Q: What is the American Medical Student Association?

A: The American Medical Student Association (AMSA) 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 67,000 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.

Q: How long has AMSA been at CSUN?

A: We have been an active club at CSUN since Fall 2000, and have watched many students graduate and continue on to med school.

Q: What are AMSA’s strategic priorities?

A: The strategic priorities for the organization include advocating for quality, affordable health care for all, global health equity, enriching medicine through diversity and professional integrity, development and student well-being.

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

A: No. AMSA did begin under the auspices of the AMA in 1950. Starting in 1960, medical students refocused their energy on the problems of the medically underserved, inequities in our health-care system and related issues in medical education. In 1967, they cut ties to the AMA and became a fully independent student organization. AMSA remains the nation's largest, independent medical student organization.

Q: Does AMSA host an annual meeting?

A: Yes, AMSA’s annual meeting is the largest gathering of medical students in the United States. AMSA’s 59^th Annual Convention will be held March 11-15, 2009 in Washington, D.C.  

Q: What are the organization's publications?

A: 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.

Q: What is AMSA’s policy on universal health care?

A: 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.

Q: What is AMSA’s policy on residency work hours?

A: AMSA believes the need to reduce house staff work schedules is clear and deserves attention from residency program directors, specialty residency review committees and state and federal governments. AMSA continues to lead the campaign to reduce resident work hours through federal and state regulation. AMSA crafted the Patient and Physician Safety and Protection Act of 2003, which was introduced by Senator Jon Corzine (S.952) and Representative John Conyers (H.R.1228).

AMSA policy states that the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) regulations are insufficient and do not 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. For more information, visit www.amsa.org/rwh/index.cfm.

Q: Does AMSA work on international issues? 

A: AMSA empowers students with knowledge about 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 professionals students dedicated to creating a national network focused on advocating for the fight against the global AIDS pandemic. AMSA has launched Global Pulse, an international health journal that has gained a readership of more than 10,000 health professionals.

Q: What is AMSA’s PharmFree Campaign?

A: 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. For more information, visit www.pharmfree.org.

Q: What leadership development opportunities does AMSA provide medical students?

A: For more than a half-century, AMSA has provided the world with humanistic and ethical physician leaders of the future who serve as a united force for change and advocate for our patients and communities. 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 and FDA commissioners.

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

A: At AMSA’s annual House of Delegates (HOD), chapter delegates vote on resolutions submitted by AMSA members. The Board of Trustees governs the organization; while AMSA's eight action committees promote areas of interest to AMSA members.

Visit AMSA online at www.amsa.org