2008 Woodie Awards
Medical Student Council to hold elections
Aya Khalil
Issue date: 3/24/08 Section: News
Student Government is not the only group having elections within the next couple weeks - the Medical Student Council will hold its elections this week.
"The MSC is like the Student Government for medical students on the Health Science Campus," said Vice President of the MSC Ricci Sylla, a second-year medical student.
Lindsey Duncan, the MSC president and another second-year medical student, said the elections are smaller and different than SG's.
Seven representatives are elected from the first-year class, Sylla said.
"Then at the next MSC meeting, they vote on what position they want," she said
Only first-year medical students can vote for the representatives today, Sylla said.
"After the reps are chosen, the Medical Student Council officers are chosen on Wednesday," she said.
The MSC brings concerns and needs of the student body to the attention of the HSC administration, Duncan said.
"We meet regularly with administrations and talk about things that affect the schools," Sylla said. "Things like major curriculum changes and different grading systems."
The MSC has seven officers that include the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, risk assessment, publicity and a general second-year class representative, Sylla said.
Ten people are running this year: Courtney Strohacker, John Pham, Priya Sehgal, Meghan Roach, Laura Butz, David Podboy, Nick Newsum, Natalie King, Laura Espy-Bell and Erin Fuller.
"Most of the people who were reps last year want to be reelected for representatives," Duncan said.
The way the candidates run is different from other races, Duncan said.
"We don't really run on any kind of platforms," she said. "It's different than the Main Campus student election with no speeches - just a letter of intent with no campaign."
Not everyone can vote, however.
"This is not open for the whole campus" Duncan said. "Just the first-year class."
Sylla said that this year, the MSC concentrated on health care issues, particularly with the UT Student Government.
"We made closer ties this year with Student Government," she said.
Last year, the MSC also revised its constitution because the document needed some tweaking, especially after the merger.
Last year, the MSC passed a resolution regarding the pharmaceutical companies.
"There was a conflict of interest with pharmaceutical interest," Sylla said. "There was a motion that people proposed to eliminate gifts from them."
"We don't believe it's proper to accept gifts from the pharmaceutical industry," she said.
Health Science Campus Provost Jeff Gold established a task force to look at their relationship with the industry, Sylla said. Now, the companies do not give medical students free lunches, and the representatives go to training programs before meeting with the students.
"The MSC is like the Student Government for medical students on the Health Science Campus," said Vice President of the MSC Ricci Sylla, a second-year medical student.
Lindsey Duncan, the MSC president and another second-year medical student, said the elections are smaller and different than SG's.
Seven representatives are elected from the first-year class, Sylla said.
"Then at the next MSC meeting, they vote on what position they want," she said
Only first-year medical students can vote for the representatives today, Sylla said.
"After the reps are chosen, the Medical Student Council officers are chosen on Wednesday," she said.
The MSC brings concerns and needs of the student body to the attention of the HSC administration, Duncan said.
"We meet regularly with administrations and talk about things that affect the schools," Sylla said. "Things like major curriculum changes and different grading systems."
The MSC has seven officers that include the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, risk assessment, publicity and a general second-year class representative, Sylla said.
Ten people are running this year: Courtney Strohacker, John Pham, Priya Sehgal, Meghan Roach, Laura Butz, David Podboy, Nick Newsum, Natalie King, Laura Espy-Bell and Erin Fuller.
"Most of the people who were reps last year want to be reelected for representatives," Duncan said.
The way the candidates run is different from other races, Duncan said.
"We don't really run on any kind of platforms," she said. "It's different than the Main Campus student election with no speeches - just a letter of intent with no campaign."
Not everyone can vote, however.
"This is not open for the whole campus" Duncan said. "Just the first-year class."
Sylla said that this year, the MSC concentrated on health care issues, particularly with the UT Student Government.
"We made closer ties this year with Student Government," she said.
Last year, the MSC also revised its constitution because the document needed some tweaking, especially after the merger.
Last year, the MSC passed a resolution regarding the pharmaceutical companies.
"There was a conflict of interest with pharmaceutical interest," Sylla said. "There was a motion that people proposed to eliminate gifts from them."
"We don't believe it's proper to accept gifts from the pharmaceutical industry," she said.
Health Science Campus Provost Jeff Gold established a task force to look at their relationship with the industry, Sylla said. Now, the companies do not give medical students free lunches, and the representatives go to training programs before meeting with the students.
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