ABOUT
OGPS Senate

The OGPS Senate is a group of graduate students, postbac students, and postdoctoral fellows that meet on a quarterly basis with OGPS leadership to assemble and bring forth suggestions, issues, concerns, and new initiatives impacting our University of Michigan Medical School community. The goal of the Senate is to be more proactive in meeting the always changing needs of our community members, and to empower our learners to actively participate in this process.

How the OGPS Senate Works

Trainees on the Biomedical Graduate Student Government (BGSG), MEDPREP, PREP, and Medical School Postdoctoral Trainee Senate act as the leaders and representatives that listen to their trainee populations and identify areas of need. These groups hold their own monthly or bi-monthly meetings, and together, their representatives make up the OGPS Senate.

On a quarterly basis, OGPS Senate representatives from all groups bring forward major topics of discussion regarding their populations to a meeting with OGPS Leadership, Dr. Mary O’Riordan and Lisa Gubaci. OGPS then works to make improvements regarding issues, concerns, and new initiatives brought forth by the representatives – giving them a direct way to create positive change.

Representatives may advocate for anything they deem appropriate and necessary. This might include topics like moving stipends, improvement to student common areas, more support in a specific area of development, etc. 

OGPS Senate Members

If you are a trainee and would like to bring a suggestion, issue, concern, or new initiative to the OGPS Senate, you should first get in touch with the appropriate representatives so that they can bring the topic to leadership.

Biomedical Graduate Student Government: April Apfelbaum, April Solon, Jackee Sanchez

MEDPREP: Stephanie Erikson

PREP: Genesis Rodriguez

Medical School Postdoctoral Trainee Senate: Ariangela J. Kozik, Ph.D., Prahatha Venkatraman, Ph.D., Jay Vornhagen, Ph.D.