At the beginning of each academic year, the Davison Executive Committee appoints a number of subcommittees and appointed representatives that serve vitals roles in the School of Medicine. These dedicated students focus intensely on one realm of student life and create policy, advise administrators, and serve as liaisons between the policymakers and the students of the School of Medicine. The Davison Council recognizes a number of standing subcommittees that are re-appointed each year, as well as ad-hoc subcommittees deemed beneficial by the President.
Davison Council Appointed Subcommittees
The American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) is a non-profit national organization representing all accredited U.S. medical schools, and it is a great source of information regarding the current state of academic medicine and medical education. The Organization of Student Representatives (OSR) is a branch of the AAMC that consists of student representatives from all of the AAMC accredited medical schools. Duke OSR representatives are expected to attend the AAMC national meeting in the fall and a regional meeting in the spring, as well as monthly Curriculum Committee meetings and meetings throughout the year with Dean Buckley and Dr. Grochowski. Representatives are expected to report back to the Davison Council and Curriculum Committee on national medical education issues discussed at the meetings, serve as a liaison for Duke initiatives by seeking input from medical students at other schools, inform Duke students of AAMC opportunities and services, and help to administer the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award nomination process.
Current appointees: Aaron Therien (primary), Ann Marie Flusche, James White.
Individuals appointed to this committee are responsible for working with the Curriculum Committee for updating and standardizing the Duke Med Wiki content, curating and distributing the resources for the incoming MS1s and rising MS2s, and coordinating the book exchange with the Library Rep for the MS2 class (including orchestrating the purchase of new materials if applicable).
Current appointees: Haoran Jiang, Allan Chen, Joshua Kim, Zoey Petitt.
In consultation with the Admissions Office, this committee along with the Student Ambassadors will lead and coordinate the involvement of the student body in Duke Med’s recruitment efforts. The first objectives for this committee are to help plan and implement the virtual interview day orientation activities and to organize and interact with the accepted students during the Duke Med’s Second Look Weekend.
During the virtual interview orientation students will interact with applicants to talk about third year research, the curriculum, living in Durham and why students chose Duke for Medical School.
During the second half of the academic year (January through April), the committee will be responsible for planning Second Look Weekend. Students will take the lead in efforts to interact with admitted students by creating a program to learn more about Duke Med while in Durham.
Current appointees: Lucas Collins, Hunter Grimes, Lindsey Marian, Emmanuel Ray, Julia Ralph, Kyle Steinbock.
The role of the Ambassador Coordinator in admissions will be working with the Admissions Office to organize and lead virtual tours on the Sunday night orientation events. In addition, the Coordinator will organize aspects of in-person Second Look weekend. Coordinators will work with closely with the Admissions Recruitment Committee to ensure all prospective student events are staffed with students, recruit and train new Ambassadors, and interface with other groups needing to orient students/groups to Duke virtually (especially the Alumni Representatives).
Current appointee: Ashley Cummings.
The AppleSeed Award Program was started by Duke medical students in the Spring of 2008 as a way for medical students on Second Year Clinical Clerkships to recognize and reward outstanding interns and residents that go above and beyond in their teaching of medical students on the wards. Currently, the AppleSeed Award Program recognizes house staff several times during the academic year. Award winners are presented with a gift certificate and blue AppleSeed pin to place on their white coats as recognition of their dedication to teaching. These awards are generally presented to the house staff at each departments’ Grand Rounds. Award winners are based on nominations and voting conducted at the end of each rotation by students completing that clerkship.
The AppleSeed Award Program Co-chairs conduct the AppleSeed voting process at the conclusion of each clerkship block, tallying these results to determine the house staff awardees in each department and presenting the awards. To present the awards and ensure that the house staff members are recognized accordingly, these co-chairs will work closely with the Faculty Clerkship Coordinators and Residency Program Directors, relationships which are well established in each of the clerkships participating in the AppleSeed Award Program.
Current appointees: Kathleen Chang, Katrina Hon.
The Arts & Facilities Committee representatives will be key liaisons between the student body and the Medical Center. They will serve to add/expand student resources as well as facilitate student input regarding (but not limited to) such topics as 1) the utility of medical student teaching areas, work areas, call rooms, NOSH/cafe dining services, and charging stations; 2) parking and transportation services; and 3) any other facilities issues in TSCHE/DUMC deemed a priority for the student body by the DC Executive Committee. Regarding arts, this committee will oversee rotating art displays in TSCHE. These representatives will be responsible for 1) soliciting artwork from students through existing art programs and through art enrichment events they host and 2) collaborating with administrators to coordinate the logistics of acquiring and approving artwork.
Current appointees: Julia Cohn, Elizabeth Fan, Katrina Hon.
These representatives will be intimately involved in the ongoing curricular revision process at Duke. They sit on the School of Medicine Curriculum Committee and attend meetings throughout the year with Dean Buckley and Dr. Narayan as the student body's liaisons to the academic deans. Representatives may also be called to participate on Curriculum Committee course review panels and are expected to solicit student opinions and feedback to help inform the curricular revision process. These representatives will also be liaisons between curricular reform efforts and the Davison Council.
Current appointees: Ivana Premasinghe, Juliet Dalton, Srijan Bhasin, Aaron Therien, Jaye Boisserie, Zoya Surani, Mindy Kim, Lauren Holbrook, Nubaira Milki, Claire Sibold.
The duties of the Davison Council DEI Committee are to assist the elected VP of DEI in related matters and concerns of the DukeMed student body, represent the DukeMed student body in all DEI-related meetings and discussions in the School of Medicine, and aid in Sunday night Identity/Affinity group social hour for DukeMed applicants.
Current appointees: Yssac Zegeye (Chair), Summer Shabana, Allan Chen, Maya Blassingame, Ashley Nmoh, Miriam Chisholm, Janel Ramkalawan, Khushnood Faraz, Shweta Lodha.
This representative serves as a link between the Financial Aid office and the Davison Council and will communicate policy changes, financial aid changes, and student concerns between these groups.
Current appointee: Peter Chmiel.
One fourth year student will be appointed to this position and will serve alongside of one of the fourth year students who is a representative to the Curriculum Committee. This committee of faculty and administrators meets quarterly to review existing fourth year electives and review/recommend approval of proposed fourth year electives. The Chair further reports decisions of the Curriculum Committee to subcommittee members. Members include course directors from required fourth year courses (subI’s, acute care curriculum, capstone) and several residency program directors. The student representatives to this committee are expected to attend and participate in meetings, present topics of concern to students, and join in on discussions involving students.
Current appointee: Zoey Petitt.
GPSG is a student advocacy group that represents the graduate and professional student body of Duke University to administration and the Durham community. Each senator will represent the school in which they were elected. Senators serve as the collective voice for Duke graduate students and support advocacy initiatives through resolutions and ensuring student involvement in university decision making. The School of Medicine Clinical MD Senator represents the interests of the MD program in this body and serves as a liaison to the Davison Council.
Current appointee: Joshua Kim.
IRB representatives attend monthly meetings of the Duke University Institutional Review Board to review research proposals and ensure they are following federal regulations, university guidelines, and ethical research practices.
Current appointees: Jacqueline Emerson, Raquel Perry, Rachel Donaldson.
The library representative sits on the Medical Center Library Advisory Committee that provides advice and guidance on library policies, services, budget issues, and new initiatives. This group helps to ensure that the library is meeting the needs of the greater medical center, including the Duke Hospital, School of Medicine, and School of Nursing. Members of this committee represent the information needs of faculty, staff, and students.
Current appointee: Joshua Kim.
The MaestroCare Representative will assist in optimizing the student use of MaestroCare/Epic systems during the clinical year.
Current appointees: Emma Peek, Ashley Cummings.
The alumni representative must be a rising third-year who will serve a two-year term. Therefore, there are two at-large student positions on the Medical Alumni Council who serve alongside the Davison Council President and immediate past President. The Medical Alumni Council consists of 34 members, including School of Medicine graduates, current and former house staff members, faculty, and current students. Members serve as advisors to the Medical Alumni Association, and help implement the Association's goals and programs. The Council meets twice each year (fall and spring) to direct the efforts of the Association, and both representatives are expected to attend.
The student representatives to the Duke Medical Alumni Council serve primarily as liaisons between the School of Medicine students and the Medical Alumni Association. They help shape and implement Medical Alumni Association programs for students, facilitate communication to the student body, and provide input in planning student events. They are also expected to assist with Medical Alumni Weekend events (tours, social events with alumni, etc.). The student representative will also be included as a member on the Medical Alumni Awards Committee. The Committee meets annually during Medical Alumni Weekend to select award recipients. The student representatives are voting members of the Medical Alumni Council.
Current appointees: Pranav Warman, Max Sumner, Robyn Guo Ku, Alex Sizemore.
The goals of the Social Media Committee include increasing visibility of student groups, compiling information about upcoming school and Davison Council events and implementing creative ways of showcasing what DukeMed is all about, including its students, faculty, facilities, and unique opportunities. Responsibilities of the Social Media Committee include brainstorming post ideas and designing graphics, posting and sharing relevant photos on the MD program Instagram, collecting photos from other SOM students for posts, managing comments and messages on the Instagram, and providing feedback to the communications department.
Current appointees: Natasha Anders, Elizabeth Fan, Adaora Okeke.
The goal of the Sustainability Committee is to reduce the environmental impact of our medical education, and to foster sustainably-minded principles within the DukeMed community. Responsibilities of the position include but are not limited to: serving as a steward for pro-environmental policies within the medical school and on Davison Council, interfacing with the Advisory Deans to set more environmentally friendly practices at TSCHE and at SOM events, evaluating and informing the incoming class on new policies/procedure to improve sustainability, talking with facilities to review and improve practices within the building (compost, better recycling program, etc.), and improving environmental awareness when it comes to catering decisions, student behavior, faculty choices.
Current appointees: Melissa Marchese (Co-chair), Neha Majety (Co-chair), Dvyam Goel, Zachary Weishampel.
Representatives appointed to these positions will consist of 2 student who are MS3 or MS3+ (has already completed at least one third year, preferably the person who completed the position as a MS3). They will serve with one of the third-year students who is a representative to the Curriculum Committee. All third-year study track directors and the Third Year program coordinator meet monthly to review/approve mentor nominations, review/establish policy, and monitor student progress toward meeting objectives and requirements of the Third Year. The Chair further reports decisions of the Curriculum Committee to subcommittee members. The student representatives to this committee are expected to attend and participate in meetings, present topics of concern to students, and join in on discussions involving students.
Current appointees: Katelyn Young, Alex Sizemore.
This position has the primary responsibility of maintaining the Duke University Davison Council website, with the goal of keeping the current and prospective student body informed of the activities and updates related to the Duke Med community.
Current appointee: Monique Vilme.
The Wellness Committee was formed to meet the goal of improving awareness of and access to wellness and mental health support resources for the Duke Med student body. This committee will consist of representatives from each class year (MS1, MS2, MS3/3+, and MS4). The committee will work together to coordinate school-wide wellness events, and class reps will organize wellness events for their respective classes. The committee is responsible for working closely with the faculty advisor as well as with CAPS and the advisory deans throughout the academic year.
Current appointees: Alyssa Bartlett (Co-chair), Katie Freedy (Co-chair), Amanda Khan (Co-chair), Melissa White, Anna Kulaweic, Jaqueline Emerson, Katrina Hon, Elizabeth Fan, Emily Kasprick, Anaya Gupta, Lian Folger, Nubaira Milki.