A Message from Dr. Bagby-Stone:

Do you find it difficult to balance medical school and the rest of your life? Do you wonder about your future? Do you wish you were happier? If so, let’s talk.

Hi, I’m Stephanie Bagby-Stone and I have time in my schedule to meet with all medical students interested in improving their well-being. From my past experiences, I am aware that medical students need someone that will help them create balance and conditions which promote success, identify their strengths and values, and nurture their talents and creativity. I’m so excited to be able to talk to you about these things. My approach is greatly influenced by the Science of Happiness (Positive Psychology) which seeks to create thriving, meaningful lives. The science is clear—happiness and well-being have positive effects on the body and on performance.

As a graduate of the MU school of medicine, I’ve experienced PBL first hand. I spent many years as the chief psychiatrist at the MU Student Health Center providing care for undergraduate, graduate and professional students experiencing stress, burn-out and medical conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar and ADHD. I am very familiar with campus and community resource. In addition to providing coaching, I can help you by providing referrals for diagnoses needing treatment, medication management, psychological testing or psychotherapy.

Why schedule time to talk with me?

  • If you are experiencing distress and are in need of support or guidance.
  • If you want to learn ways to optimize your happiness and your success.
  • If you have ideas for needed wellness programs.
  • If you are simply curious.

If any of these reasons resonate with you, email me to find a time.

I am looking forward to talking with you!

Stephanie Bagby-Stone, MD

Faculty Liaison - Student Coaching
Adjunct Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry
HSE 100E

Adjusting to Medical School

Medical school requires long hours, dedication and changes in routine and study habits. First year students adapt to a curriculum unlike any ever experienced. Many students are used to performing at the top of their class. Grading in the curriculum the first year is Pass/Fail (second year grading Honors/Pass/Fail) which yield student scores closer to an “average” range. This may be an adjustment for some.

Due to the rigorous demands of medical school often students forgo self-care to focus on academics. While this seems to be a logical decision literature suggests that tanking study breaks yields more productivity. Additionally diet can also have an impact. While life activities can take away time from academics, they are an important aspect of balancing wellness and education.

Mizzou Med values student health and wellness and works to provide activities that promote overall well being of our students. Each class elects wellness representatives who serve on a committee in collaboration with the medical education office and faculty liaison to organize programs and activities promoting overall wellness and life balance.

Wellness at Mizzou Med

Student wellness is important to all of us at the MU school of medicine. Wellness activities and programs have been advancing over recent years and we are continuing to grow!

  • Our students are actively involved in creating our wellness programs and activities. Two wellness representatives are elected from each medical school class and are involved in the planning of wellness programming and activities.
  • Dr. Stephanie Bagby-Stone, our Faculty Liaison for Student Coaching, is available to meet with students for wellness coaching and to connect students with resources. She also meets individually with every M1 and M2 student for a wellness check-in.
  • We offer multiple wellness events in recognition of Show Me Compassionate Medical Education Day. The Missouri legislature passed Senate Bill 52 recognizing this day with the intention to bring awareness to medical student well-being, mental health, stress management, and student treatment. These activities have focused on helping students to connect and to raise awareness of mental health risks and resources.
  • Health and Wellness Block Talks are offered each block, at noon with lunch provided, with topics including medical student mental health, campus resources, fitness, nutrition, stress management and mindfulness. Other topics for discussion include burnout, coping with failure and resilience.
  • Other wellness activities have included health and wellness newsletters, volunteering opportunities, food fairs, and various sport/fitness related activities.
  • We strive to make wellness and stress management easily accessible to our medical students by providing art supplies, exercise bikes and sports equipment in the student labs.
  • Since 2015, all of the allopathic and osteopathic medical schools in Missouri have convened annually with a focused agenda of discussions regarding improving student mental health and wellness.

Meet Our Student Wellness Representatives

Class of 2025

Brooke Burton-Kronk

Brooke Burton-Kronk

Bio

Hometown: Hannibal, MO
Undergrad: Missouri State University
Major: Cell & Molecular Biology
Minor: Communications
Med Specialty: Pediatrics
Email: bkbt5k@health.missouri.edu

Hi there! My name is Brooke. I am an M4 completing my selective and elective rotations. Medical school can be tough. There are times when it is incredibly difficult to feel balanced. There's a lot to juggle when it comes to studying, lectures, PBL, clerkships, volunteering, and extracurriculars (plus relationships, family, and friends)... all while trying to maintain your well-being. To me, "health" encompasses many different aspects: mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and social. Don't underestimate the power of a quick walk, a 10-minute nap, or a phone call with a loved one. Never feel ashamed to ask for help when you need it, and please take advantage of all of the resources Mizzou Med has to offer. As a Health & Wellness Rep, I'd be more than happy to extend a listening ear and send some words of encouragement your way. Just shoot me an email if you'd like to chat!

Thanks,

Brooke

Simran Panwar

Simran Panwar

Bio

Hometown: Creve Coeur, MO
Undergrad: Washington University in St. Louis
Major: Neuroscience and Anthropology
Med Specialty: Psychiatry
Email: sp5cy@umsystem.edu

Hi everyone! My name is Simran and I also go by Sim. I was born in New Delhi, grew up in the suburbs of STL, and went to WashU for undergrad. I’ve loved getting to know you all over Block 1 and feel lucky to be a part of this class.

I know how easy it can be to put school above everything, especially since we’ve worked so hard to be here and we’re finally learning how to help our future patients. Especially when the stakes feel too high to put aside the books, it’s important to remember that there’s nothing more important than our own mental and physical health.

I look forward to working with Lucie, you all, and Mizzou Med faculty to facilitate health and wellness resources that work in our busy schedules. Please don’t hesitate to reach out at any time with suggestions, questions, or just to chat!

Priya Patel

Priya Patel

Bio

Hometown: Schaumburg, IL
Undergrad: University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign
Major: Molecular and Cellular Biology
Med Specialty: Ophthalmology
Email: pjp23w@health.missouri.edu

Hi guys! My name is Priya! I was born in India and grew up in Schaumburg, IL. I went to undergrad at the University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign and now I'm here in Columbia for medical school.

I have a strong commitment to living a healthy lifestyle. Fitness and nutrition have been my way of keeping my mental health in check, but I know there are so many other ways to explore. Self-care is so important during our stressful medical education, and I want to help my peers find something that works for them. I am grateful to be part of the health and wellness committee to share some of my ideas about events promoting mental and physical health and to provide resources related to wellness.

I am excited to work with my classmates and Mizzou faculty to work on these goals and promote student wellness. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, suggestions, or just want to talk! :)

Class of 2026

Sabrina Genovese

Sabrina Genovese

Bio

Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Undergrad: Washington University in St. Louis
Major: Psychological and Brain Sciences
Med Specialty: Undecided
Email: sgnnm@health.missouri.edu

Hello! My name is Sabrina, and I was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. Dealing with stress is not a new concept to any of us, but we can all agree finding a balance between medical school and self-care is an almost impossible task. As a psychology major, I have always strived to improve my understanding of empathy, wellness, and therapeutic interventions to provide better patient care as an outgrowth of healthy clinical and self-care practices. To me, acute management of stress is a combination of personal reflection, strong connections with others, and cooking up some good food for a study break. I am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the faculty and students of Mizzou Med to foster a positive educational environment that translates into forming well-rounded physicians.

Danna Jenkins

Danna Jenkins

Bio

Hometown: O'Fallon, IL
Undergrad: Missouri State University
Major: Chemistry
Med Specialty: Undecided
Email: dljkk3@health.missouri.edu

Hi, my name is Danna Jenkins, and I am the health and wellness rep for the M3 class at the Springfield Clinical Campus. I was born and raised in O'Fallon, IL (so basically St. Louis). It's no surprise that medical school is tough, and what can be even tougher is finding the balance between working hard and taking time to relax. Throughout my time in school, I have found how easy it can be to fall into the never-ending spiral of stress, but fortunately, through the people that I've met at Mizzou Med, I have learned some necessary skills and what it means to truly make time for oneself. As a position in Health & Wellness, I hope to share those skills and new ideas with other students to help make us all the best and most well-rounded future physicians we can be. I want to continue to advocate for student wellness in the various ways that speak to each individual's definition of self-care. If there is ever anything I can do, whether it be planning an event or being a shoulder to cry on, never hesitate to reach out!

Sarah McLeod

Sarah McLeod

Bio

Hometown: Lakeville, MN
Undergrad: University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Major: Neuroscience
Med Specialty: Undecided
Email: sem6hg@health.missouri.edu

Hello everyone! My name is Sarah McLeod and I grew up in Lakeville, Minnesota which is a suburb of Minneapolis. Throughout undergrad, I always made it a priority to section off time for myself whether that be through running, cooking, socializing, or planning backpacking trips with my undergrad group. I truly believe that taking that time away from school is one of the main factors that helped me manage the stress we all faced to get where we are now. I knew that moving to a brand new state without any of my support systems would make that challenge even greater, so I was over the moon when I learned Mizzou Med had this group. I am so excited to get to know you all better and to continue to improve the events offered by the health and wellness team so that there are resources that encompass everyone's unique forms of self-care. Please never hesitate to reach out to me with any suggestions or questions in general! :)

Class of 2027

Shreya Gaddipati

Shreya Gaddipati

Bio

Hometown: Seattle, WA
Undergrad: Washington University in St. Louis
Major: Microbiology & Healthcare Management
Med Specialty: Surgical Field
Email: sg2nf@health.missouri.edu

Hi! My name is Shreya and I am currently an M2 at Mizzou. I completed my undergraduate degree at Washington University in St. Louis in Microbiology and Healthcare Management. In my free time, I love working out, especially doing yoga, as well as lazing around in my bed and reading!

Sami Swinfard

Sami Swinfard

Bio

Hometown: Jefferson City, MO
Undergrad: Missouri S&T
Major: Biological Sciences
Med Specialty: Interested in Internal Medicine
Email: slsbng@health.missouri.edu

My passion for student well-being began when I worked as a peer wellness educator for 3 years in undergrad and have enjoyed being the wellness representative the last year. I have many ideas and am open to any ideas other students have to incorporate into health and wellness.

Class of 2028

Pending