Student News
Feinberg students are doing some extraordinary things in the clinical spaces, research labs and out in the community. Here we share internal and external recognition they have received. For all the news on Feinberg discoveries and campus activity, visit our News Center.
Students Help Combat Food Insecurity During PandemicFueling Our Communities, started by a group of fourth-year medical students, has been working to address food insecurity among vulnerable patient populations in Chicago.
Medical Education in the Time of COVID-19The persistence of SARS-Cov-2 may fundamentally alter the landscape of medical education and hospital training, according to a Northwestern Medicine editorial published in Science Advances.
Medical Students Hold Online COVID-19 Education SessionsA team of Feinberg medical students are holding online COVID-19 information sessions for community members and organizations across the Chicagoland area.
Medical Student Helps Distribute PPE Across ChicagoTricia Pendergrast, a first-year student, helped start GetMePPEChicago, an organization that has distributed more than 60,000 N95 protective masks and other protective personal equipment to healthcare workers around the city.
Celebrating the MD Class of 2020Feinberg celebrated the MD Class of 2020 at the school’s 161st commencement ceremony, which was held virtually this year through Zoom on May 18.
Transitioning to Virtual Medical Curriculum in Response to COVID-19In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the state of Illinois’ stay-at-home order, Feinberg transformed nearly its entire medical school curriculum to be delivered online. Online learning efforts include virtual simulation courses, telehealth visits, virtual standardized patient exams and online team-based active learning activities.
MSTP Student Explores Mechanisms of Sex Differences in Alzheimer’s DiseaseSky Dominguez, a second-year student in the Medical Scientist Training Program, is currently studying the biological mechanisms underlying a sex difference in Alzheimer’s disease, as approximately two-thirds of those with the disease are women.
Student Explores Declining Opioid PrescriptionsBen Smith, a second-year medical student, led a study that found opioid prescriptions declined significantly between 2013 and 2018 in the Northwestern Memorial Hospital Emergency Department.
Adapting the Education Centered Medical Home to the COVID-19 CrisisStudents are conducting telehealth visits and reaching out to patients at high risk of complications from COVID-19, part of the transition of the Education Centered Medical Home to virtual care.
Sustaining Community Research Partnerships During COVID-19The Center for Community Health’s Alliance for Research in Chicagoland Communities (ARCC) hosted a virtual discussion for participants to share experiences, strategies and challenges about engaging and supporting community-engaged research partners during the COVID-19 pandemic.
First-Year Student Helps Organize COVID-19 Student Volunteer EffortFirst-year medical student Tazim Merchant co-organized the “Students Supporting the Community During COVID-19” project, a volunteer effort among medical students and graduate students at Feinberg that support healthcare workers, older community members and working parents in Chicago during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Elevated Gene Expression Linked to Poor Glioblastoma SurvivalThe elevated expression of a gene called LY6K was correlated with increased cancer cell growth and resistance to radiation therapy in glioblastoma, according to a recent Northwestern Medicine study.
Medical Students Organize Volunteers to Help CommunityNorthwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine students have organized a volunteer effort among medical students and graduate students to help support health care workers, older community members at higher risk for COVID-19 and working parents during the pandemic.
Celebrating Feinberg’s 2020 Residency MatchFourth-year students celebrated their residency matches and reflected on their time at Feinberg during an unconventional Match Day.- Medical Honor Society Welcomes 2020 InducteesNorthwestern’s Alpha Omega Alpha honor society chapter inducted 35 new members last week, including Feinberg students, residents, fellows, faculty and alumni.
Student Embraces a Nontraditional Path to Medical SchoolMarlise Pierre-Wright, a second-year medical student, hopes to use her experience working in health policy and her medical school education to be an advocate for patients both in the clinic and in the federal government.
Investigating the Genetic Mechanisms Behind Uterine FibroidsA recent Northwestern Medicine study has identified that a transcription factor protein called AP-1 regulates gene enhancers that may be responsible for promoting the development of uterine fibroids.
Delivering Bad News: ‘Patients Remember These Conversations Forever’A Northwestern Medicine study shows how simulation-based mastery learning helps train physicians to have difficult conversations with patients in a clear and compassionate way.
Genetic Toolkit Supports Development of Customized Cancer TherapiesA novel genetic toolkit developed by Northwestern Medicine scientists may support the development of customized therapeutic interventions for a breadth of diseases, according to a recent study published in Nature Communications.
Student Helps Organize Northwestern’s Inaugural Healthcare HackathonNeha Reddy, a second-year MSTP student, recently co-founded Northwestern’s first Health Hackathon, a two-day event focused on exploring challenges in the current healthcare system and designing creative solutions.
Student Investigates Impact of Medicine Beyond the ClinicKassandra Samuel, a third-year medical student, is interested in improving surgery — both when patients are under the knife and during their recovery.
Gene Pathway Shows Therapeutic Potential for Treatment of Autoimmune DiseasesA team of Northwestern Medicine investigators identified a specific gene as a key regulator of immune cells called invariant natural killer T cells, which may present therapeutic potential for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
Student Aims for the Crossroads of Medicine and Scientific DiscoveryAfter a stint at the Department of Health and Human Services, Ariel Thames, a third-year MSTP student, is working to do the most good by using her policy knowledge and scientific acumen to channel research discoveries into effective treatments.
Uncovering the Cellular Mechanisms Behind Genetic Mutations in ALSNorthwestern Medicine scientists have discovered that mutations in the largest genetic contributor to ALS leads to the dysfunction and eventual degeneration of certain specialized subtypes in the brain. The findings may lead to development of novel therapeutic interventions for the disease.
Remembering Virginia Bishop, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Preventive MedicineVirginia Bishop, MD, MPH, assistant professor of Preventive Medicine in the Division of Public Health Practice, was a respected colleague, educator and advocate for diversity, inclusion and equity in healthcare and medical education.
LCME Accreditation Self-Study Process Kicks Off at FeinbergThe medical school’s 18-month-long self-study process, part of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education’s accreditation process, kicked off last week.
Medical Student Helps Examine Impact of Public Charge Immigration RuleSecond-year student Salem Argaw’s research found that the Trump Administration’s Public Charge Rule would pose harm on immigrants in Cook County. Her findings helped persuade a federal judge in Chicago to issue a temporary injunction to stop the rule.
Student Synthesizes Education, Clinical Care and ActivismArchit Bharathwaj Baskaran, a second-year student, envisions using healthcare to change society for the better, through leadership and service with student and non-profit groups during his time at Feinberg.
2019 Year in ReviewFeinberg has had an exceptional year in 2019, from scientific advances to the development of breakthrough therapies and treatment strategies, as well as continued excellence in educating the next generation of medical leaders.
Operation Warm Blanket Provides Support, Resources for Chicago’s HomelessNorthwestern’s Operation Warm Blanket program, run by Northwestern Medicine staff and Feinberg students , helps Chicago’s homeless get back on their feet through providing wrap-around services, supportive housing resources and medical care.