"Spring will come and so will happiness. Hold on. Life will get warmer. " - Anita Krizzan

Happy Spring! We hope you are enjoying the cherry blossom bloom and lovely spring weather. As we continue to enjoy more daylight and warmer temperatures, consider incorporating eating, walking, and studying outside as part of your routine. Spending time outside has been shown to boost mood, reduce stress, and improve focus; one study found that spending just 120 minutes per week in nature is associated with better overall well-being and health (White et al., 2019)

To schedule a virtual or in-person meeting, contact our office at SMHSstudents@gwu.edu.

In this edition of the newsletter, you can find the following:

Plan your Study Approach Early: Use resources such as textbook and lecture questions and prior quiz and test questions to build self-assessments. These will help you identify your knowledge gaps and strengths. 

Study Actively, Not Passively: Spend the majority of your study time addressing the gaps, making sure to use active learning strategies. Using your words to summarize and answer questions is more effective than passively looking at text or repeating words from lectures and textbooks. 

Develop a Test-taking Strategy: Develop and practice test-taking strategies before the exam. Strategies include taking a few seconds to close your eyes and take a few deep breaths after every ten questions. If you cannot answer a question, consider marking an answer and moving on to save time for other questions. 

Manage Test Anxiety & Maintain Focus: Established and practiced test-taking strategies will help you maintain focus during the exam. For example, practicing multiple questions from self-assessments and practice tests and verbalizing summaries from memory will reduce test anxiety on exam day. 

If you want to discuss these exam preparation tips, schedule a meeting with Terri Edwards, Learning Specialist.

CV Support: We have a dedicated faculty advisor with whom you can schedule appointments to review and revise your CV. To schedule an appointment, email OSS  with your request and attach any resume or CV documents you may have. If you have never created a CV before, we are happy to work with you and share our template.

Learning Support: Our dedicated learning specialist, Terri Edwards, is available to meet with students to discuss active learning strategies, study strategies and scheduling, test taking strategies, and more. To book an appointment with her, please use her Calendly link.

Peer Tutoring: If you would like to work with a peer tutor, email OSS to learn more about peer-led academic support. 

Small Study Groups: Consider adding small group studying into your academic schedule. OSS assigns students to a study group of 2-5 students; the sessions are facilitated by a student who commits to that role. Groups may choose to meet in person or virtually. Contact OSS for more information to be a facilitator or participant.

Writing Coach: Coaching sessions help students build their writing confidence and develop vital writing skills for writing assignments, personal statements, and professional writing. To receive a referral to the writing coach, please email OSS directly.    

Celebrate the year with the Student Wellness Committee! 🎉 Enjoy crafts, root beer floats, and a slideshow of memories with friends! Crafting stations include: painting, coloring, bracelet making, and more. See below for how to submit photos to the slideshow.

Help us capture the memories! 📸 Submit your favorite photos for the end-of-year slideshow and celebrate the moments that made this year special! All SMHS students are welcome to submit.

Thanks to everyone who participated in last month's SWC Bake-Off! We had an incredible turnout, with over 70 students attending, and every baker receiving votes. It was a tight race, and we’re excited to announce the winners:

🥉 3rd Place: Maryam Hyder (edging out 4th place by just 2 votes!)
🥈 2nd Place: Catherine Sano
🥇 1st Place: Ejiro Agege (for her delicious lemon blueberry cheesecake!)

Be sure to join us for our next SWC event, always open to all SMHS students!

Calling all artists! Do you have a painting, print, or photograph that you'd like to share? How about some needlework, pottery, or hand-made jewelry?  

Himmelfarb Library is excited to announce its 2025 Annual Art Show, which will run from  Tuesday, April 22nd, through Thursday, May 15th. This event, now in its 37th year, is open to all students, faculty, and staff from SMHS, GWSPH, and GW Nursing. Join us for an opening reception in the library on Tuesday, April 22nd, with a reception on the first floor of Himmelfarb Library from 4pm to 5:30pm. Refreshments will be provided!

Submission Deadline: Friday, April 18, 2025
Opening Reception: Tuesday, April 22, 2025, 4-5:30 pm
Art Show Dates: April 22, 2025 - May 15, 2025

We are accepting submissions through Friday, April 18th. Please drop off your artwork at the first floor Circulation Desk. Digital copies of your work can be included in our Virtual Art Show by sending the file(s) to himmelfarb@gwu.edu and filling out the online form. You can submit exclusively to the Virtual Art Show if you prefer.

If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact us by email at himmelfarb@gwu.edu or by phone at (202) 994-2962.

Brighter and warmer spring days are here! Head outdoors to admire the beautiful spring flowers, cherry blossoms, and other spring blooms around you. Whether you’re located in the DC area or elsewhere, capture those amazing photos and enter your best shot for a chance to win a prize! All photos submitted will be showcased in the 2025 Himmelfarb Library Art Show's Spring Flowers Photo Gallery, which will be displayed both online and on-site.

How to Enter and Contest Rules:

Who Can Enter:
All students, staff, faculty, and residents affiliated with GW School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Milken Institute School of Public Health, and School of Nursing.

Judging:
Photo entries will be judged based on creativity, originality, and overall artistic impact of the subject matter. The winner will be selected by invited judges and members of the Healthy Living @ Himmelfarb committee.

*Himmelfarb Library reserves the right to cancel the contest or modify rules at its discretion. Himmelfarb Library reserves the right to reject any entry which appears to be off-topic or otherwise violates the rules.

For questions, contact deborah.wassertzug@gwu.edu.

Congratulations to all of the GW SMHS students who matched in 2025!

The Office of Student Support would like to congratulate the MD Class of 2025 on Match! We want to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and commitment you have shown during your time at GW. While this is just one step in your journey, we encourage you to take time and appreciate all you have accomplished so far. We wish you all the best in everything to come!

To see more information on Match Day 2025 and find out where the students are heading, check out the SMHS Match Day website by clicking the button above.

Have a go-to meal that gets you through tough weeks? A favorite dish that always brings comfort? Share it with your fellow students in the first-ever SMHS Community Recipe Book! We’re collecting recipes from students across SMHS to create a digital recipe book filled with quick bites, hearty meals, tasty desserts, and more!

Your submission earns you a raffle entry to win a cooking themed prize!

*Recipes do not have to be entirely your own; feel free to submit links to recipes you have found online that have become a favorite!

April seasonal produce includes: arugula, asparagus, potatoes, red onions, chives, spinach, rhubarb, and strawberries!

For this month's seasonal recipe, try out this Spring Tortellini Salad: cheese tortellini with asparagus, artichokes, peas, arugula, basil, and a simple lemon parmesan dressing. The perfect quick and easy pasta salad for springtime!

National Cherry Blossom Petalpalooza - 4/5, 1 - 9pm: Part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, this all-ages event features outdoor performances, interactive art displays, a cashless beverage garden, hands-on fun for families, strolling entertainers and more – all along the picturesque Yards Park in Capitol Riverfront. Be sure to stay for the official fireworks show. 

NMWA Exhibit Guerrilla Girls: Making Trouble - Opens 4/12: An artist collective that continues to make its mark today, Guerrilla Girls celebrate their 40th anniversary in 2025. The National Museum of Women in the Arts honor the attention-grabbing group known for their provocative, text and graphic-based prints that denounce discrimination. Their work uses bold and eye-catching aesthetics to call out gender disparity and other important social injustices across billboards, banners, buildings and other sites.

22nd Annual Georgetown French Market - 4/25 - 27: This popular open-air market - originally inspired by those often seen in France - will feature sidewalk sales and specials from more than 40 locally-owned boutiques, cafés, and galleries along Wisconsin Avenue from O St to Reservoir Rd., plus live music, stilt-walkers, face painting, a mime, and more. Neighborhood restaurants will also offer food and drink specials featuring French cuisine and beyond - from pastries, croissants, and macarons, to lunch items grilled outside, and wine discounts. 

Student Wellness Committee:

"The Wellness Committee is a group of elected students from all programs within the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences with a passion for promoting wellness in our community. We believe that as students who are training to become healthcare providers, it is critical that we learn to care for ourselves by nurturing our own personal health and wellness, as we strive to care for others. This committee seeks to promote wellness by organizing events and initiatives that enhance student wellbeing and strengthen relationships within our programs. We consider many dimensions of wellness and work with the Office for Student Support (OSS) to ensure accessibility to resources and safe spaces, as well as provide events like movie nights, picnics, cookie decorating, therapy dogs, and other initiatives to promote connectivity and healthy habits." - Student Wellness Committee Leadership

For information on how to join the Student Wellness Committee, or to send suggestions/ideas for wellness events, please send them an email.

SMHS Student - Parent Support Network

The Office of Student Support (OSS) is excited to announce an initiative aimed at connecting student-parents across SMHS. We recognize that balancing academic responsibilities with parenting can be challenging, and we want to offer a supportive network to help navigate these demands. By filling out a short google form, you will have the opportunity to receive contact information for other student-parents who are also interested in joining this network. Click here to fill out the form.

Student Organizations: Interested in joining one of the 80+ student organizations SMHS has to offer? You can find a full list of them here, updated every semester.

Want to start your own organization? The Medical Center Student Council provides guidance on the process on their website, with enrollment periods open twice a year.

April marks Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM): a time to bring attention to the widespread issue of sexual violence and empower communities to take action. This year’s theme, “Together We Act, United We Change,” highlights the power of working together to create safer, more respectful environments for all.

We encourage all members of the GW community to check out one or several of the events occurring throughout the month hosted by the GW Title IX Office, the Office of Advocacy and Support, and Health Promotion and Education.

Survivor Community Night at the Office of Advocacy and Support - 4/18

Come join the Office of Advocacy and Support on Friday, April 18th, from 5pm-7pm, for our Survivor Community Night at the OAS Townhouse, located at 520 22nd St. NW.

If you are a survivor and you are looking for a place to connect with other survivors to chill, hang out, and share community, this is the space for you! Join us at the OAS Townhouse where we will be enjoying snacks, goodies, giveaways, and an evening of fun and community care!

A Note from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center:

Sexual abuse, assault, and harassment affect individuals of every background. To address this, we must promote education around consent, healthy communication, and bystander intervention. By equipping individuals and communities with these tools, we can help prevent violence before it starts and foster a culture of respect and care. Central to this campaign is the importance of amplifying the voices of survivors, especially those most  vulnerable in our communities. Everyone in our communities deserves to live in safe and supportive environments where they are treated with respect. When our workplaces, schools, and communities work together to uphold safety and respect, we make progress in preventing sexual abuse, assault, and harassment.

Statistics show:

Together, we act; united, we change. By standing in solidarity, we can build a future free from sexual violence and create a world where everyone is safe, valued, and respected. 

Click the links below to read more about managing stress from Talkspace therapists:

How to Destress After Work

Men and Stress

How to Cope with Relationship Stress  

Managing Mom Stress

How to Tell the Difference Between Good and Bad Stress

Talkspace: As educators of our future healthcare professionals, we know how important mental health is and are pleased to offer all SMHS students a free subscription to Talkspace. Talkspace offers unlimited text messaging and four 30-minute video sessions a month with a licensed therapist and is a convenient, clinically effective, and confidential service.  You will be matched with a therapist that suits you and your needs via a special algorithm. To register, go to www.talkspace.com/gwu and input your GW email address. [Medical Residents should NOT use their MFA email address] After you are registered and matched with your therapist, you can schedule an optional 10-minute live video introduction session.  Students who experience difficulty registering should contact partners-support@talkspace.com and cc Alex Velto (alex.velto@gwu.edu).

Please note that after a year of using the platform, you will need to revalidate your account.  Go to the 'Check my coverage' feature found in your Talkspace app settings - and follow the prompts provided. If you prefer to remain connected to your current therapist, you will have to reach out to partners-support@talkspace.com to validate instead.

Student Health Center:  The Student Health Center (formally CHC) is open and operating to assist students seeking medical, psychiatric, counseling, and psychological services. Physicians and counselors provide in-person treatment in the office, and virtual appointments are offered during regular business hours. Call 202-994-5300 to schedule an appointment.  

Hours:

Monday – Friday: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm (ET); extended hours until 7pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Saturday: 12:00 pm-4:00 pm

Sunday: 12:00 pm-4:00 pm on the Mount Vernon Campus

Resiliency and Well-Being Center: OSS frequently collaborates with the GW RW&C on matters related to individual and group well-being. The R&W Center takes an evidence-based, whole-person approach in the health and wellness (well-being) services it provides to the GW medical enterprise—SMHS, GW MFA, and the GW Hospital.  The R&W Center provides individual, departmental, and institutional-level services.  

Additional Resiliency and Well-Being Center workshop information can be found here.

Want to stay up-to date with OSS Events in 2025? Click here to add the Office of Student Support (OSS) Events Calendar to your Google Calendar. You can also check out the Events Tab on the OSS website to see event details.

Interested in meeting with our learning specialist, Terri Edwards, or with our associate director, Alex Velto? Use their Calendly links to easily schedule a meeting with them! 

                             Alex's Calendly         Terri's Calendly