush Ramanathan (Charlottesville Co-President, usg5mj), Britney He (Vice President, nty2cn), Jack Ballenger (Secretary, xga4pq), William Lain (Treasurer, wjl4qn), Khalid Elhadi (Skills/Education Chair, mky5fr), Abhinav Kareddy (Skills/Education Chair, vmw2cx), Grant Killian (Inova Skills/Education Chair, gk3uk), Kathryn Riggs (Programming/Events Chair, bjc7pc), Sadie English (Programming/Events Chair, pkn2ex), Shreya Shetty (Inova Programming/Events Chair, sas6ng)
The Ultrasound in MedEd club is dedicated to providing more hands-on opportunities for ultrasound skills across a variety of specialties.
Contact Information: Fatima Choudhary (fsc3cv), Amrita Ladwa (al9sp)
Lifestyle Medicine is a budding field of medicine and a clinical perspective that uses sleep, exercise, fresh foods, nature, mindfulness, and connection as a first resort to treat, reverse, and/or manage chronic disease. Our club aims to (1) educate and cultivate interest in the perspectives, values, and evidence-based practices that characterize lifestyle medicine and (2) connect students to resources and opportunities through the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.
Contact Information:
Tara Srivastava, co-president, ts5ss
Dahlia Earleywine, co-president, fhg8dp
Interest group to provide mentorship and engagement opportunities for students interested in vascular and endovascular surgery.
Contact Information: Fatima Choudhary (fsc3cv)
A club dedicated to fostering engagement and learning in the practice of medicine in remote and austere environments.
Contact Information: Austin Murray (acm5fv), James Vithoulkas (jv6vd), Brie Belz (wmc4fc), Christopher Bowman (cnb2pt)
Advocacy and Service Groups
Advocacy and service groups host volunteering events and discussions to educate students on important healthcare topics. Participating in advocacy and service groups is a great way to connect with faculty mentors, give back to the Charlottesville community, and learn more about current issues in healthcare.
Advocates for Females in Research and Medicine (AFFIRM) is a group of MD/PhD students with the goal of educating members about inequalities women in research and medicine face and generating educational and networking experiences for students to help overcome these obstacles.
Contact Information: Kimberly Nguyen (zqn7td), Cami Westlake (ksg8yq)
Learn more at: https://mstp.med.virginia.edu/current-students/student-resources/affirm/
Student organization focused on healthcare policy at the state (medical society of virginia) and national (american medical association) level. The club meets to discuss policy, draft and submit policy, and attends state and national conferences!
Contact Information: Phoebe Gruccio (pg7se), EJ Bian (eb3yn), Kiya Nemati (sss3cq), Shalvi Patel (tfu7ys)
The goal of Asylum Medicine Initiative is to provide educational, volunteering, and advocacy opportunities for UVA medical students to engage with asylum seekers in the Charlottesville and greater Virginia area.
Contact Information: Claire Maher (sks9rw), Nidhi Purohit (nmp6sv), Bobby Pazhwak (rtp9ge)
CVille Tulips is a community-wide UVA initiative aimed at providing English, arts, and health education programming for the growing Charlottesville refugee population, particularly women from Afghanistan and Syria. The Health Education team works with the International Family Medicine Clinic to host bi-weekly hour-long sessions. Learn more about CVille Tulips here: https://soundjusticelab.org/cville-tulips
Co-Presidents: Maddie Leonard (jdy6qb) and Enkhee Dendev (vef4ku)
Co-Vice Presidents: Joelle Nilak (jcn6xzt) and Nina Jannatifar (nj7xxx)
Curriculum coordinators: Margaret Lawrence (mrl3jv) and Caroline Kim (chk8na)
Education coordinators: Vivian Dong (vld4ty) and Bhoomi Shah (nyq7ge)
Volunteer coordinator: Rith Senthilkumar (evk2nw)
Circles English Conversation Club at UVA SOM aims to offer structured spaces for UVA Health students and employees learning English as a second language to meet for casual English conversation. Through regular conversation circles, we hope to offer opportunities for community members to practice conversational English in an enjoyable and informal setting. Conversation circles are open to English language learners of all levels on a drop-in basis (at no cost to attendees). Student volunteers attend and facilitate all conversation circles.
Contact Information: Michael Richard (jez4aw)
Community Healthcare and Career Exploration (CHANCE) seeks to engage medical students in order to give exposure to local community members and students about various careers in the healthcare sphere! Members can expect their participation to be filled with teaching children about anatomy, reaching out to professionals of various disciplines, and having fun increasing access and breaking down barriers to the myriad professions of the medical field.
Contact: Gabriel Ramos (uvw3hp), Abigail Dupre (gsz5jw), Avery Lamb (whs2yy)
Cooking for a Cause is a student-run organization which organizes regular opportunities for students at UVA School of Medicine to collaboratively cook meals for the families staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Charlottesville. Beyond this role, we hope to develop additional opportunities for local volunteering related to the intersection of food and health.
Contact Information: Rahim Burdette (aax6rw), Parker Holum (uju5pa), Anjola Toyon (usc9mt), Julia Lucktong (jll9wa), Annabella Leung (acl9hww), William Lain (wjl4qn)
The Correctional Medicine Club aims to engage students in addressing the unique healthcare needs of incarcerated individuals through community outreach, academic discussions, speaker panels, and connections to research opportunities, focusing on managing chronic conditions, mental health disorders, infectious diseases, substance use, and trauma.
Contact Information: Jordan Gooding (jlg6ck), Hannah Harrelson (hph5kq)
A club for all future medical professionals to improve their financial literacy and independence. By learning how we can make smart financial decisions, we can not only live as we would like to, but also have the freedom to practice medicine with fewer financial restrictions or incentives swaying our medical decision-making.
Contact Information: Brayden Gaston (xds4ps)
GeriPal Club is an organization sponsored by the Section of Geriatrics for students who are interested in geriatrics and palliative medicine. GeriPal provides opportunities for networking with peers and faculty, knowledge-sharing on topics ranging from geriatric syndromes to end-of-life care, and community outreach to the older adults in our area.
Contact Information: Emily May (elm3tj), Emma Harrison (ech4jn), Elisa Enriquez Hesles (ee2d)
Empowering future physicians to advocate for equitable and effective healthcare policies
Contact Information: Sadie English (pkn2ex), Surbhi Mathur (sm5ug), Nakul Dar (nd3jf), Adi Singh (as2tgj)
iSERVE is the student-run free clinic operated at the Charlottesville Free Clinic (CFC). We provide a great opportunity to work with the uninsured and underserved health populations in Charlottesville. We hold multiple evening clinic dates a month where you will be working in clinician pairs and reporting to a supervising physician preceptor. As a junior clinician, you will be practicing history taking, physical exam, and presentation skills and as a senior clinician you will be mentoring junior peers, placing orders and writing notes during patient encounters.
Contact Information: Megan Gaines (age5fu), Ted Llinas (ejl5ra), Derek Petrosian (nya8aj), Jessie Bryant (jlb3ya), Nala Mckie (jun4wx)
Medical Students Against Human Trafficking (MSAHT) is a student-led interest group dedicated to raising awareness and educating future healthcare professionals about human trafficking. Our mission is to equip medical students with the knowledge and skills needed to recognize, respond to, and combat human trafficking within clinical settings.
Contact Information: Sadie English (pkn2ex), Megan Gaines (age5fu)
MSFP is a group dedicated to working towards a free Palestine, with a specific focus on the weaponization of healthcare in the occupied territories.
Contact Information: Najwa Labban (nl3du), Erik-Stephane Stancofski (sba5uw), Isaiah Swann (ajk6fb), Morgan Richman (fxw3es)
Mulholland Pre-med Mentoring is led by one M1 and one M2 UVA School of Medicine medical student who aim to serve premeds in the undergraduate community. We host two events per month where we discuss content from premed coursework, MCAT strategies, personal statement writing, and more. We frequently include additional guest students and faculty to help students build connections and offer more diverse perspectives.
Contact Information: Leo Yang (hy2jy@virginia.edu), Khadra Omar (cmd4ys@virginia.edu)
The Naloxone Administration and Education Program aims to educate medical students about the opioid epidemic and prepare them to recognize and respond to opioid overdoses by administering naloxone.
Contact Information: Jill Nehrbas (svr3qb), Sheyna Nathwani (cuy9zn)
The aim of our club is to connect UVA medical students with pre-med students at Virginia HBCUs to provide long-term mentorship and support throughout their journey to medical school. We seek to foster diversity in medical school admissions by offering guidance on coursework, MCAT prep, applications, and more. Activities include one-on-one mentorship, panel discussions, and the distribution of resources to help students succeed at every stage of the pre-med track.
Contact Information:
Anna Johnson, President, akj7bp
Kendall Johnson, President, ksb3pa
Partners in Health Engnage is an inter-graduate school club focused on global health equity. We are a branch of the national organization that supports Partners in Heatlh in their mission to further equitable heatlhcare across the world. Our 3 mains goals are: 1) Educate ourselves and others on the causes of global health inequity, 2) Fundraise for PIH hospitals across the world, and 3) advocate with Congress for more global health funding.
Contact: Caroline Sublett (crs9ca)
The mission of Rafiki is to foster long-term relationships with medical students and pediatric patients. Rafiki means friend in Swahili which highlights the role our volunteers play as a companion to their buddy each time they have a hospital visit. As part of the club, we match up students with a patient with a long-term, complex medical condition to provide respite for the families as well as help students gain insight in the experience of a pediatric patient and their family over time.
Contact Information: rafiki.uva@gmail.com
Club leaders: Megan Powell (aek4xr), Sarah Finkelstein (sdn9pd)
We are the UVA School of Medicine chapter of SAFE (Scrubs Addressing the Firearm Epidemic), a national organization of medical students who hope to combat firearm violence as physicians.
Contact Information: Amy Kaplan (president, ak8dc)
Our club connects UVA medical students with the Soccer Organization of Charlottesville Area (SOCA) to coach youth soccer teams, fostering community engagement, mentorship, and youth development through free and accessible athletic opportunities.
Contact Information: Jacob Kaminer (jlk2jr), Calvin Tilson (cct8xh)
The Street and Shelter Interest Group is a student-run organization dedicated to introducing students to the unique challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness when interacting with the healthcare system. It hosts journal clubs, education events with local community leaders, and service opportunities such as street outreach in the winter months.
Contact Information: Jessica Pagel (jml8bdu), Jessie Bryant (jlb3ya), Lexi Richie (agr2bz), Amrita Ladwa (al9sp)
The Student Clinicians for Climate Action (SCCA) at UVA is a group of health professional students who recognize the impact of the changing climate on human health and the inequitable distribution of the resulting health burden. As clinicians-in-training and using tools like the Planetary Health Report Card, community service, and curricular advancements, we aim to learn, educate, advocate, and practice medicine with planetary health in mind.
Contact Information: Farah Contractor (fmc7hxs), Nick Underwood (nru3ej)
TEACH is an organization designed to provide medical students with the skills and resources needed to become great clinical teachers. As future attendings, residents, and senior medical students we will be tasked with the essential role of leading and teaching our future medical trainees. There is a surprising dearth of formal training for medical students and residents for teaching others in an effective manner. The purpose of TEACH is to provide accessible opportunities to train, develop and equip future clinicians with the skills to become excellent educators.
Contact Information: Ben Agnor (bka9xq), Isabelle Ciaverelli (mqd4sa), Peter Victoria (vtx2jf)
Teen Promise Project focuses on volunteer opportunities to teach comprehensive sexual education to middle/high schoolers in the Charlottesville Community
Contact Information: Paige Howard (edw4zd), Surbhi Mathur (sm5ug), Megan Gaines (age5fu), Britney He (nty2cn)
The Drive Hive seeks to use our collective organizing power to facilitate student donations of blood products to patients in need. We work with The American Red Cross and The National Marrow Donor Program to help medical students save lives at any point in their training.
Contact Information:
Bess Renjilian, Marrow Queen, cyq7ae
Ari Esrig, Blood Queen, aje6m
Awareness, service, and advocacy for the transgender and gender-diverse community, on grounds and beyond.
Contact Information: Zach Raad (mwp4ud), Loren Marino (fjd9ng)
The goal of the Trauma-Informed Medical Care Interest Group is to provide education and spark discussion on ways we can enhance care for all patients, especially those affected by gender-based violence (ex. sexual assault, domestic violence), through a trauma-informed approach to all aspects of patient care and engagement with local community organizations!
Contact Information: Julia Alvey (president, mxa6mx)
Provides individualized medical school application mentorship between UVASOM students and UVA undergraduates throughout the medical school application process.
Contact Information: Jack Ballenger (xga4pq), Ari Esrig (aje6mu), Jacob Frenchman (xpz7cu), & William Lain (wjl4qn)
VWI is committed to conducting evidence-based, student-organized health screening and education events in Charlottesville. These events are designed to help empower the people of Charlottesville with knowledge that will help them make informed decisions to safeguard their own health.
Contact Information: Shahroze Ranjha (fgb5vs), Melissa Houghton (rnj8jg), Jessie Bryant (jlb3ya), Christine Huynh (cnh2nw), William Lain (wjl4qn), Kimberley Duru (kcd4dq), Xin He (dmc3hp), William Cook (whc3wd)
We are Weight Inclusive Medicine, or WIM. Our goal is to promote body positivity and weight inclusiveness into our medical education.
Contact Information: Morgan Richman (fxw3es), Sage Royston (wcv3jy)
Healthcare Advancement Groups
Healthcare advancement groups host faculty speakers and hold workshops to explore concepts in healthcare implementation, healthcare innovation, and high value care.
3D printing of medical devices, including personalized prosthetics and catheters, and bioprinting of tissues for transplant and regeneration have the potential to change medicine as we know it. Come join 3D Printing in Healthcare to learn from experts in the field, learn basic CAD and 3D printing, and 3D print something of your very own.
Contact Information: Jasraj Raghuwanshi (jsr8ac)
The purpose of this club is to introduce medical students to the impact that data science and artificial intelligence has on the medical field, as well as foundational concepts for interested students. We hope to provide real-world examples through faculty presentations, journal articles, and seminars that bring together experts from the School of Data Science and School of Medicine.
Contact Information: Zuhayr Shaikh (zs8zfm), Rohan Boyapati (rb4jqn)
Foster computational research technical/professional skills for all scientists in UVA SOM.
Contact Information: Yogi Raghav (jve4pt), Jeevan Tewari (dsh7uf), Nathan LeRoy (xjk5hp)
IHI at UVA strives to help medical students in learning about and contributing to quality improvement and patient safety efforts, with the aim of integrating what we learn into our future careers.
Contact Information: Daniel Wu (dw7ztw), Sidney Chong (spc3z), Ashley Chipoletti (emm4ge), Aditya Singh (as2tgj), Elena Moncada (hva9xq), Abhinav Kareddy (vmw2cx), Harrison Cook (whc3wd)
Learn more at: http://www.ihi.org/
As medical students, our founding team has seen firsthand how barriers in access to care create divides among people and infringe upon healthier and happier living. We have also seen how transformative healthcare innovation can be, and believe in the power of collaboration and creativity to make lasting differences. Through strategic programming, pro-bono healthcare innovation consulting, and network facilitation, IAC hopes to play a leading role in advancing high-impact solutions that empower others with access to care.
Contact Information: Zuhayr Shaikh (zs8zfm)
Journal club reviews published literature in a variety of fields alongside faculty who are experts in the topic.
Contact Information: Abigail Dupre (gsz5jw)
Join us to learn about and apply design thinking (a hands-on QI framework that revolves around understanding the needs of a target audience) to healthcare challenges at UVA and beyond.
Contact Information: Tuyet-Minh Tran (tt2ed), Ugochukwu Odega (duu2qf), Emily Lin (ezl9uu), Shahroze Ranjha (fgb5vs)
The Rapid Response simulation club aims to address the lack of interdisciplinary collaboration between medical and nursing students early in their education at UVA by hosting simulations in which any interested medical and nursing students can practice running a high-fidelity code or rapid response simulation side by side. The club also hopes to spark interest in ACLS certification, as well as discussions led by faculty members involving advice and anecdotes from their experiences running a code or rapid response in an interdisciplinary team, and clinical case discussion for medical and nursing students to better appreciate each other’s perspectives and roles. The club is an opportunity to become more comfortable with various medical emergencies utilizing the simulation center.
Contact Information: Manny Lee (knf8bx), Alec Ritter (bzt5qp), Rachael Hardin (aym5as)
The primary purpose of this club is to help UVa medical students stay on the cutting edge of robotic surgery through seminars, collaborations with the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences for medical design competitions, and hopefully practice simulations.
Contact Information: Zuhayr Shaikh (zs8zfm), Moritz Lange (nzx2bh), Abhinav Kareddy (vmw2cx), Milyard Assefa (mma5df)
The UVA MSR is an in-house student publication for healthcare scholars to share ideas and experiences — reaching across different disciplines, fields, and specialties to promote wellness and integrity within our community.
Contact Information: Catherine Lyons (vss7ua), Aaron Smith (kdf2eb)
Identity Groups
Identity groups host events and service projects to support a culture of diversity and inclusivity at the University of Virginia School of Medicine.
AccessMed aims to serve as a central outlet for education, service, and advocacy/support efforts for UVA students and faculty who identify as disabled or as allies to the disability community.
General Contact: accessmeduva@virginia.edu
Contact Information: Sheyna Nathwani (cuy9zn), Paul Clancy (ucv6zd), Ashley Chipoletti (emm4ge)
Promoting inclusion and advancement of Asian American identifying students in the medical school community and surrounding areas of Charlottesville and Northern Virginia.
Contact Information: Kate Luo (twp2ey), Christine Huynh (cnh2nw), Evan Lam (ecl3ah)
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.
Contact: Brianna Baldwin (bnb3hd)
The Association of Women Surgeons is a club dedicated to inspiring, encouraging, and enabling women surgeons to realize their professional and personal goals. We host a variety of professional development opportunities, networking events, and workshops to expose medical students early on to surgical skills and connect them with mentors who can provide advice and support as they pursue careers in surgery. We hope to continue to promote gender diversity within surgical subspecialties and support medical students interested in surgery at UVA School of Medicine throughout their time in medical school.
Instagram: aws_uva
Contact Information: Ashley Zhang (amz9pd), Jasmina Abdalla (jja4fa)
The Christian Medical Association (CMA) exists to provide community, accountability, encouragement, and Biblical teaching for medical students.
Contact Information: Mackenzie Dorsey (mgd4nf), Haley Turner (hnt4au)
The Jewish Medical Student Association (JMSA) is a student organization dedicated to connecting Jewish medical students.
Contact Information: Ari Esrig (aje6mu), Emily Kopp (kqf6yz), Jacob Frenchman (xpz7cu), Amy Kaplan (ak8dc)
Professional, cultural, volunteerism, and social opportunities for Latino students and those interested in the care of Latino patients
Contact information: Jack Ham (nvs3qe, Inova); Alejandro Mendoza (uxp6qz); Michael Goncalves (nyh7fz)
Low–Income & First-Generation Students in Medicine (LIFG-MED) is a student-led organization dedicated to amplifying the voice of first-generation and/or low–income medical students through community-building and mentorship programs. We hope to inspire open dialogue and foster ongoing support centered on the unique barriers, challenges, and possibilities that come with navigating a career in medicine.
Contact Information: Kim Nguyen (zqn7td), Thi Nguyen (tpn2bs), Davis Tran (dt3wd)
We aim to create a safe space where MENA voices are amplified and valued. Through a diverse range of initiatives—including educational workshops, career development sessions, networking events, and social gatherings—we seek to empower students while building strong community ties, both between students and within the MENA population across Virginia. Above all, we are committed to nurturing an environment where students can connect, learn, and grow, while supporting the MENA community.
Nina Jannatifar, President, nj7xxx
Dema Abul-Enin, Vice President, bqw8fa
Zoe Raad, Archivist, mwp4ud
Najwa Labban, Advocacy Chair, nl3du
Maksud Juraev, INOVA Representative, mj9ue
MMA is focused on building our Muslim community at UVA SOM and furthering our knowledge as well as educating our peers about Islam.
Contact Information: Hirra Chaudhary (fjt9gc), Laiba Murad (tqq6mz), Saqib Rizvi (sr2cj), Wafa Salah (wss9fb)
qMD is the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) medical student organization at UVA. We work to promote awareness surrounding LGBTQ+ issues in medicine and are a source of support for queer students and their allies. qMD is dedicated to raising awareness of queer topics in medicine for the benefit of patients, healthcare providers, our community, and medical education.
Contact Information: Eileen Misterovich (erm2sz), Awa Franklin (zqf4mk)
Learn more at: https://students.med.virginia.edu/qmd/
The South Asian Medical Student Association of UVA SOM aims to promote opportunities for all students to learn about South Asian culture, host a variety of sociocultural activities (Diwali, South Asian movie nights, Holi, Eid, henna/crafts, etc.), support medical students during their education, and develop a cross-cultural mentorship network.
Contact Information: Pranavi Pallinti (pp4us), Ishaan Rischie (crn6vj)
Our purpose is to provide opportunities to explore the faithful foundations that underlie the practice of medicine and to provide a community for Catholic medical students and physicians.
Contact Information: Samuel Dauby (gyg8yq), Philip Cordia (jqm5cw), Elizabeth Heffernan (qwh7tg)
The Student National Medical Association (SNMA) is the oldest and largest student-run medical organization addressing the health concerns of minorities and underserved students. Membership is open to URM students as well as allies. The award-winning UVA chapter of SNMA hosts several events each semester to support members, academically and socially. Past events have included Study Strategies Workshops, Program Director Panels and Social Mixers. UVA SNMA members have also served the greater Charlottesville community through initiatives such as Discover Medicine, Sickle Cell Awareness Month, the Annual Toy Drive, Community Health Fairs, Pre-Med Mentoring and Unity Week Campaigns. There are also opportunities at the regional and national levels of the organization for SNMA members to further their leadership skills.
Contact Information: Anjola Toyon (usc9mt), Jasmina Abdalla (jja4fa)
Learn more at: https://med.virginia.edu/snma and follow @UVASNMA on Instagram
This club primarily serves as a system of support for medical students who are veterans or currently serving. We work to connect these students with military associated residents and attendings as well as fellow medical students so that they can receive mentorship and guidance. We also endeavor to create a sense of community and camaraderie among medical professionals who share this unique background. This mission is primarily carried out through the networking efforts of our club leadership and regular social functions such as dinners and breakfasts. We are also working to expand our club’s mission to include pre-med mentoring.
Contact Information: Logan Carpenter (President, ARU8RZ), Rosel Labaddan (Co-President, HYV4JA)
Hobbies
Hobby groups host events and performances to bring together students with similar interests. University of Virginia School of Medicine offers a wide variety of hobby groups with the goal of providing social opportunities of interest to all students.
Arrhythmics is UVASOM’s acappella group! We perform at a variety of UVASOM events and welcome all experience levels!
Contact Information: Jess Rana (rfm9ez), Ashley Lin (asl6dd)
Learn more at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBpGUPlsjCAyd5lCZTEkx9g/featured
Welcome to the UVA SOM Badminton Club! We welcome all skill levels for some fun games with good company. Look forward to seeing you on the courts!
Contact Information: Jacob Schwartz (mqa4mk), Jason Fan (buk8wq)
At the Bluegrass Club, we host an open jam every Thursday at 7 pm in the learning studio. No experience is needed in Bluegrass or in any music. Coherent with the Bluegrass tradition, we keep the jams accessible and engaging to ANY skill level.
Contact Information: Pedro Massa (fvc6qw)
Dungeons and Doctors is devoted to allowing students to be whoever they want to be while they create characters together and traverse the fantasy world of dungeons and dragons. We host events dedicated to exploring character building or even giving people the opportunity to run games for themselves.
Contact Information: Ashana Jackson (shh9wk), Aaron Aanestad (ama2ba), Cameron Young (jpt2jq)
Do you like to play golf or are interested in learning? Join Med Golf to pursue a new or existing hobby, decompress, and touch grass.
Contact Information:
Sanjay Venkatesan, sv2sdz
Amy Yang, ary9vm
Med Volleyball is a student club dedicated to promoting the sport of volleyball from the beginner level to returning veterans
Contact Information: Daniel Wu (dw7ztw), Ishaan Rischie (crn6vj), Brendan McCann (xpm6ae), Ryan Farmer (ref4br), Thomas Ryu (ekf8cq), Pranavi Palliniti (pp4us), Kavi Wick (zgn7jy), Cate Kartchner (cgm5nt), Arpitha Shenoy (ays4xe), Janice Choi (vac2bk), Bobby Pazhwak (rtp9ge), Sarah Finklestein (sdn9pd), Stephanie Malta (smm3vw), Saqib Rizvi (fg3fc), Fady Gemayel (fg3fc)
Club for dancers of all experience levels, and all genres, to explore dance and have fun! Workshops occurring every few months, and club members can organize additional workshops at any time as desired
Contact Information: Ziyan Chen (zc3he)
The medical school flag football league is a cherished part of UVA SOM! Participation from all talent levels is encouraged by the commissioners and the rules, which support involving multiple people on each drive. See you out on the field for some fun, healthy competition!
Contact Information: Joseph Nguyen (jdn4de), Sam Dauby (gyg8y), Jasdev Singh (sjw7vk), Kevin Shannon (sbp8pn)
Medical students coordinating participation in local Law School softball league.
Contact Information: Danielle Rinaldi (rpw5kg), Isaiah Swann (ajk6fb), and Benton Spirek (yrt7xm)
Musical Shenanigans is about creating music together in a judgment-free zone; we don’t care if you are classically trained or self-taught (or if you want to go all out on tambourine!) Come join us for chill jam sessions with food, open mics, and house shows!
Contacts: Zuhayr Shaikh (zs8zfm), Kavi Wick (zgn7jy)
Outdoor Adventure Club aims to host weekly bouldering at Slaughter, in addition to other outdoor events throughout the year–We are open to both organized and casual events!
Join our listserv here: https://lists.virginia.edu/sympa/subscribe/som_outdoor_adventures?previous_action=infohttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15YalfwzlEXt5Q3Wf-MTHzIi6bVS0o7CMYd273reiEVM/edit
Follow our Instagram: @UVAMedOutdoorAdventures
Contact Information: Brady Sack (fbj6ay), Mallory Maza (hza7dq)
Procrastiknitters is a club who wants to bring the joy of brafting to the UVA School of MEdicine and give students the opportunity to destress while expressing their creativity. We are open to people with all levels of experience including no experience and materials will be provided.
Contact Information: Duaa Malik (kxc9cw), Emma Hostetter (eh9dd), Farah Kabir (fsk5hn), Anna Tesch (kyr5xw)
The Self-Defense Club is committed to equipping students with practical self-defense skills in a supportive community. Through workshops, guest speakers, and specialized training, we empower members with the knowledge and confidence to stay safe. We also engage in service initiatives to promote safety and well-being in the community. Join us to learn, practice, and contribute to a safer environment for all.
Contact Information: Muhammad Zulfiqar (kickboxing lead, mfz5hjs), Chinenye Stephen Chukwurah (boxing lead, csc3mp), Lane Stigall (wrestling lead, tza2es), Kevin Shannon (running lead, sbp8pn)
The SOMDance Film Club at the UVA School of Medicine aims to bring students together over a shared love of film. Throughout the year, you can expect film screenings and discussions with your friends and peers. We hope you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!
Contact: Robert Walls (president, tuw2ap)
The UVA School of Medicine Table Tennis Club is open to all medical students to play ping pong, meet classmates, and participate in tournaments we host. All skill levels welcome!
Contact Information: Gabriel Lau (bzv7gg), Yifan Liu (yl3gm), Ahad Chattha (yqw8tk)
Join your fellow med students for weekly basketball runs, occasionally in conjunction with the law and business schools. Larger tournaments are held each semester. All skill levels welcome!
Contact Information: Derek Petrosian (nya8aj), Anant Tewari (art5cb), David Lee (yum8pz)
UVA Med Fantasy Sports coordinates and organizes fantasy leagues for football, basketball, hockey, soccer and runs a March Madness pool. We also host draft parties, watch parties, and social events for all the sports fans in the med school!
Contact Information:
Wesley Ravich, Co-President, jwr5pu
Adam Dong, Co-President, xwq2xv
The UVA Med Ski and Board club plans day trips for skiiers and snowboarder of all levels to enjoy Friday night snow sessions at Massanutten with friends, organizes weekend volunteering opportunities with Massanutten’s adaptive snow sports to serve persons with disabilities and complex medical needs, and hosts social events and talks throughout the year.
Contact Information: Daniel Nguyen (dvn5fg), James Temple (jrt5fp), Joseph Fontana (jrf5fs), Brenan Cullimore (wxw6tr)
UVA soccer brings together med students, BIMS graduate students, healthcare professionals, and residents interested in playing soccer.
Contact Information: Elisa Enriquez Hesles (ee2d)
UVA Med Tennis holds weekly hitting sessions for all interested students, residents, and other healthcare staff regardless of skill level. We may also hold watch parties for major tournaments throughout the year.
Contact Information: Thoai Vu (vax9vf), Kim Nguyen (zqn7td), Gaby Li (ghl3au), Jack Ham (nvs3qe), Arad Jain (aj4dm)
The UVA Medical Chamber Music Society gathers classical musicians in medicine to come together, form a community, and play in small ensembles for biannual benefit concerts (as well as other performing opportunities)!
Contact Information: Willow Kwak (mwk3jb), Gaby Li (ghl3au), Claudia Meyer (cm5aa), Elayna Sabelhaus (gwj4ej)
Cycling is awesome but it is better with friends. The goal of UVA Medicine Cycling Club is to help medical students find friends to ride bikes with and explore the beautiful areas surrounding Charlottesville. Cycling is also good for you so we will be promoting heart health. We also would like to help those who are thinking about getting into cycling navigate the process of buying a bike and gear Etc. Encouraging engagement in the outdoors on two wheels!
Contact Information: Austin Murray (acm5fv), Antonia Hoidal (phb4kc)
UVA SOM Arts and Crafts Club aims to promote and celebrate all styles of art including woodworking, origami, clay-sculpting, ikebana, and more!
Contact Information: Daniel Wu (dw7ztw), Anuj Kotak (ahk4ub), Sean Runge (nwn8mr), Aditi Desai (xvt4hg), & Andy Kim (ack2gb)
UVA SOM Pickleball hosts tournaments and weekly practices for pickleballers of all levels to meet and play!
Contact Information: Kamran Arastu (ka4fd), Niki Tselepidakis (mxm5ge), Mallory Maza (hza7dq)
Video Game Club is a club for enthusiasts of all different games to conglemerate to chat and play. We will be focusing our annual FIFA Champions League Tournament and as well as a new inaugural super smash tournament.
Contact Information: Zuhaad Hameed (zh5dw), Carlos Justo-Jaume (csj4bd), Kiya Nemati (sss3cq), Adu Menon (asm3ds), Saqib Rizvi (sr2cj)
Come swim with VMed Aquatics – all skill levels are welcome!
Contact Information: Evan Mancini (etm4wms), Danilo Lemaic (dl5jp), John Dennen (uth4sg)
The VMed Chess Club is excited to host online and over-the-board chess tournaments for players of all skill levels, from beginners to super-grandmasters.
Contact Information: Carlos Justo-Jaume (csj4bd), Kamran Arastu (ka4fd), Joseph Nguyen (jdn4de)
The Virginia Medical Strength club is proud to announce that UVA SoM is once again the strongest medical school in the country! We have yet to be challenged on that front. VMed Strength is UVA SoM’s hub for all things physical fitness. We have moved to a new space in the old Elson Student Health building that is outfitted for all types of physical activity and open to all medical students, regardless of self-proclaimed fitness ability. We offer a variety of small group fitness classes and personal training, free of charge, run by medical students for medical students.
Contact Information: Bess Renjilian (cyq7ae), Danielle Rinaldi (rpw5kg), Caila Bachmann (bxg3wr)
Wellness and Humanities
Wellness and humanities groups host relaxing events that promote student wellness.
At Book Club we will have fun book themed meetings with snacks and crafts/activities where you can get a chance to unwind and discuss exciting new books! We read all kinds of genres and everyone is welcome!
Contact Information: Shivani Singh (ss6gbr)
CALM is a student group at V-Med that seeks to promote wellness in the medical school community through group activities and retreats (yoga, meditation, potlucks, social gatherings, bringing positive vibes). Our goal is to provide healthy outlets to deal with the stressors of medical school and prevent burnout. We do this through retreats, hosting panels on a variety of topics, and guiding our peers on meditation and mindfulness techniques that work best for them.
Contact Information: Rahim Burdette (aax6rw), Giorgia Borgarelli (gb7ut), Jayasuriya Senthilvelan (hnp6eq), Tara Srivastava (ts5ss), Marietta Kocher (wtx8ru), Mallika Dammalapati (md4yu)
Food is medicine! As such, we are a club designed to integrate principles of nutrition, preventative medicine, and, most importantly, cooking to learn about the relationship between diet and medicine/health. It is our goal to emphasize the importance of a “healthy” diet (whatever that may mean) in caring for our future patients and selves while incorporating the latest research and debunking harmful dietary myths.
Contact Information: Alexia Richie (agr2bz), Derek Petrosian (nya8aj), Derek Meyers (dm3gj), Chris Bowman (cnb2pt), Cynthia Wan (gjz7we), Aditi Desai (xvt4hg)
We are a club at UVA SOM with the mission of designing garden spaces in Charlottesville/ INOVA aimed to connect medical students with patients and providers in a non-clinical setting! We also aim to offer students opportunities to explore plant nutrition and food as medicine, with structured gardening to produce healthy foods. Our hope is to provide the resources for medical students to harvest or donate foods to local food initiatives for at-risk populations. We welcome any and all students who are interested in exploring horticulture therapy alongside patients and community members.
Contact Information: Isabelle Ciaverelli (mqd4sa), Mallika Dammalapati (md4yu), Ziyan Chen (zc3he)
This is the UVA Chapter of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation Medical Student Coalition (MSC), a working group within the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation with the mission to advocate for well-being in medical school by raising awareness of issues related to burnout and mental health care, providing education surrounding these issues, and advancing solutions for change.
Contact Information:
Rachel Rezabek, Executive Board Member, bpk4yt
Marietta Kocher, Executive Board Member, wtx8ru
Lucy Miao, Executive Board Member, emb5zr
The Family Support Group is a student-led group created to foster a support network for medical students’ significant others, children, and other loved ones accompanying them on the medical school journey. The group plans events designed to build stronger relationships among those involved and acts as a resource to assist those moving to Charlottesville and applicants considering attending UVA.
Contact Information: Kelly Denhard (jqv2dk)
The Health Humanities Club is devoted to exploring the ways in which the humanities intersect with medicine and to explore how the science of biomedicine is balanced by the art of caring for others. We host events dedicated to creative writing, literature, film and art to facilitate these explorations.
Contact Information: Elo Okah (hkh5jt), Danya Osman (dcb7fe)
HeArt of Medicine is a group that seeks to better understand what it means to be a meaningful healthcare provider. Our yearly workshops focus on better coping with death and dying, grappling with stories of patients and providers, and practicing how to have honest, vulnerable conversations.
Contact Information: Farah Contractor (fmc7hxs)
Meaning in Medicine (MiM) is an extracurricular discussion series created by students, for students, to process and reflect on the experiences of the clinical years of medical school.
Contact Information: Rachael Cal (aru2rg), Joe Caruso (jc3uh), David Lee (yum8pz)
As the official Peer Mentoring Program of the UVA School of Medicine, we utilize the knowledge and expertise of more senior students to provide free, easily accessible mentorship, tutoring, and advising to the entire student body.
Contact Information:
Liam Giffin, Co-Leader, zwe8sn
Maddie Leonard, Co-Leader, jdy6qb
Pets in Medicine seeks to support student wellness by hosting pet-related events, such as pre-summative pet stress relief meet-ups and more. Our pets bring so much joy to our lives, and we hope that peers and students can benefit from them as well. Additionally, we aim to connect UVA SOM students to local initiatives that benefit animals in our community and connect students with pets to each other to facilitate rewarding experiences and friendships.
Contact Information: Malinda Gong (tsv8xb), Rachel Rezabek (bpk4yt), Derek Meyers (dm3gj)
The aim of UVA SOM’s Sloane Society is to explore the rich history of medicine to help us gain a deeper understanding of modern medical topics. We hope to provide a holistic perspective that enriches your knowledge of modern medicine. We will delve into captivating narratives that have shaped the medical world and medicine at UVA through engaging themed hands-on workshops and lecture series. We hope you will join as throughout the year as we host these events.
Contact Information: Jessica Pagel (jml8bdu)
VegFest promotes plant-based eating by organizing dinners for people to come together and cook, distributing free produce to students via a farm share, and coordinating educational opportunities with community leaders.
Contact Information: Vibha Sastri (zjx3bq), Benton Spirek (yrt7xm), Britney He (nty2cn), Calvin Tilson (cct8xh)
Started back in 1994, VERITAS is the literary & arts magazine at UVA SOM. We are blown away by how much creativity and talent lies in our student body, and our goal is to make sure it doesn’t go unnoticed. Every year, we publish a magazine issue in the spring and host an exhibit in the winter that is open to the public, both showcasing a huge and awesome variety of art, poetry, writing, and photography by UVA med students.
Instagram: uva_veritas
Contact Information: Gabriel Ramos (uvw3hp), Tara Srivastava (ts5ss), Danya Osman (dcb7fe), Emily Lin (ezl9uu), Laura Liu (nzy9jm)
Learn more at: www.veritasmag.org
Wellness steering committee is a faculty facilitated monthly meeting to organzine wellness initiatives across the SOM, including two yearly wellness weeks.
Contact Information: Mallika Dammalapati (md4yu), Serena Vilasi (smv5qv)