Medical Education News - All MD Student Edition

Tuesday march 31, 2026
For newsletter archive, events, and more, visit our CAMPUS GROUP SITE!

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1. Message from Vice Dean Logio
2. Awards & Recognition
3. Notices
4. Student Affairs & Wellbeing
5. Curriculum
6. Financial Aid
7. Research
8. Health Sciences Library
9. Events & Opportunities

Dear Students:

Spring has finally sprung! We had an exciting Match Day last Friday where we came together to celebrate the incredible accomplishments of our amazing senior students. Lots of squeals of joy, hugs, tears, and laughter while family, friends, and the entire CWRU School of Medicine community came together to express their pride and support for all. Congratulations to all!

If you didn’t see some of the breakdown of specialties:
 

While the M2s are no longer in the building, the M4s have returned for their transition to residency course. We’re getting excited for the next transition as the M1s rise up to become M2s, the M2s return at M3s, the M3s become our M4 senior students, and we graduate our newly minted doctors. It’s a record number of graduates this year – 234 – the most ever!

Thanks for all you do. Keep in touch if I can help. My door is always open!

LL

Congratulations to Skyler Hoang, Geiger M2-MSTP student, winner of the Helen H. Glaser Student Essay Award!

Congratulations to Skyler Hoang, Geiger M2-MSTP student, on winning the Helen H. Glaser Student Essay Award, to be featured in an upcoming edition of "The Pharos". His essay is titled "The Strategic Structure of Medical Education: How Game Theory Reveals the Gap Between Collaborative Values and Competitive Incentives".

Congratulations to Marc Hill, rising Geiger M4 student, winner of TWO awards in dermatology!

Congratulations to Marc Hill, rising Geiger M4 student, on winning TWO awards in dermatology: 2026 Dermatologists of Tomorrow Scholarship (DOTS), and the 2026 Skin of Color Society Observership Grant Award! Both awards are very prestigious and come with a cash prize! Congratulations!

University Hospitals Medical Student Lounge

The new University Hospitals Medical Student Lounge is now officially open.  It is located conveniently beside the Atrium cafeteria on Humphrey Way.  Lakeside 1578. All medical students on clinical rotations should automatically have badge access. The lounge features lockers, computer workstations, couches, tables, and refrigerator.  See pics of the new lounge!

Match Panels

The Office of Student Affairs and several Student Interest Groups are holding Match Panels at the end of March/throughout April. These panels are a great opportunity to learn from M4s who recently matched in that specialty. Please review the current schedule of Match Panels and RSVP links here!

If you have questions about a specific panel, please email the appropriate contacts listed in the "Contact for Questions" column.

SACNAS

The Office of Graduate Student Life is sharing the following on behalf of a student organization.

Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars are invited to get involved in SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science) chapter at CWRU.

SACNAS offers community in STEM, mentorship, networking, and professional development. All graduate students and postdocs are welcome.

See the attached flyer for details. For more information, contact Leah Nez at fln3@case.edu.

Step 1 Dedicated Study Support

Learn more about Step 1 support.

Wellbeing Wednesdays

Check out the Wellbeing Wednesday activities for April.

Follow us on Instagram @cwru_medwellbeing.

M1s - New Co-Director for the Longitudinal Clinical Skills Program

We are excited to announce that Dr. Jayne Barr will be serving as the Co-Director for the Longitudinal Clinical Skills Program (LSCP) in Block 8! Dr. Barr is a board-certified Med-Peds physician, as well as the Division Director of Internal Medicine and Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program at MetroHealth. She brings a wealth of clinical and educational expertise that we believe will greatly enrich early clinical training. At the heart of LCSP is our commitment to ensuring that students are not just learning medicine in the classroom, but building real, meaningful clinical skills in early in medical school.  Early and consistent clinical exposure during pre-clerkship years is essential to developing the confidence, competence, and professional identity students will need to transition into clerkships and beyond. Dr. Barr's unique background spanning both internal medicine and pediatrics, combined with her deep experience mentoring and training residents, makes her exceptionally well-suited to help guide students. We are thrilled to have her on board and look forward to working together to make the clinical skills experience as impactful and rewarding as possible. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Barr to the Block 8 team!

Elaine Cruz, DO and Elizabeth Painter, PsyD, MSCP

Foundations of Clinical Medicine Co-Faculty Leaders (Block 8)

CDC Epidemiology Elective Program (EEP) is Accepting Applications

The CDC Epidemiology Elective Program (EEP) is currently accepting applications for the 2027 program cycle. The application window closes on April 21, 2026, and the program is open to students in their third year and beyond — meaning current second-year students are also eligible to apply now.

EEP offers students a unique experience working alongside applied epidemiologists on real public health investigations — a valuable complement to academic training and an excellent pathway toward a career in the field.

Financial Wellness Tip

Evaluate your spending habits and make a list of your non-negotiables or things you can't live without in your budget to save money. - MD Student, Class of 2029

Apply Now for Financial Aid: 2026–2027

Submit your financial aid application for the 2026-2027 school year today! The deadline to renew your financial aid is May 1, 2026.

For instructions, visit the SOM Financial Aid website.

Questions? Contact the SOM Office of Financial Aid at medfinancialaid@case.edu, 216.368.3666, or visit HEC, Suite 111.

M4s - Review Financial Planning Options

As you prepare for the transition into residency, this is a key time to review your financial planning options. The AAMC provides weekly live webinars on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to discuss loan repayment and payment plan strategies. In addition, the SOM Office of Financial Aid will host a live webinar, "Home Buying Basics for Med Students," on April 8 at 5:00 PM. Registration details and a full list of resources are available in the Debt Management Course in Canvas.

Outstanding Advisor Survey

Have you had an exceptional experience with your research advisor? Consider nominating them for an outstanding advisor recognition. Your feedback helps us recognize the quality of their support, and we share this information with current and future students to highlight outstanding advisors they may want to work with. Submit your nomination: Outstanding Advisor Survey

ENSEMBLE Research Scholars Program

The NIH U24 ENSEMBLE Network is offering a funded 3-month Research Scholars Program to medical students for their May 18^th - August 7^th, 2026 cohort. The program will provide the opportunity to attend masterclasses from leading researchers specializing in music intervention studies, data science, qualitative analysis, pain mechanisms, and omics research. Scholars will also gain practical research skills for analyzing data, study design, and more. The deadline to apply is March 27th, 2026. Visit the application page for more details. Please email ensemblepilotprogram@hs.uci.edu for any questions.

M3 & M4s - SAVE THE DATE: Department of Surgery Research Day: Wednesday, May 20, 2026

The annual UH Department of Surgery Research Day will be held on Wednesday, May 20, 2026 as an in-person event, featuring keynote speaker Dorry Segev, MD, PhD, Professor of Surgery and Population Health and Vice Chair of Surgery at NYU and the Founding Director of the NYU Center for Surgical and Transplant Applied Research.

Residents, fellows, and medical students are invited to submit an abstract to be presented as a quick shot at Research Day. Depending on the number of submissions, we hope to allow all submitted abstracts the opportunity to present. The best presentations, as voted by the audience, will be awarded cash prizes.

Event Details:

UH Department of Surgery Research Day

Wednesday, May 20, 2026 | 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Location and Schedule:

7:00 – 8:00 AM – Oliver Payne Lectureship Grand Rounds (Kulas Auditorium)

8:15 – 10:00 AM – Resident Case Presentations and Career Development (Kulas Auditorium)

10:00 AM – 12:30 PM – Break

12:30 – 5:00 PM – Research Presentations (Wolstein Auditorium)

Important Dates:

Abstract submission opens: Friday, March 13, 2026

Abstract submission deadline: Friday, April 10, 2026

Notification of accepted abstracts: Friday, April 17, 2026

Presentation submission deadline: Friday, May 8, 2026

UH Surgery Research Day: Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Abstract Submission Instructions:

Submit an Abstract as a Word document using the online submission form by April 10, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET. Each person may submit one abstract. Cash prizes will be awarded for the best medical student and best resident/fellow presentations. Abstracts of those selected to present will be included in the event's booklet/program.

Guidelines:

Residents, fellows, and medical students are welcome to submit.

Maximum of one submission per presenter (presenters may be co-authors on multiple submissions).

Abstracts will be judged on originality, scientific/clinical merit, clarity, and presentation of findings.

All submissions must be submitted as a Word document using the Research Day Abstract Template. There is a 500-word limit. The abstract should include an introduction, methods, results, and conclusions. One table, image, or graph is permitted.

Abstracts previously presented at other regional/national/international meetings are acceptable.

Please contact Heather Cigoi (Heather.Cigoi@UHhospitals.org) or Lisa DiNardo (Lisa.DiNardo@UHhospitals.org) with any questions.

M3s - Orthopaedic Surgery Research Year Opportunity 2026-2027

Third-year med students interested in orthopaedic surgery are encouraged to apply for the 2026-2027 Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Spine Research Fellowship. This is a one-year, full-time, and paid opportunity to work with the spine research team at the Rothman Orthopedic Institute. Learn more through their website here, and applicants should send materials to: spinerothman@gmail.com.

Lunch & Learn with a Librarian - SciVal

Wed, Apr 8, 2026

12:30 PM – 1 PM

Join us during your lunch break to explore SciVal, a research analytics tool. The session will provide an overview of SciVal, and demonstrate its usefulness in analyzing trends and benchmarking scholarly outputs.

At the conclusion of this event, the participant will be able to find information on authors, journals, and institutions; create groups; compare organizations and institutions; and create graphs, reports, and other analytic outputs.

Register today

For questions about this event, or about our eResources and Services, contact us at askCHSL@case.edu

Deadline Today! March 31 - 2026 Jerry Kowal Student Scholarship - Accepting Applications

The Ohio Geriatrics Society wishes to announce that applications for the 2026 Jerry Kowal Student Scholarship are currently being accepted. This award is to be granted to a medical student, PharmD candidate, physical therapy, occupational therapy, audiology, speech therapy, physician assistant, or nursing/nurse practitioner student who is interested in attending the 2026 American Geriatrics Society National Scientific Meeting being held this year, Virtual platform. Two scholarships are to be awarded. Please complete the application and send to Himika Dalia, hdalia@metrohealth.org, by the deadline of March 31, 2026. Awards will be announced on April 10, 2026.

MetroHealth Family Medicine Department Conference

The MetroHealth Family Medicine Department is hosting an upcoming Family Medicine CME conference event, and it is free for students to attend. Learn more and register for the conference.

2026 AAP Medical Student Essay Contest on The Art of Communication in Psychiatry

It is time for the 2026 AAP Medical Student Essay Contest on The Art of Communication in Psychiatry!

Benefits

• Complimentary Annual Meeting Registration
• Up to $1,000 reimbursement for meeting-related travel, hotel, and meal expenses
• Essay presented as a poster at Annual Meeting

The selected winner of the creative writing contest will receive up to $1,000 for reimbursement of travel expenses to attend the 2026 AAP Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, UT where s/he will present the essay. The theme is: The Art of Communication in Psychiatry: Connecting with the Patient.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: June 1, 2026

Submission Requirements
The contest is open to any student who is both currently enrolled in an accredited medical school in the United States, Canada or around the world and will be enrolled at the time of the Annual Meeting September 16-19, 2026. The work must be an original unpublished essay of 1,000 words or less. ONLY ONE SUBMISSION PER STUDENT WILL BE ACCEPTED.

Students may click here to apply online.

Essays should be submitted electronically and request the following information:

• Student’s Name
• Name of Medical School where enrolled, year in school
• Mailing Address, Phone Number, Email Address

Selection Criteria
Judges will be blinded to the participant and affiliated medical school. Judging will be based on originality, uniqueness, flow of thought, and appropriateness to the theme.

Deadline for submission is June 1, 2026. No additional submissions for the 2026 Annual Meeting will be considered after that date.

For QUESTIONS ONLY, contact James Haliburton, MD, Medical Student Essay Subcommittee Chair, at jamesrhaliburton@gmail.com. All essay submissions must be made through the Award portal.

Deadline April 2 - Submissions for Lasker Foundation video contest

The Lasker Foundation is accepting submissions for its 2026 video contest. The competition is open to medical students, interns, residents, and fellows; doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows in biomedical sciences; and health professions graduate students who are currently conducting research. Applicants are asked to describe a biomedical research question they are studying — or would like to explore — and explain its future impact on science and patients. Winners will be awarded a prize of $5,000. The application deadline is April 2.

Read More

UH Speaker Series

The Distinguished Speaker Series features an internationally renowned expert to share perspectives on major themes in health services research, population and public health, and leadership influencing health and healthcare in the United States and worldwide.


April 7, 2026

Ashish Jha, MD, MPH, Harvard University

Register for Webinar

Please join us for the Global Health Grand Rounds, a webinar series consisting of extramural-funded researchers, leaders and renowned experts who will share their scholarly insights on cutting-edge research and perspectives on global health.

April 14, 2026

Register for Webinar

PRIDE in Practice 2026

This CE-certified, live symposium is designed to review best practices that highlight the latest therapies, procedures, and diagnostics for the LGBTQ+ patient. The LGBTQ+ population represents a diverse group of individuals with unique healthcare needs that often go unmet due to barriers in accessing care, the knowledge of providers in the assessment of health risk and guideline-based care. Despite growing awareness of differing health outcomes, LGBTQ+ patients continue to face barriers to accessing affirming, high-quality healthcare.

This symposium seeks to identify systemic challenges and opportunities for improvement to ensure safe, effective, evidence-based healthcare for LGBTQ+ individuals.

When: May 21, 2026
Where: Cleveland Clinic Administrative Campus (CCAC)
3175 Science Park Drive, Building #4, 4th Floor
Beachwood, OH 44122
Cost: Free to medical students

More information and registration for PRIDE in Practice.

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