Indiana State Medical Association promotes student leadership

Christine M. Kirkendol is in the homestretch of medical school at IUSM and now eyes a future in obstetrics and gynecology. Her four years of study, combined with an active membership in the Indiana State Medical Association (ISMA), have been a labor of love.

Late last summer, Ms. Kirkendol was elected vice speaker of the 38,000-member medical student section of the American Medical Association. She is responsible for helping organize national and interim meetings, logistics, ensuring parliamentary procedure is followed, and assigning proposed resolutions to committees.

"It's certainly an honor and a challenge to serve at the national level, and I believe wholeheartedly this experience and my involvement with ISMA are building my leadership skills," says Ms. Kirkendol.

Twice a year, ISMA finances the travel and registration costs of nine IUSM students to the AMA Student Medical Society meetings. It pays for a student to attend AMA annual and interim meetings as part of the ISMA delegation. And a portion of ISMA members' dues each year is earmarked for the medical education fund and distributed annually through the Office of the Dean at IUSM.

ISMA enrolls all students at the nine campuses throughout the state in the association, and they pay no dues. Students have an active role in the 7,800-member ISMA, says its president, Bernard J. Emkes, MD '74.

"Our organization has a strong partnership with Indiana University School of Medicine. We recognize the importance of having students as part of our membership," says Dr. Emkes, who is medical director of the Primary Care Service Center at St. Vincent Hospitals and Health Services in Indianapolis.

That insight is shared by the ISMA board of trustees. Drew Trobridge, class of 2001, is the current student trustee on the board; he also serves on the ad hoc committee on domestic violence. Andrew Alden, class of 2001, president of the medical school section, serves as alternate trustee. All students are invited to participate on ISMA commissions, committees and task forces.

"Though they don't have voting power on the board they do have a voice on policy issues," says Dr. Emkes. "Our older and more established members often look to students for insight on issues related to health care and the medical profession." ISMA's current keynote issues include raising Hoosier physicians' and the public's awareness of organ donations, and working with the School and the Indiana General Assembly to secure funding from the tobacco settlement - some $4 billion to Indiana over the next 25 years - for health care and research costs associated with smoking and cessation programs.

Ms. Kirkendol, who earned a master's degree in biology before entering IUSM, says time limitations often preclude a student from active ISMA participation until his or her final year of school, a time when most are taking electives and on rotations. "ISMA is a valuable professional resource, and I believe it is the responsibility of higher level students to encourage younger students to become involved whenever they can," she says.

There's a good reason for increased participation, Dr. Emkes notes, describing students and young MDs as the future lifeblood of the organization. He says that a significant number of IUSM graduates remain in-state for residences and establish practices.

"As students they can help shape the vision of ISMA and the future of health care in Indiana," he says. "As physicians, they can make the vision a reality."