Student Government and Clubs
For updated contact information for each club please visit: http://ubpolity.com/members/
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Polity
[L. politia, a political organization] Polity is the University at Buffalo School of Medicine’s student government. Polity is composed of 24 members: 5 representatives from each of the four classes, and 4 executive board members who oversee and direct the business of Polity. We serve the needs of the entire student body in a variety of ways. For starters, Polity is responsible for allocating the mandatory student activity fee that every medical student pays on a yearly basis. This fee, along with additional revenues, is used to subsidize clubs and student organizations, orientation, housing weekend, the fall and spring formals, end of the year parties for the first and second year classes, and a match day party for the fourth year students, as well as other activities and events. In addition to this financial obligation, Polity also serves to promote efficient communications between the students, faculty and administration. Finally, Polity representatives vote on key issues and decisions that affect all medical students. If you are interested in serving the student body as a Polity representative, look for the announcements in the fall. Whether or not you decide to run, it is important that each of you take an active role in your education, not just for yourself, but for the interest of our whole community.
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American Association of the Physicians of Indian Origin
The AAPI Medical Student and Resident Section represents over 10,000 students across the country. Although Asian Indians constitute less than one percent of the population of the United States, they constitute ten to twelve percent of the student body in medical schools in the U.S. This dynamic, bright, and enthusiastic group of future physicians engages in clinical practice, community service, cutting-edge research, and the promotion of Indian culture. Their membership in AAPI is growing faster than any other group.
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American Medical Association
AMA-MSS (American Medical Association- Medical Student Section) is the largest club at our school and serves as a national voice of medical students for advancing health care and advocating for the future of medicine. We are dedicated to representing medical students, improving medical education, developing student leadership, and promoting health activism through community service events and political action. Our annual events include Doctors Back to School, a local initiative to encourage underprivileged and minority students in high school to consider the medical profession, Miles for Healthy Lifestyle, and a Halloween party for diabetic children. These are just a few of the major events AMA is proud to host in addition to lunch lectures, bar nights, and a student talent show. We are adding new events to our ever-growing list every year. By joining the national organization, you are connected to a well-established network of physicians and medical students, and have the opportunity to attend national meetings and participate in national or regional proceedings by sitting on various committees, among other tangible benefits. Feel free to speak with any of our officers for additional information or to ask any questions you may have, about AMA or otherwise.
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American Medical Student Association
AMSA is about more than just improving medical student lives. We live in the richest country in the world, yet many have no health insurance. Research shows that health disparities are rampant in America. AMSA’s role in these issues is extremely important, because our strength is giving power to medical students to take action and create change about issues that they care about. It’s the presence of visionary medical students and our energy that makes AMSA such a powerful organization.
How is AMSA different from other organizations? When you join AMSA, you become part of a vital force
of future physicians who believe that patients and health professionals are partners in the management of health care, and that access to high-quality health care is a right and not a privilege. At AMSA, activism is a way of life. Student idealism is transformed into meaningful public service, innovation and institutional change.
AMSA has six Action Committees: Advocacy (on Disabilities, on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People in Medicine, on Minority Affairs, and on Women in Medicine), Community and Public Health, Global Health, Health Policy, Humanistic Medicine and Medical Education. The Action Committees concentrate on areas of health care that are important and relevant to medical students. By providing a multitude of quality resources and ideas for chapter projects, the Action Committees help you and to expand your education and minds to everything that they don't teach you in medical school.
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American Medical Women’s Association
AMWA VISION: The American Medical Women's Association empowers women to lead in improving health for all within a model that reflects the unique perspective of women.
AMWA MISSION: The American Medical Women's Association is an organization that functions at the local, national, and international level to advance women in medicine and improve women's health. We achieve this by providing and developing leadership, advocacy, education, expertise, mentoring, and strategic alliances. Here at Buffalo one of our main events is Girl Scouts Go to Medical School. This is an ever-growing event coordinated with the Buffalo Girl Scouts of America troops, aimed toward the education of young girls about opportunities in medicine.
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Anesthesia Interest Group
The Anesthesia Interest Group (AIG) will increase medical student exposure to anesthesiology and improve future doctors' understanding of the field so that it will be possible for students to make a more informed decision when choosing their specialty. Lastly, by expanding student understanding of the field, the club will serve to facilitate better professional respect between the different medical specialties.
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Benjamin Rush Society
The Benjamin Rush Society provides support and information to students interested in the field of psychiatry. This small sized organization gives its members a chance to meet and interact with psychiatrists in a variety of settings. These include lunch time speakers, a mentorship program, informal dinners at doctor's homes, presentations by professors and physicians, as well as dinners with the Western New York Psychiatric Association at some of the nicest restaurants in Buffalo. The psychiatry faculty are very excited to meet students interested in their field, so they are very willing to accommodate new ideas and opportunities. This club is perfect for those interested in learning more about the field of psychiatry during the first two years of medical school.
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Christian Medical and Dental Association and Cornerstone Manor
An interdenominational fellowship open to all students interested in service, CMDA offers support for medical students seeking to integrate their faith and studies. CMDA of WNY provides opportunities for involvement in two local medical clinics (for the underserved), and presents lectures on ethics in an effort to increase student awareness of healthcare needs in America and around the world.
Cornerstone Manor Clinic offers weekly medical services for women and children at Cornerstone Manor Women's Shelter (a division of the Buffalo City Mission).
There are no membership requirements to attend or participate in CMDA sponsored events. Those wishing to support the ministry can become members of the Local Council, the leadership committee responsible for carrying out the activities of the organization. Attendance at national events is encouraged, including the Christian Community Health Fellowship (CCHF) Annual Convention (Philadelphia) and the Christian Medical and Dental Association National Meeting (Irvine, California).
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Docapella
Docapella is UB's medical student a cappella group. We are a co-ed group of 10-16, and our repertoire includes hits from classic rock, a cappella standards, and children's television theme songs. We have short rehearsals every week or so and perform at a variety of functions throughout the yearNo a cappella experience is required.
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Emergency Medical Student Association
The Emergency Medicine Student Association (EMSA) is a student-run club that has open membership to
all medical students at the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Throughout the year, they host a number of lectures from EM physicians, a suturing clinic, an intubation clinic, and a trauma ultrasound clinic, to name a few. The UB Emergency Medicine Residents' Association/Medical Student Affiliate exists to encourage quality education and experience in the field of emergency medicine. The group also promotes awareness and interest in the field and supports individuals who have chosen Emergency Medicine as a career option. Objectives of the UB EMSA/MSA include:
1. Promoting awareness and participation in issues pertinent to medical students interested in emergency medicine through the provision of workshops and guest speakers.
2. Providing a readily accessible resource system incorporating faculty, residents, peers, and ancillary emergency medicine personnel.
3. Representing UB students who are EMSA members at the state and national levels.
4. Facilitating the learning of basic skills necessary for all medical students through the provision of workshops.
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Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG)
The Department of Family Medicine sponsors an interest group for students who want to become involved in or want more information about Family Medicine. This group sponsors many activities, including lunch lectures; smaller focus groups with local physicians to learn about their careers; Tar Wars; community service; and clinical skills workshops to learn how to perform colonoscopies, circumcisions, IUD implantations, joint injections, and child deliveries. We also host trips to rural towns to learn about practicing rural medicine. Students can interact with physicians and residents to learn valuable information about Family Medicine. For more information about the department, please visit the departmental website at http://www.smbs.buffalo.edu/fam-med/index.html. To become involved in FMIG, please contact any of the current co-presidents: Diva Wilson, Nicole Beers, Daniel Mueller, Hannah Brummer, and Nina Paroff.
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Head and Neck Society
The mission of this organization is to expose medical students to the surgical specialties involving the head and neck. These fields include, but are not limited to, otolaryngology and all of its accompanying subspecialties, as well as some aspects of plastic surgery. Membership is open to all students and is free of charge. The organization will be sponsored by Polity and will also do its own fundraising (see below). Dr. David A. Sherris, the Chair of Otolaryngology at Buffalo, is the advisor of our organization.
We are working hard to assemble a list of head and neck surgeons to offer shadowing opportunities. Our goal is to provide experience opportunities in the wide variety of subspecialties of head and neck surgery such as pediatrics, cosmetics, oncology, as well as general ENT practice. Obtaining a list of MD’s and PhD’s who are willing to take students for research is another priority of this organization. Otolaryngology is an extremely competitive field, and this will help students when applying for residency positions as well as build a foundation for research that may continue in their post-graduate years.
We work closely with an organization called Operation Smile. This organization aids in surgically repairing the cleft lips and palates of children whom are not able to afford the operation. There is the potential to have a speaker from Operation Smile give a lecture to the medical school to increase awareness of the organization and issues surrounding cleft lips/palates. We will be fundraising for this program as well as for our organization by selling UB School and Medicine and Biomedical Sciences neckties and hats.
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Heart Smart
If you enjoy working with children, and are interested in getting involved with community health education, but don’t have much time on your hands, Heart Smart is the perfect club for you. Heart Smart was developed by the American Heart Association to help educate children about their hearts and healthy living. It involves groups of UB Medical Students visiting fourth and fifth grade classes in local elementary schools. The Heart Smart group gives a short informative introduction about heart healthy lifestyles, breaks up the class, leads small group activities, and ends with a question and answer wrap-up. The program focuses on cardiac anatomy and physiology, atherosclerosis, and healthy lifestyles. The entire program is scripted, so it is not difficult to learn. The total time commitment is only about two hours. This program is certainly fun, and the kids are always ready to learn and very willing to participate. And in addition to being able to share your knowledge with others, you can also learn from it yourself. If you are interested in pediatrics, cardiology, community health, or just think kids are cool, we highly recommend getting involved with this program.
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International Health Interest Group
The International Health Interest Group (IHIG) aims to support student and community engagement with the field of global health. IHIG facilitates this process through lunch and dinner lectures, film screenings, and panels reflecting both local and global endeavors. In addition, IHIG supports student-led medical mission trips with UB medical faculty. In the past, students have traveled over spring break to Haiti with Friends of Fontaine and Panama with Floating Doctors. IHIG also serves a role in advocating for global health education into the medical school curriculum.
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Oncology Interest Group
Oncology Interest Group explores the rapidly evolving field of cancer care. Our events commonly involve recruiting experts in the field to present and then discuss with students the clinical management of patients with cancer and other non-malignant blood diseases. Given that oncology is a field substantially driven by new, emerging information, we also consider today's latest translational research advancements that may comprise tomorrow's therapeutic modalities. New cutting-edge discoveries related to molecular targeted agents, immunotherapy and precision medicine will be given particular consideration. Lastly, we are planning to directly interact with current and former cancer patients and their families through volunteer opportunities at Roswell Park, in addition to holding intimate discussions about end of life care and ethical decisions commonly encountered in this dynamic field.
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Orthopedic Interest Group
The Orthopedic Interest Group (OIG) is a UB student group that aims to increase student and community understanding of the field of orthopedics. They accomplish this through dinner lectures and demonstrations, which provide information on current work and research in orthopedics. OIG is available for anyone considering orthopedics or a subspecialty of orthopedics as a career goal or for anyone who wants to further his/her understanding of orthopedics in general.
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Physicians for Human Rights
The Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) UB Student Chapter is dedicated to creating conversations about human rights issues to provide members of the medical community with the skills and knowledge to advocate for the marginalized. The student chapter promotes education on topics which include, but are not limited to, LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, racial and ethnic health disparities, and human trafficking through lectures, film screenings, and panels. Locally, the student chapter has supported the initiatives of refugee and asylee organizations in hosting community health fairs. For more information on Physicians for Human Rights, please visit http://physiciansforhumanrights.org.
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Reach Out and Read
Reach Out and Read is a program that promotes early literacy by bringing new books and advice about the
importance of reading aloud into the pediatric exam room. Volunteers visit an exam room and read out loud to the children and are trained to pick up any problems that the children might have with literacy. It’s a great experience for medical students: you work directly with the children, their parents, and the medical staff. http://www.reachoutandread.org/ is the official website of the program.
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Radiology Interest Group
The Radiology Interest Group aims to increase student and community understanding of the field of radiology. This is accomplished through lunchtime lectures that provide information on current work and research in the field of radiology. This group is available for anyone considering radiology or a subspecialty as their career goal, or for anyone who wants to further their understanding of radiology in general.
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Society for Internal Medicine
The Society for Internal Medicine group serves to inform UB students of the diverse career opportunities in the field of internal medicine. We invite faculty members who practice internal medicine or a subspecialty to participate in talks, panel discussion, and demonstrations. These sessions serve to introduce first and second-year students to an exciting and diverse number of specialties with many opportunities, ranging from primary care to subspecialization. Other sessions are directed at upperclassmen and include discussions on the match process with the director of the UB Internal Medicine Residency Program as well as successfully matched UB students. Students also have the opportunity to become student members of the American College of Physicians - American Society of Internal Medicine and to be involved at the state and national levels.
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Student National Medical Association
SNMA is the nation's oldest and largest organization focused on the needs and concerns of minority medical students. Membership includes nearly 5,000 medical students, pre-medical students, residents, and licensed physicians. At the very heart of SNMA are its community service efforts. With initiatives addressing adolescent health and sexuality, smoking cessation and prevention, tissue and organ donation, violence prevention and community education, SNMA strives to impact community education and health. In addition, SNMA also has three programs for undergraduates: MAPS, high school (HPREP) and elementary school (YSEP) students that were established to encourage underrepresented students to pursue careers in health-related fields.
While educating students about medicine, SNMA members also utilize these programs as a means to teach healthy lifestyle practices, such as proper nutrition and exercise. All of SNMA’s health-related outreach programs aim both to increase patient access to medical care and other resources, and to empower future physicians to deliver competent and culturally sensitive patient care. SNMA is open to all who wish to make a difference and a unique contribution to the health and well-being of people of color and the underrepresented minorities in general. The University at Buffalo chapter is under the Region IX (New York and New Jersey) directorship. Region IX has 17 medical school chapters and 25 undergraduate affiliate chapters.
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Student Interest Group in Neurology
The Student Interest Group in Neurology, or SIGN, is a student group designed to introduce medical
students to the field of neurology by providing educational seminars and physician mentors. SIGN is affiliated with the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and has 140 established chapters in medical schools around the country. This year, the newly reactivated SIGN chapter at UB will host lunch time lectures, volunteer activities and field trips. Through these activities, we hope to provide information about the subspecialties in neurology, the educational/training requirements and opportunities for students to shadow local neurologists. Students do not have to commit to neurology as a medical field, and we encourage anyone to attend the meetings. In addition, lunch will be provided. There is no cost to join. We will have an introductory meeting in August, and plan to have lunch lectures on South Campus. Specific dates and locations will be provided via class announcements and e-mail. Please visit our website at: http://www.smbs.buffalo.edu/polityorg/sign/ or contact us directly. We will also have an information table during Orientation Week.
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Students Interested in Pediatrics
Students Interested in Pediatrics is a group directed towards improving pediatric care in the communities, as well as providing opportunities to explore the profession of pediatrics. We are actively involved in Project Sunshine, a program that brings volunteers to Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo to participate in arts and crafts with pediatric patients and make the hospital stay more fun. In addition we provide shadowing opportunities through local pediatricians in a variety of specialties in order for students to be able to explore all that pediatrics has to offer. We also hold dinners with local pediatricians in order to inform students more about the clinical practice of pediatrics. This group is available for anyone considering pediatrics as a specialty or for anyone who wants to further their understanding of pediatrics.
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Student Sight Savers
The Student Sight Savers Program is part of a national and international endeavor to educate the general public about glaucoma and to provide screenings for early detection. A grant from the Congressional Glaucoma Caucus, the Friends of the Congressional Glaucoma Caucus Foundation, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention enables the students, working alongside area ophthalmologists, to conduct glaucoma screenings around the Buffalo region.
Glaucoma, a group of eye disorders, is marked by abnormally high pressure within the anterior chamber of the eye. The increased pressure can damage the optic disk and, if left untreated, can lead to impaired vision and blindness. In fact, glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the United States and is often called the "silent sight stealer" because it advances, often asymptomatically, without warning. Blindness from glaucoma is irreversible and has many socioeconomic consequences in terms of the cost and mode of treatment, not to mention the loss of productive working hours.
This is a great opportunity to provide care to the underserved populations of Buffalo, as well as gain some experience in the field of ophthalmology. You will sharpen your ophthalmoscope skills and record intra-ocular pressures. No experience is required!
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Surgery Interest Group
The Department of Surgery sponsors an interest group that meets monthly throughout the academic year. Free membership is open to all medical students. The majority of the members are first and second year students, but third and fourth-year students are also present at meetings.
Meetings began in September of 2002. We have grown from 15-20 students to 35-45 students per meeting.
The department pays for dinner and faculty members volunteer to speak to the students. Speakers from many surgical specialties and practice types are featured at each meeting to present their perspective about their career and field questions from students. The speakers are asked to speak informally to the group about why they chose their specialty, what it took to accomplish training in that specialty, what their work life is like, and what their home life is like. The faculty member speaks for about 10-15 minutes and then answers questions for another 10-15 minutes. We usually have 2-3 speakers per meeting. The past four years we have also had a resident panel. The students really value this meeting and many have said that it was the best and most informative panel about residencies they have attended. The student leadership in previous years has worked hard to organize a shadowing program. We have identified a core group of physicians that have agreed to allow students to shadow them. This past year, we made the arrangements for shadowing, but this year, the students will contact the mentors directly through their preferred method of contact. Finally, we organize a skills lab in the spring. The students participate in a mini-version of the skills lab offered as part of the third year surgical clerkship. The students learn knot tying, suturing, IVs and intubation during this session.
Meetings will begin again in September and continue on the 1st Thursday of almost every month from 6:00-
8:00pm in the Lippshutz Room on the South Campus. Sometimes the regular monthly meetings change to
accommodate the student exam schedules. The December meeting is organized around other holiday events. Please visit our website at http://www.smbs.buffalo.edu/polityorg/sig or contact a member of the student leadership below for more information.
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Tar Wars
Tar Wars is a tobacco-free education program for fourth- and fifth-grade students. The program is designed
to teach kids about the short-term, image-based consequences of tobacco use, the cost associated with using tobacco products, and the advertising techniques used by the tobacco industry to market their products
to youth.
The program, which is owned and operated by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), is
implemented in classrooms across the U.S. and abroad by committed volunteer presenters such as family physicians, residents, and medical students; school nurses; other health care professionals; educators; and
community members.
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Women’s Health Initiative Group
WHIG is a nationwide organization of medical students and physicians who are concerned with women’s
issues in medicine. In the past years, WHIG has held a discussion and dinner with numerous female physicians from the area. The physicians discuss what made them decide to enter the profession and specifically why they chose their specialty. They also discuss pressing issues facing women physicians today. Another event WHIG hosted was a lecture in which a nurse from the Buffalo area described the steps taken to treat rape patients in the emergency room. WHIG hosted “Girl Scouts Go to Medical School Day.” This event gave local young girl scouts the chance to tour the medical school, to learn about the different fields of medicine, and to interact socially and to enjoy a lunch with other young girls interested in science and medicine. This club is perfect for those interested in learning more about women’s issues in medicine during their first two years of medical school, and is looking for motivated first-years to join and strengthen the organization.