In this issue:
- Update about Disability Resources for Students (DRS)
- Apply now for the Washington Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Scholars
- Please fill out the Matriculating Student Questionnaire (MSQ) if you haven’t already
- ICYMI Seattle students: Consider participating in a K-12 STEM mentoring program
- Tip of the Month: Managing extracurricular activities
Update about Disability Resources for Students (DRS)
A message from Matt Cunningham, PhD, director of Education Evaluation: We are aware that some of you are waiting to have your intake appointment with Disability Resources for Students (DRS) at UW. Because of this wait time, we have been approved to implement the following temporary testing accommodations:
A UWSOM student who can provide evidence of a testing accommodation appointment with upper campus DRS will receive 50% more time for testing plus a reduced distraction environment until they have their meeting with DRS and for two weeks after said meeting, or until DRS makes a determination about your accommodations, whichever comes first.
Learn the details of this important announcement on this website.
Apply now for the Washington Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Scholars
Applications are due by Oct. 15, 2024, to join the Washington AHEC Scholars, a free interprofessional training program that offers graduates a nationally recognized certificate that you can put on your CV.
AHEC Scholars is a two-year education and training program with the goal of supporting a diverse cohort of health professions students with an interest in working with rural and underserved communities. The team will provide you with skills and experiences to better prepare you to serve patients faced with barriers to healthcare access.
Learn much more about the program in this announcement.
Please fill out the Matriculating Student Questionnaire (MSQ) by AAMC
Here is a message from Gabe Sarah, MD, MAEd, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, and LeeAnna Muzquiz, MD, FAAFP, Associate Dean for Admissions: We’re writing to remind you about the Matriculating Student Questionnaire (MSQ) administered by the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC).
Your participation is crucial, and we’re grateful to 134 students (48.7%) who have already completed the survey. Thank you for taking the time to provide your valuable input.
For those of you who haven’t yet completed this survey, please review the info below and complete it at your earliest convenience.
Why complete this survey?
- Demographics of Students: The MSQ provides valuable insights into the backgrounds and career interests of incoming students.
- National Benchmarking: The MSQ serves as a benchmarking tool, presenting national data that helps schools identify unique strengths and areas needing improvement.
- Planning the Direction of Medical Education: The insights from the MSQ will help plan and improve medical education programs.
About the Survey:
- MSQ msq@aamc.org sent a reminder on July 20.
- The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete.
- The survey will be open through Sept. 15, 2024.
If you encounter any issues accessing the survey, please contact msq@aamc.org directly and include your full name and AAMC ID.
For any additional questions, please contact eqi@uw.edu.
Here is an overview of the current response rate for the MSQ at UWSOM.
| U Washington | Total | Percent |
| Completed | 134 | 48.7% |
| In Progress | 16 | 5.8% |
| Not Started | 125 | 45.5% |
| Total Eligible | 275 | 100% |
*The overall national completion rate is 47.0%.
Thank you for your participation!
ICYMI: Seattle students: Consider participating in a dynamic STEM program for K-12 students
The Doctor For a Day (DFAD) ecosystem program is a STEM program that was created to address the shortage of underrepresented students of color in health careers. It was initially started by Joy Thurman-Nguyen, MD, during her first year of medical school at the UW School of Medicine in 2014.
DFAD runs once a month as a Saturday academy offering disease or organ system-based curriculum via hands-on experiential learning to K-12 students. It is run by medical student leads who bring together medical student, resident, fellow and faculty volunteers who lead the sessions.
You can get involved! The deadline to apply is Aug. 9, 2024. Learn more details about volunteering in this message from Estell Williams, assistant professor of Surgery and executive director, Center for Workforce Inclusion and Healthcare System Equity (WIHSE), Office of Healthcare Equity, UW Medicine.
Editor’s note: We’re delighted to share volunteer opportunities in this newsletter. If you’d like to publicize something in your area, please let us know.
Peer to Peer: Tip of the Month from Career Advising
Welcome MS1s! Every month, you’ll get a tip in this newsletter to help your career planning stay on track.
You will soon get tons of emails about extracurriculars. This may seem overwhelming during FMR but think big picture about what might interest you career-wise. If you can, try to take on a leadership position for an interest group, a volunteer project, or join a committee. Make sure you don’t overcommit, but picking one or two extracurriculars this year to pour into is a fantastic way to kick off med school!
Pathway applications will also open this fall and can be very helpful in learning how to better serve minoritized and underserved communities. Learn more about Pathways here.
- Reviewed by BIPOC MS4 Abraham Correa-Medina. Originally written by BIPOC alum Shanelle Briggs, MD.
ICYMI: Here’s the previous MS1 newsletter.