DOM & SOM Host Poster Symposium and “Inside UVA” Visits for C’ville Students

The Department of Medicine teamed up with the School of Medicine’s Office for Diversity in March to host a poster contest for Charlottesville High School students and the third annual “Inside UVA Medicine” event for Buford 7th graders.

March 4th & 25th: Inside UVA

“Inside UVA Medicine” took place on Friday March 4th and 25th, with the same event presented on two separate days to accommodate Buford’s seventh-grade class of nearly 300 students (half attend one day, half the other). This makes the group size more manageable, but doubles the logistical and time demands of the event — and so, extra kudos to the organizers!.

The schedule included a presentation by Internal Medicine residents Brooke Corning and Andrea Smith on their paths to careers in medicine; a visit to SOM’s Medical Simulation Center; and a tour of the hospital, including the Pegasus helipad.

The event (both days) was organized by Dawn Kidd, co-chair of DOM’s Staff and Employee Advisory Council (first picture, right), and Leah Beard of SOM’s Diversity office, with the participation of many DOM, SOM and School of Nursing staff and faculty. Warm thanks to all.

March 31: CHS Students Present Posters

DOM and the SOM Office for Diversity teamed up once more, this time for a poster symposium held at Charlottesville High School on March 31. CHS 11^th and 12^th graders taking anatomy and physiology were invited to participate.

During several months leading up to the poster symposium, UVA physicians, scientists and and staff work with CHS students as mentors, helping them to develop their poster topics and organize their research. Students visited the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library and participated in workshops led by UVA research staff and librarians.

Students submitted posters in much the same way they would for a professional conference at a national level. The culmination was a poster symposium, held at CHS on March 31.

The poster symposium enables local students to engage with clinical and research faculty to hone their critical thinking and research skills, and develop database research skills that will be invaluable in their future academic careers.

More on the School of Medicine Office for Diversity website.