The “New Normal” – who would have used this expression at the time we sent the previous newsletter in January and who would have predicted what this “New Normal” would look like. More than 5 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and a stunning 165,000 fatalities later, we are still adjusting to this “New Normal”.
Our students did not only have a chance to witness the strong response of the medical caregivers to the challenges posed by COVID-19, they made us proud in the many ways that they contributed to fight this epidemic. In the true spirit of physician scientists, they contributed their talents to clinical activities as well as the research initiatives that are showcased below. Importantly, their clinical and research training helped them to participate where graduate students and medical students could not.
Students and faculty alike adapted quickly and helped with the revamping of learning activities from in-person to online formats. Who would have imagined that the first semester of medical school would be entirely online?
Finally, despite the turbulence caused by COVID-19 and helped by an increase in our T32 training allocation, we were able to recruit another outstanding class. The work by many members of the program to support women in the physician-scientist career path is bearing encouraging fruits and our incoming class of 8 students has for the first time a majority of 6 women. We will introduce them in more detail in the next newsletter.
Thanks as always to everyone who helps with the grueling interview season and teaching / mentoring to the students, and of course to the students themselves for their enthusiasm and passion.
United in Diverse Ways to Fight Covid-19
PCR-testing, early graduation, 3D-printing and deciding to get married are only a few ways in which students responded to fight Covid-19 (by Allen Chen).
Nuri Kim and Lillian Talbot discuss how COVID-19 affects our program.
Opinion: What does being anti-racist mean as a physician scientist?
Members of the MSTP Diversity and Inclusion Committee speak on inequity and inequality in physician-scientist training.
Texas Hold’em Transplant Surgeon.
Nuri Kim interviews Tyler Guinn, who received the President’s Award for Distinguished Doctoral Students.
Graduating Class 2020 – A Journey Through Stony Brook & Far Beyond.
Online Match Day Celebrations and Early Graduation – Tyler Guinn presents the graduating MD/PhD class of 2020.