JDN Terms of Reference 2025

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JDN Terms of Reference
These Terms of Reference were approved by the
188th
Council Session in Sydney, April 2011
and amended by the 207th
Council Session in Chicago, October 2017
the 217th
Council Session, Seoul (online), April 2021
and the 229th
Council Session, Montevideo, April 2025
The WMA Junior Doctors’ Network (JDN) of Associate Members aims to create a platform for
experience-sharing, policy discussions, projects, and resource development on topics relevant to
junior doctors, such as (and not limited to) global health, postgraduate training, safe working
conditions, and physicians’ migration.
The JDN is based at the WMA General Secretariat and supported by its administrative staff.
1. Membership
To be a member of the JDN, an individual has to be a physician as that term is defined in the
WMA bylaws (Section 1c (i) of Chapter 1). Furthermore, the individual shall fulfil the
following:
• Must be within 10 years of graduation from medical school.
• Must be an associate member of the WMA.
Members are eligible to attend and participate in all JDN activities, to vote in JDN elections,
and to run for election for any JDN officer position.
2. JDN Alumni
JDN Alumni are WMA Associate Members in good standing, in the meaning of the Associate
Member (AM) rules, who have previously engaged with the JDN but are no longer within 10
years from graduation from medical school.
JDN Alumni are eligible to be on the JDN mailing list and to participate in JDN Working
Groups. JDN Alumni have no voting rights in JDN elections and decision-making.
3. Functions
The JDN:
3.1 Participates, advocates, and consults with Constituent and Associate members of the
WMA on issues of interest to junior doctors.
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3.2 Represents the WMA externally on issues of interest to junior doctors at the direction of
the WMA and as defined in the AM rules.
3.3 Contributes to policy development as members of the WMA Working Groups when
appointed by the WMA Chair of Council.
3.4 Collaborates with Constituent and Associate members of the WMA and other
stakeholders to increase the number and build capacity of junior doctors registered as
Associate members of the WMA.
3.5 Develops reference materials on issues of interest to junior doctors, including (but not
limited to) literature reviews, surveys, reports, and policy papers and disseminates
information on global health research and clinical elective opportunities and resources for
junior doctors worldwide.
3.6 Communicates information on emerging issues of interest to junior doctors, in
collaboration with the National Medical Associations of the WMA and other relevant
stakeholders.
3.7 Organizes professional development activities and develops and implements relevant
junior-doctors’ led projects and programs.
3.8 Establishes internal Working Groups when needed, composed of members and alumni,
supervised and/or managed by designated Management Team members. Each Working
Group will have a Chair and a Co-Chair responsible for reporting biannually to the JDN,
as indicated in the Working Group’s internal guidelines.
3.9 Promotes the engagement of the JDN Alumni with the Associate Members group.
4. Management Team
It shall be the duty of the Management Team of the JDN to administer the affairs of the JDN in
accordance with the provisions throughout these Terms of Reference and in accordance with
the Articles and Bylaws of the WMA, the Procedures and Operating Policies of the WMA and
Associate Members Rules.
The Management Team functions in an environment of consensus decision-making. If a vote is
requested for a decision, the Procedures and Operating Policies of the WMA and the Rules of
Procedure for All Deliberative Bodies of the WMA apply.
The JDN Management Team consists of up to 11 officers, including 9 elected members and 2
ex-officio members, as outlined in the Election section. Officers are expected to fulfil their
roles with dedication as they are responsible for the network and its members and accountable
to the WMA.
• Chairperson: leads the team in fulfilling the strategic vision of the network. Reports JDN
activities to WMA officers, governing bodies, and the Secretary General. Serves as the
primary contact point for the WMA Secretariat and Chair of the Associate Members.
Represents the JDN externally to partner organizations and coordinates external
representation activities. Chairs the Management Team meetings and the monthly JDN
Membership meetings. Coordinates with Working Group chairs and provides guidance and
support to JDN officers in accomplishing their tasks.
• Deputy Chairperson: supports the Chairperson in executing their duties and assumes the
Chairperson’s responsibilities in their absence. Contributes to the strategic leadership of the
JDN and assists in guiding the Management Team and Working Group Chairs toward
fulfilling their tasks and the strategic vision of the JDN.
• Secretary: convenes the meetings of the Management Team and the general membership
monthly meetings. Documents JDN activities, including taking minutes during meetings as
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well as organizing and maintaining the JDN archives. Ensures that, in their absence,
minutes are taken and that Management Team members have access to necessary files and
the official email addresses.
• Medical Ethics Officer: coordinates JDN activities related to Medical Ethics, contributes
to WMA policies on medical ethics and observes the WMA Medical Ethics Committee
(MEC). Supports liaising on matters concerning the MEC and ensures that JDN
perspectives are considered in WMA ethics discussions.
• Socio-Medical Affairs Officer: coordinates JDN activities related to socio-medical affairs
and contributes to WMA policies and JDN participation on global health topics. Observes
the WMA Socio-Medical Affairs Committee (SMAC) and supports liaising on SMAC-
related matters.
• Medical Education Director: coordinates JDN activities related to Medical Education and
contributes to WMA policies on medical education.
• Membership Director: coordinates with the WMA Secretariat on maintaining the
membership database, communicates with new and prospective members, and facilitates
the onboarding and engagement of new members. Develops strategies to enhance member
engagement, participation, and regional representation. Works closely with national JDN
representatives to ensure diverse and inclusive membership across all regions.
• Publication Director: coordinates the biannual JDN Publications and prepares Special
Editions as needed. Leads the publication team, ensuring the design of educational
materials, quality and relevance of all published content. Manages the dissemination of
calls for submissions and the final publications to ensure broad reach and engagement.
• Communications Director: manages JDN’s online presence, including social media
activities, and ensures regular website updates. Coordinates with JDN Working Group
Chairs and Management Team members to create and publish media related to their
activities and events, highlighting key campaigns to enhance JDN’s footprint and
engagement. Oversees real-time media coverage during biannual meetings as well as other
relevant events and manages official communications on social media platforms.
• Immediate Past Chairperson (ex-officio): supports the current JDN team, offering
guidance by preserving and sharing institutional memory. Acts as an advisor based on
previous experience as Chairperson.
• Immediate Past Deputy Chairperson (ex-officio): supports the current JDN team,
offering guidance by preserving and sharing institutional memory. Acts as an advisor
based on previous experience as Deputy Chairperson.
If an ex-officio member is an Alumni, they retain voting rights during the one-year period in
which they are part of the Management Team.
In the event the roles of the ex-officio members are vacant, the elected Management Team
may, if deemed relevant, decide who from the immediate past Management Team will fill in
the ex-officio role. However, it is not obligatory to fill both ex-officio roles if no suitable
candidate is identified or consensus cannot be reached. In such cases, the Management Team
may prioritize appointing only one ex-officio member, rather than both from the immediate
past Management Team.
JDN Management Team Officers elections are run annually in October during the JDN
Meeting taking place before the WMA General Assembly.
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5. Elections
Delegates who are eligible to vote should fulfil the following requirement at the latest one week
before the start of the JDN meeting where the elections will take place: be a member of the
JDN in good standing.
5.1 Sharing of Candidatures
To ensure fairness:
• The Elections Committee will share all candidatures by the official channels.
• No JDN official channels, such as JDN social media, email databases, Working Group
chats, or other official JDN communication channels can be used for individual
campaigning.
• The Management Team will promote a space for all JDN members to learn about each
officer’s role and raise questions during the call for candidature period.
• Any complaints regarding campaigning practices will be reviewed by the Election
Committee, which has the authority to issue warnings to candidates.
5.2 Voting Rules1
All elections of officers shall be decided by secret ballot as follows:
1. Ballot Text:
○ Names of all candidates.
○ Option: “Against all candidates.”
2. Voting Procedures:
a. Three or more candidates:
○ If any candidate obtains an absolute majority (more than half of the votes cast):
they are elected.
○ If no candidate obtains an absolute majority: the candidate with the lowest
number of votes is dropped, and another vote is conducted. This process
repeats until there are only two candidates.
b. Two candidates:
○ A single round of voting is conducted.
○ If a candidate obtains a relative majority (more votes in favour of that
candidate than in favour of the other candidate or against both candidates): they
are elected.
○ If neither candidate obtains a relative majority: the position remains vacant.
c. One candidate:
○ A single round of voting is conducted.
○ If the candidate obtains a relative majority (more votes in favour of that
candidate than against): they are elected.
○ If the candidate does not obtain a relative majority: the position remains
vacant.
3. Definition of Votes Cast:
○ For each round of voting, the number of votes that count towards “votes cast”
are the number of votes received by ballot. Valid voters who abstain from
voting for any reason are considered not voting.
1 Adapted from: Procedures and Operating Policies of the WMA Chapter 1: Election and Voting Procedures for
All Bodies of the WMA.
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5.3 Voting Session Procedure
• There are no group discussions of candidates following their presentation or at any other
time during the election process.
• The voting session will proceed without breaks between candidate presentations and voting
rounds.
• The voting round includes a vote for each position open for election.
• The results of the first round of voting will be announced immediately after the first voting
round.
• If additional voting rounds are required, they will be conducted consecutively until the
position is filled or declared vacant.
5.4 Voting System
The Election Committee Chair, in consultation with the WMA Legal Advisor, will decide the
procedures for secret ballot voting. Secret ballot voting will be conducted using an electronic
system. In case it’s not available, paper ballots can be used.
6. Terms of office
JDN officers are elected for a 1-year term and shall be eligible for re-election. An individual
may serve a maximum of three terms in the same position.
The term starts one month after the elections and runs until one month after the following
election.
• Following the election, there shall be a transition period of one month during which
outgoing officers will work closely with incoming officers to ensure a smooth handover of
responsibilities. During this period, the outgoing officers are expected to provide guidance,
pass on relevant information, and ensure that all necessary documents, resources,
communication channels including email and relevant groups on social media platforms,
and ongoing projects are handed over appropriately.
• A term completion letter to the outgoing officers shall be issued only after a proper
handover has been completed. This includes providing the internal Handover Manual that
must be finalised before the elections and completion of the end-of-term report presented
before the elections.
7. Vacancy
Any JDN officer may resign from office without prior notice, such resignation must be
communicated in writing to the Management Team and to the WMA Secretary General.
In situations of misconduct in office or failure to uphold the responsibilities and duties, the
Management Team may call for a vote of no confidence to remove the JDN officer from their
office. Such a decision requires a ⅔ majority of the JDN officers present and voting. An
additional meeting of the JDN Membership shall be convened to officially endorse the decision
to remove a JDN Officer. If a vote is cast, a simple majority will be used.
• Misconduct is defined as behaviour or actions that violate ethical standards, legal norms, or
the principles of fairness, integrity, or professionalism expected in that role. This can
include dishonesty, abuse of power, corruption, negligence, fraud, criminal offence, or
actions that harm the WMA or its members.
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• Failure to uphold the responsibilities and duties specific to the position is defined as a lack
of accountability for the office-holders’ actions, decisions, or overall performance,
including failure to adhere to the role description outlined in the Terms of Reference.
In the event of the death, inability to serve, or resignation of the Chairperson during their term
of office, the Deputy Chairperson shall automatically succeed to the office of Chairperson for
the unexpired portion of the term remaining, and at the next meeting of Management Team the
officers shall elect from among their own number a Deputy Chairperson to serve the remainder
of the term.
In the event of the death, inability to serve, cessation of activity or resignation of any JDN
officer during their term of office, the JDN Chairperson shall redistribute tasks among the
remaining JDN officers. At any subsequent meeting of the Management Team, the officers may
nominate a JDN member in good standing to fill the vacant position. In such circumstances,
the nominated officer shall not have the right to vote in Management Team decisions.
8. Meetings
The JDN will meet in-person and/or electronically on a bi-annual basis, in conjunction with
meetings of the WMA General Assembly and Council meeting. Those meetings are considered
on a standing invitation.
WMA Procedures and Operating Policies Chapter 8, including Code of Conduct and Anti-
harassment policy apply in WMA-hosted meetings, events, and other activities, including social
gatherings.
The WMA leadership shall be invited to engage with JDN members at the biannual meetings.
Additional Meetings of the JDN Membership shall be convened at any time at the request of
the JDN Management Team or at the request of at least 20 JDN members in good standing.
Such meetings have to be invited one month in advance for an in-person meeting and two
weeks in advance for an online meeting. The notice shall state the purpose of the meeting. No
business shall be dealt with by an additional meeting other than that for which it has been
specifically convened.
Other meetings and teleconferences will be scheduled by the JDN Secretary or Chairperson or
delegated to other members, as deemed necessary.
In consideration of the international nature of participation in the JDN and the limited resources
available to many junior doctors, efforts should be made to reduce costs for JDN participants to
attend meetings and to offer a virtual option for having hybrid events considering the diversity
of time zones. Meeting summaries will also be provided for those unable to attend live.
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[Appendix A]
Candidatures
A candidate must fulfil the following requirements:
a. Be a JDN member (not a JDN alumni) at the start of the term
b. Have attended at least one biannual JDN meeting other than the one where elections are
being held
The following documents must be provided
a. A completed application form signed by the candidate
b. Curriculum Vitae (2 pages maximum)
c. Motivation Letter (1 page maximum)
d. Plan of Action corresponding to the position for which they are running (2 pages maximum)
Additional Guidelines
• Documents Shared with Membership: Only the official application package (Curriculum
Vitae, Motivation Letter, and Plan of Action) will be shared with the membership.
Documents justifying the candidate’s JDN membership will not be shared.
• Pagination Requirements: If the pagination of any document exceeds the maximum
specified:
o If submitted ahead of time, the application will be returned to the candidate for revision.
o If submitted close to the deadline, only the first pages of the document up to the
specified maximum will be included. Candidates are strongly encouraged to review
their submissions for compliance.
• Extra Documents: Only the documents explicitly requested in the application package will
be accepted. Any additional documents, such as unsolicited support letters, will not be
considered or shared with the membership.
Elections Committee
The Elections Committee will be composed of 3 JDN members who are not candidates for the
elections in question and are selected by the Management Team.
JDN officers may take part in the Elections Committee occupying at the most, one out of the three
positions.
Call for the Elections Committee shall be sent by email to all members by the JDN Chair two
months prior to the election date and members will be selected by the JDN Management Team at
the latest seven weeks prior to the date of the elections.
The Elections Committee members shall:
• Nominate one member within the committee to act as Elections Chair within one week of
the selection of the committee.
• Send a call for candidates six weeks before the elections by email with a clear deadline
date and time in addition to the list of requirements, application form, and a brief
explanation of the role and tasks of each position. The candidatures shall be sent to the
official Elections Committee email address. The deadline for applications shall be two
weeks prior to the election date at the latest. Any incomplete entries are not eligible to run.
If no candidature for a position is submitted by the deadline, candidatures can be submitted
until midnight before the start of the JDN meeting. If no candidature is submitted by the
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midnight prior to the start of the JDN meeting, the position is considered unfilled and it is
the responsibility of the newly elected JDN Management Team to appoint a JDN member
in good standing to hold that office. In such circumstances, the nominated officer does not
have the right to vote in Management Team decisions.
• Review all candidatures and ensure their validity.
• Check with the WMA Secretariat regarding the candidates’ associate membership status.
• Share candidatures with all JDN members a minimum of two weeks before elections.
• Check the voting eligibility of each candidate and of each delegate at the latest one week
prior to the start of the JDN meeting
• Run the elections during the JDN Meeting taking place before the WMA General
Assembly (including setting up the voters list, issuing the voting material and the test
votes, candidates’ presentations, counting the votes, and announcing the result)
The Election Committee Chair announces the results and informs the WMA President, the Chair of
Council, the Chair of the Associate Members and the Secretary General.
Candidates Presentation
Each candidate present at the meeting has to make a brief presentation (maximum of 3 minutes)
followed by a period for questions and answers (up to 2 minutes).
If there are multiple candidates for a single position, competing candidates are to leave the room
during presentations; the order of presentations is chosen by drawing lots.
If a candidate is not physically present at the meeting, their candidature can be presented virtually
(maximum of 3 minutes) if technology allows and not by another delegate.
Timeframe
• 2 months prior to the elections: call for Elections Committee members
• 2 weeks from above or 7 weeks from the elections date: select Elections Committee
members
• 1 week from the selection above: nominate Elections Committee Chair
• 6 weeks from the election date: call for JDN Management Team officers’ elections
• 2 weeks from the election date: deadline for candidatures + share candidatures (minimum
deadline)
• 1 week before the JDN meeting: check the voting eligibility of candidates and delegates
• Day: presentations + elections.
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