A note from the MSS chair
November 2023
From MSS Chair Natasha Topolski
As we approach the MSS Interim Meeting in National Harbor this month, I am excited to share some highlights from the past month. October has been a time of diligent preparation, valuable learning experiences and action. We're eagerly anticipating the upcoming conference and look forward to the opportunity to connect with all of you. If you see me or other governing council members at the conference, please say hello.
Interim Meeting preparation
October marked the calm before the storm. Our MSS convention committees (PDF) all worked diligently to prepare for the Interim Meeting taking place this month in National Harbor, Maryland. The MSS Reference Committee held their meetings to come up with preliminary recommendations for the resolutions that will be heard at our MSS Assembly. The Hospitality, Logistics, Social Media, Mentorship, Parli Pro, Credentials, and Cultural Guide committees are also working hard to plan out logistics and events to ensure the conference is fun and goes smoothly.
The Rules Committee has also been working closely with our speakers to prepare for the interim elections where the MSS chair-elect and student trustee will be elected. Finally, the House Coordination Committee has been working with our section delegates and caucus to prepare for the House of Delegates meeting where resolutions that were passed in previous cycles by the MSS Assembly will be considered and voted on to become AMA policy.
Advocacy in Action Workshop
October was also a month of advocacy! Our Government Relations and Advocacy Fellow, Jessica McAllister, led the Advocacy in Action Workshop from Oct. 25-27, where students learned advocacy skills and key issues that they can advocate on now.
Topics included:
- Advocating for Patients: Lowering Prescription Drug Costs (PDF)
- Advocating for Communities: Addressing the Maternal Mortality Crisis (PDF)
- Advocating for Physicians: Addressing Payment Inequities (PDF)
Osteopathic Medical Education Conference (OMED)
Another October highlight was the OMED conference. I was fortunate to be able to attend as a guest and was so grateful for the opportunity to learn more about osteopathic medicine and the great work being done by osteopathic physicians and students. I also had the opportunity to network with amazing students from the Student Osteopathic Medical Association, the Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents and the National Osteopathic Political Action Honor Society, Omega Beta Iota (OBI), which held their induction ceremony at the conference. I look forward to growing our partnership and continuing to work closely with these groups moving forward.
AMA action highlights
Our Board of Trustees liaisons, Aliya Siddiqui, MS, Willie Underwood, MD, MSc, MPH and Scott Ferguson, MD, shared recent updates (PDF) on actions taken by the AMA that may be of interest to MSS members.
Contact us
Interested in getting more involved? Join the MSS Updates GroupMe to keep up with opportunities and email us with questions at [email protected].
