PPP Home

ARTICLE IV. CHAPTERS

Section 1—Petitioning for a New Chapter

A.            Medical Chapters

Any group of at least five (5) medical students in any one medical school in the United States or Canada may petition for a chapter within the Association. The petitioners shall sign the petition and date their signatures, and shall supply any additional information requested by the Board of Trustees. There shall not be more than one (1) such chapter at any medical school campus. Eligibility for multiple chapters at single medical schools or joint chapters between multiple medical schools will be at the discretion of the Board of Trustees after reviewing the individual school’s structure, finances and geographical limitations. (2008)

Branch campuses providing less than two years of medical education and/or which do not have a Dean of Medical Studies shall be considered part of the accredited degree granting institution rather than an independent chapter. Such branch campuses may receive all chapter mailings and shall retain all program affiliations; however, the number of delegates to the House of Delegates for a degree granting institution shall be determined by the total number of student members at the main campus, plus those at all branch campuses which do not have separate chapter status.

B.            Premedical Chapters

Similarly, any group of at least five premedical students studying at an accredited university in the United States who have demonstrated a serious interest in the profession of medicine and the objectives of the organization, may petition for affiliate chapter status within the Association. There shall be not more than one (1) such chapter at any undergraduate campus or program. (1991)

1.             Each affiliate Premedical Chapter shall be entitled to (1) vote in the Premedical Caucus, as specified in Article VIII, Section 4 of the Constitution and Bylaws. (1991)

2.             Chapter Officers representing Premedical Chapters may attend the yearly Chapter Officers Conference. Premedical chapters may plan meetings for the purpose of education and leadership development, in association with the Premedical Trustee.

3.             Any potential premedical chapters must submit a constitution to be considered for a charter. (1995)

4.             Premedical chapters of AMSA shall strive to create a system of support through the presentation of information and resources to its members while also seeking to expose them directly to the medical community, provide forums of interaction with their peers, medical students and physicians.

5.             Premedical chapter officers shall not charge local membership dues without collecting national AMSA dues nor will they retain members who do not pay national AMSA membership. Whether events are open to the AMSA members-only or not is left to the discretion of the local leaders. (2008)

C.            International Chapters

Similarly, any group of at least five medical students studying at an international medical school may petition for chapter status within the Association. There shall be not more than one (1) such chapter at any campus. That chapter may receive information about AMSA’s activities and programs through chapter mailings, if that group meets expenses. Such services will be provided at cost, to be determined by the executive committee on an annual basis. (1991)

1.             Each International Chapter shall be entitled to (1) vote in the International Caucus (2003)

2.             Chapter Officers representing International Chapters may attend the yearly Chapter Officers Conference. International chapters may plan meetings for the purpose of education and leadership development, in association with the International Trustee. (2003)

3.             International chapters of AMSA shall strive to create a system of support through the presentation of information and resources to its members while also seeking to expose them directly to the medical community, provide forums of interaction with their peers, medical students and physicians. (2003)

D.            Requirements Pertaining to All Chapters

1.             All petitions, including medical school, premedical and international charters, and all supporting materials must be postmarked no later than sixty (60) days prior to the opening session of the House of Delegates at the annual meeting at which they are to be considered. If this date falls on a Sunday or a legal holiday in any given year, then the deadline is extended to the next regular business day. The Board of Trustees shall reserve the right to extend this deadline only under extenuating and extraordinary circumstances with a 2/3 vote. Furthermore, the school petitioning for charter must have a minimum of 5 registered active, medical, premedical or international members no later than sixty (60) days prior to the opening session of the House of Delegates in order for the petition to be considered.

2.             All constitutions and changes to them must be submitted to the National Office.

3.             All newly elected officers must be updated to the National Office within two months after elections. (1995)

4.             Chapters shall not impede any interested party from becoming a member for any reason. Chapters may, however, maintain records of membership participation and allot funding for travel, projects, etc. to those most active members, as the leadership of the chapters deems appropriate.

5.             Chapter Officers must be members of national AMSA. (2004)

Section 2—Ratification of Charter

A charter shall be granted to the petitioning chapter upon approval of the Board of Trustees and subject to ratification by a simple majority vote at the House of Delegates at its next Annual Meeting.

Section 3—Suspension and Expulsion of Chapter Members

The chapters shall be vested with the power to suspend or expel their members, so long as such suspension or expulsion is not inconsistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association.