Message from the GSA National Chair

Welcome to the Web pages for the Group on Student Affairs (GSA), one of 13 professional development groups within the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Established in 1958, the mission of the GSA is to advance medical education and to represent the interests of medical schools and medical students in five areas of practice and expertise:

• Admissions
  
• Financial Aid
  
• Minority Affairs
  
• Student Affairs
  
• Student Records

The work of GSA professionals in each of these areas in medical schools nation-wide is essential for meeting the high standards required for the accreditation of programs leading to the M.D. degree. GSA professionals play a key role in medical school administration by fostering and preserving a student-centered focus in the learning environment.

GSA professionals face unique challenges in balancing their often conflicting responsibilities. Serving as an advocate for individual students must be carefully gauged in order to ensure fairness for all students, the integrity and quality of the medical education process, and excellence and safety in patient care. Whether you are new to the GSA or a seasoned professional facing a new challenge, we hope you will take advantage of the valuable resources available from the AAMC Section for Student Affairs and Programs and your colleagues in each of the areas of expertise.

A great strength of the GSA lies in the camaraderie and the collective wisdom of all of its constituents working together to solve the complex issues facing our schools, including such current challenges as:

• Moving ahead with a process for criminal background checks
  
• Working on issues related to expansion of class size
  
• Efforts to improve the climate in medical schools for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students
  
• Working to enhance communication between medical schools and graduate medical education programs
  
• Addressing issues related to health insurance coverage during the transition from medical school to residency
• Continuing dialogue with the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions to improve the transition from college to medical school
  

I encourage all GSA members to contribute to this great organization by getting involved at both the regional and national levels. If you are new to the GSA, sign up for the mentorship program in your region. For those who have held leadership positions in the past, we need your continued input to help guide the organization through its current challenges.

Georgette A. Dent, M.D.
Associate Dean for Student Affairs
University of North Carolina School of Medicine
2008-2009 GSA National Chair
georgette_dent@med.unc.edu

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