AMA: American Medical Association &
CMA: California Medical Association
The American Medical Association Medical Student Section (AMA-MSS) and California Medical Association Medical Student Section (CMA-MSS) are dedicated to developing leadership, improving medical education, and promoting activism for the health of Americans, particularly Californians. At Stanford, the AMA/CMA chapter seeks to stimulate dialogue about health care issues. In past years, medical students, residents, and faculty have attended workshops and lectures, including last year's talk by Dean Philip Pizzo and economics Professor Victor Fuchs on health insurance reform and Governor Schwarzenegger's proposal for California. On Legislative Leadership Day, medical students can travel to Sacramento to meet with state representatives and discuss issues such as child immunization and medical malpractice.
Each fall, medical students elect an Alternate Delegate to represent their institution in both the CMA-MSS and the AMA-MSS, comprised of delegates from all participating medical schools. The Alternate Delegate serves for two years and is promoted to the position of Delegate in the second year. She serves as the liaison between her institution and the AMA-MSS and the CMA-MSS, heightens colleagues' awareness of critical health care policies, and attends state and national conferences. Students can also apply for fellowships to support community service, and run for other positions on both CMA and AMA committees to work with physicians and medical students to address policy and ethics issues. For more information, please contact Walter Igawa-Silva (walteris@stanford.edu).
