Research and Industry Relations Committee (RIRC)

The Research and Industry Relations Committee (RIRC), is a student-led organization focused on empowering medical student research and elevating student research programs to the national level. In partnership with the Office of Medical Student Research, we are actively implementing and dynamically improving our nationally-recognized student research program model here at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

RIRC Areas of Focus and Involvement:

• Guidance for summer projects: research and community service opportunities
• UCCOM CommonApp guidance and review process
• Office hours (regular emails will be sent via listserv detailing times/location for office hours)
• Research mixer  2022 Mixer Details
• Support for project proposals, abstracts, and posters
• Medical Student Grand Rounds
• MedCat Orientation
• Summer Opportunities Week - RIRC Research Nuts and Bolts Presentation
• Pairing projects/mentors with students looking for research opportunities - Find a Research Opportunity and  Find a Medical Student to Help with Research

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Meet Your RIRC Representatives

Andrew Nicholas

• RIRC Member, since 2021
• UCCOM MD Class of 2024
• Hometown: Cleveland, OH
• Specialties of interest: Dermatology & Emergency Medicine 
• Education: BS Biology, The Ohio State University 
• RIRC Responsibility: Research mentor and CommonApp guidance; Medical Students Grand Rounds

Armo Derbarsegian

• RIRC Member, since 2021
• UCCOM MD Class of 2025
• Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
• Specialty of Interest: Otolaryngology / Ear, Nose, and Throat
• Education: BS Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology, UCLA

Claire Weinstein

• RIRC Member, since 2020
• UCCOM MD Class of 2024
• Hometown: Dayton, OH
• Specialty of interest: Ophthalmology
• Education: BA Molecular Biology and French, Vanderbilt University
• RIRC Responsibility: Medical Student Grand Rounds

Jonathan Regenold

• RIRC Member, since 2022
• UCCOM MD Class of 2026
• Hometown: Tempe, AZ
• Specialty of interest: Ophthalmology
• Education: BS Chemistry/BS Art History, Emory University

Justin Heidel

• RIRC Member, since 2019
• RIRC Chair 2019
• UCCOM MD Class of 2023
• Hometown: Burlington, KY
• Specialty: Surgery
• Education: BS Biomedical Engineering, MEng Biomedical Engineering, University of Louisville
• RIRC Responsibility: RIRC Research Study project, Medical Student Grand Rounds

Phillip Witcher

• RIRC Member, since 2017
• UCCOM MD/PhD Class of 2025
• Hometown: Fishers, IN
• Specialties of interest: Internal Medicine
• Education: BS Chemistry, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
• RIRC Responsibility: Coordinate RIRC meetings and steer the group

Tiffany Shi

• RIRC Member, since 2018
• RIRC MSA Representative Class of 2022
• UCCOM MD/PhD Class of 2026
• Hometown: San Jose, CA
• Specialty of Interest: Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
• Education: BS Immunology & Infectious Disease, Penn State
• RIRC Responsibility: Medical Student Grand Rounds; pairing projects/mentors with students; mentor guidance

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Find a Research Opportunity

Find a Medical Student to Help with Research

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Contact Us

Amy Thompson MD
Director, Office of Medical Student Research
Medical Sciences Building 4556C
231 Albert Sabin Way
Cincinnati, OH 45267-0526
Email: amy.thompson@uc.edu

Diana Mullenix
Program Director, Office of Medical Student Research
CARE/Crawley Building E870
3230 Eden Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45267-0555
Email: diana.mullenix@uc.edu