Enhancing Learning and Connection in Medical Illustration Student Exchanges through Team-Based Activities, a Design Sprint Approach.

Lecture-based conferences may be sub-optimal for peer interaction. The 2022-2024 Johns Hopkins/Augusta Student Exchange conferences experimented with Design Sprint-based team projects to encourage organic bond-building. Post-Exchange surveys showed that students valued career-focused programming and named networking as most important. This paper describes the Student Exchange team projects, survey feedback, and lessons learned, and encourages organizers of professional conferences, workshops, and classrooms to experiment with activities that can promote connections that span across careers.