Students are involved in a wide range of community initiatives and student-led Interest Groups that enhance their education and contribute to individual well-being and community engagement. Interested in starting a new Interest Group? Interest Groups sanctioned within the Faculty of Medicine are required to meet certain guidelines.
Access Clinic is a physician-mentored student initiative at MUN Med that aims to provide healthcare to under-served populations in the St. John’s area.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Jill Allison
- Student Contact: Josh Conway
Arts and Medicine Interest Group
The Arts and Medicine Interest Group (AMIG) is a group run by learners in Memorial’s Faculty of Medicine. We aim to offer an outlet for arts expression and appreciation within Medicine. We plan to celebrate through events, workshops, and collaborations surrounding all forms of the arts integrated with health and the community.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Natalie Beausoleil
- Student Contacts:
- Hannah-Wadman Scanlan
- Katie Fifield
- Hannah Yaremko
Association of Women Surgeons – MUN Chapter
The mission of the Association of Women Surgeons (AWS) is to inspire, encourage and enable women surgeons to realize their professional and personal goals. This interest group, therefore, seeks to prepare and educate female-identifying medical students for a surgical career through talks, mentorship and shadowing opportunities.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Cathy Mann
- Student Contacts:
Biomedical Engineering Interest Group
The Biomedical Engineering Interest Group (BEIG) is a group dedicated to providing and creating opportunities for learners that have an interest or background in the engineering that goes into the field of medicine. It seeks to provide up-to-date information on technological innovation in the field of medicine and how it is applicable in future practice. Activities include speaker series with individuals who work in the field, and workshops on various aspects of biomedical engineering such as how 3D printing can be utilized in medicine.
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- Student Contacts:
Choosing Wisely Canada @ Memorial
Choosing Wisely NL, a branch of Choosing Wisely Canada, is a program to help clinicians and patients engage in conversations about unnecessary tests and treatments and make smart and effective choices to ensure high quality care.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Robert Wilson
- Student Contacts
Collected Works is a collection of artistic works submitted by medical learners in each class. It’s a chance to be creative with such things as poetry, paint or craft, photos, written music, art or whatever talent you have. The pieces do not need to be medically related or even new. All pieces submitted will be turned into an awesome little book and everyone will get a copy.
Contact: Office of Learner Well-Being and Success
ConcussionU is a student run concussion education and awareness group in Newfoundland and Labrador. Together, we share an interest for concussion awareness, health promotion, and injury prevention. In partnership with Parachute Canada and the Newfoundland and Labrador Brain Injury Association, we hope to accomplish 4 goals:
1. EDUCATE athletes about concussion in sport
2. Increase AWARENESS of concussion in the community
3. Encourage community OUTREACH
4. Contribute to RESEARCH in the field of concussion
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Roger Avery
- Contact: Mitchell Fagan – concussionu@mun.ca
The Dermatology Interest Group intends to educate students about dermatology as a career choice with an introduction to the residency programs across Canada and to various physicians here in Newfoundland and Labrador.
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- Student Contacts:
Emergency Medicine Interest Group
The goals of the Emergency Medicine Interest Group (EMIG) are:
1. To promote the field of emergency medicine (EM)
2. To provide learning experiences and opportunities for practical skill development relevant to the practice of EM
3. To act as a resource to students considering Emergency Medicine as a career choice
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Mike Parsons
- Student Contacts:
Environmental Medicine Interest Group
The aims of the MUN Med Environmental Medicine Interest Group are to promote current research in environmental medicine and to encourage students to consider the variety of ways in which environmental factors impact individual and population health.
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Atanu Sarkar
Exercise is Medicine Canada at Memorial University
Exercise is Medicine Canada at Memorial University is an initiative started by students at Memorial aimed at fostering early collaborative inter-professional relationships between exercise and health care professionals that support the Exercise is Medicine philosophy.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Ean Parsons
- Student Contact: Robert Gill
Family Medicine Interest Group
The Family Medicine Interest Group is run for medical students, by medical students. Our goal is to increase the exposure of Family Medicine during undergraduate medical training. We offer a variety of student activities to help increase awareness and understanding of the opportunities, roles, and responsibilities within Family Medicine.
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- Faculty Advisors: Dr. Chris Patey
- Student Contacts:
Family Medicine Low-Risk Obstetrics
The goal of Family Medicine Low-Risk Obstetrics is to introduce students to the practice model of family-centred maternity care.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Susan Avery
- Student Contacts:
- Emma Dalley
FrancoDoc Student Interest Group
Salut tout le monde! We are part of a national project entitled “FrancoDoc- les ambassadocteurs de la santé en français”. The purpose of our Interest Group is to promote the usage of French in medical contexts and the development of French speaking medical human resources, so as to ultimately provide better care for our future francophone minority communities in Canada.
- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Natalie Beausoleil
- Student Contacts:
- Erynn Button
- Victoria Jackman
Gender and Sexuality Advocacy Interest Group
The Gender and Sexuality Advocacy Interest Group (GSAIG) aims to educate undergraduate medical students as well as other health care staff in health issues related to gender and sexuality diversity. We do this by organizing a variety of events, talks and providing online resources to medical students. These activities provide additional information about healthcare in the LGBTQQ2SIPPA+ community that is not covered by the medical school curriculum.
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- Faculty Advisor: Kaitlyn Rose Carson
- Student Contacts:
General Internal Medicine Interest Group
- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Sahar Iqbal
- Student Contacts:
Our goal is to increase knowledge relating to global health issues, work, and research within the faculty of medicine at Memorial University.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Jill Allison
- Student Contacts:
- Marwah Sadat
- Margaret Henley
- Maria Maqsood
- Katie Stone
Her Health
Her Health is a student-run women’s health initiative which aims to improve access to health-related information among immigrant and refugee women living in St. John’s and surrounding areas. To achieve this goal, and in collaboration with the Association for New Canadians (ANC), our program offers a series of in-person group information sessions focused on a variety of women’s health related topics to newcomer women of the ANC. Through Her Health, we hope to contribute to the health of immigrant and refugee women in our community, while providing medical students the opportunity to participate in meaningful community engagement with a population that often faces many barriers to accessing health care and health-related information.
- Faculty Advisors:
- Dr. Christine Aubrey-Bassler
- Dr. Petra Joller
- Student Contacts:
Indigenous Health Interest Group
The Indigenous Health Interest Group aims to educate future physicians on Indigenous well-being, whether it be traditional methods of healing, or incorporating cultural beliefs into healthy lifestyles. Our interest group advocates for cultural awareness for medical learners in order to promote culturally sensitive practice and promote equitable care for Indigenous populations.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Carolyn Sturge-Sparkes
- Student Contacts:
Infectious Diseases Interest Group
The MUN Medicine Infectious Diseases Interest Group (IDIG) seeks to bring together students with a special interest in infectious disease and medical microbiology in order to provide a forum for new learning experiences. The group organizes speakers and workshops relating to infectious disease research, training, testing and medical microbiology.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Michael Grant
- Student Contacts:
- Emma Dalley
- Mark Peddle
- Kathleen Mason
- Alicia Follett
Lifestyle Medicine Interest Group
The MUN Lifestyle Medicine Interest Group (LMIG) seeks to advocate and provide sustainable lifestyle medicine education for health maintenance, in addition to prevention and management of chronic disease. Our goals are to:
- educate medical students about lifestyle medicine;
- advocate for more lifestyle medical education in the med school curriculum;
- advocate for more plant-based education in Newfoundland;
- advocate for more whole-food plant based meal options on inpatient menus;
- advocate for more whole-food plant-based meal options for patients, visitors, and staff in hospital cafeterias;
- offer more plant-based diet/lifestyle medicine research opportunities for medical students; and
- share lifestyle medicine resources with medical students and the general public
- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Arjun Rayapudi
- Student Contacts:
Medical Students for Choice
Founded by medical students in 1993 as a response to the almost complete deficit of abortion education in their medical training, Medical Students for Choice (a 501©3 non-profit) has filled a unique niche in the abortion rights movement. We work to ensure that medical students and trainees are educated about all aspects of reproductive health care, including abortion.
With abortion training still lacking in medical school curricula, MSFC members organize to change institutional policies and broaden opportunities for all their fellow students to receive family planning education.
Medical Students for Choice supports any medical student or physician in training seeking abortion and family planning education. MSFC works to bring family planning and abortion education to medical students through the following programs:
– Student Organizing
– Conferences and Meetings
– Abortion Training
Student Contacts:
MUN Med Gateway is a service-based, volunteer learning program for medical learners at Memorial University, led by learners and supported through a partnership between the Faculty of Medicine, the Association for New Canadians (ANC) and Eastern Health.
The purposes of Gateway are:
– To improve access to medical care for refugees in the St. John’s area by providing premedical services, and
– To train students in cross-cultural medicine and engage them in community action.
For more information, visit the website.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Christine Aubrey-Bassler
- Student Contacts:
MUN Medicine Hacking Health Group
MUN Medicine Hacking Health Group is a sub-group of Hacking Health St. John’s. As part of a global movement, we are a student-led group focused on innovation in healthcare through a multidisciplinary approach.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Andrew Smith
- Student Contacts:
We support Ronald McDonald House (RMH) through their Just Like Nan’s baking program. Any medical student who has an interest in baking and/or supporting RMH is welcome to volunteer. Teams of medical students will sign up to bake at the RMH on various occasions throughout the school year (September – June).
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- Student Contact: Brittany Ryan
Obstetrics and Gynecology Interest Group
The MUN OB/GYN Interest Group allows medical students at Memorial University to share issues related to women’s health and to promote opportunities to gain experience in the field of obstetrics and gynecology.
Momma Moments
Members of the MUN Obstetrics and Gynecology Interest Group (OGIG) have the opportunity to volunteer with Momma Moments once a month. Momma Moments is a fantastic program organized by Choices For Youth, during which young mothers come in with their children for a home-cooked meal and a safe and creative play space for their children. There is also a woman’s health clinic during these sessions, and previous OGIG volunteers have the opportunity to shadow these clinics. For more information, please visit: https://www.choicesforyouth.ca/family
If you are interested in participating with Momma Moments, please join the Facebook group (“MUN Obstetrics and Gynecology Interest Group (OGIG)”) and stay tuned for volunteer sign-up and schedules. Each session splits volunteers into preparing and serving meals and playing with the kids/arts and crafts. One student is allowed to shadow each week (this schedule is separate from the once-per-month volunteer schedule).
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Deanna Murphy
- Student Contacts:
- Oishi Hawlader
- Hannah Murphy
- Katie Stone
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The Oncology Interest Group comprises a group of medical students with an interest in Oncology. Through a series of presentations and events, we hope to provide a number of learning opportunities in the field of Oncology for those interested.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Kara Laing
- Student Contacts:
- Jadyn Normore
- Emily Walsh
Opioid Awareness and Support Team (OAST)
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- Opioid overdose awareness at MUN;
- Medical Education; and
- Community Engagement and Social Accountability.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Jill Allison
- Student Contacts:
- Katie Oldford
- Hannah Wadman-Scanlan
Pediatrics Special Interest Group
The Pediatrics Special Interest Group (PSIG) is organized by and for medical learners interested in the field of Pediatrics. Our aim to help connect medical learners with pediatricians and pediatric residents through interactive sessions and events, such as trivia night, pediatric resident info night etc.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. John Martin
- Student Contacts:
Planetary Health Interest Group
- Student Contact:
PoCUS (Point of Care Ultrasound) Interest Group
The Point of Care Ultrasound (PoCUS) Interest Group intends to educate undergraduate medical students on the various uses of PoCUS and to give pre-clerkship students adequate preliminary training to become comfortable and confident using ultrasound machines.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Gillian Sheppard
- Student Contacts:
A group open to anyone who is interested in learning more about Psychiatry! The Psychiatry Interest Group (PsyG) is run by students at MUN’s Faculty of Medicine who would like to raise awareness about the opportunities within Psychiatry, and to promote wellness and healthy coping among the students of our medical school.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Andrew Latus
- Student Contacts:
- Jennifer Tucker
- Hannah Wadman-Scanlan
The Radiology Interest Group (RIG) aims to stimulate interest in the specialty of radiology and to augment undergraduate radiology exposure by facilitating a series of lectures and workshops by radiology faculty members throughout the year. We also aim to provide an opportunity to connect medical learners interested in radiology or radiology related research with faculty mentors.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Angus Hartery
- Student Contacts:
- Zachary Visser
- Katie Bonner
- Natasha Vatcher
- Rebecca Greene
Responsible Sexuality Group
The mandate of the Responsible Sexuality group is to assist Planned Parenthood NL in providing sex-positive, harm reduction, and inclusive sex education presentations to schools and community groups following specific training. This is important as teaching harm reduction and sex-positive sexual education early on in youth development is one of the best methods to ensure youth have the tools to practice safer sex and have healthier relationships. This group provides an opportunity for Med students to give back to their community as well as become familiar with sexual health and the types of questions and knowledge youth are seeking.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Jill Allison
- Student Contacts:
Rheumatology Interest Group
- Student Contact: Mark Peddle
The goals of the Rural Medicine Interest Group (RMIG) are:
1. Increase the number of medical students who are from rural backgrounds
2. Foster interest among rural students (junior high, high school, undergraduate) to
pursue medicine
3. Develop leadership skills among rural undergraduate pre-meds
4. Educate current medical students about rural medicine to foster interest in
pursuing rural medicine careers
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Wendy Graham
- Student Contact: Alicia Follett
St. John’s Baby Clothes Library
This group aims to provide support to the St. John’s Baby Clothes Library. The St. John’s Baby Clothes Library aims to improve access to infant and toddler clothing for families in the St. John’s area while simultaneously having a positive environmental impact by reducing textile waste. Bundles of baby clothes are donated, laundered, and rented by Library members, who then return the clothes once the baby outgrows them. The cycle then repeats, allowing a new family to rent the clothing bundle for their child. Improving access to low-cost, up-cycled baby clothes is one way that medical students can help build a healthy tomorrow for children and families in our community.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Heather Power
- Student Contact: Lauren Winsor
Student Interest Group in Neurology
The purpose of Student Interest Group in Neurology (SIGN) is to introduce medical students to the field of neurology by bringing them together with fellow students with similar interests through discussions by neurologists, patient presentations, seminars, journal clubs, learning materials, and arranged shadowings of neurologists in the workplace.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Alan Goodridge
- Student Contacts:
- Tim Noble
- Lyndon Boone
Surgery Interest Group
The Surgery Interest Group helps medical students gain exposure to the surgical community, access information and prepare for a career in surgery.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Darrell Boone
- Student Contacts:
- Jack Robert
- Kurtis Butt
- Andrew Doiron
The Gathering Rounds
Medical Student peer support, informal and fun! The Gathering Rounds, supported by the Office of Learner Well-Being and Success, aims to provide a safe, structured and positive environment for medical learners to talk with one another. The monthly drop-in sessions are facilitated by medical learners trained by Learner Wellness Consultant Michelle Snow, of the Office of LWS.
Learners will have the opportunity to share highs and lows of med school, to connect over common experiences, provide positive support and problem solve in an open, caring, non-judgmental environment. The aim is to make medical learners feel more connected to one another, to foster an environment that promotes well-being in the face of adversity and to help destigmatize issues within medicine.
The Gathering Rounds is to open to all medical learners. Topics will include such things as the highs and lows of being a medical student, imposter syndrome & much more.
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- Staff contact: Michelle Snow
The Vision Interest Program (VIP) addresses the gap in medical education regarding vision care from a cross-disciplinary perspective. By hosting talks, skills nights, trivia sessions, and a patient perspective series, VIP aims to improve understanding and confidence of medical trainees in managing the various ophthalmic conditions they may be confronted with in their careers. We also hope to instill the seeds of curiosity in medical trainees regarding vision care regardless of specialty interest.
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- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Christopher Jackman
- Student Contacts: