SNMA and NMA

[DoctaJay]

I know that it is pretty much alright to go to the SNMA conference as medical students, but is this also the case for the NMA conference? Also, is the AMSA conference worth going to at all as a medical students, especially a URM medical student?

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[MarzMD]

I know that it is pretty much alright to go to the SNMA conference as medical students, but is this also the case for the NMA conference? Also, is the AMSA conference worth going to at all as a medical students, especially a URM medical student?

Your post confuses me. The SNMA is the medical school club for URM's. MAPS is the premed URM club. Never even heard of the NMA. On a sidenote, did anyone go to the SNMA conference in San Fran this year?

Edit: Oh, I get the question now. This is my understanding

MAPS : premeds organization with no national conference, but some chapters go to the SNMA national conference
SNMA : medical student organization that has the SNMA national conference
NMA : organization for physicians.

So I doubt med students go to the NMA national conference, but I could be wrong because premeds go to the SNMA conference. I have no idea if I am making sense, so I am going back to neuro.

 

[wutwinb]

Your post confuses me. The SNMA is the medical school club for URM's. MAPS is the premed URM club. Never even heard of the NMA. On a sidenote, did anyone go to the SNMA conference in San Fran this year?



So I doubt med students go to the NMA national conference, but I could be wrong because premeds go to the SNMA conference. I have no idea if I am making sense, so I am going back to neuro.

I went this year. I HIGHLY recommenda that urm pre-meds go if you have the opportunity. on top of having seminars about AMCAS, personal statement and interviews, they have a Pre-med Recruitment Fair, where the diversity/admissions officers of many schools come to talk to you. i made a lot of contacts and was able to see where i might be competitive at.
the 2008 SNMA conference is in NY, so plan for it!

 

[MarzMD]

I went too, just seeing if anyone else on SDN was there.

 

[traumadoc]

I know that it is pretty much alright to go to the SNMA conference as medical students, but is this also the case for the NMA conference? Also, is the AMSA conference worth going to at all as a medical students, especially a URM medical student?

The SNMA conference is designed for medical students and to a lesser degree for pre med students as well. The SNMA conferences, as I recall, are more of a catching up type deal with other minority medical students from around the country. It is truly a meet and greet and more ofa social affair than a policy making or business affair. Maybe it has changed over the years, but I doubt it. Not that this is a bad thing, but it is in stark contrast to the other organizations.

The AMSA conference is a good meeting to attend. It rotates each year between being in Washington, DC, where the AMSA headquarters is located, and another site around the country. AMSA is a very "liberal" organization. The AMSA meetings are casual or rather not as stuffy as the AMA meetings may seem. Minority students are DEFINITELY welcome and should participate in organizations aside from the standard SNMA, APAMSA and BLHO. AMSA is a policy making vehicle like the AMA Medical Student Section (AMA-MSS), but the issues that each organization deals with are "different." If you attend each organizations conferences in a given year, you very well may not see the same faces each time. The organizations attract different people.

AMA conferences are fun. It is a great time to network and to learn about things going on in medicine at all levels of training. There is specifically a Medical Student Section of the AMA that meets during the annual AMA conference to conduct business. The AMA meetings are the most formal of all the conferences. The AMA is the business arm of the medical community. More minority medical students should become involved in the AMA and seek leadership positions. The AMA has a minority affairs committee that may be of some interest.

One of the organizations has a representative to the NMA. I want to say it is the SNMA, but it could be the AMA.

Another good opportunity for medical students for sure is to attend the conferences of specialty organizations. Most professional organizations offer student memberships. The ACP-ASIM offers free student membership in fact.

 

[MarzMD]

The SNMA conference is designed for medical students and to a lesser degree for pre med students as well. The SNMA conferences, as I recall, are more of a catching up type deal with other minority medical students from around the country. It is truly a meet and greet and more ofa social affair than a policy making or business affair. Maybe it has changed over the years, but I doubt it. Not that this is a bad thing, but it is in stark contrast to the other organizations.

The AMSA conference is a good meeting to attend. It rotates each year between being in Washington, DC, where the AMSA headquarters is located, and another site around the country. AMSA is a very "liberal" organization. The AMSA meetings are casual or rather not as stuffy as the AMA meetings may seem. Minority students are DEFINITELY welcome and should participate in organizations aside from the standard SNMA, APAMSA and BLHO. AMSA is a policy making vehicle like the AMA Medical Student Section (AMA-MSS), but the issues that each organization deals with are "different." If you attend each organizations conferences in a given year, you very well may not see the same faces each time. The organizations attract different people.

AMA conferences are fun. It is a great time to network and to learn about things going on in medicine at all levels of training. There is specifically a Medical Student Section of the AMA that meets during the annual AMA conference to conduct business. The AMA meetings are the most formal of all the conferences. The AMA is the business arm of the medical community. More minority medical students should become involved in the AMA and seek leadership positions. The AMA has a minority affairs committee that may be of some interest.

One of the organizations has a representative to the NMA. I want to say it is the SNMA, but it could be the AMA.

Another good opportunity for medical students for sure is to attend the conferences of specialty organizations. Most professional organizations offer student memberships. The ACP-ASIM offers free student membership in fact.

This year was my first time there, but I actually found the opposite to be true. It was very formal and had a lot of policy making things. Yea, there were social events at night but everything was a lot more formal than I thought it would be.

 

[njbmd]

SNMA is the medical student branch of NMA (National Medical Association). ANy NMA meetings are definitely worth attending as there are many opportunities to network with program directors, attendings and leaders in many specialties.

SNMA is a great time and is usually quite social. I always enjoyed both SNMA and NMA meetings when I was a medical student. I wasn't interested in AMSA and didn't see any point in joining this organization as I was the school rep for AMA. I continue to be active as a resident/fellow member of the AMA and have attended their national conferences.

 

[James Moriarty]

On a sidenote, did anyone go to the SNMA conference in San Fran this year?

I went as well. It was pretty awesome. Except for the first comic for Thursday (?) night entertainment.

 

[NightnDay79]

Thanks traumdoc for the specialty post. I'll be looking into that. Anyhow, the conferences are more formal now as bnjmd pointed out, especially for the delegates. Lots of meetings to attend. Anyways, I'll be going to future conferences for sure and get more involved now that I know more about it.

 

[MarzMD]

I went as well. It was pretty awesome. Except for the first comic for Thursday (?) night entertainment.

I didnt even know they had a comic Thursday night. I was probably out at a bar. Where was this comic?

 

[Dr.Phenomena]

I was at the conference in San Fran this year as well. I saw it as more a social affair than anything else, but I would say that the residency fair for medical students was pretty good. I'm only a 2nd year student now, and I doubt that the representatives from the different residencies will remember my face, but I do have a pretty good idea of where I may want to do an away rotation during fourth year, and where I might apply for residency. Though I don't like how the final banquet night lacked a speaker, I would say its overall a good investment to go especially if you are a 3rd year for the afforementioned residency fair among other things.

 

[wutwinb]

i'm excited that the conference is in NY next year. hopefully a majority of the east coast schools will be there. plus, i've never been to the city!

 

[Angelyka]

I will be attending the conference in NY. The conferences are great! I am also the VP of my MAPS chapter for the upcoming school year.

 

[DoctaJay]

If you are at a majority medschool, will the school sponser all SNMA members to go? Or do you have to pay your own way?

 

[MarzMD]

If you are at a majority medschool, will the school sponser all SNMA members to go? Or do you have to pay your own way?

We were able to get a lot of funding from the school. I know a lot of people also do SNMA fundraisers during the year to help pay for things. We ended up having 5 people going and Im pretty sure most of it was paid for by asking different people within to school to give us money.

 

[freelove]

This past weekend my school hosted a pre-health conference (which was EXcellent but the way) and the presidents of the SNMA and SNDA were both there. They are really great people and very personable. Members of the SNMA seem really interested in helping the various MAPS chapters, and its really just a matter of seeking out there help.

I don't think that the whole social aspect is a bad thing b/c networking is pretty important anways. I'm glad the conference is in NY this year, as I'm an East Coaster myself... I'm president of my MAPS chapter next yr, I'll make sure my school finds out way up there.

Hey... Angelyka... maybe we can share notes? I could always use some new ideas!

 

[msashe88]

Hello, I'm the co-president for my school's MAPS chapter. I'm very excited about the upcoming year and the SNMA conferences. I wasn't able to go to San Francisco since it was literally on the opposite coast. I will definitely be in New York next year...thank goodness it's on the east coast lol. I hope to see all of you there. We have a minority pre-health conference every year. We have had Dr. Ben Carson and Dr. Levi Watkins speak in previous years(kinda hints at what school I'm at lol). I'm just very excited to see what the upcoming school year will bring.

 

[Angelyka]

I will also definitely be at the conference in New York. I am the vice president for my school's MAPS chapter. Hint as to what school I attend: We just won MAPS chapter of the year . I hope to meet some of you there!!!

~Danielle

 

[Dr.Phenomena]

I'd love to go to NY for the conference, but I'm gonna be a third year next year. I'll probably need to seek and acquire permission to go from the clerkship director.

 

[HunterGatherer]

I'll definitely be at the SNMA conference in NY. could not go last year because of finances.

We should start an SNMA conference thread when the time rolls around.