The group’s cohesion and commitment led it to capture first place, a rewarding feeling, said Srinivasan.

“My teammates and I are all members of the Class of 2027, so we've spent countless hours together since the beginning of our M1 year,” said Srinivasan. “This competition helped me realize how far we've come in the past three years.”

The trivia-based competition was fast-paced and ended with a one-point Quinnipiac win.

Srinivasan said the competition was high stakes, leading to unavoidable nerves. Friendship helped students overcome competition anxiety. 

“My nerves were the biggest challenge for me on competition day. There were moments when I knew the answer, but for some reason, doubted myself, ultimately ceding the point to the other team,” said Srinivasan. “However, our team always made sure to check in with each other and back each other up whenever someone was unsure or needed a bit of help. Their support made such a huge difference for me. I also really appreciated the encouragement from the Netter faculty members and students in the audience.”

Tristani said that these bonds, formed in the Quinnipiac Netter School of Medicine, will also set students up for future success outside of the competition.

“It was an honor to represent Quinnipiac Netter alongside a team of my colleagues, all of whom I have gotten to know well over the past few years, and I am even more excited to see what we can accomplish together as future physicians,” said Tristani. “During the competition itself, we fed off each other’s strengths, putting an emphasis on communication, teamwork and trusting each other. While this strategy certainly paid off for us in the heat of the competition, it also represented an excellent framework for how all medical professionals succeed in their careers.”

Preparation came naturally for the team, White said. 

“As third-year medical students, we spend most days in the hospital in the clinic. After being at our clinical sites all week, we come home and study some more,” said White. “I think that all the work we do for school was the preparation we needed.”

Students felt Bobcat pride during the competition and following their win. 

“I felt especially proud to be a Quinnipiac student on that day,” said Srinivasan. “The School of Medicine is still a relatively new program; having the opportunity to represent us at the state level and to continue to show what Netter students are capable of was such an honor."