Interest Groups.

The Aesculapian Society hosts numerous interests groups for the medical students at uOttawa. The interests groups are managed by group executives who report to the VP Community Health. To join a group, click on the title of a group to access their Apollo page and subscribe to their mailing list. (Note: these links do not currently work due to the required usage of uoVPN, please access communities via Apollo )
Altitude: Healthcare Mentoring is an exciting province-wide initiative that provides medical students with a service-learning experience in the form of a mentorship program. The mentoring facet of the program matches medical students with first-year undergraduate students from underrepresented populations. The program helps undergraduate students develop the skills necessary to succeed academically and personally while providing opportunities to explore careers in healthcare. In addition, this program is dedicated to providing mentors with a rich experiential education focused around competencies important for mentorship as well as their future healthcare career. 
The focus of the Anatomy Interest Group (AIG) is on stimulating an interest in anatomy and on teaching beyond the framework of our medical school’s standard anatomy curriculum. AIG works with the Faculty of Medicine to organize hands-on dissection electives for medical students as well as organizing clinical skill workshops such as suturing, echocardiography, and clinical surface anatomy that allow students to apply their anatomical knowledge outside the classroom. The group works collaboratively with faculty, hospital staff, and other interest groups to enhance our medical school anatomy education in hopes of better preparing students for their exams, clerkship, and beyond.
Anesthesia is a dynamic field of medicine that encompasses pre-, peri-, and post-operative medicine along with pain management. Anesthesiologists are invaluable members of the healthcare team with a wide range of procedural and critical decision-making skills combined with extensive knowledge in applied physiology and pharmacology. Anesthesia is entirely focused on the patient: from optimizing their health and comfort for daily living to managing them in their most vulnerable and critical state. This group gives an avenue for students to explore this exciting field by attending talks, participating in hands-on workshops, and learning about research opportunities.

Arts in Medicine (AIM) enables and provides a creative outlet for medical students with the ultimate goal of decreasing stress and promoting good work-life balance. Our exciting events include Coffee House and Multicultural Night for performing arts, Art Show for visual arts and literature, and various workshops throughout the year! We believe that anyone, regardless of their experience or background, will be able to enrich their lives and find their own artistic voice with AIM!

CHEO Buddies is a unique and inspiring program that matches medical students with children currently undergoing treatment for cancer at CHEO. Past participants of the program have described the special friendships that can develop as "life changing." As a buddy, you will have the opportunity to make hospital visits more fun for kids and provide support for parents, while gaining insight into a family's experience with childhood cancer.     
CW/S represents nationwide resource stewardship initiatives at the University of Ottawa, with the aim of engaging, educating, and training medical students to become leaders and health advocates in preventing unnecessary tests, procedures, and treatments. Choosing Wisely Canada (CWC) is an international campaign to help both clinicians and patients engage in conversations about unnecessary tests and treatments to ensure the highest quality of care. Unnecessary tests do not add value to care and may actually be more harmful for the patient. Additionally, unnecessary tests put increased stress on the limited resources of our healthcare system. The Canadian National Specialty Societies have developed lists of “Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question”. These lists comprise of tests or treatments that are commonly used in these specialties, but not supported by evidence and may result in more harm to patients than good. In order to make sustainable changes, the issue must be targeted from the grassroots level. Thus, this interest group aims to educate medical students early in their careers on resource stewardship to ensure that they provide mindful care as future clinicians. The Students for Antimicrobial Stewardship Society (SASS) started at the University of Toronto in 2014 and is a student-led organization raising awareness of antimicrobial stewardship across Canada. Improving the use of antimicrobials is a key factor in reducing the harm of antibiotic resistance. SASS embraces a multidisciplinary approach to stewardship, collaborating with other medical groups, various health professional programs, industry, and governments. For more information about our national organizations, please visit choosingwiselycanada.org and sass-canada.ca.
Christian Medical and Dental Society (CMDS) at Ottawa is a chapter of Canada-wide CMDS, a national organization of Christian physicians, dentists, and students, who seek to honour God by integrating Christian faith within their professional practice. The purpose of CMDS is to minister to the spiritual needs of medical students by allowing a space of faith and medicine related discussions, studying scripture, prayer, food and fellowship. CMDS hopes to achieve this by inviting speakers that can speak about their faith in their profession as well as help address issues of public policy and health, and gathering on a weekly basis to share, learn, and have fellowship together. CMDS also participates in retreats and conferences with other CMDS chapters across Canada. We hope that CMDS will not only help students to find a place to share in their faith, but also grow in their faith within the Christian medical community in Ottawa.    
The clinical skills enrichment program interest group, presently a combination of the physician skills enrichment group and the bedside teaching program, is a collaborative group that brings together medical students from all four years, with the overall goal of helping them to enhance their clinical and teaching skills. The physician skills enrichment group organizes sessions for pre- clerkship students that are carried out by clerkship students as well as senior medical trainees and experts. During these sessions, pre-clerkship students will have the opportunity to review and practise approaches to physical examinations/history- taking, in preparation for upcoming examinations and clinical years. The bedside teaching program involves clerkship students teaching pre-clerkship students clinical findings from patient interactions in the Internal Medicine ward. Both components of the program allow medical students to acquire clinical and teaching skills prior to residency training and enhance CanMED competencies such as scholar, communicator and medical expert.
The goal of the Dermatology Interest Group (DIG) is to expose preclerkship students to basic dermatology curriculum. To support this goal, the DIG will be running a 6-part seminar series to help medical students build their knowledge base in dermatology and their clinical skills in identifying skin lesions. The DIG will also publish online cases to help students develop skills in recognizing, diagnosing, and managing dermatologic conditions. Basic knowledge of dermatologic conditions is useful in a variety of medical specialties (e.g., Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics), so this interest group will benefit a broad group of medical students, beyond those students who are specifically interested in dermatology. 
The Emergency Medicine Interest Group (EMIG) was started in 2007 and has grown to be a successful interest group that continues to expand every year. EMIG is committed to hosting talks, workshops, and opportunities related to topics in Emergency Medicine while bringing students, residents, and faculty together for networking opportunities. EMIG, in collaboration with the Ottawa Department of Emergency Medicine (DEM) and the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP) strives to be a useful and informative group for all interested in Emergency Medicine. Please contact: uottawaemig@gmail.com, or visit: uottawaemig.com for more information
EnviroMed is a group that strives to engage students with an interest in various aspects of the broad topic of environmental health. We consist of students who wish to explore their responsibility, as future physicians and individuals in society, pertaining to environmental issues such as pollution, climate change and sustainability. We also serve to educate students on the direct but under-appreciated effects that environmental factors exert on human health and the practice of medicine. We aim to provide opportunities for advocacy, volunteering, education and connecting to experts on the increasingly relevant societal issues involving the environment.
 Family medicine is a wonderful and all-encompassing field of medicine. Practitioners are privileged to be able to enjoy a great variety in their work; build close, long-term doctor-patient relationships; and foster strong ties in their communities. Family doctors are front-line medical care providers who seek to treat the physical, emotional and spiritual ailments of their patients. It is a very exciting field of medicine that can be tailored to the practitioner’s interest whether than be emergency medicine, clinical visits, anesthesia, oncology, hospital rounds, deliveries, pediatrics, palliative care or anything in between! If you think this may be the career for you, come check out the many events put on by the Family Medicine Interest Group. Our guest speakers are general practitioners whose areas of practice include almost all medical specialties. 
The objective of this interest group is to showcase a diverse set of skills pertaining to business and financial management that is currently under taught in the medical curriculum. In addition to discussing the importance of budgeting and financial management for medical students/physicians, we will also showcase speakers with diverse backgrounds covering topics such as: entrepreneurship in medicine, lifestyles of different specialties outside of the office, physician remuneration models, the logistics of running a daily practice, and much more. This initiative will provide all students with essential resources to be a competent and successful medical students and practicing physician.

Key Topics: loans, insurance, how to open a practice, physician remuneration, tax system
The Canadian population continues to age as more people find themselves above the age of 65. The demand for care of the elderly is therefore growing as a major field in medicine. While geriatricians are quickly becoming some of the most sought-after physicians across Canada, doctors in all aspects of medicine will also be caring for an increasing number of elderly patients. They present a unique set of challenges and complexities for physicians since problems such as dependence and frailty must be considered when providing care. The main goal of the Geriatrics Interest Group is to provide undergraduate medical students with an awareness and understanding of the needs of this growing demographic. More importantly, we aim to help students, as future physicians, in considering key issues in the proper care of elderly patients, including ongoing challenges and improvements in geriatric medicine. We will provide various presentations and discussion panels, as well as opportunities for workshop, conference and community activity, which will aid students in exploring the fascinating field of geriatrics.
The Global Health Interest group (GHIG) aims to strengthens the global health community at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine by increasing awareness about a variety of issues impacting both our local and global communities. We encourage student involvement in various academic and social events, which discuss topics like overseas medical and research electives, and outline possible future careers in global health. This year will also feature many opportunities to learn about international health, refugee health, Indigenous health, humanitarian work, ethical medical photography, and more!
Hearing impairments can go undetected in children, which can lead to developmental, social, and language delays. It is thus important to detect hearing problems as early as possible; however, the majority of children do not undergo regular hearing testing. Dr. Bromwich at CHEO developed an iPad App that is disguised as a game but has the ability to quickly detect potential hearing impairments. Our aim is to go out in the community and use this App to screen for hearing impairments in children attending Ottawa elementary schools! 
The Indigenous Health Interest Group (IHIG), previously known as the Aboriginal Health Interest Group (AHIG), was created by the students of the Faculty of Medicine’s Indigenous Program to promote interest in Indigenous health, culture and history. Its objectives are to provide the members of our group and our fellow medical students with information regarding the health issues faced by Indigenous populations, traditional methods of healing and a holistic approach to health care. We also aim to increase awareness of the importance of cultural competency in the field of medicine and an understanding of health care in Indigenous communities. Membership is open to all students.
One of the most important determinants of health is income. Whether in primary health care or within a medical specialty, physicians will come into contact with patients whose low socioeconomic status is directly related to their health issues. People who are homeless or at risk of becoming so are more likely to suffer from mental illness, drug and alcohol addictions, and various forms of abuse. They may also face multiple barriers to accessing health care resources, be it due to transportation costs, past negative experiences with the health care system, or lack of a health card.                         

The Inner City Health Interest Group is based on encouraging students to learn more about the role of physicians in the care of the marginalized and less fortunate populations and, to be aware of the community resources available for this population. Students will have the opportunity to: learn about inner city health related topics (harm reduction, addiction, equity, child poverty, etc.), develop skills in sensitivity, learn about appropriate history taking, participate in electives, and be connected to research opportunities.
Our main objective is to facilitate communication between interested students and professionals in Internal Medicine and subspecialties through a variety of seminars and workshops. In our local University of Ottawa community, we hope to help our peers establish beneficial contacts in the field of Internal Medicine. We want to provide medical students with a better understanding of the life within a certain sub-specialty by organizing speakers and social events and create a network among the student bodies so that students can share information regarding elective experiences, research opportunities etc. We hope to enhance the clinical skills of medical students by providing educational workshops taught by residents in Internal Medicine.

The iScreen program was initiated in the summer of 2010. It has been successfully run ever since, training medical students on visual acuity exams and providing vision testing services for many kindergarten/elementary schools in Ottawa. iScreen is a unique interest group in that it not only provides medical students with the opportunity to learn about the use of screening tests to identify pathologic conditions, but it also allows students to get practical experience that is relevant to their medical education and at the same time make a difference in their community. One of the serious vision disorders we are screening for is amblyopia, which can lead to permanent blindness in one eye or both if it is not addressed early on, and it occurs in approximately 4% of the child population We are extremely excited for the iScreen program this year, and we hope to have more student involvement and screening sessions than ever before! 
The Jewish Medical Students Association or JMSA was established to provide a forum for Jewish and non-Jewish medical students to discuss, debate, and learn how Jewish ethics relate to the world of everyday medical practices in Canada. It involves educational and social programs for students and physicians that focus on the Jewish perspective of various important medical topics, such as abortion, physician-assisted suicide, and organ donation. We believe that both ancient and modern Jewish teachings provide many important lessons for today’s physicians, regardless of one’s background. Our events include talks by local physicians and rabbis about Jewish medical ethics, Friday night dinners with fellow members, and other fun and exciting social programs.
This group strives to expose students to the nature of the political landscape within which our healthcare system is situated and to foster interest in both health policy and physician leadership. We hope to stress the importance of active participation by physicians in shaping our ever-changing healthcare system to best meet modern demands or, at the very least, the importance of being acutely aware of the strengths and weaknesses of said system. We intend on featuring a wide array of speakers from varying leadership roles within medicine, government, academia and provincial and federal legislatures. This upcoming year, we will also look to provide practical information and skills development through hands-on workshops emphasizing and improving on leadership and advocacy skills and discovering where they may, one day, be put to use in a healthcare setting.
Our mandate is to create opportunities that will allow medical students to evolve their sense of awareness, tolerance, acceptance, cross-cultural competence, and compassion for patients from underrepresented populations. We accomplish this by delivering 10 to 20 one hour seminars that will help students better understand gender and sexuality and acquire the knowledge to better serve deaf patients, blind patients, and other vulnerable population. We are also working to provide community outreach opportunities in partnership with the Canadian Centre for gender and sexual diversity (http://ccgsd-ccdgs.org/) and SFUO Pride Centre (http://sfuo.ca/services/pride), to name a few examples. Furthermore, we work to ensure equality in health care for LGBTQA+ individuals and healthcare professionals, and to support members challenged by discrimination. Our group works to combat homophobia, transphobia and all other forms of discrimination within the medical profession and in society at large. We strive to foster a professional climate in which diverse members of the community can achieve their full potential. Our vision is to enable respectful, skilful, safe and mindful medical practice of our future physicians while offering formal and informal settings for students to build community and solidarity with their fellow peers. We also have social gatherings with LGBTQA+ medical students and allies as well as a LGBTQA+ Mentorship program that meets once a month. All are welcome to our group!
As medical students and future doctors, our careers will incorporate a significant teaching component. From patient education, teaching in clerkship and residency, to working as preceptors and professors, teaching is fundamental to medical practice. The Medical Education Interest Group (MEIG) aims to provide undergraduate medical students with the skills to help them feel confident and excel in teaching roles they will take on throughout their careers. Through workshops offered in the fall, students will learn effective strategies and techniques in education. In the winter, group members will have the opportunity to put those skills into practice as lecturers and leaders for the extremely popular MedTalks series – a sequence of lectures and small group sessions about medical topics designed and delivered by medical students to undergraduates. Our program is proudly offered in both English and French to accommodate all students. This year we also aim to have a bigger focus on Medical Education Research by expanding opportunities for students to network with researchers in medical education and become involved in this research. 
The Medical Mythbusters Interest Group was developed to demystify the process of pursuing a career in healthcare, and in doing so, to advocate for mental and physical wellbeing in high school students interested in pursuing a career in healthcare. High school science programs from around Ottawa will be invited to participate in an afternoon field trip to the anatomy lab to attend a 2-hour experience hosted by our team. The time will be equally split into two components: I) an anatomy tutorial of various systems with emphasis on their clinical significance, and II) a presentation by our medical students on university, medical school, how to maintain a healthy work-life balance, and a Q&A session. Overall, the Medical Mythbusters Interest Group provides a great platform for medical students to promote a lifelong focus on wellbeing to high school students before they enter university. 
The Medical Students Promoting Nutrition Interest Group (MSPN IG) aims to promote eating healthily and exercising regularly amongst medical students, introduce children to the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, and educate medical students about the importance of nutrition in patient wellbeing and preventative medicine. We promote a healthy lifestyle amongst fellow medical students through the creation of a healthy cookbook and the scheduling of cooking classes. We also introduce elementary school children, through the Canada Food guide, the importance of a healthy diet, and the role of physical exercise in a healthy lifestyle. Each year, we teach medical students about the role of dieticians in patient care and the importance of nutrition in the prevention of chronic disease. We also introduce students to charitable nutrition initiatives around the community and nutrition research opportunities in Ottawa-area hospitals. We strive to teach individuals of all ages the importance of a healthy lifestyle in personal wellbeing, the importance of nutrition in social advocacy, and the role of nutrition in preventing chronic disease. 
The primary goal of the MHIG is to assist future healthcare providers in gaining a better understanding of the various health needs that are unique to their male patients. Because many of these issues can be sensitive to talk about, male and female physicians play a crucial role towards making improvements at both the advocacy and primary care levels. A major component of our group this year will be the Movember campaign, which aims to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health issues. Students will be able to attend talks, participate in fundraising effort, and complete physical activity challenges to raise money and awareness for this important cause. Our lunchtime talk series for topics will include prostate/testicular cancer awareness, urology career talks, surgical procedures for male fertility, treatment strategies for Men’s health at the primary care level, male genetic disorders, and more. Students will also have the opportunity to gain MSPR hours and increase their knowledge of men’s health issues through our Men’s Health Curriculum program. Finally, hands-on learning opportunities such as electives at the Fertility clinic and a Urology Surgical Workshop at the SIM Centre will also be available to those interested in expanding their knowledge of the diverse treatment options for men’s health issues.
The Muslim Medical Association (MMA) is a University of Ottawa group that caters to the needs of Muslim students in health- related fields by providing support, services, programs, social events, workshops and resources for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. We offer various lunch & Learn sessions in which students gain the opportunity to learn about different topics such as Islamic perspective on medical ethics, cultural barriers relating to care of muslim patients, sensitive issues in islam, and integrating spirituality in your medical practice. We also partner with the Muslim Medical Association of Canada to offer mentorship to students interested in or already pursuing medicine. Lastly we host a variety of social events including our annual Med-Law Eid social, giving students the chance to build their social networks in a warm and welcoming environment. The group can be contacted at ottawa@muslimmeds.ca
Almost all physicians will care for patients who have been affected by cancer at some point in their career. The field of oncology is constantly changing from evolving guidelines to novel personalized therapies. The pre-clerkship medical curriculum can only provide a brief introduction to this exciting specialty. Moreover, the fight against cancer is one that extends beyond medicine to spark initiatives among communities aimed at fundraising and enhancing the quality of life for people living with cancer. Our goal is to bridge the gap between medical students and the staff and residents representing the various divisions of oncology while raising awareness about opportunities to get involved in research and community outreach. We would like to provide our fellow classmates with the opportunity to gain experience and knowledge in the various fields of oncology so they may explore their own interests as well as learn skills that will be useful to them during clerkship and post-graduation.
The Ophthalmology Interest Group (OIG) provides students with the opportunity to explore this wonderful field of medicine. Management of ocular conditions emcompasses many specialities outside of ophthalmology, including primary care, pediatrics, and emergency medicine. Medical students receive little exposure to ophthalmology during both pre-clerkship lectures and clerkship rotations. Because ophthalmology is one of the more competitive specialties, students would particularly benefit from gaining early perspective in ophthalmology as a career. Thus, our goal is to provide ophthalmology-naive students with the opportunity to explore new territory, as well as to help students already interested in the speciality by furthering their knowledge and connecting them with mentors to help them move forward towards a potential career in the ophthalmology. OIG hopes to accomplish these goals by providing talks, seminars, and workshops with staff, residents, medical students, and community organizations. It will also be a resource for students to learn about the CaRMS process, subspecialities, research, and service projects involved in ophthalmology. 
Pathology involves the examination of tissue specimens to make the official diagnosis of a patient. Pathologists play a crucial role in the multidisciplinary medical team and their findings can often guide patient management. Unfortunately, pathology is not very well represented in the medical school curriculum, especially during Clerkship. The Pathology Interest Group (PIG) aims to show students a side of pathology that they do not get to see from lectures through a variety of fascinating talks throughout the year. It hopes to allow those interested in pathology to cultivate that interest and get a chance to apply some of the knowledge that they have learned. It is also a good way for medical students to meet faculty members and residents from the pathology department in order to foster good connections with possible mentors. 
The Pediatrics interest group strives to introduce medical students to the field of Pediatrics, its sub-specialties, the matching requirements for the residency program, and pre-clerkship elective opportunities. We organize physician-led talks and panel discussions throughout the year and invite students to participate in interactive events where they can meet faculty members, residents, Pediatric patients and their families. We will also participate in events that require students to go out and advocate for health within the Pediatric community. A new initiative for this year is to provide students with an opportunity to shadow residents in the field of Pediatrics. We hope to share our enthusiasm for this fascinating specialty!
Psychiatry is a medical specialty which focuses on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental, emotional and behavioral disorders. The capacity of a psychiatrist can be quite diverse, with roles such as one-on-one physician- patient interactions, multi-disciplinary healthcare team decisions, and as a community leader/advocate. The psychiatry and mental health interest group (PMHIG) strives to introduce medical students to the ever-evolving field of psychiatry and its sub-specialties, the requirements to match to a psychiatry residency program, and various pre- clerkship elective/research opportunities. Throughout the year, PMHIG will host seminars, interactive panels, and hands-on workshops to familiarize students with psychiatric concepts and the path that leads to a career in this field. Hearing from practicing psychiatrists, residents, and psychiatry patients will provide group members with a myriad of useful and fascinating psychiatry information! A new initiative for this year is to increase the connection between students and patients, allowing students to better understand the presentation of mental illness and further reduce any pre-existing stigma. We hope to provide a useful resource to students considering this specialty and share our enthusiasm for the field!
The Refugee Health Initiative program (RHI) aims to help refugees overcome the various barriers they encounter upon their new transition to Canada. Medical students will be actively involved in promoting refugees’ health and in facilitating an easier integration into the community. This will involve engagement with refugees through medical intake interviews, workshops, and an annual health fair. In these settings and through speaker sessions, students will interact and collaborate with experienced colleagues working with refugees, including family physicians, social workers and interpreters. RHI offers multiple training opportunities on health advocacy, cross-cultural communication and collaboration skills. Furthermore, students involved in the affiliated RHI Community Service Learning (CSL) program can use these skills to mentor refugee families in collaboration with the Catholic Centre for Immigrants (CCI) and the Ottawa Newcomer Clinic.
We are a group of medical students from the University of Ottawa raising awareness and funds for paediatric cancer in Canada! Every dollar raised from our events goes to Childhood Cancer Canada. Let's make cancer history! 
Our goal is to educate University of Ottawa medical students on various topics relating to Sports Medicine. Through talks given by professional athletes, health advocates, and health care workers specializing in the field of Sports Medicine, we hope to give students a better understanding of this speciality in a fun, relaxed setting. Students will be given the opportunity to receive hands-on experience through our various workshops, as well as learning the seriousness of sports injuries and how to prevent/treat them. You do not require any athletic ability to join this group!
Harvesting stem cells from bone marrow and umbilical cord blood has the potential to save the lives of those with haematological diseases. Unfortunately, patients in need of stem cell donations are often left waiting due to the difficulty of finding a proper genetic match. Students for Stem Cells aims to improve these odds by registering potential donors to the OneMatch database through stem cell drives run throughout the year. Some of these drives will feature keynote speakers, both physicians and families of patients. Students who wish to participate in our interest group will be trained in how to run these drives, including how to screen donors, how to get informed consent, and how to instruct cheek swabbing. University of Ottawa medical students will also be trained as in-community volunteers by Canadian Blood Services and Students for Umbilical Cord Blood Banking, providing vital skills for addressing the lack of stem cell and cord blood donations. Finally, our group also hosts a number of talks on the ground-breaking stem cell research being conducted here at the University of Ottawa, all the way from biomarker discovery to interprovincial clinical trials in regenerative medicine. 
Student Interest Group in Neurology (SIGN) introduces and encourages University of Ottawa students to join the specialty of neurology. Members will have the opportunity to engage in hands-on workshops in neurology (from stroke management to conducting the neurology exam), attend a speaker series and participate in community outreach by advocating for brain safety to elementary school children through Brain Waves. In addition, opportunities for resident shadowing will allow members exposure to the neurology specialty as early as in first year and second year. Anyone who is interested in neurology or who wants to learn more about this fascinating specialty would benefit by not only gaining valuable knowledge about the neuroscience but also developing experience, leadership and valuable contacts. 
The goal of SWAT is to provide elementary and high school students with the facts they need about tobacco products in order to make an informed decision about their use. Smoking is linked with the leading causes of death in Canada and it is crucial to decrease the incidence of smoking in today’s youth. SWAT focuses on the prevention of smoking through comprehensive, interactive and educational presentations geared towards specific age groups. Physicians work with patients on smoking cessation; let’s work with children to stop the problem before they start smoking! 

Surgery IG/SEAD
Execs:

SIG is an interest group designed for students interested in the field of surgery. The purpose of this group is to expose students to the breadth and depth of the surgical practice. This includes, but is not limited to, learning about developments in the field, developing technical surgical skills, networking with surgeons and residents, and learning about surgery in pre-clerkship, clerkship, and residency programs. Students will have the opportunity to partake in educational lectures, panel presentations, and workshops (i.e. OR etiquette, suturing, and an Advanced Trauma Life Support course). The Surgery Interest Group is also proud to announce the return of Surgical Exploration and Discovery Program (SEAD), a two-week summer program piloted in 2013-2014 that consists of observerships, discussions, lectures and skills development through simulations across all surgical specialties. 
The Sun and Skin Safety for Youth (SASSY) Interest Group aims to educate children about the importance of proper sun protection. Medical students will have the opportunity to give presentations at local elementary schools about sun safety as a form of early prevention. Sun exposure during childhood is strongly correlated with risk for skin cancer later in life as well as the potential to develop cataracts. Therefore, childhood prevention is important for reducing the incidence of these conditions, which have been on the rise in Canada in recent years. 
The Weight Management Interest Group is centered on providing students with resources on weight management care and bringing awareness while minimizing the social stigma surrounding associated health conditions. We intend to host presentations and workshops on a variety of obesity-related topics including developmental origins of dysregulated body weight, lifestyle risk factors, eating disorders, and information about the obesity crisis. Furthermore, we will explore approaches and possible solutions including psychological support for lifestyle interventions and the latest advances in pharmacotherapy on an individual level, and changes to policy/public health strategies on a population level. Our interest group is also partnered with the Canadian Obesity Network (CON), which is Canada’s official representative in the World Obesity Federation. CON is the world’s largest obesity-related NGO focused on 3 fundamental principles: Respect, Knowledge, and Action. Our interest group shares similar missions and strategic goals with CON, along with other weight management focuses.

​Mission: To complement the uOttawa obesity curriculum and empower MD students with knowledge of weight management care through evidence-based approaches for weight disorders and obesity prevention, treatment, and policy. The end goal is to help build confidence in future physicians to serve and have a positive impact on the lives of Canadians affected by obesity and other weight management issues. We aim to do so by fostering a local community of support at the University of Ottawa and working with CON to advance anti-discrimination, prevention, and treatment efforts. 
WHIG is a group designed to help students learn about the different issues related to women’s health through various workshops and talks throughout the year. Women are genetically, anatomically and emotionally different from men and so they face the different health issues. We will be covering a broad range of topics including HIV, exercise in pregnancy, abortion, and women’s mental health, careers in obstetrics and gynecology, technology and improving access to women’s healthcare, mental health, sexual health, obstetrics and gynecology, maternal health and fertility, as well as issues impacting sex-workers and the LGBT community. 
Youth Net/RéseauAdo is a bilingual by youth for youth mental health promotion program at CHEO. Youth Net offers alternative support services for youth aged 13 to 20. We strive to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and illness through prevention and intervention activities, education, research, and advocacy. University of Ottawa medical students can volunteer to facilitate workshops, focus groups, and presentations for young adults aged 13-20, to help them to develop positive coping strategies and reduce stress through the arts, physical activity and personal reflection.