Organization

Our EMSA has a rather peculiar way of organizing its work. Although structure is a necessity for optimal performance, yet, we don’t allow ourselves to get “too attached” to “too much structure”. In fact, what we have been striving to accomplish during the formulation of how we wanted to get our work done, is to have a structure that enables a great deal of flexibility and dynamic components that would therefore be able to "evolve" with time. The best way to describe the EMSA structure, generally speaking, is to think of a factory:

Our “Raw Materials”:
Those are the untamed, random ideas, thoughts, involvements and potential activities that we get either from our extensive network of International Agencies, Youth Organizations or Medical Organizations, or the ones our members come up with. Some extensive triage take place according to our priorities, our manpower, our financial capacities and our yearly goals. Then, these “filtered materials” pass to the second level.

Our “Factory”:
Our “raw materials” pass by our internal structure to be processed and tamed into a real project or activity that can be executed through EMSA. This “factory” is composed of:

1) The EMSA National Board (NB): In charge of all the logistics, finances, paperwork and administrative work necessary for any EMSA activity. It manages the EMSA relations with the ministries, carries out the financial & membership book-keeping, deals with official reporting & crisis management, all without getting involved in branches or arms decisions. The national board is chosen by the EMSA founders on specific dates to carry out those tasks & are there to interfere if anything went wrong.

2) EMSA branches: According to their fields of work, EMSA branches can be involved in national EMSA work or simply create their own activities. Each branch has the adequate degree of autonomy to make its own decisions.

3) EMSA Members: Members can carry out national projects as part of an EMSA branch or, independently, without even being related to a specific branch. After all, EMSA membership is for individuals.

Our “final products”:
The “Processed idea” is then transferred to the corresponding EMSA Arm. Each arm has its entirely different system of work processing, infrastructure and field of work. Long term projects or projects that are not related to a specific Arm have their own independent work dynamics, manpower and internal bylaws.

...The EMSA hierarchy...

By making its members in charge of leading their own teams, EMSA encourages personal initiatives and leadership capacities. EMSA is capable of adding as many positions and leadership posts as it is needed, since “making people in charge” doesn’t cost EMSA a dim. Yet, these positions, don’t give their holders any extra privileges from their fellow members. Everyone is working on volunteer basis and opportunities and financial support of work related expenses is equally attributed to all members. In addition, every EMSA arm has its own independent structure that suits it best. In fact, every Arm has its own administrators that represent EMSA as far as this Arm is concerned. The same goes with EMSA branches which have financial autonomy as well.

...Leader's Selection...

EMSA operates with “controllable democracy”: Every branch is represented, every member is represented and every arm is represented in all decision making, yet, we make sure this “right” of representation is well earned before we give it to someone, and we have our own secret recipe that guarantees a sustainable system that doesn’t allow for sudden change of directions every year, guarantees the right of each member to choose his representative and in the same time, makes sure every team is satisfied with its members and is as coherent as it could be in order to achieve the best possible results in our work. The EMSA democracy is nothing but the fruit of extensive research, personal experiences, and others experiences that has led us to a system that we are all proud of and that, for the first time ever, managed to kill benefit oriented actions without affecting respectable competition and at the end, we get a sustainable, comfortable environment that enables everyone to bring his best. These are not just words, this is a reality we are living every day and as we make every single new step towards our vision.

...Constitution, Bylaws and Compendia...

EMSA is goverened by its constitution and bylaws. The constitution governs the administrative, ministerial issues that define what EMSA is all about. The bylaws describe how the internal work of EMSA is carried out. EMSA leaders have the authority to amend the EMSA General bylaws.

You can download a copy of the EMSA constitution translated in English and the latest version of its general bylaws by clicking here.

In addition, each EMSA entity (Arm, Local Branch, Club, Project), has its own specific bylaws or "compendium". It is amended by the members of this entity and governs how this entity works.