THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THOSE WHO BELIEVES IN THE BEAUTY OF THEIR DREAMS ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
CANDIDATURE ASMA BENMERAD | SCOME DIRECTOR
TABLE OF CONTENTS: MOTIVATIONAL LETTER ............................... PAGE 3 PLAN OF ACTION ....................................... PAGE 4 ROAD TO SUSTAINABILITY COLLABORATIVE APPROACH CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY SPIRIT & MEMBER’S SUPPORT
CURRICULUM VITAE .................................... PAGE 11
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MOTIVATIONAL LETTER “There is no good in a community that its half is not educated” -Taher Haddad, a Tunisian activist I don’t when my passion for education has started. Sometimes, I feel it was always there even before my birth. It is the spirit and the culture I was raised in. In fact, my parents have always resisted prioritizing their 4 girls' education over the traditional village beliefs and pressure. I had a different journey from my fellows, at 12 years old I was reading Taher Haddad's recommendations for educating girls for community development, believing in Bourguiba’s movement for Tunisian women's empowerment, and influencing my neighbors that moving to a bigger city to pursue her higher education studies should never be fear but a right to claim. At that time I didn’t know that I was advocating or how can achieve an efficient outcome from my advocacy. A fun fact about my journey, seeking quality education has made me a model for this small village girls and even boys, parents, who were against my parents' decision to allow me to study in pioneer prep and high school, are now more encouraged to invest in their children education and support them to reach their full potential. Indeed, all that mattered to me was the feeling of pride with the increasing number of students coming from my small village to share with me a road of 40 kilometers per day. It is worth mentioning that I worked so hard and invested my time and efforts to fit into the pioneer school standards but the high-quality education and the learning environment were worthy. In 2019, I started my Medical school road. Surprisingly, it was a turning point. I was never imagining that Education could be my source of disappointment. I still remember mental health breakdowns in juniors and seniors students, oldfashioned methods of delivery, and vertical faculty-student relationships. For once, I regretted crossing this 40 kilometers! This repulsion was my motivation to attend my first SCOME workshop and the rollercoaster started.: National assemblies, Regional meetings, General Assemblies, and external meetings … being delegate, national team, plenary team, and currently regional Assistant.. a trainee and trainer .. assisting in person and online … Lived IFMSA with its diversity! I met people with different backgrounds, and working cultures and I managed to build my own community, people I trust and with whom I share a common goal, Learning more for better improvement. After all this journey and with the support of people that shape the current Asma, the Tunisian dreamy girl from that small village with a passion for education, is confident to present her candidature for IFMSA Director on the Standing Committee of Medical Education and invite you to build together a community of Medical Education Enthusiasts. With Love, Asma
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PLAN OF ACTION ROAD TO SUSTAINABILITY "If you don’t like the way the world is, you change it. one step at a time" ASSESSMENT & EVALUATION FOR CONTINUOUS PROGRESS: Since its establishment, IFMSA as a student-led organization has successfully managed to voice its member's opinions and to ensure their representation for more than 71 years which proves a strategic approach to ensure its sustainability and accountability to the changing need of its members and the global advocacy environment. Taking into consideration that SCOME is the committee that enables medical students to reach their full potential as Medical Education leaders, working towards a sustainable road has been a continuous flame that each SCOME International team should carry. So that it is important to: Conduct a global assessment with a well-balanced regional representation to understand the specificity of the term and the needs of the Members in different fields and focus areas that SCOME covers. Establish a realistic mechanism of follow-up on the SCOME international Team annual working plan to evaluate the progress, adapt to the circumstances and achieve the pre-defined goals. Open the floor for members at certain predefined times during the term to give input on the lead initiatives by the different members of the SCOME International Team in order to adjust it for a better engagement and more members-oriented outcomes.
SCOME STRATEGY 2022-2025:
"If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else." — Yogi Berra The SCOME Strategy is the guidelines that orientate the 3 successive International teams' work in order to ensure a long-term impact that should be reflected in their respective Annual Working Plan.
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PLAN OF ACTION The SCOME Strategy 2022-2025 will be submitted for adoption this August Meeting is designed in a principles-based approach. Even though this approach allows a marge of flexibility, it requires some assistance and guidelines for the upcoming SCOME International Team. The 22/23 term will be the start of the implementation of the SCOME strategy. So, a competency model for the SCOME International Team should include sessions on annual working plan development added to focussing on evaluation mechanisms.
INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY: Sustainability and institutionalization are interlinked since institutional memory is the key to the better observation of what has been done to reflect on what should be done. Institutionalization in IFMSA is about being accountable to the future SCOME International Team to guide them through your work, your achievement, obstacles you faced, and recommendations you might offer, to members that should be informed about your work, and benefit from resources, and guided to optimal usage. Support the International Team in updating the NOME Manual and incorporating the competencies that have been identified based on the global assessment and RAs- NOMEs meetings. Continue on the approach of manual translation and introduce new approaches for more inclusivity in SCOME Reflect on the content of SCOME open drive and develop more visual-friendly guideline documents to help members navigate through it and use it in a more efficient way Support the International Team in tailoring the SCOME Worldwide report throughout the term for a realistic approach to its release and publication.
CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT
“Human capacity for burden is like bamboofar more flexible than you’d ever believe at first glance.” - Jodi Picoult
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PLAN OF ACTION After 2 years of covid, one of the post-pandemic recovery pillars that SCOME International has been working on is developing members’ capacity with its different dimensions ranging from SCOME sessions in IFMSA Events, workshops on-site and online added to different campaigns.
SCOME SESSIONS: I have been engaged in SCOME in different opportunities but I do believe that SCOME sessions at General assemblies have a different flavor. It feels like magic, where you not only get inspired by the powerful medical student worldwide and your exchanges but also by a road of self-exploration and more motivation to bring global thinking to the local acting! In order to ensure the continuous process of providing quality SCOME sessions, we should : Ensure transparent mechanism in the selection of competent SOME session Team members Involve the session team in SCOME plenary preparation and conducting as a PT for example Base the agenda on SCOME members’ needs and give the floor for inputs
SCOME CAMPAIGNS: SCOME campaigns are a way that the SCOME International team communicates information with members through different IFMSA platforms. Leading a SCOME campaign is somehow challenging since you cannot ensure a proper follow-up on the content you delivered through posts nor manage to get members' involvement for Webinars and open space discussions. So that, some action points might be beneficial for better outreach: Open the floor for members to engage with the campaign creation ( NOMEs, Online Advocacy on Medical Education Training graduates, SWG members selected through calls … ) Reflect with the SCOME External affairs Development assistant on the content, format, and platforms used to assess the visibility and the outreach of the campaign Continue on the approach of reflecting the SCOME Global projects in SCOME Campaigns with an adjustment of the timeline to be more time zones friendly.
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PLAN OF ACTION SCOME WORKSHOPS AND TRAINING: The highlight of this year in regards to SCOME workshops is the remarkable increase of SCOME workshops conducted especially Training Medical Education Trainers with an increase in the number of active facilitators and trainers. So : Encouraging them to join the Medical Education trainers community and engaging them is an objective that should be reached next term. Developing an advanced course is a way to increase their interest and build on the development of the members' knowledge, skills, and attitudes Develop a framework for the Online Medical Education facilitators' workshop based on this term's outcomes and follow-up in order to ensure the improvement in its quality Support the SCOME Capacity building development in relaying open online asynchronous courses through IFMSA platforms since the 2 first courses have been beneficial for members
COLLABORATIVE APPROACH COMMUNICATION: Communication is the backbone of collaboration so a need to establish communication plans and guidelines is seen as a necessity to ensure proper diffusion of information on different levels and platforms and the accessibility to receive feedback. Communication with Members: Reflect on the current means of communications and their responsiveness to members’ needs Ensure a platforms for embers’ to give feedback on the communication strategy that the International Team is adopting and give their inputs for improvement Communication RAs- NOMEs: Encourage Regional Assistants to have a clear communication plan with their NOMEs that is adapted to the regional context and NMO’s need to get close support
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PLAN OF ACTION SCOME INTERNATIONAL TEAM:
"Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is a success." – Henry Ford The SCOME International team is a multi-diverse team that encompasses Medical Education Enthusiast worldwide dedicating their time, effort, and energy to translating SCOME's vision and mission into concrete guidelines for the global community to follow in order to create an impact and a change. The team structure and work have always been dynamic and responsive to the different needs of the global community. So that in order to preserve this quality, some actions could be taken such as: Reflecting on the current SCOME International Team structure and redefining their tasks, roles, and focus area of work in order to establish a well-built team with precise tasks and objectives for each position and their role in the team dynamics and members' contact mainly when it comes to the involvement of the SCOME General Assistant and SCOME Regional Assistants in inter-regional collaborations and Engagement platforms management and followup. Developing a competency model for the SCOME International Team that responds to their needs for better leadership in their position at the beginning of the term as support for a smooth start. Implementing “ The Robbins and Judge” Model to ensure Team effectiveness. In fact, harmony and a healthy working environment have become a necessity for teamwork success and high performance. This model will help the SCOME International Team understand the multiple dimensions that condition the team dynamic and help in building the team spirit. Working in an International Team is a challenging balance between studies, voluntary work, and accountability to members. It might affect its members' Mental health so as a priority to establish a mental health-friendly working environment by implementing a culture of sharing and acceptance, Mental health watch, and Mental health check at the beginning of each meeting reinforced by a possibility of holding a training and open discussions Involve the SCOME-related Program coordinators in the communication plans of the SCOME Regional Assistants with NOMEs to make the process of reporting and enrolling more accessible. Ensure the transparency of the SCOME international Team through reporting and continuing the lead of SCOME open discussions
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PLAN OF ACTION TEAM OF OFFICIAL:
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths" -Walt Disney When I think about the team of Officials as a structure, it reminds me of the Human body where different organs seem to function independently and ensure their specific roles in the human body while if an organ is weak, all the other organs will react simultaneously to stimulate, compensate and alert. The team of officials with the different backgrounds that its leaders have and different leadership styles they might adopt is the guiding body for IFMSA road and representation. As SCOME Director, alongside with bouning with this team members and being part of its harmony and dynamics, it is important to: Take an active role in the decision-making and bring to the table relevant inputs related to the Medical Education perspective and echo the voice of SCOMEdians. Encourage intersectionality in IFMSA by Initiating inter- Standing Committees collaborations to bring different perspectives to the same table for multi-dimensions issues and be open for joint initiatives such as - but not limited to Small working groups, and joint campaigns and joint sessions or workshops coordination during IFMSA events. Work closely with the Liaison officer for Medical Education ( LME)issues to close the identified gap between the external and internal work in SCOME. In fact, a consultation with the LME should be conducted to identify the most efficient methods to reflect the internal work on an external level. Also, a great focus should be on seeking the external endorsement and recognition of the SCOME workshops.
INTER-REGIONAL COLLABORATION FRAMEWORK: The approach to tackling different Medical Education issues and advocacy plans differs in 5 regions taking into consideration regional context and work culture. Disparities and diversity should not be a barrier for us to help each other, learn from each other and grow together.
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PLAN OF ACTION In fact this term, some individual initiatives have been created by the SCOME regional assistants with the help of the SCOME general assistant, it has shown a great impact on the involved NMOs but the lack of follow-up has led to the necessity of: Involving the SCOME General assistant as well as the SCOME Regional assistant in developing a comprehensive framework that structures the inter-regional collaboration and focuses on the outcomes and the follow-up for better improvement
COMMUNITY SPIRIT & MEMBER’S SUPPORT "Community is much more than belonging to something; it is about doing something together that makes belonging matter" - Brian Solis All that we do is for creating impact, all we aim for is to create a positive change. A common spirit of seeking better Medical Education is the purpose that united SCOMEdian worldwide. Members' passion to organize a local activity to promote, advocate and recruit or facilitate, or coordinate training on Medical Education topics is the core of advancing the global image and direction. Nevertheless, steps towards recovery from the global pandemic have affected members' motivation to engage through online platforms led by ZOOM fatigue. This has been remarked through lack of attendance to Open discussions, and webinars, applying for different opportunities, and interaction on different social media platforms. So that some steps should be taken, mainly: Conducting a SWOT analysis for the engagement strategy developed last year and acting accordingly in ameliorating the efficiency of different platforms' usage. Developing guidelines to increase members' friendly means for communicating opportunities and spaces for engagement Working with the SCOME International Team on a comprehensive timeline and balanced distribution of initiatives during the term so that we can ensure an engagement throughout the term Ensuring Members’ support in building their capacity, initiating advocacy projects, and creating impacts via their activities by creating a safe space for them to ask, share and express and ensuring availability and guidance.
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CURRICULUM VITAE Education: Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, Tunisia (from 2019- currently). Mathematical Bacaleaureat, graduated with honour 18/20. Contact details: Phone : +21699496167/+21628626414 Email: benmrad.asma4@gmail.com Instagram: asma_b.mrad IFMSA Experience: Regional Assistant of the eastern Mediterranean region for Medical Education Associa Med Tunisia NMO President assistant Volunteer in "one health lessons" Meetings: 2 IFMSA General Assembly As part of the Tunisian delegation and plenary team member. 1 IFMSA General Assembly as a regional Assistant for EMR on Medical Education. Presenter of An advanced research program in Medical education at IFMSA general assembly. 1 Eastern Mediterranean Regional meeting as part of the decision making body and part of the plenary team. 1 Eastern Mediterranean Regional meeting as a regional Assistant for EMR on Medical Education 5 National General Assemblies Global Anti-Microbial Resistance youth summit (assisted to the workshops) (certificated) World innovation summit for health Qatar 2020( certificated ) Capacity building: TMET pre EMR18 coordinatoor and trainer TMET pre AM 22 trainer ( upcoming ) Online Medical Education facilitator : coordinator and trainer Online AMET graduate Ypeer preer educator Curriculum planning revolution ( participant ) in the pre EMR 17 meeting: Teaching and Learning during the pandemic workshop (participant ) Other: AMEE STF ( + abstract presenter ) UN online volunteer A Consultant on WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region Consultation on Climate and Health and contributor to the COP 26 special report on Climate change and Health A consultant on WHO global learning A delegate for thstrategye WHO EMR regional simulation (IFMSA EMR X IFSF EMRO X WHO EMRO ) Equity, diversity, and inclusion in Medical Education for IFMSA SWG coordinatoor A national coordinator and co-author of a study on Distance learning during the COVID19 pandemic in the EMR
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Thank you IFMSA see you in Turkey
