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 2026

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 sot hat 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! :)

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 with the goal 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. 

Class of 2025

Simran Panwar

Simran Panwar

Bio

Hometown: Creve Coeur, MO
Undergrad: Washington University in St. Louis
Major: Neuroscience and Anthropology
Med Specialty: TBD
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!

Lucie Trokey

Lucie Trokey

Bio

Hometown: Farmington, MO
Undergrad: University of Missouri-Columbia
Major: Biological Sciences and Human Physiology & Translational Sciences
Med Specialty: Undecided
Email: lrtbf7@umsystem.edu

Hey everyone! My name is Lucie and I grew up in Farmington, MO. I have always enjoyed being active and eating healthy, but I became very interested in the topic during college especially when things would get hectic. I then decided to major in that to learn more about how we could use nutrition and exercise in medicine. In addition, I’ve been teaching yoga at the rec for about 4 years now because I think it’s a great stress reliever and a fun way to get moving. By keeping myself organized and pretty scheduled, I’ve been able to make sure I have time to myself to keep from getting overly stressed. As one of the health and wellness chairs, I’m excited to work with my class and the faculty to support a healthy, well-rounded experience for all of us here at Mizzou Med. Feel free to reach out to me at any time, I’m always here to answer questions or just to talk!

Class of 2024

Becki Ernst

Becki Ernst

Bingyue Zhang

Bingyue Zhang

Bio

Hometown: Shandong, China
Undergrad: Mizzou
Major/Minor: Mathematics/Biology
Med Specialty: Undecided
Email: bzhcd@health.missouri.edu

Hi I'm Bingyue, and I also go by October! 

It still felt like yesterday that I received my white coat during orientation week, and yet here I am, exploring different organ systems through lectures and anatomy lab. The past few weeks has been one of the busiest times for me, but I wouldn't trade this unique journey for anything. Looking back, I knew how easy to overlook my own well-being while juggling through block 1 squeezing 500 GB information into my tiny 1 GB brain. I can't say if the feeling of drinking-through-a-fire-hose will ever secede, but I will strive to take better care of not only myself but you as well! Setting time aside to take care of ourselves both mentally and physically is essential to maintain our overall well-being and not feeling burned-out. I am always here if you would like to talk or need some support. Please let me know how I could help! As your representative, I would also greatly value any suggestions from you to incorporate more ideas highlighting the importance of wellness among us. 

Friends, please remember to take time for yourself and remember that we all shine uniquely in our own way! Also please reach out with any questions, and let me know if there is anything I can do to better your experience here in Mizzou Med! 

Class of 2023

Kevin Horner

Kevin Horner

Bio

Hometown: Belleville, IL
Undergrad: University of Missouri-Columbia
Major: Biological Sciences 
Med Specialty: Undecided
Email: hornerk@health.missouri.edu

Hi everyone! My name is Kevin and I am originally from Belleville, IL. Since high school, amidst coursework and extracurricular activities, I have always tried to emphasize health and wellness. No day is complete for me without taking time for myself and doing things that I enjoy, be it watching Netflix, exercising, cooking, or simply going for a walk. Striking a balance between school and your hobbies is incredibly important. Finding routines and having things to look forward to will help us as a class stay healthy and focused. As one of the health and wellness chairs, I look forward to working with my fellow classmates and the Mizzou Med faculty to foster a wholesome and healthful environment. Don't hesitate to reach out at any time for questions, concerns, or just to chat!

Lea Jarrett

Lea Jarrett

Bio

Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Undergrad: Tulane
Major: Neuroscience, Anthropology
Med Specialty: PM&R
Email: ldjty8@health.missouri.edu

Hi everyone! My name is Lea. I am one of the M4 health and wellness class reps and the founder of the Mizzou Med Peer Support Network. I am passionate about med student mental and physical health challenges and enjoy discussing the impact of exercise and dietary habits on mental health. I love staying active through hiking, bike riding, and rock climbing. I also like writing poetry and reading novels. These hobbies, plus maintaining strong relationships with family and friends, have been integral to my well-being during med school.

Feel free to reach out to me with questions or concerns about Mizzou H&W and the Peer Support Network, or just to chat!

Esme Nulan

Esme Nulan

Bio

Hometown: Kansas City, Missouri
Undergrad: Tufts University
Major: Biopsychology
Med Specialty: Undecided
Email: eknfgd@health.missouri.edu

Hello hellooo! My name is Esme and I am from Kansas City, MO. I have worked hard the past couple years to prioritize mental and physical health. In med school, I have learned how vital it is for us to take care of ourselves. To me, being happy and healthy are just as important as studying, so finding a balance between school and the rest of life has been essential. I hope to be able to help my fellow classmates find their balance so we can all be our best for our patients and communities! I would love to chat with anyone about finding balance or just trying to navigate med school and life.