StorySlamRx takes place at the Larner College of Medicine at UVM on Jan. 23, 2020.

On Thursday, January 23, 2020, a crowd of roughly 80 people attended the second annual “StorySlamRX – Voices in Medicine” event at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont. Hosted by the Wellness Committee, UVM Medical Alumni Association, Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, and Gold Humanism Honor Society, the event took place from 6:30 to 9 p.m. in the Hoehl Gallery in the Health Science Research Facility. The theme was "Lost and Found." 

Modeled after the “poetry slam” event genre popularized by the non-profit organization The Moth, the “StorySlamRx” provided presenters with a set amount of time (generally 5 to 8 minutes) to present personal theme-based narratives that drew upon emotional experiences in life, which often elicit both tears and laughter from the audience. (Learn more about The Moth.)

Director of Student Well-Being Lee Rosen, Ph.D., provided a welcome at the event, which also featured music by The Brevity Thing, a local band featuring Database & Applications Manager Steve Goldman, and Professor of Psychological Sciences Jom Hammack, Ph.D. Susanne Schmidt, M.S., LCMHC, a regional producer for The Moth and a faculty member for the graduate program in community mental health at Northern Vermont University, served as emcee for the StorySlamRx, which featured the following storytellers: UVM Medical Center President & COO Stephen Leffler, M.D.; Chair of Pediatrics and UVM Children's Hospital Chief Lewis First, M.D.; medical student Collin York '20; Digital Content Manager Michelle Bookless; Jessica Faraci, M.D. '15; medical student Scott Mitchell '20;  Associate Professor of Medicine Zail Berry, M.D.; and Associate Professor of Surgery David Clauss, M.D.

In preparation for this second annual event, faculty, staff, and students participated in a story-telling workshop in December with Schmidt, which focused on learning how to tell their “Lost and Found”-themed stories in front of a live audience.