GSA Student Diversity Affairs

The GSA (Group on Student Affairs) student diversity affairs community is open to faculty and professional staff working to ensure all medical students have an equal opportunity to thrive at AAMC member medical schools. The work of the medical school admissions community is led by the Committee on Student Diversity Affairs (COSDA). COSDA provides guidance with respect to providing equal opportunity in student recruitment, admissions, retention, and graduation on a local, regional, and national basis.

Access Student Diversity Affairs Resources

COSDA Committee Charge

The strategic priorities of COSDA are defined under two overarching themes — developing a physician workforce made up of people of all backgrounds and experiences, and the professional development of its constituency. To meet the strategic priorities, COSDA advances the full cycle of student engagement and educational support spanning the K-12 through medical school educational continuum. COSDA constituents provide programming and services to engage and support learners in the K-12 pathway, premedical and postbaccalaureate programs, and medical school. They are involved in outreach, recruitment, admissions, retention, support, and graduation of all students in medicine. The committee is advisory to the GSA Steering Committee, makes regular reports to the GSA Steering Committee, and seeks the approval of the GSA Steering Committee for special projects.

Donna H. Jackson, EdD
Interim Senior Associate Dean, Admissions and Student Outreach
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

On behalf of the committee, it is my honor to welcome you to the Group on Student Affairs (GSA) Committee on Student Diversity Affairs (COSDA). I am excited to begin working with this community and others who have primary responsibility to support the academic and personal success of medical students . We want to continually view all aspects of undergraduate medical education through a lens of fairness that will allow our students to thrive.

COSDA, as one of the five national committees of the GSA, meets regularly to address issues and offer guidance on medical student concerns related to student recruitment, admissions, enrollment, retention, and graduation. We host community calls for COSDA representatives as a means to disseminate information and to gather feedback. In addition, COSDA works in collaboration with the other national committees on pertinent issues that crossadministrative areas, often participating in working groups and joint community calls.

To ensure advocacy and promote opportunities in the medical education space, COSDA also engages with the Group on Diversity Affairs (GDI) and other AAMC affinity groups.

Dr. Ann-Gel Palermo gave great leadership to COSDA during her term as the national chair of COSDA. Her energy and passion for this work is contagious and moves everyone around her to push forward in our efforts. We thank her for her leadership and for her encouragement and support of COSDA as we continue the work. We also wish to thank past COSDA members who have provided important insights and perspective through their roles on the committee.

We recognize that COSDA functions in an efficient and effective manner due to the efforts of a wonderful AAMC team. Thank you for all you do to aid the committee in its success.

Finally, we welcome your interest in the work of the COSDA community. We know that there is value in creating a medical education environment that benefits all students. Please contact COSDA with any ideas, proposals, or comments that might be of interest to the COSDA leadership and membership.

COSDA Committee Roster

Chair

Donna H. Jackson, EdD
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
November 2022 – November 2025

GSA National Previous Past Chair

Hilit Mechaber, MD
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
November 2024 – November 2025

Central Region (CGSA) Representative

Khalilah Gates, MD
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
November 2024 – November 2027

Northeastern Region (NEGSA) Representative

Daniel José Correa, MD, MSc, FAAN
University of Massachusetts T. H. Chan Medical School
November 2024 – November 2027

Southern Region (SGSA) Representative

Natalie G. Johnson, DHA
Medical University of South Carolina
April 2025 – November 2026

Western Region (WGSA) Representative

Erik D. Malmberg, PhD, JD
University of Washington School of Medicine
November 2024 – November 2027

Liaison to the Committee on Admissions (COA)

Robin Clay, MEd
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science College of Medicine
November 2024 – November 2027

Liaison to the Committee on Student Affairs (COSA)

TBD

Liaison to the Committee on Student Financial Assistance (COSFA)

Ranna Nash, PhD
Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California
November 2022 – November 2025

Liaison to the Committee on Student Records (COSR)

Laventrice Ridgeway, EdD, ALC
Whiddon College of Medicine, University of South Alabama
November 2024 – November 2027

National Association of Advisors to the Health Professions (NAAHP) Liaison

Zuri Bennett, MA
Johns Hopkins University

AAMC Staff Liaison

Irena Tartakovsky, MD, MS
Director, Constituent Engagement

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