AMSA'S 55th Annual Convention

A New Professionalism: Physicians Worthy of the Public Trust

March 16-20, 2005
Washington, DC

In D.C., Students Pledge Allegiance to a New Professionalism

Washington, D.C., offered the ideal backdrop for the annual convention, March 16-20, where medical students considered their future roles within a profession that will be shaped by public policy as never before.

This year's theme, "A New Professionalism: Physicians Worthy of the Public Trust," threaded its way through every keynote, session and workshop. A daylong preconference of discussions and activities surrounding global HIV/AIDS kicked off the convention, followed by four full days of programming exploring a mixed bag of issues affecting medical students' immediate and long-range futures-from money management for premeds and first-years to Dr. Reed Tuckson's farsighted keynote charting the future of the medical profession.

As always, activism was a central theme of the D.C. gathering. Dozens of future physicians gathered for a rally on Capitol Hill to highlight the dubious practices of Big Pharma, and during daily concurrent sessions attendees brainstormed such sociomedical issues as end-of-life care, domestic violence, community-based medicine, the obesity epidemic and medical malpractice. They also honed their advocacy skills in workshops on lobbying and direct action.

In between, attendees crowded the Exhibit Hall, took in a showing of student art and found plenty of opportunities to socialize and network.

Find out more about our conference.

Sessions Keynotes Rally Awards HIV/AIDS Preconference

New Leadership 55th Gala & PRW Celebration Premeds Poster Session Winners

AMSA Extends a Special Thanks to All of Our Convention Exhibitors

Written by New Physician senior writer Jennifer Zeigler, associate editor Pete Thomson and editor Martha Frase-Blunt. Photos by art director Julie Fanning and Pete Thomson.