A Medical Student’s Guide to Improving Reproductive Health Curricula – Appendix 2

MSFC Student Resources

Medical Students for Choice^® (MSFC) was founded in 1993 by students concerned about the shortage of abortion providers, the lack of abortion education in medical schools, and escalating violence against abortion providers. Today, the organization represents over 8,000 students at more than 125 medical schools across the United States and Canada.

For reproductive choice to be a reality, future physicians need to be well trained to provide all reproductive health services, including abortion. MSFC organizes and assists students in improving abortion and reproductive health education in medical schools nationwide. The MSFC national office can help you not only with organizing ideas and strategies but with resources to support your educational efforts on campus. Please contact MSFC staff for any of the following:

• MSFC Group: Chances are there is already an MSFC group at your school that you can join. If not, MSFC can help you organize and expand or change curricula on your campus. Contact us to get more involved or start a group.
• Student Activism Fund: MSFC runs a small fund to assist schools in organizing events and planning workshops or seminars on reproductive health issues. Up to $100 per semester is available for each MSFC group.
• Speakers and Reproductive Health Care Providers: Area speakers and providers can be a great asset as part of a classroom lecture or to serve as a clinical site for observation and training. Contact us for a list of resources in your area.
• Videos: Videos are available for loan on topics ranging from the history of abortion rights to instructional pieces on procedural techniques and patient counseling.
• Publications: You can subscribe to our quarterly newsletter, MSFC Update, by contacting our office and asking to be placed on our mailing list. We also can assist students in locating educational resources to use in developing a reproductive health syllabus.
• Reproductive Health Externship Program: MSFC funds a month-long externship to give approximately 70 students each year the opportunity to learn about reproductive health services in a private physician’s office, hospital, or clinic setting. Each extern receives up to a $1,000 stipend to help cover transportation and housing expenses associated with the externship.
• Annual and Regional Meetings: The MSFC Annual Meeting provides students with an opportunity to learn from respected health professionals about a range of reproductive health issues often not covered in medical school curricula. Regional meetings are held several times a year to increase opportunities for all students to receive education and training in reproductive health and to build regional support and resource networks.
• Poster session: Medical students are invited to submit abstracts for MSFC’s poster session at the Annual Meeting. Cash awards are provided to the top three posters submitted.
• E-mail Network: MSFC runs a nationwide e-mail network to keep you informed of current MSFC activities and provide a forum for discussion of strategy and campus activities. Contact us for subscription information.