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Mark Korte, MD, speaks with two medical students from SIU School of Medicine. 

Sixty first-year medical students got the chance to get a glimpse of what life is like as a practicing provider in Southern Illinois.

Kelli Webb, MD, teamed up with SIU School of Medicine's Nick Weshinskey for the second annual Medical Student Career Exploration event at the SIU Ballrooms. Nearly 30 local physicians from SIH and other community providers from two dozen different specialities took part.

"We wanted to provide medical students an opportunity early in their training to connect with physicians from various backgrounds and specialties to discuss their training path, tips for success, work/life balance and more. These physicians know exactly what the medical students are going through. We know about the crazy schedules, the long nights, the stress and how long the road seems ahead of you," Dr. Webb said.

Last year, SIH’s providers hosted the inaugural Career Exploration event for first-year medical students.

"It was an instant success! This year was no different. Students got concentrated time with physicians from a variety of specialties. These kinds of interactions are priceless! Part of the magic of education is connection: connecting what happens in the classroom to what happens in the exam/operating/hospital room; connecting students with professionals; connecting future providers with a community they could return to serve," Weshinskey said.

Dr. Webb also acknowledged and thanked all the physicians who volunteer their time throughout the year.

"We know physicians are busy and have many other things going on at work and home, so we wanted to do something special to let them know that they’re appreciated and make a difference for these students and for our region," Dr. Webb said.

You can see more pictures from the event on the SIH Facebook page.

The following providers took part in the event:

  • Dr. Srinivas Rajamahanty (Urology)
  • Dr. Tandy Korte (Pediatrics)
  • Dr. Abdelhameed Nawwar (Infectious Disease)
  • Dr. Awni Shahait (Trauma, General Surgery, Minimal Invasive Surgery)
  • Dr. Alan Wilson (Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine)
  • Dr. Mark Korte (Family Medicine)
  • Dr. Craig Davis (Hospitalist)
  • Dr. Allison Magnuson (Anesthesiology)
  • Dr. Suven Shankar (Surgical Oncology)
  • Dr. Willam Ross Gray (Hospitalist)
  • Dr. Naeem Qureshi (Psychiatry)
  • Dr. Amanda Mulch (OB/gyn)
  • Dr. Catherine O'Connor (General Surgery, Breast Surgery)
  • Dr. Dennis Asamoah (Anesthesiology)
  • Dr. Matthew Winkleman (Family Medicine)
  • Dr. Muhammad Popalzai (Hematology/oncology)
  • Dr. Brian Reach (Academic Family Medicine)
  • Dr. Tennyson Lee (Interventional Spine/Physical Medicine)
  • Dr. Weiyi Tang (Internal Medicine)
  • Dr. Pamela Hunter-Reach (Family Medicine)
  • Dr. Russell McElveen (Cardiothoracic Surgery)
  • Dr. Kilali Iyalla (Trauma Surgery)
  • Dr. Kelli Webb (Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery)
  • Dr. Mike Davis (Orthopedic Surgery)
  • Dr. Treg Brown (Orthopedic Surgery)
  • Dr. Sumeet Soni (Pulmonology)
  • Dr. Josh Miksanek (Emergency Medicine)