Founded in 1931, the Christian Medical and Dental Associations (CMDA) exist to glorify God–by motivating, educating and equipping Christian doctors and students to serve with professional excellence as witnesses of Christ’s love and compassion, and by advancing biblical principles of healthcare within the Church and to our culture.

Partnership with InterVarsity’s Graduate and Faculty Ministries

Founded in 1941, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IV) exists to establish and build witnessing communities of faculty and students growing in love for God, God’s word, God’s people of every ethnicity and culture, and God’s purposes in the world.  In particular, IV’s Graduate and Faculty Ministries staff are trained and equipped to serve graduate students during a season of professional development with a desire to see lives transformed, world changers developed and campuses renewed through spiritual formation, community, witness and outreach, and integration of faith, learning, and practice.

In the course of time, convergence between CMDA and InterVarsity’s ministries has occurred on certain medical and dental school campuses yielding a fruitful kingdom-oriented partnership. Because of the like-minded vision and mission between these organizations, InterVarsity’s Graduate and Faculty Ministries (GFM) partners with CMDA Campus & Community Ministries to provide ministry to medical and dental students.   IV campus staff ministers (IV-CSM) serve with CMDA in the role of Associate Staff with CMDA.  Though assuming role of CMDA Associate Staff , IV-CSM remain full-time employees of IV, including direct salary, benefits, and liability coverage.

Using their InterVarsity ministry values, skills, and training, CMDA Associate Staff:

• Serve as “ministry coach” to the student leaders of the CMDA chapter
• Provide spiritual counsel, ministry guidance and leadership development to the student leaders on campus
• Co-labor together with the student leaders and Local Council/Campus Advisor to implement the shared and aligned CMDA and IV vision through the specific strategic plan for the local chapter ministry
• Participate in the local CMDA ministry through engaging as able in weekly Bible studies, campus outreach, and/or medical mission opportunities, etc.
• Act as Ambassador for CMDA, by encouragingstudents involved in the CMDA chapter to become formal members of CMDA, helping to establish the life-long relationship of ministry to and with medical and dental professionals
• Ensure, as able, that the CMDA Chapter remains in good standing with CMDA policy and bylaws