This week, I interviewed third year student Sushmhitah Sandanatavan, the President of the Peer Assisted Learning Scheme (PALS) at the University of St Andrews to find out what it is like to be in a leadership position while in med school.
HC: Hi Sush, Could you talk about the leadership roles you’ve taken on in med school?
SS: I started off the year as President of PALS and Head of Medicine for STATIC, a STEM student journal. Having leadership positions in both of these societies has taught me so much about my own leadership style and how I’m able to work with others to help contribute to the medical school, and I’ve honestly really enjoyed taking on a more active role in societies this year. In Semester 2, I want to do more! I have just stepped in as Vice President of the Society of Scottish Public Health and recently, I was also elected as a University Representative for the National Medical Women’s Federation. It’s been a busy but super rewarding year, and I’ve loved every second of it.
HC: Which society has taught you the most about leadership?
SS: Definitely PALS! I’ve been super involved with both STATIC and PALS. Since last year I’ve had so many ideas for what PALS could be, and it’s been amazing to actually bring them to life this year. It’s one thing to see potential in a society, but getting to shape it and make a real impact for med students has honestly been such a crazy experience. And honestly, none of this would have been possible without the incredible team PALS has this year – Manal, Papichaya, Fergus, Amrit & Kaavya (& a special shoutout to Laila). They’ve made this whole experience even more special, and I’m so grateful for everything we’ve been able to achieve together!!
HC: What was it like stepping in as president?
SS: It’s taught me so much about myself – how I’m able to organise events, bring ideas to life, and actually make things happen. It’s been one of those experiences where stepping in initially was quite scary because of the huge responsibility, but I’ve sort of realised like ‘oh wow, I can actually do this!’, in the most humbling way. Seeing the impact PALS has had on the med school this year and hearing feedback from other students has honestly been the biggest highlight, it’s definitely an experience I’ll carry with me into my future career, and I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve built.
HC: How did you first get involved with PALS and what made you want to continue?
SS: Honestly at the start of med school, I never really thought about getting involved with societies because I didn’t know much about them or what I could even do for them. But during the election period for recruiting last academic year, I got a little curious about it, especially since a lot of my close friends were already involved with societies.
I actually ended up with roles in both PALS and the Bute Medical Society last year, and spending the year in those societies taught me A LOT about how societies work, what they actually do, and the impact our ideas can have on the students. I’m so grateful to the previous lead, Sam, for allowing me to have more leadership opportunities than my role [as 2nd Year Representative] typically had!
One of my biggest moments in that last year was creating the slides for the first Study Skills session of the semester. After Covid there hadn’t really been a proper in person Study Skills to inform incoming med students about the different study techniques. I had no idea how it was going to go. At the time, our PALS Instagram barely had 100 followers. But I reached out to Toby, the previous Bute President, to present alongside me since he had a lot of leadership and society experience. He gave really good advice on setting events up, like how to book the table on the ground floor of the med school, suggested promoting it there, and even showed me how to acquire donuts for the event (lol). So having someone to give me that advice and help show me how to actually run things made everything so much easier!
The turnout was amazing. The room that seated 70 people was completely full – we even had to grab extra chairs for another 20+ people! Seeing that, plus all the positive feedback, really boosted my confidence in my ability to lead and host events. It laid the foundation for everything I’ve done since, and I’m so incredibly grateful to Sam for giving me that space to step up and to Toby for his help with my first event. Honestly, if I hadn’t had that experience, I probably wouldn’t have had the confidence to take on the leadership roles I have today!
HC: What does being a leader in a medical society mean to you?
SS: Leadership in general to me is about being that person who creates a comfortable and supportive environment for the team and being someone they can rely on and go to with any issues. A leader isn’t just there to make decisions, but to set the standard, bring ideas to life, and make sure everything runs smoothly and communication is such a huge part of that, which is why this year it was really important for me to build a genuine friendship with everyone on the team. A leader also needs to be proactive – someone who takes initiative, gets things off the ground, and isn’t afraid to take responsibility. It’s about having a vision but also knowing how to execute it well with the team that you have. Being adaptable, staying organised, and making sure everyone feels heard and valued are all things I’ve worked on a lot this year too. Leading a medical society builds on all of that, but it also comes with an added level of professionalism and responsibility because you’re not just leading a team but also representing yourself to the entire med school community.
HC: Why is community in the medical sphere so important to you?
SS: I do value community so much in the medical sphere because, in my opinion, medicine isn’t really something you can go through alone. The challenges are actually kind of random and unique, and having a strong support system can be the difference between just getting by and actually thriving. For me personally, I feel like I was really able to step into my full potential as a leader this year because of the people around me. The support from my incredible friends helped bring out the best in me, and I’ve seen firsthand how being in a strong, supportive environment pushes people to do better and achieve more.
And it’s not just about med school. Even in our future careers, medical careers will be extremely demanding, and the people who will understand the pressures are the ones going through it too. That’s why I think I value the medicine community so much – because having the right people around you not only makes the experience better but also helps you grow into the best version of yourself and reach your fullest potential.
HC: Looking back on this year, what have been some of the highlights for you and for PALS?
SS: Starting the year with the Question Booklets was huge – I don’t think I even fully reflected on how big of a thing that was for us to put together. It was such a great way to kick off the year, and it honestly wouldn’t have been possible without all the amazing contributors. Speaking of the start of the year, I’m also so grateful for how Freshers’ Fayre went. A massive shoutout to our Vice President, Manal, for really taking the lead on organising the stall, setting up the tables, and making everything look so amazing! It was so lovely getting to meet so many new faces, introduce them to PALS, and just chat to all the new students. We also gained an incredible reach on our social media after Freshers Fayre (keeping in mind we entered it with just over 150 followers) and now we have over 500 which is so cool to see – huge thanks to Manal for that!!
Another thing I haven’t mentioned yet is the release of our Partner School Booklet, which was actually an idea from our Secretary, Papichaya. She wanted to give students more insight into our partner schools from a student perspective, and it was such an incredible initiative. I’m so glad we were able to bring that idea to life together, so huge huge thanks to her as well!
HC: For students who are thinking about getting involved in leadership roles, what advice would you give them?
SS: One of the most important things about stepping into a leadership role is making sure you don’t take the position for granted. A great leader is someone who treats everyone fairly, avoids bias, and doesn’t let personal opinions or their personal life interfere with the responsibilities of the society. Leadership isn’t just about holding a title but is also about making sure the society runs in a way that provides everyone with the same opportunities and support and I think that’s what sets apart a leader and a great leader.
Personally, I wouldn’t recommend being President of more than one big society at a time, because leadership comes with responsibility, and it’s important to be able to dedicate yourself fully to the role. For me, my biggest priority is making PALS the best it can be, so while I love my other roles, it’s also important to note that I don’t commit the same level of time to them as I do to PALS. That’s why I love my other roles like Head of Medicine for STATIC, where I get to lead my writing team whilst also knowing the Co-Leads of STATIC and other Heads like Head of Events or Logistics or Marketing etc. handle other aspects like talks, workshops, and networking events. The same goes for being Vice President of the Society of Public Health and Medical Women’s Federation St Andrews – I love being in a leadership role where I can voice my ideas and play an active part, but it’s also great knowing that there’s a President leading the overall direction. I personally wouldn’t take on multiple presidential roles at once, and that’s something I think is really important to consider when choosing leadership positions.
One last piece of advice – timing matters! I only took on the VP roles in SSPH & MWF StA after spending my Christmas break finalising plans for PALS and STATIC for the upcoming semester. Making sure I had a solid foundation before committing to new roles made a huge difference in being able to balance everything without feeling overwhelmed. So if you’re thinking about leadership, definitely consider what roles fit best with your time, priorities, and what you actually enjoy doing! Hope that advice helps!
Thanks so much to Sush for speaking with HerCampus on your experiences being a leader in the medical student world!
link for all PALS resources : https://linktr.ee/palssta