INTERESTED IN STARTING AN MSPA CHAPTER, OR AFFILIATING WITH MSPA NATIONAL?

  1. Contact Campus Recruitment Assistant Director via email for any questions that come up during the process. Don’t forget to check out our FAQ Page!

  2. For entirely new chapters, meaning your school has no existing LGBTQIA+ organization. After reading through this chapter protocol, begin to gather support. Locate a “faculty champion” - a faculty or staff advisor - invested in advising the organization, and a group of fellow student “founders.” At your first meeting(s), establish a priority list of the most pressing issues at your school or community. Brainstorm how you may address those issues with an MSPA chapter.

    1. Note: the faculty champion can play one of the most important roles in maintaining an MSPA chapter. Identify a faculty member, administrator or staff member - someone invested in your community - and allow them access to all MSPA-related Google Drives, DropBox folders, etc. so that if membership waxes and wanes, your organizational history remains.

  3. For existing organizations partnering with MSPA: Locate a “faculty champion” invested in advising the organization if you do not have one already. Ensure you are following your organization’s voting protocols for voting in favor of partnering with MSPA.

  4. Using MSPA draft constitution as a template, write your chapter constitution, keeping your chapter’s priorities in mind.

    1. Your constitution should include a structure for officers and members and a procedure for voting in officers (with the first board membership being excluded from this process as founding members).

    2. If you are an existing organization, your constitution should suffice; add a section for your partnership with the national MSPA organization.

  5. Submit a new chapter application. Then, email us your chapter constitution and membership roster which includes your faculty champion to the Campus Recruitment Assistant Director. Your membership roster will be enrolled in the national mailing list.

    • Note: we recognize the dearth of LGBTQIA+ faculty members and allies in academic medicine. If you are unable to secure a committed faculty champion, please contact us for guidance and support.

  6. After confirmation from MSPA national recognizing your organization, apply for official recognition from your school’s student organizing bodies.

  7. Work to ensure MSPA materials are included in information packets, including the school’s website listing organizations, packets sent to new students, etc.

  8. You will be added to the MSPA Chapter Slack channel, as well as the MSPA Chapter Resources Drive.

  9. Schedule your first official meeting, preferably early in the first quarter that your chapter is established.

    • Advertise far and widely! Incorporate residents and faculty as well, to create a network of support.

    • Offer information for your members to join the national organization.

    • Present ideas for projects in the year; set aside time in the meeting to brainstorm and gather student input.

  10. Try to document all events. Including which events were held, when, how many people attended, photos of events, etc.

  11. Requirements to maintain partnership: check out our FAQ for more info!