About the CFMS

The CFMS is an organization representing over 8,000 medical students from 15 Canadian medical student societies from coast to coast. We represent medical students to the public, to the federal government, and to national and international medical organizations.

Call for Nominations: CFMS Board of Directors Positions

March 06, 2021

The Canadian Federation of Medical Students will be hosting our Spring General Meeting (SGM), virtually from April 17th-18th, 2021. During this meeting, we look forward to electing medical students for the following CFMS 2021-2022 Board positions: 

• President (1)
• Vice-President Communications (1)
• Vice-President Finance (1)
• Director of Education (1)
• Director of Student Affairs (1)
• Director of Global Health (1)
• Director of Government Affairs and Advocacy (1)
• Atlantic Regional Director (1)
• Quebec Regional Director (1)
• Ontario Regional Directors (2)
• Western Regional Directors (2)

What is the CFMS? 

For forty years the Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS) has been the national voice that represents over 8,300 medical students at fifteen schools across Canada.  

Our three-fold mandate seeks: 

1. To support medical students by representing their voices among the national organizations that direct or influence the policy environment or delivery of medical education in Canada. It also represents medical students in organizations with broad health care mandates. 

2. To provide services that support the needs of member medical students. 

3. To communicate national medical education issues of importance to medical students and facilitate communication and interaction of medical students among member schools.  

Nominations Process:

The deadline for candidates to submit their Nominations has been extended to Tuesday April 13th, 2021 8PM EST. Nominations will close strictly at this time. Interested individuals must complete this online form.

The CFMS recognizes three separate elections per year:

1. Election of the President
2. Election of the Vice-Presidents and Portfolio Directors
3. Election of the Regional Directors

Please note, individuals are permitted to run for up to one position in each of the above three elections. For example, an individual may submit nominations for President, Vice-President Communications, and Atlantic Regional Director at the same time. The election categories will be elected in the order that they are listed above, starting with President and ending with the Regional Directors. Should an individual be elected to a position, their nominations for subsequent positions will automatically be withdrawn. Individuals interested in running for multiple positions must complete the online form for all positions ​ no later than 8:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, April 13, 2021. .

The form requires an interested individual to submit their name, email address, a photo, a brief bio/letter of intent (no more than 250 words) and a condensed CV (no more than 2 pages).

As per the CFMS By-laws, “Only individual medical student members and individual members-at-large who have attained the age of eighteen years, are in good standing with the Federation and the federal government as per the Act, and have the capacity to contract shall be eligible for election to the Board of Directors”. While previous experience with the workings of the CFMS is strongly encouraged, it is not required. 

Applicants are encouraged to reach out to individuals in the position they are running for, or others than may help you gain further insight into the role. Applicants are not permitted to campaign through advertisements of social media.

The CFMS is committed to furthering equity, diversity, and inclusion at all levels of the organization. It is critical that we have leadership that reflects the diversity of the medical profession and the communities we serve. We encourage nominations from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences, particularly those who have been historically underrepresented in medicine such as women, LGBTQ2S+, Indigenous Peoples, Persons with Disabilities, visible minorities/racialized groups, and other underrepresented groups.

All applicants should review the CFMS Code of Conduct prior to submitting a nomination, to ensure you are comfortable with the expectations of a CFMS Executive Board.

Make sure you are registered for the 2021 Spring General Meeting with you Medical Society You can reach out to your school’s CFMS representative for more information.

Given the time commitment expected of CFMS Board members, it is recommended to consider seeking support from your medical school before applying. 

Election Process:

• The elections will take place at the CFMS Annual General Meeting (SGM) which will be conducted virtually. 
• Presidential elections and the Portfolio Director and VP elections will be held on Saturday, April 17t​h​, 2021 with some overflow time on Sunday, April 18th, 2021 if needed.
• Votes will be cast by medical student society representatives and members of the Federation’s Board of Directors, as detailed in the CFMS Bylaws.
• Votes will be submitted using an electronic form that will be provided prior to the elections. The form will include all names of individuals running for the position.
• All CFMS elections will be conducted in accordance with the&nbsp:CFMS By-laws  and CFMS Elections Policy Document in a manner than maintains the highest level of process integrity. 
• Immediately upon the close of nominations, the General Assembly will have access to the nominees’ letter of intent and CV.
• Presidential candidates will be expected to deliver a virtual speech of no more than five (5) minutes to the voters, followed by a ten (10) minute question period.
• Director and VP candidates will be expected to deliver a short speech of no more than three (3) minutes to the voters, followed by a three (3) minute question period.
• Questions will be submitted through the virtual technology chat and asked by the Past-President to ensure efficient management of time.
• Speeches will be delivered either in via zoom video or by proxy (read by Past President) if no access to internet.
• If a candidate is not able to access internet, they will be voice-called into the meeting to answer questions after the Past President has read the speech on their behalf.

• Please note that video or webcast speeches are not permitted. 

•  Designated time constraints will be inforced by the Past President.

Please notify [email protected] one week prior to the meeting if you need your speech delivered by proxy.

For planning purposes, please note, in addition to attending AGM 2021, SGM 2022 and AGM 2022, the CFMS Executive Board attends a 2 day Summer Board Meeting, 3 day Fall Board Meeting, 2 day Winter Board Meeting and another 2 day Summer Board Meeting.

Term Details:

The CFMS Board 2020-2021 will be ending their terms effective at the end of the day on Sunday, April 18th. Newly elected board directors will officially commence their roles at that time for a total term of approximately one and a half (1.5) years lasting until the Annual General Meeting 2022, pending approval by the membership. 

Please refer to the executive reports in previous meetings, and the bylaws for further information on each of position. A brief description of each position can also be found below along with their Terms of Reference. For questions, please contact CFMS Past-President and Chief Returning Officer, Dr. Victor Do at [email protected]

Please consult the attached document for descriptions of the available positions. I sincerely encourage you to consider applying for these positions. This is an excellent opportunity to get involved, make a difference, and be an integral part of an effective and reputable student organization. 

Yours sincerely, 

Dr. Victor Do, MD, BSc

Past-President & Board Chair, Canadian Federation of Medical Students

Available positions:

President

The President is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the CFMS. Most Presidents have had experience on the CFMS ​board​ and should have detailed knowledge of all policy and activities of the organization. In addition to setting the priorities of the organization, the President acts as the primary contact on important issues for students and external organizations. The President attends many external meetings as the representative of Canadian medical students and will often travel an average of two weekends a month for the duration of the one-year term. Major commitments include CFMS representative and liaison with the Association of Faculties of Medicine (AFMC), Canadian Medical Association (CMA), Canadian Residency Matching System (CaRMS), Physician Resource Planning Advisory Committee (PRPAC), Resident Doctors of Canada (RDoC) and a multitude of task forces and subcommittees. The President will often be asked to present at different meetings and speak with the media about issues affecting medical students. The President is also heavily involved in all activities of the ​board​ and works with other ​board members to ensure that the priorities of the organization are achieved. Time on email (internal and external) can exceed 2 hours per day during busy periods. Agendas and planning for executive meetings and teleconferences as well as the three meetings of the CFMS board also fall under this position. Presidential responsibilities also include liaising with the ​General Manager​ on a regular basis and ensuring that the infrastructure of the organization is in good order. Following the end of their term, the president assumes the official role of past-president for a one-year term. Please learn more about the role by reviewing the President Terms of Reference.

Director Education

The Director Education (Dir. Ed) represents all Canadian medical students to various national medical organizations including various committees of the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC), the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS), the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC). The Dir. Ed may also represent students on various working groups and task forces established internally by the CFMS or external organizations for short-term medical education projects. The Dir. Ed collaborates with VP Educations and VP Academics on best practices and bridges our member schools on matters related to medical education. The Dir. Ed works on initiatives related to the AFMC Student Portal, the Medical Student Performance Record review, Canadian medical school accreditation, medical education advocacy efforts, interprofessional education, global health education, CFMS Transition to Residency/Match Book Guide and supporting Unmatched Medical Students. Please learn more about the role by reviewing the Director Education Terms of Reference.

Director Student Affairs

The Director Student Affairs (Dir. SA) takes responsibility for overseeing the CFMS Student Wellness portfolio and for coordinating the CFMS member benefits and services. This position collaborates with the National Wellness Officer, National Services Officer, Wellness Representatives, and Local Representatives, as well as with various external partners. The Dir. SA helps to oversee the projects of the National Wellness Officer and Wellness Committee, participates in Wellness Committee meetings, and serves as a coordinator and representative for other CFMS wellness projects and activities. The Dir. SA also serves as the CFMS representative on the AFMC Student Affairs committee and the Resident Doctors of Canada Resiliency Curriculum Working Group. Other major responsibilities of the role include developing and maintaining partnerships that will provide services and benefits to student members, administering and overseeing internally created member services, promoting member benefits, and working with the VP Finance on sponsorship relationships and benefits, including the oversight of the CFMS Leadership Awards. The Dir. SA will also be expected to play an integral role in the development and maintenance of web-based services. Please learn more about the role by reviewing the Director Student Affairs Terms of Reference.

Director Global Health

The Director Global Health (Dir. GH) is responsible for coordinating the CFMS Global Health Program. The Dir. GH takes the lead in forming and maintaining dynamic partnerships with Canadian and international organizations with respect to global health, international development, and public health. The Dir. GH works in partnership with the international program of the FMÉQ (IFMSA-Quebec) to implement programs that intersect the mandate of the CFMS Global Health Program and the strategic direction and initiatives of the International Federation of Medical Students (IFMSA). The Dir. GH serves as the President of the Canadian delegation to the IFMSA, and may attend the IFMSA Regional Meeting in January and AGM in March (locations TBD). The Dir. GH directly oversees seven National Officers, with portfolios as diverse as indigenous health, reproductive health, partnerships, human rights and peace, exchanges and global health education. Please learn more about the role by reviewing the Director Global Health Terms of Reference.

Director of Government Affairs

The Director Government Affairs (Dir. GA) has a variety of duties related to leading and coordinating the CFMS’s local, provincial, and national political advocacy efforts. More specifically, the Dir. GA oversees and helps facilitate the CFMS Government Affairs and Advocacy Committee, the Committee on Health Policy, the Day of Action Topic Selection and Research Committees and the Rapid Response Team, alongside the respective leads/National Officers. The Dir. GA also leads the CFMS National Day of Action in Ottawa. The Dir. GA is responsible for encouraging and facilitating local advocacy efforts at member schools. Occasionally, the Dir. GA will also represent the CFMS to various external committees and organizations as deemed necessary by the president and executive. Please learn more about the role by reviewing the Director Government Affairs Terms of Reference.

Vice-President Communications

The Vice-President Communications (VP Comms) is responsible for internal and external communication, including strategy and policy, the website, and the publications of the CFMS. The VP Comms actively moderates the representative email listserv and other servers. They are responsible for maintaining regular contact with individual CFMS representatives and medical society presidents. The VP Comms is responsible for some communication with external organizations and should be familiar with the exercise of writing a press release and circulating information in the media. The VP Comms works with the Annual Review Editor to produce the CFMS Annual Review. The position involves close collaboration with the National Information Technology Officer and the website host. The VP Comms has overall responsibility for the web presence of the CFMS, including ensuring that all content on the website and in the Communique is up-to-date and reflective of the overall CFMS communications strategy. Please learn more about the role by reviewing the VP Communications Terms of Reference.

Vice-President Finance

The Vice-President Finance has overall fiscal management responsibility for the CFMS and must have an intricate understanding of the breadth of activities of the CFMS in order to advise the Board and General Assembly on budgeting and work-planning. They are responsible for managing the CFMS bank accounts, investments, expenses, revenue, and payroll. The VP Finance must maintain at least weekly contact with the General Manager and President. The VP Finance is responsible for long-term strategic planning together with the President. They actively work to broaden the financial resource base of the CFMS by seeking alternative sources of revenue through grants, advertising, donations and sponsorship. They are responsible for the development of policy relating to finances. The VP Finance is expected to have a detailed understanding of accounting principles and documentation. They should be comfortable using electronic booking software and spreadsheets. Please learn more about the role by reviewing the VP Finance Terms of Reference.

Atlantic Regional Director

The position of Atlantic Regional Director is a one-year term. Please learn more about the role by reviewing the Atlantic Regional Director Terms of Reference.

Quebec Regional Director

The position of Quebec Regional Director is a one-year term. Please learn more about the role by reviewing the Quebec Regional Director Terms of Reference.

Ontario Regional Director

The position of Ontario Regional Director is a one-year term. Please learn more about the role by reviewing the Ontario Regional Director Terms of Reference.

Western Regional Director

The position of Western Regional Director is a one-year term. Please learn more about the role by reviewing the Western Regional Director Terms of Reference.