BeMSA - IFMSA August Meeting 2019 Report by Belgian Medical Students' Association

General Assembly Report 68th IFMSA August Meeting 2019 August 1 - 7 2019, Taipei, Taiwan

Publisher Belgian Medical Students’ Association VZW (BeMSA) Brusselsestraat 246 3000 Leuven, Belgium Contact information Homepage: www.BeMSA.be Email: vppr@BeMSA.be /BeMSA.Belgium @BeMSA_Belgium @BeMSA_Belgium

This is a BeMSA publication © 2019 - Only portions of this publication may be reproduced for non-political and non-profit purposes, provided mentioning the source. Disclaimer This publication contains the collective views of different contributors, the opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of BeMSA. The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers’ products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by BeMSA in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Notice All reasonable precautions have been taken by BeMSA to verify the information contained in this publication. However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. The responsibility for the interpretation and use of the material herein lies with the reader. Some of the photos and graphics used in this publication are the property of their respective authors. We have taken every consideration not to violate their rights.

About BeMSA The Belgian Medical Students’ Association (BeMSA) is a Belgian student-run organisation. As of the 2018-2019 academic year, it unites medical students from 9 faculties across the country, while also establishing international connections through the existing network of 133 national member organisations of the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA). Each year, BeMSA organises a series of events on a local, national and international level. Additionally, our clinical and research exchange programs send over 100 Belgian students abroad every year, while accommodating the same number of foreign students. This allows them to explore innovations in medicine, healthcare systems and healthcare delivery in various settings across the globe. BeMSA brings people together to exchange, discuss and initiate projects with the goal of creating a healthier world. It provides medical students with the skills and resources needed to be health leaders. With the help of the IFMSA, it also advocates for the pressing issues that matter to us to shape the world we want to live in. And it does deliver: our projects, our campaigns and our activities positively impact physicians-to be alongside the communities they serve.

CONTENTS www.BeMSA.be

USED ABBREVIATIONS ....................................................... 3

PREFACE ............................................................................ 4

IN THE PICTURE: NOOR TAKEZOUT..................................... 5

IN THE PICTURE: BASIEL WEYERS ....................................... 7

SESSION REPORTS .............................................................. 9

5.1 SCOPE SESSIONS – BEGÜM ALKUR......................................... 9 5.2 SCORE SESSIONS – WASSIM AZIZ ........................................ 11 5.3 SCORP SESSIONS – MARTA CLARYSSE AND NOOR TAKEZOUT..... 13 5.4 SCORA SESSIONS – AISLINN CLEIREN .................................... 15 5.5 SCOME SESSIONS – EVE FOUARGE....................................... 17 5.6 SCOPH SESSIONS – SHARONE KEYSHA .................................. 19 5.7 NMO MANAGEMENT SESSIONS – JUSTINE MAES, LAURENS WILLAERT AND LUCAS BIJNENS ..................................................... 21 5.8 PRESIDENTS’ SESSIONS – LAURE-ÉLISE SEGHERS ....................... 23 6

IN THE PICTURE: MATTHIEU PIERRE ................................. 25

Belgian Medical Students’ Association - Title

1 Used Abbreviations AM

August Meeting

BeMSA

Belgian Medical Students’ Association

CCC

Constitutional Credential Committee

Executive Board

ECFMG

Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates

General Assembly

Human Rights

IFMSA

International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations

International Team

Local Committee

LME

Liaison Officer for Medical Education

LORP

Local Officer on Human Rights and Peace

March Meeting

NGA

National General Assembly

NEO

National Exchange Officer

NMO

National Member Organisation

NORE

National Officer on Research Exchange

PreGA

Pre General Assembly

RCP

Regulation Change Proposal

SCOME

Standing Committee on Medical Education

SCOME-D

SCOME-Director

SCOPE

Standing Committee on Professional Exchange

SCOPH

Standing Committee on Public Health

SCORA

Standing Committee on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights including HIV and AIDS

SCORE

Standing Committee on Research Exchange

SCORP

Standing Committee on Human Rights and Peace

SWG

Small Working Group

TNET

Training New Exchange Trainers

Team of Officials

VPM

Vice-President for Members

WFME

World Federation for Medical Education

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2 Preface Dear Reader This AM, close to one thousand healthcare students gathered from all corners of the world to learn, share and establish connections. With a focus on capacity building, through workshops, lectures and debates in various fields, participants had the chance to develop themselves in one or multiple IFMSA focus areas that interest them. Sadly, I could not attend the General Assembly myself this time. Luckily, we had an incredibly motivated Head of Delegation that took care of the Belgian delegation during the meeting, engaged in relevant discussions during the presidents’ sessions and took care of the voting during the plenaries. Our collaboration was extremely fruitful, and we managed to communicate clearly throughout the whole GA, despite the large time difference. So, thank you Laure-Elise, you did an outstanding job! As always, this meeting had an extremely varied and rich agenda: standing committee sessions, various fairs, plenaries, joint sessions, NMO hours, policy discussions, and much more. To keep this report somewhat concise, we have decided to focus on the standing committee sessions. The IFMSA has six standing committees, which are the pillars of the organisation: Medical Education (SCOME), Human Rights and Peace (SCORP), Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SCORA, Public Health (SCOPH), Research Exchanges (SCORE) and Professional Exchanges (SCOPE). BeMSA was well represented, as we had at least one delegate per session. In addition to these sessions, NMO management sessions and Presidents’ sessions were also organised. To check out what those entail, make sure to read through pages 21-24 . In addition to the standing committee reports, you can also find a testimonial of Noor Takezout on page 5. Even though the GA in Taiwan was just her first ever IFMSA meeting, she immediately fell in love with the federation, and came home more motivated than ever! Not all Belgian students part of the August Meeting were official BeMSA delegates. One of these so called ‘out-of-quota’ participants is Basiel Weyers. ‘Dinosaur’ Basiel decided to try out something new and joined the CCC-team. To find more about what this means, make sure to check out page 7. A third interview we held with Matthieu Pierre (page 25), who was present as a member of the SCORE supervising board. What’s even more impressive, is that this GA he got elected as SCORE-Director! Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the whole Belgian delegation for their commitment and energy. We’re proud to have had you as our representatives! And to you, reader, I would like to say: Happy reading! Sincerely Thomas Dewaele BeMSA Vice-President for External Affairs

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3 In the picture: Noor Takezout Profile: ü 3rd year Medical student at ULiège ü LORP-elect ü Attended her first IFMSA meeting in Taiwan ü Participated in the ‘Human Rights for medical practitioners’ PreGA ü Participated in the SCORP sessions of the main event

Hi Noor, since you’re quite new to IFMSA, what exactly made you decide to apply for this event? Every Wednesday since the beginning of this year, Eve (Fouarge, red.) and I went home together after improvisation classes in Liège. Every time she used to tell me all about IFMSA. Her stories and projects really fascinated, and after some research I decided to get involved in some local SCOME and SCORA projects. However, I actually only really started the ‘journey’ by attending the last BeMSA NGA. I was very impressed by this gathering of students all around Belgium, where everyone spoke English and were there was a vibrant and exciting atmosphere all around. I just had to see this at an international level! Besides that, I was looking for a SCORP training, as there is currently no SCORP in Liège yet, despite it being the best committee EVER. This is also why I participated in the PreGA. What did you gain from this experience? I gained the will and the ambition to act, and to dream more. I have gained new objectives, and what’s more is that I have also gained the necessary knowledge and tools to realise them. Last but not least I have to say I gained another family. I am keeping in touch with people I met during the PreGA, the PostGA and the main event. They support me and are keeping me motivated to keep going for my SCORP mission!

Picture: SCORP sessions

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Do you feel the GA lived up to your expectations ? What kind of question is that! Of course, the GA met my expectations, and even more than that! I came, I saw, and I'll be back for sure! I definitely experienced ups and downs during the event. I experienced intense emotions of sadness and anger when I realised reality was unfair and hurtful. Examples include the inability for Taiwan to choose their own name, and the current healthcare situation in Sudan. But above all this, I also gained a lot of knowledge, I was free to voice my opinion and was respectfully listened to. Additionally, it brought me great joy to see so many people involved in shaping our present and future. All the friendships I built and the smiles, laughter and the tears I shared.... it's just priceless, I have absolutely no regrets. What would you say to a BeMSA member who is hesitating to apply for a GA? Don't hesitate, go for it! I would advise to write down your doubts and then you will realise the main one fear of the unknown. Challenge yourself and you'll see that you can learn and gain so many things just from this experience! If you’re still unsure, always feel free to contact me! My motivation is enormous and my mind still full of amazing memories from Taiwan. I can convince you in five minutes tops! The best part of IFMSA is that we're not looking for the brightest or the most experienced students, or even medical students per se. We are looking for students that are motivated, respectful and open-minded. IFMSA unites people from all over the world, with different cultures, languages, religions, habits and medical systems. We are all equals, so don't be shy and share with us your ideas and your experiences! Picture: ‘Human Rights for medical practitioners’ PreGA

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4 In the picture: Basiel Weyers Profile ü ü ü ü

5th year medical student at UGhent BeMSA President ’18-‘19 BeMSA Supervising Council-elect Was part of the Constitutional Credential Committee (CCC) in Taiwan

Basiel, at the GA you were part of the Constitutional Credential Committee. Can you briefly describe what that particular job entailed? The Constitutional Credential Committee (CCC for short) is a body within the IFMSA General Assembly plenary team. It is defined as “an advisory and reference body of all issues related to the interpretation of the Constitution and Bylaws”. This means that we are responsible for checking if everything that happens during the plenaries is according to the main rules of IFMSA (the bylaws). The work starts before the General Assembly, where we review all submissions, such as candidatures for the next IFMSA Team of Officials, for their validity. We check if they were submitted in time and if they contain all the necessary information. During the General Assembly, we are active within the plenary team. During the plenaries, we check who is present in the room, which NMOs have voting rights, if all motions are valid and if all procedures are happening as they should. Additionally, we need to produce a report of all our work, including an overview of the validity of all submissions, by the last plenary so that it can be voted upon. What was it like working in the team? I was working within a team of five motivated and experienced IFMSA members from all over the world. Three of them already had experience as a CCC member, which proved to be very useful. For me it was the first time, so it was great to learn from their previous experiences. The work can be quite stressful and involved some long days and short nights. However, I felt that the team worked well together. We had clearly defined tasks and everyone was well prepared and knew what to do. We were able to finish all the tasks in a timely and professional manner.

Picture: CCC working

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Did being CCC mean you were not engaging with the Belgian delegation? Unfortunately, the CCC work did take up a big portion of my time and as such, I wasn’t able to attend all NMO hours of the delegation. This was one of the main drawbacks of being part of the CCC, since I really enjoy being an active part of the Belgian delegation as well. Additionally, since my presence during the plenaries was required, I did miss out on some of the social program activities because the plenaries took longer than expected. What are some of the things you gained from this experience? I mostly enjoyed being a part of the plenary team, which means that I’m actively contributing to the smooth progress of the plenaries, one of the most important parts of the GA. Having plenary team experience also opens up options to act as vice-chair for future GAs for example, which is something that I might be interested in. Finally, I enjoyed working closely together with the IFMSA Team of Officials and Supervising Council. Many of them have become friends after having seen each other at so many IFMSA events, so getting to work together again was a great experience.

Picture: members of the plenary team

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5 Session Reports 5.1

SCOPE Sessions – Begüm Alkur

The Standing Committee On Professional Exchange (SCOPE) was the first IFMSA Standing Committee and has the largest exchange program within IFMSA. It gives you the possibility to do a (pre)clinical clerkship abroad, which comes with great advantages such as meeting new people, learning about health systems and discovering new cultures, while also having one of the best experiences of your life. After some teambuilding on the first day, I participated in “Sharing is Caring” sessions. There, NEOs share opinions and experiences on how they manage exchange related topics like outgoing selection or Pre-Exchange Training within their NMOs. The day after, the SCOPE Regulation Change Proposals (RCP) were discussed. They have to be voted on by the NEOs (or their representatives) of each NMO. Since the voting itself would be on the 3 day, the international team decided to elaborate the most important proposals and explain the basic rules on how to vote. After that, we had the “Poster Fair”. Every NMO presented their Exchange Program once again to convince NEOs to agree on signing contracts with them. In my case, I finalized almost all my contracts before the AM, so it was not a lot of work for me. th

On the third day, we had the SCOPE-Director and LME Candidate debate as the evening before the candidatures were presented during the plenary. You could literally feel the tension in the whole room, because the SCOPE-D elect will be responsible for the Exchanges of the next term, which is a huge task with lots of responsibilities that needs to be performed really well. After that, we had the voting on RCPs, which went smooth and quite fast. And I am actually happy with the results of the voting!

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The fourth day began with the most important event during my term as a NEO: The “Contracts Fair”! At the Contracts Fair, NEOs and NOREs agree on the countries that they want to offer their outgoings for the next term. I was nervous the whole morning and was checking my contract papers again and again. You may laugh, but this is a stressful event. There are some NMOs that even on the day of the Exchanges Fair try to make you sign more contracts than you previously agreed upon. Therefore, you have to double check every contract that you sign. But as I had Wassim, the NORE-elect, as my assistant and hero by my side (he always calmed me down when I was freaking out), we finished signing contracts early enough to grab some nice goodies in the end! The last day, I evaluated a graduation training performed by one of the TNET participants as I am also an Exchange Trainer since MM2019. It was a lot of fun and it felt great to talk to the trainers afterwards because they were so open-minded and thankful for every feedback I gave them. As this was my second General Assembly, I felt more comfortable. I saw many friends that I know from earlier exchanges, trainings and the MM19 and I can say that in Taiwan I felt home again! Begüm

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SCORE sessions – Wassim Aziz

The moment you come back from an exchange with the feeling that you miss it incredibly hard already, you immediately know that it has been successful. The Standing Committee on Research Exchange (SCORE) offers research opportunities in over 80 countries to more than 3000 students every year. SCORE gives a chance to medical students to get out of their comfort zone, broaden their scientific insights and discover new cultures around the world. Before arriving in Taiwan, I had read some manuals to prepare myself as a NORE-elect to represent SCORE during the August Meeting. Especially the SCORE survival kit I read multiple times, which made me very curious and excited for this GA. Reading is one thing, but in real life it’s always different. Nevertheless, I have to say that my expectations were more than fulfilled. Especially when it’s your first GA everything feels unknown, but luckily I was well guided for that. On the first day a teambuilding was held with all the NOREs together, whereby we immediately formed a strong bond with each other. Immediately after that, we started with a discussion about the NORE report. This report has to be filled in by every NORE before the GA, which gives an overview of struggles an NMO could endure during his/her term. When the International Team finished presenting the NORE report summary, an open space discussion took place so we could share our own experiences and ask other NOREs how they would resolve different NORE related struggles (National Social Programs, Tutor Recruitment, etc. )

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The next day it was “Small Working Group” time, where we could choose different topics to work on. I chose the topics about late Card of Acceptances (CA), which is a very common problem in a lot of NMOs. Luckily, thanks to Sofie and Matthieu (BeMSA NORE’s, red.), Belgium doesn’t have a lot of late CAs. Nevertheless, it was still interesting to learn for myself how to avoid late CAs. Afterwards, there were RCP discussions. All the proposals were discussed on that day, so that we could vote on the regulation change proposals on day 3. Lastly, the Exchange Poster Fair Session took place, where all the present countries could promote their country to do a research exchange. This gives NOREs an overview with whom you will sign contracts for the next exchange year. Besides voting for the RCP on day 3, we also voted for our new International Supervising Board, who will supervise SCORE during our upcoming term. On the 4th day, the Contracts Fair took place. This fair is the most important event for all NOREs/NEOs worldwide. At that time, you have the opportunity to sign contract with other countries for the next exchange season. As the contracts of SCORE were already done on beforehand, I helped Begüm with signing the SCOPE contracts by managing her stress and double checking the contracts she signed. I have to say we formed a very good team over there! And after the hard work we collected some nice goodies from the other countries! Picture: satisfied faces after the Contracts Fair Lastly, Matthieu (NORE-Out for BeMSA, red.) presented his candidature for SCORE-Director. After an outstanding presentation he got elected as the new SCORE-Director for the next term, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! Personally, I’m take two things from this GA. First of all, this event gave me a lot of innovative ideas, and I’m figuring out which ones I can implement in my upcoming term. Secondly, it’s crazy how quick friendship bonds form within the IFMSA family during a GA. You only believe it when you experience it! I can say I now feel ready to take over the position of NORE-Out from my predecessor, exchange season 2019/2020, here I come! Blue Hugs Wassim

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SCORP sessions – Marta Clarysse and Noor Takezout

Marta (left) and Noor (right) Nihao everybody! Welcome aboard SCORP! Hope this report will find you well, dear reader. Our journey in SCORP started with a nap… at least that’s how we would describe that very short night after the steaming party on the arrival day. Fortunately, the excitement for the first SCORP session the morning after made sure everybody was present on time! After the teams’ introduction, we were divided between the different trainers in order to start our first activity, namely a check-in with an introduction about ourselves and our hopes, fears and expectations for the upcoming SCORP sessions. Next, we did a quiz about the “Human Rights timeline”, which gave us the opportunity to discuss about the history of human rights, and to reflect and debate about it. We continued with a session on the universality of the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights”. Some questions included: do Human Rights apply to everyone?; Can we call it a “universal declaration” when it is formed based on a western perspective (the problem of ‘cultural relativism’)?; Are HR not biased with our subjective view? An example that illustrates the last question is this: in a hypothetical communist community - where all people in society envision an equal distribution of all goods and properties which belong to everybody - do we consider article 17 (the right to own property) as a violation of Human Rights?

Picture: SCORP sessions

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The second day began with a small working group session named “Interculturality in the medical curriculum”. We discussed about the lack of attention for other cultures and habits in our curricula. Not being educated in this field leads to misunderstandings and, even worse, bad healthcare for the patient. Then, there was the amazing and ever interesting “SCORP Fair”, an event where SCORPions from all over the world can showcase their favourite SCORP activity from their country. Belgium didn’t have an activity to introduce in Taiwan, but next year for sure we’ll have one! We finished the day with a presentation on “Democracy, Human Rights and the Rule of law”. This topic is really fascinating. If you’re interested in reading IFMSA’s policy statement about this topic, you can do so on the IFMSA website.

Picture: SWG on interculturality in the medical curriculum On the third day, we could choose between 2 split sessions: “New era of HG: Social Media and popular culture” or “Migrants Rights”. At the end of day 3, we discussed the SCORP’s TO Member candidates as well as new amendments to our regulations. On the last day, you could tell everybody was completely exhausted and half-asleep. Nevertheless, we started our day with the official voting on the subjects we had discussed the day before. Except for some technical issues, we managed to go through everything rather quickly. Lastly, we had a methodological session about “From Ideas to Impact”, which was followed by a discussion of the future of SCORP. Then, it was time for our warm and frank goodbyes. Marta & Noor

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SCORA sessions – Aislinn Cleiren

The SCORA mission explains it all: “SCORA envisions a world where every individual is empowered to exercise their sexual and reproductive health rights equally, free from stigma and discrimination.” SCORA creates a safe space where everyone can be open, and just themselves. That is exactly the feeling I experienced.

The SCORA session team decided to continue the theme day approach they started at the March Meeting in Slovenia, which meant every day was dedicated to a different topic. After the introduction on the first day, we were confronted with the question ‘How can we tackle HIV and other STIs on local and national levels?’. This led to interesting discussions and provided us with information and soft skills for raising awareness. We started our second day with a session on “The Power of Consent”. We were divided into small groups and were asked to design a campaign poster on this topic. It was so much fun coming up with ideas and trying to shape them into a poster! At the same time, it was also a good way to reflect on how consent can be interpreted in so many different, even though it seems so obvious and self-evident. Our posters were then shared on the internet, after which other delegates could vote on the best one (Our group won the competition!!!). This session was followed by “The future is feminist”, a session where we had debates on different motions. Interestingly, we were sometimes asked to defend opinions opposite to your own. We ended the second day with a very interesting sharing session, which I think it was my personal favourite for this GA. The session was called “Living Library”. Several people told their personal stories about how they experience gender stereotypes in their country and explained the discrimination they often feel.

Picture: SCORA sessions

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On day 3 we had our “SCORA fair”, where anyone who wanted to do so could present a SCORA activity they have organised in their NMO. I listened to all the different presentations, learned a lot and picked up some new ideas that we could maybe implement on a local level! Later that day, the “Joint sessions” were organised. I chose to attend the SCORA-SCORP session which tackled the topic “Sexual Health and Reproductive Rights and Refugees”. This is currently a hot topic globally. The SCORA sessions concluded with the topic of “Menstrual Hygiene”. This was probably the topic that shocked me the most. I realised that Belgium is well ahead of some other parts of the world and I often even felt disgusted at how women and girls are treated in some countries. I joined an international brainstorm group on this topic. It’s not really an official small working group, but hopefully soon we’ll find ways to educate people about menstrual hygiene and encourage communities to make a change! Writing this after returning home made me think back to the wonderful time I had during the SCORA sessions and how grateful I am for the people I met and the things I learned. I can only recommend international meetings to everyone, it is truly an amazing adventure! Aislinn

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SCOME Sessions – Eve Fouarge

SCOME, the Standing Committee On Medical Education, is probably one of the most interesting and thrilling Standing Committees of IFMSA. Teaching and learning methods, the Global Health Workforce, Universal Health Coverage, Climate Change, Social Accountability, Mental Health... there’s so many topics that we work on and lead! SCOME is thus not only about having stitching workshops. Medical education is our daily life, it is the path through which we become leaders and can achieve global health equality. Therefore, it is the roots of Public Health! But in order to develop our medical education, we need to be knowledgeable, skilled. We need to collaborate, and therefore, to meet. This summer's SCOME sessions were special in the sense that they were filled with active trainings and presentations from external partners. We also had buddy groups again, allowing us to bond with other SCOMEdians and helping new participants to get into the family smoothly. During the whole week, we addressed a multitude of topics. Dr Janusz Janczukowicz, a member of the Executive Committee of AMEE (the International Association for Medical Education), described the importance and the future of Interprofessional Education. We discussed meaningful student involvement, in all its uses and consequences.

Picture: Dr. Janczukowicz alongside Alaa, the LME Time in small working groups allowed us to discuss IFMSA’s new policy on transparency in the medical curriculum. We also exchanged ideas on the concept of “Transformative Learning”, which is the process of learning through dilemmas that make you question your beliefs, leading to the acquisition of new skills and knowledge.

Picture: discussing the challenges of the Global Health Workforce issue

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The SCOME IT gave us an update on their work this past term, like the development of a SCOME manual. Especially important were the SCOME plenary (in which we voted on the updated SCOME regulations), the SCOME-D and LME debate, and a presentation on the IFMSA Programs. IFMSA programs bring together all the activities that NMOs organise in one database, which allows students across the federation to know what projects are being done. It thus a great way to get new ideas and input. During the European SCOME sessions, we also discussed the opportunities and threats of technology in future patient care. Barbora HrabalovĂĄ, the Head of External Relations of the WFME, explained to us the consequences of the new 2023 ECFMG criteria which will regulate the access of medical graduates worldwide to the USA. At the same time, Dr. Janusz Janczukowicz gave a parallel session to deepen our understanding about interprofessional education. Finally, we had a simulation of a high-level meeting, such as the WHO, about the global health workforce. As always, I got out of these sessions with new ideas, new hopes, new friends and renewed determination to achieve my goals for BeMSA. If you are passionate about medical education, if you want to challenge the status quo and change the world, please come to the SCOME sessions, because you will never be the same again! Eve

Picture: The SCOME debate with the SCOME-D and LME candidates

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SCOPH Sessions – Sharone Keysha

The Standing Committee on Public Health (SCOPH) is dedicated to Public Health issues. It brings together medical students worldwide with a mission to empower future leaders and to promote health on the Local and Global level, following the IFMSA vision. So, what exactly did we do during this year’s SCOPH sessions? Here is a little recap. On the first day, we had a welcome session as well as an introduction session for the newbies just like me. This was followed by the ”SCOPH Fair”, an activity where NMOs from all countries were able to present their programs related to SCOPH to other SCOPHeroes. This was a great opportunity for everyone to be surrounded by project ideas they could take back home or get feedback from. This year, Aislinn and I presented BeMSA’s “SunnySocks4Docs” campaign. On day two, we first had a “Small Working Groups Time”. Each SCOPHero could participate by choosing a topic from a diverse range of options. After that, I attended the session on voting preparations, where we learned what was ahead of us for the NPO Plenary that was going to happen on the last day. We talked about all the changes and proposals in the regulations that were going to be voted upon. Next, a mini session called “Living Library” was organised where we could also choose different topics and engage in an active discussion. On day three, I attended a session about environment, climate change and health. The session was held in a debating format where both sides of the climate change story were discussed. I was part of the group in charge of finding arguments not to take any measures to stop climate change. We didn’t believe at all in the statements we shared but it was very interesting to see how we could try to convince the other fraction with our opposing point of view. On the same day, we had the SCOPH Candidate Debate which happens every year and gives the opportunity to ask the candidates questions in order to help us make informed decisions during the voting process.

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The last day started with the plenary. We reviewed and amended the SCOPH regulations and annexes. This session was very important for the future of SCOPH. I personally found it to be a pleasant experience and I believe most of the regulations passed. After, we had two parallel sessions: one about Antimicrobial Resistance and the other about Mental Health, which are two important topics in SCOPH. Afterwards, it was time for the “Forum of Representation”, where every participant could share the challenges they were facing, how we could move forward in SCOPH and how the IT could offer maximum support needed by the NMOs. We then proceeded to say our goodbyes, which was a very emotional moment. In short, I can say the SCOPH session were truly amazing! I was saddened to leave some incredible people I met there and with whom I exchanged ideas, experiences and thoughts. Sharone

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NMO Management sessions – Justine Maes, Laurens Willaert and Lucas Bijnens

From left to right: Justine, Laurens and Lucas Do you want to know more about the advantages of a good organisational structure, about the efficiency of strategic planning, the strengths and the weaknesses of your LC/ NMO and how to tackle them, fundraising, handovers and many other subjects? Then NMO Management is your place to be! In just four morning sessions you will learn a lot of skills to improve your LC/ NMO. On top of that, these subjects are also internationally relevant and useful. In NMO management, you will learn how to tackle common struggles by exchanging knowledge and thoughts with people from other NMOs, and by attending the many workshops and master classes available. As newbies in the management field, we were a little worried about how much we would be able to participate, but everything turned out perfectly for the three of us. NMO Management sessions are suited for every kind of position within BeMSA, and moreover the skills you will learn will be useful in your personal life as well! Very often there are a variety of sessions to choose from , divided either by level of expertise or personal interest. In this way, everybody can always find something suitable and interesting for themselves. The topics that are covered vary between different GA’s because they are chosen based on the field of interest of the participants. Nevertheless, we are happy to share some of our experiences here, and we will highlight the sessions we liked most. Picture: session on prioritization in game format

Belgian Medical Students’ Association - Title The class about fundraising, was extremely useful for all three of us. We learned about technical terms, common mistakes (that were sadly very recognizable) and a plan on how we should handle them. We also enjoyed the “Hackaton”. Divided into several groups, we were presented a problem and had to find a detailed solution for it. It was very challenging but also super exciting and interesting! Exchanging different thoughts, visions, problems and possible solutions is a really enriching and unique experience, made possible only by the GA.

Picture: presentation of ‘Hackaton’ work And last but certainly not least, we’d like to point out that many sessions were facilitated by Sarah (Maesen, Local President in Leuven, red.). She did an outstanding job! From here, we learned about strategic planning, which will certainly be implemented in our upcoming terms.

Picture: session on impact assessment, facilitated by Sarah In short, we can say we had an amazing time, made exceptional friends from all over the world and learned about all kinds of interesting subjects. Certainly to be repeated!!!

Hugs, Lucas, Laurens and Justine

Belgian Medical Students’ Association - Title 5.8

Presidents’ sessions – Laure-Elise Seghers

Presidents’ sessions are those two times each year in which NMO presidents from about 80 countries come together in real life to discuss development within IFMSA altogether. It’s fascinating to be part of a group of people exchanging ideas regarding the concrete future of the federation. If you think that sounded boring, it is not at all. Little groups of people interested in the same topics gathered and brainstormed together, statements were written and read out loud, controversial topics were openly discussed.. Yes, I’m already missing it! During this GA we mainly focussed on all the TO and EB member candidatures, since a new Team of Officials had to be chosen for next term. (See picture below) We also discussed countries leaving and entering the IFMSA, which is always an emotional matter. And of course there were also the obligatory bylaw change proposals. For example, AECS Catalonia had submitted a bylaw change proposal to allow non-medical students to apply for all positions within the IFMSA TO. This topic is very controversial and has been a point of discussion during the last couple of General Assemblies as well. The bylaw change proposal was not adopted, but this topic will surely return to the front stage during the next GA’s as well! Every day after presidents’ sessions it was time for our daily NMO hour. We were a total of 14 in the Belgian delegation. We had agreed for everyone to read a couple of documents on beforehand (the same ones that were discussed during president sessions). The purpose of these NMO hours is to define our stance towards all official documents which are voted upon during the plenaries.

Picture: CCC presenting during Presidents’ sessions

Belgian Medical Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association - Title

Another important part of my days at the GA was dedicated to the plenaries. Personally, I love them. Imagine 80 heads of delegations from all NMOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s present at a General Assembly voting for the topics we discussed in the morning. Following all the strict procedures is where plenaries get interesting. There is always a constant stream of new developments, whether it is amendments, procedural motions, or statements. I am taking home many ideas from other NMOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and many contacts as a source of future new ideas. I gained an incredible amount of experience regarding the international part of BeMSA which will be useful in upcoming term as VPM. Thank you Taiwan and thank you to the rest of the delegation for being this involved! Hugs, Laure-Elise Picture: NMO presidents during plenary

Belgian Medical Students’ Association - Title

6 In the picture: Matthieu Pierre Profile ü 4th year Medical Student at VUB ü BeMSA NORE ’18-‘19 ü SCORE Supervising Board member ’18- ‘19 ü IFMSA SCORE-Director-elect ü Attended the GA due to an IT spot

Matthieu, at the August Meeting you got elected as SCORE-Director. Can you briefly describe what that position entails? As SCORE-Director, I will be leading the Standing Committee on Research Exchange and its International Team. Besides overseeing and guiding the five SCORE Regional Assistants that care for the NOREs and their exchange programs, I will also be taking a lead on advocating for Research Education with the SCORE External Development Assistant and on improving our Research Exchange program and research workshops with the SCORE Internal Development Assistant. Alongside managing the SCORE International Team, I will be representing our dark blue Standing Committee with its mission and vision within the IFMSA Team of Officials and to externals.

Picture: Matthieu presenting his candidature

Belgian Medical Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association - Title

What made you apply for this position? During the first two years of medical school, I was full of doubts whether medicine was the right path for me. In the summer of 2017, everything changed when I went on a Research Exchange to Portugal and discovered the world of research through IFMSA. I learned that IFMSA and SCORE provide access to research and research education for healthcare students all over the world, a unique experience that no other organization provides. Through my experience in BeMSA and IFMSA I have met people who have inspired me by organizing many research workshops, campaigns and exchanges. Combined with my plans to innovate SCORE and improve Research Camp, Academic Quality and our visibility, the position of SCORE-Director is the perfect opportunity to implement these plans by collaborating with the most dedicated people in SCORE. How do you manage your time so well, since of course you are also studying medicine? The key is motivation, dedication and clear time management. Knowing well what needs to be done and prioritising what is urgent helps me in organising my agenda. Also, drawing clear borders is important to maintain a good work-life balance. It's important to dedicate time to IFMSA, but it's even more important to know when enough is enough so I can still focus on my studies and life. Do you feel research is addressed enough in medical curricula? I believe it's addressed enough in my medical curriculum in Brussels as I get to spend four months doing full time research, but unfortunately not everyone has the luxury to learn and experience research in their own university. Furthermore, undergraduate research education is lacking almost everywhere in the world. According to an IFMSA survey, although 97% of medical students think research should be addressed in their curriculum, only 19% think it is addressed sufficiently. I believe this number should be higher, and I hope we can increase it slowly but surely with SCORE.

Picture: Matthieu speeching at the SCORE-sessions after his election

Belgian Medical Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association - Title

Thank you AM19 Taiwan, You were amazing!