Social Events

WashU Med’s annual MedBall channels classiness, buffoonery, and carousing in all the best ways. The event is our version of Hogwarts’ Yule Ball with a sprinkle of high school prom. A truly unforgettable experience, MedBall has been described by some as “the most fun I’ve had since neuroanatomy lab” and “the most compelling reason to attend WashU Med.” A completely student-planned event, MedBall offers students and faculty a night full of a delectable multi-course dinner, flavorful libations, a live swing band, and a DJ that will have you dancing the night away. If you’ve ever wanted to see a dean do the Dougie or show off your Stanky Legg to your surgical attending, this is your chance!

This wonderful tradition goes back decades and has long been promoting more informal interactions between faculty and medical students. It is a great opportunity for students to get involved in school programming and to provide lifelong memories for you, your classmates, and your professors.

One of the highlights of medical school so far has been the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) annual Red Dress Affair, a fundraiser for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement. Decorating for the event ahead of time with friends and then getting dressed up in our red-themed outfits was such a wonderful bonding experience. The entire first floor of the Farrell Learning and Teaching Center was transformed into an elegant space with tons of great photo spots. Additionally, the gala featured a silent auction, survivor keynote speaker, physician presentation, and delicious food and drinks. I can’t wait for next year’s Red Dress Affair!

Society social events are a great way to meet other students at WashU Med, especially students in other years or phases that you otherwise might not see. My favorite event so far has been bowling, where the Class of 2026 took on the Class of 2027 in a bowling showdown. The class of 2027 won by a few pins! The events are true to what WashU Med is all about — building a community among students.

The Office of Medical Student Affairs holds the Student Life Office, which works with areas like student groups, wellness programming, the Gateway Coaching Program, and the Office of Career Counseling. Our goal is to help our student body be happy and healthy by connecting them with all the resources they need. Some of our tentpole programs that we coordinate include:

• Gateway Orientation — We introduce our new students to everything they need to start their medical school journey and help them find ways to connect to other students!
• Student Activities Fair — We provide a space for students to find out more about all the fantastic student groups we have and how to get more involved. A little free swag never hurts, either!
• White Coat Ceremony — We celebrate our new students as they take a big step on their journey to becoming doctors by receiving their white coats.
• MedBall — With a team of students, we help coordinate our spring formal, a lively night of dinner, drinks, and dancing.

We also plan other events around SAMHSA’s Eight Dimensions of Wellness model, which highlights eight categories: Emotional, Environmental, Financial, Intellectual, Occupational, Physical, Social, and Spiritual. Our programming is focused on helping students in their wellness journeys, and we’ve done this through events like our Mindfulness and Nutrition Workshop, Living on a Medical Student Budget session, our Career Talk Series, Match Week events, and more. Follow us @WUMSWell and contact us at MDStudentLife@wustl.edu with any questions you might have.

-Brady Griffith, Senior Manager, Student Life

The Medical Student Government (MSG) collaborates seamlessly with our Office of Student Life to organize various events during Phase One that foster class unity and create lasting memories. One notable event was the Balloon Glow in Forest Park, which the Office of Student Life introduced us to during orientation. The Balloon Glow is an annual event in St. Louis that you will not want to miss (more on this in the “Life in St. Louis” section). This event was before I had the opportunity to meet many of my classmates, so this was a great, organized way for me to go with other students to an event off campus. Plus, the Office of Student Life provided vouchers for us to get free dinner at several of the food trucks that were present. Most recently, MSG and Office of Student Life teamed up to host a Friendsgiving for the entire M1 class. There was PLENTY of amazing food, from a mix of dishes made by students to dinner catered by a local restaurant. There was so much extra food that the rest of the food was placed in our student lounge for people to come indulge in the following day. This event was special not only because I was able to have a nice free meal with friends, but it was also a great way to celebrate the holidays for students that were staying in St. Louis for the holiday season! As you can see, student life social events have two major themes: food and more food!

-Joshua L., M1