Events
2024
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WPA Wellness Wednesday Walks
(October 2024)On Wednesday, October 2, the WPA held its first weekly wellness walk of the academic year. With better-than-expected turnout, 4 km of walking and socializing went by before we knew it. Keep an eye on your inbox for upcoming walks—we look forward to seeing you!
WPA Kripsy Kreme Fundraising
(September 2024)On Monday, September 30, the WPA held its Kripsy Kreme fundraising campaign where we sold 67 boxes of donuts and raised over $200 for the WPA. A huge thank you to everyone who supported our sale and helped make the event a sweet success!
WPA Laser Tag Night
(September 2024)On Friday, September 27, the WPA hosted a laser tag night at Palasad South with good turnout from our research-based students. Students enjoyed pizza, snacks, and a refreshingly spirited game of laser tag. Thank you to all who attended!
Science Rendezvous 2024 - PaLM booth
(May 2024)On Saturday May 11, the WPA represented the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Science Rendezvous. Ginnian Leung and Meggie Vo were leading the pathology booth called “Disease Detectives” alongside several other volunteers (Sumaiyah Wasif, Rose Samadi, Briana Battick, and Mitchell Pallister). At the booth, three activities were available: A urine analysis to test for diabetes, spot the difference looking at physiological and pathological tissue sections, and test your viral load where pH strips were used as indicators for viral load. Thank you to all the volunteers at the pathology booth!
WPA Bake Sale
(March 2024)On Marth 8th, the WPA held a bake sale at the lobby of the Medical Sciences Building to raise money to support future WPA events. Many members contributed to the creation of baked goods for the sale. We sold out well ahead of the planned end time, and raised over $300 toward upcoming events!
WPA Poster Workshop
(March 2024)On March 5th, the WPA held a workshop to teach incoming students the ins and outs of creating a visually engaging and informative poster for scientific conferences. The workshop was led by a senior PhD candidate and the co-president of the WPA, Frederikke Larsen, who walked the students through the most important aspects of a research poster, and shared some tips on how to make the poster more captivating. This workshop was well-attended by both undergraduate students and graduate students alike, and was perfectly timed to prepare the students to create their own posters for the upcoming Pathology Research Day.
WPA CV and Resume Workshop
(February 2024)On the 27th of February 2024, the WPA hosted a seminar to teach students to write effective resumes and cover letters. We welcomed guest speaker David Feeney, a career coach at the Career Education unit of Western Student Experience, who shared some tips and tricks on engaging the reader, formatting the document to be visually pleasing, etc. This session helped students learn how to emphasize the most important aspects for a target job, and knowing what to omit when necessary.
Scientific Communication Workshop
(January 2024)On Tuesday, January 16th, the WPA hosted a seminar to help students improve their scientific communication skills. We welcomed Dr. Nicole Campbell—an Associate Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology with numerous teaching experiences, with emphasis on interactive, conversational, and learner-centred approaches—and Dr. Adrian Owen—a Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience and Imaging and a best-selling author—who shared their experiences in how best to deliver scientific information to a variety of audiences. They reflected on personal experiences and provided helpful insight for how to prepare presentations and written communications that are engaging to audiences of various levels.
Video Link: Click Here
2023
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Holiday Movie Night
(December 2023)On December 5, following the final SCCT session of the calendar year, the WPA held a holiday movie night to commemorate the end of the semester and the beginning of the holiday season. Students voted to watch Home Alone 2, a holiday classic, and the WPA provided ample popcorn and hot chocolate for the screening. It was an enjoyable evening of light entertainment and good opportunity for students to fraternize before leaving for the holidays.
Mentor-Mentee Meetup + Board Game Night
(November 2023)On November 27, Pathology students met at the Grad Club to enjoy an evening of casual chit chat, board games, and food. This event welcomed senior students and newcomers alike and promoted casual conversations between those who attended. It also provided a good opportunity for mentees (part of the graduate Mentor-Mentee program) to become betteracquainted with their mentors and vice versa.
WPA 519Pledge for socks 2023
(November 2023)From October 1 to November 15, the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the Western Pathology Association participated in the annual 519Pledge, a charity that collects socks for those in extreme poverty. With the generosity of all those in PaLM, 230 pairs of socks and $100 were raised. A big thank you to everyone who supported this initiative!
WPA Scholarship Writing Workshop
(November 2023)On Tuesday November 7, the WPA held a scholarship writing workshop. This workshop was designed to provide incoming graduate students with the necessary skills to write effective and successful scholarship applications. The workshop was led by Megan Hong (VP Academic), who drew on her experience from various successful scholarship applications to provide insight and tips on various aspects of writing an effective application—from how best to structure a lay summary to what to include on one’s CV.
WPA Research Presentation Workshop
(October 2023)On Tuesday, October 31, the WPA hosted a Research Presentation Workshop. This event aimed to help PaLM research-based graduate students and fourth-year undergraduates prepare for upcoming presentations. Megan Hong (VP Academic) provided attendees with insightful tips on choosing and effectively presenting a scientific article, and, drawing on relevant examples, offered comprehensive guidance on how to structure an impactful research presentation.
WPA Bowling Night
(September 2023)On Thursday September 28, the WPA hosted a bowling night at Palasad SocialBowl. It was a great success and a great turnout of both Pathologists’ Assistant students and research-based students. Students enjoyed pizza and other snacks, as well as a couple hours of bowling. Thank you to everyone that showed up!
2021
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WPA Palasad SocialBowl
(November 2021)On Thursday, November 25, Pathology students from both the research and Pathologists’ Assistant (PA) graduate programs met at Palasad SocialBowl. Thank you to everyone that made our bowling night a success.
WPA 519Pledge for Socks
(November 2021)519Pledge, a London-based organization dedicated to assisting those in extreme poverty, has an annual sock drive. This year the WPA accepted the challenge to collect 519 pair of socks, and with the generosity of all those in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine 561 pair of socks were donated. A big thank you to everyone who supported this initiative!
WPA Health and Wellness Challenge
(January 2021)From January 25th to January 31st, 2021, the WPA, along with Pathology Health and Wellness Ambassadors Michael Roes and Liam Ratushny, hosted a one-week challenge encouraging students to take part in daily activities that focused on personal health and well-being. These activities included physical exercise, cooking healthy meals, meditation, and many more! Participants shared screenshots of these events to the WPA Facebook page where each post counted as an entry towards a gift card prize draw. Not only was the event a huge success with more then 90 activities posted, but it also brought back a sense of community to our department during a time when we were more isolated from each other than ever. Gift cards to Lululemon, Hello Fresh, and London Source for Sports were awarded to our three prize draw.
2020
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4th Year “Get to Know You” Fall Social
(Nov 2020)The 4th year Pathology students got together on a Friday evening to de-stress and get to know each other through various social games! Using breakout rooms, students had the ability to speak one-on-one and in small groups to learn more about each other, discuss coping strategies, and even compete in a meme competition! Prizes were given out at the end to the winners of a Kahoot!
WPA Graduate Journal Club Workshop
(October 2020)On Saturday October 10th, 2020, the WPA hosted a Journal Club Workshop for PaLM students taking the Journal Club Seminar Series course (PATH 9510). Adam Greasley (GEC Research Representative) and Liam Ratushny (VP Finance) gave a presentation regarding how to design an effective and informative presentation of scientific research papers. Along with offering additional tips and tricks, this workshop aimed to prepare students for future presentations of journal critiques as well as their own research!
WPA Histology Workshop 2020
(March 2020)The WPA held an open histology workshop last week to serve as a refresher on basic histology for undergraduate and graduate students. This workshop covered the skin, lungs, heart, kidneys, liver and the GI tract. Thanks to all who attended!
2019
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WPA Fall Term Lecture Series
(November 28, 2019)On Thursday, November 28th, the WPA was excited to have Dr. Stephanie Frisbee be our Departmental Invited Speaker for our WPA Lecture Series. Dr. Frisbee is an Assistant Professor within the Department of Pathology who focuses on the factors that affect cardiovascular health in entire communities or populations, not just individuals. Dr. Frisbee gave a thought-provoking talk that described her career path and the decisions and challenges she overcame along the way.
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WPA Halloween Event
(October 30, 2019)On October 30, the WPA hosted a night of fun and fright as Research and PA students returned to Byron for the 16th annual Byron Scary House. This year’s haunted house theme was “The Abandoned Orphan Asylum". With spooky decorations and realistic ghosts and ghouls around every corner, those who dared enter were in for a thrilling experience! Everyone helped to support a local charity by giving a small donation at the door.
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WPA Graduate Journal Club Workshop
(October 29, 2019)On October 29, the WPA hosted an interactive journal club workshop for research-based graduate students. Dan Wilsdon (VP Academic, Graduate Level) and Vy Ngo (Graduate Education Committee Representative) provided guidance and tips for students to read scientific articles and break them down into a more concise form for their Pathology Journal Club presentations.
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Thank you to all members of the 2018-2019 Western Pathology Association (WPA)!
(August 28, 2019)As the academic year comes to an end, we wish to extend a big thank-you to all student executives and representatives of the WPA for their hard work and contributions. This year’s academic, social, and fundraising events would not have been possible without the help of each and every team member. Thank you all, and best of luck in your future endeavors!
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Mentor-Mentee Meetup - Summer Term / End-of-the-Year BBQ
(August 9, 2019)On August 8, Pathology graduate students met at Gibbons Park to celebrate the end of the summer and academic year. It was a pleasant evening filled with delicious food, great conversations, fun games, and prizes! In addition to students in the graduate Mentor-Mentee program, current and incoming students were also invited to this event.
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WPA Rock Climbing Social
(July 25, 2019)On Thursday July 25, a number of a number of Pathology students from both the research and Pathologists’ Assistant (PA) graduate programs met at Junction Climbing Centre for a night of rock-climbing and bouldering. After a quick orientation both beginners and seasoned climbers had a great time challenging themselves, and others, on walls of various difficulties. The WPA provided a $10 voucher for each member able to make it out. Thank you to everyone that attended; it was great climbing with you!
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Wellness Meditation Event
(June 20, 2019)On June 20, the PaLM Wellness Ambassadors and Pathology graduate students participated in a group meditation session hosted by the UWO Wellness Education Centre (WEC). During the session, participants were guided through a thirty-minute mindful meditation, focusing on the body and the breath. There was plenty of positive feedback as many people felt more relaxed and less stressed following the session. WEC meditation sessions are hosted every Thursday in the UCC room 76, at no cost, and are open to students, faculty and staff.
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Campus Clean-up with Sustainability Western
(May 14, 2019)On Tuesday, May 14, a handful of students and staff from the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine collected garbage from Western’s campus with Sustainability Western as part of their Campus Clean-Up 2019 initiative. Numerous bags of trash and recyclables were collected from around University Bridge and next to the river in an effort to keep our beautiful campus beautiful!
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Science Rendezvous 2019
(May 11, 2019)On Saturday, May 11, the WPA participated in Science Rendezvous and hosted a booth to solve the “Mystery of The Missing Treasure at TD Stadium”. The students were exposed to different activities to see how the fields of Forensic Pathology and Laboratory Medicine are important when analyzing a crime scene. Our volunteers helped the students find clues at our bone analysis, chromatography, histology, and fingerprint stations. The students learned the methods of gathering evidence and its importance in solving forensic cases.
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WPA Gives Back: Easter Egg Charity Fundraiser
(April 18, 2019)On April 18, the WPA hosted their annual Easter Egg Charity Fundraiser. This year, members of the WPA made their way through University Hospital and campus labs to raise money for the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) - Middlesex. With everyone's help, $335.35 was raised. The CMHA is a nationwide, voluntary organization that promotes the mental health of all and supports the resilience and recovery of people experiencing mental illness. The CMHA accomplishes this mission through advocacy, education, research, and service.
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WPA Lecture Series: Dr. Art Poon
(April 11, 2019)On April 11, the WPA was excited to have Dr. Art Poon be our Departmental Invited Speaker for our WPA Lecture Series. Dr. Poon is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology who studies and designs computational methods to track the spread and adaptation of viruses. His talk was titled “What a waste: Life as a weirdo and the growth of bioinformatics”. Dr. Poon gave a thought-provoking talk that described his career path and the decisions and challenges he overcame along the way.
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Mentor Mentee Meetup/End of Term Celebration
(March 19, 2019)On March 19, 2019 peer mentors and mentees from the Pathologist’s Assistant and research-based graduate programs, along with other PaLM graduate students met at the Grad Club to celebrate the end of the winter term. Sharing nachos, waffle fries, and pizza, mentors and mentees discussed the upcoming Pathology Research Day, what to expect in their second year, and other general questions for navigating graduate school. PaLM students provided their own advice and experiences, which made for some very interesting and lively discussions!
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WPA Careers in Pathology Event
(March 13, 2019)In collaboration with the Science Student Council (SSC), the Western Pathology Association hosted a “Careers in Pathology workshop” to inform 3rd and 4th year Pathology undergraduate students about different pathways that they can take with their degree in Pathology. Faculty members spanning many areas of research, medical students, and Pathologist’s Assistant students shared their experiences, described their day-to-day lives, and gave recommendations to the students. In attendance were 6 staff and faculty members from the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and 20 undergraduate students.
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WPA Histology Workshop
(January 24, 2019)The WPA held an open histology workshop to serve as a refresher on basic histology for undergraduate and graduate students. This workshop covered the skin, lungs, heart, kidneys, liver and the GI tract. There was an excellent turn out for the workshop with many great discussions held after the session. Thanks to all who attended!
WPA Undergraduate Journal Critique Workshop
(January 9, 2019)On Wednesday, January 9, 2019 the WPA hosted a Journal Critique Workshop for 4th year undergraduate students in the Pathology Seminar and Research Project course (PATHOLOGY 4980E). John Palmer (VP Academic; Undergraduate) and Seana Hill (VP Finance) gave a presentation about how to approach and structure critical analysis of a scientific research paper. Offering additional tips and tricks throughout, this workshop aimed to prepare students to present their own journal critiques!
2018
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WPA Lecture Series: Dr. Phaedra Henley (November 15, 2018) On Thursday, November 15, 2018 the WPA was excited to host another speaker for our Pathology Alumni Speaker series. Pathology alumni, Dr. Phaedera Henley, was invited and gave a thought-provoking talk that described the importance of using a “One Health” approach when attempting to understand health related problems.
WPA Graduate Journal Critique Workshop (October 30, 2018)
On October 30, the WPA hosted an interactive journal critique workshop for research-based graduate students. Michael Stewart (VP Academic, Graduate Level) provided guidance and tips for students to read scientific articles more critically to help them prepare for their Pathology Journal Club presentations.
WPA Halloween Haunt at Byron (October 30, 2018)
On October 30, the WPA had a frighteningly ghoulish evening as Research and PA students travelled to Byron for the 15th annual Byron Scary House. This year’s haunted house theme was “The Forgotten Hospital”. Those who dared to enter the house enjoyed elaborate decorations and bone-chillingly realistic ghosts and ghouls.
WPA Lecture Series: Dr. Patti Kiser (April 16, 2018)
The WPA was excited to host another Career Lecture Series, with a talk from very own faculty member, Dr. Patti Kiser. She candidly described her journey through multi-level pathology training, from her extensive experience in basic science research, to her veterinary medicine and anatomic pathology residency training.
Careers in Pathology (February 16, 2018)
On Friday, February 16, before the students returned home for reading week, the WPA hosted a “Careers in Pathology” session in collaboration with the SSC (Science Students’ Council). In attendance were 6 staff and faculty members within the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and 20 undergraduate students.
Journal Critique Workshop (January 10, 2018)
On Wednesday, January 10, WPA hosted our fourth annual undergraduate journal critique workshop for fourth-year Hon. Spec. Pathology students. Milica Krstic (VP Academic) provided guidance and tips for students to read scientific articles more critically and prepare for their PATHOL 4980E journal critique presentations.
2017
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Pottery Painting @ Crock a Doodle (December 1, 2017)
On December 1, 2017, the Pathology Research and PA students got creative! This event took place at Crock a Doodle where students had the chance to choose a pre-made pottery piece to paint. This event allowed students to channel their inner artists as they painted a variety of different pieces.
Halloween CandyGrams (October 31, 2017)
The WPA held our annual candygram sales in October and delivered the treats on Halloween. Candygrams were ordered for co-workers, friends, husbands, wives, neighbours, etc across Victoria Hospital, University Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital, and throughout campus.
Byron Haunted House (October 20, 2017)
On October 20, the WPA prepared to be scared along with other research and PA students as they traveled out to Byron to enter its haunted house.
WPA Bake Sale (September 19, 2017)
On September 19, the WPA hosted a bake sale at the Medical Sciences Building to support our social and academic events for the upcoming school year. Because of everyone’s hard work, our bake sale was a huge success!
WPA Histology Workshop (April 19, 2017)
On April 19, the WPA hosted a histology workshop presented by fellow PA and research-based graduate students in the department. This interactive workshop focused on introducing some basic histology of the epithelium and a brief histopathology introduction to carcinomas of various organs.
WPA Young Investigator Seminar Series: Dr. Olivia Rissland On May 26, the WPA was honoured to have Dr. Olivia Rissland as the guest speaker for our first Young Investigator Seminar Series. Her talk, titled "mRNA-protein complexes and mRNA decay", incorporated how her experience as a graduate student motivated her to grow as a scientist and develop into a PI that she is today.
WPA Mario Kart Tournament & Bake Sale (March 31, 2017)
On March 31, 2017, the WPA hosted a Mario Kart Tournament & Bake Sale on campus and in Victoria Hospital. Our fundraising event was a huge success! 100% of the proceeds will be donated to My Sister’s Place, a local non-profit organization focused on helping women and children experiencing violence and abuse.
WPA Lecture Series: Katie Moisse (March 17, 2017)
On March 17, 2017, the WPA welcomed back Pathology alumna, Dr. Katie Moisse, PhD. Katie is currently working as a scientific news editor at Spectrum (New York). Her interactive Science Communications Workshop, titled "Where science meets story-telling", discussed the need for well-written and accurate scientific articles.
WPA Board Game Night (March 9, 2017)
On March 9, the WPA hosted their second annual board games night at the Cardboard Café. With attendance from a mix of undergraduate, research, and PA students, our fun-filled evening was a great success!
WPA Lecture Series: Ms. Katie Logan (January 20, 2017)
The WPA welcomed back Ms. Katie Logan, MSc 2012, Pathologists’ Assistant program on January 20, 2017. Katie gave a talk titled “The Road to Becoming a Pathologists' Assistant: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly”. It was well attended by undergraduate students interested in the PA program, current graduate students, faculty and staff.
WPA Undergraduate Journal Critique Workshop (January 17, 2017)
WPA hosted the third annual Journal Critique Workshop on January 17, 2017. Milica Krstic, on behalf of the WPA executive council, provided tips and guidance for the fourth year undergraduate Pathology students to read more critically and prepare for the Journal Critique presentations. The majority (>70%) of the fourth year undergraduate Pathology students attended.
2016
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WPA Christmas Social (December 16, 2016)
On the second last Friday before the Christmas break, WPA hosted a movie & pizza night. Huddled in warm fuzzy blankets and showcasing our ugly Christmas sweaters, we watched Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone with pizza, snacks, and drinks provided by WPA. It was a great opportunity to see everyone before leaving for the holidays!
WPA Lecture Series: Dr. Zia Khan (November 15, 2016) WPA started off our first Guest Lecture Series of the 2016-2017 school year with Dr. Zia Khan. As the Chair of BMSc Program in Pathology and the Director of Research of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Dr. Khan’s talk drew attendance from variety of undergraduate and graduate students. His personal speech about his journey into academia was inspiring and motivational. It was a reminder that the journey to reach our goals will be difficult, but the challenges will be worthwhile in the long run.
WPA Halloween Candygrams (October 31, 2016) Western Pathology Association (WPA) held another Halloween Candygram sale this year. Deliveries were made on October 31 by Princess Leia and Batman at Western/LHSC and Spongebob and their feline friends at Victoria Hospital. Candygrams were also delivered to patients receiving chemotherapy at the London Regional Cancer Program. Much appreciation goes to Tracey and Cheryl for donating candy and helping make this another successful event!
WPA Take Back the Campus Walk (October 20, 2016) On October 20, the Society of Graduate Students (SOGS), School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (SGPS), Student Experience, and the University Students' Council (USC) partnered to organize Take Back the Campus, a march to end sexual assault and rape culture at Western. Despite the rain there was a fantastic turnout, with several graduate and undergraduate students as well as faculty from the Department of Pathology in attendance. All participants came united with the vision of making our campus a safer environment for everyone.
WPA Bake Sale (September 12, 2016) On September 12, the WPA hosted a bake sale at the Medical Sciences Building to support our social and academic events for the upcoming school year. Special thanks go to Vy, Lilian, and Amber, the volunteer bakers from the department who contributed significantly. Because of everyone’s hard work, our bake sale was a huge success!
WPA London Knights Game (March 18, 2016) On Friday March 18, the research and PA students from the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine gathered together at The Budweiser Gardens to watch the end-of-season game between The London Knights and The Erie Otters.
WPA Lecture Series: Emily Keats (March 18, 2016) WPA hosted our second Academic Lecture Series with our very own Western Pathology alumna, Dr. Emily Keats, with her talk, "The Science behind Public Health".
On March 8, WPA hosted an academic workshop. The focus of this informal and interactive session was displaying and presenting research to help with both local and international conferences, as well as statistics.
WPA Lecture Series: Katie Moisse (February 12, 2016) WPA hosted our first Academic Lecture Series with our very own Western Pathology alumna, Dr. Katie Moisse, with her talk. "Reporting on Health Science: The Best of Both Worlds".
WPA Workshop (March 8, 2016) 2015
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WPA Christmas Social (December 16, 2015) The WPA hosted their annual Christmas Social Night on December 16 at The Grad Club. With food and drink generously provided by the department, students enjoyed the time to socialize before the holidays, a spectacular way to end off the first semester.
WPA Board Game Night (November 25, 2015) On November 25, the WPA hosted our first Board Game Night at the Cardboard Cafe. With a packed house of research and clinical graduate as well as undergraduate students, the event was a huge success!
WPA Halloween Candygrams (October 30, 2015) Western Pathology Association (WPA) had the first Halloween Candygram sale this year, and it was SPOOKTACULAR! WPA delivered Halloween Candygrams in full Halloween spirit today!
WPA Bowling Event (October 24, 2015)
The Western Pathology Association (WPA) social event was a success! Despite bad weather re-routing us from Talbotville Berry Farm’s Haunted Corn Maze to Plan B (bowling at Fleetway), fun was had by all!
WPA Pathology End-of-year Potluck BBQ (June 21, 2015) On June 21, 2015, students, staff, and faculty members came together to enjoy a potluck-style BBQ at Gibbon's Park. The weather was perfect and we had an excellent turnout.
WPA Valentine's Candygrams (February 14, 2015) The Valentine's Day candygram event overseen by the WPA was a complete success. Faculty, students and staff members donned smiles as over 100 candygrams were sold and delivered.
WPA Bowling Night (January 27, 2015) On January 27, 2015, students of graduate research-based and Pathologists' Assistant programs came together for dinner followed by a night of bowling. This exciting event promoted intermingling between the two graduate program streams within PaLM.
