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​MSC Bylaws

1. Definitions

For the purposes of this document, the following terms will be defined as follows:
  1. ASA Medical Student Component (MSC): Medical student members of the ASA
  2. Delegates: Members of the ASA MSC who represent their respective medical school and who attend the ASA ANESTHESIOLOGY annual meeting on behalf of their medical school. An Alternate Delegate may serve as voting replacement (see Section 6). The MSC House of Delegates is made up of one medical student delegate from each U.S., allopathic and osteopathic accredited medical school.
  3. Governing Council: ASA MSC members who have been elected at the annual ASA MSC House of Delegates meeting to govern the ASA MSC.
2. Governing Council

Eight officers will be elected yearly:
  • President (position assumed yearly by previous President Elect)
  • President Elect (two year term)
  • Secretary
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Liaison
  • Membership Outreach Coordinator
  • Senior Advisor
  • Medical Student Delegate to the American Medical Association (AMA) Medical Student Section (MSS) - position assumed yearly by previous Alternate Delegate)
  • Medical Student Alternate Delegate to the AMA MSS (two year term)
3. Selection of Governing Council

Candidates for the officer and alternate positions will be chosen by requesting an application accompanied by:
  • Current curriculum vitae
  • Statement of interest, maximum 500 words
  • Letter of reference or nomination form from a faculty member (President Elect requires two letters of reference)

Elections will be held, soliciting a personal statement from each candidate ahead of time, allowing them a brief speech at the Medical Student Component House of Delegates Annual Meeting, and electing them via ballot. New officers assume roles immediately following the ASA ANESTHESIOLOGY annual meeting. Officers are elected to one year terms except for those that assume a senior role their second year (President Elect, Medical Student Alternate Delegate to AMA MSS.)


4. Responsibilities of the Governing Council

All officers must be ASA medical student members. A person may run for office more than once and may hold more than one term as an officer. The officers’ main goal and predominating responsibility will be to further outreach and increase medical student involvement. The Governing Council is committed to increasing diversity, equity and inclusion within the specialty of anesthesia by identifying opportunities and resources for medical student trainees across the country.  All officers have voting privileges at the ASA Medical Student Component House of Delegates. Specific officer responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

President:
  • Oversee ASA MSC activities
  • Lead ASA MSC meetings
  • Liaison between ASA MSC and ASA Governance
  • Delegation of tasks
  • Assist all other officers in the completion of their tasks
  • In the event that the President is unable to complete his/her term, the President Elect will serve the remainder of the term. Such residual term shall not count as term.
President Elect: (FIRST AND SECOND YEAR STUDENT APPLICANTS ONLY)
  • Assume the role of President the second year of the term
  • Learn responsibilities of the President and become familiar with his/her role
  • Assist current chair in any tasks he or she may deem necessary
Secretary:
  • Transcribe minutes from any ASA MSC meetings 
  • Assume responsibility for communications (emails, MSC newsletters, social media in consultation with ASA staff, etc.)
  • Communicate MSC webpage updates to ASA staff

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Liaison:

  • Work alongside the President to uphold and ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion in all initiatives and efforts put forth by the ASA MSC Governing Council. 
  • Establish formal relationship with diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts both within the ASA and amongst national organizations including, but not limited to, Student National Medical Association (SNMA) and Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA).

Membership Outreach Coordinator:

  • Serve as the national contact for all Anesthesia Interest Groups (AIGs)
  • Develop creative ASA MSC initiatives related to AIG work, membership outreach and organized communication
Senior Advisor: (FOURTH YEAR STUDENT APPLICANTS ONLY)
  • Offer guidance on issues pertaining to medical school, transition into residency and other issues
  • Attendance at the ASA Annual Meeting is optional

Medical Student Delegate to the American Medical Association Medical Student Section (AMA-MSS):

  • Serves by virtue of being elected Medical Student Alternate Delegate
  • In the event that the Medical Student Delegate is unable to serve, the Medical Student Alternate Delegate will serve the remainder of the term. Such residual term shall not count as term.
  • Will represent the ASA in a manner consistent with ASA policies and positions
  • Resolutions submitted to the AMA-MSS shall have the approval of the Medical Student Delegate to the AMA MSS
Medical Student Alternate Delegate to the AMA:
  • Assume the role of Medical Student Delegate the second year of the term
  • Learn responsibilities of the Medical Student Delegate to the AMA MSS and become familiar with his/her role
  • In the event that the Medical Student Alternate Delegate is unable to serve or fills a vacancy for the Delegate, the President will appoint another to serve the residual term
Responsibilities of all Governing Council Officers (except the Senior Advisor)
  • attendance at the ASA ANESTHESIOLOGY annual meeting to participate in the ASA Medical Student Component meetings
  • attendance at the Governing Council meetings and conference calls as required. The Governing Council meetings are held twice semi-annually in Chicago, Illinois, typically in March and August. Funding for travel and lodging will be the responsibility of each officer, and it is strongly suggested that they develop a relationship with their state society and/or local anesthesiology department to secure funding.

Failure to meet one or more of these responsibilities may lead to removal from office at the Governing Council’s discretion. If a Governing Council office becomes vacant, an alternate may be asked to fill the vacancy and its accompanying responsibilities. Any student serving on the Governing Council during their fourth year of medical school graduating during their term will be expected to fulfill the responsibilities of his or her office until June 30 of the following year. All other elected officials will be expected to fulfill their responsibilities until the completion of their term. 

5. Determination of Delegates to the MSC House of Delegates

Delegates will be selected by their home institution. To maintain each institution’s autonomy, the ASA MSC Governing Council will have no role in the method or selection of these individuals. It will be the responsibility of the delegate to obtain a letter of support from their Anesthesiology Department Chair or another qualified department member to inform the ASA MSC Governing Council of their selection.

6. Responsibilities of the MSC Delegates

The role of the delegates will be to serve as medical student liaisons between their respective medical schools and the ASA MSC. In addition, they will be responsible for informing medical students in their school about the opportunities afforded by the ASA MSC, including recruitment. All delegates must be active ASA MSC members. A delegate may serve for more than one term. A delegate’s term is from July 1 to June 30 of the following year. Specific delegate responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Medical School Delegate:

  • Attendance at the ASA ANESTHESIOLOGY annual meeting.
  • If an Anesthesiology Interest Group is not already established at their respective medical school, it is recommended that the Delegate establish and maintain an Anesthesiology Interest Group at their Medical School. Suggestions on structure and activities of Anesthesiology Interest Groups will be provided by the ASA MSC.
  • The Delegate is responsible for the recruitment of medical students, within their respective medical school, into the ASA MSC.
  • The Delegate has voting privileges on issues presented at the ASA MSC House of Delegates Annual Meeting (Delegates will only be able to vote if present at the meeting)
Medical School Alternate Delegate:
  • In the event that a delegate cannot attend the ASA annual meeting, he or she can select an alternate from their medical school as their voting replacement.
Responsibilities of all delegates include attendance at the ASA ANESTHESIOLOGY annual meeting in order to participate in the ASA Medical Student Component House of Delegates Meeting. Funding for travel and lodging will be the responsibility of each delegate, and it is strongly suggested that they develop a relationship with their state society and/or local anesthesiology department to secure funding. The delegates will be responsible for contacting their state societies and developing/maintaining a membership with them.  

7. Bylaws

Bylaws are reviewed at the Governing Council meetings. Bylaws revisions are subject to majority vote by the MSC House of Delegates at the ASA ANESTHESIOLOGY annual meeting or by email proxy.

Revised 9/09/2009
Revised 10/13/2013
Revised 10/14/2018
Revised 10/10/2021
Revised 10/23/2022

Last updated by: Residency Engagement

Date of last update: November 3, 2022