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The MSTP students at UVa are a close-knit group, with many friendships from year to year and especially within each year. Most maintain close friendships from Med School classes and also develop new friendships in lab. Beth Ames, the MSTP social chair, plans casual social events following Research in Progress Dinners and as well as independent social events. Wine tasting, polo games, Halloween parties, picnics, football tailgates, holiday parties, and trivia games at nearby restaurants have all been on the calendar recently!
Most months, UVa MSTP holds a Research in Progress dinner on the 3rd Wednesday of the month. MSTP students Josh Meisner and Beth Ames cook and coordinate fantastic meals for us. One or two students present on their research for about 45 minutes each, including discussion time. MSTP mentors also attend the dinner and speak briefly about their research and labs.
During the course of their graduate work, each of our students will give an RIP, have short presentations on summer rotations and clinical clerkships and participate in Hot Seat and Methods Roundtables. Thus, a student interested in honing their presentation skills can have many opportunities to vet their research with their peers and with MSTP faculty. Most degree-granting departments have training grant and departmental Journal Clubs, Research in Progress opportunities, UVa poster sessions and other UVa events, and national conferences.
The MSTP Student Lecture Series and the yearly MSTP Distinguished Lecturer are chosen and hosted by the MSTP Students' Scientific Advisory Committee. The Student Lecture Series features bench or translational scientists from within UVa, often accompanied by colleagues providing clinical perspectives. The Distinguished Lecture occurs in late spring and brings in a high-profile physician-scientist selected by the Committee to meet with students and lecture over a two-day visit.
Recent MSTP Distinguished Lecturers include:
2008-2009: Dr. Jennifer R. Grandis, FACS, Professor of Otolaryngology and Pharmacology, Director, Head and Neck Cancer Program, Vice Chair for Research, Dept of Otolaryngology, UPMC Endowed Chair in Head and Neck Cancer Surgical research, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, "The Glamour Life of the Physician Scientist: Combining Research with Clinical Medicine"
2007-2008: Dr. Helen Hobbs, Eugene McDermott Distinguished Chair, Director, McDermott Center for Human Genetics, University of Texas-Southwestern, "Rare Mutations in Complex Diseases: Not So Rare and Not So Complex"
2006-2007: Dr. Walter J. Koch, W.W. Smith Professor of Medicine and Director of the Center for Translational Research, Thomas Jefferson Medical College, "Myocardial GRKs: Translational Studies in Heart Failure"
2005-2006: Dr. William E. Evans, Director and CEO, St. Jude's Research Hospital, "Cancer Pharmacogenomics: Childhood Cancer as a Model"
Every summer, the MSTP Student Scientific Advisory Committee organizes a retreat in early August that combines a bit of science, a bit of career planning, and a lot of fun!
In recent years we have been to Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing in New Castle, VA, Smith Mountain Lake, VA, and Concord Retreat in Yellow Spring, WV.
We have also experimented with day formats in Charlottesville to include happy hours and plenty of local fun.
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