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UMHS has a vibrant body of student-run clubs and organizations that reflect the diversity of our student population. Below represents the current sample of clubs and organizations on campus, but this list changes from semester to semester.
Club day on the basic science campus, St. Kitts
The Student Government Association is a student-elected organization that acts as the liaison between the school administration and the student body. The electoral board consists of ten class representatives and five executive board members. Each semester the SGA organizes celebratory student events such as the Welcome Back Party, mid-semester Sunfest Beach Party and the Student Clinician Ceremony. Visit the UMHS SGA Facebook page for more information.
Mission statement: The African and Caribbean Student Association (ACSA) is committed to bridging the gap with our community and building stronger bonds as we move forward together.
The American Medical Student Association (AMSA) is the biggest and oldest student-governed, national organization representing aspiring physicians. AMSA has a strong history for its commitment to improving medical training and global health while offering its members networking opportunities and a variety of resources for a successful medical education and career. How is AMSA different from other organizations? When you join AMSA, you become part of a vital force of future physicians who believe that patients and health professionals are partners in the management of health, and that access to high-quality health care is a right and not a privilege. At AMSA, activism and academic excellence are a way of life. Student idealism is transformed into meaningful public service and passion for medicine is turned into AMSA’s cornerstone. Moreover, AMSA is one of the only national student organizations which embraces international medical students and offers them the opportunity to develop and improve leadership and research skills through the plethora of national committees and leadership positions.
At the UMHS Chapter, members will benefit from hands-on advanced clinical workshops like pan-ophthalmoscopy, intubation, catheterization, vascular doppler, as well as learn and improve clinical, academic, and professional skills through guest talks, webinars, competitions, symposiums. Most importantly, AMSA at UMHS has a pivotal role in contributing to the wellness of the local community through free health clinics, breast cancer screenings, food & clothe drives, and a variety of community outreach & awareness activities on topics such as breast cancer, AIDS & HIV, mental health, substance abuse, diabetes etc. For more information email: amsa@umhs-sk.net.
Mission statement: The American Medical Women's Association is an organization that functions at the local, national, and international level to advance women in medicine and improve women's health. We achieve this by providing and developing leadership, education, expertise, mentoring, strategic alliances, and advocating for gender equity in the medical community. Past and present events include Blood Typing Lab, Women's Health Seminar by Dr. Jane Harrington, SKI Academy Sexual Health Seminar, St. Christopher Children's Home Sexual Health Seminar, Fundraising Holiday Bake Sale, and UMHS vs. RUSVM Soccer Classic. For more information, please contact the organization at amwa.umhssk@gmail.com, visit the UMHS AMWA Facebook page, or visit the national AMWA website.
Because We Care is built upon 3 pillars: Build, Widen, Connect.
Building a relationship between the UMHS community and St. Kitts.
Widening the impact of the UMHS within the St. Kitts community by promoting healthy living and educating about high risk health topics.
Connecting UMHS Students to volunteer opportunities to widen interpersonal skills while making a difference within the community.
The mission of this organization is to conduct community engagement and events that promote health education and awareness for the people of St. Kitts. The clubs’ goal is to provide students various opportunities to create a positive impact in the community while building their own interpersonal skills, as well as working on creating various events to promote a healthy living for our students both physically and mentally.
Activities have included:
BrainStorms is founded in the recognition that the role of a physician is not limited only to the day-to-day application of medicine, but also comes with the responsibility of being a leader, both within a healthcare team and the community at large. Our mission is to foster a culture of effective communication, public speaking, teaching, and research to supplement academics at UMHS through case studies, competitions, and educational outreach.
Case studies and student led learning are key during clinical rotations and residency, so practicing them throughout our Basic Sciences years not only can facilitate integration of concepts across classes, but also help gain valuable skills for the next steps of our medical careers. In addition to daily cases, during the Fall 2019 semester we will hold a Surgery Case Competition, a Transitional Medicine Research Symposium, a Psychiatric Crisis Clinic, as well as "Strain Your Brain" game show to make Step Prep a bit more fun.
Our main outreach program is starting the St. Kitts chapter of the International Brain Bee competition for local high school students. This is an excellent opportunity for us as medical students to practice sharing the knowledge we are acquiring in a way that is accessible and memorable - just like we need to be able to do when explaining disease, pathology, and treatment to patients with varying levels of science backgrounds.
We are always open to new ideas that would help advance our goals of enhancing medical knowledge and improving communication, so if you have something in mind let us know and we will make it happen!
Mission statement: To learn and promote knowledge about health care systems and their diversity worldwide, assist disadvantaged communities and advocate for health care access as a human right. UMHS Me4You was started in 2016 by UMHS student Ariana Hernandez, and also became a student organization. Med4You has organized medical mission trips to Guatemala, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica and is planning to go on many more trips. In the future, the university is planning mission trips to Africa and India. Med4You brought relief and badly needed health care to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. They were able to raise over $50,000 in aid and organized students to return to Puerto Rico to assist in the recovery efforts.
This club was established to provide an institution that actively participates in teaching American Sign Language to UMHS Students. The club encourages the learning and teachings of American Sign Language to medical students and the general public. The club participates in assisting the deaf and hard of hearing in St. Kitts and Nevis and promotes the awareness of the deaf and hard of hearing population with emphasis on their healthcare needs. With activities such as Weekly American Sign Language Classes focused on medicine by a certified American Sign Language instructor and doctor-patient interviews through American Sign Language. MediSign hopes to develop healthcare leadership and volunteerism in St Kitts and increase knowledge of health information among the general public.
The Ophthalmology Interest Group strives to cultivate an interest in the field of Ophthalmology, aid in student development, provide an outlet for serving our community, and promote social activities for our members. Our activities include:
The aim of this group is to help students gain a representative perspective of the orthopaedic field early in their medical education. Students will be exposed to the field of orthopaedics and the various orthopedic subspecialties to help them determine whether the orthopaedic field is for them. The overall objective is to lead students to make more informed decisions regarding their future careers in medicine.
Some planned events are:
The Pediatrics Medical Student Association is the first official group at the University of Medicine and Health Sciences to be focused primarily on children’s health and development. On the island of St. Kitts many children could benefit from education on hygiene, sexual health, and worldwide known diseases. PMSA strives to motivate medical students to commit to helping others. Aside from helping children in need, PMSA also presents fun activities inclusive to the entire UMHS student population.
The mission of PMSA is to:
Our Mission is to create healthier communities by providing cohesive tools and promoting the participation of the community in the campaigns on how to live a healthier lifestyle. We seek to encourage the leadership of our members by passing their knowledge on healthy habits they have gained throughout their medical training.
Activities have included:
We as a club want to have UMHS not just be a school for medicine, but to grow as a school that rounds a student's medical character toward their surroundings. Our goal is to both have an escape for students from studying each day, as well as give an appreciation to 70% of the world not everyone gets to see.
Each semester we have incorporated both the teachings of scuba diving as well as conservation in terms of the oceans that we take for granted. Over the past two semesters, we have trained plenty of new divers, with more lessons to come, which is a huge advantage when it comes to residency applications in order to separate an applicant and make one stand out from similar candidates. We have also set up cleanup dives with RUSVM in order to clean up the catamaran area from all the plastic and debris that has been thrown overboard during trips.
In order for students to find activities away from class, we have incorporated a lot of events with RUSVM. Past and present events include Student Dive Day, 4th of July Party, Island photography contest, Discovery Scuba Dive Raffle, PADI Certification, providing diving opportunities along with PADI certification, powderpuff football games at Sunfest, clean-up dives and beach clean-ups in order to break the barrier between veterinary students and UMHS students. Since the SDC club was formed, many of our members have found joy in exploring the oceans around St. Kitts, and grown closer as a group, something we hope to continue to grow with in the future semesters. For more information, please visit our Facebook page.
Mission statement: STEPS is a therapy club for students and staff to provide a fun and relaxing environment through dancing. This club is for both experienced and non-experienced dancers who just want to de-stress after a week of studying, and make connections with future colleagues as it creates a friendly environment. STEPS, on a weekly basis, prepares dance classes which teaches students how to dance, how to learn more about their respective bodies, and promotes a healthy lifestyle through safe and entertaining exercise.
Past and present events include:
We are also an organization that provides support to other organizations through donations and work collaborations on various activities.
Mission statement: The purpose of the Surgery Interest Group (SIG) is to provide opportunities for students to supplement their educational experience through hands-on practical laboratories and clinics. Exposure to the clinical side of medicine while in Basic Sciences enhances the students’ skill sets and permits better integration of medical concepts. In addition, these activities give students the opportunity to enhance personal and professional relationships, develop leadership skills, and serve the school and local community.
Events include:
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