Transplant Surgery Interest Group @ DGSOM

Mission The Transplant Surgery Interest Group (TSIG) aims to provide medical students with a unique and comprehensive understanding of the complex and multidisciplinary field of organ transplantation. Through a variety of educational events, discussions, and experiential learning opportunities, TSIG seeks to: 1. Expose students to the technical and ethical challenges of transplant procedures, integrating insights from medicine, infectious disease, and pharmacology. 2. Highlight the nuances of various specialties within transplant surgery, including research opportunities and career paths. 3. Offer students hands-on experience and mentorship through innovative workshops, shadowing programs, panel discussions, and other initiatives. Vision TSIG aims to foster a community of medical students, providing them with a comprehensive understanding of transplant surgery and inspiring them to become leaders and innovators in their respective careers. Guiding Principles 1. Foster a supportive community for medical students interested in transplant surgery. 2. Provide high-quality educational experiences that cater to diverse learning styles. 3. Encourage innovation, creativity, and critical thinking in the field of transplant surgery. Objectives 1. Provide high-quality educational experiences, including workshops, lectures, and panel discussions, to enhance medical students' understanding of transplant surgery. 2. Foster collaborations with other surgery interest groups and medical organizations to promote interdisciplinary learning and networking. 3. Develop a mentorship program, connecting medical students with experienced transplant surgeons and professionals. 4. Provide opportunities for medical students to engage in research, shadowing, and hands-on experiences in transplant surgery. 5. Establish a supportive community for medical students interested in transplant surgery, promoting peer-to-peer learning and networking. Upcoming Events and Initiatives 1. Kidney transplant session and suturing workshop with a kidney transplant surgeon, featuring unembalmed cadavers in the anatomy lab. 2. Lecture on extending human heart preservation for transplant surgery by a post-doc from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School 3. Development of a shadowing program, potentially incorporating an "on-call" schedule and innovative communication infrastructure. 4. Future events, including discussions on UNOS, ethics of organ transplantation, and facial transplantation. Leadership Structure and Opportunities TSIG leaders will prioritize opportunities for members to engage with transplant surgery professionals, researchers, and experts. We will collaborate with faculty members, including our faculty advisor Dr. Fady Kaldas, to develop and refine our programs. We're committed to creating a collaborative and inclusive leadership environment. To achieve this, we're moving away from traditional hierarchical leadership roles and instead embracing a flat, team-based structure. We invite interested members to take on roles that align with their strengths, interests, and skills. This approach will allow us to: 1. Foster a collaborative and dynamic team culture 2. Encourage diverse perspectives and ideas 3. Develop leadership skills and expertise among members Collaborations and Partnerships TSIG strives to foster collaborations with other surgery interest groups to co-host events and provide a more comprehensive understanding of surgical specialties. Potential collaborations include: 1. Co-hosting events with the Plastic Surgery and Reconstructive Interest Group, such as a panel discussion on facial transplantation. 2. Partnering with other interest groups to explore the intersections between transplant surgery and other medical specialties. Continuous Improvement Plan To ensure the quality and effectiveness of our programs and events, TSIG will implement the following quality control mechanisms: 1. Event Evaluation Forms: Participants will be asked to complete evaluation forms after each event, providing feedback on content, presentation, and overall satisfaction. 2. Leadership Team Meetings: Regular meetings will be held among leadership team members to discuss progress, address concerns, and plan future events. 3. Feedback Sessions: Regular feedback sessions will be held with TSIG members and non-members to gather input, suggestions, and concerns. 4. Program Assessment: Annual assessments will be conducted with a faculty advisor to evaluate the effectiveness of TSIG programs and events, identifying areas for improvement and implementing changes as needed.

transplantsurgeryinterestgroup@gmail.com

Signatories: Tyler Pugeda, Serhat Suzer, and Esther Lee

Advisor: Pamela R Cysner