Nov. 13, 2023 – Trading the sunshine and swamps of Gainesville for the overcast skies and evergreens of the Pacific Northwest, UF College of Medicine faculty, students and alumni gathered across the country in Seattle from Nov. 3-7 for the Association of American Medical College’s Learn Serve Lead conference.

During the nation’s premier conference for academic medicine, the College of Medicine showcased the best of its research and highlighted the excellence of its achievements with peer institutions and alumni.

Seven groups of UF Medicine students presented projects during the conference. Among them was a project that designed a High Value Care competition, for medical students to learn and apply principles of high value care at the UF Equal Access Clinic. This competition was a hands-on opportunity for medical students to efficiently use resources and lower costs for patients at UF’s student-led free community clinic.

“This conference is the perfect platform to share our findings and to have even more schools become interested in adopting high value care principles, which we hope can be implemented on a national level,” said Nirja Shah, a fourth-year medical student and one of the presenters. “We have several other medical students who also presented amazing work. It’s a wonderful opportunity to share and learn ideas in medical education that can ultimately improve patient care.

View a complete list of UF Medicine presentations at the AAMC conference below:

• “Assessing the Needs of First-Generation Students in Medicine,” by Angela Arata, Silvija Milanovic, Phuong Huynh and Shireen Madani, M.D.
• “Unleashing Potential: Canvas and Career Coaches Revolutionize Advising at the University of Florida,” by Silvija Milanovic, Isis Sweeney, Angela Arata and Shireen Madani, M.D.
• “Predictive modeling in assessment: Tools for predicting Step 2 Clinical Knowledge failure rates,” by Phuong Huynh, Shelley Collins, M.D.; Shireen Madani, M.D.; Joseph Fantone III, M.D.; and Heather Harrell, M.D.
• “A Student-Led Review of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the First-Year Preclinical Curriculum,” by CJ Arcalas; Agurah Humphreys; Carissa Longo; Krystal Glasford; Asena Markal; Donna Parker, M.D.; Phuong Huynh and Heather Harrell, M.D.
• “Incorporating students as partners in medical curriculum development,” Anastasia Tishena, Vincent Archibald, Megan Burin, Rishubh Shah, Phuong Huynh and Heather Harrell, M.D.
• “The Impact of a Student-Led High Value Care Competition on Medical Student Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices,” by Nirja Shah, Teddy Wang, Jon Fakhry, Abeer Dagra, Miranda Reid, Amica Lertkitcharoenpo, Payton Campbell, David Gorlin and Heather Harrell, M.D.

The UF College of Medicine also had an informational event booth at the conference, where attendees — including peers and alumni — could talk with leaders from the college and learn more about the impressive growth and advances in medicine at the college. Some recent highlights at the college include the introduction of a lifesaving Mobile Stroke Treatment Unit to Florida, record-breaking research funding from the National Institutes of Health and further developing a curriculum centered on applications of AI in medicine and health care.

In a first for the College of Medicine, an alumnus was recognized as chair for a prestigious AAMC affinity group during the conference. Marcy Verduin, M.D. ’00, a professor of psychiatry and the associate dean for students at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine, was installed as national chair of the AAMC’s Group on Student Affairs. In this role, Verduin hopes to enhance communication with stakeholders in the transition from medical student to residency, with a focus on establishing clarity around residency application expectations, requirements and best practices for students, to help them match into the best programs to align with their future goals.

“It’s an incredible honor to be elected to serve in this national role, and I am humbled to learn that I’m the first alumnus to hold this position,” she said. “I am grateful for the tremendous education and training I received from UF Medicine, as well as the support and encouragement from faculty and staff to pursue my goals and to always seek excellence in my work.”