OSR-GSA Committee on Student Affairs Update

July 2008

The Group on Student Affairs sponsored a Professional Development Conference in Tucson, Ariz., from June 18-22. The meeting was successful with 108 registered attendees and the feedback from the meeting was reviewed. The meeting was well received and recommendations from the Town Hall Meeting, which closed the meeting were reviewed for potential topics for both regional and national meetings.

Issues for consideration for future meetings included:

• Communication issues with students- a potential GSA-OSR joint session
• Discussions of Residency Interview Preparation Programs
• MSPE- future/ revision

George Richard, Ph.D., Director, presented updates from Careers in Medicine and there was considerable discussion concerning the development of information that students can use to effectively choose specialties and residency programs. The committee discussed research opportunities utilizing data that is contained in the CiM surveys.

The Committee also discussed the NRMP's research data from program directors that can be utilized to enhance transparency as well as decision making by students. The Committee proposed a recommendation to bring to the Steering Committee:

• COSA requests that the NRMP survey results from program directors be made available to the GSA and Careers in Medicine for the purpose of improving transparency in the application process pursuant to the OSR Statement of Principles approved by the Council of Deans, February 2007.

VSAS- Report
The Committee heard a report from Melissa Donner with preliminary data concerning the use and satisfaction with the VSAS system. Preliminary data are very positive. Members of the committee made a request for additional data concerning the reasons for application denials.

Student Mental Health Concerns
There was considerable discussion of the importance of Student Mental Health Concerns as an important issue for consideration by the COSA. Data gathering was stressed and two areas for research were discussed. A survey to assess the state of student mental health was recommended. Also, a forum to present different models of delivery of student mental health services was recommended for spring regional meetings, with possible inclusion in the annual meetings for 2009.

There was a proposal from the COSA:

• The COSA recommends that GSA undertake a survey to assess the state of medical student mental health issues. WGSA has proposed a pilot survey.

Additionally, the COSA recommended to regional representatives that they encourage the topic be included in spring 2009 meetings and that individuals be encouraged to provide forums for sharing of resource information and models of service provision.

Report from the GSA-Committee on Student Affairs (COSA)
On behalf of Kathryn O'Connor
OSR GSA-COSA Liaison
University of Rochester SOM and Dentistry
kathryn_oconnor@urmc.rochester.edu

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