There is no truth whatsoever to the statement made on this forum that StMU is banned from AMSA. Hardly likely, considering we are not even a member.

Anybody who takes a few minutes to visit the AMSA site will see that the administration of a University is not responsible for membership in AMSA. It is a student organisation and students at the University must join as members, pay annual dues, and if they wish to, apply for status as a chapter. Of course, the administration will help the students in whatever way it can but it is up to them to organise their own association with AMSA.

To date, applications for membership have been submitted by several of our international students and as far as we know, are being processed. Then the students can apply for status as an international chapter of AMSA. That goes before the members for a vote at the annual meeting next year in March.

An indication that the person making this statement doesn't know what they are talking about is mentioning me as being in Washington DC at the AMSA annual meeting. Someone representing our university was there but not me. He was there because he was given permission by AMSA to set up a table to promote our University.

It's unfortunate that this kind of nonsense goes on what is supposed to be a serious forum to inform students. But at least a positive outcome of this false report is to remind our students to follow up on their membership status!

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Mark A. Hawkins, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Medical Ethics
St. Martinus University