Is joining the AMA worth it?

[Votaku]

Probably like many of you, the AMA has been sending me junk mail every couple of months for the last year. Their latest letter has the lowest rate so far ($54 for 3 years -- essentially 'til I graduate). I figured that I would confer with wiser heads first -- what do you guys think?

Is it worth joining?

Are there any substantive advantages conferred (beyond the "free" book and JAMA that they're offering)?

Also, fine print shows that dues jump up 400% in the first year of practice--what's up with that?


Thanks in advance,

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[mimelim]

No.

 

[Votaku]

No.

Would you be able to elaborate, my dear sir?

 

[Rumalum]

it was 50 dollars for 4 years for me. they gave me a set of netter's anatomy flash cards, and i get a nice little email each morning about the latest medicine news so i can have a little something to look at when lecture is slow

 

[Winged Scapula]

mimelin speaks from a resident or physician standing.

The AMA is a political organization which has very few, if any, policies which support practicing physicians. There is a reason why less than 30% of practicing US physicians are members.

It's fine to join as a medical student and reap a few perks. But you will quickly see as you move up the ranks that the AMA does not have the interests of practicing physicians as its goal.

 

[D elegans]

I paid $100 for the AMA at the beginning of 1st year, and here's what I've received so far:

-A copy of Goljan Rapid Review Pathology
-Free pizza about four times a year at lunch meetings where the very close-knit exec board talks to us about AMA national meetings I don't go to
-A weekly issue of JAMA that I don't read because I'm too busy studying/not in clinical practice yet

So, I could have just spent $25 on Goljan

 

[235009]

Probably like many of you, the AMA has been sending me junk mail every couple of months for the last year. Their latest letter has the lowest rate so far ($54 for 3 years -- essentially 'til I graduate). I figured that I would confer with wiser heads first -- what do you guys think?

Is it worth joining?

Are there any substantive advantages conferred (beyond the "free" book and JAMA that they're offering)?

Also, fine print shows that dues jump up 400% in the first year of practice--what's up with that?


Thanks in advance,

Not worth it. It was 80 bucks for 4 years, i never used the flashcards then gave them away to an underclassman for free, the clipboard was somewhat useful but I could've easily bought a clipboard for $1 from any store, JAMA goes directly from my mailbox to the recycling bin. The only thing remotely worthwhile is the morning email, however they simply aggregate news articles and summarize popular media reports of health issues so it's stuff you could easily pick up by reading the news.

There is absolutely no advantage if you don't plan on being active in the group by writing policy proposals and going to meetings. My membership didn't even make it onto my CV or ERAS because I would prefer not to take the chance of someone bringing it up.

Physicians have more money than medical students ergo the AMA will ask for more money from them for membership. this happens with everything. If you go to a conference there will be different registration fees for students, residents and attendings.

 

[tiedyeddog]

do it for the flashcards. Unless you can buy them cheaper off ebay/amazon/used from classmates.

 

[FSU2013]

It's like joining a union. They are supposed to represent physicians/residents/med students. In reality, they are a political group.

 

[chronicidal]

To summarize what people have said:

1) The perks of membership are worth less than the membership fee. Buy your own damn flashcards.
2) Nobody cares whether you are a member. Joining a specialty organization (e.g. RSNA) at least demonstrates interest in a specialty. You don't need to join AMA to demonstrate interest in medicine. The only exception to this is if you want to get involved in health policy and you plan to take steps to work in AMA committees to do policy stuff.

 

[sylvanthus]

Ill toss in a dissenting voice into the mix and say that it is worth it if you intend to run for a leadership position on the national level. You could function as a delegate or alternate delegate either for your school or a specialty society and boost your CV.

Otherwise, if you just pay for AMA membership and do nothing with it then no it is not worth it.

 

[mimelim]

Would you be able to elaborate, my dear sir?

Sorry, got a call as soon as I started to reply.

The AMA is a political organization. The equivalent of the NRA or NAACP or the AARP. You should join if you are interested in what they do and what they stand for, but not for any other reason. Do not feel compelled to join simply because you are in medical school. If you are interested in health politics, or see yourself working public health in the future, then getting involved isn't a bad idea. But just casual interest isn't worth the e-mail spam or the dues. Simply being a member or a delegate is meaningless in terms of CV. If you actually contribute to meetings, present or otherwise have an impact, it can be like any other EC, but the AMA isn't exactly extremely highly regarded that it should be put above anything else in particular.

Take home: Learn about the AMA, then decide to join. They certainly do not speak for all, not even most physicians. If they do things that are of interest to you, then absolutely join, but don't join for the free stuff.

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

Just pay for the AMA membership for a year to get the discount on the Kaplan Qbank if you're going to buy it. It more than pays for itself.

 

[Votaku]

Just pay for the AMA membership for a year to get the discount on the Kaplan Qbank if you're going to buy it. It more than pays for itself.

I was just about set to dump the letter when I saw this. Do tell. How much of a discount could I expect on Kaplan? What about Uworld?

Thanks

 

[235009]

http://www.kaptest.com/ama/index.jhtml

no discount for UWorld

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

http://www.kaptest.com/ama/index.jhtml

no discount for UWorld

I think I got a letter that let me join the AMA for a year for 10 bucks and I'm gonna buy the "until you test" Qbank so my ROI is pretty high.

 

[FSU2013]

I would think lo and hard about joining. It isn't about the perks, it's about the politics.

If you agree with their political views, then join. If you don't, I don't think any amount of discounts or perks would merit joining.

 

[ijn]

The Kaplan discount is definitely worth it. I just borrowed a friend's AMA code and signed up for a year.

 

[Sileni]

I became a member of the AMA for 80ish$ and it's saved me enough on various books/board prep that I made that money and more back.

I don't attend any AMA meetings, read any literature, or anything else and have no desire to. I would join it just for the "perks" it saves you a lot more than 80 bucks on kaplan stuff when you study for the USMLE and other random stuff here and there.

 

[KinasePro]

Kaplan Q bank discount + free Goljan RR Path or Netter's card = membership pays for itself. You get discounts on First Aid products, too (not sure if USMLERx counts).

Another perk is the paper copy of JAMA in my mailbox every week. I can brush up on the most recent PSA controversy or read case studies whilst dropping mad deuce at the throne. I'd say it's worth it.

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

Another perk is the paper copy of JAMA in my mailbox every week. I can brush up on the most recent PSA controversy or read case studies whilst dropping mad deuce at the throne. I'd say it's worth it.

Love it. Nothing like some entertainment whilst dropping mad deuce.

 

[cbrons]

mimelin speaks from a resident or physician standing.

The AMA is a political organization which has very few, if any, policies which support practicing physicians. There is a reason why less than 30% of practicing US physicians are members.

It's fine to join as a medical student and reap a few perks. But you will quickly see as you move up the ranks that the AMA does not have the interests of practicing physicians as its goal.

Yeah this is why I didnt join despite the perks.

 

[Frazier]

Another perk is the paper copy of JAMA in my mailbox every week. I can brush up on the most recent PSA controversy or read case studies whilst dropping mad deuce at the throne.

I do say, good chap, what literature do you favor while dropping jolly deuce?

 

[FSU2013]

I do say, good chap, what literature do you favor while dropping jolly deuce?

Usually studentdoctor, sometimes drudgereport.

 

[Votaku]

I would think lo and hard about joining. It isn't about the perks, it's about the politics.

If you agree with their political views, then join. If you don't, I don't think any amount of discounts or perks would merit joining.

you make this sound very like very "serious business," I'm not signing my soul away. It's not like I can't drop them like a bad habit once I graduate.

$69 off + other discounts sounds pretty good.


I feel like there's something I'm missing here. Are you guys harping on personal integrity, or is there something else going on. Other than potential advertising (not like I'm buying anything w/ my loans), what do they really get with another body? Sounds like they give me more than they take.

 

[MedicalBeast]

Love it. Nothing like some entertainment whilst dropping mad deuce.

taking a dump shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes...

eat more fiber!


to answer the op's question, no not worth it.

 

[cbrons]

Usually studentdoctor, sometimes drudgereport.

Man these 2 sites have been what ive checked most often for about 6 years now.... Every single day....

 

[jsaydi]

I'm gunna piggy back on this topic. What about AMSA in medical school?

 

[KinasePro]

I do say, good chap, what literature do you favor while dropping jolly deuce?

If I'm not deep in thought and making life decisions, it's SDN/twitter (public) or JAMA (home). I'd love it if this turned into a "things to do while sh:tting" thread.

I feel like there's something I'm missing here. Are you guys harping on personal integrity, or is there something else going on. Other than potential advertising (not like I'm buying anything w/ my loans), what do they really get with another body? Sounds like they give me more than they take.

A lot of people are really skeptical about the AMA and view the membership in an idealistic way... I personally don't agree. The way I see it, I'm getting decent perks that pay for my membership dues, and if I ever feel like fluffing up my CV I can present at one of their national/section meetings that seem to happen every other month. You're joining as a medical student anyway, not a physician, and the medical student section is much more focused on medical education, student leadership, community service, research opportunities, scholarships, etc... So a lot of the controversy at the practitioner end that most of us won't understand is outweighed by some reasonable opportunities for students (IMO at least). Honestly, I won't understand the finer points & subtleties of the debates at the practicing physician end until I'm part of that constituency, so for the time being the AMA student section is a mostly benevolent organization from my perspective.

Also, I was a member of other professional societies in my old career, and there was always some controversy about joining them, too. If it turns out the AMA pisses me off sometime during residency, I'll feel vindicated that I made out with decent perks at no net cost -- which is a lot more than I can say for the American Chemical Society, Biomedical Engineering Society, etc...

 

[CuttingCorneas]

I didn't realize AMA was so expensive. Our state medical association dues + AMA dues for 4 years was $28 total. Pretty sweet deal.