Research and Industry Relations Committee (RIRC)

The Research and Industry Relations Committee (RIRC), is a student-led organization focused on empowering medical student research and elevating student research programs to the national level. In partnership with the Office of Medical Student Research, we are actively implementing and dynamically improving our nationally-recognized student research program model here at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

RIRC Areas of Focus and Involvement:

• Guidance for summer projects: research and community service opportunities
• UCCOM CommonApp guidance and review process
• Office hours (regular emails will be sent via listserv detailing times/location for office hours)
• Medical Student and Research Mentor Mixer  
• Support for project proposals, abstracts, and posters
• Medical Student Grand Rounds
• MedCat Orientation Student Organization Fair
• Summer Opportunities Week - Introduction to 2024 Summer Research and Service Opportunities (PDF)
• Pairing projects/mentors with students looking for research opportunities - UC Research: Find a Research Opportunity and  Find a Medical Student to Help with Research; CCHMC Research: Experiential Learning Opportunity for Medical Students (ELO-MS)

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Meet Your RIRC Representatives

Alex Sprague

• RIRC Member, since 2023
• UCCOM MD/PhD Class of 2027
• Hometown:  Hamilton, OH
• Specialty of Interest:  Pediatric Oncology
• Education:  BS Neuroscience, The Ohio State University; currently in Epidemiology PhD Program, UCCOM
• RIRC Responsibility: Member

Armo Derbarsegian

• RIRC Member, since 2021
• UCCOM MD Class of 2025
• Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
• Specialty of Interest: Otolaryngology/Ear, Nose, and Throat
• Education: BS Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, UCLA
• RIRC Responsibilities: Medical Student Grand Rounds; CommonApp; Research proposal and abstract guidance; Pairing students with projects; Data collection for quality improvement

Devon Baird

• RIRC Member, since 2023
• UCCOM MD Class of 2027
• Hometown:  Columbus, OH
• Specialties of Interest: Critical Care, Oncology, Neurology
• Education:  BS Biology and minor in Chemistry, Xavier University, Class of 2022
• RIRC Responsibility: Member

Erica Culberson

• RIRC Member, since 2023
• UCCOM MD/PhD Class of 2030
• Hometown: Short Hills, NJ
• Specialty of Interest: Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Education: BS Biology, Villanova University
• RIRC Responsibility:Medical Student Grand Rounds

Jonathan Regenold

• RIRC Member, since 2022
• UCCOM MD Class of 2026
• Hometown: Tempe, AZ
• Specialty of Interest: Ophthalmology
• Education: BS Chemistry/BS Art History, Emory University
• RIRC Responsibility: CommonApp guidance; Medical Student Grand Rounds; Facilitating RIRC meetings

Phillip Witcher

• RIRC Member, since 2017
• UCCOM MD/PhD Class of 2025
• Hometown: Fishers, IN
• Specialty of Interest: Internal Medicine
• Education: BS Chemistry, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
• RIRC Responsibilities: Coordinate RIRC meetings and steer the group; Facilitate student reviewer recruitment for CommonApp

Tiffany Shi

• RIRC Member, since 2018
• RIRC MSA Representative Class of 2022
• UCCOM MD/PhD Class of 2026
• Hometown: San Jose, CA
• Specialty of Interest: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• Education: BS Immunology and Infectious Disease, Penn State
• RIRC Responsibility: Medical Student Grand Rounds; Pairing                                           projects/mentors with students; Mentor guidance

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Find a Research Opportunity

Find a Medical Student to Help with Research

Intranet Login

Contact Us

Office of Medical Student Research
Amy Thompson MD
Director, Office of Medical Student Research
Medical Sciences Building 4556C
231 Albert Sabin Way
Cincinnati, OH 45267-0526
Email: amy.thompson@uc.edu

Diana Mullenix
Program Director, Office of Medical Student Research
CARE/Crawley Building E870
3230 Eden Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45267-0555
Email: diana.mullenix@uc.edu