National Service Project
Background
Every two years, the AMA-MSS chooses a new National Service Project (NSP) around which to focus its community service activities. The AMA-MSS is pleased to announce that the AMA Healthier Life Steps™ Program has been selected as the NSP for 2009-2011.
The AMA is dedicated to helping physicians help their patients lead healthier lives. Accordingly, the AMA Healthier Life Steps™ Program provides physicians with the tools they need to support their patients' efforts to change four key health behaviors: diet, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and tobacco use. Over the course of the next two years, medical students from AMA-MSS chapters across the country will use these tools to improve the health of their communities’ residents and employees through integration or linking of existing public health, medicine, and community health promotion activities in these four health behavior areas.
Learn more about how you and your chapter can become involved in this exciting new National Service Project.
History of the National Service Project
In 1998, the AMA-MSS Assembly adopted policy creating a local service project as part of its agenda at national meetings (i.e. Annual and Interim). These one-time community service projects at national meetings soon grew into a unified effort on the part of AMA-MSS chapters across the country to effect change on serious issues challenging the health of their communities.
Since its inception in 1998, the AMA-MSS National Service Project has encompassed a wide range of issues, including:
- Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness (1998-2000)
- State Children's Health Insurance Program (2000-2002)
- Tobacco Prevention and Education in Children (2002-2004)
- Healthy Lifestyles to Reduce Obesity (2004-2006)
- Covering the Uninsured and Protecting Access to Care (2006-2009)
- AMA Healthier Life Steps™ Program (2009-2011)
Get Involved
Over the years, thousands of medical students at AMA-MSS chapters across the country have dedicated countless hours to organizing and implementing hundreds of NSP events in their communities. Now it's your turn to get involved! You can:
- Organize a project in your community focusing on the current NSP, AMA Healthier Life Steps™ Program. The AMA-MSS offers a variety of resources, including grants, to facilitate NSP-related chapter activities.
- Organize a project in your community focusing on a past NSP theme (it's never too late!).
- Participate in the next NSP event held in conjunction with an AMA-MSS national meeting or an AMA-MSS Regional Meeting.
