Bylaws

ASA Medical Student Component Structure

1. Definitions.

For the purposes of this document, the following terms will be defined as follows:
1. ASA Medical Student Component (ASA MSC):  Medical student members of the ASA
2. Delegates: members of the ASA MSC who represent their respective medical school and who attend the ASA Annual Meeting on behalf of their medical school.
3. Governing Council: leaders who have been selected from the pool of ASA MSC members to govern the ASA MSC.

2.  Governing Council.

Eight officers will be elected yearly:
Chair
                Chair-Elect
                Secretary
                Member-at-Large
                Senior Advisor
                Alternate (three people)

3.  Selection of Governing Council

Candidates for the officer and alternate positions will be chosen by requesting an application with these elements:
                                -Current curriculum vitae
                                -Statement of interest, maximum 500 words
                                -Letter of reference from a faculty member (Chair-Elect requires two letters of reference)
               
Applicants will be asked to specify the positions they are interested in. Officers will be selected based on the following criteria:
                                -Dedication to anesthesiology
                                -Leadership experience
                                -Community service experience
                                -Reasons for applying
                                -Intent to fulfill responsibilities as an ASA MSC Officer or alternate
In the future, in an effort to emulate the Resident Component as closely as possible, we will hold elections, soliciting a personal statement from each candidate ahead of time, allowing them a brief speech at the Medical Student Component House of Delegates Annual Meeting, and electing them via ballot.

4.  Responsibilities of the Governing Council

All officers must be active ASA members.  One cannot be an officer for more than one term unless one is Chair-Elect.  The officers’ main goal and predominating responsibility will continue to be outreach, to increase medical student involvement. Specific officer responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Chair:    

• Oversee ASA MSC activities
• Lead ASA MSC meetings
• Voting privileges at the Resident House of Delegates at the ASA Annual Meeting
• Liaison between ASA MSC and ASA Government
• Delegation of tasks
• Coordinate documents to be published in the ASA monthly newsletter

Chair-Elect: (FIRST AND SECOND YEAR STUDENT APPLICANTS ONLY)

• Learn responsibilities of the ASA MSC Chair and become familiar with his/her role
• Voting privileges at the Resident House of Delegates at the ASA Annual Meeting
• Assist current chair in any tasks he or she may deem necessary
• Organize the ASA MSC Annual Governing Council  Meeting (to be held between the months of January and May before the beginning of the new Governing Council’s term)
• Assume the role of Chair the following year

Secretary:

• Transcribe minutes from any ASA MSC meetings
• Voting privileges at the Resident House of Delegates at the ASA Annual Meeting
• Assume responsibility for communications (oversee list serv, etc.)
• Maintain and update web page

Member-at-Large:

• Voting privileges at the Resident House of Delegates at the ASA Annual Meeting
• Assist other officers with tasks that do not pertain to any other officer
• Fulfill the duties of another officer if that person is unable to attend

Senior Advisor: (FOURTH YEAR STUDENT APPLICANTS ONLY)

• Offer assistance and guidance on issues pertaining to medical school , residency and other issues
• Voting privileges at the Resident House of Delegates at the ASA Annual Meeting
• Attendance at the ASA Annual Meeting and MSC Governance Council Annual Meeting is optional

Alternate:

• Ensure full representation at the ASA Annual Meeting should one of the elected officers be unable to perform his or her duties.

Responsibilities of all Governing Council Officers (except the senior advisor) include attendance at the ASA Annual Meeting to participate in the ASA Resident Component and Medical Student Component Meetings, and the Annual Governing Council Meeting. The Governing Council Annual Meeting will serve to allow the officers to learn their new positions and to discuss and plan for the ASA Annual Meeting. This preliminary meeting will occur between the months of January and May before the start of the new officers’ term. Funding for travel and lodging will be the responsibility of each officer, and it is strongly suggested that they develop a relationship with their state society and/or local anesthesiology department to secure funding.

5.  Selection of Delegates

Delegates will be selected by their home institution. To maintain each institution’s autonomy, the ASA MSC Governing Council will have no role in the method or selection of these individuals. It will be the responsibility of the delegate to obtain a letter of support from their Anesthesiology Department Chair or another qualified department member to inform the ASA MSC Governing Council of their selection.

6.  Responsibilities of the Delegates

For the upcoming year, there are 145 delegates representing medical schools. Their role will be to serve as medical student liaison between their respective medical schools and the ASA MSC. In addition, they will be responsible for informing medical students in their state about the opportunities afforded by the ASA MSC, including recruitment.  All delegates must be active ASA MSC members.  One can be an officer for more than one term. A delegate’s term is from July 1 to June 30.  Specific delegate responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Medical School Delegate:

• If an Anesthesiology Interest Group is not already established at their respective medical school, it will be the responsibility of the Delegate to establish and maintain an Anesthesiology Interest Group at their Medical School.  Suggestions on structure and activities of Anesthesiology Interest Groups will be provided by the ASA MSC.
• The Delegate is responsible for the recruitment of medical students, within their respective medical school, into the ASA MSC.
• The Delegate has voting privileges on issues presented at the ASA MSC House of Delegates Annual Meeting (Delegates will only be able to vote if present at the meeting)
• The Delegate must report semi-annual updates to the ASA MSC.
• Attendance is highly recommended at the ASA annual meeting as the Annual House of Delegates meeting is held at that time.

Medical School Delegate Alternate:

• In the event that a delegate cannot attend the ASA annual meeting, he or she can select an alternate from their medical school as their voting replacement.

Responsibilities of all delegates include attendance at the ASA Annual Meeting in order to participate in the ASA Medical Student Component Meeting. Funding for travel and lodging will be the responsibility of each delegate, and it is strongly suggested that they develop a relationship with their state society and/or local anesthesiology department to secure funding. The delegates will be responsible for contacting their state societies and developing/maintaining a membership with them.

7.  Tentative Yearly timeline for ASA MSC Activities

Term of Service:  An ASA MSC officer of the Governing Council assumes his/her  title from November 1 to October 31 of the following year.  This allows a transition period in which the old officers mentor the new officers from the period of elections until the official start of their term.
August: Current officers will solicit applications for Governing Council. Deadline for application materials will be the Friday of the second week in September.
October: ASA Annual Meeting. To be attended by 5 ASA MSC officers and 145 medical school delegates. All medical student members are highly encouraged to attend.  Officers for the following year will be elected by the ASA MSC House of Delegates at the Annual Meeting.
October-May of the following year: the Chair and the new ASA MSC officers will meet at the location of the Chair’s preference.  All efforts will be made to allow the new officers to be present at the meeting.