EMR Newsletter

EMR11 - Egypt | February 2015

A Message from the Coordinator Dear EMR Family, It’s an honor for me to write the opening words to the 6th edition of our EMR Newsletter.

Four months into my term as the Regional Coordinator for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, I’m still very excited to deliver nothing but the best to our region’s members. The EMR team has been able to work very well with the EMR NMOs, activating Standing Committees and initiating new activities, and helping members by capacity building activities.

Also, we have our 11th EMR meeting soon, this time in Cairo, with around 300 participants overall. The theme will be Universal Health Coverage, a hot topic in global health discussion, and something we definitely need to address more in our region. We will be blessed with the presence of many external speakers at different sessions from the WHO EMRO office and other important organizations.

EMR is one of the oldest and most active regions of the IFMSA and the motivation that I see from the members on a daily basis is the reason for its success. I’m proud to witness how our region is evergrowing and I hope that we can impact the lives of medical students through IFMSA in our region. And also have a strong voice among the regions, by taking an active role in decision making.

EMR Newsletter has been our portal to showcase your success since 2009/10. Keep on sharing your ideas and success stories with our region, and together, we will make EMR stronger day by day.

Follow IFMSA ifmsa.wordpress.com /ifmsa @ifmsa @youifmsa /ifmsa

Join the EMR Yahoo! Mailing List Facebook Group

Publisher International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA)

I have truly enjoyed being part of this family for the past years, meeting new people, making best friends, getting inspired and hearing amazing stories and having all kinds of fun memories and souvenirs from our regional meetings. I hope to meet many more members of our family in the upcoming March Meeting 2015. Last but not least, I’d like to thank everyone who submitted an article about your awesome activities. And I’d like to thank the EMR team who have supported me and the region in the past months tremendously.

International Secretariat:

Enjoy reading the newsletter,

Homepage: www.ifmsa.org

Zahra Zeinali Regional Coordinator for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 2014/15

c/o Academic Medical Center Meibergdreef 15 1105AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands Phone: +31 2 05668823 Email: gs@ifmsa.org publications@ifmsa.org

This is an IFMSA Publication © 2015 - Only portions of this publication may be reproduced for non political and non profit purposes, provided mentioning the source.

Why should we join IFMSA

When I first joined IFMSA, I thought it will be like any other organization. But after a lot of campaigns, I realized that it is more than just that. It is a home for all medical students. Not just those from the University of Jordan (which I go to), or even from Jordan; it is the home for medical students from all over the world. IFMSA is one big gorgeous family and that’s why I love it.

Through IFMSA, I also fell in

love with medicine, as it made me believe that medicine is not just about science and books to be memorized. Medicine is so much than that and IFMSA allowed me to express myself and define who I am.

With IFMSA I learned about human rights and the humane role of doctors and medical students through helping different people and trying to make the world a better place.

IFMSA allows you to learn new skills, meet new cultures, and improve your foreign languages.

IFMSA also offers you the latest medical and international updates through its research and exchange programs and

the international meetings held annually. Through IFMSA you will learn how to become a successful leader, how to communicate and socialize with people, and and how to act in any situation that you may face in your life.

To finalize, I believe that every medical student should have the IFMSA experience, so do not waste the chance of being a member of this great family.

After all, what do you have to lose?

Salameh A. Al Habasheh VPE, IFMSA-Jo

IFMSA TOM-1 in Morocco

The first time when the proposal of organizing the IFMSA Team of Officials Meeting 1 (TOM1) for the term 2014-2015 was discussed during one of IFMSAMorocco’s NGA. The idea was highly liked and motivating for the audience of the plenary and the motion successfully passed “nemo contra.” Since then, I kept waiting for the call for the Organizing committee be open and I didn’t miss the chance to apply for it.

Holding the TOM in Morocco, one of the youngest Eastern Mediterranean NMOs was a

big challenge for the organizing committee. We wanted it to be special by its location and its program. The meeting took place in a small and calm city called Kentira, a few kilometers away from Rabat, the capital of Morocco. The event was fully supported by the governing authorities of the city which made the officials’ stay warm and welcoming. I would like to share one of the memorable moments of the meeting that was particularly close to my heart. During the opening ceremony, the IFMSA President gave an inspiring speech that was fenced by an oath made by each member of the official team and followed by a signature in the presence of the minister of Higher Education of Morocco, the Mayor of the

city, many ambassadors, and other representatives of nongovernmental organizations.

Being a part of the organizing committee allowed me to become more familiarized with the IFMSA Team of Officials, which is composed by such amazing, motivated, inspiring, and successful people. It was a very rewarding experience to me on many levels, and I encourage everyone to take the initiative to be part of the body organizing of any event organized by IFMSA. It will be a life time experience I can guarantee you that!

Hind Moussaoui LORP, IFMSA-Morocco

When the EMR becomes your family! were all medical students like reaching our maximal potential. myself, but were they living the They became my family, to same experiences? facing the the point where goodbyes at same obstacles? the end of every meeting, were I came with so many questions. literally heart-breaking.

The first time I attended the EMR meeting as a part of LeMSIC delegation, excitement was my initial feeling. After being an active member and officer for the previous 3 years, this was the opportunity to represent my NMO, the work we accomplish in LeMSIC, and the projects we do to improve ourselves as caregivers was a big challenge.

Yet, another feeling was present.

I was scared from encountering people from different countries with different traditions and different expectations. They

Somehow, all it took for me to find the right answers were two amazing ladies that today I call “My Sisters.” We talked openly, without difficulties or fears of being judged. Although we lived in different environments, believe it or it, we faced the same problems, as females and individuals.

This message goes to them: my newlywed egyptian bride Bassant and my Jordanian princess Dana.

My story is one of the many stories that the EMR meetings added to our lives and my friendship is one of the many real ties that were born there, defying distance, time and logic.

They opened my eyes to the Thank you EMR. reality that all the fears I had before meeting them, of what is labeled as “unknown” or “different” were the major Marie-Theresia Hadchity, drawbacks preventing us from LeMSIC Lebanon

How did I get here? decided to go for a Local Officer in Research Exchange; the blue committee captured my attention since the beginning and I made sure to give it everything I have.

Three years ago I was a regular pre-medical student making my way into medicine and hearing about this big organization called IFMSA. Two years ago, I entered med school with one intention in mind, make the most out of my medical life and I was elected the SCORE Secretary in my Local Committee who was just two years old. After an unforgettable exchange experience my passion for IFMSA grew bigger and I

committee in the University of Balamand in North Lebanon and with the support of the amazing family in LeMSIC, I became part of the wonderful EMR Team and the International SCORE Team in IFMSA. This journey was life Having attended the EMR10 in changing in every possible way.

Kuwait and the March Meeting 2014 in Tunisia, I got to meet Once you get to know how this the amazing people behind big family functions, you won’t the scene. Those remarkable be able to stop yourself from people are nothing but a perfect falling in love with its every combination of team work, aspect. That’s what is driving inspiration and fun. They were me to give it more and more in my utter most motivation to return of the lifetime experience apply for my current position of it offered me.

Regional Assistant of SCORE in EMR. Omar Hafez, Coming from a newborn local SCORE-RA for the EMR

The Rebirth of IFMSA-Jo Publications local news papers, social media, university newspapers, radios, interviews and most importantly printing and distributing IFMSA-Jo Magazine to be available in almost all places As a rapidly growing NMO, where medical students study IFMSA-Jordan faced many or spend their time. Our work on challenges and difficulties in past the magazine was challenging, terms. One of such challenges to make it desirable, new and was having the Publications yet informative.

Support Division marginalized The vision stems from the need and lacking support. Through to highlight our NMO’s diverse this term 2014-2015, we are activities, from meetings to fighting with high spirits and projects and fairs. IFMSA-Jo unparalleled motivation to bring has grown profoundly through back publications, and make it word of mouth and promotional one of IFMSA-Jo’s finest. campaigns. However, this year This term we are expanding the we want to reach every student idea of publications, to include in Jordan.

Even with all the challenges, the Publications Support Division are utilizing all their efforts to ensure that this year will be unforgettable; showing everyone what medical students are just capable of outside the library and lecture hall.

Ahmad Abbadi & Zeina Orabi, IFMSA-Jo

Tents of Hope the camp, which is the largest refugee camp in Jordan housing more than 100,000 people.

It was late September 2014 when I had the privilege to serve as a volunteer in the “Human Doctor” project that aimed to provide medical help for the Syrian refugees in Jordan.

Early that day I grabbed my white coat and took my commitment for help to meet the rest of the team in Amman.

“To Alzaatari” they said, and the bus turned on its engine and drove our motivation through the Jordanian desert for two hours, until we were able to see a check point that leads to

With no expectations, we entered the camp. “This is not a camp, this is a city” the American doctor said, with a startled look on his face. The city of tents has everything, from clothing markets and grocery stores, to field schools and hospitals. We headed to the field hospital, to be welcomed by a group of dancing children and parents that were desperate for help. Prescriptions were written, cries were eased, and parents were relieved by their smiling children. The looks of appreciation and gratefulness on the faces of refugees

made me and the whole team overwhelmed by satisfaction.

But soon it was time for our unwanted departure, as our presence provided a sense of security for the refugees who are waiting in their tents of hope for peace to bring them back their beloved country.

Ramez Halaseh, IFMSA-Jo

Leadership is a contagion motivational status on all groups for IFMSA-Iraq to infect our Facebook members. The best tool was to get myself involved first hand not just lurk behind my computer screen and step up only when my trainer services are required. I pushed my time trying to make people see I am participating in the wolf pack to light that fire inside them and make their mentalities change by the effect of that virus. I thought it was just me but we have an outbreak of leadership in IFMSA-Iraq and it takes its source our wonderful national officers whom I consider myself lucky to be part of their golden company and feel their leadership qualities which are

seeping from them by working with them, accompanying them, and sometimes by just talking to them. I wish this contagion will never end to keep infecting others and nobody would dare to quarantine us or create a vaccine.

anyone with high glucose level was referred back to our seniors for more consultant about diabetes, its risk factors and how to avoid it and be handed more different types of awareness IFMSA‐Iraq, SCOPHeroes brochures. unleashed their spirit powerfully The first two events were at Nov. this year in organizing the Worlds 14th in Baghdad and Kirkuk, a Diabetes Day for the 2nd year in a total number of 420 people had row by conducting three different their blood glucose level tested events in two major cities. and over 700 people were given In all of the events, groups of our awareness (Through the small members were attracting and lectures and the brochures gathering people to our booth, given). The 3rd event took place small awareness lectures (5‐15 in Baghdad at Nov. 30th by Al‐ minutes each) were given by our Mustansrya LC ‘s SCOPHeroes in seniors to those different groups association with the Iraqi Ministry of people (20‐50 persons each) of Health. and after that the same people 60 SCOPHeroes participated from were seated to have their Blood three LCs, considering IFMSA‐Iraq Glucose level measured and as newbie since just Aug. 2013

with this powerful potential in only one year reflects how it started to affect the students and people here splendidly as SCOPH grew much bigger and more active now to mirror our SCOPHeroes challenging every obstacle Iraq is going through now to resolve and fight any Public Health issue needed in the community.

“Lead by example” is not just a catchy phrase that many of us (aka Homo sapiens) use from time to time, it’s a virus! A good virus, though.

From the moment I had read the materials from the trainers support center of IFMSA, I was infected. Like any virus will search for new hosts to spread the contagion through them, for two months, I picked my first training sessions to be about leadership. Then I posted a

Arshad Alshimmary, IFMSA-Iraq

WORLD DIABETES DAY

Ahmed Aqeel Shakir NPO, IFMSA‐Iraq

SCORP in EMR

Over the span of a few years, SCORP has undergone significant changes in the way it’s been able to expand in the EMR through the active work of its NMOs and their unique projects, in addition to the powerful messages conveyed of the numerous Human Rightsrelated issues in their respective countries. I’ve been blessed to work with a group of passionate and empowered NORPs from over a dozen NMOs who truly personify the vision of SCORP, and are committed to not only grasp

the public’s awareness on major topics in their communities, but to further develop and improve the Standing Committee’s structure in their NMOs.A major milestone reached this term was the unanimous approval by the NORPs of ‘Migrant Health’ as the SCORP regional theme for the EMR, which encompasses a variety of topics such as refugees, immigrants, IDPs, war victims and violations in healthcare, with their NMOs addressing them according to their priority in each country.

Rights: Speak Up!” (IFMSA-Jo), “IDPs are our Responsibility” (IFMSA-Iraq), “Health & Hygiene for the Syrian Refugees” (LeMSICLebanon), “Cancer Patient Reinforcement” (IFMSA-Egypt), and “#Yezzi” (AssociaMedTunisia). Apart from celebrations held for World Human Rights Day by the NMOs incl. IFMSAMorocco, EMSS-U.A.E., SQU MSGOman, KuMSA-Kuwait, IMSA-Iran, and LMSA-Libya, this is just the start for what I believe has been one of the best terms for SCORP in the region; I can proudly say that with 2015 and EMR11 ahead Furthermore, many influential of us, this is definitely a year not projects/initiatives have been to miss! taking place from this term’s start, Yamen Amer Jabr including: “Warm the Refugees” IFMSA-Egypt (IFMSA-Kurdistan), “Human

STIs campaign report

medical students, with the help and support of the” Ministry of A campaign with the aim of Health, Treatment and Medical informing university students Education” and also the education of non-medical sciences majors department of the faculty of about common STIs (sexually medicine and the department of transmitted infections) was health. founded in Ferdowsi University The goals of this program include: of Mashhad on the 8th and awareness 9th of November. Every day a 1. Increasing conference was held with the about STIs attendance of the country’s top 2. Changing the view infectious diseases specialists to of students (toward STIs) train and inform the attendants and therefore changing risky from. behaviors This campaign was set up by 3. Increasing the social “Reproductive Health and AIDS” and scientific skills of medical committee (SCORA) of Mashhad students

This program was conducted based on sharing information about STIs in a way that was acceptable and appropriate according to the cultural and religious circumstances of Iran with emphasis on the use of appropriate methods and messages. The students were informed about the origin of STIs, symptoms, cure, prevention and some current STIs

Zahra Yousefli IFMSA-IRAN

Being a doctor: A children’s role-playing game used to describe what could be done to prevent their patients from getting sick (e.g. washing hands before meals, avoiding spoiled food, and using drugs as prescribed). One month later, in a second visit, almost all children were eager to engage in the roleHalf of children were dressed play game, suggesting that their Most children are scared of as doctors and the other half comfort with medical staff had medical procedures, so they resist as surgeons, using cartoon improved. seeing a doctor when sick. To characters as patients. reduce fear of medical staff and hospitals, we set out to familiarize children of 3-6 years of age at the Next, we explained to them in kindergarten of Children Medical plain words how doctors manage Center (Tehran, Iran) with medical a cold, food poisoning, or a procedures, instruments and simple fracture, and had them Peyman Nejat, common diseases.

Sogol Koolaji role-play doctors. Poems were SCORP/IMSA-TUMS

Pediatrics Optometry and audiometry screening Center for Child charity centers In Kerman

One of the main goals of the Iranian Student Association is promotion of community health level. One of the main values of SCORP committee is, the education of children in the center, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender and social class. Kerman is an ancient city and one of the important cities in the southern east of Iran. A significant population of Afghan refugees and Pakistanis live in the old part and periphery of this city. Many forms of illegal

Afghans living in Kerman. There is no education for children in schools of the government and UNESCO. These children have less access to health care than other children of other immigrants have. Fortunately, a number of NGOs in Kerman to identify these children and provides them free education. Kerman SCORP has a lofty goal to screen children for hearing and vision problems, as an effective step to improve the health of immigrants and general public.

problem refers to the problem of child specialists involved in the project for examination and treatment. These were tested for all cases: visual acuity, strabismus, visual field examination, otoscopy and whisper test.

Our project was done for 320 children of Afghan nationality, aged 5 to 14 years. 41% were female. Of these, 127 (39.6%) had healthy hearing and 151 (47.18%) of intact vision, and the rest had at least one problem with their hearing or vision. All the The project was done on May cases were referred for pro-bono 2014 with the help of “Moshtagh treatment. children charity agency”. Thirteen trained medical students participated in this project. This project was conducted in two phases. Children identified in Maryam Keramaty the first phase and the second IFMSA-Iran

Warm Hugs from Palestine parts of the world visit Palestine in August. They learn more about the conflict, the difficult refugee situation in Palestine as well as getting to experience real life in refugee camps. ReCap aims to reduce the effect of war and conflict on Palestinian refugee children, as well as training young health professionals from around the world in the field of psychologic and community health. Particularly, we are interested in raising awareness of the connection between psychosocial status and health, and to conduct research on the mental health status of Palestinian refugees. The project also aims to build a basis for establishing a permanent peace in the region and develop human resources by motivating medical students

to become involved in IFMSA Palestine, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and other medical organisations working in the field of refugee health.

and broken bones. Physical abuse might be the most visible, other types of abuse, such as emotional abuse and neglect, also leave deep, lasting scars. Child abuse can occur in a child’s home, or “When the lives and the rights of in the organizations, schools or children are at stake, there must communities the child interacts be no silent witnesses.” Carol with. It’s a terrible epidemic that Bellamy we are dedicated to put an end to.

To take an action and put an end Children are the most vulnerable to this type of violence we have group in the society. They are to spot the light on this issue. easily fooled, abused or silenced.

Help the children to speak out.

This increases our responsibility to support them and stand for This issue is markedly high in our their rights.

EMR region as they are always being hidden under “personal One of the main problems that issues” curtain. The most children rights faces is child abuse. important way to face this type of Child abuse is more than bruises

violence is to increase awareness of the society and especially health care workers to the signs that appears on the children for early detection as:

As the new president of IFMSAPalestine, I am passionately committed to representing our members in the best possible way to the international community.

In Palestine, we have many projects with all the standing committees, including medical days, international days, and other public health and sexual health projects. But what is special in our NMO is the ReCap project.

It is a joint project between IFMSA-Palestine and the IPPNW (International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War), where medical students from different

We invite all IFMSA members to participate in this project and to be part of achieving peace in the Holy Land.

Haytham IFMSA-Paletine

Children Rights

• Show of sudden changes in behavior or school performance • Has not received help for physical or medical problems brought to the parents’ attention • Has learning problems (or difficulty concentrating) that cannot be attributed to specific physical or psychological causes We have to take an action to stand for Children Rights.

Mohammad Essmat Shouman NORP, IFMSA-Egypt

(Your Health 1st + Your Teeth Matter) Back In Action

IFMSA-Iraq SCOPHeroes strike once again and strongly by a joint event between the teams of “Your Health 1st” and “Your Teeth Matter” With the participation of 35 awesome SCOPHeroes for both teams, the event took place at one of the most crowded malls in Baghdad at Nov. 29th.

Your Health 1st’s main concern was Hypertension, and Your Teeth Matter’s one was Oral Hygiene.

The aim of this joint event is to

cover a variety of aspects and attract more people to our booths as this proved to work efficiently more often.

giving them all the necessary consultation about Oral Hygiene and what might ignoring it lead to!

A gathering team went to talk with the public and attract them to our booths to be given small awareness lectures about Hypertension, its risk factors and how to control it (5-10 minutes lectures for each 15-30 group of people), after that the same people were seated to have their blood pressure measured and anyone with high blood pressure was transferred back to our seniors for further consultant and to be handed extra awareness brochures. At the same time Your Teeth matter team were attracting people to their booth

More than 150 people were seen and had the needed awareness (through the small lectures and brochures) and 75 had their blood pressure measured.

working to spring up with the full picture of the human doctor; the social media team working on videos to enrich the humanity of doctors. The Workshop team organizes several workshops in communication skills, art and music therapy, breaking bad news and others. University Campaign team working to raise the awareness of students about a humanitarian issue. And finally, the conference team and external affairs team. We collaborated with several organizations such as Flying Doctors of America, Syrian American Medical Society and North American Arab Medical Association. We also worked in free medical clinics covering more than 6000 refugees. Moreover, we held a workshop in advanced

communication skills, a clowning event for the blossoms of Syrian refugees and several awareness campaigns.

More awesome projects coming in the next period with more awesome ideas, despite the fact that our NMO is only one year old but it already started competing at a regional and international level and YES! Way more to come. ;) Ahmed Aqeel Shakir NPO, IFMSA-Iraq

Human Doctor Project

It was one of SCORP sessions where a simple idea was discussed that turned a dream into a great success. In IFMSA Jordan JUST LC we believe that the sky is not the limit when there are footsteps on the moon.

The Human Doctor project that was launched on may 2014 inspired by Hippocrates when he said “Wherever the art of Medicine is loved, there is also a love of Humanity” and Maimonides quote: “The physician should not treat the disease but the patient who is suffering from it”. With a 6 month plan, and 5 teams

A project dedicated to the humanity that will always defeat the weapons to erase a tear on a child’s cheek and draw a hope for a better future.

Human DoctorProject Team IFMSA-Jordan

Public Health in Kurdistan

For the past few years SCOPH as the first and one of the most active standing committees of our NMO, has tried to define the major public health issues for our medical students and also has given them the chance of being active in the field to raise awareness among the public. Our last national general assembly in September 2014 was a turning point for our NMO where a new team of officials were elected from a group of highly motivated members. It was a perfect event for our students that could gather more than 100 medical students

from different cities of Kurdistan!

All together working, sharing ideas and planning for the next term towards a better medical education for our students and a healthier community. Standing committee sessions were the best and most productive parts of our national assembly in particular SCOPH sessions where a perfect environment of discussion was provided. We set our plan of action for the next term after discussing the major health issues in our locality.

This term our SCOPH started much stronger than before! We started the term by two national projects: the diabetes awareness campaigns in the WDD and also the antibiotic resistance project in which it continues for the whole term. These two topics together

with cancer education, blood & organ donation, anti-tobacco and obesity are in our plan of action for this term. Lots have been done so far, got much more to do!

Danar Ali IFMSA-Kurdistan

Detect and Protect

“SCORA of IFMSA-IRAQ came to life last October through the launch of “Detect and Protect” campaign for breast cancer awareness.

This campaign came as a result of a significant lack of awareness among Iraqi women and girls on this issue.

Reality is that even female medical students did not have an adequate awareness on this topic. That is why we focused on creating workshops that provided our medical students with a good

background on breast cancer universities in Baghdad. with the help of doctors from the Mortality rates due to breast Anatomy, Pathology, Surgery and cancer have significantly Community departments. increased in Iraqi women Our public moves came soon because of poor knowledge afterwards when we organized and late detection. Years of war an awareness marathon on and continuous exposure to the streets of Baghdad for the radiations have put the general first time ever. Despite the health of population at a great challenges, we were successful risk. That’s why we handed out in giving away more than 400 brochures, ribbons, informatory brochures for random women sheets, spoke at TV channels and and men who showed a great actively used social media to deal of interest in this campaign spread awareness & encourage and decided to follow up on the women to pay constant attention topic themselves.

Eventually, to their breasts and perform BSE we managed to hold 3 public monthly with routine screening if events in 2 Iraq cities - Baghdad needed.”

Alaq Khalid and Kirkuk- plus workshops in 3 NORA, IFMSA-Iraq

Letters Curved in a Generation nothing in it except your naked body and human’s sympathy and if you were lucky you will have a tent that you can shelter your family in to protect them from the cold winter and freezing gales, or IDPs, simply defined as internally having some food to feed their displaced persons. It is only hunger. couple letters you can write it Lost future, uneasy present and down easily on paper but can you longing for the past despite of its imagine their suffering? negativities. That’s in short how To be forced to leave your home, these people live. your world, and your reality in a dark night to face a completely different world that you will not imagine yourself in it even in your nightmares. A world you own

As SCORP or I should say as humans we have tried to help them as much as we can by making events for raising for their benefits and by providing

healthcare through weekly visits to their camps in collaboration with IHAO, we provided them with blankets, heaters and medication. Two projects were held, the first was (Our IDPs Our Responsibility) and the second was (To Keep Them Healthy), but it’s not enough we need your help to stand together for peace and share it everywhere because only the peace message can help them end this and have a better future.

Mustafa Safaa NORP, IFMSA-Iraq

Teddy Bear Hospital 2. To educate children about required for an illness. health related aspects.

3. A training room with different 3. To provide a great chance for parts, as listed below, was Medical students to put their prepared to provide important knowledge of interacting with information for children: kids practically. a. Oral health 4. To introduce ways concerned b. Proper food pyramid about children’s psychological aspects and lifestyle. c.

Body organs and their function 5. To provide a chance for children to experience team work and to d.

Medical instruments and improve their social skills. their usage

The “Teddy Bear Hospital” (TBH) is an international project, which has been done several times worldwide. Mashhad SCOPH organized TBH for the second time in Iran. Twenty-eight medical students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences Steps of TBH project are briefly were involved in this project. listed below: This project was done on October 25, 2014 with Razavi hospital’s 1. Puppet show with the title of hosting, financial and spiritual “Healthy life style” was performed. support. The participants were 37 2. The children brought their children from Ferdowsi University dolls to “Teddy-doctors” who of Mashhad kindergarten. were the medical students and they were referred to pharmacy, The main purposes were: bandage or X-ray sections after 1. To reduce children’s “white- symbolic diagnosis to familiarize coat anxiety” and being afraid of the children with examination, hospital atmosphere. diagnosis and therapeutic steps

e.

Animation show

f.

Painting

Pre and post tests were also done for evaluation.

Kosar Shabani Varaki, Mohammad Reza Roohbakhsh IFMSA-Iran

Health systems at the SCOPH EMR11 between national strategies of neighboring countries (especially Maghreb and Gulf Countries).

One striking example is Morocco and Tunisia.

During the SCOPH Sessions at EMR11 Meeting, we had a session on the perspectives and achievements of the healthcare systems of the region. We based our analysis on the 6 building blocks, as defined by the World Health Organisation: finances, governance, knowledge, access to facilities, human resources and technologies. It has been a great experience since it have let students provide critical perspectives on their own national health systems.

It also made us think about the differences and similarities

Delegates considered that both have a significant health workforce but somehow lack equipments, medical products, highest technologies, and finances representing a challenge to North African Countries. One the other hand, Oman and the United Arab Emirates are facing a different situation, lacking sufficient workforce but not having financial or equipments issues. There was an engaging discussion on what are the strategies and struggles of each country and even within the same country among regions.

Another interesting example was the discussion held between the delegates from a same country - Egypt. Disparities were named within the same country, mainly based on the sub-region the participants came from. For instance, the focus wasn’t the same in terms of health facilities and equitable goals ensuring health for all inhabitants.

All in all, this was a very interesting and engaging session for the delegates, and it only highlighted the efforts and work that needs to be done by the different countries in order to reach the highest level of health for all inhabitants of the region in a post-2015 area.

Skander Essafi, Claudel P-Desrosiers SCOPH-D and VPE IFMSA

My Experience as a Local Officer on Research in, organize and coordinate.

As a fourth year medical student at Mutah University in Karak, Jordan, I have learned that time management is a major factor to succeed in medical school.

However, it is not just the academic side of medical school that needs management, being a local officer takes more of one’s time; there are research sessions, workshops and hosting other community related activities, which I feel that I have been fortunate enough to participate

I believe that research is a crucial part in every physician’s career. A doctor should not be up to date with the medical world only, but should also try to expand it.

Because of this, when I joined IFMSA-Jo in October 2013, of the 6 standing committees I chose the Standing Committee on Research and Exchange (SCORE).

SCORE seeks to give medical students across the world the opportunity to gain research skills whether locally, nationally or internationally. I knew I would fit right in. And I became the first LORE at MULC as of November 2013 and I am now serving my second term after being re-

elected in September 2014.

Despite the heavy workload, I have been enjoying every second of it.

They say that hindsight is 20/20 and I can honestly say that all the pressure from studies, the extra-curricular activities, and even from life itself is all a gift we may not realize at the time.

It prepares us for future medical world. My advice for all medical students is to work hard, focus on your studies, do not complain, but most importantly, try to enjoy the ride. It only happens once in a lifetime.

Adel Issa Adel Nesheiwat IFMSA-Jo

Teenagers Health Campaign

“Be the change you want to see in the world”.

From that inspiring quote, and proceeding from the fact that Jordan is a growing youth country where teenagers form the majority of its community, and since teenage is a transitional stage in the physical and psychological aspects of human development, and proceeding from our believe that today`s teens are tomorrow`s leaders; we as IFMSA-Jo, decided to spot the light on this critical segment of our community, and we came up with the Teenagers Health campaign, That covered Jordan from north to south; from Irbid

At the EMR

I’ll be honest – I applied to go to EMR11-Egypt because, well, I’m Egyptian, and it sounded interesting enough. I expected to learn a little about IFMSA and the theme events, but I was utterly unprepared for how huge it all was.

What I hoped to gain out of this experience quickly morphed into something much more ambitious very early into my first SCOME session. Stijntje

to Aqaba, and more than 800 Remember, your project must teenagers were targeted. leave a print in your community to be a unique project.

Being the project leader, was a life changing experience; with 4 To be honest, through this months of hard work, dedication, awesome experience I have brainstorming and many learned to love and appreciate challenges to face. So, I decided to the art of medicine. Before share these pieces of advice with starting voluntary work with the EMR community hoping that IFMSA, I was thinking medicine they might help; first, you have is just a science and a bunch to believe in your project, as that of books to be highlighted will give you enough fuel for your and memorized.

Surprisingly journey. Then, plan your entire enough, everything has changed; campaign with every detail and I’ve learned to believe that remember that it’s ok to ask for medicine is a beautiful way of life help. You can always avoid stress and living. And IFMSA was the and balance between your IFMSA frosting that added the flavor; I’ve work and studying with time been given the chance to express management. Once you start, myself, to improve my society you can’t ignore the obstacles, so and enjoy studying medicine fight for your goal and don’t stop. through creative projects, events Work with your team in harmony & campaigns. My life now is more and respect because without joyful, enthusiastic and effective. the team there is no project and Ala’ Bal’awi never forget to say “Thank you”.

IFMSA-Jo Dijk and AbdulRahman Nofal began the first of three days with the (fortunate) banning of lap dances, an introduction to SCOME and IFMSA, and a plethora of fascinating activities that left every SCOME member present fueled with the desire to better their own medical schools and communities as a whole.

(seriously though), and somehow all Palestinians are gorgeous.

Yet regardless of cultural or geographical differences, what EMR-11 taught all of us was indisputable: through collaboration, effort, and creativity, it is we who have the duty and power to change our own schools and societies for the In between sessions, I befriended a better. wide variety of internationals and Hats off to the OC for organizing a learned all about their cultures. wonderful conference—proving For instance, I can wholeheartedly once and for all that Egyptians vouch that the Moroccan dialect (and Lebanese!) really are the is undecipherable, but their most awesome Arabs ever. (Just desserts are delicious. Tunisians kidding, we’re all pretty cool.) have awesome outfits, Lebanon (yeah!) has the best food, Lojine Kamel Jordanians have amazing coffee LeMSIC

Out in the Ocean

What if a fish who used to swim in an aquarium find himself suddenly in the ocean?

It would be scary, exciting and rewarding. Scary because it will be the first time, a strange experience that a small fish can’t even imagine. Scary because the small fish don’t know how much the ocean is big, how much the ocean is deep and how much the ocean is mysterious. Exciting

Health Caravan

When you realize the value of something you have and then look around to find that your neighbors are unable to have the same, you begin to question the existing social inequalities and try to do something about it… This is exactly what happened when we, Tunisian medical students from Associa-Med, found out that just few kilometers away from one of our big cities Sfax; underprivileged citizens lacked the basic human right of access to decent healthcare facilities.

This is how the “Health caravan” project all started!

because whenever the small fish stop swimming or losing self confidence he would get lost. It is all about adventuring, trying to go ahead and swimming against the waves so as to prove that even a small fish can swim that even a small fish can take part in a big ocean. Rewarding because swimming in the ocean would strengthen self esteem, because trying to tackle with some unknown subjects would ameliorate our way of thinking, acting and dealing with variety of problems. The fish is me. The ocean is the regional meeting.

I was scared about the idea of meeting new people, for being

just 19 years old. I was excited to talk, to participate, to raise my flag, to scream: I’m Tunisian. To scream I’m a medical student. I was rewarded by: The greatest experience ever. I’ve met the loveliest persons, talked with the most exceptional ones, lived my best days. The small fish is so proud to have been there, so proud to have been swimming in that ocean.

SCORAngels in Sfax Local committee who made it possible to organize this caravan on the 11, 12 and 13th of October 2014, in a village called Manzel Chaker, 45 kilometers away from our city center. The idea of this project was actually born two years ago, when we thought it was impossible to be achieved as it needed so much funding. However, all obstacles faded away by time thanks to the determination we had to make it work out. We eventually bore the fruits of the enormous fundraising campaign we made about the cause and the days spent in supermarkets trying to collect as much donations as we could.

specialties: pediatrics, cardiology, nephrology, endocrinology, gynecology, etc…Three days were spent in offering free consultations diagnosing all kinds of health problems, sensitizing the population concerning breast and prostate cancers as well as sexually transmitted diseases, giving the medications for those who needed it and donating free glasses to children whose parents could not afford it.

The place being chosen, the funds being raised, the team being ready, we finally hit the road!

There were different volunteers: externs, interns, residents It was both SCOPHeros and and seniors from different

Farah Abdallah Associa-Med

To cut a long story short, the harvest we collected was definitely worth all our efforts: the smiles we put upon hundreds of faces will forever remain in our hearts and will hopefully boost us for relieving much more challenges fighting social inequalities towards a better future.

Mariam Ben Ayed, Balkiss Abdelmoula Associa-Med

Building up EMR us more alive, could increase the can only be optimistic. participation level in all IFMSA related topics, could bring us to the top.

EMR11 in Egypt was quiet challenging for all of us as a region, because we needed to built something solid and sustainable.

During the last EMR, I have noticed people motivated, people asking questions, people with active participation, and above all, enthusiastic people willing to make a change in the region, and lead EMR to the top. Today, I am proud to work with this fantastic team. Because we are the change, and we will gonna build the EMR we want altogether.

During these last years, our region was lacking of a clear guideline to follow, a proper road map, a path through which we can create a group dynamic between region’s My only hope is to keep on the NMOs. And this dynamic could same wave, and based on what I change everything, could make have lived in Cairo 10 days ago, I

Skander Zouari Associa-Med Tunisie

PRE EMR Workshop: Maternal health and access to safe Abortion five modules:

“We’re always going to argue about abortion. It’s a hard choice and it’s controversial, and that’s why I’m pro-choice, because I want people to make their own choices” Hilary Clinton.

During the Pre EMR I learnt something new, gained different prospective towards a global issue which I previously thought it is not global, Women’s right to access safe abortion is a must in very serious conditions such as risk of getting out from life.

The workshop was divided into

4- Comprehensive abortion care: introduces essential elements of woman-centered comprehensive abortion care, including counseling and safe abortion methods.

1- Introduction to abortion: places abortion in the broader context of sexual and reproductive health and explores how unsafe abortion affects women and societies.

5- Youth act to safe abortion: provides various strategies for 2- Human rights, gender advancing abortion rights and and abortion: discusses rightsincreasing women’s access to based perspectives of abortion as safe services and builds skills in well as gender norms, and social advocacy, peer education and factors that influence women’s abortion accompaniment. abortion rights and access.

Abortion is a hot topic in the 3- Barriers to safe abortion whole world, especially in the and strategies to address them: EMR region, this workshop should presents barriers that women really be given to every human and adolescents encounter being around the world, because when seeking safe abortion and with safe abortion you are saving identifies ways future practicing a family not just a woman. health professionals can reduce those obstacles Mohamed Ahmed Abdelaziz IFMSA-Egypt

The Daily Challenge

basis (which could be answered by all grades) and raising awareness about diseases including AIDS and breast and prostate cancer and also writing jokes, wishes and anatomical drawing by the students. On Thursdays, 5 students who answered correctly It all started when we started would be publicly chosen and the daily challenge last year in announced as winners based on Baghdad medical school. Back lottery and would be awarded then I felt the need to freshen up medical books of their choice. the atmosphere in college and let students have “medical” fun The project received magnificent feedback from students and during their break. professors, so we executed it this The concept of the project was year in our college and 3 other about setting up a board near the medical schools in Baghdad, each cafeteria and posting whatever one had its own separate team we find “medically” amusing, this and thus was creative in its design, ranged from questions on a daily questions and activities. We’re

Standing Committee on Public Health Emirates Medical Students Society

the population focusing Alzheimer’s disease

now preparing to implement the contest in 5 other colleges from different governorates!

During the past months we have distributed more than 50 medical books thanks to our college staff and IHAO (Iraqi Health Aid Organization), who provided us with the books. We hope that, through The Daily Challenge, we continue to make medical education a more cheerful experience to medical students, increase knowledge of the fresh med students and refresh the memory of the senior ones, and ultimately develop the Iraqi medical education.

Jaafar Alaa Taslimi IFMSA-Iraq

on don’t want to limit it to a day so we plan to carry out this campaign termed Beat Diabetes • World Day Against all year. Standing Committee on Addiction-The Event revolved Public Health – Emirates Medical around addiction, aftermaths & Students Society (SCOPH-EMSS). ways to prevent and if addicted Continuing the previous events, the treatment options at various we would focus on antibiotics Standing Committee on Public centers. aesistance, hand hygiene Health -Emirates Medical blood donation • Project Sunshine-The strategies, Students Society event was aimed at spreading campaigns.

Having a very active term last awareness regarding deficiency . year, SCOPH- EMSS looks forward of Vitamin D prevailing in the to another effective term .Our region. major events in past were : • Others :Earth Hour Day, • Healthy Heart -The World Happiness Day ,Purple Day Campaign was aimed at spreading This year, We marked World awareness regarding the risk Diabetes Day with local health factors, causes and prevention authority holding free checkup of heart diseases along with free for the people & consulting on health check up. risks, complications & prevention • Brain Health Awareness- of Diabetes with a HULAHOOP The campaign was aimed at performance by the kids to spreading awareness among reduce abdominal flaps. We EMSS

Medicine is Fun

When we entered medical school, students from higher grades were very pessimistic; they told us we made the biggest mistake of our lives.

grader SCOMEdians who were really enthusiastic about the project, coordinated with college professors, and had a lot of meetings discussing every detail of what we’ll cover in a one-hour lecture. We wanted to deliver our experience on how to manage time, best methods of reading lectures, what the difficulties will be, getting them to build friendships with each other, letting them know about IFMSA from day one, and most importantly conveying the message that medicine is fun!

I’m in the fourth grade now.

I thought that first graders shouldn’t go through what we went through in the past years. So We delivered our lecture after we made an introductory session the dean’s speech. Almost all about college life in general and first graders were attending the medical study in specific. lecture and the feedback was We assembled a team of second brilliant since we delivered the

lecture in a funny way. We then made a brief presentation about what IFMSA is and what we did in IFMSA-Iraq in the past years.

The next day we divided the first graders into 20 groups and made walks into different locations of college and the hospital to let them know where they’ll be in the following six years.

The point is not to complain of bad circumstances but instead understanding them and appreciating the opportunities we have to move forward.

Jaafar Alaa Taslimi IFMSA-Iraq