Conference experiences provide knowledge and networking opportunities

Sophie Tayade, a first-year student in the College of Medicine, interviewed several students about their recent conference experiences.

Students featured:

• Adiaratou Ba (M2) attended the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) conference for professional development and to accept the Program of Excellence Award on behalf of the NEOMED Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG).
• Mason Covel (M1) presented research at a meeting of the American Association of Anatomy.
• Shashank Raghavachari (M2) presented research at a meeting of the Southern Society for Pediatric Research.
• Meera Nair (M1) and Danielle Oh (M1) attended the American Medical Association (AMA) Medical Student Advocacy Conference (MAC) in Washington, D.C.

How did you decide on a conference?

Nair: I first heard about the American Medical Association (AMA) in the fall semester from a meeting with NEOMED’s AMA organization. In this meeting, we worked on resolution writing for its Medical Student Section (MSS) and I learned about AMA’s Medical Advocacy Conference (MAC) in Washington, D.C. I noted that the conference was during NEOMED’s spring break and put it in the back of my mind.

Raghavachari: My research project was geared toward an intervention to prevent neonatal mortality in a global setting. To that end, I wanted to find a known national pediatrics-oriented conference to apply to where I could present my findings. My mentor, Dr. Bernhard Fassl, informed his students about three regional organizations with similar purposes, which included the Western Society for Pediatric Research, the Southern and the Eastern. Each allowed presenters from any U.S. region to participate in their individual conferences, so I ended up settling on the Southern Regional Meeting based on its date in relation to my personal schedule as well as its location in New Orleans, which was a city I had not yet visited and wanted to get the chance to explore.

Ba: As the incoming Family Medicine Interest Group president, I saw the AAFP conference as a key to unlock new ideas, leadership skills and a deeper understanding of family medicine. It's the kind of event that lights up your passion for the field, offering a closer look at how FMIGs operate and flourish. Even if you are not an FMIG officer, this conference is truly for anyone eyeing a future in family medicine or anyone who is simply curious.

Covel: Being that our project involved incorporating new techniques into anatomical teaching, we thought it was the best fit to attend the American Association of Anatomists annual conference. The annual conference was international; that also made it a unique experience and we were able to see what others around the world are doing in anatomy education.

Oh: Over spring break, I attended AMA’s Medical Student Advocacy Conference (MAC) in Washington, D.C. I originally did not fully understand what I was signing up for, but I decided to attend because it was close to home and happened to fall during our spring break. It turned out to be a valuable experience that I ended up appreciating.

What were some highlights from the experience?

Nair: The biggest highlight of this conference would be the Capitol Hill visits. Students were paired with other students from their respective states and allowed to advocate for the future of medicine by meeting with legislators and legislator aides. I was able to meet with Representative Dave Joyce’s legislative aide and address the physician shortage and GME cap on residents. Another highlight was hearing from incredible speakers such as Admiral Dr. Rachel Levine, the 17th assistant secretary for health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and head of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. As someone with an interest in the adolescent medicine field, it was such an honor to hear from someone as accomplished as Dr. Levine.

Raghavachari: Perhaps the coolest feeling I took away from my experience at my first-ever research conference was the gravity of being in a room surrounded by established physicians, student physicians and my future colleagues. To know that I was presenting research and occupying the same space as people who had once been in my shoes affirmed to me a sense of belonging. I had signed up for a subspecialty “club” dinner without a clue of what it entailed and somehow ended up seated at the table with the planning head of the entire conference, which as a medical student is daunting, especially when the only other people at the table are established and long-practicing physicians. However, it ended up being a great opportunity to learn from my table-mates and engage in interesting conversations. Getting the free time to also explore a new city was a huge perk as well.

Ba: The AAFP conference was full of energy and enthusiasm. Networking with residency programs from all corners of the country is something that will help me in the long run. Plus, reconnecting with NEOMED's own students and faculty offered a chance to share stories, goals and laughs. There were so many interesting workshops such as how to prevent burnout, how to get involved in advocacy, global health, massages, caring for migrants and refugees, and many more!

Covel: Interacting with people from around the world and seeing all the projects going on in anatomy education was a valuable experience. There was a lot of interest in our project and other schools were also trying to incorporate something similar at their universities, so it was interesting to bounce ideas back and forth with them on how to improve each other's ambitions. I was also impressed with all the tech that was presented. There was so much VR and AR and different types of models and tools that felt like they came from the future.

Oh: Many of those in Congress don’t have experience working with the patient population, and it’s important to have leaders that know the patient population if the bills that they’re voting for are affecting these people. Physicians are a valuable aspect of society, but they work within the construct of the policies that are currently in place. This conference highlights the importance of advocacy and addressing the problems with our health care systems with an upstream approach. Changing policy can have far-reaching effects on every stakeholder in our health care system.

What will you bring back from this experience to NEOMED or for your future career?

Nair: I felt empowered with confidence that regardless of what level you are in your journey, you can make a difference. I felt incredibly grateful that as a first-year medical student, I was able to visit Capitol Hill and discuss the topics important to me. I will take this with me throughout my career and it reminds me to always advocate for patient and physician wellness.

Raghavachari: Something I did not know about before was that case reports of patient cases with unique pathologies is often presented at conferences like these. Each case presentation was so incredibly interesting to think about as someone still in his preclinical years, and I think participating in these projects in the future can be a great alternative to research itself for myself and anyone who might not yet feel their fit in the laboratory and clinical research field. I think the value of meeting others in the profession or in a specialty you are interested in cannot be overstated. As daunting as it might be to initiate that sort of networking conversation, more likely than not you aren’t alone in feeling that way. Conversation about a mutual interest can be so easy when the internal barriers in our minds are surpassed.

Ba: The conference taught me the essence of staying adaptable and committed to learning in the fast-paced world of health care. It emphasized patient-centered care and the art of building relationships based on trust. These are the lessons I carried back to NEOMED and will carry into my future practice, aiming to be not just a doctor but a lifelong learner and a true ally to my patients.

Covel: One thing that I took away from the conference was how much and how quickly technology and the advances in technology are being incorporated into anatomy teaching and learning tools. It was great to see so many people embracing the changes occurring and learning how to take advantage of them instead of turning away. There were many projects and devices there that I hope to see in the future with my career.

Oh: The conference focused on three health care bills, each advocating for a different aspect of our health care system: the patient, the physician and the community. We were able to meet with a legislative aide to advocate for these bills. Regardless of whether or not we were able to influence any politicians, it was a good learning experience for medical students and gave me insight into the health care system in which I will be working in one day.

Do you have any advice for students considering attending a conference?

Nair: I would advise that if you have an opportunity to attend a conference regardless if you can present a poster or not, it is a worthwhile experience.

Raghavachari: I would highly recommend people to take advantage of the opportunity we have at NEOMED to go to these national conferences. We can get $2,000 from the school to go on these trips and present the work we do. It’s so worthwhile to use that to your advantage and to help you grow as you get further in your future medical career. Find a project you think you could be interested in or passionate about, do the work necessary to explore that topic, and then find a conference that will be a good fit to present the work you have done. If you’re like me and love traveling, you can even use it as an excuse to add to your list of life experiences in a different environment. But put yourself out there and don’t be afraid of not fitting in or not being “good enough.”

Ba: Start planning early! The AAFP conference and others like it have early deadlines, especially for poster presentations, which is April 1. Don't miss out on scholarships and funding opportunities through NEOMED's Department of Family and Community Medicine, and through the AAFP. Dive into the experience—attend workshops, network and enjoy the company of fellow family medicine enthusiasts!

Covel: Plan ahead and reach out to NSC reps! Our M1 reps were an immense help for me in preparing for funding. Don’t be shy, check out the exhibits and talk to other presenters! Everyone is passionate about what they are researching, and talking with others with the same interest as you is always great. Although it may seem daunting to be around so many physicians and established researchers, you provide a unique experience as well, and others value it! I was very intimidated and felt out of place, but I never once felt I was being excluded. Everyone was very welcoming and curious on my thoughts and insight as a medical student learning anatomy and other content in todays world.

What did you present at the conference?

Raghavachari [presentation description]: In the rural Belkotgadhi District of Nepal, a proven training method was implemented to teach health care workers and volunteers how to properly approach emergent birthing scenarios to prevent neonatal and maternal mortality. The efficacy of the training in the region was observed, and the level of knowledge/skill uptake in the workers was measured using multiple written exams and OSCE scenarios. A significant level in knowledge and skill acquisition was observed and confirmed the ability of the workers to intervene and provide life-saving care during delivery using the methods taught in the training program. Thank you to Dr. Bernhard Fassl from NEOMED’s Center for Global Health for providing the opportunity to pursue this research and global health experience, as well as my teammates Bailey Brocker (M2) and Jackson Casteel (M2) for their help and companionship as we experienced life in rural Nepal together.

Covel [presentation description]: Two cadaveric donors were selected for a full body CT scan. We interpreted the scans to identify pathological regions of interest and develop a plan to perform targeted dissections. Overall, the CT scans enabled us to evaluate the extent of the pathologies, allowing us to conduct dissections more efficiently and accurately while minimizing structural damage. There was also educational value in the practice of interpreting diagnostic images and developing 3D spatial relationships, a worthwhile skill for trainees as the prevalence of imaging within health care increases. Integrating CT scanning, traditionally a clinical tool, with dissection augmented the learning experience while maintaining the value of anatomical teaching through dissection. Given the success of this exploratory study, we have implemented this model into the curriculum of the Foundations of Medicine graduate program. In the future, we aim to incorporate this design more broadly into anatomy education across university programs. Immense thanks to Alison Pryor for being a co-creator and investigator with our project, and our PIs, Dr. Franks and Dr. Julius for their support and guidance.