The inaugural Faculty Mentored Scholarly Experience (FMSE) Symposium on Friday, April 4 began with a welcome in the Luo Auditorium on the Lewis Katz School of Medicine's North Philadelphia campus, where students, faculty, and mentors gathered to celebrate student-driven research. Members of the Class of 2025 from both the North Philadelphia and St. Luke’s Regional Campus were there to present FMSE projects they had developed over the course of their medical education, supported by dedicated faculty mentors and a structured framework for scholarly growth. 

The students presenting that day were those who hadn’t yet shared their research publicly—many of their classmates had previously presented at national conferences or departmental research events. The symposium offered a dedicated, built-in opportunity for these students to showcase their scholarship and engage with the broader Katz community. 

“This event was always envisioned as a meaningful capstone,” said Dr. Marisa Rose, Assistant Dean for Phase 3 and founding director of the FMSE program. “It gives students who haven’t yet had a formal presentation opportunity a space to share their work with the community—and it highlights the incredible breadth of ideas coming from our students.” 

As the first class to complete FMSE as a full graduation requirement, the Class of 2025 helped set a new standard for student research at Katz. 

What Is FMSE and Why It Matters 
Launched with the Class of 2025, the Faculty Mentored Scholarly Experience is a required, longitudinal research experience designed to embed scholarly thinking into the core of medical education at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine. Each student is paired with a faculty mentor and guided through the development of a research or scholarly project—from question to dissemination. 

In many ways, FMSE was a formalization of something that was already part of the Katz student experience. “There were always students doing research, and there were always faculty supporting that,” said Dr. Marisa Rose. “What we did with FMSE was build structure around it—so that every student could benefit from the kind of mentorship and scholarly engagement that used to depend on whether you happened to find the right person or opportunity.” 

Students have flexibility in how and when they begin their FMSE journey. Many start in the summer after their first year, building early momentum that carries into the clinical years. Others begin during Phase 2, when FMSE becomes a formal course. Regardless of the starting point, all students complete a structured curriculum, submit an abstract, and present their work before graduation. 

Beyond an academic requirement, FMSE is also a strategic investment in the future of both our students and the school itself. The program directly advances two major pillars of the school’s five-year Inspiring Excellence strategic plan: the creation of an education innovation hub and the effort to foster a dynamic and collaborative research environment. By making research a required—and supported—part of the curriculum, FMSE helps ensure that every student is equipped to think critically, collaborate meaningfully, and contribute to advancing knowledge in medicine. 

“FMSE is part of a larger, intentional vision we have for innovation and scholarship at Katz,” said Amy J. Goldberg, MD, FACS, the Marjorie Joy Katz Dean. “It’s about training physicians to think like investigators, and to see where their curiosity can lead them.” 

That growth is already visible. Many students in the Class of 2025 presented their work at national and regional conferences, thanks to the support of their faculty mentors. Presentations took place at prestigious meetings including the American Psychiatric Association, Pennsylvania Academy of Dermatology, American Association for Thoracic Surgery, and American Academy of Neurology, among others. 

“The structure is what makes it work,” said Dr. Avrum Gillespie, professor of medicine and one of two FMSE co-directors. “Students can pursue case reports, community-based projects, clinical research, medical education—whatever they’re passionate about. But no matter the topic, they’re guided by a framework that helps them see the process through.” 

FMSE also draws on the depth of faculty expertise at Katz. Students are supported not only by mentors in their area of interest, but by a growing network of content experts, statisticians, and librarians. Together, this ecosystem ensures that every student is able to pursue meaningful, rigorous research. 

“We’re teaching them how to build and share knowledge,” said Dr. Rose. “And that’s a skill that will serve them no matter where their careers take them.” 

Shaping Experience 
Each FMSE project is different, but all are united by the spirit of student-led inquiry. At the symposium, members of the Class of 2025 presented on everything from health systems and quality improvement to clinical case reports and patient experience. 

Jessica Pennington, who matched into the emergency medicine (EM) residency program at Temple, used FMSE to evaluate a care coordination program aimed at reducing repeat emergency department visits. Her project was published in Common Sense, a national Emergency Medicine Residents' Association (EMRA) publication for emergency medicine residents and medical students, and she plans to build on the work during residency. 

“In EM, especially at Temple, we’re the safety net,” she said. “This project gave me the chance to study a real challenge in our system—and to be part of a solution.” 

Jake Siegel, who is headed to Oregon Health & Science University Hospital for residency in general surgery, examined gaps in how gender-affirming surgical outcomes are measured in research literature. He said FMSE gave students a competitive advantage—particularly in the evolving medical education landscape. 

“With Step 1 now pass/fail, it’s harder to stand out,” Siegel said. “FMSE means every Katz student leaves medical school with a real scholarly project—and that matters.” 

For Eyo Mengist, FMSE provided a chance to explore a specialty outside his final match in pathology. His case report, focused on the imaging of a rare malignancy that developed from chronic osteomyelitis, helped him gain exposure to radiology and sharpen his research skills. Mengist is heading to NYU Grossman School of Medicine for his pathology residency. 

“It gave me my first real experience with the research process,” he said. “Even though I’m not going into radiology, that process of thinking critically and following a question was really valuable.” 

A Day of Discovery and Recognition 
Following the welcome in the Luo Auditorium, students, faculty, and guests dispersed into six breakout rooms for a series of student presentations, followed by discussion and audience questions. After all presentations were complete, attendees in each room voted to recognize one project that stood out for its rigor, creativity, and impact. The resulting slate reflected both the breadth of student interest and the strength of the scholarly work. 

Projects recognized during the symposium included: 

• Lauren Womer (Katz – North Philadelphia Campus): Assessing Factors that Influence Psychiatric Referral Time and Postpartum Follow-Up in Obstetrics Patients 
• Owen Kane (Katz – North Philadelphia Campus): Hematopoietic Stem Cell Gene Therapy Improves Outcomes in a Clinically Relevant Mouse Model of Multiple Sulfatase Deficiency 
• Daniel Volpone (Katz – North Philadelphia Campus): An Interview Study of Treatment Decision-Making in Black Men with Low and Favorable Intermediate Risk Prostate Cancer Treated at Temple University Hospital 
• Mikaeel Jan (Katz – St. Luke’s Regional Campus): Investigating the Impact of Virtual Reality on Patients Receiving Pregnancy Terminations: A Randomized Control Trial 
• Eric Perez (Katz – North Philadelphia Campus): Comparative Utility of Advanced Imaging in Detecting Upper Extremity Infections 
• Sharma Nandini (Katz – North Philadelphia Campus): Predictive Value of Global and Territorial Longitudinal Strain for Significant Coronary Artery Disease in NSTEMI Patients 

After the breakout sessions, the full group reconvened for a keynote address by Dr. James Anasti, a 1982 graduate of the Katz School of Medicine and a practicing OB/GYN at St. Luke’s University Health Network. 

Looking Ahead 
FMSE will continue to evolve with each class. The Class of 2026 was the first to learn about the program upon arrival, and the Class of 2027 will be the first to complete it over the full four-year arc of medical school. A growing number of students are beginning their research during the summer after M1 year, with support from Katz faculty, departmental research fairs, and new administrative infrastructure. 

As it grows, FMSE is helping shape a research culture that is rigorous, inclusive, and student-driven—one that reflects Katz’s values and prepares graduates for a changing medical landscape. 

“It gives our students the space to explore what matters to them—to let their interests grow, to let their ideas take shape, and to see where those ideas might bloom,” said Dean Goldberg. “That’s the kind of learning that lasts. And that’s the kind of environment we’re building here at Temple.”