Learners Lead and Foster Flourishing at Inaugural Retreat

The KNN Student Network is comprised of learners who are also presenters, innovators and change agents for flourishing in medicine. The network provides these individuals with opportunities to advise the KNN on future work, present at events, participate in faculty-led workgroups, lead initiatives and more.

Last month, the Kern National Network and the Kern Institute at Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) partnered with learners to host the first student leaders retreat. The retreat was held at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. During the retreat, MCW students convened and connected for community building activities.

Learners coordinated a volunteer activity, participated in a leadership development module created by peers within the Kern Institute at MCW, attended an exhibit related to flourishing at the Haggerty Museum of Art and engaged in a bridging session led by KNN program manager Alverno Devine, DDiv.

First, retreat participants set about assembling 100 sack lunches to donate to The Gathering, a volunteer-driven organization dedicated to providing and promoting food security and other services to those in need. The assembled lunches were delivered later that day. In doing so, learners gained a deeper understanding of issues facing Milwaukee and served the community outside the sphere of medicine.

“The MCW student leaders who planned the retreat thought about how to grow leadership skills in the context of the KNN Framework for Flourishing. They aimed to 'develop leaders who establish caring as a central practice' and who 'give back to our community in meaningful, necessary ways.' The lunch making activity was a great way to embody caring and leading as community-engaged future physicians.”

- Joëlle Worm, MPA

Program Director, KNN

Next, KNN program director Joëlle Worm, MPA, led the group to the art exhibition “Basic Needs and Justice: The Pursuit of Human Flourishing.” In part, the display allowed learners to visualize air quality and how it relates to patient care—noting how air pollution affects respiratory problems like asthma. Learners explored how this issue, and other environmental conditions, may arise in their experiences as future physicians and how it affects flourishing.

During the session on bridging, participants learned about the KNN definition of bridging and discussed how to connect with other people who differ from oneself. It also gave learners the chance to have personal reflective moments and build camaraderie with peers.

Learners participated in a card activity where they chose an image that resonated with them. They then explained the reason for the card selection and expressed themselves using the bridging mantra. The activity allowed for participants to connect with each other, build openness and use that interrelation to reflect on how they could better relate to patients in a clinical care space.

“The Bridging experience afforded this diverse group of learners the opportunity to connect with each other on a human level, weaving a relatable tapestry of each of their unique journeys. They displayed bravery and empathetic support for one another that was encouraging and enjoyable to see.” 

- Alverno Devine, DDiv

Program Manager, KNN

Over the course of the day, sessions allowed learners to collaborate and build community while exploring how similar learning activities could be beneficial for a broader group of first-year medical students. The inaugural retreat was facilitated by KNN student officers Iniya Adhan, Saba Anwer and Natalie Stratton, as well as Kern Institute student leaders Max Casey and Stacy Moroz.

Congratulations to all those involved on a successful event! We look forward to supporting and sharing future opportunities for development across our network of leaders and learners in medicine.

The KNN student network offers engagement opportunities through chapters at eight local sites. Other opportunities include the virtual KNN Becoming event series and the KNN online community student group.

Upcoming Events 

March 13 - 14, 2023, Tempe, AZ | National Conference of the Coalition for Life-Transformative Education (CLTE)

CLTE will host a two-day conference at Arizona State University focused on how higher education contributes to a purposeful and long-term flourishing life. Featuring keynote speakers, the goal of the conference is guided by strong evidence that how and what you learn in college influences your identity, agency and purpose in life.

REGISTER >

May 3 - 5, 2023, Washington, D.C. | 2023 AAMC Health Workforce Research Conference

The AAMC conference is the premier gathering of researchers, educators and policymakers to discuss emerging issues related to the nation's health workforce. This year's theme is: The Next Normal: How Do We Make It Better for the Health Workforce? The conference will return to an in-person format with a limited virtual attendance option.

LEARN MORE >

Resources



• Flourishing in Critical Dialogue | Tyler J. VanderWeele, PhD, and other authors dissect flourishing in research literature and how to better navigate diverse understandings of flourishing.
• Take 5: HELP: Healing the Emotional Lives of Peers (Video) | Watch as Enid Rivera-Chiauzzi, MD, and Robyn Finney, APRN, CRNA, DNAP, of Mayo Clinic give 5 strategies on how peers in medicine can provide emotional support to learners faced with unanticipated clinical events.
• What Brings You In Today?: Siblings As Support Systems (Audio) | Listen as students from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health discuss the importance of having a support system during the journey through medical school.

Kern National Network | knn@mcw.edu | website