Check out our existing chapters

Chapter Registration

Registering your South Asian medical student group as a chapter of SAMSA is one way to promote unity within the South Asian community. Become a trail blazer as one of the first chapters to join this national student organization! This will be a means to connect with SAMSA leaders across the country.

As a chapter, you will specifically have access to the following:
- Regional and national networking
- Access to the SAMSA Chapter Google Drive — please email samsamembership@gmail.com for access
- Opportunity to collaborate with other student organizations
- Membership pamphlets for student groups to hand out in the fall
- Tools for increasing advocacy surrounding South Asian specific health issues
- And more! We are continuously working to expand this list

Requirements. In order to register your chapter your group must:
- Be affiliated with an allopathic or osteopathic program
- Have at least 2 active members of National SAMSA
- Have a group advisor. (If your group does not have an advisor please reach out to us at samsamembership@gmail.com)
- Renew your chapter registration on an annual basis to remain active

Why establish a SAMSA Chapter?

Establishing a SAMSA chapter will serve as a means to unify South Asian medical students at your institution. Being a part of SAMSA means you are dedicated to promoting discussion of South Asian culture, health, advocacy, and more. As a chapter, you will gain access to different opportunities such as networking and national coordination of events to become an active club. We hope you will join us in this national coalition and bring SAMSA to your medical school.

How do I make it official?

Many medical schools encourage the formation of identity groups to promote diversity and encourage collaboration among students who share similar backgrounds. You will likely need to work with the student activities office at your school to establish a SAMSA chapter. Please also consider any specific requirements that your medical school has towards establishing a club. If you have any questions about this process do not hesitate to reach out to us at samsamembership@gmail.com. You will also want to consider a leadership structure. This is dependent on how active your club is and can vary across medical schools. We have provided an example constitution from the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine which was used to establish a SAMSA chapter at their school: Download here.

Finally: Register your Chapter with National SAMSA!

Once you are an active student organization, you can register your chapter with National SAMSA. Also, encourage your peers to sign up for an individual membership, as you will need at least 2 active members to register as part of our National SAMSA organization. See above for details!

Ready to start a chapter at your school?

We are currently updating our chapter registration forms so if you have any questions or would like to register your chapter please contact us at samsamembership@gmail.com!