Groups

Starting in the 2019-2020 year in a bid to be more environmentally friendly, the MMSA ceased to fund non-reusable items at interest group events. You can no longer be reimbursed for items like plastic cutlery, disposable cups etc. Please read the attached document for details.

This page lists all student interest groups and associations that are registered with the Manitoba Medical Students’ Association.

The purpose of these student groups is to provide MMSA members with the opportunity to pursue interests related to medicine and to connect with peers who have similar interests (medical or otherwise).

To learn more about interest groups, please peruse the information below. Feel free to contact interest group executives regarding future events, which MMSA members are welcome to attend. First year medical students can attend Interest Group Night in September to meet interest group leaders and to apply to join the executive of the group. As an executive, you’ll work with students, residents, and attendings to plan events related to the group.

In order to obtain/retain official MMSA interest group status, an annual application must be returned to the Vice-Stick Internal. There are separate applications for new groups and returning groups.

Groups wishing to apply for MMSA funding must submit a Programming and Budget Proposal by October 1st annually. Once funding decisions have been posted, Interest Group members may submit this form for reimbursement.

For more information, please refer to the MMSA’s Interest Group Policy.

Listing of Interest Groups: 

Addictions Education Interest Group (AEIG)

Executives: Danielle Anderson and Jasneet Tiwana
The Addictions Education Interest Group (AEIG) is dedicated to promoting awareness and understanding of the field of Addictions Medicine. Our goal is to reduce stigma regarding addictions and build relationships between medical students and those who have addictions. We do this by collaborating with the community and organizing events that our classmates can participate in.


Anesthesia Interest Group (AIG)

Executives: Jainik Shah, Max Fidel
Dedicated to providing University of Manitoba students with a greater understanding of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine. This will be accomplished with educational and networking sessions that are complementary to the medical school curriculum. In addition, the AIG aims to encourage students to consider anesthesiology as a possible career choice. Activities include clinical skills and procedure stations, interactive talks, and a critical care medicine session.


Bioethics and Professionalism Interest Group

Executives: Hamzah Akhtar, Caitlin Le
The Bioethics and Professionalism Interest Group will provide opportunities for medical students to discuss and debate current and challenging issues in medical ethics and professionalism. They will learn about important issues that are impacting their field and society at large, and will develop their critical thinking and debating skills.


Black Medical Students’ Association (BMIG)

Executives: Tobi Morakinyo
The Black Medical Students’ Association is a group committed to creating a community of learning surrounding black health issues, career mentorship and community outreach.


Canadian Medical Students Against Human Trafficking (CAMSAHT)

Executives: Charan Kaur, Guneet Uppal, Sarah Thomson, Hayley Morriseau, Grace Okunnu
The Canadian Alliance of Medical Students Against Human Trafficking (CAMSAHT) is the first, student-led anti-trafficking initiative of its kind in Canada. We work to educate all Canadian healthcare professionals about human trafficking through curriculum development, research, and advocacy.


Canadian Blood Services

Executives: Diana Prince, Marvin Routley
The Canadian Blood Services Interest Group aims to increase student awareness and knowledge surrounding blood donations as well as encourage individuals that are eligible to donate blood.


Cardiology Interest Group

Executives: Divleen Mangat, Emily Czaplinski
Our goal is to provide students with information regarding the pathway to cardiology, the day-to-day life of a cardiologist, and the various subspecialties you can pursue. Last year we hosted a “Careers in Cardiology” event, where students had the opportunity to talk to different cardiologists about their journey and subspecialty, as well as “An Evening in Cardiology” event, where we took a trip to St. Boniface Hospital to get a tour of the cath lab, electrophysiology lab, and more!


Choosing Wisely Interest Group (CWIG)

Executives: Kelsey Conrad, Caleb Deroche
We are a group that is part of the national Choosing Wisely campaign which is designed to foster awareness amongst medical students in Canada about unnecessary tests and treatments. This group will help medical students make smart and effective choices to ensure high-quality care.


Christian Medical and Dental Society (CMDS)

Executives: Tiana Tiede, Trevyna William, Michaela Groen, Annika Loeppky
We are the Manitoba medical student chapter of the national group. CMDS is an organization of Christian physicians, dentists, and students, each holding an individual membership, who seek to honour God by integrating faith with professional practice. 


Creative Arts Interest Group (CAIG)

Executives: Yuliia Khudina, Dana Inglis, Justin Zhou
The Creative Arts Interest Group (CAIG) is a student-run organization whose goal is to create a larger outlet for various creative arts within our college. The CAIG was created in 2018 as a conglomerate of the Art, Writing, and Music Interest Groups.


Dermatology Interest Group (DIG)

Executives: Vienna Peters, Cynthia James
A group aimed at teaching students about the field of Dermatology and its subspecialties. The goal is to foster an interest in Dermatology as a career and act as a forum for those already interested. Various events will be held throughout the year ranging from guest speakers to skills nights in an attempt to increase awareness and exposure to the field. It is worth noting that due to the high prevalence of skin pathologies in practice today, these events will be beneficial for students interested in almost any speciality.


Emergency Medicine Interest Group (EMIG)

Executives: Summer Gaudet, Megan Weisshaar
Our goal is to assist students in learning more about emergency medicine. We will organize sessions that will serve as an opportunity to learn more about this specialty as well as to practice emergency medicine related clinical skills. We hope to provide a congenial environment for networking with other students, residents, and faculty.


Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG)

Executives: Harshvi Patel, Angela Lu, Edwin Tse
The Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG) is dedicated to helping medical students explore the diverse and rewarding field of family medicine. We hope to share the versatility and opportunities available to family medicine physicians through suturing workshops, information nights, and networking events. If you have any ideas for events, or other things you’d like to see, we’d love if you’d join our team.


Filipino Association of Medical Students

Executives: Adrian Siapno
We are a group of medical students at the University of Manitoba Advocating for increased representation of Filipinxs in medicine. We aim to address the issues of under-representation and inequity as they apply to the Filipino community through mentorship, research, and community outreach.


Fitness and Nutrition Interest Group

Executives: Caitlin Le, James Wagner
The Fitness and Nutrition Interest Group (FNIG) aims to highlight the role of exercise, diet, and living a healthy lifestyle in improving health outcomes and preventing the development of chronic diseases. FNIG organizes events that encourages all medical students to get active, learn about the impacts of diet on health, and most importantly, have fun with classmates!


Geriatrics Interest Group (GIG)

Executives: Diana Prince, Charan Kaur
The Geriatrics Interest Group (GIG) focuses on the common interest of working in or learning more about the field of geriatrics. We are involved in networking with similar groups nationwide, organizing opportunities to learn geriatric-specific knowledge and skills with our classmates, and getting involved in the community! 


Healthcare Competencies Interest Group

Executives: Kieran Milner, Jaydon Gan
The Geriatrics Interest Group (GIG) focuses on the common interest of working in or learning more about the field of geriatrics. We are involved in networking with similar groups nationwide, organizing opportunities to learn geriatric-specific knowledge and skills with our classmates, and getting involved in the community! 


Immigrant and Refugee Health Interest Group (IRHIG)

Executives: Peter Lawrynuik, Harshvi Patel
IRHIG aims to promote peer learning of the various health challenges faced by immigrants and refugees locally and nationally.


Indigenous Health Promotion Group (IHPG)

Executives: Mikayla Barbosa, Claire Risbey
IHPG provides an opportunity for Indigenous medical students to become involved and create a sense of community, while bringing important health-related information to fellow students. Our group also strives to foster understanding of others when working with Indigenous populations.


Infectious Diseases Interest Group

Executives: Jayson Szun, Kieran Milner
The Infectious Disease Interest Group (IDIG) aims to expose undergraduate medical students to the specialty of infectious disease and medical microbiology. We hope to provide insight into what a career in infectious disease medicine would look like and provide examples of interesting cases you might see on the job. As well, we strive to keep students informed of cutting-edge research within the field of infectious disease. We host multiple events throughout the year, including a case night with an infectious disease physician, presentations from researchers, and more fun events!


Internal Medicine Interest Group (IMIG)

Executives: Guneet Uppal, Summer Gaudet, Umema Rafay
IMIG is an interest group that provides opportunities to learn about Internal Medicine and the many sub-specialties that are within it. In addition, the group offers events that allow students to learn more about various medical topics and attend clinical skills workshops in the Clinical Learning Simulation Facility (CLSF). We also provide networking opportunities to students by being able to meet professors, physicians, and residents in the Internal Medicine field and as well connect with these individuals for shadowing experiences. Events held by IMIG in the past include Dinner with Internists, Q/A with Residents, Skills night, and many more.   


Lab Medicine and Pathology Interest Group (LMPIG)

Executives: Khulood Hasnain, Danielle Anderson
The Lab Medicine and Pathology Interest Group (LMPIG) is dedicated to promoting awareness and understanding of the field of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology! Our goal is to bridge the gap between medical students in pre-clerkship and the laboratory. We do this by collaborating with practicing pathologists and organizing events that our classmates can participate in!


2SLGBTQIA+ Interest Group

Executives: Jennifer Simone, Marvin Routley, Sem Perez
The 2SLGBTQIA+ interest group is a community-based group focused on building community and unity among 2SLGTBQIA+ medical students and allies and raising awareness on 2SLGBTQIA+ issues and topics. We host both community networking events and educational workshops/presentations throughout the school year.


Medical Students for Choice

Executives: Shivani Patel


Medical Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group (MEIIG)

Executives: Davis McClarty, Bhavana Garg
The Medical Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group serves to provide students with the skill set to grow their ideas and projects. We seek to provide students with resources such as speakers and skills nights, and want to create an environment that facilitates development of innovative and entrepreneurial ideas in healthcare.


Medical Women Interest Group (MWIG)

Executives: Rachel Cogan, Shivani Patel
The Medical Women Interest Group (MWIG) mandate is to bring together medical learners to improve their personal and professional wellness and promote care for womxn-identifying patients.


Medicine Chess Club

Executives: Mitch Wilson, Jun Kim
The Chess Interest Group is the best place for anyone interested in chess or just a space to socialize! We’d like to emphasize that whether you’re a player who doesn’t know the rules of the game to being a competitive player or anything in between, there is a space for you in our club.


Muslim Medical Association of Canada

Executives: Tooba Razi, Khulood Hasnain
The Muslim Medical Association of Canada (MMAC) is a registered non-profit organization, providing a national platform for Canadian Muslim physicians and medical students to collaborate on clinical services, community health promotion and outreach, professional education, networking, mentorship, advocacy, and research initiatives. The U of M Chapter hold events to promote collaboration and networking and have held events in the past such as Mock MMIs, Iftars, and BBQs!


Medicine Journal Club (MJC)

Executives: Nikolas Furletti, Kristin James
In Medicine Journal Club we take turns presenting and critiquing academic research papers. This is a great group to join to practice critically appraising research papers which is an essential component of evidence-based medicine.


Obstetrics and Gynecology Interest Group (OGIG)

Executives: Simone Gentile, Nolan De Leon
The Obstetrics and Gynecology Interest Group is committed to educating medical students about the issues in women’s health that affect all areas of medicine. OGIG will provide information for those students specifically interested in obstetrics, gynecology, or other aspects of women’s health.


Ophthalmology Interest Group

Executives: Guneet Uppal, Barham Palani
A student interest group aimed at connecting interested students with attending and residents in ophthalmology. Events including speeches, Q&A sessions, etc. will be held throughout the year in order to engage students in this exciting field. We also fundraise with Orbis, a non-profit NGO dedicated to saving sight worldwide through initiatives such as the flying eye hospital.


Orthopedic Surgery Interest Group

Executives: Ashley Danielson, Scott Bachus
The University of Manitoba’s Orthopaedic Surgery Interest Group connects medical students interested in orthopaedic surgery with professionals in the field. Join us to explore this field and connect with fellow students who share your passion.  


Pediatric Interest Group (PIG)

Executives: Crystal Chan, Umama Rafay, Vaishali Shenoy, Tristan Rohatynsky
The Pediatrics Interest Group (PIG) puts on many great events each year, including Halloween and Valentine’s Day Candy gram fundraisers, a dinner with physicians in various pediatric subspecialties, information nights run by current pediatrics residents about their path to residency, pediatric skills night, and more! 


Physiatry and Sports Medicine Interest Group (PSMIG)

Executives: Dustin Gryschuk, Emily Prenovault, James Wagner, Parth Saul
An interest group designed to expose undergraduate medical students to two musculoskeletal-oriented fields: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (aka PMR or Physiatry) and the 2+1 Sports Medicine program within Family Medicine. By providing information sessions as well as practical opportunities to explore these fields, PSMIG acts as a forum for students interested in pursuing a career in Physiatry or Sports Medicine.


POCUS Interest Group

Executives: Ashan Weebedda, Caelan Stephenson
Point of Care Ultrasound is an important tool in clinical practice for its use in diagnostic imaging and procedural guidance. However, students rarely get opportunities to use or learn about ultrasound in medical school. POCUS IG hosts skills sessions where students can receive hands-on experience and training with point of care ultrasound. Through these sessions students will learn a wide variety of POCUS techniques from doctors and residents.


Project Green Healthcare

Executives: Kristin James
Project Green Healthcare is a newly formed interest group dedicated to raising awareness and advocating for eco-friendly health care processes. If you are passionate about the environment and want to create real change to our wasteful systems in healthcare, this is the group for you. We meet monthly for about an hour, to brainstorm ideas and set goals for our current projects. 


Psychiatry Interest Group (PinG)

Executives: Simone Gentile, Diana Prince
This interest group provides an exposure to the subspecialties of psychiatry. We facilitate panel discussions by specialists on topics ranging from mood disorders to child and adolescent psychiatry.


Public Health Interest Group (PHIG)

Executives: Emily Prenovault, Jun Kim
The Public Health Interest Group is focused on providing University of Manitoba medical students with the best opportunities and experiences with all things public health related! If you are interested in public health issues including policy, health prevention, community health, or other public health topics, this is the Interest Group for you.


Radiology Interest Group (RaIG)

Executives: Bilal Raja, Lexie Wu
Radiology Interest Group is a student-run group that aims to bring radiology exposure into pre-clerkship medical education in conjunction with radiologists affiliated with the Department of Radiology.


Research in Medicine Interest Group

Executives: Tooba Razi, Trevyna William
The Research in Medicine Interest Group aims to promote careers in medical research and to connect students with the resources needed to become involved with research during their medical education.


UM Run

Executives: Diana Prince
UM Run exists to bring together students that share a common interest in running, organize regular group runs, and help encourage both physical and mental well-being.


Rural Interest Group (RIG)

Executives: Jessica McBride, Vienna Peters, Kelsey Conrad, Stephanie Hunter
The Rural Interest Group (RIG) aims to expose medical students to rural health care and increase interest in practicing outside of Winnipeg. We are composed of 4 Med 2s and 2 Med 1 executives who organize events for all preclerkship students. Events range from lunches with physicians practicing rural medicine, exposure to rural residency programs, and 1- or 2-day trips to major rural centres to experience rural medicine. RIG executives organize these events with the help of two amazing staff and recruit students to attend. Executive or not, students get lots of exposure to hands-on skill training, advice from physicians, and various health care settings around MB!   


South Asian Medical Students Association

Executives: Jainik Shah, Parth Saul
The South Asian Medical Student Association (SAMSA) is a dynamic interest group dedicated to empowering South Asian medical students on their journey to becoming healthcare professionals. Our mission is to illuminate the unique identity and responsibilities of South Asians in the medical field while fostering a strong sense of representation within the diaspora. Through engaging events and AMA’s, SAMSA creates a vibrant platform for students to connect, learn, and celebrate their heritage. We provide invaluable connections with physicians and healthcare practitioners who share our identity, allowing members to build networks and gain insights into the shared experiences that unite us. Join SAMSA to embrace your heritage while pursuing a rewarding career in medicine.


Student Advocacy Committee (SAC)

Executives: Gursagar Jhanji, Patricia Navarro
A collaborative committee formed by representatives from the Government Affairs & Advocacy Committee (GAAC) as well as Global Health Advocacy (GHA), SAC represents the interests and concerns of medical students to all levels of government. Annually, SAC organizes a delegation of medical students to travel to Ottawa for Lobby Day. Additionally, SAC organizes Provincial Lobby Day locally in Manitoba, as well as opportunities for students to become better advocates at a local and international level.


Student Interest Group in Neurology (SIGN)

Executives: Gursagar Jhanji, Jasneet Tiwana
SIGN aims to stimulate medical student’s interests in neurology and make them aware of opportunities within the field. SIGN, being the University of Manitoba chapter of the American Academy of Neurology, looks to accomplish this by creating an environment of like-minded individuals and provide the encouragement and opportunities to pursue their neurology-based interests. 


University of Manitoba Surgery Club (UMSC)

Executives: Nolan De Leon, Divleen Mangat, Shivani Patel
The University of Manitoba Surgery Club is made up of Manitoba medical students interested in pursuing a career in surgery. We work to connect students to mentors, get students exposed to the wide variety of surgical specialties available here in Manitoba, as well as create hands-on events where students can practice their surgical skills. Last year we organized a “Suture Night” where students had the opportunity to learn and practice suturing, and knot-tying, as well as a Laparoscopy simulation event. We look forward to reading your applications this year!


Urology Interest Group

Executives: Jainik Shah, Vaishali Shenoy
UIG is your portal to the world of Urology, offering you shadowing opportunities with physicians in the field, an opportunity to get hands on through skills nights, as well as giving you information about patient care and career development in the field.


Wilderness Medicine Interest Group

Executives: Dustin Gryschuk, Scott Bachus
The wilderness medicine interest group (WMIG) will provide experience and education for those interested in emergency and wilderness medicine, with emphasis on outdoors and low resource environments. Our goal is to support and inform students regarding careers related to wilderness medicine, teach practical skills, and promote further education.

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