The M.S. in Physiology Program:

Navigating COVID-19

Director, MS Program and Lecturer, Molecular & Integrative Physiology

Timely preparations and continuing flexibility allowed the M.S. Program in Physiology leadership team to navigate the challenging (and memorable!) 2020 calendar year within the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning the week of March 2, 2020, Program Directors, Drs. Amy Oakley and Isola Brown; Coordinator of Advising, Dr. Peggy Zitek; and Program Administrator, Folaké Graves, began preparations for the possible transition of program courses and activities to an online format. Program leadership utilized a portion of the weekly seminar class on March 11th, 2020, to both discuss the imminent transition to an online format and conduct a demonstration of the BlueJeans video conferencing software in advance of student presentations scheduled for the following week. During this activity, students and program leadership were informed electronically of the University’s decision to cancel classes on March 12 and 13 and transition to an online class format for the remainder of the Winter 2020 semester, effective Monday, March 16th, 2020. Talk about timing!

The end of seminar class that day was marked not only by the previously scheduled in-person Alumni Gap Year Panel and pizza party (with appropriate safety protocols for food distribution), but also burning questions from the students such as “What will the rest of the academic year look like?” and “Will this be our last time seeing each other in person?” Program leadership’s timely and advanced preparations allowed them to answer some of the students’ questions and ensured the smooth transition of PHYSIOL 592: Integrated Neuroscience, PHYSIOL 610: Translational and Pathophysiology, and PHYSIOL 605: Professional Development Seminar to an online platform. PHYSIOL 704: Peer-Facilitated Capstone Development, a new M.S. program course, was also developed during the Winter 2020 term, and offered (for the first time) virtually in Spring 2020. Capstone oral presentations in the Spring and Summer 2020 terms were hosted remotely, and this “new normal” provided some benefits: It was much more convenient for family members and friends from both within and outside the state of Michigan to attend, an option that was more challenging when presentations were only offered in-person.

Non-class activities offered virtually in Spring and Summer 2020 included Peggy Zitek’s American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) workshop (previously offered in-person each year in early May), and a newly-created online presentation covering the Association of American Medical Colleges’ Video Interview Tool for Admissions (AAMC VITA) assessment, offered in August 2020. Despite the (relatively) smooth transitions of courses and workshops virtually, technical and other difficulties associated with online formats still existed: Key among them was the struggle to continue community building within the 2020 cohort due to the loss of in-person academic and social activities, in particular, the M.S. Program’s annual Celebration Dinner. A virtual trivia night provided the 2020 cohort with the opportunity to catch-up and enjoy a fun moment together, easing some of this social loss.

The difficulties of community building were also present as the 2020-2021 school year commenced and

the current cohort of students matriculated. Program leadership again worked to find creative and safe ways for students to learn and interact, both virtually and in-person. Program orientation was held in-person, according to University-provided social-distancing and health guidelines, and was a noteworthy opportunity for students to meet and interact with each other and program leadership. Current program student, Amanda Victory, shared that “Going into the school year amidst the COVID-19 pandemic felt really uncertain at first; however, having held our orientation in-person helped break the ice when it came to organizing Zoom study sessions and hangouts. It was nice to put an actual face to the virtual one, even if the mask did cover most of it!” Socially-distanced, in-person sessions of the weekly seminar class, PHYSIOL 605, in the Fall 2020 term, were helpful to some program students. Amanda, again, shared that “…our weekly in-person seminars were a huge help in getting me motivated and excited to enter back into academia, as well as in maintaining my stamina on the days I had to study from home.”

Safe, in-person meetings were not possible for some program social and non-academic activities, which are crucial for community building among student cohorts. “Community building was definitely a big challenge this past semester,” says current program student, Taryn Hayes. Student-coordinated events, such as a virtual happy hour at the beginning of the school year and socially-distanced study groups, helped to alleviate some of these challenges. Additional program-hosted activities organized in the Fall 2020 term included a virtual Friendsgiving, online trivia nights, and a virtual spirit day in support of program student and Wolverine football team co-captain, Andrew Vastardis. These activities provided opportunities for students to develop networks and communities within their cohort. According to Taryn, “This was super helpful because it allowed me to establish support systems that were essential to my success and well-being over this past semester. ... Additionally, I was not hesitant to reach out to these friends with any questions, concerns, or even if I needed to have a little vent session to release my frustrations. Especially in this virtual environment, I was so appreciative of the friends that showed me compassion and kindness throughout this past semester.”

The support students offered each other was mirrored by Program Directors Drs. Oakley and Brown during weekly virtual student office hours in Fall 2020. Additionally, Peggy harnessed her vast previous experience conducting mock interviews and advising appointments via Facetime, to continue those aspects of the program seamlessly (with the exception of occasional WiFi glitches). The Fall 2020 Alumni Panel was another highlight of the semester, as a virtual format allowed a broader range of former students to participate in this event. For example, one panelist attends an outof-state medical school and two other panelists are 4th year medical students who are notoriously busy and would otherwise not have been able to travel to Ann Arbor for an in-person panel. As we have moved into the Winter and Spring 2021 terms amidst the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, the M.S. Program team continues to support students in learning, networking, and community building, while maintaining their health and wellness. •

Amy Oakley, PhD Director, MS Program and Lecturer, Molecular & Integrative Physiology