Annual Retreat
In early fall, all students in the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Wisconsin attend an overnight retreat at a resort near Madison. The purposes of the retreat are to introduce incoming students, assess progress, identify problems and plan for the coming year. Selected faculty trainers may attend the retreat and discuss pertinent topics.
The student organization's Executive Committee is responsible for planning the retreat with input from the directors.
The first evening includes a dinner, introductory talks by the director and student organization co-presidents, and a social gathering.
The next day begins with a series of break-out sections organized by
- Year in the program, followed by
- Research interests, and then by
- Student organization committee
At the end, issues that were identified by the committees are discussed by everyone in attendance and, if needed, votes are taken. Over the years, the "musical tables" break-out format has evolved into an efficient and low-stress way to carry out MSTP business and prepare for the coming year.