Career Specialty Interest Groups (CSIGs) represent some of the 122 specialties and subspecialties that you can pursue through a residency or fellowship. CSIGs are charged with providing informative and innovative programming geared toward career exploration. Click on a CSIG below to find out what your fellow students have planned in your area of interest! If you are looking for a specialty that is not represented by a group below, contact Allison Jones about starting a new group.
Active Interest Groups
Anesthesiology Interest Group (ASIG)
Cardiology Interest Group
Dermatology Interest Group (DIG)
Emergency Medicine Interest Group (EMIG)
Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG)
Geriatric Medicine Interest Group (GMIG)
Head & Neck Surgery Interest Group (ENTIG)
Internal Medicine Interest Group (IMIG)
International Health Interest Group (IHIG)
Medical Genetics Interest Group (GIG)
Neurology Interest Group (SIGN)
Neurosurgery Interest Group (NSIG)
Nutrition Interest Group
OB/GYN Interest Group
Oncology Interest Group (OncIG)
Ophthalmology Interest Group
Orthopedic Surgery Interest Group (OSIG)
Pediatrics Interest Group (PIG)
Psychiatry Interest Group (PsyIG)
Preventive Medicine Interest Group
Radiology Interest Group (RIG)
Surgery Interest Group (SIG)
Wilderness Medicine Interest Group (WILD MIG)
Anesthesiology Student Interest Group
Student Coordinators: Masood Memarzadeh '12
Student Advisor: David Henderson '11, Ali Shefizadeh '11
Faculty Sponsor: Randy Steadman, M.D.
Support Staff: Ceci Canales
Department Website: http://www.anes.ucla.edu/
CSIG Website:
http://www.medstudent.ucla.edu/aig/main.htm
Sponsoring College: Acute Care
Anesthesiology is a branch of medicine aimed at minimizing pain through the use of drugs and/or other agents and at smoothly maintaining preopertaive, intraopertaive, and postoperative care and management of patients of all ages.
The Anesthesiology Interest Group is dedicated to introduce and educate medical students about the field of anesthesiology through a variety of meetings and activities, where students have opportunities to learn clinical skills and explore their interests by shadowing in an OR. Clinical skill workshops are held to introduce students to airway management, including techniques such as bag-valve mask and intubations. Students are also encouraged to participate in the shadowing program to follow residents/faculty in the OR, allowing them to experience directly what it's like to work in this rapidly growing and exciting field.
Cardiology Interest Group
Student Coordinators: Meaghan Beattie (head coordinator) '12, Kathryn Melamed '12
Student Advisors: Henry Cheng '11, Derek Klarin '11, Molly Quinn '11, Ben Wang '11
Faculty Sponsor: Andrew Watson, M.D.
Department Website: http://www.cardiology.med.ucla.edu/
Sponsoring College: Academic Medicine
Dermatology Interest Group
Student Coordinators: Julie Magorien (head coordinator) '12, Mitra Nejad '12
Student Advisors: Tressia Hing '11, Bryan Hiscox '11, Xin Ye '11
Faculty Sponsor: Jenny Kim, M.D., Ph.D. and Melvin Chiu, M.D.
Support Staff:
Department Website: http://www.derm.med.ucla.edu/tsite/v1/
Sponsoring College: Academic Medicine
The Dermatology Interest Group (DIG) has been founded for the purpose of advancing student knowledge of the dermatology specialty. Our objectives include:
- To pioneer a structured organization that provides a realistic view of the practice of dermatology, subspecialty opportunities, and requirements to enter the specialty.
- To provide lunchtime talks for students who have a distinct interest in expanding their knowledge base of dermatology during medical school.
- To provide networking opportunities for shadowing, research, and mentorship.
- To provide a forum for interaction between upper and under classmen who are interested in dermatology.
In order to fulfill our goals and objectives, we will utilize faculty support to provide lunchtime talks, offer mentorship opportunities, have regular meetings among medical students in their didactic and clinical training, and establish open communication among students conducting research in dermatology at UCLA. The structure of DIG includes a committee focused on didactics (lunchtime discussions), and a cabinet consisting of a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. DIG will also include both upperclassmen and underclassmen so that both clinical and didactic aspects of DIG can be better addressed and included in DIG meetings. The role of our faculty advisor is to assist DIG members in exploration of long range occupational and professional plans in dermatology, refer students to sources for specialized assistance in dermatology, and to contribute awareness of opportunities in laboratories, clinics, and field experiences. Membership includes graduate students, medical students, and faculty.
Emergency Medicine Interest Group
Student Coordinators: Paul Rabedeaux (head coordinator) '12, Jeffrey Dela Cruz '12, Natasha LaBelle '12, Liv Leuthold '12
Student Advisor: Amanda Clauson '11, Cynthia Huang '11, Victoria Scott '11, Michael Yashar '11
Faculty Sponsors: Scott Votey, M.D. and Pamela Dyne, M.D.
Resident Advisor: Andrew Seefeld, M.D.
Support Staff:
Department Website: http://www.emergencymedicine.ucla.edu/
Sponsoring College: Acute Care
The Emergency Medicine Interest Group consists of a group of medical students of all four years who work together with physicians from UCLA's Level One Trauma Center to both learn clinical skills and explore opportunities in Emergency Medicine. Dr. Scott Votey of UCLA, along with residents from the Emergency Department, help to teach the students such skills as suturing, splinting, starting IVs, and setting up and reading ECGs. The group also meets to discuss topics like planning for residency, wilderness medicine, career choices in Emergency Medicine, and much more.
EMIG supports a shadowing program whereby students follow residents during their shifts in the Emergency Room. Please refer to the shadowing section in the menu. Besides shadowing program, ride-along arrangements on the ambulance of UCLA EMS is also available.
Family Medicine Interest Group
Student Coordinators: Dave McClaskey (head coordinator) '12, Natalie Mourra '12
Student Advisors: Andrea Carter '11, Mark Lin '11, Victoria Yung '11
Faculty Sponsor: Dan Lee, M.D.
Support Staff: Bahij Austin
Department Website: http://fm.mednet.ucla.edu/index.asp
Sponsoring College: Primary Care
FMIG contributes to the development of future leaders in health care by:
- Increasing awareness of the diversity of opportunities in Family Medicine
- Promoting the value of primary care medicine within healthcare
- Collaborating with and supporting the efforts of other UCLA organizations
- Establishing a strong mentorship network amongst our members and alumni
- Collaborating with other organizations in community service events that provide opportunities for UCLA medical students to gain clinical experiences, such as the Lennox Health Fair
- Educating students on the role of Family Medicine at a local, state, and national level
- Creating opportunities for UCLA medical students to become involved in various service activities that promote Primary Care as well as personal state leadership opportunities that will be decided upon at this conference
- Allowing UCLA medical students the opportunity to meet Residency Directors from throughout California thereby helping their opportunities of matching to their preferred residency
Geriatric Medicine Interest Group (GMIG)
Student Coordinators: Thomas Blair '12, Olga Levin '12
Student Advisors: Yoon Han '11, Sarah Kim '11 , Tiffany Ly '11
Faculty Sponsor: Susan Charette, M.D. and David Ganz, M.D.
Support Staff: Anne Hu, MPH, AGE Program Coordinator
Department Website: http://www.geronet.med.ucla.edu/departments/index.htm
Sponsoring College: Primary Care
Regardless of what specialty physicians choose, the elderly will inevitably comprise a significant portion of the patient population. Statistical estimates project that by the year 2030, the geriatric population in the United States aged 65 and over will have doubled to 60 million people. The Geriatrics Medicine Interest Group (GMIG) is the UCLA student chapter of the American Geriatric Society. Our collective goals are to ignite interest in geriatrics among medical students, to disseminate knowledge and increase awareness of the special issues and research work that address the health care problems of older people, and to provide community service that focuses on the wellness of the elderly. We are determined to accomplish our goals with hour-long noon seminars, various opportunities to shadow geriatricians in both clinical and hospital settings, and undertaking several community outreach projects.
Head & Neck Surgery Interest Group (ENTIG)
Student Coordinators: Greg Sayer '12, Matt Tamplen '12
Student Advisors: Sonya Khan '11
Faculty Sponsor: Vishad Nabili, MD
Department Website: http://www.surgery.ucla.edu/headandneck/default.shtml
Sponsoring College: Applied Anatomy
Internal Medicine Interest Group
Student Coordinators: Nicole Kurzbard (head coordinator) '12, Adrienne Clark '12
Student Advisors: Laura Lock '11, Michael Yashar '11
Faculty Sponsor: Jan Tillisch, M.D.
Support Staff: Dale Best
Department Website: http://www.med.ucla.edu/modules/wfchannel/
Sponsoring College: Primary Care
International Health Interest Group
Student Coordinators: Anisa Heravian (head coordinator) '12, Arnav Mehta '12
Student Advisor: Matt Desmond '11
Faculty Sponsor: Claire Panosian, M.D.
Support Staff:
Website: http://www.medstudent.ucla.edu/ihig/
Sponsoring College: Primary Care
The International Health Interest Group (IHIG) serves to educate medical students about global health issue. This is primarily accomplished by hosting speakers with experience and knowledge relating to healthcare and the practice of medicine abroad. The IHIG talks provide an opportunity for students to gain a broader understanding of medicine and thus, a more complete medical education. The group also provides information and encouragement to those seeking to gain or expand on preexisting international experience. All medical students are encouraged to join.
Medical Genetics Interest Group
Student Coordinators: Suzanne Berkovitz (head coordinator) '12, Allison Campos '12, Theo Wingert '12
Student Advisor: Alina Katsman '11, Omid Kohannim '11, Alissa Minkovsky '11
Faculty Sponsor: Katrina Dipple, M.D.
Support Staff:
Department Website: http://www.genetics.ucla.edu/
Sponsoring College: Primary Care
Genetics is a booming field in medicine that will inarguably play a role in most of our future careers. It is also an intimidating field for physicians to appreciate as it is constantly evolving and is grounded in basic science. Our foremost goal, as a career specialty interest group, is to expose future physicians to the medical genetics division-- what type of patients they see (the classic genetic diseases), what they test (what genetic testing is available or in development), and how they treat. Any interested (and hungry) medical student is welcome to join MGIG- we are a group for the aspiring medical geneticist as well as group for the student that is just curious. Attending just one our meetings will a future family medicine physician more attuned to recognizing the inheritance pattern of a genetic hearing loss or a dermatologist more prone to referring when he sees the characteristic cafe au lait spots of neurofibromatosis.
Our inaugural meetings will include an introduction to the field, a case study session with medical geneticists, a pedigree-drawing workshop, and a meeting to discuss the current state of newborn screening in California. In addition to sponsoring our own seminars, we will inform students of other campus talks in departments such as Pathology, Human Genetics, and Biological Chemistry. We will describe options for residencies in Genetics and the requirements of these programs at major institutions. We are fortunate to be pursuing medical degrees at a university that so comprehensively studies the ethical, clinical, and scientific aspects of genetics. Genetics may appear to be an ultra-speciality but it is in fact an integrative and multi-disciplinary approach to treating disease and hence the emergence of the term genomic medicine.
Neurology Interest Group
Student Coordinators: Kevin Spitler (head coordinator) '12, Neelroop Parikshak '12, Jeff Rudie (MSTP)
Student Advisors: Aaron Alexander-Bloch '11, Kelley O'Donnell '11
Faculty Sponsor: Andrew CHarles, M.D., Jason Lerner, M.D., Martina Wiedau-Pazos, M.D.
Support Staff:
Department Website: http://www.neurology.ucla.edu/
Sponsoring College: Academic Medicine
The UCLA Chapter of the national organization Student Interest Group in Neurology (SIGN) is affiliated with the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). The purpose of this student interest group is to provide guidance and support for the increasing number of students interested in neurology at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Through SIGN, students gain exposure to both neurology and the neurosciences. SIGN coordinators facilitate communication and interaction between students and faculty members and plan events in which students can learn about life as a neurologist, residency training, and medical student clerkships. SIGN coordinators also organize an ongoing medical student shadowing program in which students have the opportunity to shadow physicians in diverse areas of neurology and attend rounds with residents, interns, and attendings. SIGN also offers a Medical Student Summer Research Program scholarship enabling students to undertake neurological research endeavors at various sites across the country. In addition, SIGN student members may attend the annual AAN meeting at no personal cost. All medical students at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA are eligible to participate in SIGN activities and there is no membership fee to join SIGN.
Neurosurgery Interest Group
Student Coordinators: Michael Safaee (head coordinator) '12, Jacob Ortiz '12
Student Advisor: Chris Sarkiss '11
Faculty Sponsor: James Ausman, M.D.
Resident Advisor: Garni Barkhoudarian, M.D.
Support Staff:
Department Website: http://neurosurgery.ucla.edu/
Sponsoring College: Applied Anatomy
Mission Statement: To educate students about a career in neurosurgery—the road to residency and the diversity of the various career paths and research that can be chosen within the specialty. To galvanize interest among the students to pursue such a unique career. To offer a companion group to the larger Surgery Interest Group in the medical school.
Nutrition Interest Group Currently Inactive
The main goal of this organization is to supplement the nutritional aspect of the medical curriculum by educating medical students about the role of nutrition in medicine and in their own lives. This will enhance the ability of students to evaluate and guide the nutritional intake of patients, and help make good decisions to prevent and treat illness. Additionally, we hope to emphasize the important role of nutrition in preventing diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, cardiovascular disease, etc.
We also hope to address the barriers to proper nutrition in low-income and underserved areas such as access to a balanced diet which would include fresh fruits and vegetables. We would also like to develop a legislative component to our group by working with other organizations such as the California Medical Association to bring about improvements in nutrition on the state level. For example, we would advocate for the complete removal of soda machines at all school levels including the middle and high school levels.
We also hope to bring about increased awareness among students of the importance of nutrition in their own health. In order to foster health habits, we would like to create a peer support network among students through cooking lessons, and potlucks.
We plan on achieving these goals through a lecture series, community-based outreach, school-based outreach, printed materials for medical students to educate patients with, as well as advocacy.
OB/GYN Interest Group
Student Coordinators: Lauren Rimoin (head coordinator) '12, Stacy Ford '12
Student Advisor: Emily Bruckner '11, Priya Menon '11
Faculty Sponsor: Robin Farias-Eisner, M.D., Ph.D. and Lauren Nathan, M.D.
Support Staff:
Department Website: http://www.uclaobgyn.com/
Sponsoring College: Primary Care
This group is open to anyone interested in becoming familiar with the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology and in Women's Health. We offer resources to educate and support students who are interested in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and serve as a liaison between medical students and The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. We sponsor lectures and panels on topics ranging from the current lifestyle of physicians practicing Obstetrics to the various sub-specialties available in both Obstetrics and Gynecology. In addition, we provide shadowing opportunities with residents at the Center for Health Sciences and with physicians in the community.
Oncology Interest Group
Student Coordinators: Kathryn Melamed '12 (head coordinator), Patrick Evers '12, Tony Hung '12, Jeremy Lorber '12, Malini Mahendra '12
Student Advisors: Delia Lupsa '11, Dharmi Patel '11
Faculty Sponsors: Gary Schiller, M.D.
Support Staff:
JCCC Website: http://www.cancer.ucla.edu
Sponsoring College: Applied Anatomy
Ophthalmology Interest Group
Student Coordinators: Matthew Quirk (head coordinator) '12, Matthew Hakimi '12, Mitra Nejad '12
Student Advisors:
Christopher Kim '11, Cynthia Huang '11
Faculty Sponsors: Lynn Gordon, M.D,. Ph.D. and Ralph Levinson, M.D.
Support Staff:
Department Website: http://www.jsei.org/index.htm
Sponsoring College: Applied Anatomy
The Ophthalmology Interest Group is devoted to increasing medical student exposure and interest in ophthalmology. This includes coordination of shadowing opportunities within the various subspecialty services at Jules Stein Eye institute, exposure to outreach opportunities through Mobile Eye Clinic and the UCLA chapter of Unite for Sight, and through guest speakers and lectures in the field.
Orthopaedic Surgery Interest Group
Student Coordinators: Andrew Battenberg (head coordinator) '12, Mansoor Arain '12, Elizabeth Jovanovich '12
Student Advisor: Phillip Ge '11, Dustin Nagrampa '11
Faculty Sponsor: Nelson SooHoo, M.D.
Department Website: http://www.ortho.medsch.ucla.edu/
Sponsoring College: Applied Anatomy
The Orthopaedic Surgery Interest Group (OSIG) at UCLA is designed for students who are interested in learning more about a career in orthopaedics. Over the course of the academic year, specially selected speakers will address a number of important issues including
- what an orthopaedic surgeon does
- what a career as an orthopaedist entails
- the different sub-specialties that one could ultimately pursue
- the qualities/experiences that make a competitive applicant
Additionally, various research, volunteer, and shadowing opportunities will be offered to interested members. Students who are considering a career in orthopaedics, as well as those who are simply curious about this often misunderstood
field, are invited to join.
Pediatrics Interest Group
Student Coordinators: Olivia Lund (head coordinator) '12, Angelica Zen '12
Treasurer: Richard Lam '12
Community Outreach Coordinator: Theo Wingert '12
Hospital Coordinator:
Laura Richter '12
Shadowing Coordinator: Jennifer Neeper '12
Student Advisor: Ramona Davoudpour '10
Faculty Sponsor: Lee Miller, M.D.
Support Staff:
Department Website: http://www.mattel.ucla.edu/
Sponsoring College: Primary Care
Preventive Medicine Interest Group Currently Inactive
Psychiatry Interest Group
Student Coordinators:
Student Advisor: Vandai Le '09
Faculty Sponsor: Margi Stuber, M.D.
Support Staff: Sherri Martinez
Department Website: http://www.psychiatry.ucla.edu/
Sponsoring College: Academic Medicine
Radiology Interest Group
Student Coordinators: Jason Lee '12, Kevin Spitler '12
Student Advisors: Omid Kohannim '11, Galya Rees '11, Jonathan Young '11
Faculty Sponsor: Theodore Hall, M.D.
Support Staff:
Department Website: http://www.radiology.ucla.edu/main.jsp
Sponsoring College: Applied Anatomy
Radiology is a field that lies at the heart of the future of medicine with its rapidly expanding power and potential in diagnostics and guided therapy.
The goals of the Radiology Interest Group (RIG) are to introduce medical students to this exciting career path, its different specialties, research opportunities, lifestyle, training, and what it takes to get there.
These goals will be accomplished through formal and informal meetings with Radiologists and Radiology Residents from different Radiology specialties and different clinical settings. Shadowing, mentoring and research opportunities will also be provided. Specific events and programs offered by the RIG include:
- Introduction to Radiology session
- Radiology specialties and applying for a Radiology residency panel
- Informal Mixer with Radiologists
- Informal Mixer with Radiology residents
- Radiology shadowing and mentoring programs
- Radiology research panel and research opportunities list
- Information on Radiology scholarships and conference
Surgery Interest Group
Student Coordinators: Omar Kattan (head coordinator) '12, Mariam Totonchy '12
Student Advisors: Joshua Elder '11, Chris Sarkiss '11, Heidi Schubmehl '11
Faculty Sponsor: Christian de Virgilio, M.D.
Support Staff:
Department Website: http://www.surgery.ucla.edu/
Sponsoring College: Applied Anatomy
While many students find themselves drawn to the world of surgery, they often have little idea of which specialty they wish to pursue. The Surgery Interest Group brings together students from a number of different interests, creating a venue for stimulating and challenging conversation among members of the student body, while simultaneously ushering them into the inner-workings of the surgical field. Immersion activities offered include lunchtime talks, preceptorships in the community, shadowing sessions in clinic and operating rooms and discussions on important research subjects including breast, transplant, vascular, cancer and other surgeries. Acting as a networking tool and motivator, our organization hopes to introduce students to their future colleagues and to begin their practical training in the arena they will one day contribute to as physicians.
Wilderness Medicine Interest Group
Student Coordinators: Rebecca Rojansky (head coordinator) '12, Anthony Daggett '12, Jesse Tweed '12
Student Advisors: Joshua Elder '11, Cynthia Huang '11
Faculty Sponsor: Scott Votey, M.D.
Support Staff:
Website: http://wms.org/studentgroups/sig_web_site/wmssighome.htm
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=30003043016
Sponsoring College: Acute Care
The mission of the UCLA Wilderness Medicine Interest Group is to educate students about wilderness medicine, the opportunities available in it and apply what they learn!
