Interest Groups
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Learners are involved in a wide range of community activities and Learner-Led Interest Groups that enhance their education and contribute to individual well-being and community engagement. Learner-Led Interest Groups sanctioned within the Faculty of Medicine are required to meet certain guidelines.
The following lists the groups and community services led by learners in our Faculty:
Anesthesia Interest Group
Our interest group organizes opportunities for students to learn more about anesthesiology through early OR exposure, hands-on skills nights, and discussions with residents and physicians in the field.
Contacts: Nick Gosse (npgosse@mun.ca) & Jaxon Mayo (jamayo@mun.ca)
Arts in Medicine Interest Group (AMIG)
The Arts in Medicine Interest Group serves to promote the role of the arts and humanities in medicine.
Contacts: Abigail Schwartz (arschwartz@mun.ca) & Emma Hamilton (ehamilton20@mun.ca) & Anna Parsons (Afjames@mun.ca)
Association of Women Surgeons (AWS) MUN Chapter
The Association of Women Surgeons (AWS), is an educational and professional organization. AWS is one of the largest organizations dedicated to enhancing the interaction and exchange of information between women surgeons. AWS has members in more than 40 countries, and the MUN chapter acts as a point of contact for the Canadian branch.
Contacts: Sheridan Taylor (st5886@mun.ca) & Abby Pace (apace@mun.ca)
Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery Interest Group
The Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Surgery Interest Group aims to provide medical learners in with exposure to these specialized fields, which currently lack local residency training programs. Through educational events, workshops, and networking opportunities, the group offers awareness, skill development, and mentorship connections in these surgical disciplines.
Contacts: Megan Clemens (megan.clemens@mun.ca) & Nash Denic (ndenic@mun.ca) & Hillary Furlong (hlfurlong@mun.ca)
Collected Works
Collected Works is an initiative that aims to provide an artistic refuge for medical students and faculty at Memorial University with the ultimate goal of fostering, promoting and applauding the diverse creativity of our communities. Submissions of short stories, poems, lyrics, photographs, crafts, paintings, and many other artistic undertakings are annually coalesced into what are some of the most special coffee-table books around!
Contact: Natasha Vatcher (njvatcher@mun.ca)
Concussion U
Concussion-U is a group dedicated to medical education, awareness, community outreach and research on the topic of concussions.
Contacts: Josheil Boparai (jkboparai@mun.ca) & Ben Collingwood (bcollingwood@mun.ca)
Dermatology Interest Group (DIG)
The Dermatology Interest Group promotes awareness and education about skin health, dermatologic conditions, and career pathways in dermatology. In collaboration with the campus SunSafe initiative, the group also engages in community outreach and advocacy focused on sun safety, skin cancer prevention, and healthy lifestyle practices.
Contacts: Parsa Abdi (pabedinzadeg@mun.ca) & Samantha Allen (sdallen@mun.ca) & Anna James-Parsons (Afjames@mun.ca)
Disability Studies in Medicine
The Disability Studies in Medicine Interest Group aims to provide medical learners with opportunities to become better allies to the disability community and to learn how to approach their future medical practice through and inclusive and anti-ableist lens.
Contacts: Abigayle Fleming (abigaylef@mun.ca) & Anna-Marie Froude (amfroude@mun.ca) & Emma Hamilton (ehamilton20@mun.ca)
Emergency Medicine Interest Group
A group for medical learners who are interested in the specialty of Emergency Medicine or Family Medicine+Emergency. EMIG holds lecture series, talks and skills nights. The aim is to stimulate interest in this field, as well as provide practical knowledge and skills to medical learners that may be beneficial in the practice of field medicine.
Contacts: Noah Williams (nswilliams@mun.ca)
Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG)
Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG) is run by medical learners for medical learners. Our goal is to increase exposure of Family Medicine during undergraduate medical training. We offer a variety of learner activities to help increase awareness and understanding of the opportunities, roles and responsibilities within Family Medicine.
Contacts: Jacob Power (jacobp@mun.ca) & Radhika Verma (radhikav@mun.ca)
Family Medicine Low-Risk Obstetrics Interest Group
We aim to introduce students to the possibility of practicing family medicine with a focus on low risk obstetrical care. We organize weekly shadowing for students to participate in, with the family practice group at memorial as well as lunch & learns/information sessions. This group has been very well received in the past and we are happy to continue to run it for another year!
Contact: Reilly Radford (jradford@mun.ca) & Julianna Brinston (jbrinston@mun.ca)
Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG)
Family Medicine Interest Groups (FMIGs) are run by medical learners for medical learners . Our goal is to increase exposure of Family Medicine during undergraduate medical training. We offer a variety of learner activities to help increase awareness and understanding of the opportunities, roles and responsibilities within Family Medicine.
Contacts: Jenna Manuel (jennam@mun.ca)
Federation of Medical Women of Canada
We are the MUN Med/St. John's branch of this national organization that is committed to reducing barriers for women in medicine, as well as bringing together women in medicine from across the country. Our main goal is to bring medical women together in formal and informal settings to share experiences and learn from each other.
Contacts: Hannah Yaremko (hyaremko@mun.ca) & Pauneez Sadri (psadri@mun.ca) & Abigail Schwartz (arschwartz@mun.ca)
Gender and Sexuality Advocacy Interest Group
Advocating and highlighting the unique healthcare needs of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. As well as connecting the medical school with local organizations and supports for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
Contacts: Katherine Bowes (kkbowes@mun.ca) & Erin Matthews (erin.matthews@mun.ca)
General Surgery Interest Group
The General Surgery Interest Group provides learners with talks and skills nights related to general surgery and subspecialties. We explore interesting cases, how to match to a surgical specialty and maintaining work-life balance as a surgeon. Skills nights include learning suture techniques, hand ties and the opportunity to practice skills on 3D printed models.
Contacts: Elizabeth Clarke (enclarke@mun.ca)
Genetics in Medicine MUN MED Interest Group
Genetics in Medicine explores the evolving role of genetics in clinical practice. We host lunch and learns and connect students with medical geneticists, while also highlighting its application to several other specialities. If you are interested in personalized medicine, rare genetic disorders, or the future of genetics in healthcare, this is the interest group for you!
Contacts: Grace MacIntosh (ghmacintosh@mun.ca) Erin Matthews (erin.matthews@mun.ca)
Geriatric Medicine Interest Group
The Geriatrics Interest Group provides medical students with opportunities to learn more about the unique healthcare needs of older adults. We aim to foster interest in geriatrics through educational events, discussions, and community engagement. Our group welcomes all students who want to explore aging, healthcare for seniors, and the role of physicians in supporting this population.
Contacts: Kayla Crichton (kcrichton@mun.ca) & Kaley Burry (kburry@mun.ca)
Global Health Interest Group
The Global Health Interest group was created for students who have an interest in healthcare through a global lens. The group aims to provide education about various worldwide medicine topics and healthcare issues, and facilitates hands-on global health experiences through annual exchange programs.
Contact: Olivia Ryan (oryan@mun.ca) & Jacob Power (jacobp@mun.ca)
Indigenous Health Interest Group (IHIG)
Our aim is to educate future physicians on Indigenous well-being, whether it be traditional methods of healing, or incorporating cultural beliefs into healthy lifestyles. Our interest group advocates for cultural awareness for medical students in order to promote culturally sensitive practice and provide equitable care for Indigenous populations.
Contacts: Kaley Burry (kburry@mun.ca)
Internal Medicine Interest Group
The Internal Medicine Interest Group at Memorial University aims to provide medical students with meaningful exposure to the field of internal medicine. We aim to host engaging educational events and activities that will increase both understanding and enthusiasm for the field of internal medicine amongst the student body.
Contacts: Tristan Paranavitana (tparanavitan@mun.ca) & Kayla Crichton (kcrichton@mun.ca) & Reilly Radford (jradford@mun.ca)
Medical Mythbusters Interest Group
The Medical Mythbusters Interest Group is dedicated to promoting critical thinking and evidence-based medicine by addressing and debunking common medical myths and misconceptions. Through interactive discussions, educational events, and collaborations with healthcare professionals, the group aims to foster scientific literacy, support professional development for medical learners, and provide accessible, research-backed information to both the university community and the public.
Contacts: Anna-Marie Froude (amfroude@mun.ca) & Kaley Burry (kburry@mun.ca)
Medical Students for Choice Interest Group
Organizing events/resources with the purpose of advocating for abortion rights.
Contacts: Anna Parsons (afjames@mun.ca)
MUN Wilderness Medicine Interest Group
The MUN prehospital and wilderness medicine interest group aims to provide medical learners with information and training opportunities in the wide range of disciplines surrounding prehospital medicine. While our medical school provides us with the necessary skills to become competent physicians in the hospital or clinic environment, our group of executives wanted additional learning opportunities that would apply to first aid in a wilderness setting. By organizing regular information sessions, skills nights, and wilderness activities with experienced physicians and other health care professionals we can provide medical learners with the ability to navigate the outdoors with confidence and skill.
Contact: Noah Williams (nswilliams@mun.ca) & Nikolai Thiessen (ntcithiessen@mun.ca) & Sarah Muzychka (skmuzychka@mun.ca)
Neurology Interest Group
The purpose of SIGN (Student Interest Group in Neurology) is to introduce medical students to the field of neurology by bringing them together with fellow students with similar interests through discussions by neurologists, patient presentations, seminars, journal clubs, learning materials, and arranged shadowings of neurologists in the workplace.
The Student Interest Group in Neurology coordinates lectures, skills sessions, career planning, and networking events with neurologists and residents. We also are focused on community engagement through fundraisers for local societies involving neurological disease.
Our group provides students opportunities to learn about relevant topics in neurology, network with neurologists, and learn neurology clinical skills. This society is meant for students interested in pursuing neurology as a career and those who wish to increase their competency in neurology for general practice.
SIGN will impact undergraduate students by sharing our interest in the discipline of Neurology.
Contacts: Brianna King (briannak@mun.ca) & Yuvraj Singh (yst435@mun.ca) & Sarah Muzychka (skmuzychka@mun.ca)
Learning about various residency programs and selection criteria across Canada and the US, while discussing shared interests in surgery and neuroscience, and gaining a broader understanding of the field of neurosurgery as a whole.
Contact: Cole Winsor (cawinsor@mun.ca) & Brianna King (briannak@mun.ca)
Obstetrics and Gynecology Interest Group (OBGYN)
The Obstetrics and Gynecology Interest Group is a student-led organization that provides opportunities to explore women’s health through academic, clinical, and advocacy-focused activities. It connects medical students with faculty and residents, offers workshops and shadowing experiences, and promotes education on reproductive health and patient care. The group also supports mentorship and community outreach to foster interest in the field of OB/GYN.
Contacts: Alexis wood (Alwood@mun.ca) & Ava McGrath (avam@mun.ca)
The Oncology interest group will engage MUN medicine students by showing them different ways to practice oncology and how to pursue it as a career. We will also build a sense of community through fun events and walks. Furthermore, we will give students opportunities to engage in the community through fundraisers.
OIG holds several talks to engage medical students and gather interest in the oncological specialties. We also participate in fundraisers such as the Polka Dot Trot, Movember, and Relay for Life. OIG involves, primarily, talks given by speakers from an array of disciplines and perspectives in the field of oncology. We work on getting medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and surgeons who operate on various forms of cancer to come in at least once a month to talk with interested medical and premedical students about their work and experiences.
OIG will also expand further than this to include talks from cancer survivors, family physicians (to understand cancer diagnosis from the primary care perspective), biomedical cancer researchers, radiological imaging of various cancers, and even global/public health cancer researchers.
OIG will fundraise with bake sales and other methods similar to those used by other interest groups to provide donations to cancer research initiatives, Daffodil place, and to provide treats/pizza at the talks.
OIG will also support and publicize various external cancer fundraising events, like the various cancer walks, and attempt to engage the student body in said events.
Contacts: Donovan Wyand (dawyand@mun.ca) & Marie Wasef (maw222@mun.ca)
Orthopedic Surgery Interest Group
The MUN Orthopedic Surgery Interest Group endeavours to offer opportunities for pre-clerkship medical students to explore and learn about the specialty of orthopedic surgery..
Contact: Keeran Bonia (kanbonia@mun.ca)
Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Interest Group
This group aims to provide learning and networking opportunities for students interested in ENT as a specialty.
Contacts: Mayar Elbaz (Maelbaz@mun.ca) & Maria Saleeb (Marias@mun.ca)
Pediatrics Special Interest Group (PSIG)
This is a group for students interested in Pediatrics. We organize various events connecting students with Pediatrics residents and faculty.
Contacts: Katherine Bowes (Kkbowes@mun.ca)
Planetary Health Interest Group
Our goal is to educate medical learners about the linkages between human health and the health of the environment. We promote environmental protection, conservation, and provide learners with opportunities to learn more about planetary health and its relationship with human health.
Contacts: Emily King (elking@mun.ca) & Grace Marcoux (gjm667@mun.ca)
Plastic Surgery Interest Group
The Plastic Surgery Interest Group (PSIG) at MUN Medical School provides students with opportunities to explore plastic and reconstructive surgery through workshops, mentorship, and research. The group fosters career exploration, professional development, and advocacy for patient-centered care.
Contacts: Evan Powell (epowell19@mun.ca) & Ian Poole (Ipoole@mun.ca)
PoCUS (Point of Care Ultrasound) Interest Group
The Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Interest Group is dedicated to introducing medical students to the fundamentals and applications of bedside ultrasound in clinical practice. The group provides opportunities for hands-on skill development, teaching sessions, and exposure to how POCUS enhances patient assessment and decision-making across specialties.
Contacts: Samantha Allen (sdallen@mun.ca) & Nick Gosse (npgosse@mun.ca)
Psychiatry Interest Group
The MUN Medicine Psychiatry Interest Group aims to provide medical students with opportunities to explore the field of psychiatry through educational events, clinical exposure, and mentorship. Our goal is to foster interest in mental health and support students considering psychiatry as a career.
Contacts: Claire Whiffen (cowhiffen@mun.ca) Ashley Stringer (astringer@mun.ca)
Radiology Interest Group (RIG)
Our objectives of the radiology interest group (RIG) are to stimulate undergraduate medical students interest in the field of radiology and enhance their understanding of the diverse and important roles that radiologists have within the healthcare system through a variety of workshops and events.
The group also aims to provide medical students with information necessary to explore and make informed decisions about radiology as a career including the radiology residency and CaRMS processes.
Contacts: Heather Barry (hmb022@mun.ca) & Nick Pike (ncp601@mun.ca)
Rural Medicine Interest Group
The RMIG focuses on aspects of rural medicine in NL and beyond. We look to connect students interested in rural medicine through various events including an annual rural summit, and provide education on the specialty and its various strengths and challenges through talks, presentations, and more!
Contacts: Olivia Ryan (oryan@mun.ca) & Noah Williams (nswilliams@mun.ca) & Kayla Critchton (kcrichton@mun.ca) & Nikki Spencer (nsspencer@mun.ca)
Sexual Health Interest Group
We aim to contribute to public education and advocacy surrounding reproductive, sexual, and pelvic health. We organize a service-learning experience in collaboration with Planned Parenthood, where members of the group deliver presentations to public schools.
Contacts: Bria Gallant (briag@mun.ca) & Leah Curnew (leah.curnew@mun.ca)
Social Prescribing Interest Group
Our Interest Group aims to promote social prescribing in order to meet unmet needs due to social determinants of health.
Contacts: Anna Parsons (afjames@mun.ca) & Emma Hamilton (ehamilton20@mun.ca)
Sports Medicine Interest Group (SMIG)
The Sports Medicine Interest Group (SMIG) is a group of dedicated learners and practitioners who are passionate about Sports Medicine. Our goal is to increase the understanding of the scope of sports medicine within both our curriculum and future practice in order to better work with the populations we serve.
Contact: Evan Powell (epowell19@mun.ca) & Andrew MacLaggan (awbmaclaggan@mun.ca)
STARS Choosing Wisely NL
Choosing Wisely NL is the provincial campaign of Choosing Wisely Canada – the national voice for reducing unnecessary tests and treatments in Canada. Unnecessary tests and treatments expose patients to potential harm, consume precious health care resources, and contribute to the climate crisis.
The Choosing Wisely NL campaign is run by Quality of Care NL and has been working to promote Choosing Wisely recommendations and support the health care system to implement change since 2016.
Contacts: Arista Marthyman (agmarthyman@mun.ca) & Leah Curnew (leah.curnew@mun.ca)
Substances & Harm Reduction (SHARE)
The Substances & Harm Reduction Interest Group (SHARE) will serve to provide medical learners with expanded awareness, knowledge, and a sense of informed responsibility with respect to substance-related harms and harm reduction strategies in Newfoundland Labrador and Canada more generally. Here, “substance-related harms” include not only substance use disorders (SUDs) and the overdose crisis, but also: the lived experiences of people who use drugs (PUD) including intersectional factors, stigma/discrimination, and comorbidities; the impact of substance use on society at large, including the shaping of social norms; and the reciprocal impact between substance use and health systems.
Contacts: Elizabeth Clarke (enclarke@mun.ca) & Leah Curnew (leah.curnew@mun.ca) & Julianna Brinston (jbrinston@mun.ca) & Abigail Schwartz (arschwartz@mun.ca) & Emily King (elking@mun.ca)
Trauma Surgery Interest Group
The Trauma Surgery Interest Group aims to provide medical students with opportunities to explore trauma surgery and its broader public health dimensions. Through educational sessions, skill-based workshops, and events featuring staff surgeons and surgical residents, the group highlights both the clinical management of injury and the population-level impact of trauma.
Contacts: Chelsea Abbott (cdsabbott@mun.ca) & Nikolai Thiessen (nikolait@mun.ca)
Vision and Ophthalmology Interest Group
The Vision and Ophthalmology Interest Group (VOIG) play a supportive and collaborative role within the group, aiming to promote and spark interest in ophthalmology and neuro-ophthalmology. Events may include guest speakers, skills nights, educational sessions, grand rounds, and more.
Contacts: TBD