On March 7, 2026, Heersink School of Medicine faculty, staff, and students gathered at the Lyric Theatre in Birmingham, Alabama for the 2026 Best Medicine Show. The show, which caps off a fundraising campaign for Equal Access Birmingham, is coordinated and produced by Heersink medical students. It serves as an opportunity for the student community to come together and celebrate both the noble cause at the core of the event but also the talent and creativity of the student body.
The event, spanning roughly three hours, is a mixture of pre-recorded videos and short films and live performances on stage. This year featured 11 live performances, ranging from music to choreographed dance to comedy skits. Between live sets, more than 20 videos were played, exploring (often in humorous terms) facets of the journey of medical school. While students were the primary creative minds behind the videos, many faculty and staff members joined in and were featured in the production.
A total of 730 tickets were sold, which filled the theater to capacity. From ticket and merchandise sales, raffles, donations, and the annual Pie or Die event, students raised $12,000 for Equal Access Birmingham this year.
“Being director of the Best Medicine Show this year was truly an honor,” said Henry Haken, MS4. “We put in a lot of hard work into making people smile and have a good time together. It’s really a community building process while giving people the best medicine: laughter! I hope people enjoyed the show just as much as we enjoyed putting it together!”
One pre-recorded video in particular hit home for Medical Education and communications leadership, as it poked fun of the “You said, we did” communications campaign that is run twice a year. In the video, Medical Education faculty and staff performed a mock meeting brainstorming the next batch of YSWD ideas, which became more humorous with each pitch. The video was received with laughs all around, as it was written and performed in good fun.
Medical Education and communications did respond with a lighthearted retort of their own, running the following as the YSWD blurb for the Monday after the show.
The talent and creativity on display at the show was evident from beginning to end, and the passion with which students performed was palpable. Being able to laugh, and provide that laughter, is a crucial component of the show that makes it an anticipated part of each year for both the student body and faculty and staff.
The other component on display throughout Best Medicine Show was the students’ passion for medicine and the future of field. The effort poured into this event, providing the school community a night of enjoyment and raising funds for a critical medical resource in the city, highlights the vision and commitment that Heersink students have for the future of the school and their future careers as physicians.
