Student Government Roles and Members

Student governance of the MD/PhD programs is determined by a student constitution that has been approved by the Executive Committee. The MD/PhD students play a very active role in management of the program structure, mainly in admissions and programming of events. Each chair position is elected yearly by and from the student body and is expected to support the MD/PhD program in providing quality educational experience.

Executive Chair/Treasurer

The executive chair and treasurer schedules and sets up monthly MD/PhD Student Government meetings, coordinates and organizes the agenda for each meeting, and oversees annual MD/PhD retreat planning. In addition, they coordinate with GMS Student Affairs on the annual budget and constitution, manage funding from GMS and other sources, keep track of the group’s spending and financial status throughout the year, and maintain contact with GMS for spending and reimbursements.

Database Manager

The database manager is responsible for running email listservs, adding new students each fall, migrating graduates each spring from the student lists to the alumni list, and working with Alumni Affairs Chair to obtain secondary emails for each new alumnus. They also coordinate peer mentorship teams, soliciting peer mentors and pairing them with new students. Finally, they are responsible for managing the student and alumni directories. 

Admissions officers

The admissions officers organize the campus tours and admissions dinners for the applicants interviewing during fall and summer. The officers work with the database manager to create the admissions information packet, prepare for and attend admissions meetings, plan and run informational meetings with applicants, and coordinate contact between accepted applicants and current students with similar interests and backgrounds. Finally, they help organize the second look weekend events in April.

Programming Chairs

The Programming Chairs organize the monthly MD/PhD events throughout the year, including the Grand Rounds and the Career Development Events. They manage the invitation and scheduling of these events designed to help current students learn about the MD/PhD career path and the steps to take at their respective stages of the graduate education. They also coordinate with the Student GMS to ensure MD/PhD student body voice is heard in the broader medical campus.

Communications Chairs

The Communications Chairs coordinate with other chairs in communicating with MD/PhD student body and the broader public. They maintain the website with new program updates and content, including student profiles, publications, awards, and accomplishments. They maintain a directory of current students and event calendars to ensure students are informed of program-organized events. They also manage the student-run BU MD/PhD Twitter account to share new happenings in the community. Finally, they attend the monthly PhD Steering Committee Meetings, providing regular reports regarding the status of the MD/PhD program at Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine.

Alumni Affairs Chair

The Alumni Affairs Chair organizes events to facilitate alumni-student networking and mentoring opportunities. They brainstorm new ways to engage with alumni, coordinate with Programming Chairs and Social Chairs to plan and organize alumni events and mentoring opportunities, and help to write and organize alumni newsletters that provide news of recent events for the community.

Social Chairs

The Social Chairs plan social events throughout the year to maintain a sense of community within the MD/PhD community. This role involves establishing a yearly student activity budget with GMS, organizing first-year and end-of-second-year check-in events to help new students with rotations and lab selections, and planning social events.