Leadership and Membership Transition
CHAPTER LEADERSHIP AND MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
Please complete this Google form to update your local chapter leadership! Then, email your respective regional directors at region#@apamsa.org (insert your region number for #) and membership@apamsa.org.
Don’t know your region #? Check out the APAMSA regional map HERE (scroll to the bottom)!
Have questions? Contact your respective regional director (region#@apamsa.org) and/or membership@apamsa.org.
We are no longer asking local chapters to complete an Excel sheet to update membership. Instead, we will be replacing it with a new membership process.
We highly encourage ALL local chapter officers/members to SIGN UP NOW for our official membership through JoinIt as a paying member! Please join in order to continue receiving exclusive newsletters about national and regional APAMSA events. For more information, including membership benefits and general FAQs, check out our updated website HERE.
To sign up for ONLY general newsletters without membership benefits (non-paying), click HERE.
ABOUT:
APAMSA is a national organization of health professional students and pre-health students committed to addressing the unique health challenges of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, & Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities. With an organized membership system, we are able to support APAMSA, our chapters, and our mission. All membership fees go back to chapter funding and will support scholarships for the communities we serve.
If you have any questions, please email membership@apamsa.org.
2024-2025 National Board
Executive Board
Branch Directors
Medical Education
Director
Megan Jiao
She/Her/Hers
McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Editor Director
Xueying Zheng
She/Her/Hers
University of Nevada,
Reno School of Medicine
Native Hawaiian &
Pacific Islander Director
Kanoe Evile
She/Her/Hers
Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons
South Asian
Director
.
Aliza Ali
She/Her/Hers
University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine
LGBTQIA+
Director
.
Natasha Arief
They/Them/Theirs
California Northstate University College of Medicine
.
Sponsorship
Co-Director
Brandon Park
He/Him/His
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine
Fundraising &
Events Director
James Chua
He/Him/His
Touro University Nevada,
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Mental Health
Director
Julie Kim
She/Her/Hers
Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine
Hepatitis B & C
Co-Director
Alicia Bui
She/Her/Hers
Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
hepatitis@apamsa.org
Hepatitis B & C
Co-Director
Christopher Huy Doan
He/Him/His
John Sealy School of Medicine at
the University of Texas Medical Branch
Diabetes and Cardiovascular Diseases Director
Jessica Ngo
She/Her/Hers
The University of Texas Medical Branch
diabetescvd@apamsa.org
Alumni Co-Director
Ellis Jang
She/Her/Hers
California Northstate University College of Medicine
Premed Co-Director
Stephanie Kim
She/Her/Hers
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Membership Regional Directors
Committee Members
Bayley Brennan
She/Her/Hers
University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix
Makoa Mau
He/Him/His
John A. Burns School of Medicine at University of Hawaii
Peggy Su
She/Her/Hers
John A. Burns School of Medicine at University of Hawaii
Gautami Galpalli
She/Her/Hers
Southern Illinois University
Shivani Sundaram
She/Her/Hers
Keck School of Medicine of USC
Sandra Kong
She/Her/Hers
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Tiffany Chu
She/Her/Hers
Creighton University School of Medicine
Kimsa Nguyen
She/Her/Hers
California Health Sciences University
Edmund Pacleb
He/Him/His
A. T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona
Anne Nguyen
She/Her/Hers
New York Medical College
Zezhou (Zach) Zhao
He/Him/His
Harvard Medical School
Johnny Dang
He/Him/His
UTMB John Sealy School of Medicine
Kevin Ku
He/Him/His
Texas Christian University
Lisa Kumasaka
She/Her/Hers
Oregon Health & Science University
Jennifer Du
She/Her/Hers
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Thao Le
She/Her/Hers
Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine
Judy Le
She/Her/Hers
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Teresa (Si Ja) Liu
She/Her/Hers
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Barbara Nguyen
She/Her/Hers
Western University of Health Sciences – Pomona
Jess Qu
She/Her/Hers
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
Genichiro Fujioka
He/Him/His
Texas A&M School of Medicine
Annie Nguyen
She/Her/Hers
Stanford University
Mia Park
She/Her/Hers
MSU College of Human Medicine
Brandon Park
He/Him/His
University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Medicine
Roland Yu
He/Him/His
John Sealy School of Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch
Jerry Liu
He/Him/His
Texas A&M School of Medicine
Sana Suhail
She/Her/Hers
University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio
Neha Potta
She/Her/Hers
University of Missouri Kansas City
Samantha Xing
She/Her/Hers
Columbia VP&S
Jane Tian
She/Her/Hers
St. George’s University School of Medicine
Vicky Lam
She/Her/Hers
California University of Science and Medicine
Megan Jiao
She/Her/Hers
McGovern Medical School
Anthony Nguyen
He/Him/His
University of California, San Francisco
Erin Kim
She/Her/Hers
Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University
Austin Yang
He/Him/His
Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University
Lauren S. Kang
She/Her/Hers
The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Jasmine Haraburda
She/Her/Hers
The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Kevin Yu
He/Him/His
NYITCOM
Jamyang Choedon
She/Her/Hers
Touro COM Harlem
Danny Domingo
He/Him/His
Western University of Health Sciences
Bunnarin Theng
He/Him/His
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
David Wang
He/Him/His
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Robert Hu
He/Him/His
Creighton University School of Medicine
Peter Wang
He/Him/His
University of Texas Medical Branch
Justin Yun
He/Him/His
University of Texas Medical Branch
Yanxin Chen
She/Her/Hers
UTHSC
Davis Tran
He/Him/His
University of Virginia School of Medicine
Carina Tse
She/Her/Hers
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Kathy Li
She/Her/Hers
Medical College of Georgia
Chairs:
Speaker Relations – Avery Zhou and Michelle Zhu
Logistics – Nataliyah Tahir and Eric Chio
Finance – Kenny Do
Communications – Tiffany Chen
Speaker Relations
- Liasion – Leah Yim
- Liasion – Kim Inciong
Communications
- Website – Celica Cosme
- Swag – Claire Ong
- Design – Allen Zhang
Logistics
- Registration – Michelle Zhang
- Volunteer – Charissa Alo
Finance
- Sponsorship – Mira Dani
- Food – Gemma Lagasca
Past National Boards
2025-2026 National Board
Executive Board
Communications VP
Xueying (Ying) Zheng
She/Her/Hers
University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine
External Affairs VP
Emily Chen
She/Her/Hers
Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine
Health Affairs VP
Alicia Bui
She/Her/Hers
Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
Branch Directors
Health Policy
Director
Sarah Kim
She/Her/Hers
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Rapid Response
Director
Brian Leung
He/Him/His
Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine
Director of Organized
Medicine
Xianzhen (Jen) Deng
She/Her/Hers
California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Social Media
Co-Director
Callista Wu
She/Her/Hers
California Health Sciences University – College of Osteopathic Medicine
Editor
Director
Christine Le
She/Her/Hers
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine – Louisiana
Native Hawaiian &
Pacific Islander Director
Caitlin Tanji
She/Her/Hers
University of California, Los Angeles
South Asian
Director
.
Shravani Khisti
She/Her/Hers
University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine
Southeast Asian
Director
.
Fern Vichaikul
She/Her/Hers
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Women in Medicine
Director
Eujung Park
She/Her/Hers
University of Arizona, College of Medicine – Phoenix
Sponsorship
Co-Director
Brandon Park
He/Him/His
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine
Fundraising &
Events Director
Yuming Wu
She/Her/Hers
University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Medicine
National Conference
Director
Matthew Kim
He/Him/His
University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine
National Conference
Director
Brian Tangsombatvisit
He/Him/His
University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine
National Conference
Director
Nelson Lin
He/Him/His
University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine
National Conference
Director
Jeanna Shaw
She/Her/Hers
University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine
National Conference
Director
Katherine Chua
She/Her/Hers
University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine
National Conference
Director
Tiffany Chen
She/Her/Hers
University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine
Community Outreach
Director
Elizabeth Nguyen
She/Her/Hers
University of Texas Health San Antonio Long School of Medicine
Cancer Initiatives
Director
Emily Thai
She/Her/Hers
California Health Sciences University – College of Osteopathic Medicine
Mental Health
Director
Mia Park
She/Her/Hers
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Membership Regional Directors
Committee Members
Past National Boards
2024-2025 National Board
Executive Board
Branch Directors
Medical Education
Director
Megan Jiao
She/Her/Hers
McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Editor Director
Xueying Zheng
She/Her/Hers
University of Nevada,
Reno School of Medicine
Native Hawaiian &
Pacific Islander Director
Kanoe Evile
She/Her/Hers
Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons
South Asian
Director
.
Aliza Ali
She/Her/Hers
University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine
LGBTQIA+
Director
.
Natasha Arief
They/Them/Theirs
California Northstate University College of Medicine
.
Sponsorship
Co-Director
Brandon Park
He/Him/His
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine
Fundraising &
Events Director
James Chua
He/Him/His
Touro University Nevada,
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Mental Health
Director
Julie Kim
She/Her/Hers
Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine
Hepatitis B & C
Co-Director
Alicia Bui
She/Her/Hers
Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
hepatitis@apamsa.org
Hepatitis B & C
Co-Director
Christopher Huy Doan
He/Him/His
John Sealy School of Medicine at
the University of Texas Medical Branch
Diabetes and Cardiovascular Diseases Director
Jessica Ngo
She/Her/Hers
The University of Texas Medical Branch
diabetescvd@apamsa.org
Alumni Co-Director
Ellis Jang
She/Her/Hers
California Northstate University College of Medicine
Premed Co-Director
Stephanie Kim
She/Her/Hers
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Membership Regional Directors
Committee Members
Bayley Brennan
She/Her/Hers
University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix
Makoa Mau
He/Him/His
John A. Burns School of Medicine at University of Hawaii
Peggy Su
She/Her/Hers
John A. Burns School of Medicine at University of Hawaii
Gautami Galpalli
She/Her/Hers
Southern Illinois University
Shivani Sundaram
She/Her/Hers
Keck School of Medicine of USC
Sandra Kong
She/Her/Hers
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Tiffany Chu
She/Her/Hers
Creighton University School of Medicine
Kimsa Nguyen
She/Her/Hers
California Health Sciences University
Edmund Pacleb
He/Him/His
A. T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona
Anne Nguyen
She/Her/Hers
New York Medical College
Zezhou (Zach) Zhao
He/Him/His
Harvard Medical School
Johnny Dang
He/Him/His
UTMB John Sealy School of Medicine
Kevin Ku
He/Him/His
Texas Christian University
Lisa Kumasaka
She/Her/Hers
Oregon Health & Science University
Jennifer Du
She/Her/Hers
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Thao Le
She/Her/Hers
Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine
Judy Le
She/Her/Hers
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Teresa (Si Ja) Liu
She/Her/Hers
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Barbara Nguyen
She/Her/Hers
Western University of Health Sciences – Pomona
Jess Qu
She/Her/Hers
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
Genichiro Fujioka
He/Him/His
Texas A&M School of Medicine
Annie Nguyen
She/Her/Hers
Stanford University
Mia Park
She/Her/Hers
MSU College of Human Medicine
Brandon Park
He/Him/His
University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Medicine
Roland Yu
He/Him/His
John Sealy School of Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch
Jerry Liu
He/Him/His
Texas A&M School of Medicine
Sana Suhail
She/Her/Hers
University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio
Neha Potta
She/Her/Hers
University of Missouri Kansas City
Samantha Xing
She/Her/Hers
Columbia VP&S
Jane Tian
She/Her/Hers
St. George’s University School of Medicine
Vicky Lam
She/Her/Hers
California University of Science and Medicine
Megan Jiao
She/Her/Hers
McGovern Medical School
Anthony Nguyen
He/Him/His
University of California, San Francisco
Erin Kim
She/Her/Hers
Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University
Austin Yang
He/Him/His
Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University
Lauren S. Kang
She/Her/Hers
The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Jasmine Haraburda
She/Her/Hers
The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Kevin Yu
He/Him/His
NYITCOM
Jamyang Choedon
She/Her/Hers
Touro COM Harlem
Danny Domingo
He/Him/His
Western University of Health Sciences
Bunnarin Theng
He/Him/His
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
David Wang
He/Him/His
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Robert Hu
He/Him/His
Creighton University School of Medicine
Peter Wang
He/Him/His
University of Texas Medical Branch
Justin Yun
He/Him/His
University of Texas Medical Branch
Yanxin Chen
She/Her/Hers
UTHSC
Davis Tran
He/Him/His
University of Virginia School of Medicine
Carina Tse
She/Her/Hers
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Kathy Li
She/Her/Hers
Medical College of Georgia
Chairs:
Speaker Relations – Avery Zhou and Michelle Zhu
Logistics – Nataliyah Tahir and Eric Chio
Finance – Kenny Do
Communications – Tiffany Chen
Speaker Relations
- Liasion – Leah Yim
- Liasion – Kim Inciong
Communications
- Website – Celica Cosme
- Swag – Claire Ong
- Design – Allen Zhang
Logistics
- Registration – Michelle Zhang
- Volunteer – Charissa Alo
Finance
- Sponsorship – Mira Dani
- Food – Gemma Lagasca
Past National Boards
2023-2024 National Board
Executive Board
Communications VP
KerCheng Chen
She/Her/Hers
SUNY Downstate College of Medicine
External Affairs VP
Suzanna Tom
She/Her/Hers
University of South Florida
Morsani College of Medicine
Strategy VP
Victoria Shi
She/Her/Hers
University of Missouri-
Kansas City (UMKC)
Diversity VP
Syeda Akila Ally
Diversity Vice President
University of Illinois
College of Medicine – Chicago
Membership Co-VP
Amelia Huynh
She/Her/Hers
Pacific Northwest University
of Health Sciences
Membership Co-VP
.
Jessica Hsueh
She/Her/Hers
Georgetown University School of Medicine
Immediate Past
President
Donna Tran
She/Her/Hers
Michigan State University
College of Human Medicine
Branch Directors
Director of Organized
Medicine
Zheng Hong Tan
He/Him/His
University of Connecticut SOM
Social Media
Co-Director
Ashley Tam
She/Her/Hers
Oregon Health & Science University
Editor Director
Xueying Zheng
She/Her/Hers
University of Nevada,
Reno School of Medicine
Native Hawaiian &
Pacific Islander Director
Piueti Maka
She/Her/Hers
John A. Burns School of Medicine
South Asian
Director
.
Hersh Gupta
He/Him/His
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Southeast Asian
Director
.
Sandra Kumwong
She/Her/Hers
Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine At Harlem
Sponsorship
Co-Director
Yichen (Wendy) Fan
She/Her/Hers
Oregon Health & S
cience University
Sponsorship
Co-Director
Jessica Ngo
She/Her/Hers
University of Texas
Medical Branch
Fundraising &
Events Director
Community Outreach
Director
Alexander Le
He/Him/His
Texas A&M School of Medicine
Cancer Initiative
Director
Rachel Kim
She/Her/Hers
Lake Erie College of
Osteopathic Medicine
Bone Marrow
Director
Maya (“Asami”) Takagi
She/Her/Hers
Central Michigan University
College of Medicine
Mental Health
Director
Karen Qi
She/Her/Hers
Johns Hopkins
School of Medicine
Hepatitis B & C
Co-Director
Jay Lee
He/Him/His
A.T. Still University School of
Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona
Hepatitis B & C
Co-Director
Jane Park
She/Her/Hers
Western University of Health Sciences
College of Osteopathic Medicine
hepatitis@apamsa.org
Hepatitis B & C
Co-Director
Christopher Huy Doan
He/Him/His
John Sealy School of Medicine at
the University of Texas Medical Branch
Alumni Co-Director
Victoria Cegielski
She/Her/Hers
University of Missouri-Kansas
City School of Medicine
Alumni Co-Director
Jerry Cui
He/Him/His
The Ohio State University
College of Medicine
Premed Co-Director
Tori Nguyen
She/Her/Hers
University of California,
Irvine School of Medicine
Premed Co-Director
Ellis Jang
She/Her/Hers
California Northstate University
College of Medicine
Academic
Education & Research
Director
Janet Guo
She/Her/Hers
Warren Alpert Medical
School of Brown University
Professional Development
Director
Reanna Doña-Termine
She/Her/Hers
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Membership Regional Directors
Wendy Yang
She/Her/Hers
University of South Carolina
School of Medicine Greenville
Cindy Hu
She/Her/Hers
Texas Tech University
Health Sciences Center
School of Medicine
Jerry Yin
He/Him/His
University of Texas Health
Science Center at Houston,
McGovern Medical School
Committee Members
Bayley Brennan
She/Her/Hers
University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix
Makoa Mau
He/Him/His
John A. Burns School of Medicine at University of Hawaii
Peggy Su
She/Her/Hers
John A. Burns School of Medicine at University of Hawaii
Gautami Galpalli
She/Her/Hers
Southern Illinois University
Shivani Sundaram
She/Her/Hers
Keck School of Medicine of USC
Sandra Kong
She/Her/Hers
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Tiffany Chu
She/Her/Hers
Creighton University School of Medicine
Kimsa Nguyen
She/Her/Hers
California Health Sciences University
Edmund Pacleb
He/Him/His
A. T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona
Anne Nguyen
She/Her/Hers
New York Medical College
Zezhou (Zach) Zhao
He/Him/His
Harvard Medical School
Johnny Dang
He/Him/His
UTMB John Sealy School of Medicine
Kevin Ku
He/Him/His
Texas Christian University
Lisa Kumasaka
She/Her/Hers
Oregon Health & Science University
Jennifer Du
She/Her/Hers
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Thao Le
She/Her/Hers
Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine
Judy Le
She/Her/Hers
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Teresa (Si Ja) Liu
She/Her/Hers
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Barbara Nguyen
She/Her/Hers
Western University of Health Sciences – Pomona
Jess Qu
She/Her/Hers
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
Genichiro Fujioka
He/Him/His
Texas A&M School of Medicine
Annie Nguyen
She/Her/Hers
Stanford University
Mia Park
She/Her/Hers
MSU College of Human Medicine
Brandon Park
He/Him/His
University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Medicine
Roland Yu
He/Him/His
John Sealy School of Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch
Jerry Liu
He/Him/His
Texas A&M School of Medicine
Sana Suhail
She/Her/Hers
University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio
Neha Potta
She/Her/Hers
University of Missouri Kansas City
Samantha Xing
She/Her/Hers
Columbia VP&S
Jane Tian
She/Her/Hers
St. George’s University School of Medicine
Vicky Lam
She/Her/Hers
California University of Science and Medicine
Megan Jiao
She/Her/Hers
McGovern Medical School
Anthony Nguyen
He/Him/His
University of California, San Francisco
Erin Kim
She/Her/Hers
Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University
Austin Yang
He/Him/His
Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University
Lauren S. Kang
She/Her/Hers
The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Jasmine Haraburda
She/Her/Hers
The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Kevin Yu
He/Him/His
NYITCOM
Jamyang Choedon
She/Her/Hers
Touro COM Harlem
Danny Domingo
He/Him/His
Western University of Health Sciences
Bunnarin Theng
He/Him/His
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
David Wang
He/Him/His
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Robert Hu
He/Him/His
Creighton University School of Medicine
Peter Wang
He/Him/His
University of Texas Medical Branch
Justin Yun
He/Him/His
University of Texas Medical Branch
Yanxin Chen
She/Her/Hers
UTHSC
Davis Tran
He/Him/His
University of Virginia School of Medicine
Carina Tse
She/Her/Hers
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Kathy Li
She/Her/Hers
Medical College of Georgia
Chairs:
Speaker Relations – Avery Zhou and Michelle Zhu
Logistics – Nataliyah Tahir and Eric Chio
Finance – Kenny Do
Communications – Tiffany Chen
Speaker Relations
- Liasion – Leah Yim
- Liasion – Kim Inciong
Communications
- Website – Celica Cosme
- Swag – Claire Ong
- Design – Allen Zhang
Logistics
- Registration – Michelle Zhang
- Volunteer – Charissa Alo
Finance
- Sponsorship – Mira Dani
- Food – Gemma Lagasca
Past National Boards
Annual Officer Timeline
Congratulations on being elected a chapter officer. Here’s a timeline of events to help guide you through the year. Feel free to adapt it so it meets the needs of your chapter.
Late Spring/Summer Timeline
After being elected, make sure you speak to the old officers and get their old files and advice about how to be a good officer.
1. Submit your Leadership Transition and updated rosters with the new officer contacts. Get the supplies, financial reports, and other contacts from previous officers.
2. Register your new officers with your Student Activities office, if required.
3. Include a welcome letter from APAMSA in the new student’s packet mailer, if your school permits.
4. Subscribe yourself to the chapter officers list serv by submitting the Leadership Transition form.
5. During the summer, prepare your recruitment supplies such as fliers and posters so you can post them when new students arrive.
Early Fall Semester
Everyone’s now back at school and things are moving fast.
1. Plan on recruitment activities
2. Hold your first general meeting.
3. Prepare ahead to attend the national conference.
4. Subscribe yourself to the list serv: www.apamsa.org
5. Register your group with Student Activities office if you haven’t already.
6. Represent your chapter at your Student Activities Fair
Late Fall Semester
National Conference is usually in the Fall
1. Announce if your chapter is going to National Conference this year, and solicit attendees
2. Get the Treasurer to file for Travel Funds with your school
3. Look for sample Fundraising Ideas & Resources.
4. Book your flights, accommodations, and make sure your attendees have registered for the National Conference ahead of time.
5. Submit proposed amendments to the Constitution, Letters of Intent, CV if you want to run for National Positions or change the Constitution.
6. Remember to submit MCCs every month!
At National Conference:
1. Attend the workshops and keynote talks, bond with your chapter, see the sights!
2. Run for National or Regional Office, talk about APIA health, and have FUN!
Late Fall/ Winter
1. Get in contact with your newly elected Regional Directors. Contact membership@apamsa.org for their contact information.
2. Try and hold an observance for Diwali/other APIA cultural holidays.
3. Start planning to participate in the National Hepatitis B campaign and Bone Marrow Drive.
Spring Semester
1. Participate in the National Hepatitis B campaign and Bone marrow drive.
2. Stay tuned for info from your regional directors to participate in regional conferences.
1. Hold elections for new chapter officers and do your best to give them as much information as possible, so that your APAMSA chapter can remain active.
Chapter Fundraising
When asking for or raising money, show your dedication and enthusiasm for APAMSA. You should show sponsors and buyers that you want to make your plans a reality and that you have a well thought out plan for accomplishing those goals. You need to clearly state your reasons for why you think your APAMSA programming is needed at your school and what benefit the organization would bring to your school.
Establish A Budge
Make a list of all tentative events and determine estimated costs each event. Don’t forget to include:
-
Food
-
Room booking fee
-
AV fee
-
Thank you cards/gifts for speakers
Seeking Grants and Sponsors
Funding Resources at Your School
Don’t be afraid to ask: Most medical schools, both public and private, are happy to support APA medical student organizations. Be sure to emphasize that your events are open to all members of your medical school. Similarly, select events that will appeal to all your classmates.
Start with school offices which usually have money set aside to fund student organizations. They include:
-
Student Council
-
Office of Student Affairs
-
Office of Diversity
-
Dean’s Office
-
Alumni Association
-
Ask a specific academic department related to your event (for example, the Infectious Disease department or Microbiology department for a Hepatitis B education lecture).
Contact them with details of your events, which should include:
-
Amount of funding requested and cost breakdown
-
Event descriptions
-
Dates
-
Locations
-
Estimated attendance
You can also find local businesses/organizations to support your chapter and events. Use our Sponsorship Guidance Document for instructions on how to work with Sponsorship Directors to contact businesses and seek funds.
Fundraising Ideas
Fundraising in Your Community
Be creative. Planning a fundraiser in your community can be fun, lucrative, and productive. It gives you an opportunity to explain what APAMSA is about and garner support. Some successful ideas from years past include: Charity dance or dinner, Cash / prize raffles, silent auctions, and more.
Consider selling food or items to raise additional funds. They can be related to Asian holidays (ex. Lunar New Year), Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, etc. Make sure you advertise your event with an eye-catching visual!
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School clothing gear: Patagonia sweaters, t-shirts, crewnecks, etc.
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Asian-themed snacks: bubble tea, mochi, onigiri, etc.
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Multicultural potluck lunch
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Bake sale
Finding Partners
It’s always a good idea to co-sponsor events with other student organizations, particularly if you’re just starting an APAMSA chapter. This fosters collaboration and introduces you to the specific requirements for planning an event at your school. Partner with other student organizations who share similar missions and are willing to split the costs. Ideas include:
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SNMA, LMSA, AMWA, etc. on talks concerning diversity in medicine
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Infectious Disease, Endocrinology, Psychiatry, etc. on talks about hepatitis, diabetes screening (Screen at 23), mental health in Asian communities.
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Free Student Clinics if you are considering community health screenings
Other Questions?
Please contact Sponsorship Directors (sponsorship@apamsa.org) and/or Membership Directors (membership@apamsa.org) if you need additional help with fundraising for your chapter!
Other Potential Funding Resources
AMA-Medical Student Section Policy Promotion Grant: Available to medical student groups interested in conducting projects and activities designed to further AMA policy. Grants awarded are $250 per project. For more information and an application, please call 1-800-AMA-3211 Ext. 4742.
Chapter Events
- Cultural/Social Events
- Health Affairs Events
- Professional Development and Mentorship Events
- Advocacy and Political Events
APAMSA’s Guide to Diversity, a booklet of events suggestions that spans South Asian events as well as East Asian events.
Below are lists of events that chapters have done in the past. A compilation of past events based on monthly chapter capture submissions can be found below. If you have any questions, feel free to contact your Regional Directors!
Cultural/Social Events
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Dumpling Making Socials
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Lunar New Year Potlucks
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Diwali Celebrations
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Holi Festival
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Eid al-Fitr Celebrations
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Welcome Week Barbeques
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Boba and Buns Fundraisers
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Potluck Dinner and Movie
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Inter-school mixer (other APAMSA chapters as well as APA students in law school, business school, etc.)
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Eating out at an Asian Restaurant (for smaller groups)
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Night on the Town (for larger groups and schools near cities)
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Talent Show: poetry, singing, dancing, comedy
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Sample performances: RWJ 2007; Tulane 2013; WashU 2015 (Choreiform, Tinikling, Mamma Mia, I Got A Boy), Neomed 2016
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Alternative Medicine: All Asian ethnic groups have some history of alternative healing practices whether it be acupuncture, aryuvedic, herbalistic, or spiritual. Increasing numbers of non-Asians are interested in this topic as well. A speaker not only can educate APA students about their heritage and history of healing, it can also clarify widely held misconceptions as well. Some schools have also created displays on alternative healing methods (herbs, instruments, healers) in conjunction with the talk.
Health Affairs Events
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Bone Marrow Drives: This is a well-established APAMSA project. APA bone marrow registrants are severely underrepresented in the National Bone Marrow registry. Join our national effort to save lives. Contact the APAMSA bone marrow chair for more info, at marrow@apamsa.org
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Hepatitis B Screenings – APAMSA’s Fight to Break the Hep B Cycle: Hepatitis B is a devastating illness that affects millions of APAs. Asians have the highest rate of hepatitis B infection of all ethnic groups. One out of 4 people with chronic hepatitis B virus infection who became chronically infected during childhood will die of HBV-related liver cancer or cirrhosis. That’s 100 million of the 400 million chronic HBV infected people in the world. Hepatitis B is a completely preventable disease through vigorous education, screenings, and immunizations. Join us in our quest to break the Hepatitis B Cycle by participating in APAMSA’s Fight in your community! Contact the APAMSA Hepatitis B Chair for more information: hepatitis@apamsa.org
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Community Health Fairs: APAMSA health fairs are the trademark event at most of our local chapters. This is where you can utilize your cultural understanding and medical knowledge to offer free cholesterol, diabetes, blood pressure, vision, hearing, and lead screening of the APA community. Some schools also have assisted recent immigrants from Asian countries as well as other uninsured members of the community to find primary care physicians. In addition, health fairs serve as an important mechanism to disseminate health information regarding cancer, smoking, domestic violence, and many more topics through brochures and counseling services, which we are able to offer in multiple different languages. Take an active role in health care access in your community. Location is key so do some research about where you might be able to reach the most people. Contact the APAMSA Community Outreach representatives at outreach@apamsa.org
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Local BP/BMI Screenings: Contact the APAMSA Community Outreach representatives at outreach@apamsa.org
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Mental Health Discussions: For more information on how you can create an event incorporating this silent issue, contact the APAMSA Mental Health Chair: mentalhealth@apamsa.org
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Volunteering w/ the American Cancer Society: For more information, contact the APAMSA Cancer Initiative Director – cancer@apamsa.org
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Fundraisers for natural disaster victims: APAMSA chapters have been instrumental in raising money for the Tsunami victims, the Hurricane disasters, the South Asian earthquake victims, orphanages in China, and much more. For more information, contact APAMSA’s Global Health Director at globalhealth@apamsa.org
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Volunteering at your local hospital: doesn’t have to be fancy – play a board game, play some cards, read a book to kids. This is a great idea for those who don’t have a lot of time to commit.
Professional Development and Mentorship Events
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Medical Mandarin Courses
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Teaching High School Students
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Big Sib: 2nd years mentoring 1st years, 1st years mentoring premeds, premeds mentoring high schoolers
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APA Faculty Student Dinners
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Diversity/AAPI in Medicine Talks: There are innumerable topics that can be addressed including hepatitis B, mental health, domestic violence, etc. within the Asian American community. Speakers can be local resources or from neighboring cities. Often these events can be cosponsored with other groups to ease the cost of funding.
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Organize a mock exam: Be a resource to your classmates with old exam questions, review books, texts, etc. or by serving as standardized patients for others to practice interviewing, physical diagnosis, etc.
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Student Panels – Boards and Wards: Pivotal transitions occur at the end of 2nd year when students begin to think about the national boards and adjusting to life in the hospital. Upper-class students, especially fourth years who have gone through the process including matching are invaluable resources. Invite the upper-class students to your meetings to share their experiences.
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Organize a Conference: This is an ambitious project that can supplement your medical school’s training of future physicians. APAMSA conferences are some of the most effective mechanisms to bring together medical students, physicians, and health care professionals to learn about issues APA health. This is an opportunity to really enhance your school’s curriculum and further APAMSA’s mission statement. Contact membership@apamsa.org if your chapter is interested in hosting an APAMSA conference. It is important to bid early for hosting the national or regional conferences.
Advocacy and Political Events
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Submit Resolutions to National APAMSA
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Host Discussions on Advocacy in Medicine
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AAPI Culture Fairs
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Voter Registration Drives: There are numerous ways to obtain registration forms: volunteer services in the hospital, undergraduate political parties and local elections office (in the phone book).
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Immigration Forums: Not since 1965 have there been such dramatic legislative change in the arena of immigration. Ranging from restrictions on social services to immigrants to financial aid for non-citizen students, these bills will have a significant impact on the US. These forums can be informative only or can serve as the basis for a debate on the issues immigration reform raises, especially the role of the physician-to-be in serving as the “gate-keeper” to access to health care.
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Affirmative Action Forums: Perhaps no other issue divides APA medical students as much as affirmative action. For many years, APA students in all forums of higher education have felt a quota or glass ceiling placed on their admissions, especially in medicine. Some schools have successfully gathered information on admissions or have engaged their deans/directors of admissions on this issue. This forum can be an opportunity to present some of the data to the community and to raise some important issues such as admissions stereotypes of the APA applicant. It can also serve as a springboard for a broader discussion of Affirmative Action. (This can be a particularly divisive issue)
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Discrimination in Academic Medicine: As more and more APA medical students become interested in academic medicine as a career, the overt and subtle barriers to tenure are apparent. A panel of faculty members at various stages of the tenure track progress and in different fields (clinical vs. basic science) can address this issue.
Monthly Chapter Capture
MCCs detail your chapter’s activity for each month that’s due the 3rd of every following month and can be submitted HERE
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This is a form REQUIRED for a chapter to maintain active status. Reactivation fees may be necessary after missing >3 captures, however you may back submit MCCs at any time. MCC submissions are also used to select events to feature on the APAMSA newsletter, and we also use them to select Chapter Awards at the yearly APAMSA National Conference.
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Activity includes chapter meetings, fundraising events, volunteer events, etc. If you have no activity/events, the form is still to be submitted (most of the sections will be empty). A late submission is better than no submission!
MCC Tips
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Include photos/videos with your events if you can!
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See below for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
MCC FAQ
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What is the Monthly Chapter Capture?
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A chance to request support from national/regional board, to share exciting news/events from your chapter and to give feedback!
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Where can I access the form?
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Issues with emails?
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Update your roster by emailing database@apamsa.org. For other support, email membership@apamsa.org
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What is this used for?
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Chapter awards, allocation of resources/support, sponsorship, project ideas, social media, and more!
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How long will this take?
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< 10 min. if you have events/news to share with us and/or if you have support to request! < 3 min. if you have neither.
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Should I submit if I don’t have anything new to share?
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Yes! We want to make sure that we haven’t lost communication. In this case, the capture takes < 3 mins!
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What happens after?
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A pdf of your responses will be sent to you and the national and regional board.
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Your regional director will contact you for any requested support. Please email them or the national membership director for any issues.
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Your event may be selected to be featured, so stay tuned to APAMSA emails, social media, and website!
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