The European Medical Students' Association (EMSA) is a non-governmental and non-profit organisation for medical students; it offers opportunities to their members and provides a voice for medical students across Europe, representing their interests to other European institutions and organizations. EMSA was founded in Brussels in 1990. It integrates medical students in Europe through activities organized for and by medical students. EMSA's network and platform encourages medical students from various countries in geographical Europe to actively engage in matters related to health care, medical education, medical ethics, medical science, and general societal well-being, by acting as a conduit for increased interaction and sharing of knowledge between European medical students in these respective areas. History In 1990, the idea to create a European Medical Students' Association was discussed during a symposium for medical students from all European countries organized by students of the Catholic University of Leuven (KUL), Belgium. A working group was created and in October 1990 the European Medical Students' Association was founded in Brussels. The first and official founding EMSA General Assembly was under the patronage of Baudouin I, the King of Belgium, and was financially supported by the European Community's ERASMUS program. The statutes were officially established and published under Belgian law on 17 January 1991. About EMSA EMSA was founded in Brussels on 20.10.1990. It integrates medical students in Europe through activities organized for and by medical students and representing them in Brussels. In EMSA medical faculties are members, not the individual countries. Since the foundation of EMSA many medical faculties throughout Europe enrolled with EMSA. It currently unites over 90 medical faculties from 27 countries across Europe. EMSA seeks to improve the health and the quality of care of the citizens of Europe by acting as a conduit for increased interaction and sharing of knowledge between European medical students in the areas of medical education, ethics, science and European integration. EMSA is an associated organisation of the CPME Standing Committee of European Doctors. Structure The structure of EMSA which allows maximum effectiveness and control involves the EMSA European Board (EEB) on the European level, the National Coordinators (NCs) on the National Level, and the Local Coordinators (LCs) on the Local Level. In the structure of EMSA, medical faculties are members, not the individual countries; these Medical Faculties are referred to as Faculty Member Organizations (FMOs). Since the foundation of EMSA, many medical faculties throughout Europe have