American Physician Scientist Association at Berkeley
Pre-Health·Research·Community Service/Nonprofit
APSA at Berkeley is a professional development club for students interested in combining research and medicine through the MD-PhD path. Members attend field trips to UCSF and Stanford to meet admissions directors and current MD/PhD candidates, participate in journal clubs to practice reading scientific literature, work on publishable literature review projects, and get CPR/BLS certified. The club is open to everyone, even those not set on an MD-PhD.
2019
Founded
Events They Host
UCSF MSTP Info Session and Mixer
Co-hosted with UCSF MSTP candidates, alumni, program directors, and admissions directors at least once a year. Open to anyone, not just APSA members. Described as the most popular event the club puts on.
Stanford MD-PhD Trip
A trip to Stanford to meet current MD/PhD candidates and admissions directors. Last held in Spring 2023 and described as likely to return.
CPR/BLS Certification
Certification event open to members.
Volunteering Events
Member Experiences
Annual Banquet
A yearly gathering for members and alumni to connect over food, games, and fun.
Journal Club
Members read a scientific article and discuss its components together, practicing skills they will need as future researchers or physicians.
Research Project
The Academic Chair leads members through an annual literature review project with the goal of publishing in the Berkeley Scientific Journal, including poster presentations and manuscript preparation. Projects start in the fall.
Application and Resume Workshops
Workshops to help members prepare their portfolios and AMCAS MD and MD-PhD applications.
Panels with MD/PhD Candidates and PIs
Panel events featuring current MD/PhD candidates and principal investigators from top-tier programs.