Student Organizations

Students at AUC are an exceptionally active group of people, inside and outside of the classroom. There are many student groups to get involved with that will broaden your horizons and make you more aware of other people’s cultural and social backgrounds. We encourage you to explore your options by joining a student organization. Wherever your interests lie, AUC offers the resources to accommodate them.

Alpha Omega Phi – Honor and Service Society

We are a non-profit organization whose goals are to promote community awareness, support and education through community service while maintaining a high academic standard.  The organization is designed to encourage and recognize academic excellence, character, morality, and conduct befitting the field of medicine.  Members, inducted at the beginning of their fifth semester, have earned a cumulative GPA of 83 or higher, have a demonstrated record of school/community service, and exhibit qualities of leadership, excellence, and dedication to the community.  Recent events have included the promotion of Breast Cancer awareness, fundraisers to help the Sister Basilia Center for the disabled, the domestic violence shelter “Safe Haven” and the “I-Can Foundation” foster home, and a number of clean-up activities to protect the environment. Contact: Faculty Advisor: Lockie Johnson, Ph.D at ljohnson@aucmed.edu.

American Medical Student Association (AMSA)

We are a student-governed, student-run, organization dedicated to giving students experiences outside of the standard medical curriculum here at AUC. We draw on the diverse background and training of our members to provide these opportunities, through the format of seminars, workshops, and forums. A few examples of events that AUC AMSA has hosted include suturing workshops, EKG clinics, phlebotomy workshops (drawing blood), case studies, diabetes clinics, and much more.  Contact: Alexsander Unger, President at aleunger@aucmed.edu, Faculty Advisor: Hans Berisch, Ph.D

American Medical Women Association (AMWA)

The American Medical Women Association is an organization consisting of over 10,000 physicians and medical students dedicated to improving women’s health and advancement of women in medicine.  AMWA was founded by Dr. Bertha Van Hoosen in 1915, at a time when women physicians were an under-represented minority.   Over the 90 years AMWA has been established, the organization has taken an active role to address unanticipated problems and issues that have risen in regards to women’s health.  The new AUC chapter of AMWA strives to promote the goal of improving women's health through a variety of activities that will be held throughout the semesters.  Upcoming events include the mentorship program, lecture series, and community outreach programs.
Contact: Tiffany Hill, President at tifhill@aucmed.edu.Faculty Advisor: Susan Atchley Ph.D.

Anatomy Teaching Assistants (TAs)

The Anatomy TAs are a select group of students who excelled in Anatomy during their 1st semester and were individually chosen by department faculty to participate in the TA program.  The TAs, though treated as junior faculty, are colleagues who volunteer their time because they enjoy the subject material and want to teach others. It is their hope to be able to pass on to you a few “pearls” of wisdom that may make your transition as a 1st year medical student a successful one. Contact: Lance Nash, Ph.D at lnash@aucmed.edu

Bisexuals, Gays, Lesbians and Allies in Medicine (BGLAM)

We are a group of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) medical students and heterosexual Allies who have a firm commitment to embracing diversity on this campus. Our mission is to ensure a safe and friendly academic environment for LGBT, Intersex and Questioning students, staff and faculty in the medical community at AUC. We work to foster understanding and tolerance of all sexualities, cultures, and ethnicities among our entire student body. Furthermore, we aim to provide LGBT-related training to our fellow students in order to improve the healthcare of our LGBT, Intersex, and Questioning patients. For more information, please visit http:// www.bglamauc.org or contact: bglamauc@gmail.com, Faculty Advisor: Ron Testa, Ph.D

Christian Medical and Dental Association (CMDA)

The Christian Medical and Dental Association, founded more than seventy years ago, functions as a network for information, training, and fellowship, in an effort to integrate faith into the practice of medicine. The national organization offers mission opportunities as well as mentor match programs during residency. The AUC chapter provides an opportunity for community service events, ethical and current event symposiums, as well as social events. For more information, please e-mail Noah Jentzen, President at noajentzen@aucmed.edu.  Faculty Advisor: Vivian Braciale Ph.D

Diversity Council

The AUC Diversity Council (DC) was started by three organizations, MSA, SNMA, and JMSA, in order to first promote cultural or cross religion events.  Over time as we shared the idea with other organizations, we developed into the AUC Diversity Council in order to be as inclusive as possible and to promote the significance of culture in medicine.  Since our inception, the DC has accomplished much and has been among the best at AUC in regards to event planning, cooperation and charitable donations.  We are a brand new organization at AUC and we hope to ultimately impress upon the AUC community the advantages of integrating cultural competency into our Basic Sciences and Clinical studies.  We are only beginning to show that we, as students, can together move past old taboos and learn from each other.  Please contact us at our email address aucdiversity@gmail.com or any of our supporters (JMSA, MSA, SNMA, IAPMSO, CMDA, AMSA, BGLAM).

Dr. Dale Van Wormer Student Judiciary Committee (VWJC)

We are a student run organization that deals with student-to-student conflicts and infractions of the AUC Honor Code.  We rely on the student body to report any unethical or unprofessional behaviors and trust that our committee will handle them appropriately.  Depending on the situation, we will decide if peer mediation and/or a hearing are necessary.  Confidentiality and fairness are maintained at all times and we strive to resolve any issue at hand.  Our goal is to promote an environment at AUC that is not only conducive to learning, but is trustworthy, respectable, and is in accordance with the ethics and values set forth by the medical community.  Members consist of students in the second to fifth semesters.  For more information, or how to file a complaint, please send an email to Monica Cheriyan, Co-Chairman, at aucsjc@gmail.com. Faculty Advisor: Eugene Grochowski, M.D., PhD 

International Asian-Pacific Medical Student Organization (IAPMSO)

The goal of IAPMSO is to promote awareness of Asian & Pacific Islander culture by serving the community and fostering an environment where international medical students can develop culturally and professionally.  In an increasingly global society, it is important to understand people from all walks of life. Developing both sensitivity and insight to the culture of Asians & Pacific Islanders is a positive trait that one should not just read about, but experience.  By bringing together medical students of different backgrounds, we hope to create a better idea of the constantly evolving cultures through comprehensive participation and exchange of information.  As future healthcare providers, we strive to combine the exposure of culture along with medically related and socially responsible activities.  With an encouraging environment we hope that all members will develop friendships, knowledge, and understanding that will extend beyond the borders of one's location and outside of the student life.
Contact: auc.iapmso@gmail.com Faculty Advisors: Vivian Braciale Ph.D., Lance Nash Ph.D., Albert Van Der Waag, M.D.

Jewish Medical Students Association (JMSA)

JMSA at AUC is a growing, enthusiastic community of students and faculty members who meet regularly to support Jewish life at AUC. It is a student run association that functions to bring Jewish awareness to the campus, unite students of Jewish and other faiths, as well as interacting with the local community in St. Maarten. JMSA plans to implement activities and network with other religious, cultural, political, community and social organizations. JMSA performs community service, holds information sessions, as well as social and holiday gatherings. JMSA looks forward to educating students on the integration between medical and Jewish religious values. We are looking forward to another exciting academic year, and invite anyone who is interested to join us- all are welcome!
Contact President: Nathan Alyesh at natalyesh@aucmed.edu, Faculty Advisor: Ronald J. Testa, Ph.D.

Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA)

LMSA was formed to create a bridge between students, faculty and the Latino population at AUC. Hispanic students make up 7 percent of the reported ethnicities for the current basic science student population at AUC. LMSA was also created to address the reality that the Hispanic population continues to grow across the United States and as such, medical students will need to understand the cultural diversities of that population as they prepare to one day offer medical treatment.
Contact: Gloria Felix, President at glofelix@aucmed.edu.

Muslim Student Association (MSA)

MSA was established to serve the best interests of Islam and students on the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine campus and in St. Maarten, and to meet the needs of  Muslim and all interested students, bring Islamic awareness on campus, and educate AUC students on Islamic customs and values.  One of the goals is to educate future AUC physicians, in particular, on treating Muslim women patients.  MSA will be performing community-based projects and programs to enrich Islamic understanding, and also coordinating and managing the human and material resources of all students.  MSA intends to educate the AUC community through movie nights, seminars, pamphlets, etc. For more information, please contact Nedal Elass, President at aucmsa@gmail.com. Faculty Advisor: Susan Atchley, Ph.D

Phi Chi

Phi Chi is AUC's community service fraternity. It is a national medical fraternity with many chapters throughout the United States.  Phi Chi does work every semester with a local soup kitchen, an orphanage, and is currently working with an elementary school in Phillipsburg to get them the supplies that they need.  Phi Chi hosts events and parties throughout the semester as well.  If you are interested in pledging for this fraternity, please come to the Welcome Back party hosted by Phi Chi at the beginning of this semester (signs will be posted in the Rotunda) or send an email to Shaun Brennan, President at aucphichi@gmail.com Faculty Advisor: Susan Atchley, Ph.D.

Student Government Association (SGA)

The Student Government Association is a student run organization that works closely with the administration at The American University of the Caribbean to address student issues and serve as the interface between the student body and the faculty. SGA offers resources to make students’ educational experience a success. The SGA consist of an executive council and two student representatives for each class as well as a representative from all organizations on campus. Becoming a class representative is a great way to be involved and use your leadership skills while at AUC. The SGA would like to take this time to welcome you to AUC. We look forward to having you as part of our family as you begin your medical school education. 
Contact: Wesam Elramahi, President at weselramahi@aucmed.edu. Faculty Advisor: Susan Atchley, Ph.D

SNMA – Student National Medical Association

SNMA is a national student-run organization that assembles and organizes individuals of multicultural backgrounds for the purpose of bridging health care disparities.  The goal of the organization is to address healthcare issues faced by members of the underrepresented populations.  At AUC, we have a diverse student body of more than 50 ethnic groups and our mission is to create a positive multicultural environment in our medical education and community.  We seek to identify relevant and practical solutions to make changes.  This newly founded AUC local chapter works to influence the awareness of our community of the rapidly evolving world of information in healthcare.  SNMA also works to promote an increase in the levels of minority student recruitment admissions, and retention in schools training health professionals.  Events hosted by SNMA include: healthcare information presentations at local schools, STD clinics, nutrition fair and diabetes management clinics, HIV/AIDS clinics, educative seminars from guest lecturers as well as social gatherings.  For further information, please contact Blair Germain, President at blagermain@aucmed.edu. Faculty Advisor: Susan Atchley, Ph.D