WSU College of Medicine Medical Student Council

WSU College of Medicine Medical Student Council Bylaws

Organization of Student Representatives

About

The Organization of Student Representatives (OSR) is the student branch of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The AAMC is comprised of and represents undergraduate and graduate medical education in the U.S. Representatives from member institutions include the Council of Deans (COD), Council of Academic Societies (CAS), Council of Teaching Hospitals (COTH), the Organization of Resident Representatives (ORR), and the OSR. The OSR is charged with the representation of undergraduate medical student body of the U.S. to the academic medicine community; the OSR’s constituency comprises all medical students. The concerns of the OSR lie exclusively within academic medicine and medical education.

Representation

OSR representatives are selected by AAMC member medical schools to monitor activities at their institutions, represent student opinions to the OSR Administrative Board (Ad Board), and relay national OSR and AAMC priorities to the students and staff of their institutions.

How to Become an OSR Representative

The students selected as OSR representatives must be willing and capable of undertaking all the accompanying responsibilities. The AAMC does not dictate the selection process employed by schools, but offers the following recommendations as guidelines:

• The selection process should facilitate representative input from the entire student body or the student government; individuals involved in the selection process should understand the structure and function of the OSR.
• Three alternate OSR representatives should be selected, preferably from different classes or campuses, to assist the primary representative. This assures continuity in representation at the school level and provides alternates to carry out the responsibilities of the OSR Primary Representative, if necessary.
• OSR reps should represent a diverse medical student population, keeping in mind all aspects of human differences such as: socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, language, nationality, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, geography, disability, and age.

OSR Institutional and Associate Representatives must be certified by the student affairs dean of his/her school. To learn more about becoming an OSR rep and your role, review these frequently asked questions.

Local Representatives’ Role

As an OSR representative, your role is two-fold:

• First, you must communicate the opinions of your student body to the national officers so that the OSR can effectively represent medical students on a national level.
• Second, you can take OSR national priorities and objectives from your colleagues and the national level and implement them at your own school.

The AAMC is an extensive organization with resources devoted to every aspect of academic medicine. Feel free to get involved on a national level, choose a specific interest, or simply bring your ideas back to your institution. If you have any questions, ask your colleagues, including your representatives on the Administrative Board.

Responsibilities

• Attend OSR national and regional meetings – bring a list of your school’s issues
• Represent student opinion and school concerns to the OSR Administrative Board
• Monitor activities at your individual institutions by working with and maintaining contact with:
  • Student governments (attend meetings)
  • Student groups
  • Student Affairs offices/GSA rep(s)
• Stay abreast of OSR information and activities
• Act as a resource for students at home institutions by informing them of AAMC opportunities, services, and programs
• Relay OSR national priorities to the students and staff of your institution
• Write reports on OSR meetings attended for your student body and Student Affairs office
• Administer your school’s Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award nomination process
• Utilize the OSR website and listserves
• Contribute to the OSR Newsletter
• Poll your student body for issues/concerns and notify the OSR Ad Board
• Run for office

Funding

Funding for OSR representatives’ attendance for all meetings (regional in the spring and annual in the fall) is provided by your medical school. Funding for OSR projects on the national level is provided by the AAMC.