AMA and SDSMA Membership After Graduation

At the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, medical students are provided with memberships to the South Dakota State Medical Association (SDSMA) and American Medical Association (AMA). In this study, the primary goal is to determine if student membership increases membership in the SDSMA and AMA after graduation.

An 18-question survey was emailed by the South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners (SDBMOE) to every South Dakota licensed physician. The survey included questions about membership in AMA, SDMA, and other medical organizations.

In total, 438 individuals consented and participated. Overall, 296 (67.6%) indicated membership in a medical association in medical school; 101 only AMA, 38 only SDSMA, 133 both, and 24 only other. For the 234 with a student AMA membership, 71 (30.3%) continued. Of the 171 with a student SDSMA membership, 88 (51.5%) continued. Comparing those with and without a student AMA membership, 21.0% without joined after graduation and 30.3% with continued (p = 0.07). For SDSMA memberships, 28.5% without joined after graduation, while 51.5% of those with continued (p = <0.01). Common reasons for maintaining included professional advocacy (n = 44) and educational opportunities (n = 32), for AMA and professional advocacy (n = 58) and networking (n = 45), for SDSMA.

Those who were members of SDSMA as students were more likely to maintain their membership. This difference was less pronounced for AMA. Networking was a common reason for maintaining SDSMA.