Fall & Winter / School Year: Workin' for a Livin'

The school year itself is the longest chunk of this AMSA timeline, and as such is filled with many events. These are constant tasks, emphasized sometimes, present always. The year provides a variety of different events, however, and they deserve monthly notice:

July, August and September are for ORIENTATION

Our repetition on this subject may get old, but a chapter can make or break a year here. Consult the recruitment section for plenty of ideas and follow your successful Orientation with an organizational meeting to start involving new members. Next, start a simple project that a few new members can work on. Consider using the Local Chapter Project Planning Tool for optimal project success. Whether it be a voter registration project or a blood drive, a simple project will make them feel involved and might help you identify some really interested members early on.

October, November and December are for REGIONAL CONFERENCES

The regional conference is the high point of the fall season, and you should budget accordingly so you can haul some AMSA folks on the road. Start promoting the conference a month ahead of time. The superb speakers and workshop programming are great ways to introduce first year students to regional and national AMSA.

October 20 is the second local project grant deadline. Want to start a Hepatitis Vaccine Awareness program for veterans or a health promotion activity? Apply! It is easy to fill out the local project grant application and receiving a grant is a nice kudo for your chapter. Writing a grant is also a great skill to have. November spells TURKEY

Hey, even AMSA gives thanks for its blessings. Speaking of turkeys, have you spoken to your RT lately? Communication during the winter months can bog down under exams. This is a good time to make sure all of your projects are running smoothly and to troubleshoot problems. If you have a new project idea for the spring, now is a great time to flesh it out and apply for the February 20 local project grant deadline. It's never too late! And always-fundraise!

December is for RECRUITMENT GOALS

December is a good time to assess your fall recruitment. If you had a successful recruitment drive, congratulations! If not, plan for a winter recruitment drive after the holidays. December is also the time to revisit your timeline to see if you have achieved your goals for the fall season. Talk with your fellow officers about new ideas to spice up the coming year. And be aware . . . the Big One is coming! The national convention is coming in March, and deadlines for national convention committees, submission of resolutions to the House of Delegates (HOD), and early registration are rapidly approaching. If you wait until after the holidays, it may be too late to organize these efforts. You'll receive the Official Call in the mail in November with more details.

January spells MONEY

Fundraising for Convention, it can happen now! January is also an excellent time for a winter recruitment drive. Returning students may have more funds for the membership fee than at the beginning of the year, they may be a little more willing to participate in extra-curricular activities after the initial fear of exams is gone, and they will certainly be excited about attending convention!

You should be formulating plans for the upcoming National Convention. If you have a small chapter, think about getting a few first year students psyched to go - it's a great motivator for future leaders. If you have a large chapter and plan to send lots of folks, appoint one reliable student to organize advertising, fundraising, travel, and logistics for the event. If you need help, your Regional Director or AMSA's vice president for finance are a call away!

You'll also want to beat the last Local Project Grant deadline, January 20.

February is for ANTICIPATION

Your chapter's collective engine begins to rev for the National Convention. You will be mailed information, but check the AMSA web site for current updates. Have anyone who wants to be a delegate get together and review the HOD resolutions: your chapter has a responsibility to have a position on them! These resolutions represent AMSA's internal policy and our principles on issues such as medical education and health policy. Often, they shape the issues on which we will lobby Congress in the upcoming year. If individuals in your chapter are seeking National Offices, let your whole chapter know. And while you're at it, why don't you think about a National Office? Do you have the stuff it takes to be an RD? Does an Action Committee position interest you? Check into it!

February is especially important for identifying the future leaders of your chapter. If you know a first-year who has worked hard all year for you and who has that AMSA spirit, take a special interest in getting them to convention. Once there, their AMSA light will burn full time.

AMSA is spelled F-U-N

During all this time, don't let go of an important fact: enjoy yourself. Leadership should be enjoyable, not hard labor.

Spring / Transition: The Adventure Begins

In-coming Officers

• Contact Membership Services and make sure they have your updated Chapter Officer contact information, this includes an updated address.
  
  
• As a new officer, you will automatically be subscribed to our chapter officer listserve, which allows officers the opportunity to communicate and share with fellow AMSA officers (project ideas, recruitment questions, etc). It also allows for updates and information from the national office, such as our monthly Membership Reporter newsletter.
  
  
• After transitioning, meet with your fellow officers to discuss the leadership structure, roles and responsibilities for each officer. Make sure to leave some leadership opportunities open for new first year students in the fall.
  
  
• Make sure the new Chapter President fills out a recruitment form. This form should be completed early so recruitment materials are received in time for your school's Orientation.
  
  
• Last, but not least, choose one officer to attend the Chapter Officers Conference (preferably, the president). Your chapter pays for travel and registration fees, but ask your regional, premedical or international trustee if your chapter needs help with money. National AMSA pays for your hotel and provides most of your meals. If you are flying, arrive at Dulles International Airport. The atmosphere is one of total enthusiasm and fun. Be prepared to listen, as the national leadership will give advice on nearly every specific topic involved in running a chapter.

Out-going Officers

Remember which chapter members showed real initiative or leadership during the year. By now, you should have some idea about who would make a good chapter leader. You've worked with the chapter all year, so use your experience to encourage new leaders. Within two to three weeks of convention, capitalize on everyone's enthusiasm and hold elections.

In your final days of office, give your chapter a report on the past year. Follow up with project heads, treasurers and deans and close out your term with a view of what you wanted to do and what you did. Read your goals. Which worked and which didn't? Think about the pitfalls of your year, and let the new officers know what they were. And, as a final favor, introduce them around to the folks you have trusted. They'll thank you. Be proud-when you look back at a year of AMSA accomplishments, you'll see what a great job you've done.

Are these requirements? Roughly, yes. These are our expectations of you during the year. Do you have to accomplish them all by yourself? Perish the thought! There is a dedicated team of people at the national level who exist to help you accomplish your goals. As a chapter officer, you should demand tons of help from the national office and the BOT.

Summer / COC: Hot Fun in the Summertime

Transitioning is under control and you are well on your way to a successful year. Most of your responsibilities for the upcoming year are probably individualized to your chapter. There are, however, a few items that deserve your attention as you do your research/externship/ tour of Tibet in the summer sun.

The major event of any AMSA summer is the all-out party-work time called the Chapter Officer's Conference (COC). The COC is the annual training conference in which AMSA prepares its Chapter Officers for a successful year. For four days, you will learn tons of useful information on such topics as fundraising, project planning and implementation, and national AMSA resources. You will meet AMSA's superb office staff, the Board of Trustees (BOT), and most importantly, you will get to know your regional, premedical and international trustees and your fellow chapter officers. The communication that goes on at the COC will set the tone for your region's year, and to some extent your own. The weekend is more fun than you can imagine and, for many, is the most useful AMSA event of the year.

Be sure to register early!

Once you have survived the COC, the rest of the summer is a mere prologue to your school's Orientation. Be sure to schedule late summer and early fall meetings with your fellow chapter officers so you are not caught unprepared for your recruitment activities during school Orientation. You'll have a lot of information to share from the COC. If you have a great idea for a new project, apply for an AMSA Local Project Grant by the August 20 deadline. If you are not involved directly in your school's Orientation, get involved. There is no better way to be highly visible and well known by the new first year students. Offer your chapter's full support to the Dean-they will at least let you pitch in and at most put AMSA's name on it.