We are medical students from various colleges across India, collaborating to organize pan-India events that promote comprehensive medical education and raise reproductive health awareness among students and the general public. We are a 10-member team functioning as a subsidiary under AMSA India, a non-profit, student-led NGO. I, Suhaavi Kaur Chawla, serve as the chair of the team alongside my wonderful colleagues Utkarsha Sharma, Riti Aggarwal, Shreya Ramakrishnan, Varenya Singh, Srishti Xalxo, Priyanka Ojas Oza, Amandeep Kaur, Rishika Mahajan, and Preeti Kumari.
The following responses reflect a compilation of collective feedback and experiences from my team to present a holistic and honest perspective on our journey within this organization:
MSFC India Chapter Initiatives
Reflecting on my tenure as a student leader with MSFC, I feel incredibly proud of the work my team has accomplished and the meaningful impact we’ve created.
This past year, we organized six major events, ranging from article submissions on teenage pregnancy for the AMSA Newsletter to a nationwide sanitary pad distribution drive. Two of our most impactful initiatives were Project RED 2.0 and B.R.E.A.S.T.- Breast Cancer Research, Education, Awareness, Screening, and Training.
Project RED 2.0, our legacy event, was a nationwide drive on menstrual and menopause awareness combined with free sanitary pad distribution. It addressed the stigma and lack of awareness, surrounding menstruation and menopause, particularly in underserved communities. The initiative reached several states.
- Maharashtra: Tribal outreach of ~30 women using the Bhil language,
- Punjab: OPD awareness sessions with low-cost pad distribution,
- Karnataka (Malleshwaram): School sessions with pad demonstrations and quizzes,
- Karnataka (Vijayapura): Kannada language sessions in OPDs and schools, reaching 200+ people. Overall, 350+ women and adolescent girls were sensitized, and 300+ sanitary pads were distributed free of cost.
We conducted Project Choices, mobilizing students from various medical colleges to organize OPD-based awareness drives. The aim was to educate eligible couples about the range of contraceptive options available and raise awareness about safe abortion rights. Despite India having legalized abortion, misinformation and stigma persist. Through this project, students informed patients about their legal rights, bodily autonomy, and the importance of accessing abortion only through registered medical practitioners to prevent unsafe practices.
The B.R.E.A.S.T. Cancer Awareness Drive was a 10-day pan-India initiative for medical students, focused on promoting breast cancer screening and breaking social taboos around the topic. Conducted in multiple languages and formats, the project successfully engaged diverse audiences, proving that awareness and education can empower communities and start life-changing conversations.
Why This Work Matters to Us
For Utkarsh and Riti, the motivation stemmed from their belief in the life-saving power of early diagnosis and screening for cancer. Knowing that even small awareness efforts can make a huge difference inspires them to act. They also found fulfillment in mentoring fellow medical students and witnessing collective efforts spark meaningful change.
Srishti shared that as medical students in India, we’ve witnessed how low-resource healthcare settings are overburdened with patients who require compassionate and comprehensive care, but often, these needs remain unmet. Despite having one of the earliest Medical Termination of Pregnancy Acts, India still struggles with deep-rooted stigma, systemic neglect, and misinformation that limit access to safe reproductive care. Medical students rarely receive proper training when it comes to adequate abortion care and patient counselling, and although our medical curriculum has recently seen progressive changes, it hasn’t always been inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ community. We wanted to foster critical thinking and social accountability, along with the commitment to practice evidence-based medicine in our unit. We wanted to empower medical students with the skills to address and advocate for the real-world problems, not just concern themselves with academia. We planned these activities primarily to ignite curiosity, and soon we were discussing the impact of sharing authentic stories, the courage it takes to simply talk about a topic like teenage pregnancy in an environment that hushes its existence and encouraging new students to look beyond their classrooms. Through these initiatives, we sought to amplify the student voices in the healthcare space.
Moments That Stayed With Us
As a student leader, the most memorable part for me was watching my team collaborate so passionately and authentically. Seeing medical students from across India unite for a shared cause reaffirmed my belief in the power of youth-led change. The dedication of students who spend hours on Zoom, brainstorming, and executing national-level events reminded me why we chose this profession: to make a difference, one step at a time. For me, the success of this role was defined by whether even one girl walked away from our sessions more aware of her rights.
For Riti and Utkarsh, a standout moment from the B.R.E.A.S.T. Drive was the overwhelming participation, with nearly 30 team registrations and male and female participants in almost equal numbers. A highlight of the event was the creative skits performed by many teams. These skits made the message of breast cancer awareness vivid, relatable, and unforgettable, leaving a lasting impression on the audience. Other teams conducted seminars in medical settings, collaborated with local Rotaract clubs, or made their own posters, banners, and placards inspired by materials provided by our team. By allowing teams to choose their own communication methods, outreach took a holistic approach, combining education, awareness, and personal connection. Some teams also distributed pink ribbons, giving the public something tangible to carry home. Moments like these reminded them of the power of creativity, collaboration and meaningful storytelling in driving awareness and change.
Srishti recalls being deeply moved by the “Hidden Voices” writing competition, where medical students shared stories about the unseen struggles of patients. The stories highlight the issues patients endure in our healthcare system and in their personal lives, that we as care providers might not recognize. A reality so different than what we expect that we’re forced to think, to dig deeper and ultimately realize our role in this process. Another fond memory for her was seeing first-year medical students eagerly prepare for one of their first initiatives with Project Red and how they would nervously walk up to the stage to present the material,. how they’d step into their roles as educators for that session, spreading awareness about a taboo topic like menstrual hygiene with the confidence that they were part of the change they wanted to see.
Student-Led Action
Utkarsh and Riti believe that initiatives like the B.R.E.A.S.T. Cancer Awareness Drive can make a real difference in reproductive healthcare rights and access by helping break the silence around topics often considered taboo. Educating people about early diagnosis, screening and preventive care gives them the knowledge and confidence to take control of their own health. Using creative ways to communicate such as skits, seminars and posters makes medical information easier to understand and relate to, reaching more people effectively. Mentoring fellow medical students also helps spread this awareness further, so that the message continues beyond the event. In the end, initiatives like this bridge the gap between medical knowledge and everyday understanding, encourage open conversations and make it easier for people to access healthcare without fear or hesitation.
Srishti believes that these initiatives aim at spreading awareness amongst the general population on the more taboo topics in India like safe abortion, menstruation, maintenance of menstrual hygiene, contraception as well as diseases like STIs, breast cancer, cervical cancer etc. We take on topics that, despite being well researched, are riddled with misconceptions or myths. Many patients are unaware of the government schemes and programs launched for their benefit and welfare. Patients, especially those who are not literate and those who are underprivileged, find it hard to navigate through these schemes, adding another barrier to access. The unit ensures that medical students participating in or conducting these initiatives are equipped with accurate medical information and skills to tackle misinformation. By doing so, we remind the public that their interests are respected and will be protected.
These initiatives are designed to help medical students learn about important patient issues, compassionate decision making, and inclusivity in every sense of the word. They encourage a healthy discourse among medical students and give them the opportunity to interact with patients. We hope that through these sessions we will be able to make the patients aware of their healthcare rights and of our responsibility to support them. Through continued student efforts, the medical curriculum in our country has begun to embrace inclusive terms and to do away with outdated ones; we aim to further that journey.
Learning to Lead and Challenges We Faced
A major challenge was discussing topics like breast cancer in a way that was both informative and culturally sensitive. We had to balance medical accuracy with empathy to ensure people felt comfortable engaging.
Coordinating teams across diverse regions with different languages and work styles was another hurdle. We addressed this by allowing creative flexibility while maintaining consistency in messaging. Regular check-ins, mentorship, and encouragement helped sustain motivation and ensure smooth execution.
According to Srishti, another challenge was public skepticism toward modern medicine and the rising preference for alternative healing systems. Many communities mistrusted allopathic medicine, making engagement difficult. The team overcame this by building mutual respect, encouraging shared decision-making and upholding bodily autonomy. By addressing myths in patients’ own languages and contexts, we were able to rebuild trust and promote informed, evidence-based healthcare choices.
What This Means for Patients and Medical Students
Initiatives like the B.R.E.A.S.T. Cancer Awareness Drive can have a meaningful impact on access to reproductive healthcare for both patients and students. For patients, awareness about screening and early detection empowers them to seek care proactively and make informed decisions about their health. For students, participating in these activities builds knowledge, confidence, and communication skills, while also giving them experience in teamwork, leadership, and structured hierarchy, since each team had an event coordinator and volunteers.
These activities are a gateway to knowing the lacunae in the medical system, our curriculum and the administrative inefficiencies that defer access to healthcare. These activities provide them with the opportunity to take up leadership roles, public health initiatives and build the capacity to influence healthcare policy in the future. This teaches students how to advocate for their patients and their rights which could expand access to healthcare. We may not always be able to provide tangible solutions to pressing problems in medicine but can always foster the interest to do so. By helping students learn, we ensure that patients receive accurate legal and medical guidance. For underprivileged patients, our awareness activities become a source of confidence in the medical system. This reduces stigma in healthcare settings and encourages curiosity. Our donation drives try to improve access to menstrual products whilst educating young girls who can share this newfound knowledge with other girls their age.
To Students Thinking of Starting a Chapter
As a student leader, my advice is simple- take that first step. Change starts small, but consistency creates impact. Utkarsh and Riti add, “If you want to start a chapter, just go for it! Don’t wait for the perfect plan. Build a passionate team, divide work smartly and stay organized- but also enjoy the process. Balance academics with advocacy, experiment fearlessly and remember that even small events matter. Every effort counts.”
Srishti concludes, “Medical Students for Choice Unit has become an essential part of medical student advocacy groups, especially with the current climate in healthcare where there is increasing focus on limiting reproductive rights of women and diminishing patient autonomy, which is an important pillar of bioethics. It fights for your voice as budding doctors to be heard in the healthcare space, bridges the gap between medical legality and lived reality, helping you represent patients’ interests when they themselves cannot. It creates a community of like-minded individuals who want to contribute towards safe, dignified and informed reproductive care for all. And despite the challenges we face, it is worth it to have a fraternity like that. So, my advice would be to just nurture your interest. Don’t think of starting a chapter as a task for a big man. A start has no requirements, just you and your belief. If you’re a medical student and you’re passionate about advocating, learning, and organizing, this would be the place for you. And even if this isn’t something you have ever done before, I have always believed in pursuing the things that inspire curiosity, especially those that intimidate you.”
