Welcome!Welcome to the home page of the Medical School Government of VCU School of Medicine. We hope to use this site to keep you informed of all events concerning the Medical Student Government including social functions, community service events, publications, resources, and any other activities.
If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact our government email address, and the appropriate person will respond: medstudentgovernment@gmail.com. |
Class of 2026Welcome to the M1s. We hope your transition to medical school is going well, and we're so excited to have you here.
With love, Medical Student Government |
Announcements from the Weekly Scoop
Sunday, August 7th
ANNOUNCEMENTS
ACCESS Symposium Abstract Submission Deadline. Have you done research in the fields of global health or public health? Submit your abstract for the 2022 ACCESS Symposium! The ACCESS Symposium is an annual conference featuring leaders in global health, who strive to cultivate awareness of the dynamic issues faced by lower and middle income countries, while improving approaches to acute care utilization and systems strengthening abroad. This year’s conference will take place on September 17, 2022 in Richmond, Virginia, and will focus on Strengthening Global Health Efforts in the COVID Era. We are currently accepting abstracts for poster presentations until August 15th, so please visit our website here. To submit your abstract or register for the symposium. Contact the ACCESS Symposium Committee <vcu.access.symposium@gmail.com> with any questions.
Group Workout Classes at Larrick. RecWell wanted to share that they are offering classes at our MCV campus gym, Larrick, again. You can find the links to the weekly class schedule here and you can register for a class here.
MSG Instagram. Follow us at @vcusom_msg to find out information on SIG and MSG events. If you are looking for more ways to advertise for your event, submit the information or flyer to our account and we will share it. This account is another great way to promote your events.
Vaccinations. Students who have direct contact with patients in clinical settings and received a second dose of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine a minimum of six months ago may now schedule an appointment for a booster through University Student Health Services. To make an appointment, visit the Student Health web portal. Booster appointments will be available beginning November 1. Students are strongly encouraged to get the flu vaccine at the same time. To do so, please call Student Health at 804-828-9220 on the MCV Campus and 804-827-8047 on the Monroe Park Campus to add the flu vaccine to your appointment for the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 booster. You may visit this site to find alternative locations where boosters are currently available. If you get a booster dose or the flu vaccine somewhere other than University Student Health Services, please upload your documentation to the Student Health web portal.
University Counseling Services. Students can contact university counseling at 804-828-6200 and schedule a telehealth appointment. Please see this website for more information.
Interested in recruiting student volunteers for your organization? Contact the MSG, <medstudentgovernment@gmail.com>.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Thursday (08/11)Introduction to AMA/MSV
12-1PM [MMEC 3-101] Join the American Medical Association/Medical Society of Virginia (AMA/MSV) at VCU chapter as we introduce our organization! We are focused on healthcare policy and advocacy and do a variety of events such as: lunch lectures with physician advocates, actively participating in lobbying efforts for legislation, researching and writing policy proposals, attending regional and national conferences, and service opportunities at local and state level along with so much more. We are serving pizza first come, first serve. Everyone is welcome! Email us at <amavcu@gmail.com>.
Friday (08/26)SNMA/LMSA Welcome Back BBQ
5-7:30PM [Byrd Park, Shield Lake Shelter] Please join SNMA (Student National Medical Association) and LMSA (Latino Medical Student Association) as we celebrate the beginning of the school year with our annual Welcome Back BBQ social! Get to know other members in SNMA and LMSA and other URM students, play games, and eat some food! Food will be provided with vegetarian options available. Please RSVP with the appropriate links below by August 18th so that we can get enough food for everyone. Contact LMSA mcvlmsa@gmail.com or SNMA snmaatvcusom@gmail.com if you have any questions. If you are an M1, please RSVP here, and if you are an M2-M4, please RSVP here.
Friday (08/26)Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Interest Group - Lunch Lecture with Program Director Dr. Domson
12-1PM [MMEC Learning Theater] Orthopedic surgery has long been considered one of the most competitive specialties to match for residency. Dr. Gregory Domson is the residency program director at VCU and will be discussing ways to build a competitive application for orthopedic surgery residency and give us insight into what his career is like as a practicing orthopedic surgeon. Pizza will be provided on a first come-first serve basis. Please RSVP here. Contact Phillip at <wyattpb2@vcu.edu> with any questions.
SERVICE and RESEARCH
CrossOver Clinic. Help us support a free clinic for Richmond residents by volunteering side-by-side with providers! This opportunity includes taking patient histories, performing physical exams, documenting findings, and presenting patient information to providers - so it is a great chance to get some practice in while helping the community! Spanish-proficiency is helpful, but by no means required! Our next clinic date is Thursday, May 19th from 5:00pm-9pm. Each clinic date can support 3-4 student volunteers and pizza will be provided! Email <crossoverclinic@gmail.com> to indicate your interest and to be added to our email list for future dates.
OSIG Ophthalmology NEW Website. OSIG has released our new website that has information and links to our ophthalmology shadowing signup sheet for each semester, resources on ophthalmology, and sign-ups for upcoming events! Visit our site here. This semester we have 4 subspecialties to choose from: retina, pediatrics/strabismus, glaucoma, and oculoplastics. Sign up on our website if you are interested in shadowing a physician. Please contact vcu.ophthalmology@gmail.com if you have any questions!
Volunteer with LiftPD. Are you interested in helping those with Parkinson's in a fun and active way? Come volunteer at LiftPD! You'll have the opportunity to work directly with individuals with PD through small group physical exercise classes designed for all levels, while learning from their experiences and insights. Classes are Tuesdays and Thursdays at RVA Performance Training. Sign-up and learn more here. Feel free to reach out to AGS Leadership at <vcugeriatrics@gmail.com> with any questions!
Derm Free Clinic. The Derm Free Clinic is a monthly clinic run by VCU Derm residents and attendings at the Crossover Clinic. It is not only a chance to get some dermatology exposure and learning, but to also give back! If interested in volunteering (M1s-M4s welcome), please contact Mavra Masood <masoodm2@vcu.edu> to be added to the listserv.
Food Drive for Latinx Communities. The Sacred Heart Center is a non-profit organization in Richmond that works with Latinx families in the city, providing ESL classes, health screenings, childcare, and more. Currently they are operating a drive-through food bank serving the Latinx community. They need volunteers to help with packaging food orders, organizing donations and distributing food to families. The food bank is open several days a week at 1400 Perry St in Richmond, with shifts lasting 2 hours. Spanish fluency is not required. If interested, sign up using this link. Contact mcvlmsa@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Jacob's Chance: River City Buddy Ball. This is a program that provides full-season athletics in an inclusive setting where participants with physical, developmental, or intellectual differences are able to play alongside volunteers, or as we call them, “buddies.” Because our sports are non-competitive and supportive of unique abilities, our athletes are able to gain confidence, learn new skills, and form lasting friendships. With a focus on adapting the sport to the athlete, anyone can play! Current sports in season are Baseball and Tennis. Sign up to volunteer here. Check out jacobschance.org/volunteer to learn more, or contact Sadie at jacobschancesports@gmail.com with any questions.
Trauma Survivors Network. We have just gotten word that we can start volunteering and seeing patients in the hospital again! With TSN, you have the opportunity to see trauma patients and provide them with information on what to expect during their stay at VCU. This is an awesome opportunity to gain familiarity with the hospital system that you will be rounding in during your third year and a chance to connect with patients during their recovery process. This short training will entail us going over what to expect during your rounds and a brief tour of the hospital so that you are familiar with the main areas we see patients in! Sign up here and email tsnrounds@gmail.com with any questions!
Foster Animals. The Richmond SPCA and the Richmond Animal League are in need of foster homes for their animals! You can sign up to either foster an animal now or be part of Richmond SPCA's Emergency On-Call Foster Care, in case foster care is needed on short-term notice. Find out more here: Richmond SPCA and Richmond Animal League. These organizations will provide you with the supplies you need; you just provide the home, love, care, and time for the animal!
HandsOnRVA. Interested in helping out in the community non-clinically? HandsOnRVA is the largest community organizer in the Richmond area for onsite and remote volunteer events. There are virtual as well as in-person volunteer opportunities. Sign up here
ACCESS Symposium Abstract Submission Deadline. Have you done research in the fields of global health or public health? Submit your abstract for the 2022 ACCESS Symposium! The ACCESS Symposium is an annual conference featuring leaders in global health, who strive to cultivate awareness of the dynamic issues faced by lower and middle income countries, while improving approaches to acute care utilization and systems strengthening abroad. This year’s conference will take place on September 17, 2022 in Richmond, Virginia, and will focus on Strengthening Global Health Efforts in the COVID Era. We are currently accepting abstracts for poster presentations until August 15th, so please visit our website here. To submit your abstract or register for the symposium. Contact the ACCESS Symposium Committee <vcu.access.symposium@gmail.com> with any questions.
Group Workout Classes at Larrick. RecWell wanted to share that they are offering classes at our MCV campus gym, Larrick, again. You can find the links to the weekly class schedule here and you can register for a class here.
MSG Instagram. Follow us at @vcusom_msg to find out information on SIG and MSG events. If you are looking for more ways to advertise for your event, submit the information or flyer to our account and we will share it. This account is another great way to promote your events.
Vaccinations. Students who have direct contact with patients in clinical settings and received a second dose of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine a minimum of six months ago may now schedule an appointment for a booster through University Student Health Services. To make an appointment, visit the Student Health web portal. Booster appointments will be available beginning November 1. Students are strongly encouraged to get the flu vaccine at the same time. To do so, please call Student Health at 804-828-9220 on the MCV Campus and 804-827-8047 on the Monroe Park Campus to add the flu vaccine to your appointment for the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 booster. You may visit this site to find alternative locations where boosters are currently available. If you get a booster dose or the flu vaccine somewhere other than University Student Health Services, please upload your documentation to the Student Health web portal.
University Counseling Services. Students can contact university counseling at 804-828-6200 and schedule a telehealth appointment. Please see this website for more information.
Interested in recruiting student volunteers for your organization? Contact the MSG, <medstudentgovernment@gmail.com>.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Thursday (08/11)Introduction to AMA/MSV
12-1PM [MMEC 3-101] Join the American Medical Association/Medical Society of Virginia (AMA/MSV) at VCU chapter as we introduce our organization! We are focused on healthcare policy and advocacy and do a variety of events such as: lunch lectures with physician advocates, actively participating in lobbying efforts for legislation, researching and writing policy proposals, attending regional and national conferences, and service opportunities at local and state level along with so much more. We are serving pizza first come, first serve. Everyone is welcome! Email us at <amavcu@gmail.com>.
Friday (08/26)SNMA/LMSA Welcome Back BBQ
5-7:30PM [Byrd Park, Shield Lake Shelter] Please join SNMA (Student National Medical Association) and LMSA (Latino Medical Student Association) as we celebrate the beginning of the school year with our annual Welcome Back BBQ social! Get to know other members in SNMA and LMSA and other URM students, play games, and eat some food! Food will be provided with vegetarian options available. Please RSVP with the appropriate links below by August 18th so that we can get enough food for everyone. Contact LMSA mcvlmsa@gmail.com or SNMA snmaatvcusom@gmail.com if you have any questions. If you are an M1, please RSVP here, and if you are an M2-M4, please RSVP here.
Friday (08/26)Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Interest Group - Lunch Lecture with Program Director Dr. Domson
12-1PM [MMEC Learning Theater] Orthopedic surgery has long been considered one of the most competitive specialties to match for residency. Dr. Gregory Domson is the residency program director at VCU and will be discussing ways to build a competitive application for orthopedic surgery residency and give us insight into what his career is like as a practicing orthopedic surgeon. Pizza will be provided on a first come-first serve basis. Please RSVP here. Contact Phillip at <wyattpb2@vcu.edu> with any questions.
SERVICE and RESEARCH
CrossOver Clinic. Help us support a free clinic for Richmond residents by volunteering side-by-side with providers! This opportunity includes taking patient histories, performing physical exams, documenting findings, and presenting patient information to providers - so it is a great chance to get some practice in while helping the community! Spanish-proficiency is helpful, but by no means required! Our next clinic date is Thursday, May 19th from 5:00pm-9pm. Each clinic date can support 3-4 student volunteers and pizza will be provided! Email <crossoverclinic@gmail.com> to indicate your interest and to be added to our email list for future dates.
OSIG Ophthalmology NEW Website. OSIG has released our new website that has information and links to our ophthalmology shadowing signup sheet for each semester, resources on ophthalmology, and sign-ups for upcoming events! Visit our site here. This semester we have 4 subspecialties to choose from: retina, pediatrics/strabismus, glaucoma, and oculoplastics. Sign up on our website if you are interested in shadowing a physician. Please contact vcu.ophthalmology@gmail.com if you have any questions!
Volunteer with LiftPD. Are you interested in helping those with Parkinson's in a fun and active way? Come volunteer at LiftPD! You'll have the opportunity to work directly with individuals with PD through small group physical exercise classes designed for all levels, while learning from their experiences and insights. Classes are Tuesdays and Thursdays at RVA Performance Training. Sign-up and learn more here. Feel free to reach out to AGS Leadership at <vcugeriatrics@gmail.com> with any questions!
Derm Free Clinic. The Derm Free Clinic is a monthly clinic run by VCU Derm residents and attendings at the Crossover Clinic. It is not only a chance to get some dermatology exposure and learning, but to also give back! If interested in volunteering (M1s-M4s welcome), please contact Mavra Masood <masoodm2@vcu.edu> to be added to the listserv.
Food Drive for Latinx Communities. The Sacred Heart Center is a non-profit organization in Richmond that works with Latinx families in the city, providing ESL classes, health screenings, childcare, and more. Currently they are operating a drive-through food bank serving the Latinx community. They need volunteers to help with packaging food orders, organizing donations and distributing food to families. The food bank is open several days a week at 1400 Perry St in Richmond, with shifts lasting 2 hours. Spanish fluency is not required. If interested, sign up using this link. Contact mcvlmsa@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Jacob's Chance: River City Buddy Ball. This is a program that provides full-season athletics in an inclusive setting where participants with physical, developmental, or intellectual differences are able to play alongside volunteers, or as we call them, “buddies.” Because our sports are non-competitive and supportive of unique abilities, our athletes are able to gain confidence, learn new skills, and form lasting friendships. With a focus on adapting the sport to the athlete, anyone can play! Current sports in season are Baseball and Tennis. Sign up to volunteer here. Check out jacobschance.org/volunteer to learn more, or contact Sadie at jacobschancesports@gmail.com with any questions.
Trauma Survivors Network. We have just gotten word that we can start volunteering and seeing patients in the hospital again! With TSN, you have the opportunity to see trauma patients and provide them with information on what to expect during their stay at VCU. This is an awesome opportunity to gain familiarity with the hospital system that you will be rounding in during your third year and a chance to connect with patients during their recovery process. This short training will entail us going over what to expect during your rounds and a brief tour of the hospital so that you are familiar with the main areas we see patients in! Sign up here and email tsnrounds@gmail.com with any questions!
Foster Animals. The Richmond SPCA and the Richmond Animal League are in need of foster homes for their animals! You can sign up to either foster an animal now or be part of Richmond SPCA's Emergency On-Call Foster Care, in case foster care is needed on short-term notice. Find out more here: Richmond SPCA and Richmond Animal League. These organizations will provide you with the supplies you need; you just provide the home, love, care, and time for the animal!
HandsOnRVA. Interested in helping out in the community non-clinically? HandsOnRVA is the largest community organizer in the Richmond area for onsite and remote volunteer events. There are virtual as well as in-person volunteer opportunities. Sign up here