Student Organizations
Daniel Hale Williams Society (DHWS)
The Daniel Hale Williams Society (DHWS) is SUNY Downstate's chapter of the Student
National Medical Association (SNMA); an organization dedicated to healthcare education,
leadership development, networking, and community outreach. The society is named for
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, founder of the National Medical Association and physician
who completed the first successful heart surgery.
The chapter is part of Region IX, which is one of the largest regions in the SNMA, encompassing all the medical schools in New Jersey and New York. DHWS was created with the understanding that medical students, despite their diverse backgrounds, have common needs. It is a democratic organization of historically excluded medical students charged with providing resources and mentorship to its members, and science–related programs and seminars for youth and pre-medical students. It is also a means of providing service, academic, and social support to the community and each other.
Prominent physicians and professional guest speakers are often invited to Downstate by DHWS to share their experiences. Each year DHWS hosts a senior reception. This celebration serves as a special opportunity to highlight the experiences and accomplishments of its graduating seniors after their shared four years of medical school.
Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA)
The Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) unites and empowers medical students
through service, mentorship and education to advocate for the health of the Latino
community. The objectives of LMSA include:
- actively promoting recruitment and retention of Latino students at all levels
- educating medical students on Latino health issues
- advocating for the rights of Latinos in health care
- providing leadership opportunities for Latinos
- promoting volunteerism in the Latino community
The Downstate Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) is a chapter of LMSA-Northeast Regional chapter, which is fully affiliated with the larger Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA), formerly the National Network of Latin American Students (NNLAMS). This is a national partnership between other regional Latinx medical student groups to create one strong voice for Latinx medical students throughout the entire United States.
PRIDE Club
The PRIDE Club works with faculty to create an environment of support and open celebration of diverse identities. In recent years, the club hosted a Queer Peer Panel discussion during the annual Sex In Medicine Week. Four students of different identities on the gender and sexuality spectra answered questions that were submitted anonymously from those attending the event. Topics included the individual instances of subjective, conscious LGBTQ+ experience and how these identities impact healthcare professions.
The PRIDE Club participates in Dr. Merlino's LGBTQ+ mentoring group — which is open to the entire Downstate community. In Spring 2019, the club hosted its largest event to date - the inaugural Lavender Graduation ceremony. The PRIDE Club hosts monthly coffee-hour meetings where it discusses medical journal articles pertaining to the LGBTQ+ community.
