In this issue:
- Webinar about new process for changing schedules is July 29
- Reminder: Applications due July 31 for Track
- Reminder: Infection Control Training is required
- Spring Survey update: Now at 49% – the goal is 90%
- Opportunities outside UW for graduate medical education and radiation oncology
- Tip of the month: Ask for directed feedback from attendings and residents
New process for changing schedules
Beginning Aug. 14, 2024, there is a new way for MS3s wishing to add/drop electives to change schedules.
There will be a webinar on Monday, July 29 for students who would like to learn more, and there will be office hours as well. Please see this important information about the new schedule change process.
Reminder: Applications for Track are due July 31
Applications for Track during Explore and Focus (Alaska, Montana, Idaho, Spokane) will close at 11:59 p.m. on July 31 in all time zones. No late applications will be accepted.
Please reach out to medevalu@uw.edu with any questions regarding the Track Application.
Reminder: Infection Control Training is required
Action Required:
Log in to Canvas. Self-enroll with your UW NetID. https://canvas.uw.edu/enroll/8LDJB6
Deadline: August 10, 2024
CastleBranch: Please upload your certificate of completion (which you will receive via email from somcompl@uw.edu). Certificates will be emailed weekly.
Instructions: Infection Control Training is an annual SOM compliance requirement. All matriculated students, including students on a leave of absence and MSTP students in graduate school, are required to maintain compliance.
Below is a link where you can self-enroll in the Canvas course. You will need to watch the WISH donning/doffing PPE videos then complete the 3-question attestation in Canvas followed by the infection control training modules. There are 5 modules. The quiz questions are embedded in the training modules. Please complete all modules and all attestations to successfully pass the requirement.
There are several modules:
- Watch the WISH donning/doffing videos
- Complete the WISH attestation
- Open the external link to the “Required Clinician” training modules (about 25 minutes total). The quiz questions which are embedded within the training modules. There are 5 modules:
4. When done – we will email you a PDF certificate of completion
5. Upload this PDF to CastleBranch (please give us a week to get this to you)
You do not need to send us anything. We can view your quiz results and PPE attestation online. You must score at least 80% on the quiz to pass the course. You can print your quiz results for your own records but do NOT upload it to CastleBranch or it will be rejected.
We will email you a certificate of completion which you can upload to your CastleBranch UW71 Compliance Tracker prior to 8/10/24. Certificates will be emailed weekly. Your renewal date in CastleBranch will then be set for 8/10/25.
Additional Information:
We would like to remind you about the UWSOM protocol for blood borne pathogen exposures:
BOOKMARK this page on your mobile devices: https://www.uwmedicine.org/school-of-medicine/policies-procedures-reporting/blood-fluid-exposure
Non-Compliance:
If not completed by the August 10th deadline, non-compliant students will receive a “Final Notice” email. Foundations and clinical deans will be copied on the email. Non-compliance disqualifies students for the Compliance Award.
Contact:
Please email us at somcompl@uw.edu or lbellis@uw.edu with any questions!
Survey update: Now at 49% – the goal is 90%
A message from Sara Kim, PhD, research professor, surgery, and associate dean for Educational Quality Improvement (EQI):
Thank you to everyone who helped raise the survey response rate from 39% to 49%!
This week’s accolade goes to Alaska (60%), who increased their response rate by 20 percentage points! Leading the overall response rates is Montana (67%, +7%); you are the first cohort to receive the gift cards! Five winners will be contacted by us.
Our deep appreciation goes to Idaho (62%, +10), Wyoming (55%, +5), Spokane (46%, +8), and Seattle (38%, +10). Thank you for significantly increasing the response rates.
You still have time to complete the 10-minute survey which was sent to you Tuesday by eqi@uw.edu.
Please see below the incentive breakdown by campus in the table below. You can choose to use your gift card with different vendors such as Amazon, Apple, Uber Eats, and many other stores, restaurants and movie theatres!
| Campus | # of Gift Cards ($10) if Campus Response Rates Reach 60% | Additional # of Gift Cards ($10) if Campus Response Rates Reach 85% | If Campus Response Rates Reach 100% |
| Seattle | 15 | 10 | Any unused gift cards will be raffled to the campus cohort(s) reaching 100% |
| Spokane | 9 | 6 | |
| Wyoming | 3 | 2 | |
| Alaska | 3 | 2 | |
| Montana | 5 | 3 | |
| Idaho | 6 | 4 |
Note: According to UW policy, student employees (e.g., tutors, research assistants, hourly workers, etc.) cannot receive a gift card. If you win the raffle as a student employee, we will send alternative items of $10 value from Amazon.
Opportunities outside UW Medicine
Residencies in Georgia: The Medical College of Georgia (MCG) Office of Belonging and Inclusivity offers the annual Medical College of Georgia GME First Look Virtual Residency Fair on Saturday, August 3, 2024. You can learn more the Medical College of Georgia’s commitment to inclusivity, meet Medical College of Georgia leadership, and interact with the residency program of your choice through interactive sessions hosted in breakout rooms. Register here.
Graduate education in Indiana: Indiana University School of Medicine offers GME Virtual Inclusive Excellence Open House on Thursday, Aug 15. Medical students and residents can learn about IU School of Medicine and potential residency and fellowship training opportunities. Register here.
Radiation oncology: If you’re interested in radiation oncology, consider participating in Radiation Oncology Virtual Education Rotation on Aug. 22. This networking session will feature breakout rooms so that medical students can personally network with radiation oncology residency program faculty and residents You can learn a lot more about the program on their website. The signup link is https://forms.gle/5BFXbJEMKN53QyQ8A
Peer to peer: Road to Residency Tip of the Month
Hope you’re all enjoying rotations! On these rotations, try to ask for directed feedback from your attendings or residents at least once a week. Some attendings and residents are better at offering feedback than others. If they aren’t giving you clear steps to improve, ask, “What are small tasks I can complete to be more helpful?” or, “What is one thing in particular I can work on next week?”
Feedback fatigue is real though, so try not to take anything personally and use this as an opportunity to develop better self-awareness!
Edited by BIPOC MS3 Abraham Correa-Medina. Originally written by BIPOC alum Shanelle Briggs, MD.
Here is a link to the most recent newsletter for MS3s.
Have a terrific week!