General Assembly

How the General Assembly works

Now in its fourth year, the General Assembly continues to grow as a mechanism for grassroots engagement, helping to bring member perspectives directly into the work of the organization. 

This structure is part of the modernization of the OMA governance model that represents members more effectively. The GA sets priorities and makes recommendations to address the opportunities and challenges facing the profession. It empowers all members by connecting them more directly to elected bodies and the decision-making process, while providing transparency into how the association functions.

What's new: GASC elections

Nominations for the General Assembly Steering Committee (GASC) opened on Monday, July 21. We are seeking a chair, vice chair, and three members-at-large. The deadline to apply is Aug. 8 at 5 p.m.

• Apply for GASC chair, vice-chair (All OMA members are eligible to apply)
• Apply for GASC member-at-large (only Priority and Leadership Group delegates are eligible to apply)

The GASC is comprised of the chair and vice-chair, who are elected from the general membership (PLG delegates are also eligible), and three members-at-large elected from the PLG. All members hold two-year terms, with a maximum service of six years. GASC members are voting members of the Priority and Leadership Group, except for the chair and vice-chair, who are non-voting. The chair sits as a voting member on the OMA Governance and Nominating Committee and is an official observer at the OMA Board of Directors.

Please note, PLG delegates cannot hold multiple positions on the GASC. If you wish to apply to be a candidate for GASC chair or vice-chair, you cannot apply for member-at-large. Further details on eligibility and the GASC election are available on the application forms.

Areas of competency

Interested members are invited to provide examples of their top three competencies from the list on their application forms for the chair and vice-chair roles.

Knowledge: Understanding of best practices in governance and the conduct of large-scale meetings. Understands the partnership relationship with the Board of Directors, the CEO and senior OMA leadership. 

Experience: Ideally will have served as a chair of a board, committee or similar body. Experience in the motivation, coaching, evaluation and leadership.

Collective leadership: Demonstrates superior skills in providing direction to and representing the collective views of a group. Listens with respect and leaves room for others to effect productive discussions and decisions. 

Informed judgement: Ability to communicate wise, thoughtful counsel on a broad range of issues while ensuring impartiality, objectivity and credibility.  

Facilitation: Demonstrated skills in facilitating superior group performance through excellent interpersonal and consensus-building skills, personal integrity, professionalism, approachability, availability and open communications. 

Integrative leadership: A big-picture thinker who can keep others focused on the strategic priorities through synthesizing and systemic thinking. 

Spokesperson: Demonstrated skills as a communicator of decisions, policy and information to diverse stakeholders. 

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Decolonization: Has a track record of ensuring discussions and actions adhere to current EDID principles and organization policies. Creates an inclusive culture and effectively leverages diverse perspectives.

Mediation: Has strong conflict resolution skills and ability to problem solve and reconcile challenging differences with empathy, transparency and political savvy. 

Conflict of interest

Applicants will have no real or perceived conflict of interest. 

Potential conflicts of interest, for self or a family member, include affiliation with another board, committee, organization, vendor, supplier or any other party that has a direct or indirect interest in any business transaction or agreement with the OMA or payment of physicians, which could result in benefit. It also includes involvement in any pending legal proceedings involving the OMA.

General Assembly groups and membership

General Assembly Steering Committee

The General Assembly Steering Committee is an oversight committee that ensures the General Assembly, with its various entities, fulfills its mandate and functions effectively. The GASC reports directly to the Board of Directors and ensures the General Assembly has clear and transparent communications, and that all entities, activities and processes adhere to the OMA governance policies and the General Assembly charter.

Committee members:

• Dr. Alykhan Abdulla, chair
• Dr. Gregory Rose, vice-chair
• Dr. Joy Hataley, member-at-large
• Dr. Ross Male, member-at-large
• Dr. Cindy Wang, member-at-large

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Priority and Leadership Group

There are 125 Priority and Leadership Group delegates. The goals of collaboration, representation and diversity require that delegates to the Priority and Leadership Group reflect the broad diversity of the profession as a whole.

Priority and Leadership Group delegates represent diversity in their type of medical practice, leadership experience, region, gender, as well as other characteristics. In their work, they not only represent the interests of their constituency groups, but the larger physician community. As a member of a constituency group’s elected leadership, delegates consistently solicit feedback from members within their constituency, while acting as their information resource and bringing the issues emerging from their constituency to the Priority and Leadership Group.

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