“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members." - Coretta Scott King

Happy September! We hope that you are settling in to the new semester well. Don't hesitate to reach out to us for support - we're here to help you get started on the right foot.

This month’s newsletter is packed with opportunities and resources: participate in the Snapshots of Summer photo submission, learn more about Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and read tips for how to maintain an effective study group. Plus, check out our Navigating the DMV guide to help you get acquainted with your new home. We look forward to connecting with you throughout the semester!

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:

As September approaches, Talkspace is turning their focus toward Suicide Prevention Awareness. Suicide is never an easy subject to talk, or even think, about, but opening the conversation is one of the most powerful steps we can take to help save lives. Each suicide leaves a lasting impact on families, friends, and entire communities. While there’s no single solution to prevention, ensuring timely access to mental health care for both early intervention and acute needs is critical.

Learn more about suicide and strategies for preventing it:

5 steps to help someone in crisis

A therapist's guide to talking about suicide

About suicidal ideation

On Thursday, September 11th join the R&WC for a catered lunch and roundtable discussion on Striving for Balance: Self-Care Strategies for SMHS Success with Leigh Frame, PhD, MHS, CERT ’20, Chief Wellness Officer of GW Medicine and Director of the R&WC. Please register using the link above. Spots are first come, first served!

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 click "Get Started." You will then be asked to input your contact information and the organization keyword that corresponds with your SMHS program. Keywords include: GWU-MEDSTU (MD students), GWU-HEALTHSCI (Health Sciences students), and GWU-MEDRES (Medical Residents). 

Please note that after 12 months of using the platform, you will need to revalidate your account. You should receive notification 21 days and 7 days before your renewal deadline. Please follow this guide to help you revalidate. If you are unable to revalidate before your deadline, please reach out to Talkspace Partner Support using their Help Desk (click the button below) to be revalidated and request to continue with your current therapist.

Students who experience difficulty registering or revalidating should contact Alex Velto (alex.velto@gwu.edu).

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.

Join the Student Wellness Committee for an afternoon of fun on Wednesday, September 17th from 12-1pm in Ross Courtyard. Don't forget to bring an item you’d like to tie dye, and we’ll provide the dye, gloves, rubber bands, ziploc bag, and wash instructions. Plus, enjoy a popsicle while you create!

Open to all SMHS students - we hope to see you there!

We want to see what you were up to this summer! Submit a photo - whether it’s from a vacation, a summer internship, or just something you enjoyed doing. Photos will be included in the October edition of the Hippocampus Newsletter.

Your submission enters you into a raffle to win a disposable camera! Please submit by Sunday, September 28th at 11:59pm.

All SMHS students - including remote students - are welcome to participate.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the first Student Wellness Committee event of the year - the SMHS Ice Cream Social! We loved seeing more than 200 students from across programs come together for a fun afternoon of connection and community.

We look forward to seeing you at our next event! (See above for details)

*If you are a Health Sciences student interested in joining the Student Wellness Committee, please email us at smhsstudents@gwu.edu to express your interest. 

Last week, the 2nd floor of Ross Hall hosted an Open House to welcome students to the new space in Ross 202 and showcase the student-centered offices that recently moved there: MD Student Affairs, the Office of Student Support, the MD Office of Student Professional Enrichment, the MD Registrar’s Office, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and the MD Dean’s Office.

We were thrilled to see more than 150 students from across programs stop by to connect with staff, explore resources, and check out the space. If you couldn’t make it, we invite you to come by, say hello, and see the new offices in Ross 202 anytime!

Thank you to those of you who submitted a DMV recommendation! We received an overwhelming amount of engagement, which resulted in an extensive Navigating the DMV Guide. Click the button above to access the guide. If you have any additional recommendations, or missed our first call for submissions, don't worry! We will continue accepting submissions, and the guide will continue to be updated.

Click the button below to submit a recommendation.

The GroW Community Garden is looking for volunteers who can help out during gardening hours. The garden is located right behind the SMHS building and garden hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays 4-5pm and Sundays 2-3pm. You can register for a shift clicking the button above or the QR code on the flyer. Come join us for some time in the sun and help grow produce that will be donated to Miriam's Kitchen!

The GW SMHS Recipe Book is available for you to view! Click the button above to access it. We will continue adding to the recipe book and updating it each month with the release of our monthly newsletter. Please submit your favorite recipes below so this project can continue to grow!

-------------------------------------------------------------

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!

*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!

September seasonal produce includes: apples, grapes, melons, bell peppers, eggplant, artichoke, spinach, sweet potatoes, and more!

For this month's seasonal recipe, try out this Brie, Apple, & Fig Grilled Cheese! Brie and apples pair nicely with prosciutto, ham, and turkey if you'd like to add more protein. 

Art All Night Across the DMV - 9/12 starting at 7pm: The festival takes place in all 8 wards with different activations on each night, bringing visual and performing arts, including painting, photography, sculpture, crafts, fashion, music, literary arts, dance, theater, film, and poetry, to indoor and outdoor public and private spaces, including local businesses and restaurants.

Adams Morgan Day - 9/14: The longest-running neighborhood festival in the District has been around for more than 40 years. The lively 18th Street buzzes with music, food vendors, for-sale artwork and family-friendly activities. Celebrate one of DC’s liveliest, most diverse neighborhoods with this day-long extravaganza that is led by volunteers and showcases the businesses, artists and organizations that make up "AdMo."

Theatre Week - 9/18 - 10/5: Celebrate the theatre season in the Washington, DC region with a weeks-long promotion from TheatreWashington which includes $25, $45 and $65 tickets to highly anticipated productions at venues all over the DC area. There are musicals, dramas, comedies, theatre for young audiences and much more. In addition to discounted tickets, Theatre Week also includes special events (most of which are free) designed to entertain, educate and inspire, including the free Kickoff Fest.

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.

Key benefits of small study groups include: increased self-confidence, reinforcement of information, and development of problem solving skills. 

Research-Based Strategies and Recommendations for Small Study Groups

Research-Based Study Group Strategies

Setting Up the Study Group

Rotate Roles to Stay Balanced and Keep it Low-Pressure

Small Study Group Formats to Try

You are always welcome to stop by our office or schedule a meeting with Terri Edwards, the Learning Specialist, to discuss how you can best implement these strategies. 

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.    

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