Submitting Policy/Position Papers

Passionate about a topic that you want OMSA to talk about? Take the next step and submit a position paper proposal to OMSA! Submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis with a final deadline of February 28th, 2024 @ 11:59pm.

All topics are welcome for submission. If your topic is accepted, we will contact you with regards to next steps.

Submit your topic here

What is a Position Paper?

Position papers provide a platform for OMSA to inform stakeholders of the medical student perspective. These papers guide OMSA council members and representatives both in internal committee discussions and in meetings with external organizations. Position papers can be created by any general member(s) of OMSA, and provide justification for an opinion or stance that should be taken by the organization. Therefore, these documents include a comprehensive background and a persuasive argument to justify its position and its policy recommendations. A position paper should outline a current issue, provide examples of successful solutions, and describe the benefits and risks if its recommendations were implemented. All position papers must contain some component of actionability. Position papers are a significant undertaking, usually suited to current policy topics that align with OMSA’s priorities. Once completed, position papers are approved by the OMSA council in a voting process.

See previously passed position papers here.

Position Paper Template

The following template must be used when writing a full-length OMSA position paper. Writing of a full-length position paper should begin only after approval of your initial proposal (details below). You are not required to use this template for the summary that is required as a part of your initial proposal; however, it is recommended that you have the same sections in your proposal summary as in the template to ensure that all necessary information is included. Please do not alter the margins, fonts or formatting.

Download the position paper template (Microsoft Word document) here.

Position Paper Writing Guide

This guide has been developed to ensure that individuals interested in writing position papers for OMSA adhere to common standards when writing their proposed papers. It highlights the key areas utilized by OMSA to critically analyze proposed papers and create productive dialogue.

Click here to download the Summarized Position Paper Writing Guidelines. It is advisable to review this before submitting a proposal for important context and to gain an understanding of the endorsement process in its entirety.

Proposal Summary: Getting Started

Your proposal should be accompanied by a 1-2 page, single-spaced summary of your proposed paper. This summary should provide some background context on the topic of your paper as well as the position you will take. In-text citations may be used, and an additional third page may be used for references (Vancouver style). 

To start the process of writing a guiding document (including a position paper), OMSA members should identify a problem, research its context, and understand the medical student perspective on the issue. The topic should be important to medical students and fall within the scope of OMSA, which includes:

  • Supporting the role of OMSA and its Education Policy or Political Policy and Response committees

  • Representing the views and concerns of Ontario medical students

  • Advocating for the health of Ontarians (i.e., changes in medical education, health policy, or health care delivery that will benefit Ontario medical students and/or the people they train to serve)