Affinity Groups

The Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion is dedicated to establishing an environment where all students, staff, and faculty are welcome and feel safe at SIU School of Medicine.  The EDI office has a number of affinity groups available to the SIU community to participate in as we continue to move the needle forward on becoming an institution that is fair and equitable for everyone. Meridian funds supported these Affinity groups.

AMWA The mission of the American Medical Women’s Association is to advance women in medicine, advocate for equity, and ensure excellence in health care. The SIU AMWA chapter works closely the AWIMS group for opportunities in mentorship, professional development, and community outreach. AMWA sponsors nurse Family Partnership events to support new and expecting parents in the community. AMWA is proud to be a part of the Marginalized Student Network (MSN) on campus and work alongside our fellow student groups to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives at SIU School of Medicine.

LMSA The Latino Medical Student Association unites and empowers medical students through service, mentorship, and education to advocate for the health of the Latino community. Our vision is to unify medical students to promote Latino health. LMSA objectives include providing a voice for underrepresented medical students, actively promoting recruitment and retention of Latino students at all levels, advocating for the rights of Latinos in health care, and promoting volunteerism in the Latino community. The local LMSA chapter has just begun to establish its presence on campus, and we welcome all students, regardless of race or ethnicity, who are passionate about advocating for minorities in health care.

SNMA SIU Student National Medical Association Chapter’s priority is to support and address the needs of the underserved surrounding communities in the Southern Illinois Area, both rural and urban, via community service, advocacy, and health literacy. The most important goal of this chapter is to build a powerful support system for minoritized medical students at SIU while increasing the number of clinically excellent, culturally, competent, and socially conscious physicians.

APAMSA Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association is a national organization of medical and premedical students committed to addressing the unique health challenges of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. SIU formed the APAMSA group in 2022 and started a local chapter. The group developed many social and community engagement activities to raise awareness of Asian American culture and challenges.

AWIMS Established in 2018, The Alliance of Women in Medicine and Sciences holds the vision of equity and justice for women in medicine and science. The mission of AWIMS is a strong and meaningful alliance focused on gender equity and the championing of women in medicine and science in SIU and the communities we serve. AWIMS was the recent recipient of the 2020 Insight into Diversity Inspiring Affinity Group award.

GLMA The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association is an organization dedicated to expanding the visibility, rights, and awareness of LGBTQIA+ individuals in health care and health professions through discourse, action, and policy. The SIU chapter analyzes the curriculum for bias or exclusion and creates helpful solutions to address these concerns. GLMA is proud to be actively involved with other minority student groups in the coalition known as the Marginalized Student Network (MSN) to promote a stance of solidarity in defeating discrimination and hate against sexuality, gender-identity, and race. GLMA participates annually in Springfield Pride Fest to provide resources on healthcare access and education for LGBTQIA+ individuals.