Conference Travel Grant Funding in Action

Michael Levine, a medical student in the Class of 2019, returned from a medical conference, where he represented SUNY Downstate and the Alumni Association, filled with gratitude. Michael and another medical student, Robert Kim, successfully applied for funding to present at the AAMC National Conference this month. Their oral presentation outlined their work and research in the Downstate Mentorship and Wellness Program.

Michael expressed his hopes of positive outcomes from this experience in his application. He stated “We hope to utilize this experience to learn more about how we can improve our program, how to better conduct medical research, about current developments in the realm of medical education, and to network with other professionals who can better our program and educations. Our program’s foundation and our involvement in this conference are both rooted in our desire to improve the Downstate College of Medicine experience for every student who comes to our school.”

Serving in multiple roles here at SUNY Downstate such as COM 2019 Med Council Vice President, Student Liaison Committee Representative, and as a representative of  the Anne Kastor Brooklyn Free Clinic, Michael Levine exemplifies the holistic opportunities College of Medicine students can experience with the aid of the Alumni Association and its generous donors.

Read Below for Michael Levine’s bried reflection on his experience and additional photographs from the conferences:

“I hope this message finds you in good health… It went really well, people really seemed to like what we had to say!!! It seemed like we were one of only a small number of student presentations, which was cool (and a surprise). We learned a ton of interesting information that we will certainly bring back to the DMC campus for our wellness program and in general. We wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without your (Eric: Executive Director) and the Alumni Association’s assistance, so a million thanks for providing us with this incredible opportunity! Please let me know of anything I can do to return the favor.”