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Student Representation in the HOD

Regional Delegates and Alternates represent the interests of medical students in the AMA House of Delegates and provide medical students the opportunity to participate in the policy-making process and impact the issues on which the AMA advocates. Regional Delegates are full voting members of the HOD and are seated with their state caucuses.

Regional Delegates and Alternates are elected for one-year terms at each MSS Interim Meeting. Each MSS Region elects its own Delegates/Alternates according to guidelines established by the Regions (see Region Web pages for bylaws).

All interested students are encouraged to apply (Word, 45KB). The deadline to apply to serve as a 2009 MSS Regional Delegate or Alternate is Oct. 1, 2008.

History

At the 2000 AMA Interim Meeting, the AMA House of Delegates (HOD) adopted the recommendations of BOT Report 19, which increased medical student representation in the AMA House of Delegates (HOD).

At the 2001 Annual Meeting, the MSS Assembly adopted the recommendations of Governing Council Report A, Medical Student Representation in the AMA House of Delegates: Regional Delegate Elections, which provided recommendations on the election process of the MSS Regional Delegates. The first Regional Delegates and Alternate Delegates were elected at the 2001 Interim Meeting and began service on their respective state delegations at the 2002 Annual Meeting.

Current representation

Regional Delegates are allocated to each region at a rate of one Delegate per 2,000 student members in the region.  The number of Delegates allocated to each region in a given calendar year is determined using the most recent year-end membership numbers. Because RDs/ADs are elected in November of each year (at the MSS Interim Meeting), the most recent numbers available are those from two years before the year in which the RDs/ADs will actually serve. For example, the number of allocated Delegates for 2008 was determined using YE2006 membership figures.

There are currently 19 Regional Delegates and 19 Regional Alternate Delegates to the HOD (see current roster). For 2009, there will be 20 Regional Delegates and 20 Regional Alternate Delegates to the HOD, elected by their Regions at the 2008 MSS Interim Meeting.

The Medical Student Regions and their delegate allocations for 2009 are as follows:

Region 1 (WA, OR, CA, NV, UT, CO, AZ, NM, MT, ND, SD, ID, WY, AK, HI)	2
Region 2 (MN, WI, NE, IA, MO, IL)	3
Region 3 (KS, TX, OK, AR, LA, MI)	3
Region 4 (FL, GA, AL, SC, NC, TN, PR)	3
Region 5 (MI, IN, OH, KY, WV)	3
Region 6 (VA, MD, DC, DE, NJ, PA)	3
Region 7 (ME, VT, NH, MA, RI, CT, NY)	3
Total	20

Resources for Regional Delegates

To assist new Regional Delegates/Alternates, the MSS Governing Council has created the Regional Delegate Handbook (Word, 88KB), which includes responsibilities of Regional Delegates/Alternates and tips on providing testimony at the HOD reference committees.

Regional Delegate Responsibilities

AMA-Medical Student Section Regional Delegate Responsibilities

Tips on Providing Testimony at HOD Reference Committees

AMA-Medical Student Section Tips on Providing Testimony to the House of Delegates  

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