APAMSA Welcome Party
by Rochelle Wong
APAMSA (Asian-Pacific American Medical Student Association) hosts a variety of cultural and education events throughout the year to promote awareness about the diversity of our campus. All our events are open to students of all ethnicities.
In August, we hosted our welcome party for the newest group of first year students. We dined on delicious dumplings, mapo tofu, and almond jello, all while enjoying the company of old and new friends alike.
APAMSA is a great way to get involved in med school! Here are some of the perks:
Mentoring from older students
As an incoming first year, I found that APAMSA provided a fun and friendly environment to engage with older students. It was an easy way to learn an upper year’s experience about navigating the curriculum and exams and surviving the wards. Not to mention, I learned the best places to explore in Nashville. They always gave the biggest support. Between all my classmates, my big, faculty and administration mentors, APAMSA provided a safety net of support to make sure I wouldn’t slip through the cracks. I felt very supported throughout my first year from the guidance of the APAMSA upper years. Now as an incoming fourth year, it is my turn to give back and mentor the newest first years in the same way that older APAMSA students mentored me. This only goes to perpetuate the sense of family among our APAMSA members.
National conferences and leadership opportunities
Every year, APAMSA hosts a national conference exploring different themes of diversity and mental health wellness. Over the years, the Vanderbilt delegation has grown exponentially and now has many members that actively hold positions on the National and Regional APAMSA Board. We currently have five members serving on the National Board and three on the Regional Board, including the National APAMSA President!
Collaboration with other diversity groups and interprofessional groups
Diversity is important to APAMSA. Our events promote awareness about Asian American Pacific Islander communities and cultures, but we also collaborate with other diversity groups on campus to bring larger issues to light. For example, we collaborate each year with the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) to organize Health Disparities Week. In addition, we like to branch out to other professional grad schools, including our law schools (APALSA) and business school (ABA) counterparts, to build further connections to other young professionals in the city. APAMSA has become a great avenue for building connections!
We hope to see you at future events throughout the year!