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Three Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (GCSOM) students, along with Vicki T. Sapp, PhD, director of student engagement, diversity and inclusion and a faculty member, attended the virtual Annual Medical Education Conference (AMEC), April 16-18.

Participating students were Richard Sofoluke and Stephanie Delma, both members of GCSOM’s MD Class of 2023; and Jessie Louis, a member of GCSOM’s MBS Class of 2020.
 
The conference, entitled, The 20/20 Vision: Dynamic Leaders for a Health Revolution, consisted of interactive workshops and sessions to prepare pre-med and medical students to become influential physicians of tomorrow.
 
The plenary sessions included a presentation of First Year Cleveland: A collective impact model to achieve equity and reduce maternal and infant mortality among women of color. First Year Cleveland was established by community leaders alarmed by the number of babies dying in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. In a city with outstanding health care and supportive services, these leaders developed an effective, comprehensive and sustainable approach to solving infant mortality. Students also attended sessions about health equity and healthy policy; improving how we implement medicine; addressing sex and gender disparities in medicine; tools for success as first-year medical student; how to choose a medical specialty; “let’s have a hair talk,” navigating healthcare with natural hair; and COVID-19 and advocating during a pandemic. 
 
Also, despite being a virtual conference, organizers still found ways for the nationwide gathering of students to meet and interact through game nights, karaoke sessions and online speed mentoring.
 
View a conference recap and student reflections here.
 
The conference is associated with the Student National Medical Association (SNMA). SNMA is committed to supporting current and future underrepresented minority medical students, addressing the needs of underserved communities, and increasing the number of clinically excellent, culturally competent and socially conscious physicians. SNMA, now an independent corporation, was founded as a sub-division of the National Medical Association (NMA), the largest and oldest national organization representing African American physicians and their patients in the United States.
Virtual Annual Medical Education Conference (AMEC) 2020
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (GCSOM) representatives attended the virtual Annual Medical Education Conference (AMEC), April 16-18, 2020. Attendees recapped the conference together afterward (pictured). Top, left to right: Stephanie Delma, MD Class of 2023; Vicki T. Sapp, PhD, director of student engagement, diversity and inclusion and assistant professor. Bottom, left to right: Jessie Louis, MBS Class of 2020; Richard Sofoluke, MD Class of 2023.