Welcome

Greetings to all SNMA members, Colleagues and Friends!

I am honored to welcome you into the 2007-2008 Student National Medical Association programmatic year! My name is C. Rory Goodwin and I am very thankful to serve as the 44th National President of the Student National Medical Association (SNMA).

As a spokesperson and advocate for the SNMA, I am, and will continue to be, dedicated to our growth as an organization. Join me as I commit to the growth of individual SNMA members, in terms of the SNMA mission supporting current and future underrepresented minority medical students, developing culturally competent and clinically excellent physicians, and improving healthcare in underserved populations around the world. Over the course of this year, we will continue to strengthen the infrastructure of the SNMA to ensure our organization's long term success while supporting current and future minority medical students so that they can maintain an active and strong presence in all aspects of healthcare.

With that in mind, I believe our first focus should be on our existing initiatives, nurturing them into the excellent programming that is needed in order to promote the leaders of tomorrow and to create a stronger foundation for SNMA. In keeping with this goal of strengthening our current programming, I will work to provide Continuity in Leadership: Mentorship, Advocacy, Leadership Development, and Expansion. Each component focuses our existing protocols and programs on serving the mission and vision of the organization through intensification, development, expansion, and/or restructuring.

The overall goal of growth, taking the SNMA from where we are currently to our vision for the future, remains the same with each presidency. However, the vision and means through which we seek to attain those goals has been different from HEART to PRIDE to CARE. My goal for the next year is to develop programming in accordance with our mission, harnessing the energy and enthusiasm of each member to better effect change. I plan to support the mission of the SNMA by focusing on:

Mentorship: To provide high school, undergraduate, and medical students with access to the resources of the Student National Medical Association.

Leadership development: To provide resources to develop the SNMA membership body to serve as the future leaders in medicine by strengthening the National Leadership Institute and providing transition tools and other resources for those members to use as leaders of their individual chapters.

Expansion: To promote excellence in all the SNMA does by ensuring the long-term growth and success of the organization through the development and expansion of our current protocols and programs.

Advocacy: To provide avenues that will broaden our members' horizons concerning SNMAspecific issues, both internal and external, that affect healthcare delivery and access, thereby ensuring that the SNMA is producing physicians with the skills necessary to advocate for change in their communities.

Each of these areas aims to strengthen and continue the course charted by past presidents. One of the highlights for me over the course of this year has been attending regional conferences all over the country. This experience has allowed me to meet and hear the concerns of SNMA members throughout the nation, developing a true connection with the membership that I represent as president. This year, leading up to my presidency, has been one of intense learning, development, and preparation for me. Our organization has taken formidable steps to improve its internal structure, as well as its external relationships.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve the SNMA as your 2007-2008 National President! As a servant of the SNMA and each individual SNMA member, I vow to uphold the mission and vision of the Student National Medical Association and look forward to working with each and every one of you to further the organization's goals.

Yours in SNMA,
C. Rory Goodwin
2007-2008 National President