Frequently asked questions

iRIS is a student-run non-profit organization intended for students who are passionate about the medical field. This organization is meant to be a collaborative workspace for students with similar interests to work together towards a set goal. There are several aspects to iRIS including research, interviewing, and shadowing. Students will work together in groups to create research papers, interview doctors and other medical professionals, and virtually shadow surgeries and other medical professionals along with examining case studies. The mission of iRIS is to provide students with an easier way to showcase their passion and interests. iRIS believes that many students are expected to shadow doctors and complete medical research when applying to several competitive programs in colleges. iRIS provides an easier way to do all of that without having to worry about the extensive effort it takes to complete these tasks while still enjoying the process and learning a LOT about medicine!

At the moment, iRIS is not participating in any projects or holding any events. This website can now be used as a resource for students to gain medical experience remotely. However, if any student does wish to have their work published (whether it be research, articles, interviews, or even case studies), they are encouraged to email irismednj@gmail.com in order for their idea to be reviewed and approved for publication. In light of present day events, we now encourage all driven individuals pursuing medicine to participate in in-person activities. If you have participated in iRIS in the past, you still receive credit for doing so and can refer to your experience as a virtual, interactive program when referring to gained medical experience in the future (such as college applications and resumes).

All meetings will be conducted via Zoom! General meetings will occur twice or so a month. However, more specific meetings (with groups) can occur at a greater rate depending on the type of group you are part of (research and case studies). All members are communicated with via GroupMe! You can also email iRIS at irismednj@gmail.com if you have any questions or issues.

The unique thing about iRIS is that it has many branches to it and allows students to be hands on even at home and actively communicate with each other to learn more. By adding iRIS to resumes, students are telling colleges that they went out of their way to find ways to get involved during the global pandemic. In addition to that, they collaborated with other students across the world and created research projects together and published them in iRIS’s journal. This checks off the research that colleges look for. Then, case study groups give students more exposure to the field of medicine, showing colleges that they are well informed about the medical field. The interviews held in iRIS show that students had interactions with doctors and put their foot forward to learn more about the medical field. Everything we do in iRIS doesn’t JUST help you, it helps your college applications as well!

Yes! iRIS has closed off Official Membership temporarily, but in the meantime you can become a Surface Member! Surface Members are a new addition to iRIS. iRIS registration closed in early July 2020, however several students showed interest in iRIS and were granted membership as Surface Members. Surface Members have access to the iRIS website and social media. This gives them the opportunity to sign up for any of the workshops provided by iRIS, view interviews of doctors created by iRIS members, and read through or add to the iRIS research journal. iRIS Workshops will entail information on virtual shadowing, the steps to writing and presenting a research proposal, and much more! Signing up for these workshops can be done through forms posted on iRIS’s Instagram and the iRIS website (coming soon in the near future). Additionally, Surface Members can coordinate with the Head and Founder of iRIS, Keertana Terala, if they would like to publish their research in iRIS’s research journal. We are so excited to have these members with iRIS and they will have several opportunities in the future to become Official Members of iRIS!

The only qualification that all iRIS members have in common is their pure PASSION for the medical field! You can be from anywhere all over the world but still find a spot for you in iRIS if you are passionate about the medical sciences.

This question was widely received. Due to the pandemic, many students have lost the opportunity to shadow medical professionals. iRIS's solution will be explained further in our virtual Shadowing workshop. However, briefly, iRIS had the opportunity to speak to a couple colleges who suggested ways to shadow virtually. Keep in mind, this will not be the same as traditional shadowing but it still indicates interest to colleges. There are three aspects to iRIS: research, interview and shadow. There is more face to face doctor involvement in the interviewing aspect. Shadowing will be done virtually through prerecorded events from YouTube and other virtual platforms. There have been several students in the past who have shadowed through similar methods. iRIS will be providing the steps, videos and simulations for such shadowing to be possible.

Short answer: Yes! We would love to have you hold an interview with iRIS. If you do this, you will be able to form a team of 15 students and ask them to coordinate with you and form questions. Then you can use these questions and hold a live interview with the medical professional, with the 15 students spectating the interview, and privately chatting with you if they have any questions to ask. Then, this interview can be posted to the iRIS website for all members to view!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST!