Happy November! Can you believe we’re rounding out the year and heading into Winter Break soon!! I know you are all working really hard and doing some amazing things. I keep hearing about all your accomplishments.
I wanted to remind all of you about the importance of giving feedback. I know we ask for feedback at every turn…we do try hard to limit our asks…but we ask because we really want to know what’s working well (yes, we are happy to hear praises) and where we could make improvements. As a reminder, the best type of feedback is constructive, where you actually provide recommendations about how we might do something different or adjust in a certain way. Please think about your feedback; this is a lifelong skill so work on it now.
In other news, we learned that our students are scoring markedly higher on the anatomy and pharmacology sections of the USMLE Step 1 exams. The enhancements we have made are improving your learning. Music to my ears!!
Finally, I wanted to be sure you were introduced to Dr. Julianne DiMartino, our new medical director for the Clinical Skills and Simulation Center at the HEC. Dr. DiMartino is a obstetrician/gynecologist who works as a hospitalist at University Hospitals. She has deep experience with simulation and will be helping us enhance our simulation curriculum. Please say hello to her if you see her next time you’re at the Sim Center.
As always, my door (and inbox) are open if you need me.
LL
Reminders
Inclement Weather Reminder
As we approach the cold weather season, please be aware of how inclement weather may impact your scheduled activities. The School of Medicine has specific procedures for classes and clinical activities, outlined below.
School of Medicine's Inclement Weather Policy
Didactic: If the University closes due to inclement weather or any other emergent reason, didactic classes, simulation sessions, and experiential learning events may be delayed, moved to an online platform, or canceled at the discretion of the instructor.
Clinical: Clinical days are never canceled unless done so by the clinical preceptor or site, as clinicians have a professional obligation to support access to care—especially during emergencies. Students are expected to follow the operational status of their assigned clinical site and defer to the supervising preceptor or rotation leader regarding attendance. For safety, students should exercise their best judgment in determining whether to attend clinicals during inclement weather. Absences due to inclement weather will be counted toward the clinical absence total unless a state-issued weather emergency is declared.
M2 - Clerkship Scheduling Preference Form Closing 11/10
The Clerkship Scheduling Preference Form for M2s is closing on 11/10/25 at 4:00pm. Please make sure to fill out the form to let us know where you would like to complete your M3 clerkships!
Drs. Jenny King and Mark Joseph will again be offering “Operationalizing Antiracism for Everyday Impact”. This is an advanced skill-building course that equips students with the tools, techniques and practices for effective antiracism. The course is built around an Everyday Antiracism framework that has eight key elements: Curiosity, Structure, Perception, Belonging, Truth, Healing, Restitution and Power.
This hybrid course is designed to accommodate staff and faculty life demands as well as students' schedules. You can alternate between attending in-person and online as it suits your needs. This is a tuition-free opportunity!
This 2-minute video will give you a good feel for the course experience. The course will meet Tuesday evenings for 14 weeks from 6:30 to 8:30pm starting January 13th. Please email the course assistant Kate Freeman at kate.freeman@case.edu with any questions.
Please congratulate your new CSR Board!
President: Ansh Shah
Vice President: Emma West
Secretary: Sidharth Ranga
Treasurer: Jayden Gonzales
Social Chairs: Natalie Tjahjadi and Shailee Shroff
Class Officers: Somin Jung and Noa Phillips
AAMC-OSR Rep: John Ross
Student Engagement and Wellbeing Rep: Charvi Sharma
Class Historian: Christina Hung
Alumni Board Rep: Patrick McGraw
Community Service Rep: Kaylah Brown
Tech Rep: Mahan Miryala
Kyle Barclay, CSR VP
Free Vot-ER Badges
Medical students can get a FREE Vot-ER badge to help patients register to vote! The badge links directly to the Vot-ER site, where patients can register, check their voter status, make a voting plan, or request a mail-in ballot. Get your badge and track our progress as a school.
M2 & M4 - BLS/ACLS Offerings
University Hospitals is offering BLS and ACLS courses for M2 & M4s. These are REQUIRED activities.
M2s - BLS
December: Saturday 12/13 and Sunday 12/14 (PLEASE NOTE 12/13/25 is Doc Opera night!)
January sessions: Saturday 1/10/26 and Sunday 1/11/26
BLS Session Sign-Up
There are two sessions per day: 8 am - 12:30 pm and 12:30 pm - 4:30 pm. You are required to sign up for one of these sessions. Session details and pre-work will be sent prior to the course.
M4s - ACLS
January sessions: Saturday 1/24/26 and Sunday 1/25/26
February sessions: Saturday 1/31/26 and Sunday 2/1/26
ACLS Session Sign-Up
There are two sessions per day: 8 am - 12:30 pm and 12:30 pm - 4:30 pm. You are required to sign up for one of these sessions. Session details and pre-work will be sent prior to the course.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are up to date with your BLS, send proof of certification to both Anastasia Rowland-Seymour (axr668@case.edu) and the registrar (som-registrar@case.edu) BEFORE the ACLS sessions.
Stethos
We are pleased to announce that the 2025 issue of Stethos is now out! You can pick up a copy of the latest issue outside of the CCLCM Student Affairs office on the 1st floor of the HEC. Alternatively, you can access the issue online.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this year's issue of Stethos. Stay tuned for the next call for submissions, which will be announced later this year. In the meantime, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at cclcmhumanities@gmail.com.
Want to get involved with promoting engagement and wellbeing? Email SOM-Wellbeing@case.edu to join the Office of Student Affairs - Student Engagement and Wellbeing student committees. Follow us on Instagram @cwru_medwellbeing
Deadlines Approaching: Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society Fellowships & Grants
Deadlines are approaching for the CWRU Chapter of the AΩA Honor Medical Society options for Fellowships and Grants. Please take a moment to review these opportunities.
Upcoming Mandatory Class Meetings in November
M1 (Class of 2029): Monday, November 17, 2025, from Noon-1pm in HEC 176 - Welcome to Block 3, Vice Dean Listening Session, and MedEd Announcements & Updates
M3 (Class of 2027): Friday, November 7, 2025, from 430-530pm in HEC 176 - Career Advising & Planning (CAP) 1: Planning for M4 (AIs & Electives) + Vice Dean Listening Session
M3 (Class of 2027): Wednesday, November 19, 2025, from 6-7pm on ZOOM (link forthcoming) - Career Advising & Planning (CAP) 1.5: Planning for M4 (Away Electives & VSLO)
M4 (Class of 2026): Thursday, November 20, 2025, from 530-630pm in HEC 176 - Vice Dean Listening Session + MedEd Announcements & Updates
All class meetings are posted in Elentra for your reference. If you have questions/concerns, please email societydeans@case.edu
Financial Aid
Financial Wellness Tip
Excessive loan and credit borrowing can cause side effects like high interest and long-term debt. Only borrow what you need. To learn more, attend the AAMC webinar "Updates on Public Service Loan Forgiveness" on November 13 at 2 pm ET. You can register through the Webinars tab in our Debt Management: A Money Matters Course on Canvas.
Investing & Retirement Planning with Dr. Rami Abbass
The Financial Wellness in Medicine group is thrilled to welcome CWRU Alum, Dr. Rami Abbass, as the guest speaker for the Investing & Retirement Planning Event on November 5 at 5 pm in HEC Room 199A! If you're not sure what a 401(k) is, this session is for you (and even if you do know, you'll still learn something). Food will be provided, please RSVPto help us get an accurate headcount.
Research
Showcasing innovation and discovery at Graduate and Medical Student Research Day
More than 600 presenters, judges and attendees participated in the 2025 Graduate and Medical Student Research Day with 304 oral and poster presentations, representing an impressive array of critical topics.
"It was a remarkable summation of the School of Medicine's incredible breadth and innovative research and education programs," said Dean Stan Gerson.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Cancer Care Delivery and Outcomes Research Fellowship
Medical students are encouraged to apply for this fellowship through January 5, 2026. The fellowship is a one-year mentored training experience in research focused on cancer care delivery and outcomes. Students begin by taking summer coursework followed by a mentored research project. Salary, tuition for the summer program, and a research stipend is provided. Visit the institute’s websiteand review the info sheetfor more details, and access the application page here:Application.
Health Sciences Library
Access Medicine
Access Medicine is an online medical resource that features core medical textbooks, review questions, clinical cases, study tools, videos & audio, and more. It’s helpful for the foundations of medicine, and also for the clinic years. Find it in the Databases tab on the CHSL website. Get theAccess Medicine App.
Staff Spotlight
Andrew Clifford, Learning Specialist
Sometimes when I close my eyes, I can still hear the faint roar of I-76 and the frequent 'pops' from the Wadsworth Gun Club in the distance. My exploits at Ohio University were much more fulfilling and rewarding -- OU's Honors College and another stint earning a MS exposed me to research from homologizing facial musculature across Mammalia to mapping neural networks in Aplysia. I pursued a Ph.D. at Brown University, where my research combined biomechanics, palaeontology, and evolutionary biology to address the famous evolutionary parallelism of unguligrady. My teaching during graduate school focused on cadaver-based human anatomy for first-year medical students--my unending love and passion for the cranial nerves that derive from pharyngeal arches persists to the present day. Following graduate school, I taught biology (primarily AP), chemistry, and physics classes and coached cross-country teams at two different high schools--Commonwealth School in Boston and Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights. I came to Case Med in 2023, to continue a tradition of working in schools in which I could never gain admission. I try to keep a variety of hobbies, though lately my dog has taken up some of the time I could devote to them. When I get to pick which activities to do, I like to garden, keep freshwater tropical fish, cross-stitch, read history, and travel; I also volunteer at the CMNH and the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes when I can.
My role at Case Med is to coach students in time management, study skills, and test preparation and to resource, advocate for, and advise students to maximize success. Although my role is primarily in academic advising, Learning Specialists work to maximize student performance and potential in all areas--I use a holistic support network when working with the amazing students at Case Med.
Andy's approach to his role:
Coaching helps students focus on elements or priorities that truly matter and teaches them to balance their values, passions, and drives.
Favorite part of the job:
Resourcing students with the tools to succeed--whether a study plan, a strategy for rehearsal, or a foundation for school-life balance--is the most rewarding facet of my job.
Interesting fact about Andy:
My high school considered evolutionary biology to be too controversial to teach, so I learned about natural selection as a kid by cross-breeding strains of Xiphophorus species (much like Darwin learned about natural selection by working with pigeon breeders).
In Cleveland, Andy would like to:
I would like to dive to the rubble of Cleveland Municipal Stadium to see if it is a better fish reef than it was a stadium.
Andy is inspired by:
I draw my biggest inspiration from the Sophists, though I am always inspired by students that work to improve themselves, their patients, and our society.
