MSTP events and student leadership opportunities

We also have two major events each year when the whole MSTP program comes together- spring symposium and fall retreat.

Weekly seminars

MSTP Seminars are organized by the student Seminars Committee. Topics include:

• Career development
• Responsible conduct of research
• Medical ethics
• Diversity in medicine and research
• Clinical grand rounds, presented by MSTP directors and current MSTP students in clinical training

Annual spring symposium

Our annual spring symposium is a one-day event in the spring featuring an outside MD-PhD physician-scientist keynote speaker, oral presentations of student research, student poster presentations and networking activities.

The symposium is organized by the student Seminars Committee.

Annual retreat

Each fall, all MSTP students attend an overnight retreat at a wooded or lakeside resort outside of the city of Madison.

MSTP students, directors and staff gather together to reflect on the previous year and consider the coming year. Retreat planning and execution is a team effort involving the administrators, the MSTP executive committee, and the directors.

Student executive committee

Established in 2004, our student executive committee is designed to:

• Address issues identified by students concerning program strengths and weaknesses
• Empower and engage students to participate actively in the planning and execution of the program
• Facilitate student support of one another

Co-presidents

Provide leadership to the program and student perspective to the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, and UW-Madison Graduate School.

Standing committees

• Advising and mentoring committee: Improves the emotional and professional support for students, especially during critical transitions in the program.
• Communications committee: Facilitates communication about program issues, events, and needs among students.
• Curriculum committee: Actively engages current students in generating ideas for initiating and maintaining curricular changes that enable Medical Scientist Training Program students to complete their degrees in a more efficient manner.
• Diversity and outreach committee: Advocates for and ensures that issues of diversity (ethnic, racial, lifestyle, gender, etc.) are integrated into the program.
• Merchandise committee: Maintains the discretionary spending fund used to fund recruiting and social activities within the program.
• Seminars committee: Plans, implements, and facilitates our seminar series and the Spring Symposium.
• Social committee: Improves the sense of community among students in the program.