Issue 88, August 2025

In July, I celebrated my 25th year of being 'on service,' that is, supervising residents and interns on the inpatient Internal Medicine Service. July is a time of transition; new interns begin their first clinical rotations as MDs, with new responsibility and accountability, and new residents transition to roles of supervision of interns and students. Each day comes with new learning for someone on the team – from finding the bathroom to navigating clinical reasoning, to understanding the unique life circumstances and values of a patient and their family. While always true, this year I felt unusual immense gratitude for the team – the trainees, consulting services, nurses, therapists, and pharmacist I had the honor of working with – and especially, the patients who I had the privilege to care for. It made me wonder why we refer to this time as being 'on service' and the relevance of this term today. | Full Excerpt

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) was signed into law on July 4, 2025. According to Kaiser Family Foundation, among many other provisions, the bill makes a 15% cut to Medicaid spending. This article from Berkeley Public Health explains what these cuts may mean for Americans and whether all of the anticipated adverse effects are inevitable. | Full Article

The Institute for Informatics, Data Science & Biostatistics (I2DB) are launching two new programs: a Master of Science and a Graduate Certificate in Biomedical Data Science and AI. Designed to meet the growing demand for experts at the intersection of data, technology, and healthcare, these programs offer interdisciplinary coursework, hands-on research, and flexible scheduling. With options tailored to both recent graduates and working professionals, the MS and certificate programs will prepare students to lead in the evolving landscape of biomedical data science and AI. | More Information

The disciplines of Applied Health Behavior Research (AHBR), Biostatistics, and Biomedical Informatics can provide powerful tools to help elevate your professional skills, enhance job fulfillment, and achieve career goals in groundbreaking research. Select courses are open to WashU employees for enrollment as a non-degree seeking student and are eligible for  the HR Tuition Benefit. All courses are held on the Medical Campus unless noted. | Course List & Details

Application Deadline: Thursday, August 28, 2025
Eligibility: BJH & St. Louis Children's Hospital residents/fellows in good standing who will have completed at least one year of training.
The Community Engagement Initiative (CEI) is now accepting applications for the 2025-2026 cycle. Established by the Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital, the CEI aims to provide connection and belonging to residents and fellows from transdisciplinary medical graduate programs invested in advocacy, mentorship, community building, and service-learning. | Additional Details & Application

Application Deadline: Tuesday, September 9, 2025, 11:59PM
The FITS certificate program targets junior educators (1-5 years out of training) and faculty who are newly incorporating teaching excellence into their careers. The program runs October to June each academic year and focuses on providing instruction in foundational teaching skills and establishing a community of educators with each program cohort. | Additional Details & Application

Notification of Participation Deadline: Monday, November 17, 2025
The Academy of Educators is now welcoming participant registration for Teachfest Royale: An 8-Minute Didactic Challenge on January 27, 2026, starting at 11:00 AM. This year's theme is "Lessons from Left Field: Teaching Pearls from Unexpected Places." To participate, departments/divisions/programs must first hold an internal teaching competition to choose a faculty member to compete in the January 2026 school-wide AoE event. Full details and blueprints of how other divisions and departments selected their competitor last year can be found here. Departments with multiple divisions/programs can send a competitor from each. To participate, email the Academy of Educators. Further instructions will be provided to all participants.

Date/Time: Saturday, August 9, 2025, 9:30AM-4:30PM
Location: Saint Louis Science Center | About SciFest | Volunteer
WashU's St. Louis Neuroscience Outreach organization is hosting an Amazing Brain Carnival (ABC) as part of the Saint Louis Science Center's SciFest this month. Students, postdocs, and faculty will present fun and engaging demonstrations throughout the event. SciFest is a series of free, all-day, weekend expos designed to connect families and visitors of all ages with experts and professionals in Science, Engineering, Technology and Math. Be a part of the fun and volunteer with us; no formal neuroscience knowledge is necessary! All materials will be provided. ABC is a great opportunity to meet other neuroscience enthusiasts, strengthen your science communication skills, and inspire the next generation. Questions? Please reach out to Grace Moore.

View details & register for all events here. 

Effective Teaching Series: Instruction & Assessment
Dates: August 25, October 29, December 2 and December 8, 2025
Location: Mid Campus Center, 2nd Floor, Meeting Room 2057

Building Inclusive Environments for Learners with Disabilities (BUILD)
Dates: September 10, 17, and 24, 2025
Location: Virtual

Ready, Set, Mentor! Speed Mentoring/ Networking Event
Date: October 14, 2025
Location: In-person (Calendar invite sent with location)

Register for Education Day
Date: October 14, 2025!
Theme: Cultivating Joy & Meaning in Health Professions Education.

Abstract Submission Deadline: Monday, August 18, 2025
Event Date: Wednesday, October 15 from 2:45-5:30PM
Location: FLTC Atrium | Abstract Submission
The deadline to submit an abstract for the EXPLORE Symposium is just around the corner! Submissions are encouraged from ALL students, in any phase, MD and MSTP, and at any stage from conception to completion. Awards are given for promise (early phase work) and accomplishment (late phase work). Faculty, show your support by attending the symposium and helping judge student posters. RSVP and receive an abstract booklet. | Questions? Contact the EXPLORE Team.

Amanda Pinski, a doctoral student in the Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences at WashU, has received recognition in a global essay competition for graduate students and health profession trainees. The contest was sponsored by the Lasker Foundation, a nonprofit aimed at supporting biomedical research, public health advocacy and educational initiatives. | Read More | Lasker Foundation

Isabella Gomes, MPH, MA has earned the Association of Women Surgeons Dr. Patricia Numann Medical Student Award. Named in honor of the founder of AWS, this award was established to encourage and support female medical students pursuing a career in surgery. | About AWS

Internationally renowned physician-scientist and pharmaceutical executive, P. Roy Vagelos, MD, and his wife, Diana, have pledged $15 million to bolster the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis — a pioneering program founded by Roy Vagelos more than 50 years ago to train future generations of physician-scientists. The gift will establish an endowment to help support the education, research and training of aspiring physician-scientists enrolled in one of the nation’s largest and most prestigious MD/PhD programs. | Full Story

Congratulations to Drs. Abby Spencer, Dominique Cosco, and Eva Aagaard on their outstanding contribution to medical education, as showcased in the recent Journal of Graduate Medical Education article titled "Implementation and Impact of a Graduate Medical Education Program Director Bootcamp." | Full Article

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