The mission of the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) is deeply rooted in the core ideals celebrated during Black History Month. The New York College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYCOM) chapter of SNMA has used this statement as a springboard to create events that would be both appealing and educational for the general student body. The first part of the mission statement speaks to supporting current and future underrepresented minority medical students throughout their academic careers. Learning and understanding historical events in black history are important when one is looking to promote change in the future.

The Black History Trivia game to be held on February 8^th will highlight some of the major contributions African Americans have made in areas such as science, the arts and sports. The second part of the SNMA mission statement refers to increasing the number of clinically excellent, culturally competent and socially conscious physicians.  To promote this, an interactive case vignette program has been developed to draw on health perceptions and biases that we, as future clinicians, may not know we have. This event will be conducted on February 15^th, with Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee, NYIT Vice President for Health Sciences and Medical Affairs, serving as moderator.

The final point in the SNMA mission is to address the needs of underserved communities. We believe that you cannot address the needs of diverse communities until you embrace the various cultural differences. The Taste of the Nations event on February 28^th will be at the culmination of Black History Month, where the entire student body can participate in sharing their unique cultures in an informative and entertaining way.