Religion and Spirituality

I moved to St. Louis from a small rural town outside of Springfield, Missouri, located in the heart of the Midwest’s “Bible Belt.” Initially, I was nervous about transitioning to life in a larger city, unsure of what to expect. However, my experience as a Christian at WashU Med and in St. Louis has been incredibly rewarding. At WashU Med, I joined the Christian Medical Association, which helped me explore how to live out my faith in a clinical setting. This led me to connect with other Christian groups like the Carver Project, which brings together graduate students to discuss the intersection of Christianity and our professional fields. Living in St. Louis has also provided opportunities to serve through organizations like Christian Friends for New Americans where I’ve been able to teach English to refugee children. Alongside these experiences, I found a welcoming church community at One Family Church, whose fellowship and support have enriched my spiritual journey and made my transition to St. Louis much smoother.

St. Louis boasts a total of five Hindu temples and prominent organizations that are accessible to anyone living near the city. The closest to the WashU Medical Campus is the Vedanta Society of St. Louis right across Forest Park (easily accessed by the MetroLink lightrail). Led by Swami Chetananda, the society holds weekly satsangs where they discuss scripture, and all students are more than welcome! The next closest is the Iskcon temple of St. Louis (near the Saint Louis University undergraduate campus). Iskcon St. Louis has a weekly Sunday feast (with free food) along with an exuberant aarti, kirtan, and lecture. The largest temple is the Hindu Temple of St. Louis, located in Manchester. On Sundays, the Hindu Temple of St. Louis has delicious Indian food available for purchase (arguably better than most Indian restaurants in St. Louis). Last but not least, the Missouri Ganesha Temple in Manchester is the most traditionally South Indian temple in the area.

There’s no shortage of events and opportunities for Jewish students in St. Louis. Jewish Graduate Student Association in Greater St. Louis (JGrads) is the best organization for Jewish twenty-somethings to meet and connect around St. Louis. There are Shabbat dinners, high holiday events, weekly dinner+discussion series, and even cholent cookoffs (of which I am the 2024 champ). I met Rabbi Yankel and his wife Chana during my first week in St. Louis, and they could not have been more kind and welcoming. Chabad on Campus on the Danforth campus also has weekly Shabbat services and is always a place to get a good kosher meal. St. Louis itself also has tons of synagogues spanning all denominations, so there’s plenty of opportunity to find Jewish community outside of the WashU bubble. WashU Med has the Jewish Medical Student Association (JMSA), which hosts Shabbat dinners, lunch+learn discussions, and holiday events. All in all, I’ve had no problem finding Jewish community in WashU Med and in St. Louis.

I was pleasantly surprised upon moving to St. Louis that it is home to a vibrant Muslim community. Several nearby restaurants serve Zabiha Halal meat and supermarkets that sell Zabiha Halal poultry are a short ride away. Barnes-Jewish Hospital (BJH) hosts Friday prayers at 1:30 p.m. each week. There, you can connect with fellow Muslims within the BJH/WashU Med system. Additionally, the Medical Muslim Students Association offers a welcoming and supportive space for new medical students! These resources and connections have made the transition of my faith-based practices to medical school seamless.