Young Physicians Section (YPS) leadership opportunities

The Young Physicians Section (YPS) provides various opportunities for members to take on leadership roles and make a positive impact on patient health and the medical profession.

• SCAMA provides a forum at each session of the AMA House of Delegates (HOD) for discussion and recommendations concerning professional and socioeconomic issues of interest to surgeons.
• The YPS representative serves a three-year term and sits on the executive committee. The committee manages the affairs of the caucus and provides direction to administrative support through the ACS.
• Responsibilities include quarterly evening EC meetings and two in-person meetings of the caucus for a handbook review, typically early on the Saturday morning of the Interim and Annual AMA HOD meetings.
• The next caucus meeting and handbook review will take place at the AMA Interim Meeting in Orlando on Nov. 9.

Apply now. Deadline is Oct. 31, 2024.

For more information on how AMA candidates can receive a YPS endorsement/nomination, visit the YPS Governing Council endorsement/nomination criteria page.

Reference Committee

Much of the committee’s work is done prior to the assembly meeting. The committee is composed of five YPS representatives, including one chair. The main goal of the Reference Committee is to develop a consensus as a committee to accept or not accept "late" resolutions received after the resolution deadline.

HOD Handbook Review Committee

The committee is convened prior to each assembly meeting to review the entire HOD Handbook. A minimum of two YPS representatives (one representative will serve as chair) and one governing council member are assigned to review items of business referred to each HOD Reference Committee and propose an initial course of action for the YPS (e.g., active support, support, etc.). Committee members will also draft testimony to reflect the young physician perspective for items with active positions.

Credentials Committee

The committee consists of four representatives, including one chair. Its main responsibilities are:

• Check-in and credential representatives to the YPS Assembly.
• For individuals who have not preregistered, determine their ability to be credentialed as voting delegates.
• Take vote counts during the assembly meeting upon the request of the YPS chair.

The YPS Governing Council solicits AMA member young physicians who are interested in being considered for AMA nominations for Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) review committees (RCs). RCs propose requirements for residency program accreditation standards and ensure compliance with standards by individual programs.

ACGME RCs to which the AMA nominates:

Allergy and Immunology, Anesthesiology, Colon and Rectal Surgery, Dermatology, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Medical Genetics and Genomics, Neurological Surgery, Neurology, Nuclear Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedic Surgery, Otolaryngology, Pathology, Pediatrics, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Plastic Surgery, Preventive Medicine, Psychiatry, Radiation Oncology, Radiology, Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, Urology, Transitional Year and Institutional.

Position descriptions and AMA nomination applications for current opportunities are posted in the Council on Medical Education leadership opportunities page.

Representatives for the YPS Assembly represent the interests of young physicians and are voting members of the assembly. Representatives include state federation members, members serving in the military, federal agencies, national medical specialty organizations or professional interest medical associations.

The delegate selected to represent a national medical specialty society in the YPS:

• Must be a young physician.
• Must be a member in good standing of the AMA.
• Should be chosen in a fair and equitable manner allowing open representation.
• Must represent the interests of the young physician constituency in their specialty society.

Apply for voting status in the YPS Assembly and submit information to indicate compliance with the criteria listed above to the YPS Governing Council at [email protected].

Please read the YPS Internal Operating Procedures (PDF) to understand the criteria for representation in the assembly.

Petition for YPS representation.

Each state/specialty medical society represented in the HOD is entitled to representation in the YPS Assembly at a rate of two voting representatives for every 1,000 young physician members of the society who are members of the AMA. Societies with unified membership are entitled to two additional voting representatives.

Each federal service represented in the HOD is entitled to two voting representatives in the YPS Assembly.

Review how many representatives have been allocated to each state and specialty society for the 2024 YPS Assembly:

• Specialty societies allocation (PDF)
• State societies allocation (PDF)

Submit the YPS Representative Certification Society Contact Information form (DOC) to complete the certification for your society before Annual and Interim YPS meetings. Contact the YPS at [email protected] with questions.

The YPS currently has three standing committees:

Engagement and Opportunity Committee

The Engagement and Opportunity Committee seeks to enhance young physician development through highlighting non-clinical professional activities, creating networking opportunities and increasing prospects for experiential learning. Committee members will be requested to serve two-year terms and may be eligible to serve more than one term. During their tenure, committee members will:

• Develop an “Expand your YPS/Create a YPS” toolkit
• Liaise with other sections to collaborate on YPS priority items (strategic, non-policy)
• Support individual YPS member leadership goals by connecting with other AMA sections, councils and committees
• Contribute to our YPS newsletter
• Develop YPS speakers’ bureau

Professional Development Committee

The goal of the Professional Development Committee is to bring awareness to the professional and personal concerns of young physicians and identify opportunities and/or resources to provide support. Committee members will be requested to serve two-year terms and may be eligible to serve more than one term. During their tenure, committee members will:

• Create and promote high-yield educational resources for the unique needs of early-career physicians.

Resolution Writing Committee

The goal of the Resolution Writing Committee is to create impactful policy that reflects the concerns of young physicians and contributes to the work of the AMA. Committee members will be requested to serve two-year terms and may be eligible to serve more than one term. During their tenure, committee members will:

• Assist YPS members with creating policies that align with their personal values and goals for the organization.
• Provide training and mentorship on testimony development.

If you have any questions about these leadership opportunities, please contact [email protected].