Student Organizations

• Academic Medicine Interest Group

  Organization Type

  Professional

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The purpose of AMIG is to provide a safe, educational space for students and faculty alike to learn about and gain experience in academic medicine.

  
  

  Activities

  Attending Conferences, Participating in Donation Drives, Tabling Booths at Events, Hosting Guest Speaker Events, Hosting an SGA Sponsored Event, Attending Guest Speaker Events, Hosting Student Organization Fundraisers, Creating Educational Materials, Hosting Presentation Practice Sessions. Volunteering, Other

  Through opportunities in education, mentorship, professional development, collaboration, and service, AMIG will cater opportunities to promote exploration in academic medicine among healthcare professional students early in their education. We intend to provide resources to further develop healthcare students into well-rounded, influential physicians who can advocate, heal, and educate their patients.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • Secretary – Rohan Shah (roshah@utmb.edu)
  • Treasurer – Zachrieh Alhaj (ztalhaj@utmb.edu)
  • Director of Public Relations – Brittany Dang (bqdang@utmb.edu)
  • Director of Professional Development – Kush Brahmbhatt (kubrahmb@utmb.edu)
  • Director of Education – Richard Preble (rgpreble@UTMB.EDU)
  • Director of Education – Michel Adeniran (miadenir@utmb.edu)
  • Director of Research – Samir Cayenne (sacayenn@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Ruth Levine – Office of Student Affairs - (rlevine@utmb.edu)
  • Karen Szauter – Office of Educational Affairs - (kszauter@utmb.edu)
• Allies in Health

  Organization Type

  Professional

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Allies in Health is an organization dedicated to educating faculty, staff, and students about the spectrum of sex, gender, and sexual orientation, and LGBTQ+ health care. Allies in Health advocates for LGBTQ+ issues and promotes a more inclusive environment for all UTMB personnel and patients. In addition to hosting LGBTQ+ health trainings tailored to specific campus groups, Allies in Health also holds social events, engages in advocacy and awareness activities, and promotes LGBTQ-centered research.

  
  

  Activities

  Attending Conferences, Tabling Booths at Events, Hosting Guest Speaker Events, Attending Guest Speaker Events, Creating Educational Materials, Volunteering, LGBTQ+ health and inclusivity training sessions for UTMB personnel, Pride activities, scholarly collaboration and LGBTQ+ health research, community service, social events, and advocacy for LGBTQ+ health through local, state, and national partnerships.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Haris Pepermintwala (Hspeperm@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Juan Escudero Escudero (juescude@utmb.edu)
  • Education chair – Alec Manning (almannin@utmb.edu)
  • Secretary – Nivan Wadhawan (niwadhaw@utmb.edu)
  • Advocacy Chair – Joshua Fernandez De La Vega (Joshfern@utmb.edu)
  • Events Chair – Lilliana Pellegrini (lipelleg@utmb.edu)
  • Events Chair – Caroline O'Connor (ceoconno@utmb.edu)
  • Research Chair – Joshua Currie (jocurrie@utmb.edu)
  • Public Relations – Aditi Sarode (aksarode@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Lisa Campo-Endelstein – Bioethics and Health Humanities - (licampoe@utmb.edu)
• American and Texas Medical Assoc. Chapter at UTMB

  Organization Type

  Professional, Service, Social

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  AMA/TMA is a way for medical students across the state and nation to exercise their position in policy/advocacy in medicine at congressional hearings and conferences. It's purpose also includes local impact of community service in the Galveston/Houston area.

  
  

  Activities

  • Attending Conferences
  • Hosting Donation Drives
  • Participating in Donation Drives
  • Tabling Booths at Events
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Hosting an SGA Sponsored Event
  • Attending Guest Speaker Events
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Hosting Presentation Practice Sessions. Volunteering
  • Other

  Conferences are a big part of the experience as these are where students are able to platform and advocate for policy. Also spreading fundraising and community service in local community through food drives, meals for wheels, homeless shelters, etc. is a big part of this organization. National speakers over big policy topics are encouraged to come speak at UTMB through AMA/TMA to help educate students.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Semesterly (Once a Semester)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Samir Cayenne (sacayenn@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Mohamed Jimale (mojimale@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Samuel Mathis – Family Medicine - (semathis@utmb.edu)
• American Association of Neurological Surgeons

  Organization Type

  Professional

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The Mission of American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Medical Student Chapters is to provide early support and leadership training to medical students exploring a career in neurosurgery. AANS Medical Student Chapters will provide a forum for students to organize professional, educational, and research activities within individual programs, promote mentorship, and facilitate participation at a national level for the next generation of neurosurgical leaders.

  
  

  Activities

  • Attending Conferences
  • Tabling Booths at Events
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Attending Guest Speaker Events
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Volunteering

  The Vision for AANS Medical Student Chapters is as follows: The AANS strongly believes in the mentorship and professional development of medical students interested in neurosurgery. To that end, the AANS will support a variety of initiatives aimed at fostering an interest in neurosurgery. These include attending national and regional conferences, tabling events to disseminate information and engage students, hosting guest speaker events featuring experts in the field, creating educational materials to deepen understanding, and providing volunteering opportunities for hands-on experience. These activities are designed to increase interest in neurosurgery as a career, promote neurosurgical education, and foster early leadership skills. The AANS is committed to being the premier voice for medical students interested in neurosurgery, providing ample opportunities for medical student leadership, meeting participation, education, and research.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Sean O'Leary (smoleary@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Anthony Price (antprice@utmb.edu)
  • Executive Senior Advisor – John Moth (jlmoth@utmb.edu)
  • Senior President – Viren Vasandani (vivasand@utmb.edu)
  • Senior Vice President – Aaron Luna (zaluna@utmb.edu)
  • Research Coordinator – Alfredo Sandoval (alfsando@utmb.edu)
  • Clinical Skills Development Coordinator – Amaanallah Mohammed (amamoham@utmb.edu)
  • Treasurer – Melissa Henwood (mkhenwoo@utmb.edu)
  • Social Media Coordinator – Chris Thang (cjthang@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Peter Kan – Neurosurgery - (ptkan@utmb.edu)
• American Medical Women's Association at UTMB

  Organization Type

  Professional, Service, Social

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  We want to bring The American Medical Women's Association (AMWA) chapter to UTMB. It is an organization which functions at the local, national, and international level to advance women in medicine and improve women's health. We achieve this by providing and developing leadership, advocacy, education, expertise, mentoring, and strategic alliances.

  
  

  Activities

  • Hosting Donation Drives
  • Tabling Booths at Events
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Attending Guest Speaker Events
  • Hosting Student Organization Fundraisers
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Hosting Presentation Practice Sessions. Volunteering

  Our chapter here at UTMB is dedicated to upholding the mission statement pillars that the national organization has set developing leadership, advocacy, education, expertise, and mentoring. We aim to empower women in healthcare to develop leadership skills through the many different positions on the board of officers. We advocate by volunteering for organizations such as the RCC and host resolution writing meetings. We aim to educate our members on various types of research and ways to build resumes for success. We provide mentorship opportunities between members and with faculty who can help support and guide one another through the journey of becoming a medical professional. We table booths at events to promote our organization to other women who are following in our footsteps to become physicians and offer them an opportunity to be supported by our organization in their personal and professional growth.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus, Off-Campus

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Vivian Nguyen (vipnguye@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Jennifer Liebig (jeliebig@utmb.edu)
  • Mentorship Chair – Inaara Aly (ibaly@utmb.edu)
  • Community Outreach Chair – Katherine O'Neill (kgoneill@utmb.edu)
  • Social Chair – Gazal Parekh (gaparekh@utmb.edu)
  • Social Chair – Amy Wang (amywang@utmb.edu)
  • Research Chair – Michelle Yang (miyang@utmb.edu)
  • Research Chair – Valerie Quach (vaquach@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)
• American Muslim Women Physician Association

  Organization Type

  Professional, Social

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The purpose of the American Muslim Women Physician Association is to improve the condition of women’s health, provide a platform for Muslim women in medicine, and raise awareness of issues regarding community welfare. This organization will allow students the chance to serve as mentors and role models to students from diverse backgrounds and religions. It will enhance the cultural and religious sensitivity among our UTMB student body.

  
  

  Activities

  • Attending Conferences
  • Hosting Donation Drives
  • Participating in Donation Drives
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Hosting Student Organization Fundraisers
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Volunteering

  The parent AMWPA organization often holds networking conferences in Dallas. They can also sponsor a few events during the year for our members' food and participation. We would like to do fundraisers for multiple things:
  

  1. To be able to organize food and hygiene outreaches for the homeless population of Galveston
  2. To fund trips to conferences to make it easier for members to attend and network, and
  3. To be able to give the most active member (based on a point system) a small scholarship or a year access to a resource of their choice with a cost limit.

   

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • Co-President – Dena Kamel (dekamel@utmb.edu)
  • Co-President – Nora Harmouch (noharmou@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Sarah Siddiqui – Internal Medicine - (sbsiddiq@UTMB.EDU)
• Art Attack

  Organization Type

  Service, Social

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Art Attack is an interprofessional student organization dedicated to celebrating various types of visual and textile arts. We provide an inclusive and safe space where people can come to learn and practice different crafts in the company of other art lovers. We also engage in community service art projects.

  
  

  Activities

  Hosting an SGA Sponsored Event, Volunteering, Other

  Art Attack provides an inclusive and safe space for students to come together and practice art, whether or not you consider yourself an artist! We have a wide variety of events, including art socials, volunteering with local Galveston organizations (Galveston Art's Center, Galveston's Own Farmer's Market), and workshops on various types of art like crochet and painting!
  We are always open to incorporating your ideas into what kinds of art and activities we do.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus, Off-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Karina Chowdhury (kachowdh@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Jessica Tran (jestran@utmb.edu)
  • Treasurer – Meghan Mallya (memallya@utmb.edu )

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Majka Woods – Office of Academic Affairs - (majwoods@utmb.edu)
• Artificial Intelligence in Medicine

  Organization Type

  Professional, Service, Social

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  • To further the use and understanding of artificial intelligence in medical practice and education.
  • Spread awareness and discuss ethical issues of Artificial Intelligence (AI) use cases in the healthcare setting.
  • Conduct research and current literature reviews as a club and reach out to departments at UTMB who may be interested in partnering with us to include AI in their research.
  • Engage the community with coding camps and AI in Learning presentations.

   

  
  

  Activities

  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Hosting Student Organization Fundraisers
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Hosting Presentation Practice Sessions
  • Volunteering

  Hosting guest speakers such as our faculty sponsor Dr. Peter McCaffrey is vital to club engagement and education of our members regarding the most pressing topics currently in the AI space.

  Hosting Student Organization fundraisers will allow us to grow the clubs resources and eventually have a dedicated computer for club member use that is equipped to handle the large processing power demands of many AI related projects.

  Creating educational materials such as handouts and PowerPoints regarding AI topics will allow us to reach students at various levels of education (elementary, middle, high & graduate school) and give them something tangible to take away from our events. This goes hand in hand with our volunteering events in which we hope to hold coding camps and challenges at multiple venues to develop members and attendees coding competencies and critical thinking skills.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • Co-President – Alvin LeBlanc (amleblan@utmb.edu)
  • Co-President – James Weatherhead (jacweath@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Peter McCaffrey, MD – Department of Pathology - (pemccaff@utmb.edu)
  • Pierre Banks, EdD – Admissions & Recruitment - (pwbanks@utmb.edu)
• Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association

  Organization Type

  Professional, Service, Social,

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  APAMSA is a national organization of medical and pre-medical students committed to addressing the unique health challenges of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, & Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities.

  
  

  • Attending Conferences
  • Tabling Booths at Events
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Attending Guest Speaker Events
  • Volunteering
  • Other

  Socials are important to recruiting members and fostering a sense of community. General Meetings are where we provide resources, guest speakers, and information regarding the national chapter.

  Regional, Hepatitis, and National Conferences are important networking and research conferences that provide opportunities for members to branch out.

  Lunar New Year is our annual school-sponsored event, which is an important cultural celebration aimed at exposing UTMB students to Asian culture, food, and games.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – James Chen (jwchen@utmb.edu)
  • Social Media Chair – Candice Do (cado@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President of External Affairs – Brian Mai (Brian.vy.mai@gmail.com)
  • Vice President of Internal Affairs – Lisa Du (lisdu@utmb.edu)
  • VP of Administration – Armaan Chokshi (archoksh@utmb.edu)
  • VP of Recruitment – Kyle Chang (khchang@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Jong Lee – Department of Surgery - (jolee@utmb.edu)
• Association of Women Surgeons

  Organization Type

  Professional, Service, Social

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The purpose of the Association of Women Surgeons (AWS) is to support, promote, and empower women surgeons in their professional and personal development within the field of surgery. Founded in 1981, AWS aims to address the unique challenges and opportunities that women surgeons face and to foster an inclusive environment within the surgical community.

  
  

  Activities

  • Attending Conferences
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Attending Guest Speaker Events
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Volunteering

  AWS equips members with research opportunities, mentorship, educational technical workshops (suturing, etc.), and more. This includes but is not limited to attending/planning national and regional conferences, submitting and presenting research at conferences, volunteer events, listening and hosting guest speakers who are practicing women surgeons to provide their experience and expertise as a woman in surgery. AWS allows for a safe environment for women pursuing surgery to learn and grow from extraordinary mentors.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Kimberley Brondeel (kcbronde@utmb.edu)
  • Co-Vice President – Jessica Cox (jrcox@utmb.edu)
  • Co-Vice President – Sabrina Pescatore (smpescat@utmb.edu)
  • Treasurer – Delaney Clark (deeclark@utmb.edu)
  • Special Events Chair – Esther Ewing (ekewing@utmb.edu)
  • Research Chair – Kandace Horn (kjhorn@utmb.edu)
  • Mentorship Chair – Megan Zachariah (mazachar@utmb.edu)
  • Communications Chair – Jessica Martella (jdmartel@utmb.edu)
  • Social Media Chair – Amy Wang (amywang@utmb.edu)
  • Social Media Chair – Gazal Parekh (gaparekh@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Diana Arellano – Dept of Surgery - Trauma and Acute Critical Care - (diarella@utmb.edu)

Student Organizations

• Catholic Medical Association

  Catholic Medical Association

  Type: Religious

  Membership: University Wide

  Mission Statement: Catholic Medical Association is an organization to allow students at UTMB to exercise, explore, and share their faith in the context of their medical education.

  Activities:

  • Attending Conferences
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Attending Guest Speaker Events
  • Volunteering

  The national chapter of Catholic Medical Association hosts a conference every year which we encourage our members to attend.

  We also have our general meetings which are typically bible study, church events, or social hang outs.

  We try to host guest speakers such as Catholic physicians or priests or other people who may have good input into a life combining medicine and our faith.

  Additionally, we have worked with our local church to volunteer at the hospital to help bring our faith to patients who are not able to leave.

  "

  Officer Board:

  • President – Zachary Baca (zjbaca@utmb.edu)
  • President – Natalia Penaloza (napenalo@utmb.edu)

  
  
  
• Check Mates

  Organization Type

  Social

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Check Mates is a club that is open to all to bring together those across campus who enjoy playing the game of chess while interacting and socializing with their peers.

  
  

  Activities

  Tabling Booths at Events

  Monthly gatherings on campus to play chess along with creating a community where UTMB students can play chess virtually on chess.com

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Navneet Venugopal (nkvenugo@utmb.edu)
  • President – John Johnson (johcjohn@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Irtiza Ahmed (irahmed@utmb.edu)
  • Secretary – Evan Wong (evwong@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Tewfeek Abu-Shami – Anesthesiology - (tkabusha@utmb.edu)
• Christians at UTMB (formerly Christians on Campus)

  Organization Type

  Religious

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  We want students to grow in their knowledge and experience of God while building meaningful relationships with a caring, warm, Christian community in the Galveston area.

  
  

  Activities

  • Attending Conferences
  • Tabling Booths at Events
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Attending Guest Speaker Events
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Volunteering
  • Other

  Christians at UTMB will be inviting students to participate in regional, national, and local college conferences. These conferences have proven valuable in connecting with others and making life-long professional relationships and peers.

  The tabling booths are for the purpose of connecting with students at UTMB, answering questions about the student organization, and making students aware of activities. We will occasionally host guest speakers who can help with an academic study of the Bible.

  We also encourage students to attend other guest speaker events for the sake of broadening learning experiences and understanding others' perspectives and insights. We also will be encouraging organization members to reach out to the community by volunteering in whatever way they think they can be helpful. It is always better to give than to receive.

  Finally, we hope to offer small group opportunities for members to learn more about the Bible through group Bible studies.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus, Off-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Weekly (Once A Week)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Tye Studhalter (tlstudha@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Claudia Thornton (cethornt@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Yu-Hsiu (Eric) Wang – Biochemistry and Molecular Biology - (yuewang@utmb.edu)
• Climbers in Medicine

  Organization Type

  Sport

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Climbers in Medicine (CIM) aims to organize students who are interested or are experienced in rock climbing and promote the sport as a leisure activity, hobby, workout, or passion.

  
  

  Activities

  Other

  Climbing practice at local climbing gyms in the surrounding cities, outdoor climbing trips to other cities, and social events.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Off-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Weekly (Once A Week),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Juan Escudero (juescude@utmb,edu)
  • Vice President – Andrew Thornton (anthornt@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Cecelia Arguelles (caarguel@UTMB.EDU)
  • Treasurer – Lauren Bluhm (lebluhm@utmb.edu)
  • Social Coordinator – Christian Frey (cgfrey@utmb.edu)
  • Secretary – Shirley Chan-Sanchez (skchansa@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Paul Park – Internal Medicine - (pspark@utmb.edu)
• Coastal Cleanup

  Organization Type

  Service Social

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The mission of Coastal Cleanup is to improve the health and safety of the Galveston beach environment and coastal waters through litter control, to provide a safe opportunity for students to socialize and get physical activity, to improve mental health, and to encourage interdisciplinary unity.

  
  

  Activities

  Volunteering,

  Volunteering in important to our organization to improve the health and safety of the Galveston beach environment and coastal waters.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Off-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Rebecca Bui (rebui@utmb.edu)
  • President – Nathaniel Bilby (njbilby@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Kyle Chang (khchang@utmb.edu )
  • Director of Operations – Bunnarin Theng (butheng@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Cristiana Rastellini – Departments of Neuroscience & Cell Biology, Microbiology & Immunology and Internal Medicine-Endocrinology - (crrastel@utmb.edu )
• Connect at UTMB

  Organization Type

  Service

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Connect at UTMB, aims to inspire and empower the youth in their educational endeavors by way of exploring STEM fields through tutoring and mentoring, while engaging interdisciplinary UTMB student professionals to connect with the Galveston community.

  
  

  Activities

  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Volunteering

  Every week throughout the semester, UTMB student volunteers meet at one of our GISD elementary/middle school partner sites for multiple interactive STEM sessions. Structured similarly to a class, mentors receive instructions on how to lead their assigned GISD mentees through an engaging STEM workshop that will stir their interest in the field. Additionally, Connect tutors meet with students weekly, on a separate day from workshop days, to assist students with any school assignments.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Off-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Weekly (Once A Week),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Sonia Patel (sonpatel@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Salman Farooqui (smfarooq@utmb.edu)

  
  
• Cricket Student Association

  Organization Type

  Sport

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The purpose of our student organisation is to bring exposure to the popular sport of cricket by organising friendly games and events.

  
  

  Activities

  Other

  Organising cricket matches will help people build a community by channelling their competitive spirits.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Off-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Yash Ramgopal (yaramgop@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Rayyan Hasan (mrhasan@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Nisarg Shah – Internal Med - Endocrinology - (nisshah@utmb.edu)
• Critical Care Club

  Organization Type

  Service Social

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  To provide students that are interested in critical care an opportunity to come together and learn more about the field through volunteer opportunities, guest speakers, local conferences, and charity events.

  
  

  Activities

  • Tabling Booths at Events
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Volunteering

  Critical Care Club gives advice on the critical care roles of nursing and helps educate the members on where they would want to go.

  Career opportunities could include: emergency room nursing, intensive care units, neonatal units, trauma/burn/cardiac units.

  We give an environment for 1st-4th semester students interested in critical care to talk about their experiences and increase coherence between the SON program.

  Often times we may have a guest speaker talking / answering questions on specific critical care occupations for example, ER/ICU/PICU. The nurse guest speakers contain lots of experience and help motivate nurses to work in critical care.

  We regularly have meetings once a month and sometimes table out different recruitment campaigns so that new members would join. Critical Care Club also has had multiple socials showing our willingness to improve communication and adherence between cohorts.

  Critical care club members have the opportunity to work at St. Vincent clinics to help the struggling locals in getting provided appropriate care for low costs.
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month),

  
  
• The Collaborative Association for Learning Mindfulness

  Organization Type

  Professional

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The purpose of The Collaborative Association for Learning Mindfulness (CALM) is to facilitate the optimization and integration of the mental health resources available to the UTMB student body by:

  1. Students helping students advancing through health education to balance the challenges of personal life and school to prevent student burn out.
  2. Increasing awareness of free counseling services and other resources available to students to improve mental health and wellness.
  3. Advocating for and helping to secure additional resources for student mental health counseling services.
  4. Hosting an annual mental health week with relaxing, educational and therapeutic activities for UTMB students.
  5. Teaching students stress management techniques and coping mechanisms.
  6. Assisting in the collection and analysis of data regarding efficacy of mental health interventions on student mental health and wellness.
  7. Providing regularly scheduled wellness activities to combat stress and encourage mental wellness.
  8. Create open dialogues amongst the UTMB student body regarding difficulties faced in their classes and holistic approaches to mental health.
  9. Hosting events that tie in the various cultural backgrounds with UTMB student body to facilitate a sense of respect, community and solidarity.

   

  
  

  Activities

  Hosting Guest Speaker Event and Attending Guest Speaker Events

  Guest speakers (e.g. UTMB professors) might be invited to speak on a variety of topics such as meditation, breathing techniques and work-life balance.

  Teaching skills to better balance school and personal life

  Advocating for additional mental health resources

  Volunteer opportunities

  Annual wellness week including guided meditation sessions

  CALM meetings

  Community events: planting mindfulness

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Semesterly (Once a Semester),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Nina Martins (ncmartin@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Akshar Patel (akspatel@utmb.edu)
  • Co-Vice President – James Flaherty (jpflaher@utmb.edu)
  • Treasurer – Mingru Liu (miliu@utmb.edu)
  • Co-Secretary – Patrick Rodriguez (Patsrodr@utmb.edu)
  • Co-Historian – Peace Anyaeji ( Pnanyaej@utmb.edu)
  • Co-Secretary – Angel Renteria (anrenter@utmb.edu )
  • Communications Coordinator – Candice Do (cado@utmb.edu)
  • Co-Vice Treasurer – Charles Park (ctpark@utmb.edu)
  • Co-Vice Treasurer – John Jung (jojung@utmb.edu )
  • Co-Historian – Nandika Mansingka (namansin@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Ruth Levine – Psychiatry - (rlevine@utmb.edu)

Student Organizations

Student Organizations

• Galveston Community Fridge

  Organization Type

  Service

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Our project aims to serve the community in Galveston with dignity and care by building a relationship with citizens and community organizations to decrease food insecurity and improve access to healthy, fresh foods. Our intervention aims to provide a readily accessible avenue dedicated to mitigating food waste in the Galveston community. Another goal we have is to participate in decreasing food waste within our community. By accepting donations from local farms, food production companies, and community organizations, we would be contributing to a significant decrease in food waste. While acknowledging our goal of mitigating food waste, we will also work to not adopt a "food is food" mindset. The community members who will be utilizing our food deserve to feel respected as well as cared for, and we want to reinforce the idea that those with food insecurity are worthy of making decisions about the food that they eat. With our feedback forms, we will also ask fridge users about their dietary preferences and what types of foods they would like to have available in the fridge. We hope for our fridge to be an asset that can give people some stability while also advocating for necessary long-term structural change, beginning with centering those directly impacted. We will sustain our project by maintaining regular re-evaluation of our project through surveys and needs assessments. We will use surveys from community members and stakeholders to gain valuable perspectives to improve the planning, conducting, and interpreting of our intervention. An evaluation is an important aspect of sustaining our project due to the importance of determining what impact these changes are having, on whom, and under what conditions, as well as informing future decisions about improvement and rollout. In addition to maintaining regular needs assessments and updates with community partners, we will also maintain connections with our partners at the University of Texas Medical Branch.

  
  

  Activities

  • Hosting Donation Drives
  • Participating in Donation Drives
  • Tabling Booths at Events
  • Creating Educational Materials

  We participate in the listed activities to bring awareness to food insecurity/deserts within the Galveston community. This includes education about resources through PowerPoint/poster presentations that are handed out at UTMB events like the student organization fair. We also host and participate in donation drives to gather shelf stable and fresh food for the fridge. These donations also come from our vendors like Mosquito Cafe, Chef Mary Bass, and Shipley's.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Dominique Johnson (dobjohns@utmb.edu)
  • President – Meagan Nkansah (mnnkans@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Lauree Thomas – Internal Medicine - (lauthoma@utmb.edu)
• Gamers in Healthcare

  Organization Type

  Social

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The purpose of the UTMB Gamers in Healthcare organization is to facilitate camaraderie and subsequently social wellness within the UTMB student body by bringing together those who enjoy playing board games, video games, and other similar activities.

  
  

  Activities

  Other

  Hosting semesterly tournaments in a variety of games to strengthen bonds between students in varying fields of healthcare.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Off-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Semesterly (Once a Semester)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Ethan Glass (etglass@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – James Chen (jwchen@utmb.edu)
  • Operations Manager – Brian Mai (brmai@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Richard Lu – Division of Minimally Invasive and Foregut Surgery, Associate Program Director - (rllu@utmb.edu)
• Global Health and Surgery

  Organization Type

  Professional

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Our goal is to be a space for all global health and surgery dialogue, be inspired by active physicians and learn how they got involved, learn how medical students to get involved at this stage of our training, and get connected to students at other institutions and countries!

  
  

  Activities

  • Attending Conferences
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Hosting an SGA Sponsored Event
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Other

  What we can provide as an organization:

  • Monthly meetings: medical students, public health students, faculty, outside speakers
  • Research opportunities (note: research is more fruitful if you're actually there. while there, students can conduct studies based on focus groups (qualitative analysis) to present solutions or even figure out what the problem is.)
  • Information for trip opportunities: UTMB connections (Kenya, dominican republic)
  • Outside connections:
    • surgeons from across the country who do work globally
    • communicate with medical students and residents in other countries

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Off-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Esther Jeong (eyjeong@utmb.edu)
  • President – Andrew Thornton (anthornt@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Bindi Naik-Mathuria – Surgery - (bnaik@umb.edu)
• Grappling Club

  Organization Type

  Sport

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The purpose of the Grappling Club is to organize students who are interested in the various grappling martial arts and teach members about grappling techniques, takedowns, and self-defense while emphasizing discipline, honor, integrity, respect, and self-improvement. The Grappling Club will form teams in Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to compete at various tournaments throughout the year.

  
  

  Activities

  Other

  Judo, BJJ, or wrestling practice at Island Grappling Academy or other local dojos in surrounding cities. Our Judo or BJJ teams will travel to compete in local and national tournaments. Our club will also host social events for members.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Off-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Tristan Nguyen (trxnguye@utmb.edu)
  • Director – Farhad Marzook (famarzoo@utmb.edu)
  • Director – Mark Sowers (mlsowers@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Liza Naydanova (eanaydan@utmb.edu)
  • Safety Officer – Diego Rivera (dmrivera@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Lawrence Sowers – Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology - (lasowers@utmb.edu)
• The Golf Club at UTMB

  Organization Type

  Sport

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The Golf Club at the University of Texas Medical Branch serves to foster an environment for students from the many professional schools of UTMB to relax through playing the game of golf. The planning events, meetings, and other activities associated with the Golf Club at the University of Texas Medical Branch will hold meetings, social events, charity events, and volunteer events involving the club members as well as invited guests and staff.

  
  

  Activities

  None

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Off-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Semesterly (Once a Semester),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Brandon Lopez (braalope@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Victor Soto (vpsoto@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Jong Lee – General Surgery - (jolee@utmb.edu)

Student Organizations

• Infectious Disease Interest Group

  Infectious Disease Interest Group
  IDIG

  Type: Professional

  Membership: University Wide

  Mission Statement: The Infectious Disease Interest Group is designed to introduce students to the field of infectious disease (ID). We will work to foster a community of like-minded individuals around the topic of ID and collaborate with other interests' groups as it relates to infections in their respective fields. UTMB is the infectious disease hub with a unique Biosafety level (BSL4) lab directly on our campus. We believe infectious disease should be highlighted more on campus and we will work to do just that.

  Activities:

  • Guest speakers in the field of Infectious Disease
  • Assisting in organizing events FOR Worlds AIDS Day
  • Vaccine administration during flu season
  • Creating events FOR Antibiotic Awareness WEEK
  • Compiling a list of Research available with specialists in ID
  • Tours of the National BSD4 lab
  • Awareness of emerging diseases on social media platforms
  • Mentoring program with Infectious Disease physicians
  • Learning SESSIONS FOR students currently in PHD

  
  
  

  Organization Website: None On File

  Organization Email: None On File

  Officer Board:

  • Marissa Nicolas – President (mrnicola@utmb.edu)
  • Jack Plewa – Vice President (jbplewa@utmb.edu)
  • Samie Rizvi – Community Service/Event Chair (rugainza@utmb.edu)
  • Austin Weynand – Research Chair (ajweynan@utmb.edu)
  • Alfredo Palacios – Public Relations & Marketing Manager (aapalaci@utmb.edu)

  
  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s):

  • Joseph Hornak – Internal Medicine (jphornak@utm.edu)

  
  
  
• Infusion at UTMB

  Organization Type

  Social Sport Other

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  At inFusion Dance, our mission is to celebrate cultures and traditions through the art of dance. We strive to create a diverse and welcoming community where students can learn, grow, and share their heritage with others. Our goal is to foster a love of dance and provide a supportive environment for students to explore their passion while embracing and respecting different cultural backgrounds.

  
  

  Activities

  Other

  Dance Workshops- Infusion teaches dance workshops of various styles. Our workshops allow for students to learn about various dance styles from different cultures all around the world (ie. Afrobeats, Bhangra, Bollywood, HipHop, K-pop). Our workshops are 1 hour and provide a fun space for socialization, physical activity, and creative expression.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Weekly (Once A Week),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Eloise-Emmanuella Taha (eztaha@utmb.edu)
  • President – Ayush Singh (ayksingh@utmb.edu)
  • Ad Hoc Dance Coordinator – Sneha Gajarla (sngajarl@utmb.edu)
  • Ad Hoc Dance Coordinator – Shiva Nuti (sanuti@utmb.edu)
  • Ad Hoc Dance Coordinator – Nihanth Palivela (nipalive@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Premal Patel – Internal Medicine - (pgpatel@utmb.edu)
• Island Kickboxing at UTMB

  Organization Type

  Social Sport

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Island Kickboxing at UTMB aims to provide a safe, fun, and inclusive environment to appreciate and learn kickboxing. The organization will provide UTMB faculty, students, and staff with a curriculum to practice and sharpen kickboxing skills while prioritizing safety and catering each class to the individual’s skill levels.

  
  

  Activities

  Other

  The club will host classes open to all skill levels for those interested in kickboxing. In addition, we will host watch events to facilitate the creation of a community that can appreciate the sport, as well as developing and hosting safety seminars for the broader community.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Weekly (Once A Week),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Levi Saucedo (lesauced@utmb.edu)
  • President – Hannah Yu (hjyu@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Kelli Blackwell (kmblackw@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Alexis Ellerbe (agellerb@utmb.edu)
  • Treasurer – Alex Sosa (alsosa@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Chandler Self – Psychiatry/Behavioral Science - (mcself@utmb.edu)

Student Organizations

Student Organizations

• Medicine in the Middle

  Organization Type

  Social Cultural

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  We provide a safe space to discuss difficult, controversial healthcare topics in a constructive way without fear of judgement. We welcome opinions from the complete spectrum and encourage people to disagree in a polite, compassionate way.

  
  

  Activities

  Other

  Gathering together to discuss topics

  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month) and Semesterly (Once a Semester)

  Officer Board

  • President – Jacob Harper (jacharpe@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – David Clark (dsclark@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • William Weiss – Orthopedics - (wiweiss@utmb.edu)
• Med-Peds Interest Group

  Organization Type

  Professional

  
  

  Membership Style

  BySchool

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The goal of this organization is to inform current medical students about the combined Internal Medicine and Pediatric specialty, Med-Peds.

  
  

  Activities

  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Volunteering

  We spend most of our time together meeting with and learning from professionals in the Med-Peds Speciality. This coming year, we are interested in doing more external activities, like providing helpful sessions or services to our classmates and community.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Noah Stephen Bowman (snbowman@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Hope Chang (hcchang@utmb.edu)

  
  
• Men Entering Nursing (MEN)

  Organization Type

  Professional Social

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The purpose of this organization is to provide a social support network for the entry of men into the nursing profession. Our end goal is to encourage more men to enter the nursing field and to instill positive perceptions of male nurses through our actions

  
  

  Activities

  Hosting Guest Speaker Events

  Our organization invites speakers to come and educate about the history of male nurses and possible barriers that could be inhibiting more men from choosing to pursue a career as nurses.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Ian Liao (ialiao@utmb.edu)
  • President – Liam de Vassal (lidevass@utmb.edu)
  • Secretary – Joshua Bryant (jmbryant@utmb.edu)
  • Professional Outreach – Aziz Rahman (aurahman@utmb.edu)
  • Secretary – Holden Stoute (hbstoute@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Zachary Carson – SON Professor - (zwcarson@utmb.edu)
• Migrant Health Initiative

  Organization Type

  Service

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Migrant Health Initiative aims to improve the overall health and emotional wellness of vulnerable and marginalized populations through holistic, high-quality, preventative, and culturally inclusive healthcare within our local communities.

  
  

  Activities

  Volunteering,

  Health fairs are conducted to perform basic health screenings for the migrant population of Houston.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Asia Eter (ameter@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Nadia Zulfa Quadri (nzquadri@utmb.edu)
  • Volunteer Coordinator – Ahmed Elsayes (akelsaye@utmb.edu)
  • Secretary – Debora Kim (dkkim@utmb.edu)
  • Historian – Zulfa Nora Harmouch (noharmou@utmb.edu)
  • Volunteer Coordinator II – Zach Zachrieh Elhaj (ztalhaj@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Hani Serag – Internal Medicine - (haserag@utmb.edu)
• Music in Medicine

  Organization Type

  Social, Cultural, Other

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Music in Medicine strives to provide instrumentalists/musicians within UTMB an avenue to express creativity with their peers and participate in events around the Galveston community that use music to uplift the spirits of those who need it most.

  
  

  Activities

  • Tabling Booths at Events
  • Volunteering
  • Other

  Music in Medicine participates in events such as tabling to increase membership and ensure the sustainability of the organization. We engage in volunteering when able to uplift the spirits of patients and the general public. We engage in various performances and social events throughout the year to encourage our members to express their creativity and find a community of like-minded individuals.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Semesterly (Once a Semester)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Pamela Horton Embrey (pahorton@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Anna Rose Beck (anrbeck@utmb.edu)
  • Treasurer – Leslie Rodriguez (lesrodri@utmb.edu)
  • Social Chair – Stephanie Kim (stekim@utmb.edu)
  • Music Producer – Jonathan Adams (jbadams@utmb.edu)
  • Outreach Coordinator – Laneisha Hale (lrhale@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Matthew Dacso – Internal Medicine - (mmdacso@utmb.edu)
• Muslim Medical Association

  Organization Type

  Religious, Cultural

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  To provide an opportunity for Muslims and those interested in Islam to come together to build friendships, memories, and a community.

  
  

  Activities

  • Attending Conferences
  • Participating in Donation Drives
  • Tabling Booths at Events
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Volunteering
  • Other

  These activities enable students involved with MMA to give back to the community in addition to the their studies. Most events we host involve learning about our religion as well as how we can implement it as humans that are a part of a greater society. This allows us to grow together and strengthen bonds with not only one another but with others around us that are impacted by what we do.

  Examples of events are going to conferences together, volunteering for beach clean up, participating in charity events, raising funds to feed the hungry, etc.

  
  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus, Off-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Bi-Weekly (Every Other Week),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Omayr Irshad (omirshad@gmail.com)
  • President – Maria Haseem (mahaseem@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Abbas Karim (aakarim@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Zaid Almubaid (zaalmuba@utmb.edu)
  • Meeting Coordinator/QI Coordinator – Ali Khan (arkhan@utmb.edu)
  • Programming Lead Coordinator – Daaniya Syeda (dasyeda@utmb.edu)
  • Programming Lead Coordinator – Maliha Mir (mmmir@utmb.edu)
  • Communications Lead Coordinator – Imrana Riaz (imriaz@utmb.edu)
  • Communications Lead Coordinator – Mehdi Sheikh (mjsheikh@utmb.edu)
  • Volunteer Lead Coordinator – Ahmed Elsayes (akelsaye@utmb.edu)
  • Mentorship Lead Coordinator – Haroon Dossani (hadossan@utmb.edu)
  • Masjid/Membership Coordinator – Zachrieh Alhaj (ztalhaj@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Sidra Qureshi – Internal Medicine - (siquresh@utmb.edu)

Student Organizations

• Oncology Interest Group

  Organization Type

  Professional

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The purpose of the Oncology Interest Group is to expose students to all fields within oncology as well as helping students become more understanding and empathetic towards cancer patients.

  
  

  Activities

  • Participating in Donation Drives
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Hosting Student Organization Fundraisers
  • Creating Educational Materials

  Be the Match Bone Marrow drive, to spread awareness about the ways in which bone marrow donation can save lives.

  We are also planning to have multiple meetings with oncologists in different specialities to help expose students to the options within the field.

  We may sell T-shirts to fundraise.

  
  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Annie B. Agee (ABAGEE@UTMB.EDU)
  • Vice President – Lisa Du (lisdu@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Sandra Hatch – Radiation Oncology - (shatch@utmb.edu)
• Opioid Preparedness Initiative

  Organization Type

  Service

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The Opioid Preparedness Initiative (OPI) is a student-led organization dedicated to addressing the critical need for opioid preparedness in our local community. Our mission is to empower businesses and the general public with the knowledge and tools necessary to respond effectively to opioid overdoses. We aim to educate business staff on the identification of an overdose, appropriate response measures, the proper use of Narcan, and provide Narcan rescue kits. OPI will extend its impact beyond businesses by setting up educational stations at community festivals to foster community-wide outreach.

  
  

  Activities

  • Tabling Booths at Events
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Volunteering

  1. Volunteer-Based Response:OPI seeks to establish a volunteer-based response program that actively engages UTMB students in providing Narcan rescue kits to local businesses. Our goal is to equip businesses, especially those at high-risk locations such as bars, with the resources they need to respond promptly to opioid overdoses. We aim to educate business staff on the identificationof an overdose, appropriate response measures, and the proper use of Narcan. UTMB students, passionate about community health, will serve as educators, delivering comprehensive training sessions that cover the science behind Narcan, its safe administration, and the absence of risks associated with administering it to non-overdosing individuals.

  2. High-Risk Locations Focus:Recognizing the specific challenges faced by businesses in high-risk locations, OPI will prioritize outreach efforts to bars and similar establishments. By fostering partnerships with local businesses, we aim to create safer environments and reduce the impact of opioid overdoses in our community.

  3. Community Festivals and Public Outreach:OPI will extend its impact beyond businesses by setting up educational stations at community festivals. Here, we will engage with the general public, offering information on opioid preparedness, distributing educational materials, and fostering a community-wide understanding of the importance of being prepared to respond to opioid overdoses.

  4. Creating Educational Materials:OPI intends to develop a set of informative posters designed to facilitate Narcan training sessions for the general public. The educational posters and presentation would be approved by our Faculty Advisor. We would require prior club member training before students are allowed to present to businesses or volunteer at festivals.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Cambrye Carter (cajcarte@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Austin Supak (alsupak@utmb.edu)
  • Treasurer – Samantha Carty (secarty@utmb.edu)
  • Public Relations – Hannah Parker (haparker@utmb.edu)
  • Event Coordinator – Christian Frey (cgfrey@utmb.edu)
  • Training and Education Director – Mason Bartman (mabartma@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Allison Mullins – Anesthesiology - (aemullin@utmb.edu)
• Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Research Society

  Organization Type

  Professional

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The purpose of the Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Research Society is to connect students and faculty for clinical research focused on orthopedic foot and ankle topics. Students are encouraged to lead their own project under faculty advising and supervision.

  
  

  Activities

  • Attending Conferences
  • Hosting Presentation Practice Sessions
  • Other

  Monthly meetings to discuss relevant research topics as well as update other members on projects and ask for feedback, help, or anything else to facilitate the project's success.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • Senior Advisory Chairman – Jordan Robbins (jbrobbin@utmb.edu)
  • Advisory Chairman – Levi Saucedo (lesauced@utmb.edu)
  • Co-Chairman – Sabrina Pescatore (smpescat@utmb.edu)
  • Co-Chairman – Sterling Deshazo (sjdeshaz@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Vinod Panchbhavi – Orthopedic Surgery - (vkpanchb@utmb.edu)
• Orthopedic Sports Medicine Research Society

  Organization Type

  Professional

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The purpose of the Orthopedic Sports Medicine Research Society is to connect students and faculty for clinical research focused on orthopedic sports medicine-related topics. Students are encouraged to lead their own projects under faculty advising and supervision.

  
  

  Activities

  Attending Conferences and Hosting Guest Speaker Events

  One of our primary objectives is to ensure that all members of the research group are well-informed about current research conferences and abstract deadlines. By doing so, we aim to empower our members with the necessary tools and knowledge to submit their abstracts and research papers to relevant conferences. This practice is of utmost importance as it allows us to access cutting-edge research, paving the way for academic advancements, professional development, and networking opportunities within the ever-changing landscape of research in Orthopedic sports medicine.

  By actively participating in research conferences, our members gain invaluable access to the latest developments in the field. Attending these conferences exposes them to groundbreaking studies, novel methodologies, and emerging trends, enabling them to expand their knowledge base and remain at the forefront of research in Orthopedic sports medicine. This exposure to current research not only fuels academic growth but also inspires new research directions and fosters innovative ideas among our members.

  In addition to academic advancements, participating in conferences and submitting research papers also facilitates professional development and networking. Research conferences serve as platforms for researchers, scholars, and professionals from diverse backgrounds and institutions to come together. By engaging with fellow experts in the field, our members have the opportunity to establish valuable connections, initiate collaborations, and gain recognition within the scientific community. These networking opportunities can open doors to potential research collaborations, grant opportunities, and career advancements.

  Staying informed about current research trends is crucial in the rapidly evolving field of Orthopedic sports medicine. By actively participating in conferences and adhering to abstract deadlines, our members ensure that they stay abreast of the latest research trends, methodologies, and technologies. This awareness enables them to adapt their research and methodologies, accordingly, ensuring that their work remains relevant, impactful, and aligned with the current needs of the field.

  To further enhance our research environment, the OSMRS also hopes to host guest speakers and meetings focused on discussing current trends in sports medicine research advancements. These events provide a platform for meaningful discussions between faculty members and students interested in researching in the field. By facilitating these discussions, we aim to foster knowledge exchange, explore different perspectives, and address challenges within the realm of Orthopedic sports medicine. The insights and experiences shared by guest speakers, who are often established researchers and experts, can provide mentorship, guidance, and inspiration for students and early-career researchers. Such discussions often pave the way for pioneering new research ideas, pushing the boundaries of knowledge in the field.

  In summary, by keeping our members informed about research conferences, abstract deadlines, and providing them with the tools to submit their work, we actively promote academic advancements, professional development, and networking opportunities within the field of Orthopedic sports medicine. Our goal is to create an environment that fosters research skills and academic development for both students and faculty, utilizing a mentorship model. Additionally, by hosting guest speakers and facilitating discussions, we aim to encourage innovative thinking and collaboration, leading to groundbreaking research in this field.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Sabrina Pescatore (smpescat@utmb.edu)
  • President – Sterling DeShazo (sjdeshaz@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • William Weiss – Orthopedics and Rehabilitation - (wiweiss@utmb.edu)
• Otolaryngology Interest Group

  Organization Type

  Professional

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Otolaryngology Interest Group is a student run organization designed to provide students with exposure and opportunities to broaden their perspective and encourage them towards the fields of ENT.

  
  

  Activities

  Attending Guest Speaker Events and Volunteering,

  We are fortunate to have an active otolaryngology residency program that involves medical students. Part of our mission is to make sure students get as much exposure to the field of otolaryngology.

  This is accomplished by attending events and workshops hosted by the UTMB otolaryngology residency department. We also strive to make a positive impact in our community, so participating in volunteering opportunities is a great way to make an impact.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Semesterly (Once a Semester)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • Executive Board Member – Michel Adeniran (miadenir@utmb.edu)
  • Executive Board Member – William Davis (wtdavis@utmb.edu)
  • Executive Board Member – Brian Mai (brmai@utmb.edu)
  • Executive Board Member – Wilhelmina Tan (witan@utmb.edu)
  • Executive Board Member – Jack Straub (jjstraub@utmb.edu)
  • Executive Board Member – Bibiana Toro Figueira (bmtorofi@utmb.edu)
  • Executive Board Member – Brian Quinlan (bpquinla@utmb.edu)
  • Executive Board Member – John Coggins (jocoggin@utmb.edu)
  • Executive Board Member – Bridget Vories (bavories@utmb.edu)
  • Executive Board Member – Taylor Nadia Quadri (nzquadri@utmb.edu)
  • Executive Board Member – Zulfa Delaney Clark (deeclark@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Harold Pine – Otolaryngology - (hspine@utmb.edu)
• Outdoor Club at UTMB

  Organization Type

  Service Social

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  To encourage UTMB students to spend time outside for the betterment of wellbeing and formation of community through accessible events.

  
  

  Activities

  • Tabling Booths at Events
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Volunteering
  • Other

  • Walks on the beach
  • Hikes in the state park
  • Hikes in the state forest
  • Beach s'more nights
  • Stargazing sessions
  • Camping in permitted beach locations/state forest locations
  • Educational workshops
  • Potentially trips to state parks farther away
  • Faculty-guided activities

  Participation in the outdoors may seem inaccessible to some, so our goal is to create a welcoming environment where everyone can spend time outside in community. Time outside supports wellbeing as well, and our hope is to provide a stress-relieving way for everyone to get some sunshine, learn a new skill, and serve in our community as well through outdoor opportunities. Given that the outdoors is not a familiar environment to many, and that we have many outdoor-passionate faculty at UTMB we plan to provide educational material and talks from faculty on recreating outdoors in various activities.
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus, Off-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • Director of Exploration – Hannah Buckingham (habuckin@utmb.edu)
  • Chair of Service & Collaboration – Jasmine Tran (jasntran@utmb.edu)
  • Chair of Social Relations & Communication – Luke Smith (belsmith@utmb.edu)
  • Chair of Marketing & Media – Audrey Schulze (amschulz@utmb.edu)
  • Chair of Planning & Logistics – Luke Hamilton (luhamilt@utmb.edu)
  • Chair of Information & Operation – Shalini Ramachandran (shramach@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Harold Pine – Otolaryngology - (hspine@utmb.edu)

Student Organizations

• Que Quiere Decir

  Organization Type

  Professional Social Cultural

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Elevating Cultural Awareness and Medical Spanish Proficiency: Our mission is to educate and empower by imparting insights into the Hispanic community's rich culture, while also equipping individuals with fundamental medical Spanish skills to enhance cross-cultural communication and care

  
  

  Activities

  • Tabling Booths at Events
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Hosting Student Organization Fundraisers
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Volunteering

  we are in the plans to spread the word as much as we can about the organization. We want to fundraise and also host events sch as loteria, "latin party", tamale sale in the winter

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Nicole Acosta (niacosta@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Mbinui Ghogomu (mbghogom@utmb.edu)
  • Treasurer – Alfredo Palacios (aapalaci@utmb.edu)
  • Event coordinator – Aparna Medarametla (apmedara@utmb.edu)
  • Event coordinator – John Jung (jojung@utmb.edu)
  • Social media coordinator – Paloma Rodriguez Paramo (palrodri@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Norma Perez – Assistant Dean - (noaperez@utmb.edu)

Student Organizations

• Salud Para Todos (previously SABES)

  Organization Type

  Cultural Other

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Salud Para Todos is a student organization that was created in light of the stark contrast between the need for Spanish-competent physicians and the exponential growth of low English-proficiency (LEP) patients. Since there is currently no medical Spanish course available to UTMB students, Salud Para Todos was created to fill the gap in education that would benefit countless patients.

  Our main goal is to effectively and efficiently teach correct Spanish grammar as well as foment cultural humility and an understanding of Latin American culture and issues. We aim to provide a comprehensive training in the basics of Spanish grammar set in the context of a patient interview with the end goal of being able to conduct a simple medical interview in Spanish.

  
  

  Activities

  Hosting Presentation Practice Sessions and Other

  Our main goal is to effectively and efficiently teach correct Spanish grammar as well as foment cultural humility and an understanding of Latin American culture and issues.

  We aim to provide a comprehensive training in the basics of Spanish grammar set in the context of a patient interview with the end goal of being able to conduct a simple medical interview in Spanish.

  Accomplishing this goal includes weekly meetings with didactic teaching, mentor-led small groups that rely on roleplaying to act out patient encounter scenarios, and guest speakers from a Hispanic background as well as representatives from other student organizations to bridge the gap between the theory of language class with the practical application of real-life communication.

  The implementation of improvements may come in the form of changing the course curriculum, modifying the responsibilities of course mentors and/or organization officers, and updating the lesson plans and course objectives.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Bi-Weekly (Every Other Week)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • Director of Logistics – Natalia Penaloza (napenalo@utmb.edu)
  • President – David Essex (dpessex@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Trevor Murphy (tlmurphy@utmb.edu)
  • Secretary – Daniela Kerguelen (dakergue@utmb.edu)
  • Treasurer – Isaac Gamez (ijgamez@utmb.edu)
  • Director of Curriculum – Samir Cayenne (sacayenn@utmb.edu)
  • Director of Curriculum – Nathan Buhler (nsbuhler@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Norma Perez – Hispanic Center of Excellence - (noaperez@utmb.edu)
• Soccer Club

  Organization Type

  Social Sport

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The purpose of our organization is to foster a collaborative and competitive soccer environment while uniting soccer enthusiasts and players from all interprofessional schools.

  
  

  Activities

  Other

  We meet twice per week to provide recreational competition after work hours.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Bi-Weekly (Twice a Week),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Lauren Frank (lbfrank@utmb.edu)
  • President – Jayson Vargas (jayvarga@utmb.edu)

  
  
• Society For Neuroscience, Galveston Chapter

  Organization Type

  Professional

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Activities

  • Attending Conferences
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Attending Guest Speaker Events
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Volunteering

  We want to educate and promote the field of neuroscience as much as possible for current students to go on to have successful careers in the neuroscience fields.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Anthony Price (antprice@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Adam Husain (adhusain@utmb.edu)

  
  
• Society for Translational Research

  Organization Type

  Professional

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The Organization is an educational association, which exists to foster the collaboration, development, and growth of graduate and medical students enrolled in the Graduate Program in Human Pathophysiology and Translational Medicine (HPTM) and the School of Medicine Scholarly concentration in Translational Research (SOM SciTR) at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). The organization shall serve to disseminate pertinent information among the membership and to further the interests of the membership by promoting participation in the University affairs as well as translational research outreach in the community. Activities shall include, but are not limited to, inviting guest speakers, honoring program students, assisting in HPTM program faculty in orientation and recruitment, and mentoring junior students.

  
  

  Activities

  Other

  Students may meet to discuss ways to improve the program for other students. Activities such as conferences, events, seminars, etc... can be suggested.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Nicholas Pittner (nipittne@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Holly Chapman (hlchapma@utmb.edu)
  • Treasurer – Elias Rojelio Alvarado (realvara@utmb.edu)
  • Secretary – Annie Agee (abagee@utmb.edu)
  • Community Liaison – Sanjana Mohanty (samohant@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Jonathan Hommel – ITS - (jdhommel@utmb.edu)
• South Asian Medical Student Association

  Organization Type

  Cultural

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  SAMSA is a UTMB based student/resident/faculty association that will provide a channel of networking, support, and open communication. Members will have the opportunity to learn and participate in events centered around South Asian culture as well as to engage in service events and socials. We hope to provide students and professionals from different schools and specializations the opportunity to form connections and strengthen healthcare delivery.

  
  

  Activities

  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Hosting Student Organization Fundraisers
  • Other

  We plan to host cultural events (Holi, Diwali) and social events (mango lassi social, Bollywood movie nights) to connect the community with South Asian culture. We would also like to host guest speaker events for South Asian physicians to speak at and work with other student organizations, in order to provide more opportunities for students to form connections within the healthcare space and give back to the community.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Other

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Teja Sunskruthi Krishna (srkrishn@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Rahul Venna (rrvenna@utmb.edu)
  • Secretary – Neha Kumar (nekumar@utmb.edu)
  • Service/Cultural Events Coordinator – Nikhita Kichili (nrkichil@utmb.edu)
  • Treasurer – Krishnateja Kommera (krkommer@utmb.edu)
  • Service/Cultural Events Coordinator – Ayush Singh (ayksingh@utmb.edu)
  • Social Media Coordinator – Aparna Medarametla (apmedara@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Sunil Sahai – Internal Medicine - (sksahai@utmb.edu)
• Spikeball Club

  Organization Type

  Social Sport

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  To pursue the recreational game of spikeball.

  
  

  Activities

  None

  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Weekly (Once A Week),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Elliott Elliott Hernandez (elaherna@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Ethan Ethan Glass (etglass@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Sunil Sahai – Internal Medicine - (sksahai@utmb.edu)
• Sports Medicine Initiative

  Organization Type

  Professional Sport

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Sports Medicine Initiative (SMI) offers guidance in taking the steps to become a Sports Medicine Specialist. We accomplish this by providing exposure to Sports Medicine certified health care professionals with years of experience as well as informative workshops, and hands on volunteering experiences

  
  

  Activities

  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Volunteering
  • Other

  Hosting guest speaker events allows our members to get greater insight into the field of sports medicine.

  Workshops help our members to start to gain foundational skills of a sports medicine specialist.

  Volunteering allows our members to have hands on experience in the field.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Other

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – David Clark (dsclark@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Jacob Harper (jacharpe@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Namita Bhardwaj – Family Medicine - (nabhardw@gmail.com)
• St. Vincent's Student-Run Clinic

  Organization Type

  Professional Service

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  St. Vincent's Student Run Clinic provides free medical care to the uninsured and underserved of Galveston Community through and interprofessional and educational environment

  
  

  Activities

  • Hosting Donation Drives
  • Participating in Donation Drives
  • Hosting Student Organization Fundraisers
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Volunteering

  The purpose of STVSC is to provide a learning opportunity to the future healthcare professionals with faculty mentorship, while learning about the health care gaps that can be seen throughout our community. We strive to help those without the resources to have equal healthcare rights to those who do. We do this through free nightly clinics three times a week, hosting health care fairs annually for general screening, and having fundraisers/donation drives to further our commitment to obtaining health care equality to those who would not be given the opportunity without these sources.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • Chair of Education and Volunteer Recruitment Committees – Staley Rose (strose@utmb.edu)
  • Administrative Chair – Jasmine Liu-Zarzuela (jaliuzar@utmb.edu)
  • Community Engagement Chair – Martha Garcia (mtgarcia@utmb.edu)
  • Chair of Finance and Interprofessional Committees – Madeline Rock (marock@utmb.edu)
  • Policies and Procedures Committee Chair – Olivia Nixon (olnixon@utmb.edu)
  • Medication Management Chair – Allie Zill (amzill@utmb.edu)
  • School of Public Health and Population Chair – Abhi Rao (abrao@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Norman Farr – Internal Medicine - (nmfarr@utmb.edu)
• Street Medicine Interest Group

  Organization Type

  Service

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  SMIG volunteers sign up for Street Rounds - a bimonthly afternoon event where we create care packs filled with seasonal and essential items (sunscreen, lotion, nail clippers, food/water, etc.) to distribute amongst Galveston's population facing homelessness. We stop at hotspots in Galveston where unhoused individuals typically visit and pass out packs and have conversations with them about their well-being and stories. We are an established and well-known organization in our community.

  
  

  Activities

  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Hosting Student Organization Fundraisers
  • Volunteering

  Hosting guest speaker events - This is important to our members learning about trauma-informed care and how to better converse with vulnerable populations such as the unhoused community. We would invite speakers who work within Galveston's community such as Pastor Michael from Galveston Central Church and Gulf Coast Center to share their experiences and wisdom about working with vulnerable groups.

  Hosting fundraisers - This is important to the sustainability of our organization and our ability to distribute goods to our unhoused neighbors as well as spreading the word of SMIG and what we do.

  Volunteering - This is the crux of our organization. Without volunteer work from our dedicated members, we would not be able to conduct our Street Rounds.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Off-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Other

  
  

  Officer Board

  • Community Engagement – Maham Gardezi (magardez@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Aymun Razzak (amrazzak@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Norman Farr – Internal Medicine - (nmfarr@utmb.edu)
• Student for Old Red

  Organization Type

  Professional

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Provide an opportunity for leadership and learning through the lens of medical history and humanities.

  
  

  Activities

  Other

  Conduct tours of anatomic and pathological specimen collections for students, faculty, and potential donors to showcase medical heritage exhibits.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Jacob Herstein (jeherste@utmb.edu)
  • President – Rachel Duncan (raduncan@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Rachel Lopes (ralopes@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Carolina Segura (carsegur@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Paula Summerly – Provost Administration - (pasummer@utmb.edu)
• Student Tennis Association

  Organization Type

  Social Sport

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Our mission is to provide a safe and inclusive space for all UTMB students, residents, and faculty to play tennis. All skill levels are welcome!

  
  

  Activities

  Other

  Tennis sessions are open to all skill levels, and we want to provide the opportunity for all students to destress, network, and learn how to play tennis.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus, Off-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Bi-Weekly (Every Other Week),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • Executive Board Member – Stephanie Kim (stekim@utmb.edu)
  • Executive Board Member – Viet Tran (vittran@utmb.edu)
  • Executive Board Member – Lily Nguyen (lilnguye@utmb.edu)
  • Executive Board Member – Jonathan Phan (jbphan@utmb.edu)
  • 2nd Year Representative – Abbas Karim (aakarim@utmb.edu)
  • Executive Board Member – Felix Fang (fefang@utmb.edu)
  • 2nd Year Representative – Rohan Shah (roshah@utmb.edu)
  • Executive Board Member – Chris Doan (cddoan@utmb.edu)
  • 2nd Year Representative – Mallory Walter (mkwalter@utmb.edu)
  • 2nd Year Representative – Suraj Vodnala (snvodnal@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Bi-Hung Peng – Department of Neurobiology - (bpeng@utmb.edu)
• Students for Accessible Patient Care

  Organization Type

  Professional Service

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The purpose of Students for Accessible Patient Care (SAPC) is to educate and inspire students, faculty, and the greater UTMB community about innovative alternatives to traditional models of healthcare, with the ultimate goals of strengthening the patient-doctor relationship and increasing access to comprehensive and affordable care.

  
  

  Activities

  • Attending Conferences
  • Hosting Donation Drives
  • Tabling Booths at Events
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events

  We would like to continue to have guest speakers from the Benjamin rush institute to come speak to us about different areas of patient care and accessibility.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month), Semesterly (Once a Semester),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Carolina Segura (carsegur@utmb.edu)
  • Senior advisor – Jasmine A. Liu-Zarzuela, (jaliuzar@UTMB.EDU)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Dr. Katherine Billingsley – Family Medicine - (kmbillin@utmb.edu)
• Students For Choice

  Organization Type

  Professional

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  "

  Founded in 1993, Students for Choice at UTMB, a chapter of Medical Students for Choice (MSFC), is dedicated to closing the gap in abortion education. We advocate for comprehensive reproductive health training, working to reshape institutional policies and expand opportunities for medical students. With over 220 chapters globally, we keep our community informed on reproductive health issues and support attendance at conferences. Our mission is to empower the next generation of healthcare professionals, ensuring universal access to compassionate and informed reproductive healthcare.

  
  

  Activities

  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Attending Guest Speaker Events
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Hosting Presentation Practice Sessions
  • Volunteering

  Advocating for comprehensive medical training is at the core of our mission, and hosting events like conferences, guest speaker sessions, and presentation practice sessions plays a pivotal role in achieving this goal. In an era of evolving laws and dynamic policies, staying informed is more critical than ever. These events provide a platform for students to engage with experts, share insights, and foster a community dedicated to reproductive health education. By actively participating in these activities, students gain valuable knowledge on policies shaping reproductive healthcare, equipping them with the tools to navigate the evolving landscape. We believe that a well-rounded medical education extends beyond textbooks, and these events contribute to a holistic learning experience, empowering students to advocate for themselves and their peers in the pursuit of comprehensive medical training. Through volunteering and creating educational materials, we further enhance our impact, fostering an environment where knowledge, advocacy, and policy awareness converge for the benefit of our members and the broader community.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Benita Lalani (balalani@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Hannah Carpenter (hvcarpen@utmb.edu)
  • Secretary – Lily Cormier (lccormie@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Lisa Campo-Engelstein – - (licampoe@utmb.edu)
• Students Improving Galveston Health Together

  Organization Type

  Service

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Students Improving Galveston Health Together (SIGHT) is an organization at UTMB that seeks to create a sustainable impact in the Galveston community. Current projects include weekly volunteering at an urban farm called Seeding Galveston, Little Free Library projects, and ocean clean-ups.

  
  

  Activities

  Volunteering

  The main projects are weekly volunteering at the urban farm Seeding Galveston, meal prep for Galveston's homeless population, Little Free Library projects, and ocean clean-ups. These activities are important to us because they allow students to connect with the Galveston community and encourage preventative healthcare through healthy living. Seeding Galveston is our biggest project and consists of gardening and farming at an urban farm. Seeding Galveston allows students to take a break from studying, connect with nature, and build relationships with the Galveston community. Most importantly, Seeding Galveston provides the community with fresh healthy produce and a way to learn about sustainable farming.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Off-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Weekly (Once A Week),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Christina Kelly (cbkelly@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Ethan Glass (etglass@utmb.edu)
  • Treasurer – Elliott Hernandez (elaherna@utmb.edu)
  • Volunteer Outreach – Yasamin Yastgar (yarastga@utmb.edu)
  • Seeding Galveston Coordinator – Ben Ganucheau (bjganuch@utmb.edu)
  • Meal Prep Coordinator – Kyle Chang (khchang@utmb.edu)
  • Secretary – Sofia Piperno (sopipern@utmb.edu)

  
  
• Students Working Against Trafficking

  Organization Type

  Professional Service

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  "

  Students Working Against Trafficking (S.W.A.T.) is an interprofessional student-run organization. S.W.A.T. functions to educate and equip students and healthcare professionals with the knowledge and resources to recognize the signs of human trafficking in patients, and how to offer victims support while raising community awareness about human trafficking. We have monthly meetings discussing various topics relating to multiple forms of human trafficking, such as: forced or bonded adult and child labor, debt bondage, involuntary servitude, sex trafficking, and more. We introduce these topics by presentations the officers have prepared, guest speakers, and trainings to recognize the signs and how to help. In addition, we offer volunteer opportunities locally and in Houston, as well as events to advocate against human trafficking and educate the community.

  "
  

  Activities

  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Attending Guest Speaker Events
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Hosting Presentation Practice Sessions
  • Volunteering

  SWAT functions to educate and equip students and healthcare professionals with the knowledge and resources to recognize the signs of human trafficking in patients, and how to offer victims support while raising community awareness about human trafficking.

  We have monthly meetings discussing various topics relating to multiple forms of human trafficking, such as: forced or bonded adult and child labor, debt bondage, involuntary servitude, sex trafficking, and more. We introduce these topics by presentations the officers have prepared, guest speakers, and trainings to recognize the signs and how to help. In addition, we offer volunteer opportunities locally and in Houston, as well as events to advocate against human trafficking and educate the community.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month), Semesterly (Once a Semester),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Lauren Conner (laconner@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Rebecca Fletcher (rebonta@utmb.edu)
  • Secretary – Ashley Driscoll (aedrisco@utmb.edu)
  • Treasurer – Roshan Shomalzadeh (roshomal@utmb.edu)
  • Social Chair – Laryn Kropik (lakropik@utmb.edu)
  • Volunteer Co-Chair – Abiya Antony (avantony@utmb.edu)
  • Volunteer Co-Chair – Angele Lundquist (aklundqu@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Julie Kutac – JSSOM - PA - (jekutac@utmb.edu)
  • Fadeke Okelola – JSSOM - PA - (ftadewol@utmb.edu)
• Sunshine Helpers

  Organization Type

  Service

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The mission of SH is to promote a culture of volunteering, empathy, and inclusivity within the campus community, specifically focusing on supporting and empowering individuals with disabilities.

  
  

  Activities

  Volunteering

  We volunteer extensively with the Sunshine Center, Christina Sullivan Foundation, Special Olympics of TX, and Waves of Impact to provide students with exposure to people with intellectual and physical disabilities.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Semesterly (Once a Semester),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • Co-Director – Valerie Quach (vaquach@utmb.edu)
  • Co-Director – Kade Thompson (kaathomp@utmb.edu)
  • Co-Director – Lily Cormier (lccormie@utmb.edu)
  • Co-Director – Jenny Jaimes Gonzalez (jjjaimes@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Karen Szauter – Department of Internal Medicine - (kszauter@utmb.edu)
• Surf Club

  Organization Type

  Sport

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Provide a radical means of stress relief through teaching surfing and providing boards for new surfers along with service events.

  
  

  Activities

  Volunteering

  Because UTMB is a coastal school, the Surf Club plans to host one coastal cleanup per semester.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Off-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Other

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Brandon Lopez (braalope@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Kyle Horton` (kyhorton@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Jong Lee – General Surgery - (jolee@utmb.edu)
• Swimming Association at UTMB

  Organization Type

  Service Social Sport

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The purpose of the Swimming Association is to provide a safe and inclusive interprofessional environment to swim, exercise, de-stress, and socialize with classmates. We will hold weekly swimming workouts at the UTMB Alumni Field House open to all skill levels. We will educate people about water safety by organizing volunteering events with topics including water safety rules in and around the pool, how to use flotation devices and swimming gear, and hydration and skin protection while swimming outdoors.

  
  

  Activities

  Creating Educational Materials and Volunteering

  We would like to host volunteering events where we teach the community of Galveston about swimming, water safety, sunscreen use, and about diving in the pool. We would most likely collaborate with other organizations for educational events and would also give the public flyers with the information discussed.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Carolina Segura (carsegur@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Daaniya Syeda (dasyeda@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Sarah E. Muir (semuir@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Dr. Pierre Banks – John Sealy School of Medicine - Office of Student Affairs & Admission - (pwbanks@utmb.edu)
• Syncope A Capella

  Organization Type

  Service Social Cultural

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  To cultivate and share our joy for music with our patients, community and beyond.

  
  

  Activities

  Volunteering and Other

  Musical performances (either on or off-campus) are the heart of our organization and our mission. We participate in university events such as white coat ceremony and graduation, as well as community events, such as Dickens on the Strand. We also have participated in volunteer activities, such as holiday caroling in the hospital.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Other

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Anna Rose Beck (anrbeck@utmb.edu)
  • President – Laneisha Hale (lrhale@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Janisah Amirah Saripada (jisaripa@utmb.edu)
  • Secretary – Amy Wang (amywang@utmb.edu)
  • Treasurer – Gengi Kleto (gekleto@utmb.edu)
  • Treasurer – Zulfa Nadia Quadri (nzquadri@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Matthew Dacso – Internal Medicine - (mmdacso@utmb.edu)

Student Organizations

• Ultrasound Interest Group

  Organization Type

  Professional

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Garner interest and allow students to gain experience using ultrasound.

  
  

  Activities

  Hosting Presentation Practice Sessions

  Lectures regarding ultrasound techniques and allowing individuals to practice

  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Paul Forks (pjforks@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Lillian Tia (litia@utmb.edu)
  • Secretary – Emily Kim (emmkim@utmb.edu)
  • Treasurer – Stanley Troung (sttroung@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Jeremy Carter – Emergency Medicine - (jemcarte@utmb.edu)
  • Paul Koscumb – Emergency Medicine - (pakoscum@utmb.edu)
• UpBeatz Urban Hip Hop and Kpop Dance Group

  Organization Type

  Social Sport Cultural

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The purpose of the organization is to provide a community for students to learn, practice, and explore urban hip hop and Korean pop (Kpop) dance genres.

  
  

  Activities

  None

  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month), Bi-Weekly (Every Other Week), Other

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Lisa Du (lisdu@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Jenny Jennifer Liebig (jeliebig@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Amy Gonzalez – Pediatrics - (algonzal@utmb.edu)
• Urology Student Association

  Organization Type

  Professional

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  We aim to connect medical students interested in urology with each other and with mentors. We will do this through regular meetings, mentorship opportunities, and activities together. We strive to have a monthly or every other month meeting with guest speakers,

  
  

  Activities

  • Attending Conferences
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Hosting Student Organization Fundraisers
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Volunteering

  We will have guest speakers from both UTMB and outside institutions. We will have mentorship opportunities and research opportunities. We will also have gatherings of students to help them get to know each other.

  We work with the Vasectomy clinic at UTMB and provide the scheduling support, supplies support, and in person assistance at all vasectomy clinics.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Coco Courtney Stewart (coastewa@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Tyler Young (tyyoung@utmb.edu)

  
  

Student Organizations

• Walk With A Doc on Galveston Campus

  Organization Type

  Service

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Walk with a Doc Galveston is a health education organization whose objectives are to allow the Galveston community the chance to ask health questions and receive accurate health information through our physician-led walking groups, to encourage walking to improve fitness and physical health, and to provide a welcoming environment for the UTMB healthcare professionals, medical students, and the Galveston public to converse, connect and support each other.

  
  

  Activities

  Hosting Guest Speaker Events

  We host guest speakers with physicians and other health care professionals on health topics to help educate the public on health tips they can incorporate into their lives and to allow the public the chance to ask health and science questions to guest speakers and medical students. Our physician lead walks begin with a 10 minutes talk from our healthcare professional or medical student guest speaker to learn about a current health topic then the rest of the hour is spent enjoying a healthy walk with other members and the Galveston community.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Precious Anih (poanih@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Benjamin Wick (bewick@utmb.edu)
  • Secretary – Gabrielle Cheney (glcheney@utmb.edu)
  • Treasurer – Lillian Tia (litia@utmb.edu)
  • Public Relations – Adaobi Ashley Dike (aadike@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Samuel Mathis – UTMB Family Medicine - (semathis@utmb.edu)
• Weightlifting Student Association

  Organization Type

  Social Sport

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Weightlifting Student Association is an educational, social, and non-profit organization meant to promote all forms of strength training in a safe way, ensure physical and mental wellness, and form camaraderie. The Association also intends to serve the community and expand the members ability to interact with community members.

  
  

  Activities

  • Tabling Booths at Events
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Attending Guest Speaker Events
  • Creating Educational Materials

  We intend to host guest speakers and attend seminars that contribute to our knowledge and experience as weightlifters, athletes, and medical professionals. We will seek out speakers who link the two worlds together and provide for us a way to incorporate our interest in our greatest hobby and sport into our profession.

  We may also create educational materials on weightlifting, exercise, and proper eating, for the gym inclined and for those not so disposed. This would allow us to practice teaching others what we have learned from our own experiences, increasing the diversity of thought, and using our teaching to better improve ourselves through solidifying what we've learned.

  We might incorporate conferences and booths for the same reasons as above.

  It is possible we will start fundraisers for gym equipment, but this will be at the discretion of the members. This would enrich our field house and allow us to leave it in a better condition than we found it.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus,

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Weekly (Once A Week), Semesterly (Once a Semester),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Brian Amburn (bramburn@utmb.edu)
  • Secretary – Sam Franklin (sjfraknl@utmb.edu)

  
  
• Wilderness Medicine Student Interest Group

  Organization Type

  Professional Service

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The purpose of this society shall be to:

  1. Educate students and our local community about medical practices as they relate to wilderness environments.
  2. Provide an association for interprofessional healthcare students actively interested in remote medicine.
  3. Encourage practice and knowledge of basic resilience and self-sustainment skills.

  
  

  Activities

  • Tabling Booths at Events
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Hosting Student Organization Fundraisers
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Hosting Presentation Practice Sessions
  • Volunteering

  These events will be part of what we offer to students in reciprocity for their valuable time input into being general members. We hope to offer amazing guest speakers from all over the country and enable UTMB students to network with these amazing practitioners who have pioneered these non-traditional careers. We plan on offering diverse clinical workshops and certifications to enable students from all the schools to develop their clinical skillsets.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  On-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month)

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Arya Gajwani (argajwan@utmb.edu)
  • Treasurer – Hannah Luk (hgluk@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Trevor Raum (tlraum@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Carlos Dostal – Internal Medicine - (crdostal@utmb.edu)
  • Randal Reinertson – Internal Medicine - (rcreiner@utmb.edu)
• Women's Association of Minority Scientists

  Organization Type

  Professional, Social, Service

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  Women's Association of Minority Scientists is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting minority/under-represented student support, community leadership, science communication, academic professionalism, and mentorship to students enrolled in doctoral STEM research programs at the University of Texas Medical Branch.

  Pillars of Success:
  • Scholarship - Promotion of external academic research scholarships and fellowships that emphasize increasing participation by historically underrepresented groups.
  • Fellowship - Development of life-long friendships with others in similar career paths that will promote positive mental health growth as one advance in the STEM field.
  • Networking - Forming a network with others from a similar cultural background on and off-campus that will promote one's growth in the STEM field.
  • Mentorship - Through communication, students and staff can express themselves in a safe environment (no judgment) concerning issues affecting under-represented groups in the STEM field. Advanced students and faculty will be a resource for younger students such as first-year students to navigate their way through a successful year.
  • Career Development - The organization will host events inviting scientists to come to speak and share their experiences as minority women in research.
  • Community Involvement - The organization will maintain community involvement through elementary, middle, and high school science by hosting activities promoting STEM.

  
  

  Activities

  • Participating in Donation Drives
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Volunteering

  General meetings, Annual Socials, Community Involvement Events (visiting/educating schools on STEMM careers), Career Development Workshops, and Self-care workshops. All of these events help to promote group unity and to represent women and minorities in STEM fields within and around Galveston.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus, Off-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Kat Regina Solomon (resolomo@utmb.edu)
  • Social Media Chair – Katherine Araya (ktaraya@utmb.edu)
  • Academic and Community Liaison – Holly Chapman (hlchapma@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Monique Ferguson – Internal Medicine - (mrfergus@utmb.edu)
• Women's Health Research and Innovation Society

  Organization Type

  Professional

  
  

  Membership Style

  University-Wide

  
  

  Mission Statement

  The Women's Health Research and Innovation Society at UTMB aims to facilitate research and innovation in women's health among UTMB students and faculty through connection to current research projects, generation of novel student-run research projects, enhancement of knowledge of women's health topics of interest, and increased understanding of research and innovation processes.

  
  

  Activities

  • Attending Conferences
  • Hosting Guest Speaker Events
  • Attending Guest Speaker Events
  • Creating Educational Materials
  • Hosting Presentation Practice Sessions
  • Other

  Regular organization meetings allow facilitation of research knowledge/skill roundtables and updates on ongoing projects.

  Attending conferences is important to present research completed as part of this organization.

  Guest speaker events allow for sharing of knowledge and development of research skills and knowledge.

  Research and educational materials are produced as part of organization affiliated research projects and as part of our goal to educate on research skills.

  
  

  Meeting Location

  Virtually, On-Campus, Off-Campus

  
  

  Meeting Frequency

  Monthly (Once a Month),

  
  

  Officer Board

  • President – Lili Kailee Shockey (keshocke@utmb.edu)
  • Vice President – Amani Patterson (arpatter@utmb.edu)
  • Secretary – Liliana Pellegrini (lipelleg@utmb.edu)
  • MS4 Representative – Elvia Villarreal (ellvilla@utmb.edu)
  • MS3 Representative – Jennifer Odoi (joodoi@utmb.edu)
  • MS2 Representative – Rahul Chauhan (rachauha@utmb.edu)

  
  

  Faculty Advisor(s)

  • Kathleen Vincent – Obstetrics & Gynecology - (klvincen@utmb.edu)

Student Organizations