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Student Interest Groups

The Southern Illinois University School of Medicine (SIUMED) encourages student participation in national, state and local organizations as well as campus-based student organizations.

The Anesthesia Interest Group's focus is to provide information about the specialty of anesthesia to interested students. Meetings are held approximately every two months. We also hold workshops to teach various skills needed in anesthesia, as well as other specialties. Our workshops have included airway management and IV placement. We also work with Dr. Faingold in order to arrange for research opportunities for medical students in conjunction with ongoing anesthesia pharmacology research being conducted by the SIUMED Department of Pharmacology.

The Christian Medical and Dental Associations (CMDA) is a national ministry that the local CMA chapter is a part of. CMDA serves as a voice and ministry for more than 17,000 Christian physicians and dentists in the United States and has student ministries in more than 80% of the nation's medical and dental schools. Their mission is "changing the heart of healthcare." The local chapter is comprised of physicians, residents, and medical students who seek to encourage one another in their faith. Through activities such as a biweekly bible study and monthly meetings at physician homes, students are encouraged to have a positive impact on their profession and world."

The Emergency Medicine Interest Group (EMIG) is a recognized student organization of the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. It works with the Emergency Department at Memorial Medical Center, The Emergency Department at St. John's Hospital, and the Southern Illinois Trauma Center to foster and develop awareness and interest in the specialty of Emergency Medicine among the medical student population; to facilitate interested students to develop highly competitive residency applications; to assist in the education of medical students in areas of medicine specifically related to Emergency Medicine. Dues are $10 per year or $25 for lifetime.

The Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG) - The purpose of FMIG is to provide education about family medicine to SIUMED students; provide advisement on clerkship or elective choices; sponsor activities to promote interest in FMIG and family medicine; and to provide early exposure to family medicine role models. FMIG meets monthly and encourages any student interested in the field of family medicine to participate in activities. Each class will vote for their FMIG class officers.The FMIG promotes membership in the American (AAFP) and Illinois (IAFP) Academy of Family Physicians. Membership fees are waived for students. Membership benefits include a monthly journal, the American Family Physician and a monthly newsletter, the Family Practice Report, both dealing with current issues pertinent to Family Medicine. The AAFP also sponsors the National Congress of Students which promotes interaction between students all over the country. SIUSOM FMIG web page. Chair - Meredith Burge

The Medicine-Pediatric Interest Group's focus is to promote interest in careers in the specialties of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. The forum serves to build relationships among its members and faculty role models, to support the exchange of ideas, information and resources relating to careers in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, and to encourage students to be proactive in community health awareness, prevention and education.The Medicine-Pediatric Interest Group meets every month and each meeting offers students the opportunity to interact with residents, faculty and other students that share similar interests. A quest speaker is invited each month to lecture on topics of interest to the students.The Medicine-Pediatric Interest Group promotes membership in various national professional organizations including the American College of Physicians and the American Society of Internal Medicine (ACP-ASIM), the largest specialty society of physicians in the US Membership is free and has numerous advantages including free admission to ACP-ASIM professional and scientific meetings, a free subscription to the student newsletter IMpact, discounted subscriptions to scholarly publications, and the opportunity to be involved in leadership on the national level as a delegate to the ACP-ASIM student section.

The Partners of Medical Students (POMS) is a support group for the partners (husbands, wives, significant others) of SIUMED students. Medical school can be challenging not only for the medical student, but also for their loved ones. This group provides an opportunity for partners to share their experiences, and to provide support for one another.

The Psychiatry Interest Group was started with the goal of enhancing education, interest, and understanding of psychiatry among medical students.  Students planning a career in psychiatry as well as those who would like to learn more about integrating psychiatry into other disciplines are invited.  The group hosts monthly meetings with faculty speakers in the several sub-specialties, including child and adolescent, adult, forensic, developmental disabilities, geriatric, and medicine/psychiatry.  This has been an excellent opportunity for the students to explore career options, residency requirements, combined residency programs, and lifestyles in the field of psychiatry.  Students are also invited to participate in psychiatry movie nights hosted by the residents and be involved in the community by providing mental health screenings during National Cover the Uninsured Week as well as the Illinois State fair.  The group also promotes membership in the APA and the National PsychSIGN.

The Radiology Interest Group's focus is to give students a glimpse at the field of radiology. Meetings are ran every 1-2 months. Each meeting we get a different speaker to talk about their interests in radiology and what exactly someone can do if they decide to become a radiologist. If you have an interest in radiology, we encourage you to come to a meeting when you can.

The Surgery Interest Group American College of Surgeons (ACS) would like to invite you to our next meeting. We host a different speaker each month from a variety of surgical specialties with the goal of advancing knowledge and interest in surgical careers. There are no membership dues or fees. In fact, the surgery department fosters our activities by paying for food and drinks at each gathering. We only ask that you RSVP by e-mail if you plan to attend the next meeting, which will be announced by e-mail. If you don't know about the surgical profession, are curious about different aspects to a surgeon's daily activities, or you're definitely training to become a surgeon, we hereby invite you to join us when you can.

The Wilderness Medical Society Interest Group (WMS) is a one-of-a-kind association in which physicians and other health professionals can combine their profession with their passion for wilderness. The principal purpose of WMS is to present educational programs that inform its members and others about preventing, recognizing, and treating medical problems typically encountered in wilderness situations. In the past year, the WMS student interest group at SIUMED has hosted educational presentations in slide show format on Skiing Across the Greenland Ice Cap, High Altitude Medicine and Summiting Mt. Aconcagua, and Infectious Diseases in the Wilderness. WMS publications are quarterly and include the "Wilderness and Environmental Medicine Journal" and the "Wilderness Medicine Newsletter", and these are available at the SIUMED Library-Springfield. There are no local dues to join the WMS student interest group. Local WMS student interest group meetings are announced by email, and attendance is open to all. Yearly national WMS membership dues range from $55 for students to $150 for physicians. Membership information and national and international conference information is available online at www.wms.org.

The Women's Health & OB/GYN Student Interest Group provides students with information about the field. Each month our meetings aim to present a different aspect of women's health with the goal of advancing knowledge and interest. We host different speakers including residents, attending physicians, and specialists. There are no membership dues or fees, and we invite you to join us at our next meeting.

Last updated March 17, 2008