Starting and running an organisation in medical school: tips from our experience
BMJ 2021; 372 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n621 (Published 15 March 2021) Cite this as: BMJ 2021;372:n621
- Santiago R Gonzalez, resident physician1,
- Micah Bowling, MD candidate2
- 1Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- 2College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
- Correspondence to: S R Gonzalez Santiago.gonzalez2{at}ucsf.edu
Leadership skills are important for doctors.12 Taking on leadership roles in student societies or other organisations can help you develop leadership skills through experience. Many universities will have student societies and organisations for a range of different interests, both clinical and non-clinical. If one of your interests is not currently represented, you could consider founding your own organisation. This article guides you through founding your own organisation, leading it effectively, and putting frameworks in place that ensure its sustainability, based on our experiences of starting and running student organisations (box).
Main steps to building a successful and sustainable student organisation while in medical school
Formulate a constitution clearly defining officer roles
Create a quality mission statement
Publicise your organisation through social media and campus-wide presence
Develop value-driven topics for your meetings
Lead by example by being a responsible and hard working leader
Engage local community outreach organisations
Prepare incoming members for sustainability by creating a “survival kit”
Be a leader who strives to serve and remember your most important asset; the people in the organisation
Founding the organisation
Starting an organisation requires hard work, time, and dedication. You must be passionate and willing to prioritise the time required to build and run it alongside your studies. Your energy …
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