2008 Annual Meeting

Programming highlights
The MSS held its 30th Annual Meeting on June 12-14 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. More than 600 medical students attended the meeting, which offered more than 25 educational programs on a range of topics including the future of physician licensure, the residency application process, advocacy and leadership opportunities for physicians, and an airway workshop.

• Review the meeting agenda (PDF, 34KB) for a full listing of programs.

The keynote address was delivered by J. Edward Hill, MD, Chair of the World Medical Association and Past President of the AMA. Dr. Hill spoke spoke about the role of leadership in organized medicine and about his experiences as a leader in both the AMA and the WMA.

The MSS hosted its 5th Annual Medical Specialty Showcase, which was a resounding success. More than 50 medical specialty socieities in the HOD provided career advice to a large number of medical students.

Governing Council elections
The MSS Assembly elected the following 2008-2009 MSS Governing Council members:

• Vice Chair - Reid Orth, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
• Delegate - Peter Ragusa, University of Minnesota Medical School
• Alternate Delegate - Laura Faye Gephart, Loma Linda University School of Medicine
• At-Large Officer - Kunal Mitra, Duke University School of Medicine
• Speaker - Anjali Dogra, SUNY Stony Brook School of Medicine
• Vice Speaker - Kyle Edmonds, University of Arizona College of Medicine

At the conclusion of the meeting, Michael Chapman, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, commenced his term as AMA-MSS Chair and Kendall Allred, University of Arizona College of Medicine, as Trustee. A special thanks to Rana Yehia, Immediate Past Chair, for her outstanding service.

National Service Project
The MSS continued its National Service Project, "Covering the Uninsured and Protecting Access to Care," with another successful project. In conjunction with the Voice for the Uninsured Campaign, over 350 medical students and residents traveled to U.S. Cellular Field, wearing purple Voice Campaign t-shirts, to distribute AMA materials and engage families attending the Chicago White Sox baseball game about the crisis of the uninsured and voting with this issue in mind in the upcoming election. In an effort to truly expand the community outreach of this project, the MSS and Resident and Fellow Section donated $3,075 to the AMA Foundation Healthy Communities/Healthy America Fund.

Chapter of the Year
Congratulations to the University of Texas-Houston on being named AMA-MSS Chapter of the Year. The chapter will received a $500 grant to be used toward chapter activities.

Policy highlights
The MSS Assembly considered 21 items of business, including 15 resolutions and 6 reports. Issues considered were wide-ranging and included medical marijuana, health information technology, the medical school curriculum, and a number of internal MSS issues. Thirteen of these items were adopted, five of which will be forwarded to the AMA House of Delegates for consideration at the 2008 Interim Meeting in Orlando. Three items were referred for report.

• Proceedings (PDF, 34KB) of the 2008 MSS Annual Meeting