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Meet the new American Medical Association MSS Chair
Haidn Foster
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
How did you first get involved in AMA at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine? What was your first AMA meeting like?
I actually first got involved with the University of Cincinnati's AMA chapter around the time of Annual 2018, my first national AMA meeting. During that meeting, I was so inspired by our medical students' passion and drive for advancing public health that I was compelled to get involved in any way I could. Shortly after, I was selected to serve as co-president of our local AMA chapter and began my journey in organized medicine in earnest.
Tell us about your AMA journey to MSS Chair, what did that look like?
In addition to serving in local AMA leadership, after Annual 2018 I began looking for opportunities to dive into our policymaking process and advocate for our LGBTQ+ patients and colleagues. From authoring AMA policy to serving on reference committees, the MSS Committee on LGBTQ+ Issues, regional leadership, and our delegation to the AMA House of Delegates, it's been a privilege to grow in an organization that truly believes in the value of its medical student members as the future of American medicine.
What's one goal you have for yourself as the MSS Chair?
My goals as chair primarily include empowering our medical student leaders to advance our national MSS priorities in all 50 state medical societies, as well as making our MSS meetings more accessible while increasing the diversity and inclusion of our section. I'll know we're on the right track when we can honestly say the MSS reflects all our country's medical students, raises up the voices of those students who historically haven't had a home in organized medicine, and advocates as effectively at the grassroots as we do on the national stage.
What advice do you have for medical students who are looking to get more involved in AMA while most business is being conducted virtually?
I believe the ability for medical students to write, testify to, and vote on resolutions without the expense and time needed to fly to national meetings has actually made it easier than ever to participate in our section. It's because of the increased accessibility of our meetings even during these challenging circumstances that I look forward to working with the next MSS governing council and our AMA staff to continue allowing for the option of virtually engaging with the MSS as we return to in-person events.
How do you recommend student leaders increase engagement during this time that most of our AMA business is being conducted virtually?
One of the greatest tools the MSS has for recruitment is the substantive policy that our medical students have authored, advocated for, and passed through the AMA. At our most recent meeting, for example, the MSS helped pass AMA policy declaring racism a threat to public health, protecting trainees in the case of residency program closure, and calling for the expedited retirement of USMLE Step 2 CS and COMLEX Level 2 PE. Highlighting these wins for public health and medical education is a great way to demonstrate the real impact medical students can have in the AMA and beyond.
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