AMSA American Medical Student Association
at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University (2007-2008)

EDUCATION: AMSA organizes talks and panel discussions that expose fellow medical students to issues relevant to future physicians and health care advocates.

- National Primary Care Week: Various activities and panels highlighted the need for better access to primary care in this country (see “Widening the Pipeline”).
- The U.S. Health Care System: “Healthcare 101” overview of the workings of the U.S. health care system and discussion of current proposed reforms.
- Financial Literacy: Primer on the financial issues that medical students currently face and will face in the future, including investment, paying off loans, and personal credit.- Post-match panel: Panel of recently matched fourth year medical students who answered questions about the process of residency applications and matching.
- Caring for Transgender patients: Training session on access to care issues for people of transgender experience.
- Environmental Health and Justice: Earth Day lecture discussing the ways that the health of the environment affects the health of people, and how the health care system can reduce its hefty ecological footprint and improve quality of care.
- Caring for Hispanic Patients: Panel discussion by Women and Infants Family Van providers on health care conditions for the local Hispanic population and local approaches to providing quality care.
- HIV/AIDS research: The current state of HIV vaccine research and difficulties faced when advocating for funding.

POLICY: AMSA is a key player in the promotion of health reform initiatives through legislation and advocates for health care policies that benefit patients and doctors.

- Lobbying for RIte Care: Brown students, in partnership with Ocean State Action, lobby at the State House and speak with representatives about preserving RIte Care, Rhode Island’s Medicaid managed care program.
- PharmFree Initiative: A committee of Brown students, under the leadership of AMSA, has formed a committee to generate a policy on the relationship between the medical school and its partner hospitals and the pharmaceutical and device industries.

VOLUNTEERISM: AMSA promotes and works with local advocacy and community groups.

- Women and Infants Family Van: AMSA recently began a relationship with the Family Van, a program devoted to offering basic health care services and screening to the local uninsured population.
- Lifelines, RI: Lifelines is a local organization that provides legal and medical assistance to people of transgender experience. AMSA members participate in the Advocates Program, which provides training for volunteers who advocate for patients at medical appointments.
- Widening the Pipeline: AMSA visited local high schools to talk to kids about medical professions and encourage students of color to pursue work in the health care field.

Ask about opportunities to attend national and regional AMSA conferences! Visit www.AMSA.org to learn more about AMSA.

Alpert Medical School chapter contacts:
Co-presidents: Lauren Goddard; Krista Hachey
Lauren_Goddard@brown.edu; Krista_Hachey@brown.edu
Treasurer: Heidi Wilder
Heidi_Wilder@brown.edu
Representative: Erin Kelly
Erin_T_Kelly@brown.edu