Your medical chapter delegate performs an exciting and important function by serving in AMSA’s House of Delegates (HOD). Through the HOD, AMSA represents the voice of more than 35,000 physicians-in-training from medical schools across the country. Because each of our local chartered medical chapters has at least one delegate, AMSA represents the views of medical students as few other medical student organizations can.
How delegates are selected
Each chartered chapter is entitled to send one delegate per chapter, with 1 additional delegate gained at 376, 626, and 876 members. All delegates must be active AMSA members.
The number of delegates to the House of Delegates for the degree granting institution is determined by the total number of student members at the main campus, plus those at all of the branch campuses which don’t have separate chapter status. The number of members at any given chapter is determined 75 days prior to the House of Delegates by the national office.
Any member of your chapter may sit in the HOD and represent your chapter’s voice; the “official” delegates on the form simply serve to tally the number of potential delegates that will be at convention. As a rule, any member who wishes to speak on the House floor will be allowed. Your chapter should determine which members will be serving as delegates during each business session of the HOD before the annual meeting. We suggest that all members of your chapter attending the meeting serve as delegates for short periods of time in the HOD so that everyone gets to experience policy-making in AMSA.
Suggestions for delegates and alternate delegates
All attendees who will be serving as delegates should meet with their chapters before the annual meeting to discuss the resolutions and candidates for national office. In this way, the delegates can better reflect the views of their chapters when they vote in the House. It is vital that chapters discuss the resolutions before they come to the convention; without prior discussion, it is very difficult to have an informed debate, which is the purpose of the HOD.
Basic parliamentary procedure guidelines will be provided during the opening session of the HOD. Since the majority of delegates have never used parliamentary procedure, the vice president for internal affairs and secretary will hold a training session on parliamentary procedure immediately prior to the opening of the HOD.
Delegates may email vpia@amsa.org for a letter to their schools to request funding support.
The premedical delegates perform an exciting and important function by serving in AMSA’s House of Delegates (HOD). Through the HOD, AMSA represents the voice of more than 35,000 physicians-in-training from schools across the country. Our delegates are our policy makers: they vote on the policies that define what AMSA is and what it stands for. It is crucial for the premedical membership to raise its voice in the House–this voice is the real ownership and heart of our Association.
How delegates are selected
The Premedical membership is represented by 5 at-large members in the HOD. Any premedical member interested in serving as a delegate must complete the form below. Everyone who completes the form will be considered a delegate or an alternate. A random number generator will be used to determine the order of the delegates and alternates.
As a rule, any member who wishes to speak on the House floor will be allowed. We suggest that all members attending the meeting observe for short periods of time in the HOD so that everyone gets to witness policy-making in AMSA.
Suggestions for delegates and alternate delegates
All attendees who will be serving as delegates should meet with their premedical chapters before the annual convention to discuss the resolutions and candidates for national office. In this way, the delegates can better reflect the views of the premedical membership when they vote in the House. It is vital that delegates review and discuss the resolutions before they come to the meeting; without prior discussion, it is very difficult to have an informed debate, which is the purpose of the HOD.
Basic parliamentary procedure guidelines will be reviewed during an online training as well as the opening session of the HOD. Since the majority of delegates have never used parliamentary procedure, the Vice President for Internal Affairs and National Secretary will hold a training session on parliamentary procedure prior to the opening of the HOD.
Delegates may email vpia@amsa.org for a letter to their schools to request funding support.
