AMSA at UVA is comprised of premeds dedicated to helping each other develop the knowledge and skills necessary to become great physicians. Through AMSA, you will have the ability to attain valuable clinical experience, knowledge of the field of medicine, leadership positions, community service opportunities, and more. AMSA is the largest group of premeds and medical students in the nation, and local chapters are found at almost all universities across the country.

Knowledge in the Field of Medicine - We have had several physicians speak at our meetings, including cardiologists, plastic surgeons, dermatologists, and emergency medicine physicians. We also host a panel of medical students each year to give tips on the application process.

Service and Caring - AMSA has many service opportunities throughout the year, with one major event every month. This year alone we have taken free blood pressure readings, educated the public of downtown Charlottesville about leading a healthy lifestyle, assisted with a walk to raise money for Alzheimer's research, served food at a local homeless shelter, and raised a great deal of money for relief efforts in Haiti. In addition, we work to place our members in volunteer programs at local hospitals.

Clinical Experience - We currently have a Shadowing Program designed to pair our members with nearby physicians. This is a privilege given to our most active members.

Leadership - AMSA has several officer positions and many committee chair positions for those interested in running the organization.

Outstanding MCAT score - We have a partnership with Kaplan, giving each of our members a $200 discount for the Kaplan MCAT course! Also, we have free Kaplan MCAT course tickets that we auction for a highly discounted price every year.

Excellent Academic Performance - We currently have a mentorship program in which 1st and 2nd years are paired with 3rd and 4th years with similar interests and majors. Being a premed can be very confusing. Having someone to help makes a huge difference. The forum on our website is also a great place to learn about specific programs, courses, and professors at UVA.

Familiarity with the Politics of Health Care - Every year we have 2 trips to national conferences that are held in various locations around the nation. These are always extremely fun and informative, and you get to meet premeds, medical students, and doctors from all over the country. Also, national AMSA is very influential in the politics of health care reform, so, if this is something in which you are interested, becoming involved with national AMSA will allow you to be a part of that.

Joining AMSA is easy. We ask for $15 in dues for the year or $10 in dues for the semester. This covers the food we provide at the meetings and the events we sponsor. Email amsa.of.uva@gmail.com to request placement on our mailing list. Also, you need to make an account on this site. You must use your UVA email ID (example: sm4fc) as your username.

In addition, you will need to sign up to be a premed member on the National AMSA website (www.amsa.org). This membership provides you with numerous benefits (which are listed on the site).

Our chapter usually has one meeting on the first Monday of every month at 6PM in Maury 209.

We keep track of membership involvement through a point system. Points are awarded for attending meetings, participating in AMSA events, etc. These points are used to distinguish our most active members so they can be awarded first with shadowing and leadership opportunities, as well as other exclusive benefits such as limited clinical opportunities and subsidies for AMSA conferences. You can check your point totals on the "Member List" tab above.