Special Interest Organizations

Colleges Against Cancer

Colleges Against Cancer is a nationwide collaboration of college students, faculty, and staff dedicated to fighting cancer, volunteering for the American Cancer Society, and improving college communities by instating and supporting programs of the American Cancer Society.

Cultivating Appreciation in Visual Arts and Science (CANVAS)

Founded in spring 2012, CANVAS aims to give medical students a unique perspective on medicine by encouraging an appreciation of the visual arts. Exploring the human figure via fine art allows medical students to expand upon their knowledge of anatomy to see the human body in its form proportions, detail, symmetry, and coordinated movements. CANVAS seeks to give students the opportunity to explore the human figure holistically and aesthetically thorough artistic observation and active creativity, especially via drawing and painting portraits of the human figure.

Gender Equality Medical Society (GEMS)

The Gender Equality Medical Society (GEMS) seeks to increase awareness and educate the UT Southwestern community about health concerns that disproportionately affect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons compared to their heterosexual peers.  As indicated by a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, future physicians are not generally exposed to LGBT issues even though they will likely deal with them when treating patients (Obedin-Maliver et al., 2011). In educating and increasing awareness within the school community, GEMS strives to produce future physicians and allied health professionals who are sensitive to the cultural aspects of their LGBT patients’ lives, who are educated and knowledgeable in terms of the health concerns that disproportionately affect LGBT individuals, and, consequently, who are comfortable with and prepared to address these health concerns with their LGBT patients in a competent and compassionate manner.

Leaders in the Fight for Every Patient (LIFE)

Student Leaders in the Fight for Every Patient seeks to promote awareness of when life begins and naturally ends and to apply that understanding to the Hippocratic principle “do no harm” through educational meetings, thoughtful discussions, and community service. By valuing human life, we hope to become compassionate and honorable physicians. We believe that justice is served by acting in the interest of patients who may not be able to defend themselves and by evaluating our medical and social systems through the lens of respect for human life. We seek to demonstrate the beauty of this principle in a variety of contemporary issues and to explore its application in personal relationships and interactions with the community.

Lymph Notes

The purpose of the Lymph Notes, an a cappella group, is to provide a pleasant musical respite from the day-to-day rigors of medical education. For the group members, it allows the chance to create strong bonds within the student body, in addition to providing an environment for creative, musical expression. The process of running the group, rehearsing for shows, and performing at shows provides group members unique challenges and opportunities that will ultimately result in more well-rounded and versatile health professionals. Furthermore, the Lymph Notes will provide the UT Southwestern community with a venue for the humanities, which will serve to enhance appreciation of the common values and beliefs that are share by our society.

Medical Humanities Interest Group

The Medical Humanities Interest Group (MHIG) was founded in 2000 to promote student enjoyment of the humanities and to stimulate meaningful exploration of the humanities' contribution to medicine. The humanities encompass a broad variety of disciplines, including philosophy, literature, the visual and performing arts, ethics, history, and religion. MHIG is by no means just for experts: it is for all students who, in addition to their interest in becoming competent physicians, enjoy discussing the broader questions of the human condition. 

Medical Students for Choice

Medical Students for Choice (MSFC) is dedicated to ensuring that women receive the full range of reproductive health care choices.  MSFC recognizes that one of the greatest obstacles to safe and legal abortion is the absence of trained providers. We also work to encourage open-minded discussion about women’s issues and to encourage activism in government.

Palliative Care Interest Group

Founded in spring 2011, the Palliative Care Interest Group is a student-run organization that aims to increase awareness of the issues related to end-of-life care and the practice of palliative medicine. Our mission is to provide direct experience, exposure, and participation in this field as a medical student, as well as to provide academic exposure through faculty contact. We provide this through regular faculty guest lunch presentations at the No One Dies Alone volunteer program at Parkland Hospital, a program which connects medical students with patients who would otherwise die alone.

Scope: Medical Humanities Journal

Scope will be UT Southwestern's online literary magazine featuring writing and art created on the UT Southwestern campus. The purpose of Scope is to provide an outlet for creative expression for all of those affiliated with the UT Southwestern community including students, faculty, and staff. The magazine will be available to the public as an online publication, but we expect the initial target audience to be the people who work and study at UT Southwestern. We hope the magazine serves as a vehicle for the sharing and communication of experiences in medicine, from patient care to medical research, through an artistic lens. We seek quality works, but also wish to encourage creativity and an atmosphere of openness. We hope the works published in Scope will promote more discussion, reflection, and sense of community at UT Southwestern.

Southwestern Student Connection

It is the goal of the Southwestern Student Connection to increase interest among undergraduate students in the medical profession serving as a liaison between pre-health programs in the Metroplex and UT Southwestern medical students.

Spanish Interpreter Apprenticeship Program

This organization aims to eliminate language and cultural barriers between physicians and patients by teaching students the proper Spanish medical jargon and cultural context with which one can better communicate. Students will learn the art of interpreting through mock and real medical scenarios provided in class and in community volunteering events.

University Garden Club

Founded in fall 2012, Garden Club is aimed at students, faculty, staff ,and family members of UT Southwestern affiliates who are interested in plants and gardening. We hope to share our enthusiasm for small space gardens and teach others about the possibilities that abound in their own backyards and balconies! We will also take trips to local gardens including a yearly picnic at the Dallas Arboretum.

Video Streaming

To serve as a tool to enhance the learning environment of the MS1 and MS2 year by providing video streamed lectures for students to view online.

White Coats for Liberty (WCL)

White Coats for Liberty (WCL) - White Coats for Liberty, formed at UT Southwestern fall 2013, is an organization dedicated to exploring and spreading the ideas and philosophy of liberty. With a special focus on how liberty affects and relates to the medical field, healthcare, and biomedical sciences, we work to increase our awareness and understanding on how personal liberty, sound money, free markets, and peace make for a strong and prosperous society.

Wilderness Medicine Society (WMS) 

This group was established in the fall 2000 at UT Southwestern. Our purpose is to expose new people to the wilderness, provide educational opportunities to students, discuss medicine in the wilderness content and provide an opportunity for students and faculty to interact outside the school environment. We are devoted to camping, hiking and all things outdoors. We are open to all members of the UT Southwestern community regardless of academic program or career plans.