Wayne State University School of Medicine first-year medical student Arif Musa won the 2019 Medical Student Travel Scholarship to attend the 2019 Society of Interventional Radiology Annual Scientific Meeting, taking place March 23-28 in Austin, Texas.

The scholarship includes a $500 travel stipend, complementary meeting registration and dedicated educational programming.

Musa, a member of the Radiology Student Interest Group at the School Medicine, is especially looking forward to the medical student-oriented IR symposium, he said. The symposium, held March 23-24, consists of an information session about the interventional radiology residency, a "day in the life" of a resident, procedure simulations and a panel discussion of interventional radiologists in academic and private practice.

"The opportunity to learn about IR practice, obtain first-hand advice from attending interventional radiologists and have the opportunity to participate in simulated procedures will be incredibly useful," Musa said. "I have no doubt that attending the annual meeting will be critical to my development as a medical student and the perfect opportunity to explore a potential career in Interventional Radiology. SIR 2019 offers student-oriented programming, early access to groundbreaking research and numerous opportunities for networking and mentorship."

Musa is the second WSU student to receive the award in as many years. The Class of 2020's David Gelovani won it last year.

Musa also submitted an abstract summarizing his survey study to determine the views of interventional radiologists regarding the measurement and management of pre-procedural anxiety. The survey - administered online to members of the international organization Society of Interventional Radiology - obtained more than 1,000 responses. He presented preliminary findings of the study at the International Stress and Behavior Conference and at the Radiological Society of North America Annual Meeting earlier this year.