Put on your running shoes! On April 8, students at the School of Medicine will host their 40th annual 5K run to benefit Camp Holiday Trails. James Vithoulkas and Kavi Wickramasinghe are first-year medical students spearheading the planning and organizing of this student-led event. They serve as the Class of 2026’s Community Service Representatives as part of the Mulholland Society. We had the chance to speak with them and learn more about their efforts.
Q. What made you interested in leading this event?
A. UVA School of Medicine has organized this race for years to support Camp Holiday Trails. We want to continue this tradition of student support for community organizations while also engaging our class in healthy physical activity.
Q. Can you tell us more about Camp Holiday Trails?
A. Camp Holiday Trails (CHT) is a local summer camp for children with medical needs. They empower these children by providing a safe environment to experience the outdoors while having around-the-clock access to medical supervision. CHT has served the Charlottesville community for decades and we hope to show our support for this invaluable organization. All the proceeds from our 5K will be donated directly to Camp Holiday Trails.
Q. What are your takeaways from organizing this event?
A. We’ve enjoyed working with peers and community members to help support a worthy cause. Though most students in the School of Medicine do not come from Charlottesville, we are now all community members who can make a collective positive contribution to our neighbors through acts of service. Wherever we find ourselves in residency and practice, we’re confident that this student body will continue to engage in efforts to support the communities we call home.
Q. How can we get involved?
Sign up for the race here! Registration is $25 and you get a free t-shirt. We are also seeking volunteers for setup on race day. Outside of the 5K, as community service representatives, we work to provide opportunities for our peers to get involved in service-oriented events so keep an eye out for more from us!
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Article written by third-year medical student Sunny Murthy as part of a special series for the Medicine in Motion newsletter, which gives us a glimpse into lives of medical students and their impact on our community.