Medical students elevate leadership skills at AAMC RISE seminar

Four second-year medical students sharpened their leadership skills at the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) RISE seminar in Washington, D.C. This two-and-a-half-day leadership development seminar helps students build leadership skills and knowledge that are vital to both their journey as medical students and their future as leaders.

Brett Saunders, Madeline Kerestman, Adeline Whaley and Evan Kuczynski were selected by the College of Medicine to attend this seminar. Each student returned with renewed inspiration and valuable insights.

Photo: Madeline Kerestman (left) and Brett Saunders. At top: Evan Kuczynski and Adeline Whaley.

The students shared their reflections with The Pulse:

Brett Saunders: “This conference afforded the opportunity to connect with other student leaders from medical schools across the country as we engaged in activities to deepen our self-awareness, communication and personal wellness skills. I am feeling inspired to begin my M2 year and continue my journey within medicine!”

Madeline Kerestman: “We met and learned from so many incredible people, and I am very excited to take this knowledge back to campus - truly an experience I'll never forget. Feeling very inspired and ready to make an impact within all of my new and current leadership roles!”

Adeline Whaley: "By attending the AAMC RISE conference, I had the opportunity to connect with medical students from across the country, which helped me realize that we are not isolated in our little bubbles but are part of a larger, supportive community. It was truly an amazing experience to reflect on my own leadership skills while seeing how others navigate similar challenges."

Evan Kuczynski: “RISE was an amazing experience. It was fantastic to have the opportunity to network with student leaders from medical schools across the country and hear about the great things they are doing. The connections that I made and speakers that I heard gave me more perspective on just how impactful we can be as medical students, and eventually, physicians.”

Photo: Medical students from across the country gathered at AAMC RISE to hone their leadership skills and knowledge.