SIR 2026 Medical Student Pod Leader

For the first time, SIR’s Medical Student Council is forming “Meeting Pods” at the SIR 2026 Annual Scientific Meeting. The goal of the Pods is to increase medical student engagement and networking at the annual meeting. The Pods will be designed to provide a way for students to connect before the meeting, attend sessions and events together, and participate in team-based challenges during the conference. Joining a Pod will be an optional networking activity and medical students who want to be in a pod can apply here.

Pod Leaders are needed to provide guidance and engagement to each Pod at the direction of the Medical Student Council. The deadline to sign up as a Pod Leader is February 19 at 11:59PM ET. 

What’s included in a Pod:

• Pods of 10–15 students each with a designated medical student pod leader

• Pod WhatsApp group chats launched pre-conference

• Light-touch engagement before and during the meeting

• Designated early career attending physician who will be a conference buddy to each Pod

• A team-based pod challenge to give some structure to the conference weekend

What is needed from each Pod Leader:

• Must be already registered for the SIR 2026 Meeting and have their own travel plans set.

• Energetic and willing to connect with medical student members of various backgrounds.