When Mandy Hagen stepped onstage to accept the Rising Star Award in addiction services, it marked a full-circle moment. Once unsure whether she deserved a seat at the table, today she’s leading recovery efforts across four counties in southern Illinois and inspiring others to find their way forward.

For Annie Kowalis DMSc, PA-C, the path to becoming a physician assistant began in childhood. The daughter of first-generation immigrants, she spent countless hours in medical offices acting as a translator for her family. “It was evident to me at a young age that medical professionals embodied a skillful balance of compassion, confidence, brilliance, and courage,” she recalls. That early experience set the foundation for a lifelong commitment to medicine and patient care. As a 2024 graduate of the SIU Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) program, Dr. Kowalis brings her extensive clinical

For Annie Kowalis DMSc, PA-C, the path to becoming a physician assistant began in childhood. The daughter of first-generation immigrants, she spent countless hours in medical offices acting as a translator for her family. “It was evident to me at a young age that medical professionals embodied a skillful balance of compassion, confidence, brilliance, and courage,” she recalls. That early experience set the foundation for a lifelong commitment to medicine and patient care. As a 2024 graduate of the SIU Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) program, Dr. Kowalis brings her extensive clinical

SIU School of Medicine’s MBBS Graduate Program offers flexible master’s and doctoral degree options designed to support a wide range of career goals in science, education and health care. Students benefit from interdisciplinary lab rotations, customizable coursework and faculty mentorship across three SIU campuses—Carbondale, Edwardsville and Springfield—giving them the freedom to explore and focus their research interests.

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In the days leading up to International Skull Base Surgery Day celebrated on June 4, residents from the Departments of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and the Division of Neurosurgery at SIU School of Medicine participated in a highly valuable learning experience—a two-day seminar led by some of the nation’s top skull base surgeons. The seminar blended immersive, skills lab training with in-depth lectures, giving residents a chance to learn directly from internationally recognized leaders from both SIU Medicine and the Cleveland Clinic. This intensive training is part of SIU Medicine’s

In the days leading up to International Skull Base Surgery Day celebrated on June 4, residents from the Departments of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and the Division of Neurosurgery at SIU School of Medicine participated in a highly valuable learning experience—a two-day seminar led by some of the nation’s top skull base surgeons. The seminar blended immersive, skills lab training with in-depth lectures, giving residents a chance to learn directly from internationally recognized leaders from both SIU Medicine and the Cleveland Clinic. This intensive training is part of SIU Medicine’s

The Department of Pharmacology at SIU School of Medicine held its 2025 Awards, celebrating the dedication and scientific achievements of its students and researchers. The annual event highlighted their contributions, which are crucial to maintaining SIU's status as an R1 Top-tier Research University . Despite current challenges in the national research landscape, Shelley Tischkau, PhD , chair and professor of pharmacology, reaffirmed SIU’s commitment to rigorous, meaningful science. “Researchers are often expected to work faster, publish more and justify every decision,” she said. “But we

The Department of Pharmacology at SIU School of Medicine held its 2025 Awards, celebrating the dedication and scientific achievements of its students and researchers. The annual event highlighted their contributions, which are crucial to maintaining SIU's status as an R1 Top-tier Research University . Despite current challenges in the national research landscape, Shelley Tischkau, PhD , chair and professor of pharmacology, reaffirmed SIU’s commitment to rigorous, meaningful science. “Researchers are often expected to work faster, publish more and justify every decision,” she said. “But we