The Student National Medical Association (SNMA) is the nation's oldest and largest independent, student-run organization focused on the needs and concerns of medical students of color. It was established as a subdivision of the National Medical Association

National Medical Association

The National Medical Association is the largest and oldest national organization representing African American physicians and their patients in the United States...

 in 1964 by medical students from Howard University

Howard University

Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...

 and Meharry Medical College

Meharry Medical College

Meharry Medical College, located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States, is a graduate and professional institution affiliated with the United Methodist Church whose mission is to educate healthcare professionals and scientists. Founded in 1876 as the Medical Department of Central Tennessee...

. The organization is committed to supporting current and future underrepresented minority medical students, addressing the needs of underserved communities, and increasing the number of clinically excellent, culturally competent and socially conscious physicians.

Composition

SNMA has over 150 medical chapters, which implement educational, outreach, and mentoring activities consistent with the goals of the organization. Premedical MAPS chapters work with their host SNMA chapters to hold workshops, speakers, medical campus tours, and advising sessions. Chapters belong to one of ten SNMA regions, each headed by a Regional Director. The Regional Director supports chapter programs and oversees a regional medical education conference, as well as other regional activities.

2008-2009 Program Focus

In Spring 2008, National President Green introduced the 2008-2009 programmatic strategy that is focused on three goals.

• Guiding Underrepresented Minority Students by establishing resources and specific programs targeted toward increasing their enrollment in medical schools.

• Engaging in Health Care Advocacy by strengthening SNMA's political involvement through actively advocating for the concerns of medical students the communities that they represent.

• Membership Empowerment by providing the membership with educational materials, networking opportunities, and exposure to better prepare them for medical school and residency.

Annual Medical Education Conference

The SNMA Annual Medical Education Conference (AMEC) is a focal activity for the national organization. It is held each Spring in various locations around the country. Its purpose is to enhance and facilitate career development, continuing education, and networking among minority medical students. Included in the AMEC is the annual session of the House of Delegates and the election of national officers. The conference attracts over 1,300 students and professionals from across the country, and is consistently the largest gathering of underrepresented minority medical students in the US.

2011 AMEC

The 2011 AMEC was held on April 20-24 in Indianapolis, IN. The theme was Generation Next: Facing the Crisis, Finding the Cure. This conference worked to cultivate future leaders, while fulfilling the Student National Medical Association mission to support current and future underrepresented minority medical students. The overall goal was to provide SNMA members with an unprecedented and comprehensive look at the future of healthcare in the United States with regard to research, practice, and policy.

National Protocols

National protocols are implemented on the local level by individual SNMA chapters. They reflect the community service goals of the national organization.

Pipeline Programs

• YSEP (Youth Science Enrichment Program)

This program is focused on working with elementary and junior high school students to spark their interest in science and health.

• HPREP (Health Professions Recruitment Exposure Program)

This initiative functions to increase the exposure of high school students to science and careers in the health sciences.

• MAPS (Minority Association of Pre-medical Students)

Pre-medical students are able to form SNMA MAPS chapters at their undergraduate institutions. There are currently over 100 MAPS chapters nationwide that are supported by local SNMA chapters.

Health Education and Prevention

• Sexual Health Awareness
• Smoking Prevention
• Tissue & Organ Donation Education Recruitment Program (TODER)
• Violence Prevention
• Mental Health: Treatment, Awareness, and Prevention
• Healthy People 2010
  Healthy People 2010
  Healthy People 2010 , started in January 2000 by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, is a nationwide health promotion and disease prevention plan to be achieved by the year 2010...
  
  Health Fairs
• Obesity Prevention