Student UpdateFebruary 2020
The Role of the Medical Student Representative on the TCEP BoardEM-interested students in Texas are lucky. We have a thriving TCEP Medical Student Committee that links students at every Texas med school, making it easy to share resources and ideas. We have monthly advising in our EMpowering EM lectures, nicely packaged summaries of the legislative updates, and regular announcements of ways for students to volunteer and network. We have a much-loved Med Student Track at TCEP Connect. And we have some incredibly unique opportunities for leadership. Most Medical Student Committee (MSC) members are aware of the six leadership opportunities within the MSC, but few are as familiar with the exact role of the Medical Student Representative on the TCEP Board of Directors. The position was first created in 2012 as part of the charter for the Medical Student Committee, and each year since then, a student has been selected to serve as the liaison between the MSC and the TCEP board. The student who holds this position attends all four of TCEP’s quarterly meetings and weighs in on issues pertinent to medical students. He or she serves as a non-voting member and therefore does not impact the outcomes of any organizational decisions; however, the Med Student Rep speaks for any wishes and goals of the MSC. In return, he or she communicates all of TCEP’s legislative updates, all upcoming opportunities, and any need for med student volunteers to the student members. The student representative additionally writes EMphasis articles, helps to plan Connect, networks with EM leaders, and learns the ins and outs of policy and advocacy in emergency medicine. In broader terms, the Med Student Rep is responsible for making sure the MSC remains a thriving and active part of TCEP and gains incomparable experience with organized medicine along the way. This representative is selected by vote during the yearly TCEP Connect conference. Students who have been active in organized emergency medicine can self-nominate for the position in January, and those selected to run for the position are announced in the following EMphasis publication. TCEP members –students included– then have the ability to vote on their preferred candidate at Connect. The winning student is expected to attend the quarterly meeting that occurs with Connect, jumping immediately into their new role. I am incredibly grateful to have served as the Medical Student Representative this past year, and I highly encourage all TCEP members to learn about this year’s candidates and to vote at TCEP Connect. The position has taught me more about organized medicine than I could have possibly imagined, and it has been a genuine honor to represent the EM-interested students in Texas. |
