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MSFC Update - May 2005 Inside Update: From the MSFC President-Elect An Enthusiastic Look Ahead- The Annual Meeting is an important
Medical Students for Choice event for many reasons. For some, this meeting
provides medical students with opportunities to learn about aspects of
abortion and reproductive care that are not available in their medical
school curricula. For others, it is an opportunity to network and interact
with other like-minded students, providers, and pro-choice allies —
be they familiar faces from other MSFC events, or new faces to look for
next time. For many (myself included), the Annual Meeting is a reminder
of why we chose to pursue a career in medicine, and how we can ensure
that safe, legal, and accessible abortion care will be provided to women
for many years to come. Our meeting in Philadelphia was outstanding! The meeting was attended by an unprecedented number of delegates from all regions within the United States and Canada, bringing with them a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and desire to effect change. Our presenters truly were worldclass, offering new perspectives on the challenges we face on the path from the classroom to the clinic. And a big hit again this year were the provider panels, which provide an excellent opportunity for prochoice medical students to discuss their questions and concerns about becoming abortion providers with well respected physicians from across the US and Canada. One memorable part of this conference came after a long day of sessions and exploration, when members of MSFC were invited to a wonderful reception brought to us by the Clara Bell Duvall Project. In addition to the refreshments and meeting with pro-choice allies, MSFC’ers were able to bring the fight for reproductive choice to a new venue: the dance floor! Overall, by Sunday afternoon, the conference sent people home feeling inspired, empowered, and prepared to make a difference at their schools, in their communities, and beyond. In addition to the sessions, the networking, and fun, the Annual Meeting marks the beginning of an important period in the calendar year: the transition of leadership. At the Annual Meeting, the Board of Directors, through the Nominating Committee, elected 5 new members to the Board, and selected many leadership positions for the upcoming year. In addition to this, the energy and enthusiasm generated at the conference serves as a catalyst for students to consider running for a position as Regional Coordinator or National Coordinator to serve the grassroots through the Student Advisory Council. Of course, the transitioning of new leadership into the organization means that we will be saying goodbye to many strong leaders who have worked tirelessly over the past several years. Rest assured that we will hear more from these leaders as they continue on to achieve great things. With each year, the pool from which candidates are selected continues to grow. Over the past year, the enthusiasm demonstrated at the Annual Meeting, the bi-national and regional Leadership Training Programs, and our regional conferences, suggests to me that the organization will be in excellent hands; backed by a force of determined, charismatic, and ambitious student leaders — who know how to bust a move! It is with great excitement that I am able to serve this organization in a new role as we continue in our efforts to ensure that all medical students have the opportunity to provide complete reproductive health care to their patients. To all new members of MSFC, and to all those continuing to fight the good fight: hold on to your hats: it’s going to be one heck of a ride! Dustin Costescu
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