In Focus: WashU Medicine Moments - Inside WashU Medicine

Medical Campus activities were in full swing this fall.

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Bike to Campus Day

During Active Transportation Month, WashU faculty, staff and students were encouraged to bike to campus Oct. 22. (Photos by Shawn Ballard/WashU Medicine)

One woman stands in the foreground, taking a selfie of herself and three woman behind her — (From left) Shawn Ballard, Heather Craig, Jamya Davis from TrailNet and Jenna Schaefer

Pumpkin carving fun

The Center for Clinical Pharmacology’s annual pumpkin carving fall party took place Oct. 21. (Photos by Kayla Volner/WashU Medicine)

Three people pose for a photo. Woman in the middle holds a carved pumpkin — (From left) Michael Keith, Nokomis Ramos-Gonzalez and Haoran Zhu

Four people stand in front of table that is displaying three carved and decorated pumpkins — (From left) Akhilesh Kotiyal, Ya-Yu Hu, Emily Franke and Aidan Evans Strong

Man in black jacket and pants stands holding a jack-o-lantern that is carved in the shape of a cat — Nien Ping Chang

Woman stands holding a carved jack-o-lantern — Kaelin Dean

Man is standing over a pumpkin, carving it — Pankaj Dwivedi

First-Generation Low-Income Medical Conference

WashU Medicine was one of six institutions nationwide chosen to host the First-Generation Low-Income Medical Conference Oct. 17. Other locations included Harvard, Yale, UCLA, Mount Sinai and Columbia. (Photos by Maggie Singleton/WashU Medicine)

Woman holding a microphone, hugging a person wearing maroon top — Colleen Wallace, MD, assistant dean of student affairs, embraces a participant.

Woman wearing floral dress and glasses speaks into microphone — Colleen Wallace, MD, assistant dean of student affairs, provides a keynote address.

Ellen S. Clark Hope Plaza reopens

The Ellen S. Clark Hope Plaza on the Medical Campus reopened this fall, offering green space and respite for visitors. The area was closed for the past four years during construction and restoration. (Photos by Matt Miller/WashU Medicine)

A modern garden with diverse greenery and purple flowers features a dark sign welcoming visitors to "Ellis & Clark Hope Plaza" in front of a contemporary building. — A sign for the Ellen S. Clark Hope Plaza stands amid one of its many gardens.

Two individuals sit on a bench in a modern outdoor courtyard, surrounded by greenery and a reflective pool, with buildings and pedestrians visible in the background. — Christopher Noda, MD, general surgery resident and WashU Medicine Alum, talks with Viktoria Vonder Haar, clinical research coordinator.

Education Day

Sponsored by the Academy of Educators, Education Day Oct. 8 recognized the educators making a difference in the lives of learners, mentees and colleagues across WashU Medicine. (Photos by Maggie Singleton/WashU Medicine)

Two people standing, speaking to one another with a set of stairs in the background — (from left) Abby Spencer, MD, MS, and Leslie Blaylock, MEd

Two people have a conversation in front of Academy of Educators poster — (from left) Lindsay Kranker, MD, and Diego Chaparro-Zaraza, MD

Person in front of poster is explaining it to two people — Elika Nassirinia, MD candidate, explains her poster to Education Day participants.

(from left) Colleen Witty, MD, and Deborah Engle, MS, EdD

WashU Researcher Forum and Expo

(Photos by Matt Miller/WashU Medicine)

A person in a gray jacket stands at a table, engaging in conversation with a seated individual in a maroon shirt during what appears to be a career fair or job fair. — Research technician Emma Higgins, left, talks with Brian Goetz, associate director of the Biologic Therapy Core Facility – Siteman Cancer Center during the 2026 WashU Researcher Forum & Expo at EPNEC Oct. 6.

A person in a blue shirt sits at a table with brochures and a small photo display, engaging in conversation with another individual during what appears to be a career fair or job fair. — Taylor Anderson, marketing and social media coordinator with Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences, Clinical Research Training Center, answers questions during the 2026 WashU Researcher Forum & Expo at EPNEC Oct. 6.

White Coat and pinning ceremonies

Marking the beginning of their training, first-year students pursuing their medical, physical therapy and audiology degrees received white coats while occupational therapy students received pins.

A person in a red dress smiles as another helps them put on a white lab coat, with additional coats displayed on racks in the background. — Tavus Atajanova at the MD white coat ceremony Oct. 2. (Photo by Matt Miller/WashU Medicine)

Two people hugging; one is wearing a white lab coat — Maddie Rayner at the Doctor of Audiology white coat ceremony Sept. 25. (Photo by Jane Zankman/WashU Medicine)

Two women help place a coat on a woman standing in the middle, wearing a blue dress — Aaliyah Moore at the physical therapy white coat ceremony Sept. 18. (Photo by Alan Shawgo/Route 3 Films)

A person in a white lab coat with "WashU Medicine" embroidered on the sleeve gives two thumbs up while standing on a stage, flanked by two other individuals in similar attire. — Matthew Lee at the MD white coat ceremony Oct. 2. (Photo by Matt Miller/WashU Medicine)

Two individuals in white coats embrace warmly in front of an audience seated in a lecture hall. — Robin Shi at the MD white coat ceremony Oct. 2. (Photo by Matt Miller/WashU Medicine)

Ella Davis at the occupational therapy pinning ceremony Aug. 21. (Photo by Beckie Guillot-Beinke/WashU Medicine)

John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences

Woman in white shirt standing on the left is speaking to around 10 people gathered in a lab space. Several participants are wearing dark suits decorated with medals. — Members of the local chapters of the Knights Templar visited labs at the McDonnell Medical Sciences Building Sept. 9 to meet with Wei Li, PhD, and Qian Wang, PhD, and learn more about their vision research. (Photo by Katie Fitzpatrick/WashU Medicine)

Pedal the Cause

WashU Medicine faculty, staff and students participated in Pedal the Cause Sept. 20. WashU Medicine Physical Therapy faculty, clinicians, staff and students volunteered to provide post-ride recovery services for Pedal the Cause participants.