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Six hundred and fifty young people from more than 70 countries met up in the Netherlands for a warm week in August. While one group discussed their medical studies and how to improve medical education, others presented community and international projects that they had developed. The more experienced students trained others in fundraising, presentation skills, recruiting, and leading a student team. Between them, these young people arranged more than 7000 clinical and research student exchanges.

What brings this group together twice a year? Each medical student is a member of one of the national medical student associations that are part of the global network of the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA). With 90 countries already represented, the network is still growing-the most recent general assembly welcomed Bolivia and Malaysia as new national members.

Since its inception more than 50 years ago, the IFMSA's core activity has been exchange, with tens of thousands of students benefiting from the opportunity for clinical, research, and cultural exchange with their peers from institutions around the world.

Like all of the IFMSA's activities, these exchange programmes are powerful because the whole process is initiated and managed by the students themselves-the IFMSA is run by students for students. By taking on this responsibility, students gain more than they would if they were passive participants with someone else leading them.

With experience, students in the IFMSA learn the project management and leadership skills necessary to work with important international health organisations. A collaboration between the IFMSA and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Cameroon this summer trained 60 medical students from 10 francophone African countries in human rights in HIV/AIDS awareness. (www.ifmsa.net/public/project.asp?id=1). Village concept projects channel the energies of local and international students into health projects in developing countries, following the best current models of modern development agencies (www.ifas.net).

Working with the national member organisations and the IFMSA is enjoyable. You get the opportunity to travel, work with other students and local communities, plan and execute innovative projects, and, best of all, meet students from all over the world. In the process, you gain skills and friends that will stay with you for the rest of your professional life.

Wondering where to start? Go to www.ifmsa.org and search for your national member organisation. On the website, you can explore the IFMSA's exchange programmes, our projects and activities in education, health and peace. There is always someone who shares your interests and can help you develop your ideas.

The next step is to get in touch with them. Of course, you may discover that your school or even your country does not have an IFMSA group. If so, now is the time to set up some activities, like so many students have done before you.

We all have days in medical school when we wonder why we have chosen this path-so many years of study and so many demands. This is when studentBMJ and the IFMSA come to the rescue, offering new opportunities. This hugely rewarding link with other students across the world that will, in the long run, make you a better doctor.