American Medical Student Association Frequently Asked Questions

What is the American Medical Student Association?

The American Medical Student Association (AMSA), with more than a half-century history of medical student activism, is the oldest and largest independent association of physicians-in-training in the United States. Founded in 1950, AMSA is a student-governed, non-profit organization committed to representing the concerns of physicians-in-training. With more than 62,000 members, including medical and premedical students, residents and practicing physicians, AMSA is committed to improving medical training as well as advancing the profession of medicine.

What are AMSA's strategic priorities?

AMSA focuses on four strategic priorities: quality, affordable health care for all, global health equity, enriching medicine through diversity, and professional integrity, development and student well-being .

Is AMSA part of the American Medical Association (AMA)?

No. AMSA, founded in 1950, did begin under the auspices of the American Medical Association (AMA). Starting in 1960, the association refocused its energies on the problems of the medically underserved, inequities in our health-care system and related issues in medical education. In 1967, the organization cut its ties to the AMA and has since been a fully independent student organization. It is the nation's largest, independent medical student organization.

Does AMSA host an annual meeting?

Yes, AMSA's 59th Annual Convention will be held March 11-15, 2009 in Washington, DC. The theme will be announced shortly.

What are the organization's publications?

AMSA publishes The New Physician, an award-winning magazine that covers the social, ethical and political issues facing medical education and health care. Additional AMSA publications include The Healer's Voice, an arts journal and Global Pulse, an international health journal. The official membership newsletter is Focus, another award-winning publication.

What is AMSA's policy on universal health care?

AMSA supports establishing a universal health care system in the United States, as defined by guaranteeing access to quality and affordable health care for all persons. This coverage should be provided regardless of a person's socioeconomic status, geographic location, race/ethnicity, employment status, age, sexual orientation and gender identity, disability or occupation. Furthermore, special provisions should be made to ensure that no persons residing in the United States are discriminated against based upon the legality or documentation of their citizenship/residency status; however, this specifically excludes persons who enter the United States for the sole purpose of obtaining medical care. AMSA believes that a national health insurance program would be the most equitable and effective method to achieve universal access to health care for all people living in the United States.

What is AMSA's policy on residency work hours?

AMSA remains the leader in the campaign to reduce resident work hours through federal and state regulation. AMSA crafted the Patient and Physician Safety and Protection Act of 2003, introduced by Senator Jon Corzine (S.952) and Representative John Conyers (H.R.1228).

AMSA believes the need to reduce house staff work schedules are clear and reasonable and deserves attention from residency program directors, specialty residency review committees, state and federal governments. AMSA policy states that resident duty hour regulations as adopted by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) are currently insufficient to ensure maximized patient and resident safety and health. The number of hours a resident may work per week should not exceed 80 hours, without averaging hours worked over a period of greater than one week. The number of hours a resident may work per shift should not exceed 16 hours, including time for transfer of patient care and resident education. Residents should have at least 10 hours of time off duty between scheduled shifts. Residents should have at least 1 full continuous 24-hour period off out of every 7 days, without averaging off hours over a period of greater than 7 days, and one full weekend off per month.

What work does AMSA do on the global front?

AMSA empowers students with knowledge about domestic and global health disparities and provides them with opportunities to take action to eliminate health disparities on the local, state, national, and international levels. AMSA helped create the AIDS Advocacy Network, a group of health professions students dedicated to creating a national network focused on advocating for the fight against the global AIDS pandemic. AMSA has also launched Global Pulse, an international health journal that has gained a readership of more than 10,000 health professionals.

What is AMSA's PharmFree Campaign?

In 2002, AMSA launched the nationwide PharmFree Campaign as an educational effort targeted at medical students in order to continue teaching the qualities of honesty, humility and accountability in undergraduate medical education and beyond. While AMSA recognizes that pharmaceutical companies provide a valuable resource for research and development of new and potentially lifesaving medications, it also realizes that the industry has sales representatives deliver sales pitches to doctors.

AMSA encourages all physicians-in-training and health-care providers to seek out evidence-based and unbiased sources of information rather than to rely on pharmaceutical industry representatives for "education." In addition, AMSA encourages medical schools and academic medical centers to develop policies that limit the access of pharmaceutical company representatives to their campuses and prohibits medical students and physicians from accepting gifts of any kind from these representatives. AMSA envisions a day when physicians demand integrity, honesty, and education from members of their profession, for the sake of patients and public trust.

What leadership development opportunities does AMSA provide medical students?

For more than a half-century, AMSA has provided the world with responsible, humanistic and ethical physician leaders of the future who serve as a united force for change and advocate for our patients and communities. As a student-run organization, AMSA provides leadership opportunities on every level, including more than 125 national positions and 20 leadership institutes. AMSA members are shaping the world of healthcare as clinicians, educators, researchers, administrators, public health officials, FDA commissioners, and surgeon generals.

How is AMSA policy determined? What is the structure of the organization?

At AMSA's annual House of Delegates (HOD), chapter delegates vote on resolutions submitted by AMSA members. The resolutions that pass become AMSA's policies and principles. The student-run Board of Trustees governs the organization; while AMSA's ten action committees promote areas of interest to AMSA members on national, regional, and local levels. The action committees are community & environmental health; culture of medicine; education; gender and sexuality; global health; grassroots leadership; humanistic medicine; policy; race, ethnicity and culture in health; and student life.