The Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) is the peak representative body for Australian medical students. AMSA is a vibrant student-run organisation that represents, informs and connects all of Australia’s 17,000 medical students. Hundreds of medical student volunteers work together to run our professional-standard events, advocacy campaigns, special interest groups, community and wellbeing initiatives, projects and publications.

Each of the 22 medical schools in Australia elects an AMSA Representative to represent them at AMSA National Council, which is the primary decision-making body of the Association. AMSA is run by medical students, for medical students. The activities of AMSA are all based around our key objectives of connecting, informing and representing Australian medical students:

ADVOCACY: AMSA provides a strong voice for advocating for medical students, ensuring their concerns are heard by all levels of government and other relevant stakeholders in the medical education arena.

STUDENTS: AMSA provides a wide range of benefits to prospective, current and graduating medical students. The Association also actively engages with medical students through local AMSA Representatives at local university levels.

EVENTS: AMSA holds national events each year, connecting Australian medical students and providing educational and leadership opportunities. Our key annual events include the AMSA National Convention, AMSA Global Health Conference, AMSA National Leadership Development Seminar and AMSA Rural Health Summit. AMSA also facilitates three annual Council Meetings and an AMSA Global Health Intensive.

COMMITTEES: AMSA has four committees - Global Health, Rural Health and International Students’ Network, which do fantastic work in their specific interest areas; and MedEd which is AMSA’s research branch.

PROJECTS: AMSA organises grass-root projects and initiatives. Our projects allow students to connect and be informed about key issues they are passionate about. Our major annual projects are AMSA Academy, AMSA Queer, AMSA Mental Health, AMSA Activ8 AMSA Gender Equity, AMSA Vampire Cup, AMSA Code Green, AMSA Crossing Borders, AMSA Healthy Communities, and AMSA Reproductive Rights.

PUBLICATIONS: AMSA produces many publications which are distributed in electronic and hard-copy. They are a key conduit by which the Association informs and connects Australian medical students. Still feeling completely lost with what AMSA’s all about…? Maybe The Orange Guide can solve a few more of these questions for you!

For more information email your AMSA Rep: amsa@wumss.org.au