JDN Terms of Reference 2021

THE WORLD MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, INC.
L’ASSOCIATION MEDICALE MONDIALE, INC
ASOCIACION MEDICA MUNDIAL, INC
CIB Immeuble A “Le Keynes” Website : www.wma.net Postal Address :
13-A Chemin du Levant Telephone : (33) 4 50 40 75 75 CS 5001
01210 Ferney-Voltaire Fax : (33) 4 50 40 59 37 01210 Ferney-Voltaire
France E-mail address : wma@wma.net France
Terms of Reference
These terms of Reference were approved by the
188th Council Session in Sydney, April 2011
and amended by the 207th Council Session in Chicago, October 2017
and the 217th Council Session, Seoul (online), April 2021
The goal of the WMA Junior Doctors’ Network (JDN) of Associate Members is to provide a forum for
experience-sharing, policy discussion, project and resource development on issues of interest to junior
doctors, including (but not limited to) global health, postgraduate training, safe working conditions, and
physician migration.
The JDN is based at the WMA General Secretariat and supported by its administrative staff.
Functions
The JDN will:
1. Participate, advocate, and consult with Constituent and Associate members of the WMA on issues of
interest to junior doctors.
2. Collaborate with Constituent and Associate members of the WMA and other stakeholders to increase
the number of junior doctors registered as Associate members of the WMA.
3. Develop reference materials on issues of interest to junior doctors, including (but not limited to)
literature reviews, surveys, reports, and policy papers.
4. Communicate information on emerging issues of interest to junior doctors internationally, in
collaboration with the National Medical Associations of the WMA and other stakeholders.
5. Organize professional development activities and develop resources for junior doctors
6. Coordinate and disseminate information on global health research and clinical elective opportunities
and resources for junior doctors worldwide.
7. Develop and implement relevant junior-doctor led projects and programs.
8. Contribute to policy development as members of WMA Working Groups when appointed by the
WMA Chair of Council.
9. Represent WMA externally on issues of interest to junior doctors at the direction of the WMA
leadership.
Membership
Composition:
In order to be a member of the JDN, an individual has to be a physician eligible for WMA membership.
Furthermore, the individual shall fulfill the following:
● Must be within 10 years of graduation from medical school or until an ongoing post-graduate
medical educational program is terminated
● Must be an associate member of the WMA
WMA page 2
Members are eligible to attend and participate in all JDN activities, to vote in JDN elections, and to run for
election for any JDN officer position.
JDN Alumni:
JDN Alumni are defined as those WMA Associate Members who have previously engaged with the JDN but
are no longer within 10 years from graduation from medical school or until an ongoing post-graduate
medical educational program is terminated.
JDN Alumni are eligible to be on the JDN mailing list and to participate in JDN working groups.
Management Team
It shall be the duty of the Management Team of the JDN to administer the affairs of the JDN in accordance
with the provisions throughout these Terms of Reference and in accordance with the Articles and Bylaws of
the WMA and the Procedures and Operating Policies of the WMA.
The management team functions in an environment of consensus decision making, decision if a vote is
requested for a decision, the Procedures and Operating Policies of the WMA and the Rules of Procedure for
All Deliberative Bodies of the WMA apply.
The JDN Management Team is composed of a maximum of 11 officers. The first nine are elected as
described in the Election of the management team section; the last two are ex-officio members.
● The Chairperson: leads the team in fulfilling the strategic vision of the JDN, reports the activities of
the JDN to the WMA officers, governing bodies, and the Secretary General, serves as contact point
for the WMA secretariat, and the Chair of the Associate Members, represent the JDN externally to
partner organizations, coordinates activities related to external representation, chair Management
Team meetings, chair JDN Membership meetings, supports JDN Officers in accomplishing their tasks.
● The Deputy Chairperson: supports the chairperson in their role, replaces the chairperson when the
chairperson is not available, contributes to leading the team in fulfilling the strategic vision of the
JDN.
● The Secretary: assists with the coordination of the JDN, convenes the meetings of the management
team and the general membership monthly teleconferences, document JDN activities, takes minutes
during JDN meetings, organizes the JDN archives.
● The Medical Ethics Officer: coordinates JDN activities related to Medical Ethics issues, contributes to
WMA policy on medical ethics, observes the WMA Medical Ethics Committee (MEC) and liaises with
the Secretariat on issues of the MEC
● The Socio-Medial Affairs Officer: coordinates JDN activities related to socio-medical affairs issues,
contributes to WMA policy on global health, coordinates internally JDN activities related to the WHO
Governing Body Meetings, observes the WMA Socio-Medical Affairs Committee (SMAC) and liaises
with the Secretariat on issues of the SMAC.
● The Education Director: coordinates JDN activities related to medical education issues, contributes to
WMA policy on medical education.
● The Membership Director: coordinates with the WMA Secretariat on maintaining the membership
database, communicate with new and prospective members, facilitate engagement of new
members.
● The Publication Director: develops biannual JDN Newsletters, prepare Special Editions of JDN
Newsletters as needed, design educational materials when applicable.
● The Communication Director: leads web, social media activities and ensure website updates. The
social media being used are listed in Appendix B which is subject to agreement of the Chair of Council
and the Secretary General.
WMA page 3
● The Immediate Past Chairperson (ex-officio): supports the current JDN team, ensure institutional
memory.
● The Immediate Past Deputy Chairperson (ex-officio): supports the current JDN team, ensure
institutional memory.
JDN Management Team Officers elections are run annually in October during the JDN Meeting taking place
before the WMA General Assembly.
Elections
● Delegates who are eligible to vote should fulfill the following requirements at the latest one week
before the start of the JDN meeting where the elections will take place: be a member of the JDN in
good standing (JDN Alumni members do not vote).
● All elections of officers shall be decided by more than half of votes cast by secret ballot. If there is
more than one candidate for any office, no candidate shall be declared elected unless he or she has
received more than half of the votes cast. If no candidate has received more than half of the votes
cast, then the name of the candidate receiving the smallest number of votes shall be dropped and
the remaining candidates shall be voted on again until one receives more than half of the votes cast.
If there is a single candidate for a position but they do not receive an absolute majority of votes cast,
that position shall remain vacant.1
● The procedures for voting by secret ballot shall be decided by the Election Committee Chair in
consultation with the WMA Legal Advisor. Secret ballot voting may be conducted using paper ballots
or an electronic system, if available.2
Terms of office
● JDN officers are elected for a 1-year term and shall be eligible for re-election. An individual may serve
a maximum of three years in the same office.
● The term starts on the date immediately following the elections and runs until the date of the
following election.
Vacancy
● Any JDN officer may resign from office without prior notice, such a resignation must be
communicated in writing to the management team and to the Secretary General.
● In situations of misconduct in office, the management team may call for a vote of no confidence to
remove the JDN officer from their office. Such a decision requires a ⅔ majority of the JDN officers
present and voting. An extraordinary meeting of the JDN Membership shall be convened to officially
endorse the decision of removing a JDN Officer.
● In the event of the death, inability to serve, or resignation of the Chairperson during their term of
office, the Deputy Chairperson shall automatically succeed to the office of Chairperson for the
unexpired portion of the term remaining, and at the next meeting of Management team the officers
shall elect from among their own number a Deputy Chairperson to serve the remainder of the term.3
● In the event of the death, inability to serve, cessation of activity4 or resignation of any JDN officer
during their term of office, the JDN Chairperson shall redistribute tasks among the remaining JDN
1 Adapted from: Procedures and Operating Policies of the WMA Chapter 1: Election and Voting Procedures for All
Bodies of the WMA article 1.1.1.
2 Procedures and Operating Policies of the WMA Chapter 1: Election and Voting Procedures for All Bodies of the WMA
article 1.3.1
3 Adapted from: Articles and Bylaws of the WMA, Section 2. Chair of the Council, E) Vacancy
4
To be confirmed by the Secretary General or the Legal Advisor
WMA page 4
officers. At any subsequent meeting of Management team, the officers may nominate a JDN member
in good standing to fill the vacant position.5 In such circumstances, the nominated officer shall not
have the right to vote in management team decisions.
Meetings
● The JDN will meet in-person or electronically on bi-annual basis, in conjunction with meetings of the
WMA General Assembly and Council meeting. Those meetings are considered on a standing
invitation.
● The WMA Leadership shall be invited to engage with JDN members at the biannual meetings.6
● Extraordinary Meetings of the JDN Membership shall be convened any time at the request of the JDN
Management team or at the request of not less than of 20 % of the JDN members. Such meetings
have to be invited one month in advance for an in-person meeting and two weeks in advance for an
online meeting. The notice shall state the purpose of the meeting.
● Other meetings and teleconferences will be scheduled by the JDN Secretary or Chairperson as
deemed necessary.
● In consideration of the international nature of participation in the JDN and the limited resources
available to many junior doctors, efforts will be made to reduce costs for JDN participants to attend
meetings.
5 Adapted from: Articles and Bylaws of the WMA, Section 2. Chair of the Council, E) Vacancy
6
To be noted: The WMA Officers, the Secretary General and the WMA Legal Advisor are entitled to attend all
meetings of the WMA
WMA page 5
[Appendix A]
Candidatures:
● A candidate must fulfill the following requirements:
a. Be an associate member of WMA in good standing
b. Be a JDN member (not a JDN alumni) at the time of elections
c. Attended at least one biannual JDN meeting other than the one where elections are being held
● The following documents must be provided
a. A completed application form signed by the candidate
b. Curriculum Vitae
c. Motivation Letter
d. Plan of Action corresponding to the position for which they are running
Elections Committee:
● The Elections Committee will be composed of 3 JDN members who are not candidates for the
elections in question.
● JDN officers may take part in the Elections Committee occupying at the most, one out of the three
positions.
● Call for the Elections Committee shall be sent by email to all members by the JDN Chair two months
prior to the election date and members will be selected by JDN Management Team at the latest
seven weeks prior to the date of the elections.
● The Elections Committee members shall:
– Nominate one member within the committee to act as Elections Chair within one week of the
selection of the committee
– Send a call for candidates six weeks before the elections by email with a clear deadline with date
and time in addition to the list of requirements, application form and a brief explanation of the
role and tasks of each position. The candidatures shall be sent to the official Elections
Committee email address. The deadline for applications shall be two weeks prior to the election
date at the latest. Any incomplete entries are not eligible to run. If no candidature for a position
is submitted by the deadline, candidatures can be submitted until midnight before the start of
the JDN meeting. If no candidature is submitted by the midnight prior to the start of the JDN
meeting, the position is considered unfilled and it is the responsibility of the newly elected JDN
Management Team to appoint a JDN member in good standing to hold that office. In such
circumstances, the nominated officer does not have the right to vote in management team
decisions.
– Review all candidatures and ensure their validity
– Check with WMA Secretariat regarding the candidates associate membership status
– Share candidatures with all JDN members minimum of two weeks before elections
– Check the voting eligibility of each candidate and of each delegate at the latest one week prior
to the start of the JDN meeting
– Attend the elections portion of the JDN meeting in its entirety
– Run the elections during the JDN Meeting taking place before the WMA General Assembly
(including candidates’ presentations, counting the votes, announcing the result)
● The Election Committee Chair announces the results and informs the WMA President, the Chair of
Council, the Chair of the Associate Members and the Secretary General.
Candidates Presentation:
● Each candidate present at the meeting has to make a brief presentation (maximum of 3 minutes)
followed by a period for questions and answers (up to 2 minutes).
● If there are multiple candidates for a single position, competing candidates are to leave the room
WMA page 6
during presentations; the order of presentations is chosen by drawing lots.
● There are no group discussion of candidates following their presentation or at any other time during
the elections process
● If a candidate is not physically present at the meeting, their candidature can be presented virtually
(maximum of 3 minutes) if technology allows and not by another delegate.
Timeframe:
● 2 months prior to the elections: call for Elections Committee members
● 2 weeks from above or 7 weeks from the elections date: select Elections Committee members
● 1 week from selection above: nominate Elections Committee Chair
● 6 weeks from elections date: call for JDN Management Team officers elections
● 2 weeks from election date: deadline for candidacies + share candidacies (minimum deadline)
● 1 week before the JDN meeting: check voting eligibility of candidates and delegates
● Day: presentations + elections
[Appendix B]
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WMAJDN
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wma_jdn/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/WMA-JDN-103849037717586/
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2250658651712649/