SAEM’s Medical Student Ambassador Program: A One-of-a-Kind Opportunity
SAEM PULSE | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021
Each year, medical students from across the country can partake in and contribute to the SAEM Annual Meeting via the Medical Student Ambassador (MSA) Program. Operating within SAEM’s Program Committee, MSAs play an integral role in the smooth execution of the annual meeting. Students can apply for the program beginning December 1, 2021 by visiting the Medical Student Ambassador webpage.
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During the meeting, MSAs help coordinate and facilitate a variety of events — didactics, poster sessions, oral presentations, etc. — in addition to promoting the meeting on social media platforms. Additionally, MSAs enjoy the benefits of MSA-only educational sessions and one-on-one mentorship with select faculty from around the country. Throughout the meeting, MSAs are actively involved in the coordination of every part of the conference. Thus, the program offers an unparalleled opportunity to learn about academic emergency medicine and become immersed into the community.
A Chance to Develop Skills
Comfort Orebayo is a fourth-year medical student at Kansas City University. Born in Lagos Nigeria, she’s currently serving as an executive Comfort Orebayo board member on the Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents (COSGP), a
student director on the board of the American Osteopathic Foundation as well as the program subcommittee cochair for the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) Health Policy and Legislative Affairs Committee. She will be applying to emergency medicine residency programs this fall. “Since developing a passion for medical education while in medical school, I had been trying to figure out ways to become more involved with SAEM. I remember discovering the MSA program days after the 2019 application deadline. At the time I didn't know anything about the program, but it seemed like an amazing opportunity to connect with potential mentors and other EM-bound students. Disappointed I’d missed the deadline, I bookmarked the page knowing that one day, I would be part of what seemed like an awesome way to get involved with academic emergency medicine. So imagine my excitement getting the email that I’d been selected as an MSA for SAEM21. A month later, when Dr. Alex Huh offered me a position as a lead in the program, I was shocked and overjoyed at the opportunity to not only serve SAEM but also my fellow students. “Being a lead MSA was a truly rewarding opportunity that I’ll forever cherish both on a personal and professional level. As a lead MSA I had the opportunity to develop my public speaking, presentation, collaboration, and networking skills. Alongside the other leads, I was able to plan social
media blasts for SAEM21 as well as friendly competitions and social events in order to foster community, teamwork and comradery amongst the MSAs. “One of my favorite aspects of being an MSA was the chance to attend the MSA “lunch and learns” and the medical student symposium, which equipped me with tools that I use daily as an auditioning fourth-year medical student and EM-bound applicant. I also enjoyed being virtually behind the scenes on some of the innovation and lightning oral sessions at SAEM21, as it gave me an opportunity to learn about the cuttingedge research, tech, procedures, and practices in medical education.”
An Opportunity to Learn From Mentors
Taylor Daniel is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Pennsylvania and will be applying to emergency medicine residency Taylor Daniel programs this fall. She currently serves as a medical student representative on the RAMS Board and as a RAMS Board Liaison to the SAEM Education Committee. Taylor completed a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology at the University of Pennsylvania. “I discovered the MSA Program during my third year of medical school. Newly set on pursuing a career in emergency medicine, I had just begun
