Medics worldwide: news and opportunities from the IFMSA
Future global health agenda
Medical students all over the world are
preparing to attend IFMSA's general assembly in Zlatibor,
Serbia, from 1 to 7 August. Medical students' associations
from more than 80 countries will be represented. During the
meeting, about 600 student delegates will be trained in leadership,
project management, and other skills important for their
extracurricular work back home. The theme of the meeting is
“Health as a Human Right.” Workshops before the meeting
will educate students on malaria, organ donations, chronic
diseases, medical ethics, HIV/AIDS, reproductive health,
international health, and other important health topics.
See
www.am2006.org, email
gs@ifmsa.org.
Medical research opportunities abroad
IFMSA provides medical students with a unique
opportunity to experience a clinical or pre-clinical research in a
foreign country through its international research elective
program. The international medical student becomes a member of the
research team and conducts a research work under the supervision of
a tutor for the period of 1-6 months. Students can select a project
based on his/her interest and experiences through the IFMSA
research project database.
See
www.ifmsa.org/score, email
scored@ifmsa.org
for further details. For the opportunities in clinical or
pre-clinical elective see
www.ifmsa.org/scope
or email
scoped@ifmsa.org
Teddy Bear Hospital Project
The “Teddy Bear Hospital Project”,
a joint initiative of IFMSA and the European Medical
Students' Association (EMSA) is run by medical students in 28
countries. The project is targeted at children aged 3-6, with the
goal to reduce in a playful way the fear of visiting doctor or the
hospitalisation. At the same time, it provides an opportunity for
medical students to learn more about paediatrics and interacting
with children. The main focus of the project is to create an
atmosphere of trust where children can deal with the topic
“hospital and disease.”
Medical students of the IFMSA's local
committee in Marília, Brazil, organised a teddy bear
hospital in the shopping mall. About 130 children visited the
hospital's doctor's office, examination, and pharmacy
rooms during the 12 hour event. The project was a huge success and
has now been started in all Marília's public and
private primary schools, which aim to introduce teddy bear
hospitals to 300 children monthly.
See
www.dsms.net/teddybear, email
teddybearhospital@dsms.net
Travel and educational opportunities
IFMSA Scholarship for Global Health elective — IFMSA in cooperation with its partner, Child
Family Health International (www.cfhi.org), is calling for IFMSA
scholarship applications for global clinical rotation
opportunities. Programmes in Bolivia, Ecuador, India, Mexico and
South Africa are available. One full scholarship for IFMSA members
is available for 2007. Further details
www.cfhi.org/scholarships.php4,
lph@ifmsa.org
Bristol, UK—Bologna
update workshop, 6-10 July 2006,
www.bristolbologna2006.com,
scomed@ifmsa.org
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania—International Medical Students' Scientific
Conference – “Fighting against major diseases in
sub-Saharan Africa—can health professionals make a better
future?” 29 September–1 October 2006
www.muchs.ac.tz/tamsaconference/index.htm
Pleven, Bulgaria—The Fifth Medical Scientific Conference for Students and
Young Doctors, 19-21 October 2006,
http://mdsc2006.mu-pleven.bg,
mdsc2006@gmail.com
Jana Kammeyer , president, International
Federation of Medical Students' Associations
studentBMJ 2006;14:265-308 July ISSN 0966-6494
