SA-4501 Student Clubs, Organizations, and Specialty Interest Groups (COS)

1.0        Purpose

VTCSOM encourages students to form VTC student clubs, specialty interest groups (SIGs), and student chapters of regional and national professional medical organizations and to become involved with local, regional, and national specialty organizations/societies. 

2.0        Policy

There are specific processes involved in order for a group to become recognized by VTC for each of these categories. The Assistant Dean for Student Vitality & Director of Student Affairs will assist students who desire to form a VTCSOM-recognized SIG, club, or local chapter and/or become involved with medical specialty and professional organizations. 

3.0        Procedures

Establishing a VTC student club, SIG, or local chapter

VTC student clubs must be established according to the following steps:

1. Obtain an application form from the Office of Student Affairs or the Medical Student Council President;
2. Determine which category of group you are applying for;
3. Establish a name for the club, SIG, or local chapter;
4. Identify the connection to one of the four Value Domains;
5. Identify a faculty member or members as sponsor/advisor and obtain their agreement;
6. Write a statement of purpose;
7. Identify an organizing leader;
8. List initial club members (must be at least three);
9. Identify goals for the group;
10. Complete an application form found on the Office of Student Affairs website under Organizations;
11. Submit the application form, which will be reviewed by the MSC;

If approved by the Medical Student Council, the form will be submitted to the Assistant Dean for Student Vitality & Director of Student Affairs for approval;

Once a group receives approval, it should meet and elect/select a president, vice-president, and secretary/treasurer. They should submit this information to the Assistant Dean for Student Vitality & Director of Student Affairs.

Once the Assistant Dean for Student Vitality & Director of Student Affairs gives final approval, the group becomes a recognized VTC group and is eligible to advertise using VTC communications, be listed on the VTC website, have a presence on the VTC Blackboard site, and meet on campus.

Funding

Some student groups are self-funded. Student government can provide limited financial support for specific events held by a VTC-recognized group. This process for applying for funding is determined by the student government. The finance committee will review all funding requests, approve or deny the request, and contact the Assistant Dean for Student Vitality & Director of Student Affairs related to all approvals for reimbursement. All funding for VTC-recognized groups must be used to fund group activities and must be accounted for by the secretary/treasurer of the group. VTC Student groups may accept external funding only with the approval of the Assistant Dean for Student Vitality & Director of Student Affairs. Any external funds received must be accounted for by the group and be kept in a VTCSOM- regulated agency account.

Requirements

All VTC student groups require a faculty advisor. Students should petition faculty they believe may be interested in serving as an advisor. An advisor is expected to be in close contact with the group and to provide advice as may be appropriate and necessary to the group and to the VTCSOM administration.

Student Clubs

Student Clubs can provide the opportunity for students to become more involved in school and community life, to foster community outreach, or to more deeply explore an academic or scholarly interest. VTCSOM encourages students to form and become involved with student clubs to augment their medical school experience and help enhance their personal and/or professional development.

Specialty Interest Groups (SIGs)

VTC believes it is important for students to become exposed to the broad wide range of career options as they consider their future beyond medical school. To encourage students to learn about the field of medicine, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs will coordinate with clinical departments to showcase specialty career options throughout Phase 1. 

It is anticipated that over time, individual clinical departments and/or interested students will form specialty-specific interest groups. Specialty Interest Groups are student organizations aimed at helping students learn about a specific specialty within medicine and network with others who are interested in the possibility of pursuing a career in that specialty. The SIGs will be limited to those specialties that students can apply to/match into directly out of medical school. Subspecialty interest groups will fall within the official SIGs. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs can assist in this effort.

The goals for these groups include:

• To broaden exposure to faculty role models in the major clinical specialties;
• To foster mentoring relationships with faculty, community physicians, and residents;
• To provide networking opportunities with faculty, residents, and the healthcare community;
• To facilitate learning opportunities in the various specialties at Carilion or other clinical affiliates; and
• To provide support in residency program

Student Chapters of Professional Medical and Specialty Organizations

There are many local, regional, and national professional medical organizations and medical specialty organizations that encourage student involvement. Common examples include the Organization of Student Representatives to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC OSR), the American Medical Association Medical Student Section (AMA-MSS), and the American Medical Student Association (AMSA). Students will be made aware of these organizations throughout the year through information disseminated by the Assistant Dean for Student Vitality & Director of Student Affairs and through the Medical Student Council. They will learn more through resident and faculty mentors. Additionally, interested students can contact these organizations directly.

4.0        References

• VTCSOM Clubs and Organizations
• Office of Student Affairs
• Assistant Dean for Student Vitality & Director of Student Affairs
• Associate Dean for Student Affairs 

5.0        Approval and Revisions

Approved by Student Affairs