I have truly enjoyed getting to know my classmates on both a personal and professional level. What is unique about an MSTP is the collection of trainees in a wide range of areas, and having a large MSTP community, like WashU, brings that range into focus. Through our weekly class journal clubs, my MSTP cohort has given me exposure to many areas of research and a variety of techniques and approaches, from the social sciences to ion channel electrophysiology with many steps in between. In the process, the overlap and connections between fields of study become more tangible. Our discussions take us from the basic science bench-top research to the clinical exam room and to public health. These discussions define the role that physician-scientists play as the bridge between the lab and the clinic. Outside of my class, the WashU MSTP community as a whole is a supportive environment that provides role models and mentors in both science and medicine. More senior trainees have always been generous in providing advice and support on how to be successful in the program.