Greetings from the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University. Our new name reflects the very generous donations we’ve received over the past decade that have enabled us to build a new Cancer Center and Children’s Hospital and recruit many new faculty (Read more here). Clinical and translational research has been growing at a terrific rate to match our long-standing strengths in the basic sciences – it’s a great time to be an MSTP student here!

As we do each year, we welcomed a terrific group of entering students into the first-year class. Coming from the west (Berkeley), mid-west (Carnegie Mellon), south (Duke), the north (Brandeis University) and even Stony Brook, the group is academically strong, averaging 94% on the MCAT exam, a 3.83 GPA, two years of prior research experience, and publications ranging from Oncotarget to Science. Our current students are doing great too, winning too many awards to cite and publishing high-impact papers before going off to their choice of research-oriented residencies.

This being a training-grant renewal year, I’d like to thank all of the alumni who responded to our survey request and encourage those who didn’t to do so (it will only take a few minutes! [ link to survey]). It’s always anxiety-provoking to renew the grant – but the program is in good shape and we should do fine.

Changes this past year include welcoming two new administrators to the program, Ms. Alison Gibbons and Ms. Alvarez-Buonaiuto, as well as two new Associate Directors, Drs. Helen Hsieh and Carine Maurer. Both are MSTP graduates, Helen from our program, and Carine from the Tri-state Cornell, Rockefeller, Sloan-Kettering program. Being relatively recent graduates, Helen and Carine are able to provide recent perspective on the MSTP career and training path to our students, and in particular add to the effort we’ve made this year to address issues facing women pursuing this path, ranging from training in communication and negotiating skills (through a workshop from our Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science Center designed specifically for our female students) to a presentation at our retreat on implicit bias from an international expert on the topic and an evening seminar on professionalism delivered by an MSTP graduate from the Dartmouth SoM who has taken this on as a career mission! Compared to prior eras, MSTP training now entails rigor and reproducibility topics, quantitative science, grant-writing, ethics, and professionalism – and as well of course strong science!

I hope you enjoy this newsletter – the students and Associate Directors have done a bang-up job with this first issue and we hope that it helps us to stay in touch with all of you and vice-versa –

With best wishes for your own careers and success –

Mike Frohman, Director

The start of the fall semester means fresh haircuts, sharpened pencils, and best of all a new class of first year MSTP students. Our entering cohort of seven magnificently accomplished students hail from a wide range of prestigious institutions, bringing with them a wealth of interesting clinical and research experiences. Thomas, Camelia, Kevin, Dillon, Erin, Alex, and Jay have all successfully survived the challenging first few months of medical school and are settling into their new Long Island lives. The first year students have brought vitality and enthusiasm to our bimonthly journal club and clinical scientist dinners, helping us all to stay abreast of what the “youths” consider hip. Please carry on reading to learn more about each of these truly exceptional students. We posed a series of serious and silly interview questions to the students and received many insightful and surprising responses. Welcome to our MS1s! We are so glad you decided to join us and cannot wait to see the incredible double doctors you will become.

The entering MSTP class 2018. From left to right: Alexander Baez, Thomas Kim, Yuejiao (Camelia) Zheng, Dillon Voss, Erin Sipple, Jay Gupta, Kevin Murgas

Thomas Kim (B.S. University of California, Berkeley)

Where did you grow up? Where else have you lived? I don’t really have one place I grew up. I was born on Columbus, Ohio and lived there for 4 years. My family then moved to Seattle, Washington and lived there for 4 years. We then moved to Champaign, Illinois and stayed there for 2 and a half years. Then, I went to Sydney, Australia where I finished elementary school and then moved to South Korea. I went to middle and high school in Korea and then came to Berkeley for college. Now, I am here in Stony Brook!

What are our research interests and what sort of research were you doing before coming to SB? Neuroscience, especially neurodegenerative diseases. I am also interested in stem cells. I worked as a research associate at Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco and worked on the topic of interneuronal dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease.

Has anything about medical school surprised you? I was surprised by how much support the school tried to give and how much support we had from fellow classmates.

Camelia (Yuejiao) Zheng (B.S./M.S. Brandeis University)

Did you take some time between undergrad and MSTP? What did you do during this time? After graduation, I spent two years studying Alzheimer’s disease at Massachusetts General Hospital. I tried to identify novel ADAM10 substrates in the brain and studied the function of some potential substrates. It was a challenging yet rewarding experience. I learned a lot from the process of leading a project and collaborating with researchers of different backgrounds, different from my undergraduate research experience.

Where did you grow up? Where else have you lived? I was born and raised in Chengdu, China. I studied in Shanghai, China for one year and then transferred to Brandeis University in Waltham, MA. It is very obvious that one of my life goals is to move closer to the water. Therefore, here I am in Stony Brook.

When you’re not studying, what do you like to do for fun? Running. Running is how I explore a new place. I travel a lot; but even when I am not traveling, running allows me to discover changes in familiar places. Recently I have been tracking the color changing of a few trees in my neighborhood. My goal this year is to compile the pictures I have been taking into a fake scientific figure.

Kevin Murgas- (B.S Duke University)

What was it about Stony Brook that drew you to apply and accept a position here? I actually met a former Stony Brook MD alumni who was studying his PhD in Duke’s BME department, and shared one class with him in my senior year. He was a great resource when applying to medical school and suggested I apply to Stony Brook, which wasn’t even on my radar, coming from North Carolina.

What part of the MSTP program do you enjoy most and what are you looking forward to in the future?  I’m loving the bimonthly dinners, especially when we get Curry Club. I also look forward to rotating in different labs and working with different research faculty at SBU and CSHL.

What are your hobbies and favorite foods? Pizza, I’m currently surveying all of the local options. Going into NYC is great for my pizza cravings. I like to play music (guitar, piano), cook, explore nature, watch Game of Thrones.

Dillon Voss (B.S. California, University of Pennsylvania, M.S. Case Western Reserve University)

Did you take some time between undergrad and MSTP? What did you do during this time? I took 4 years after graduating from my undergraduate university. During this span most of my effort was directed towards basic science research in a neurosurgery lab at Case Western Reserve University that focused on cell signaling pathways in glioblastoma multiforme. I also spent 2 of these years obtaining a Master’s in Medical Physiology from Case Western Reserve University.

Have you discovered anything special about Long Island since beginning the program? Fire Island is a great place to go whenever in need of a beach. I also love that living on Long Island provides accessibility to just about any of the typical necessities that I need to manage everyday life, and the neighborhoods are quiet which really gives me the chance to relax. Then, whenever I want to explore, I can easily hop on a train to the city in about an hour and a half. Also there is a rock climbing gym about a half hour west of campus that allows me to keep up with one of my favorite hobbies

Imagine yourself in 10 years, what do you see? As a 1st year, I likely will find myself in an internal medicine residency or pediatric residency preparing myself for a future medical oncology, hematology/oncology, or pediatric oncology fellowship, with hopes of jumping on a track to junior faculty while maintaining at least 2 days in the clinic.

Has anything about medical school surprised you? It has been incredible to meet so many classmates both passionate about learning medicine but also really adamant about making time to enjoy life. One worry of mine was that medical school would be isolating, or competitive, but it’s been incredibly enjoyable so far. It’s actually kind of ridiculous how much fun I am having.

Erin Sipple (B.S. Carnegie Mellon University)

Where did you grow up? I grew up in Erie, PA, and I lived in Pittsburgh the past 4 years before moving here.

When you’re not studying, what do you like to do for fun? I like to go running, play with my dog, draw, do watercolor paintings, listen to podcasts, and go to EDM shows. I can say the alphabet backwards!

Imagine yourself in 10 years, what do you see? In 10 years I will most likely be in the middle of a research-focused Psychiatry residency as an MD/PhD. Hopefully I will be even more excited about the capacity for neuroscience research to positively impact the lives of those with mental illness.

What are our research interests? I’m broadly interested in neurobiological research that has applications in psychiatry. My past research focused on cortical immune activation in schizophrenia.

Jay Gupta (B.S University of California, Berkeley)

Did you take some time between undergrad and MSTP? What did you do during this time? I took two years off to do an NIH IRTA postbac. I worked at the NIA in Baltimore. It was a really good time, I really enjoyed Baltimore, it’s kind of a quiet, sleepy city, but still has lots of good food / coffee / bakeries / etc. At the NIH I worked on a optogenetics and a neuroimaging project.

What is your favorite food? Pancakes make me consistently happy. Especially when you butter and syrup those suckers.

What are your research interests? All neuroscience related stuff, specifically as it pertains to the neural circuits that modulate anxiety, motivation and social interactions. I’m interested in studying the physical bases of symptomology like anhedonia, antisociality and/or abulia.

Have you discovered anything special about Long Island since beginning the program? Finding a climbing gym 40 minutes west was cool. Having west meadow beach a mile away from my house and many other beaches 15 minutes south is cool. Avalon park is super cool. I want to do more exploring to find more running and biking trails.

Alex Baez (B.S. Stony Brook University)

What are our research interests? Neuroscience/Synaptic Physiology

Has anything about medical school surprised you? Advice and mentorship from more senior students is constantly doused on us, which is great

What are your hobbies? When you’re not studying, what do you like to do for fun? Backpacking, cycling, playing music and socializing

Where did you grow up?  Grew up in Denver, Colorado, living in Stony Brook for 6 years now.

Imagine yourself in 10 years, what do you see? Grey head of hair, resident/fellow, still feeling like I have a lot to learn.

Joanna Kim (GS5) joined our MSTP from Glendale in sunny California to do her doctoral thesis in Dr. Vincent Yang’s laboratory in the Department of Medicine. During her time at Stony Brook, she has been an active student leader and community builder. In addition to her ongoing participation in MSTP Interview Days, Joanna has been a vocal advocate for women in the MSTP, facilitating open discourse among students and administration as well as developing the website for the new Women’s group and offering mentorship to underclassmen. She has also served as President and on the board of the Stony Brook Korean Biologists group. She is currently finishing up her PhD research on intestinal stem cells. Here, she discusses her work in the Yang lab, her goals going forward, and the secrets to success in the program (spoiler: they involve strong experimental controls and Oscar-nominated films).

On research background and clinical aspirations in medical regeneration:

What was your background in research before coming to Stony Brook?

I did about 3 years of research in the Raz lab at UC San Diego (combined BS/MS program). First, I participated in a project that studied how type I interferons affect Foxp3 expression in regulatory T cells in mouse colitis model. Then I worked on my master’s thesis, studying the function of STAT3 in suppressing endothelial to mesenchymal transition in colon adenoma. After graduation, I spent 2 years assisting clinical studies on efficacies of surgical techniques.

It sounds like a common trend throughout your predoctoral experiences was gastrointestinal research. How did you transition into your current work in stem cells?

I had a fun first rotation in Dr. Patrick Hearing’s lab, studying the process of DNA packaging in adenovirus in hopes of finding ways to utilize adenovirus for gene therapy. While the project was very interesting, I had to complete a second rotation. Ping He, one year ahead of me in MSTP, had just committed to Dr. Yang’s group and told me about some of the research projects in the lab. Having had a GI research background, I was immediately attracted to the lab.

Could you tell us more about your current project? How do you see it being useful to your career going forward?

My study focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in regulation and maintenance of intestinal stem cell functions. We determined that Krüppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) is a critical factor for maintaining stem cell functions. We are curious to understand the mechanisms by which KLF5 carries out this function. Some questions that follow: which signaling pathways or molecular partners interact with KLF5? How can we target KLF5 expression or function?

If we can control how stem cells behave, then we may be able to modulate their function during disease states, which is the basis of regenerative medicine. Addressing this issue is particularly important, as the intestinal tract is vulnerable to current cancer treatments, and the number of patients suffering from side effects of cancer treatments will grow with a progressive increase in cancer survival rate. Needless to say, it will also be beneficial to patients with inflammatory bowel diseases by regenerating the damaged epithelium.

Stem cell research is an exciting and new field for me. In my mind, I visually associate stem cell research with sprouts in the spring season, full of potential and hope. I won’t know the exact medical field I will pursue before my clinical rotation, but I will definitely pursue a field where regenerative medicine can play an important role.  

What is something you think non-experts often misunderstand about stem cells or stem cell research?

I think the concept of adult stem cells should be better publicized. Adult stem cells are found in specific tissues and possess the potential to be used in tissue regeneration. Compared to pluripotent embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells are more differentiated towards tissue-specific lineages and behave much better in their niche. In tissues where stem cell populations are not identified or well-studied, we may use induced pluripotent stem cells to direct them to differentiate towards lineages of interest.

What clinical specialties are you considering at the moment?

I hope to get into clinical specialties where I can find interesting research questions. I am considering Gastroenterology, since GI is my first love. I am also interested in Pathology for the ease of doing research while practicing in clinic (with access to specimen and amount of time in laboratory), as well as Ophthalmology for the ample potential in regenerative medicine.

On being an MSTP trainee:
Who are some of your major influences and role models in research, physician or scientist? What do you admire about them or their work?

While it was Marie Curie who first got me interested in science when I was very young, Sir Alexander Fleming made me excited about biomedical research. He was a physician-scientist who discovered penicillin and lysozymes. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1945 for his discoveries and contributions in saving countless lives during World War II.

History has it that his discoveries of lysozymes and penicillin were purely accidental. But without his interaction with infected patients on battlefield, keen observation, scientific curiosity, and perseverance, the isolation of penicillin would not have been possible.

My role model is my advisor and physician scientist Dr. Vincent Yang. He currently serves as Chair of Medicine here at Stony Brook, and I can only imagine how busy his schedule must be. Yet, he is still up-to-date on the latest publications in the field (often more so than his graduate student!) and spends time discussing research and progress with each member of the lab. During our discussions, Dr. Yang trains me to think about the clinical significance of my research. I feel very fortunate to have Dr. Yang as my research advisor and mentor.

What are three traits or habits of yours that have helped you succeed in the lab?

These are acquired habits that I wish I knew from the start.

1. Make sure to include all adequate controls for all your experiments.
2. Be confident, but don’t be overconfident in your experiments. You may become more disappointed when your experiments don’t work out or become biased with the results. Either is toxic to your work.
3. Work as a team.

What do you think is the most underrated resource for MSTPs at Stony Brook?

MSTP students generally feel the pressure to finish their research, and thus try to minimize course requirements. Stony Brook University offers advanced courses in other fields, such as bioinformatics and statistics, that MSTP students may find useful. I took Big Data in Biology (MCB 555), which broadly covers concepts in DNA and RNA sequencing techniques and tools for sequencing data analysis. I found the course very practical in analyzing my own RNA sequencing data. Outside Stony Brook University, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory offers courses and meetings on specific topics that students may find useful.

Science research and PhDs generally require resilience and persistence. What extracurricular activities or practices help you persist through the rough patches?

I watch a lot of movies. My major hobby is to watch Oscar-nominated movies. I also find it very important to surround myself with people who are supportive and encouraging. It has been especially helpful to find friends in similar fields who can understand what I am going through. On that note, I am glad that I joined the Stony Brook MSTP to meet wonderful mentors, friends, and colleagues in a supportive environment (or niche!).

Greg Kirschen, Ph.D., returned to medical school earlier this year and is currently on his last clerkship block. Today he shares some of his pearls of wisdom from his trek through the MSTP over the years, aspects he found helpful during his transition back to medical school, and some information on what to expect on the last leg of the MSTP race. Greg received his Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology researching with Shaoyu Gu, Ph.D. who is part of the Department of Neurobiology & Behavior.

How did you get back into the clinical/medical school mindset towards the end of your Ph.D.?

“I think it’s important to dust off some of your old study materials toward the end (last 3-6 months) of your PhD to get in the mindset. The biggest adjustment will be changing from reading journal articles and doing lab work to having to live, breathe, and study medicine constantly. Getting a head start by skimming through First Aid, buying UWorld for Step 2 and trying to do a few questions every few days (maybe 10 Q’s at a time, just to get back into it) could be helpful.”

How did you know it was the right time to go back to medical school?

“Someone once told me a joke:

When you start your PhD, you think your PI is a god. You’re ready to graduate once you realize your PI is an idiot.

While this is obviously sarcastic, I think there’s a seed of wisdom in it. Once you’re able to think critically on the level of your PI, design experiments that test your own independently generated hypotheses, interpret your data in a meaningful way and be able to communicate it intelligibly, you’re probably getting close to ready to graduate. This should hopefully correlate to a certain level of productivity in the lab (i.e. at least one first-author manuscript that is at least submitted, if not in revision or accepted). There’s always more you can learn while in lab, but there comes a certain point when you realize you’re reaching the peak of what your dissertation work can do for you in terms of scientific growth, and that’s the time to start to talk to your thesis committee about graduation.”

What mentors or people around you helped with this transition?

“In my opinion, the best people to help you with the transition are the ones who just did it, that is to say, the people one class ahead of you. I had a “big sib” who I would meet with a few times a year to find out how things were going, what advice they had for me for the next stage, and what I should be doing to prepare for it. “

How did you go about choosing which clinical clerkship to start with?

“I think it’s probably a good idea to not start on the clerkship you think you might apply for, but honestly even if you do you’ll probably still be fine. I personally put what I thought I was interested in second, and it worked out well- by the time I was in my second rotation I felt pretty much on the same level as my classmates in terms of being an MS3.”

Did you use any specific resources during graduate school to keep fresh with medical knowledge?

“If you’re into podcasts—Emergency Medicine Cases by Dr. Anton Helman & The Curbsiders.

If you’re into journals—JAMA or NEJM (especially the clinical challenges).

If you’re into review books—First Aid, Case Files or Pretest for individual subjects.”

Did you engage in any medical activities during graduate school to keep connected to medical school/the medical community?

“I volunteered sporadically at SBHOME, which I thought was very helpful in keeping up my H&P skills which are easily lost during the grad school phase. I also went in about 1 weekend every couple of months to the hospital to work on the floors in a couple of the specialties I thought I’d be interested in. This worked out well because by the time I hit 3^rd year, a lot of the residents and some of the attendings already knew me, which I felt put me at an advantage.”

How did you handle entering a new medical school class that you didn’t start with? Was it strange not knowing anyone in the class, exciting, or did already know people in the class?

“Luckily, the class I entered is awesome, very welcoming, easy to get along with, eager to help with catching up and sharing resources. Hopefully you’ll have the same experience. I was talking to one of my friends in the class I re-joined, and I said something like, ‘I remember back in my med school class…’ and I was quickly corrected— ‘Greg, this is your med school class.’”

What was the easiest thing to adjust to going back to the wards?

“Giving topic presentations (e.g. on rounds, for resident report) and researching the primary literature. The PhD prepares you well for this given the innumerable presentations we have to give and the experience we have in literature review and summarize it clearly and accurately.”

What was the hardest thing to adjust to going back to the wards?

“Being a med student again- having to wake up early, constantly study, and adjust to different attendings with different sets of expectations nearly every week. After working with the same handful of people for 4 years, now you’re working with new people every week.”

What similarities or differences did you look for in clinical mentors versus research mentors when you transitioned back to medical school?

“Patient, invested in our education, the type of person who you want to be like when you grow up!”

Has there been activities that were important enough to you during graduate school that you felt important to keep up upon going back to medical school? If so, how did you manage and what advice would you suggest keeping important activities in your life during clerkships?

“Exercise—I somehow manage to do it nearly every single day even in MS3. As an MS3, you get to pick 1 activity that you can continue to juggle alongside clerkships. Choose wisely.”

How did you manage to adjust to taking shelf exams (after presumably not taking written exams for years during graduate school)?

“Having taken Step 1 is a huge advantage, even though it feels like eons ago. The fact that we have the endurance and experience that comes from studying for and taking Step 1 makes Shelf exams not so bad, especially after your 1^st one, for which you may be a little rusty.”

Did you have an idea of a specialty you wanted to go into before returning to medical school? If so, how did this come about and what were things you did to foster this during graduate school?

“I wasn’t sure, but I had an idea. I think it’s a good idea to shadow or get involved in some side project in the department you’re interested in, if you know at this point. If you don’t know, that’s totally fine. A lot of people change their minds during 3^rd year.”

Any advice on the med school to grad school transition?

“Make sure you find a PI you get along with and who has your best interests at heart. That’s more important than the topic of your dissertation.”

How do you think getting the Ph.D. has helped you in the clinic and why is it important to you?

“Being older than your cohort of med students, and probably older than some of your residents, you have a certain amount of perspective and you tend to see ways that you can help as part of the treatment team that others will not.”

Have you ever found yourself having to explain to a patient or an attending why you got a Ph.D. or why it was important to you?

“No, usually they’re either impressed and want to hear about what you did, or indifferent. They might expect you to be able to rattle off drugs and receptor names or biochemical pathways which you likely won’t be able to do.”

Are there any good books you would recommend before going back to medical school?

“Still Alice by Lisa Genova, When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi, and Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan.”

Are there any good movies you would recommend before going back to medical school?

“TV shows- Mystery Diagnosis, Untold Stories of the ER, and Animal Inside Me. Some of the cases from these will really stick in your brain, and when you see them on the floors, you’ll know what’s going on.”

What has been the most inspiring thing for you since going back to medical school?

“Getting to work with patients every day. It’s amazing.”

What would you say to students a few years younger than you, looking ahead on what to expect?

“Expect to work hard, expect that the knowledge you broke your back to obtain years ago is still in there, but you’ll have to brush off the cobwebs a lot. Expect to learn twice as much during MS3 year as you did during the first two years of med school. Expect to be tired after a long day in the hospital or the clinic. Expect to start feeling like a physician once you realize you can apply your medical knowledge to the patient in front of you and listen to them, support them, and counsel them in their time of need.”

The Stony Brook University MSTP is one of two yearly opportunities for the entire program to meet and share about their research and training experiences. This year, the MSTP invited SBU Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Dr. Charles Robbins, DWS, LCSW, for a workshop on implicit bias in academia. Special thanks to new Program Administrator Alison Gibbons for coordinating the event. Thanks also to Dr. Robbins, as well as the MSTP faculty and students, for their participation in an invigorating retreat.

The 37^th Annual Stony Brook University MSTP retreat was held on Saturday, October 20^th at the beautiful Sunwood Estate on the Long Island Sound. Students and faculty from the Stony Brook Hospital, West Campus, and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories gathered for a day dedicated to reconnecting and sharing their research.

The morning began with lighthearted remarks from Director Mike Frohman, MD/PhD, who prefaced the day with a collection of pithy quotations from historical physicians and scientists such as William Osler. Reflecting on the trials and errors of those who have gone before, Dr. Frohman offered perspective and encouragement—as well as some consolatory words—to those on the lengthy MD/PhD career path.

Of note, MSTP welcomed Stony Brook University Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Dr. Charles Robbins, DSW, LCSW, as an honored guest speaker at a workshop on implicit bias and gender issues in academia. Dr. Robbins shared from his own research and experience as an expert in heal

th care and gender disparities before leading a group discussion on the impact of implicit bias on women and men in academia. Students participated in a thoughtful conversation defining workplace harassment and describing the ways they had observed or been affected by gender inequality in their training. As the workshop drew to a close, students prompted one another to consider what part trainees can play in cultivating supportive and empowering spaces in the lab and clinic.

Throughout the morning and afternoon, the 5^th– and 6^th-year (GS4 and 5) MSTP trainees delivered engaging talks on their dissertation work. Senior doctoral candidates Allen Yu, Johansen Amin, Joanna Kim, Eric Roth, John Psonis, Agatha Lyczek, and Young-Jin Kim spoke on research

projects varying from stem cells and tumor progression to novel pharmacologic approaches for diseases such as cystic fibrosis and cancer. Junior trainees presented posters of work in progress to faculty and to their peers at a lively poster session, where students represented a broad range of translational research topics in genetics, bioengineering, microbiology, neuroscience and pharmacology. The Best Talk Prize was awarded to Johansen Amin (GS5) for his talk on the role of NMDA receptors in epilepsy and cognitive diseases. The Best Poster Prize went to Nuri Kim (GS2) for her poster on the regulation of cell migration and cell-cycle state.

A major innovation at this year’s retreat was a series of two breakout sessions where MSTP faculty and students took turns dispensing pearls of wisdom. Drs. Markus Seeliger PhD, Paul Fisher PhD, Richard Lin MD/PhD, Maurizio Del Poeta MD, and Helen Hsieh MD/PhD gave advice and fielded questions from groups of junior and senior trainees on medical coursework, F30 training grants, and planning for research in residency. In the second session, successive cohorts met in groups where upperclassmen shared their experiences with choosing thesis labs, finding funding for conference travel, finishing doctoral work on time, and residency applications.

When asked what stood out at this year’s retreat, students responded favorably to the breakout sessions, stating that they were an opportunity to discuss concerns with senior faculty and to collect relevant and timely advice. Another commented that the poster session was especially energetic and praised the high quality of the research talks. Still others soberly noted that the implicit bias workshop had begun much-needed discourses on making academia more accessible for all, hoping that such dialogues would continue and have a lasting impact on our community.