Liverpool Medical Students Society

Liverpool Medical Students Society

Motto	Non Nobis Laboramus "We Labour Not for Ourselves"
Institution	University of Liverpool
Location	Victoria Building, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, England, United Kingdom & Liverpool Medical Institution
Established	1874
President	Thomas A. Capstick
General secretary	Elizabeth C. Lane
Treasurer	Thomas J. H. Powell
Members	over 1000
Affiliations	Liverpool Medical School Liverpool Medical Institution
Honorary Life President	Mr. Ron Templeton
Website	www.lmssonline.co.uk

The Liverpool Medical Students Society (LMSS) is the Medsoc of the University of Liverpool School of Medicine. The mission of the society is to represent and care for the students of the School of Medicine of the University of Liverpool. It has an affiliation with, but is independent of, the Liverpool Guild of Students (the Students' Union). The Society's weekly Thursday meetings are held in the Grade II-listed Victoria Building. The Society's principal roles include the educational, pastoral, social and extracurricular needs of the Liverpool medical students and to represent the students' voice to the staff of the School of Medicine.

History

The LMSS is the longest-running students society at the University of Liverpool. It was founded over 140 years ago and pre-dates the University itself. It was originally called the "Liverpool Royal Infirmary School of Medicine Debating Society (M.S.D.S)" when it was founded by Dr. Richard Caton in 1874, who was later Lord Mayor of Liverpool and Professor of Physoloigy at the University of Liverpool.

The original society was a male only entity, and often debated such things as whether females should be admitted into the medical school. The society finally decided to admit female medical students in 1905, and the first female doctor to graduate from Liverpool was Phoebe Powell in 1910. The society's name was changed to the "LMSS" in 1943 and shows how the society was being recognised as doing far more than merely debating, including fundraising and social events.

The Society records the names of its Student Officers and Honorary Presidents in the Jack Leggate Theatre of the Victoria Gallery & Museum. Previous Honorary Presidents of the Society have included Henry Cohen, 1st Baron Cohen of Birkenhead, Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, Professor Sir Cyril A. Clarke KBE, and Professor Thomas Cecil Gray CBE KCSG. It's plaque reads:

"Established as Royal Liverpool Infirmary School of Medicine Debating Society in 1874 by Dr. Richard Caton, Making this the oldest society of its kind in the country. Continued as University College Medical School Debating Society from 1885, Becoming Liverpool University Medical School Debating Society in 1902. It was finally transformed to Liverpool Medical Students Society in 1943."

The LMSS Officer Board depicting the names of all Officers and Hon. Presidents of the Society in the Victoria Gallery & Museum at the University of Liverpool

Governance

The Society is governed by a Board of Trustees, who are responsible for overseeing the management and administration of the Society, overseeing the financial decisions, ratifying elections, and ensuring activities and events remain within the bounds of the law. The board consists of 14 trustees, of whom most are senior practicing Medical Practitioners and Alumni.

The Officers and Full Committee

The Society is run primarily by three officers, the President, Treasurer and Secretary. Towards the end of each year the society holds its annual Hustings, where candidates are put forward for the three major student positions of the society. The full society have two full weeks to vote for candidates between Hustings and the Annual General Meeting. A full committee of 39 medical students is elected at the AGM. They cover a portfolio of areas including entertainment & socials, charities, welfare, clubs & societies, the Annual Smoking concert and the Annual Medical Ball.

More recently, the Society has gathered national media attention for its "Jack Leggate" song and its infamous Annual Smoking concert which started in the 1880s.

Notable Alumni who have served as Officers or Committee Members, and/or have demonstrated an exceptional and sustained commitment to multiple avenues of Society activity, to tirelessly further the interests of the Society are elevated to Honorary Life Membership of the Society. Current notable and previous Honorary Life Members include the current Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Dr Ruth Hussey OBE CB, the First Female Professor of Surgery in the United Kingdom, Emeritus Professor Averil Mansfield OBE, and the retired Regius Professor of Medicine Emeritus Sir David Weatherall KBE DL MBChB FRCP FRCPE FRS FMedSci

Ordinary Meetings and Speakers

The Society's Thursday Ordinary Meetings are famous and have been taking place at least as long as the Society has existed. At each Meeting a Guest is invited to address the Society, and the LMSS has a long history of hosting national public figures, celebrities and others of note.

Notable Alumni & Honorary Presidents

• Professor Sir Cyril A. Clarke KBE
• Dr. Richard Caton
• Professor Sir Ian Gilmore
• Professor Thomas Cecil Gray CBE KCSG
• Mr. John (Jack) Mortimer Leggate FRCS
• Henry Cohen, 1st Baron Cohen of Birkenhead
• Dr Ruth Hussey OBE CB
• Regius Professor of Medicine Emeritus Sir David Weatherall KBE DL MBChB FRCP FRCPE FRS FMedSci
• Emeritus Professor Averil Mansfield OBE
• Professor Sir Miles Irving

2014-2016 'Smoker' controversy & University De-ratification

On 10 November 2014 the online feminist magazine The Vagenda tweeted a screenshot which apparently showed a proposed script for the Annual Smoking Concert which had been circulated amongst fourth year medical students. The explicit content sparked claims that students responsible were misogynistic and that the concert itself was contributing to a "Lad culture" at the university. The Mirror Online highlighted the explicit lyrics of the LMSS's "Jack Leggate song", stating;

"The society is also known for singing an explicit song at society events which includes the line “we like those girls who say they won't but look as though they might”"

The university and Liverpool Guild of Students subsequently released a statement condeming the content and promising an internal enquiry into the materials for the production.

The Victoria Building (above) where the weekly 'Ordinary Meetings' take place

On 14 January 2016 Liverpool Guild of Students officially de-ratified the society barring its use of guild services.

On 15th January 2016, a petition was created on change.org in opposing the de-ratification of the LMSS, which demanded the immediate resignation of Liverpool Guild of Students President Harry Anderson. As of 21st January 2016, this petition has over 1,300 signatures.

External links

• LMSS on Twitter