How to get students interested in running for student society positions and volunteering for committee chair and committee member positions
A. Information is this key. The more opportunities that first year students have to interact with officers and students in the second year class before elections, the better.
1. Promote positions.
a. Post information about each position in a variety of places so that the majority of students can see it.
b. Provide a thorough job description and expectations, so they will know if they have the necessary skills
2. Set aside a time for the current student society officers and committee chairs to get up in front of the first year class and explain their duties and responsibilities.
a. Make sure they include the approximate amount of time that is required.
b. Have them offer to be available for questions.
3. Give the new class at least 2 weeks notice before elections and explain what is required if they want to run for an elected position.
4. Provide information about the committee chair positions and committees that will need members.
How to get each and every student interested in student society activities
A. Encourage all members of the class to get involved by asking them for ideas and giving them opportunities to contribute.
1. Plan a wide variety of activities including social events, sports events, fundraisers, public education projects and community service projects.
2. Create ad hoc committees to plan some of these events and include all subgroups of the class in this planning. (It is recommended that the majority of the class agree on events, activities etc. This will encourage increased participation.)
3. Plan events at different times of the day, including during breaks or lunch, after class and in the evening. This allows students with families to participate during the day without giving up family time.
How to keep students involved in the student society
A. Plan activities that give something back to the students (i.e. what's in it for me?)
1. Work with the faculty to allow time for students to celebrate PA Day and perform community service and public education without missing class time.
2. Establish contact with the local medical student group in order to give them more information on PAs and PA training and plan joint community service projects. This gives PA students the opportunity to educate medical students about the PA profession thus creating future PA jobs.
3. Promote attendance at state, regional and national PA meetings. These meetings give students the opportunity to learn more about the profession, attend CME, meet students from other programs, and make contact with future employers.
Suggestions for student society activities
A. Community Service activities
1. Coordinate activities with your local chapters of organizations like March of Dimes and the American Heart Association
2. Sponsor a blood drive
3. Participate in walks and/or runs for various health problems like diabetes and breast cancer
4. Participate in Special Olympics
B. Public Education Projects
1. Plan a health fair with routine screenings
2. Plan an educational program for a local high school or junior high
3. Plan programs to increase the public's knowledge of the PA profession
4. Coordinate programs with the local student medical group
C. Professional activities
1. Plan to attend state CME conferences, AAPA regional and annual conferences
2. Coordinate activities with you constituent chapter and participate in constituent chapter projects
3. Request help with organizing your student society from the Student Academy who will pair you with an established student society or request to be a mentor to a new or inactive student society
4. Organize mentor programs between graduate PA members of the state constituent chapter and PA students
D. Fundraising activities
1. Organize fundraisers to accompany some of the activities mentioned above. For example, sell baked goods at the blood drive and/or health fairs.
2. Design and sell t-shirts and other merchandise. This can be specific to PAs and sold to PA students and graduates, or general and be sold to students in all health profession programs.
3. Organize silent auctions or raffles. Items for these will usually be donated by businesses if you tell them what you are raising money for.
4. Sell old books, anatomy equipment and lab coats to the in-coming class
E. Activities that contribute to your own students and program
1. Organize mentor programs between students in the first-year and second-year classes.
2. Hold a welcome party for the incoming class.
3. Develop a rotation information handbook that provides information on the majority of the clinical rotations that are available.
Final thoughts
A. Three reasons often cited for not volunteering
1. "I didn't know there was an opening" or "No one ever asked me"
2. "I don't have enough time" (based on their "perception" of how much time it would take)
3. "I'm not qualified" (based on their "perception" of what skills are needed)
B. When planning any type of program, it is very important to advertise.
C. Try to plan a variety of activities that will appeal to a diverse group of people.
D. Begin your student society activities early in the year so it becomes part of the schedule
E. Please refer to the Student Society Handbook that is e-mailed to each program during September of each year, for more information on community service projects, public education projects, and fundraisers
