Building leadership skills through AAMC RISE

Two second-year medical students strengthened their leadership skills at the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) RISE seminar in Salt Lake City, Utah. This two-and-a-half-day leadership development seminar brought together medical students from across the country to build leadership skills, foster meaningful connections and reflect on the values and experiences that shape their journeys in medicine. Marisa DeSciscio and Mehak Behal were selected by the College of Medicine to attend this seminar. Returning with valuable insights, Marisa and Mehak shared a joint reflection on their experience:

“Attending the AAMC RISE seminar was an incredibly refreshing opportunity to step outside the day-to-day rhythm of medical school and connect with student leaders from across the country. Hearing about their experiences, leadership roles and the unique ways their institutions approach medical education gave us a much broader perspective on what it means to be part of a medical school community. At the same time, seeing how differently each institution operates gave us a renewed appreciation for NEOMED and for the faculty, staff and classmates who make our community so special.

One of the most meaningful parts of RISE was the emphasis on storytelling and understanding our own 'why.' We were encouraged to reflect on the experiences that brought us to medicine, the people who have shaped us and the values that continue to drive us forward. Taking that time to step back and reflect was a powerful reminder that leadership is not simply about a title or position, but about understanding what motivates you and using your experiences to positively impact the people around you.

We left RISE feeling inspired, re-energized and even more excited about the path ahead. Beyond the leadership skills and new perspectives we gained, we are especially grateful for the lifelong connections we made with students who share many of the same passions and challenges. We are looking forward to bringing what we learned back to NEOMED and continuing to grow alongside the community that has played such an important role in our journey through medicine.”