SEMSS 2026
November 14–15, 2026 | Emory School of Medicine | Atlanta, Georgia
An annual symposium that brings together current and aspiring physician-scientists from around the southeastern U.S. and beyond to share their work and collaborate.
SEMSS 2026: Southeastern Medical Scientist Symposium
The Southeastern Medical Scientist Symposium, or SEMSS, is an annual conference bringing together MD/PhD and physician-scientist trainees from across the Southeast to share research, build community, and engage with leaders in academic medicine and biomedical science.
SEMSS 2026 will be hosted on November 14–15, 2026, at Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. We look forward to welcoming trainees, faculty, and physician-scientist leaders for a weekend of scientific exchange, professional development, and regional collaboration.
Who Should Attend?
SEMSS is designed for aspiring and current physician-scientists across the full training pathway, from undergraduate and post baccalaureate students to medical students, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, residents, fellows, and early career faculty.
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What makes SEMSS unique is that it is intentionally trainee centered. Unlike many larger scientific meetings, where students and trainees may attend alongside established faculty networks, SEMSS is built around the trainee experience. The symposium creates a space where emerging physician-scientists can present their work, learn from current physician-scientists, build mentorship relationships, and form connections with peers at similar and adjacent stages of training.
SEMSS is meant to foster a regional physician-scientist community early, because the relationships formed here can grow across training, institutions, specialties, and entire careers.
SEMSS 2026 At a Glance
Atlanta, Georgia
What to Expect
SEMSS is a trainee-centered conference that brings together scientific exchange, career development, mentorship, and community building.
Attendees can expect opportunities to share research through poster sessions, oral presentations, and informal conversations with peers from institutions across the Southeast and beyond. The symposium highlights a broad range of biomedical work, including basic science, translational research, clinical research, public health, and emerging areas of medicine and science.
SEMSS also features keynote addresses and breakout sessions focused on physician-scientist training, career pathways, mentorship, admissions, residency and fellowship planning, professional development, and the role of science in medicine.
Throughout the meeting, dedicated networking time, meals, receptions, and poster sessions give attendees the chance to connect with students, trainees, faculty, program leaders, and future colleagues in an intentionally welcoming, trainee-focused setting.
SEMSS is made possible through support from institutional partners, national physician-scientist organizations, and federal conference funding. This support helps keep SEMSS accessible to trainees and allows the symposium to offer research presentations, career development programming, mentorship opportunities, networking events, trainee awards, and travel support.
Funding for SEMSS 2026 is provided in part by NIH R13GM109532 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, a component of the National Institutes of Health. The views expressed in written conference materials, publications, and by speakers or moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Additional support for SEMSS 2026 is made possible through Emory University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Vanderbilt University, the American Physician Scientists Association (APSA), and the Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI).
We are grateful to our funding partners for helping make SEMSS possible and for supporting the next generation of physician-scientists.
Thank you to our funding partners for making SEMSS possible!
Support SEMSS
Help SEMSS remain an accessible, trainee-centered conference by supporting student programming, research presentations, travel awards, poster prizes, networking events, and future regional physician-scientist initiatives.
Donate to SEMSS