HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine chapter of the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) has been awarded the Paul R. Wright Chapter Success Award by AMSA’s national leadership for the chapter’s programming efforts in 2013.

The award is given to chapters that have promoted AMSA’s mission of inspiring future physicians through local events, innovative programming, leadership development and calls to action.

The JCESOM chapter organized several activities during the past year including a Primary Care Panel for preclinical students, volunteering for an anti-tobacco awareness campaign at Davis Creek Elementary School. In December, the group hosted the 8th annual Jingle Bell Run, which raised $1,000 for Hospice of Huntington and attracted 100 participants.

The group’s officers include Zachary D. Sanford, second-year student (president), Vivian M. Minkemeyer, first-year student (vice president), Hagger Ali, second-year student (treasurer) and Maggie Soltis-Kilgore, second-year student (secretary).

Other winners of the Paul R. Wright award this year included Meharry Medical College; University of California, San Diego; University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Universidad Iberoamericana School of Medicine and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland – Bahrain.

Date Posted: Thursday, January 23, 2014