This year, the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) showed out at the Annual Medical Education Conference (AMEC)! SNMA is a student group comprised of black medical students across the United States. Students at Howard and Meharry medical schools started this student group in 1964 “to nurture and support the academic enrichment of its medical student members, but also to serve communities in a very real and proactive way.” (snma.org)
The AMEC 2019 conference theme was The Call for Excellence: Improving the Future of Medicine through Leadership, Service, and Activism. The conference consisted of a variety of workshops and panel discussions to help guide premed and medical students along the journey of becoming “socially competent and clinically excellent physicians.” At the conference, attendees had the opportunity to network with fellow students and physicians from around the country. There were dynamic speakers and panels that provided insight and inspired attendees to Lead, Serve, and become Active in the communities that need excellent health care providers and advocates (paragraph adapted from the conference website).
SNMA’s annual conference, AMEC, aims to create a space for black premeds, medical students, and physicians to learn, grow, and connect. But in reality, AMEC also serves as a mecca, a homecoming for thousands of black medical doctors and future doctors to bask in the beauty of black excellence.
PARTICIPATING IN AMEC SESSIONS
This year was only my second time attending AMEC. I’d previously gone to AMEC during my first year of medical school but haven’t had the chance to attend since. However, because the conference was in my home city of Philadelphia this year, there was NO WAY I was going to miss it.
As much as I love the fact that AMEC brings folks together for a big family reunion, I also wanted to make sure that I got as much from and put as much into AMEC as possible. I jumped at the opportunity to sit on panels to give advice to premedical students who attended the conference. At the conference, I participated in two sessions. First, I contributed to a panel on the topic of taking gap years before medical school. I took one gap year before medical school, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. So it was a cool opportunity for me to speak to approximately 100 premedical students about the pros and cons of a gap year, in addition to how to navigate finding the right enrichment opportunities.
The second activity that I took part in at AMEC this year was a Speed Networking session with premedical students. In one hour, I got to meet about 30 students from across the country. I was amazed at how much the students had already accomplished, and most hadn’t even graduated from college as yet! Mentorship is incredibly important to me because bad advisors have tried to derail me in the past; however, I kept working towards my goals because I found people who would lift me up instead. One of my goals is to be a voice of encouragement to the students I meet because everyone deserves to be told that their dreams are valid, especially when they’re putting in the work to reach their goals!
LEARNING FROM AMEC SESSIONS
In addition to participating in sessions at AMEC, I took advantage of the ample opportunities to learn. Whether through the keynote sessions or panels, there was a ton of great content throughout the weekend. I’m biased as a soon to be resident psychiatrist, but my favorite academic session of the conference was a panel on Mental Health in the Black Community. The panelists were Penn Medicine psychiatrists who answered an assortment of questions covering topics ranging from trauma in the black community to the difference between mental health and mental illness. I live-tweeted the panel, so feel free to check out this Twitter thread to see all of the gems that the panelists dropped. I’ve also included some of the top tweets below.
Stigma related to mental illnesses isn’t limited to minority communities. There is stigma in all communities. #AMEC2019 #MedTwitter #pscyhtwitter #MentalHealthAwareness— Atasha Jordan (@AtashaJordan) April 20, 2019
Access to mental health care is a major barrier for all patients, but minority communities are disproportionately impacted. #AMEC2019 #MedTwitter #pscyhtwitter #MentalHealthAwareness— Atasha Jordan (@AtashaJordan) April 20, 2019
Psychiatrists need to engage and educate leaders in churches and other religious organizations regarding mental illnesses and treatment. #amec2019 #mentalillness #medtwitter #psychtwitter #faith— Atasha Jordan (@AtashaJordan) April 20, 2019
REUNIONS WITH FRIENDS AT AMEC
One of my favorite parts of the whole AMEC experience is the fact that I got to reconnect with so many of my friends and colleagues. Over the course of the weekend, I ran into people from various aspects of my past. I saw friends from college (SO MANY FRIENDS FROM COLLEGE!). I ran into Penn Med alumni. Even friends I made from the med school and residency interview trails were there. Honestly, I was amazed by how many black doctors and medical students I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know over the past 10 years. More than just seeing friends, I had the chance to really reconnect with them.
And don’t get me wrong, there was certainly a ton of fun to be had as well. The social scene of AMEC is a sight to behold. From the President’s Luncheon and Graduation Banquet to the nightly parties, I couldn’t help but enjoy myself! Hundreds of black future doctors looking good and turning up…I literally could not have been happier this past weekend.
As my #JourneytoDrJordan is coming to a close, I’m looking forward to the start of the #JourneywithDrJordan. The black excellence exuding from this past AMEC was a huge reminder to me of one my main goals as a future psychiatrist. I want to be someone that black high schoolers, premeds, and medical students can look up to as future goals. There is a severe underrepresentation of black psychiatrists in the US, and I hope that one post at a time, I can help to motivate more minority students to aspire to the field.
As always, thanks so much for joining me along my journey. You guys are the best!
Peace and blessings,
Atasha Jordan, MD (to be)
