AMSA International

THE CONSTITUTION OF AMSA

PREAMBLE
We, students from the medical schools of Asia and Oceania, realizing the need for greater interaction and cooperation among ourselves and cognizant of our common problems, interests and goals, do hereby organize ourselves into a non-political, non-sectarian, and non-profitable conference-based organization - the ASIAN MEDICAL STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION.

ARTICLE I – NAME AND SEAT
Section 1. The name of the organization shall be the ASIAN MEDICAL STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION, hereinafter referred to as AMSA.

Section 2. Its seat or head office shall be in the origin of the Overall Chairperson, unless otherwise agreed upon by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVES
Section 1. To promote understanding in medical and health problems as well as to share experiences in solving them.

Section 2. To promote the interest and welfare of medical students in Asia.

Section 3. To foster unity and promote profound inter-personal relationships amongst its members.

Section 4. To uphold humanitarian ideals and medical ethics.

Section 5. To encourage cooperation among future doctors in Asia and Oceania.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership status is divided into full membership and observer, and is defined by countries.

Section 2. Full members are defined as founding members and all new countries that have fulfilled the admission criteria.

Section 3. Founding members shall be defined as participating countries at the 6th AMSC, Manila, 1985. This includes Australia, Taiwan, Indonesia, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Korea, and Thailand.

Section 4. Criteria of admission for new countries into full membership include a probationary period consisting of observation of one year after attendance at an AMSC, an application by the new country and subsequent approval by the AMSA Executive Committee according to the minimal requirement.

Section 5. Granting of Observer status by the AMSA Executive Committee will be made during executive committee meeting following an application by the New Country.

Section 6. Observer status will terminate 3 years after the application date. Another application for observer could only be made 1 year after termination.

Section 7. Expulsion of a member country can only be affected by 2/3 votes of existing full member countries only if that member country violates the constitution

Section 8. Regions outside geographic Asia-Oceania may be accepted for honorary membership upon application, and approval by the AMSA Executive Committee. Honorary membership provides the right for attendance at organized activities, but does not include the rights available to full members.

ARTICLE IV – RIGHTS
Section 1. Any member of AMSA has the right to participate in all activities organized and/or sponsored by AMSA.

Section 2. Any member of AMSA has the right to terminate their membership in the association upon presentation of a letter of resignation.

Section 3. Only AMSA full members will have the right to vote.

Section 4. Full member and observer automatically has a quota in each conference.

ARTICLE V – RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEMBER COUNTRY
Section 1. The member country is the basic organization unit of the association and all individual member of a member country shall be represented by a Regional Chairperson to the Executive Committee.

Section 2. The member country shall maintain autonomy and initiative with regards to local affairs. The Executive Committee shall lend its support to the undertakings of the regional branch. To maximize participation and efficiency, It shall be the duty of the member country to establish and maintain an organizational structure according to the minimal requirement in his country preferably in accordance with the structure of AMSA.

Section 3. It shall be the duty of the member country to organize local activities, preparation to conferences, implement conference results according to the minimal requirement and participate in AMSA-international projects.

ARTICLE VI - ACTIONS
Section 1. Actions should be centered on the conferences aiming in achieving better conference results.

Section 2. Conferences
a.Conferences are the main projects each year and belongs to AMSA-international.
b.AMSA-international shall elect the host of conferences through an opening bidding procedure involving all the delegates during conferences.
c.The Organizing Committee of the hosting country shall fulfill the minimum requirements of conferences
d.An agreement between AMSA-international and the Organizing Committee of the hosting country should be signed after election and at least 6 months before the conference.
e.Overall Chairperson of the organizing committee shall be elected by the host country and be approved by the Executive Committee.
f.The Regional Chairperson of the hosting country holds the highest responsibility of overseeing the preparation of conference for AMSA-international.
g.Membership fee for every individual delegate attending the conference shall be included in the registration fee. The Organizing Committee shall hand in the fee to the secretary of finance by the end of the conference. The fee should be decided upon by the EC and it’s subjected to annual review and signed in the agreement.
h.Another 3 USD fee for every individual delegate attending the conference shall be included in the registration fee. This money will be used as AMSA-international fund for sponsoring under-developed countries and emergency.
i.Executive Committee of AMSA-International automatically has its own quota apart from the country quota in attending conferences.
j.Non-member countries could join conferences as a guest following an invitation from AMSA-international or the Organizing Committee of the conference.

Section 3. Pre-conference
a.Member country shall conduct pre-conference activity aim in preparing delegates for conferences. These activities include: local gathering, training program, paper/research competition, etc.
b.Other pre-conference projects, workshops, campaign, etc can be organized by the organizing committee of the conference.

Section 4. Post-conference
a.Member country shall conduct post-conference projects aiming in implementing the result of the conference. These activities include: academic/social research, public welfare project, etc

ARTICLE VII – POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1. The Executive Committee shall be the policy-making body and implementing arm of AMSA. As such, it has the following functions and powers:
a.It shall systematize the ideas of the members into a coherent plan of action; and
b.It shall make periodic assessment of all activities, biannually at least.

Section 2. The Executive Committee consists of Advisory Board, Overall Chairperson, Vice Overall Chairperson, Regional Chairpersons, Liaison Officers, Secretaries, and Chairperson of the next AMSC/EAMSC.

Section 3. The overall Chairperson of the Executive Committee shall have the following powers and duties:
a.To convene and preside over all meetings.
b.To form the necessary committees which shall initiate the activities of AMSA and to appoint the chairperson of the respective committees
c.To officially represent the association.
d.To exercise discretionary powers in situations which require immediate decisions and actions provided that it is not contrary to the objectives of the association and provided that he informs the member countries not later than two months after the said decision/action was done, to be ratified by the Executive Committee.
e.To preside over the elections for the incoming term.
f.To act as an ex-official adviser to the incoming set of officers.

Section 4. Vice Chairperson shall have the following powers and duties:
a.To take over the responsibilities and authorities of the Overall Chairperson in times of his/her absence
b.To officially represent the association with the Overall Chairperson
c.Cooperating in partnership with the Overall Chairperson to lead the Executive Committee
d.To give input to the Overall Chairperson as making any decision for development of AMSA

Section 5. All Regional Chairperson shall have the following powers and duties:
a.To evaluate all applications for local membership.
b.To encourage the members to submit articles to the Secretary for Promotions and Publications.
c.To promote AMSA locally, subject to the discretion of the Secretary for Membership and Development.
d.Physically present or officially represented during the international conference.
e.To collect and hand over to the Secretary for Finance dues approved by the Executive Committee.

Section 6. The General Secretary shall have the following powers and duties:
a.To take down the minutes of the Executive meetings.
b.To read the minutes of the previous Executive meetings at the start of any meeting.
c.To keep and safeguard all records of the AMSA.
d.To continually update all files of AMSA by securing relevant material or reports.
e.To collect and file the yearly progress reports from all
EC's and RC's

Section 7. The Secretary for Membership and Development shall have the following powers and duties:
a.To formulate the requirements for membership and enlist the membership.
b.To coordinate and maintain contact with all members.
c.To make recommendation for revocations of membership in the event of violations of the constitution.
d.To promote membership of new member countries
e.To promote and open activities purposed for the development and welfare of the members

Section 8. The Secretary for Finance shall have the following powers and duties:
a.To take charge of the collection of fees and other obligations from the RC’s responsible for the collection from their local branch.
b.To recommend fund-raising programs to the Executive Committee.
c.To be responsible for the implementation and coordination of approved charity and fund-raising programs
d.To keep records of all funds and expenses.
e.To disburse funds necessary for the operation of the AMSA upon discretion of the Executive Committee.
f.To prepare annual report on the financial status of the
association.
g.To safeguard all funds of AMSA.

Section 9. The Secretary for Promotions and Publications shall have the following powers and duties:
a.To initiate the printing of the official publications and documents of AMSA and to establish necessary staff.
b.To be responsible for informing all members and the public about the activities of this association, through bulletin, website, and promotion material.
c.To decide, interrupt or build any process or progress done in AMSA publication matter including the website, mailing list etc.

Section 10. Secretary for Academic
a.To initiate and operate AMSA academic project which will be presented during the conference every year
b.To recommend theme and activities of joint research to the Executive Committee
c.To create any project in academic aspect which is expected to exert beneficial effects for the members.
d.To implement the academic activities planned by the cooperation with other Executive Committee.

Section 11. Webmaster of Official AMSA website
a.To be in full charge of the website development, optimization, and maintenance.
b.To recruit manpower when necessary in discussion with the Sec. for Promotion and Publication

Section 12. Director for AMSEP
a.To direct and encourage exchange student program, AMSEP, among the member countries.
b.To create a suitable and systemize structure of exchanging medical students among AMSA member or any other interested country not yet member of AMSA.
c.To be responsible for the implementation of AMSEP activities.
d.To facilitate every member of AMSA to fulfilled their need in involving AMSEP activities.

Section 13. Secretary for Public relations
a.To be responsible for informing all activities of the association, through press releases, E-letter, website, and any other means of publications in order to establish an image of the association in the public eye
b.To serve the role as an ambassador of the association
c.To initiate the printing of official publications and documents of AMSA
d.To establish necessary assisting staff
e.To promote AMSA to nonmember countries and other stakeholders by providing them with necessary information regarding AMSA
f.To work in close collaboration with other Executive Committee Members for the purpose of fulfilling the job descriptions mentioned above

Section 14. Liaison Officer for Other Organization- IFMSA/EMSA/WHO/AMDA/ASEAN
a.To maintain relation and friendship with similar organization.
b.To make recommendation to the Executive Committee about the relation and needed progress for both organization benefit especially for AMSA
c.To search for any possibilities of cooperation and create any needed memorandum of understanding accepted by the Executive Committee.
d.To distribute every useful resource by the result of relation with other similar organization.

Section 15. The Chairperson for the next AMSC/EAMSC:
a.To be responsible for the materialization and success of the next conference.
b.To be responsible for reporting to the Executive Committee the progress of the preparation.
c.To see to it that the following objectives of the conference will be attained:
i.to promote better relationships among medical students from Asia and Oceania
ii.to promote mutual understanding in medical and health problems as well as to share experience in solving these problems
iii.to promote humanitarian ideals of medicine among medical students from Asia and Oceania;
iv.to be a forum for Asian medical students to discuss various topics of common medical interest; and
v.to encourage future medical cooperation among doctors from Asia and Oceania.
d.To submit to the Executive Committee a post conference report no later than one month after the last day of the conference.
e.To advise the host country of the following conference after the one organized by his committee.
f.To form a committee as the need arises.

Section 16. Ad Hoc Committees.
Ad Hoc Committees may be created as the need arises, for specific purposes after proper discussion during meetings of the Executive Committee. The chairmanship, membership functions and the tenure of such committees are to be included in the resolution calling for their creation. The Overall Chairperson shall directly coordinate all Ad Hoc Committees. They shall cease to exist when the Overall Chairperson of the Executive Committee dissolves the committee after the completion of their task.

ARTICLE VIII – ELECTION OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND TENURE OF OFFICE
Section 1. Application for the Executive Committee will be open to all individual members of the member country by handing in an application form and being interviewed by the executive committee.

Section 2. The Regional Chairpersons shall elect the Executive Committee members the following: Overall chairperson, Vice Overall chairperson, General Secretary, Director of AMSEP, other Secretaries and Liaison Officers.

Section 3. The outgoing Overall chairperson automatically sits in the advisory board along with 2 person appointed by the outgoing and incoming Overall chairperson.

Section 4. The Chairperson of the next AMSC and EAMSC will be elected by the host country upon approval of the Executive Committee.

Section 5. The Regional chairpersons shall be appointed or chosen through formal process as defined by the constitution of the member countries. During the Executive Committee meetings, the RCs shall meet and elect the offices mentioned in Article VIII Section 2 from all the applicants who attended the interview. The outgoing Overall chairperson of the Executive Committee shall preside over the election.

Section 6. No person on the EC should bear more than one office

Section 7. The same person can only hold one office for two consecutive years.

Section 8. Handover shall be done as soon as possible after election but the outgoing committee has the responsibility to preside and assist the incoming committee for at least 4 months.

ARTICLE IX – MEETING
Section 1. The Executive Committee shall meet at least twice a year,
preferably pre and post AMSC & EAMSC.

Section 2. Quorum shall be defined as more than 50% of the total number of
member countries.

Section 3. During the Executive meetings, only RC shall be entitled to one vote each.

Section 4. Decisions shall be made by a simple majority of those member countries present provided that quorum exists.

Section 5. In the event of a tie, the highest-ranking executive member without conflict of interest will have the deciding power.

Section 6. Handover meeting shall be held upon election of new Executive Committee during or after the conference.

ARTICLE X – IMPEACHMENT
Section 1. A member of the Executive Committee shall be impeached and thus removed from office only upon:
a.violation of the provisions of this constitutions;
b.failure to perform his duties as defined in this constitution; and
c.disgraceful acts which are contrary to the objectives of AMSA.

Section 2. At least 25% of member of the Executive Committee, are required to bring forward the motion of the impeachment. At least 75% of the members of the Executive Committee are required to carry a motion of impeachment

Section 3. The Executive Committee, with the Overall Chairperson as the presiding officer, shall have the power of impeachment. In the case the Overall Chairman is charged, the Vice-Chairman presides

Section 4. The accused officer shall be given a thirty-day notice before the impeachment proceedings. The said officer has the right to legal defense and is protected against self-incrimination.

ARTICLE XI – FUNDS
Section 1. The funds of the association shall come from membership fees, collections, and proceeds of the projects undertaken by the association.

Section 2. No collection will be made without the approval of the Executive Committee.

Section 3. The funds of the association shall be deposited by the Secretary for Finance to an internationally reputable bank.

Section 4. Membership fee for every individual delegate attending the conference shall be included in the registration fee. The Organizing Committee shall hand in the fee to the secretary of finance by the end of the conference. The fee should be decided upon by the EC and it’s subjected to annual review and signed in the agreement.

Section 5. Another 3 USD fee for every individual delegate attending the conference shall be included in the registration fee. This money will be used as AMSA-international fund for sponsoring under-developed countries and emergency.

ARTICLE XII – AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Amendments to this constitution may be presented by any member of the Executive committee during the Executive meeting called for such a purpose. Three-fourths of the total number of member countries shall be the quorum for this meeting.

Section 2. Copies of the proposed amendment should be distributed two weeks before the meeting by the proponent to all member countries present.

Section 3. Decision shall be based on a two third majority of all member countries.

ARTICLE XIII – TRANSITORY PROVISION
The set of volunteers drafting this constitution shall cease to function immediately after this constitution has been ratified and the interim Executive Committee has been formed.

ARTICLE ?? - RATIFICATION
The constitution shall take affect upon the ratification by 2/3 votes of the full member countries.