MD/PhD Constitution

Student Government

MD/PhD Student Government

The student government of the M.D./Ph.D. Combined Degree Program is defined by a student constitution that has been approved by the M.D./Ph.D. Executive Committee.  The M.D./Ph.D. students play a very active role in all facets of the M.D., Ph.D Combined Degree Program.  Students elect members for each committee yearly.  There are three committees that focus on student affairs–the Student Affairs Committee, the Seminar Committee and  the Retreat Committee.  Students are also elected to serve as representatives for M.D./Ph.D. administrative committees.  Committees that include elected representatives include the MD/PhD Preselection and Admissions Committee, the MD/PhD Executive Committee, and SCOMSA.

Elected Officers

  1. Student Committee Co-chairs:
  1. Responsibilities:

The Student Committee Co-chairs are responsible for scheduling student committee meetings a minimum of two times each semester during an academic year. This involves notifying all MD/PhD students of the meeting time, and coordinating with Patty Kellogg to facilitate room scheduling and dinner ordering.

  1. They are responsible for distributing the agenda and minutes of the student meetings to the rest of the MD/PhD students.
  2. It is the responsibility of the Co-chairs to form and mediate a working relationship between administrators, advisors, and students.
  3. The Student Committee Co-chairs should work closely with the MD/PhD Seminar Coordinators to facilitate with the planning of the seminars.
  4. The Student Committee Co-chairs are also responsible for overseeing the annual MD/PhD student election (see Article VI).

B.  Eligibility: Only students entering or currently in their graduate years may run for this position

C.  Tenure: Elected Co-chairs shall serve a two-year term, with one chair newly elected each year. One student should be elected to replace the Co-chair that has served for their two-year term. In this way, the positions will be staggered allowing one, more experienced Co-chair to help train and pass on the responsibilities and commitments of the position to the incoming Co-chair.

Admissions Committee Co-chairs:

A.  Responsibilities:

  1. The MD/PhD Admissions Committee Representatives are responsible for attending Admissions Committee meetings and carefully reviewing each MD/PhD application in its entirety.
  2. The MD/PhD Admissions Committee Representatives must score each application for acceptance to the BUSM MD/PhD Program and, when applicable, for eligibility for a full scholarship.
  3. The MD/PhD Admissions Committee Representatives will occasionally be requested to present applications to the rest of the committee.
  4. At least one MD/PhD Admissions Committee Representative must attend the Student Committee Meetings in order to gather feedback on applicants and provide updates on the current year’s application process.  Information about specific applicants is to be kept confidential out of respect for the applicants.
  5. The MD/PhD Admissions Committee Representatives are responsible for overseeing the MD/PhD Retreat Coordinators (see Article V) during the planning and execution of the annual MD/PhD student retreat.
  1. Eligibility: BUSM MD/PhD Student Organization members currently in or entering the graduate school years of their degrees are eligible to run for the position of MD/PhD Admissions Committee Representative.
  2. Tenure: Each elected MD/PhD Admissions Committee Representative shall serve a two-year term, with one representative newly elected each year.
  1. Executive Committee Co-chairs:
  1. Responsibilities:
    1. i.            The two MD/PhD Executive Committee Representatives are responsible for attending the monthly MD/PhD Executive Committee meetings.
    2. ii.            The Executive Committee Co-chairs give a monthly report to the Executive Committee regarding the issues brought up during the student meetings, and summarize the discussions that occur during the Executive Committee meetings to the students via email or during a subsequent student meeting.
    3. iii.            The Executive Committee Co-chairs should work closely with the MD/PhD program advisors to recommend improvements to the program and facilitate changes when necessary.
    4. iv.            The Executive Committee Co-chairs should work closely with the other elected officers and volunteered representatives to formulate budgets for conferences and events, which are to be submitted to Dr. Carl Franzblau for approval.
    5. v.            The Executive Committee Co-chairs should advertise and organize the MD/PhD related conferences to the students
    6. vi.            Due to confidentiality issues, the Executive Committee Co-chairs do not attend the portions of the Executive Committee meetings during which a student’s request to withdraw from the Program is discussed.
  3. Eligibility:  Students entering or currently in their graduate years are eligible to run this position.
  4. Tenure:  This position is a two-year term with one Co-chair elected each year resulting in overlapping terms.
  5. SCOMSA representatives are elected during the first medical school year of each class. In addition to representing MD/PhD students in SCOMSA, these representatives should act as liaisons for their class in order to facilitate the communication between their peers and the rest of the MD/PhD students.
  1. MD/PhD SCOMSA Representatives

Volunteer Positions

  1. MD/PhD Seminar Coordinators
  1. The MD/PhD Seminar Coordinators are responsible for organizing seminars that address the interests and needs the BUSM MD/PhD student community.
  2. The Seminar Coordinators invite MD/PhD speakers to share their professional and personal experiences during informal dinners with the students.  Seminar topics range from specific research interests to exploration of career development.  In addition to basic research issues, concerns about clinical training and specialty fields can also be discussed. These seminars serve as additional resources for students as they develop into physician-scientists.
  3. The Seminar Coordinators should report to the Student Committee Co-chairs on a regular basis regarding the status of seminar planning.
  4. The Seminar Coordinators should work closely with Patty Kellogg in order to facilitate the scheduling of the seminar room and ordering of the dinners.
  5. The MD/PhD Admissions Coordinators are responsible for welcoming potential MD/PhD students to Boston and the BUSM community. They are in charge of arranging student hosts for visiting applicants, giving campus tours, arranging applicant dinners that occur on the Thursday prior to the interview day, and answering any questions that the applicants may have during their visit at BUSM. The Admissions Coordinators should work closely with Patty Kellogg to facilitate logistics during the interview days.
  6. The MD/PhD Retreat Coordinators are responsible for the planning of the activities associated with the annual MD/PhD student retreat.  Responsibilities include working closely with Patty Kellogg to ensure that the appropriate fees are paid on time, confirming the activities and their sites, communicating promptly with current/prospective students and BUSM faculty/staff regarding the retreat details, and coordinating necessary transportation.
  7. The Retreat Coordinators should report to and work closely with the Admissions Committee Co-chairs regarding the status of retreat planning.
  8. All MD/PhD students currently enrolled in BUSM are eligible to volunteer for any of the aforementioned positions.
  9. Each of the volunteered positions is a one-year term, but students may volunteer again for the same position in future years.
  10. In the event that more than two people want to volunteer for a position, the MD/PhD students will vote to elect two students to serve as the point persons, while the rest of the volunteers will serve as members of that specific committee to assist the elected point persons.
  1. MD/PhD Admission Coordinators
  1. MD/PhD Retreat Coordinators
  1. Eligibility