2019 sign meeting - american academy of neurology · •recording benefitted those who could not...

2019 SIGN MeetingPhiladelphia, PA

Today’s Agenda

• Welcome

• SIGN Revamp Overview

• Chapter Presentations

• Workshopping

• Takeaways

• Photo

SIGN Chapter at Weill Cornell

History of SIGN• Has existed for over 20 years

• International and national chapters

• Revamped for 2018 with a relaunch via Hilton Grant work and UES

So what’s new?• Core content lecture series with materials

• Featured SIGN Chapters

• New funding structure

• New logo and assets

• Updated format/content on the website

• Registration requirements• 143 Chapters

• 13 countries

Chapter Engagement

Core Content Areas

• As of now, we have four core content topics and materials for chapters to use:• What is Neurology? – Clinical Career in Neurology

• What’s New in Neurology? – Recent Discoveries

• Careers in Neurology – Lifestyles in Neurology Careers

• Advocacy – Community Engagement and Advocacy

• Library expansion over time

Future Directions

• Additional content lectures

• Video Library

• Visiting Legend and/or Consulting Services

• Revamping NeuroSAE Medical Student Edition

• Engaging chapters regionally and internationally

SIGN Chapter SharingLearn about great events put on by SIGN Chapters

• Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM)

• Inter-SIGN Initiative

Getting your head around it: Tips and tricks to planning an

inter-regional eventLauren Bojarski, OMS-IV

The Plan

• Mission statement for the year:• Education

• Community

• Volunteer

• Awareness

• Collaboration

Amazement Square

Lumbar Puncture Lab

Brain Bee

And others

• Neurology program director meet and greet

• Ping Pong with the elderly

• Initiated “Adopt a Senior” program

• ESBAR practice with nursing students

• “Locked Up” room with faculty neurologist

University of Kentucky Collaboration

• Networking• AAN Conference

• Not just physicians!• Other students

• Fellows, residents

• Nurse practitioners, Physician assistants

• Reps

• Director of Education, Jodie Weber

• Find people willing to help out


• Correspondence• Don’t be afraid to take

initiative

• If they don’t reply, make sure to follow up

• Reintroduce yourself via email after you leave the AAN conference so that they have your email

• Plan it out• Reach out well in advance of

your expected time frame

• Brainstorm ideas that work well for and will benefit both programs• Neurolocalization lecture

• Resident Q and A about residency (with emphasis on Neurology)

• Be willing to communicate via phone, email, or if possible in person

• This will take a while to work out the kinks


• Introduce• Don’t hesitate to introduce

faculty members at your school• Introduced Jodie to Neurology

professors at LUCOM

• She introduced me to program directors, associate professors, etc.

• Important to leave a legacy• When you graduate, they still

have contacts in case they want to do things in the future

• May have resources you don’t know about

• Confirm• Follow up with both

programs involved to make sure things will go according to plan


• Dr. Guduru gave a live-streamed neurolocalization lecture that telecasted with our SIGN chapter• Recording benefitted those who could not attend live (like me,

who was in a different time zone)

• Opportunity to re-watch before neurology rotations

• Invitations to join practical updates, online conferences for CME credit, etc.

• Future talk about residents live-streaming their Q and A session at the end of the school year

• Research on “neurophobia”: its effects and remedies

Tips and tricks

• NETWORK NETWORK NETWOK

• Don’t be afraid to ask: the least they can do is say no

• Be friendly but don’t pester

• Know your limits

• Leave your legacy

• Be the kind of student you (as a future physician) would want to work with: be humble, motivated, kind, and hard-working

Acknowledgements

• SIGN 2018-19 VP at LUCOM Kirsten Consing

• Dr. Carl Hoegerl and Dr. Charlie Joseph, SIGN Advisors and Faculty Neurologists

• Jodie Weber, Director of Neurology Education at University of Kentucky• I.e. “Queen of the World”

Good luck and enjoy the conference!

Coordinating a New Conference

-

Evan Kolesnick

OMS-II, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM)

A Little About PCOM SIGN

● Organized and hosted First Philadelphia Regional Interinstitutional Neurology/Neurosurgery Conference (it’s a working title)

● Ran Giant Inflatable Brain Exhibit at The Philadelphia Science Festival at The Franklin Institute

● Coordinated PCOM Annual Neurosurgery Symposium

● Created first neurocritical care simulation

● Hosted >10 physician speakers for extracurricular talks and journal clubs

● Attended Penrose Elementary School career day to teach kids in K-8th grade about the brain and careers in science

● Volunteered at The Walk to End Alzheimer’s, PCOM Wellness Festival, People’s Emergency Food Cupboard and MANNA

A Little About PCOM SIGN

Plan Big From the Start

● Surround yourself with enthusiastic people● Crowdsource ideas from board members

○ New board member applications asking for programming ideas

○ Bimonthly meetings to discuss progress○ Informal board events to develop rapport

● Know your audience○ Ask non board members what they expect from the

organization○ Don’t be afraid to try something novel; even if it isn’t a

total success, people will be grateful you listened

Communication is Key

● Send weekly - biweekly emails to board members addressing upcoming endeavors○ Always ask for feedback and delegate appropriately

● Start a GroupMe or other chat group for ease● Be transparent within the community

○ Post on social media before events○ Make spreadsheets to assess interest and offer

incentives (ie. feeding people)○ Utilize the listserv to make dues paying members (if

your chapter has them) feel appreciated

Planning a Conference

● Establish goals○ Who would you like to attend?

■ Local chapters■ Other campuses of your institution

○ Where can the event be held?■ The less planning invited chapters have to do, the higher

likelihood of success; propose a venue or offer to host!

○ How do you intend to finance it?■ Alumni office if speakers will be alums■ AAN yearly financial aid

○ What is it you’d like to accomplish at the event?

Finding Other Chapter Leaders

● Have board members reach out to contacts● Use the SIGN national facebook group ● Contact your regional AAN representative for

leadership information

Note: this step and picking a date could take months, plan far in advance

Expect to Run the Show

● Draft an email outlining your plan and emphasizing why it should excite other leaders○ Send this message individually to start a dialogue

● Follow up if needed ○ Pro tip: med students don’t always respond right away

and emails more than 2 days old might as well be in a black hole - wait a week and write again politely

● Don’t become frustrated if other leaders become busy or choose not to respond

Picking a Date

● Ask for M1/M2 exam schedules and when dedicated study periods are

● Generate a doodle to pick dates that work best for the most parties

● Chase down folks who are holding up the process - many aren’t doing it intentionally and will be grateful you addressed them individually

Budgeting for the Event

● Expect to feed people if you’re hosting○ Offer options that appeal to people with dietary

restrictions

● Get small gifts for visiting speakers - keep in mind professionals are doing you a great favor and it never hurts to make strong contacts○ Gift cards, school apparel, customized mugs, etc.

● Consider the small details○ Parking passes, table cloths, name tags, etc.

Planning Speakers

● Either plan within a theme (ie. talks about epilepsy), and/or suggest a diversity of topics to include multiple interests○ eg. having MD, DO and PhD speakers so everyone

feels represented○ Ask for other chapters to bring speakers if needed

● Email or call professionals personally, show you are familiar with their work

● Propose a clear plan○ How many speakers will there be, what time will they

be speaking etc.

Greeting/Set Up

● DELEGATE● Have members available to greet visiting students● Make sure food is ready for when the guests arrive

○ Save all receipts for record if you’re being reimbursed by the AAN!

● Take pictures○ Contact your school’s social media department, many

will have professional photographers, instagrams etc.

● Do your best to personally meet everyone!

Oh We Fancy

Talks

● Make sure to have a room booked ahead of time● Offer to personally introduce speakers you

brought, ask visiting students to introduce their speakers○ Include biographical information; where they got their

degrees, what their personal research is in etc.

● Thank attendees for taking time out of their busy schedule to help you make your event successful

Aftermath

● Send thank you messages to speakers● Congratulate other chapter representatives (and

your own board members) on your collaborative success - recognize those who really stepped up to assist○ Don’t hesitate to include leaders who couldn’t make it

in the end, hopefully the event won’t be a one time occasion

● Learn from your experiences and recommend improvements for next time

Feel free to reach out if you have questions or would like a copy of the powerpoint.

[email protected]

Thank you for your attention!

mailto:[email protected]

Fella Chennou1, Samuel Grandmaison1, Jimmy Li1, Maria Alexandra Rosca1, Brenda Deschesnes1, Elisabeth Meloche1, Anis Assad1, Eleyine Zarour1, Amytice Mirchi1,

Thierry Levesque1, Shriya Deshmukh2, Etienne Léveillé2, Sarah Bouhadoun2, Stephanie DeGasperis3, Stephane Michael4

1University of Montreal Faculty of Medicine, QC 2McGill University Faculty of Medicine, QC 3University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, ON 4University of Sherbrooke Faculty of

Medicine, QC, Canada

TODAY’S MENU

• About SIGN at University of Montreal

• What is the Student Neurology Symposium (SNS)?

• SNS 2019:

• The planning process

• The event

• The outcomes

• Since 2012

• Executive Committee: 10 members

• Activities:

• Lunch-conferences

• Shadowing opportunities

• Networking evening with residents

• Student Neurology Symposium

SIGN AT UofM

• Bilingual, inter-institutional, annual event

• Full day of lectures and clinical skills workshops in the field of the neurology

• Launched in 2013 by SIGNs of Quebec’s Universities

• Hosted by a different university every year

WHAT IS SNS?

• Organized by:

• University of Montreal

• McGill University

• University of Sherbrooke

• Laval University

• University of Ottawa (2019)

TODAY’S MENU

• Hosted by University of Montreal

• Organizing committee: 15 medical students

• Mostly students from the host university

• 1-2 representatives from each university

SNS 2019

• The organizing team:

• Communication:

• Facebook group

• Meetings on Google Hangouts

• Coordination:

• Google Drive

SNS 2019

Tasks

1. Set a plan

SNS 2019

1. Set a plan:

• Goals?

• Topics for lectures and clinical skills workshops?

• Estimated budget?

• 4500-5000 CAD

SNS 2019

Tasks

April 13, 2019 Pavillon Jean Coutu2. Secure date and location

1. Set a plan

3. Contact potential speakers / program directors

4. Establish a schedule

5. Logistics: location of material, audiovisual equipment, food

6. Find sponsors !!!

SNS 2019

2019 sign meeting - american academy of neurology · •recording benefitted those who could not...

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