Pulse Issue 1

Pulse The IFMSA Asia-Pacific Magazine Issue 1, March 2009

Thailand, MM2010 - Introducing APRO Officers - ACTION Project - Life of a Medical Student

Contents

1.

2.

3.

6.

A few words from the Regional Coordinator Standing committee reports APRO Officers 2008-2009 Thailand, MM2010

10. Project reports 11. Featured project: ACTION 15. Life of a medical student

A Few Words From the

Regional Coordinator The Asia Pacific Regional Office (APRO) is the formation of a collaborative effort in promoting and elevating the region.

Established in year 2006 by Regional Coordinator, Farid Abdul Hadi. The office is an assembly for resources within the region, where we seek to forward our region by helping and sharing through each committee; it is also where the core decision making takes place.

The APRO includes the committees as followed: Fundraising Working Committee, Project Working Committee, Publication Working Committee, NMO Developing Working Committee, and the Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting Working Committee(also known as the IOC, International Organizing Committee), lead and facilitated by the Regional Coordinator, and assisted by the Regional Secretary General.

Everyone can participate in APRO, and together we can make our region stronger both in local actions and international contributions.

For the past couple of months, our achievements are as follows: - held monthly on-line meetings with APRO members and NMO presidents - assist and supervise the Standing Committees to develop and carry out projects trans-regional - assist and supervise the arrangement/preparation of the 7th APRM 2010 in Thailand - assist and supervise the up coming SCOPH Regional Meeting (since there will be no APRM2009) - assist and supervise ACTION 2009 in Indonesia - maitain contacts with AMSA, sending representatives to EAMSC09 representing IFMSA Please enthusiastically contact and push your NMO presidents and APRO members to work for the benefit of yours.

What we wish to accomplish in the future are listed as below: - carry out all plans and project we planned :) - recruit new members to join the IFMSA and our region, and assist them in their application.

- ncrease the participation of regional members in the national, regional, and international way.

- Let your voice be realized.

A report from SCORP

(Standing Committee of Human Rights and Peace) What this standing committee is doing is promoting the human rights concept and holding activities concerned with this goal.

We care about those people who are weak in the society and those who are victims and refugees in the terrible wars. For example, we hold activities about AIDS patients and those who experience famine. We also try to visit homes for the aged to serve them. By doing these volunteer jobs or holding these sessions, we enable medical students to know more and do more in the human rights field.

What we are currently concerned about is the war of Gaza.

This is an e-mail sent by the President of IFMSA-Palestine:

Dear my IFMSA friends, I am sorry for this email.. I’ve been trying for the past days not to send it.. but I really cant hold it anymore..

I’ve just been wondering in the past few days..

Are we really medical students willing to be future doctors???

Do we actually really care about Human rights, safety and protection like we pretend??..

Is this really a federation that aims for the best of people and for a better world??..

Are we really concerned with all people in this world and don’t discriminate between them and think of all human beings as equal??..

Do we really care about children, their health and rights??...

And all that Bla Bla Bla.. We’re always talking about in IFMSA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am really wondering.. because how come.. we’re all that.. and even though there’re 540 people killed violently.. and more than 3000 injured.. Most of them are civilians, women and children... and that’s in less than ten days.. and no one in any of IFMSA servers cared to even mention it...

Is it that a number of 540 is still not big enough.... maybe you’re waiting for it to reach the 1000 to become significant???

Or is it that you’re all busy with new year’s celebration.. that you don’t have time to care about other people far in this world being murdered and deprived of the minimal things a human being needs to live??...

Or Is it that IFMSA is not what we’ve been pretending all the past years.. and all that we care about is meeting twice a year.. Having fun and playing some games.. because simply we send tens of emails asking about the tiny details of how to register for the MM.. but have no time to care that thousands of people being killed??...

I am really sorry for saying all that.. I know you have nothing to do with what’s going on in Gaza...though silence is a crime sometimes.. but... I don’t know.. I’ve always believed in IFMSA.. I thought it was meant to help people and for us medical students to be more aware of what’s going on in this world.. but for the first time in the past 4 years..

I really lost it.. I don’t know why I am in IFMSA anymore.. for a better peaceful world for all people.. for a world where people care for other people... for a world where people’s blood is not cheap or insignificant...

Nada M. Qawasmi President International Federation Of Medical Students Associations’ - Palestine IFMSA-PS

Since the situation is getting more and more serious, IFMSA set up a group called E+D. This organization has great potential, really great, and now is time to see what we’re able to do with it. It’s time to put words into action and start working on it. We cannot save the world, but maybe we can be a grain of sand that will eventually move the balance in our favor, and right now, there are people, just like us, that need us. What we are

going to do are: 1.

We will form an E+D Committee with one member from each region, 2 members from the TO. 2.

We understand from Matan and others emails that the basic requirements for the people of Gaza are covered by the UN and others NGOs (drugs, food, etc). The problem is sending them through the frontier, a problem we cannot solve. So we talked about it and decided to organize an aid campaign (IFMSA E+D – Gaza Edition) focused on raising money to help the medical students from Gaza to re-start their medical studies (buy books, stethoscopes, etc). Hospitals, universities, libraries and homes have been destroyed, along with basic infrastructure, which are essential in helping to combat the critical health situation that the region will have to face in the following years.

3.

Send an IFMSA humanitarian public statement about the situation.

4.

Analyze the possibilities of EMR receiving the medical students from Gaza to study in their universities, as in exchange free of charge, and evaluate for longer periods.

What we are doing in the Asia Pacific region is trying to set up a system that can enable medical students to participate in volunteer exchange. We call it GIVE: Get Involved in Volunteer Exchange.

Our goals are: 1.

Put SCORP spiritual in practice 2.

Help those people who are really in need 3.

Try different volunteer jobs in different countries and have some travelling fun!

How this is achieved: 1.

Get a website about volunteer opportunities information.

Appling a website from IFMSA and we can put those information about volunteer jobs from every country. About the website, we will divide information into two parts. One is local part and the other is international part. Any medical student can get on this website to find a volunteer opportunity no matter domestic or foreign easily!

2.

Collecting information about volunteer job from every country as many as possible.

In every country we have one “Volunteer Assistant”, he or she has to ask LORPs to collect volunteer information from their location. We mostly focus on student clubs, but NGOs is welcome as well. After collecting, we put those information onto the website.

3.

Medical students exchanging.

When the summer or winter vacation is coming, medical students can send email to the VA in their country to announce that he want to go which volunteer project. And the VA will contact the country’s VA which the project belong to. If the project country’s VA agree with this foreign medical student to come, the project country’s VA have to find a contact person for this foreign student taking care of his or her safety, transportation, accommodation, etc.. Therefore the contact person is better in the same school which the foreign student applies for.

Another big project among Asia Pacific region is ACTION: Asian Collaborative Training on Infectious Diseases, Outbreak, Natural Disaster, and Refugee Management (see page 11).

- Hsuan Sun (SCORP RA)

Asia-Pacific Region

Officers 2008-2009 Regional Coordinator - Jen-Hsiang (Roy) Shen

I would regard myself as a enthusiastic and passionate person. I came from a moving family, which had dwelled in Taipei, Taichung, Kao-Hsiung, Vancouver and Chia-yi, and my families lives around the global; so, I started with international view in a pretty early time in my life.

IFMSA is my most important eye-opener. I was so moved by the enthusaism and wisdom shining here, and I wish you can have the same chance of being moved.:P

Secretary General - Ming-Shan (Shelly) Chang

University: National Defense Medical Center NMO: IFMSA-Taiwan The Asia-Pacific region is the best region in IFMSA because: the ASIA-PACIFICS ROCK! Favourite place in the Asia-Pacific region: TAIWAN Favourite ice-cream flavour: Chocolate Favourite saying: “Hmmm�

The body part that I most resemble is: My smile At 12am, you will most likely find me in/at/on ...: In front of my computer Favourite General Assembly/Regional Meeting memory: MM07+AM07+MM08+APRM08 More people should get involved in APRO activities because: By sharing and cooperating, we can make our region better.

My goals in the APRO this year are: To assist our beloved

RC as much as possible.

What I would like to see the APRO achieve this year: to gain more members in the region :)

VPE RA - Paska Lopez

University: University of Indonesia NMO: CIMSA-ISMKI Indonesia The Asia-Pacific region is the best region in IFMSA because: It spreads across the greatest region geographically, and has conducted many collaborative projects between its NMOs Favourite place in the Asia-Pacific region: So many!!! Singapore, Bangkok, Phuket, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur Favourite ice-cream flavour: Also so many!! Chocolate, coffee, tiramisu, all fruits At 12am, you will most likely find me in/at/on: On campus on weekdays or at various places on weekends and holidays.

Favourite General Assembly/Regional Meeting memory: March Meeting Australia 2007 More people should get involved in APRO activities because: It gets you involved in more activities than those in your NMO and you get to make more friends My goals in the APRO this year are: Optimising its external conditions.

What I would like to see the APRO achieve this year: Having a much wider network of mutual, professional organisations.

SCORP RA - Hsuan Sun

University: National Defense Medical Center NMO: Taiwan The Asia-Pacific region is the best region in IFMSA because: Regarding human rights, we got lots of chances to help people in this area, and most of the countries are willing to help people as well. We can cooperate with the government and the Non-profit organization easily.

Favourite place in the Asia-Pacific region: Taiwan, my homecountry^^ Favourite ice-cream flavour: Cheese cake Favourite saying: fight for your own dream The body part that I most resemble is: eye At 12am, you will most likely find me in/at/on ...: msn Favourite General Assembly/Regional Meeting memory: Australia MM07 More people should get involved in APRO activities because: What we do is meaningful and we need more people get involved in those jobs so that we can start our journey to a better place.

My goals in the APRO this year are: make the project ”GIVE” come true.

What I would like to see the APRO achieve this year: Be the best region in the world^^

Financial Working Committee Chair - John van Bockxmeer

University: University of Western Australia NMO: AMSA (Australia) The Asia-Pacific region is the best region in IFMSA because: Of the cultural diversity within the area.

Favourite place in the Asia-Pacific region: Australia & Laos Favourite ice-cream flavour: Cookie-dough Favourite saying: No worries The body part that I most resemble is: The ears, I listen to everything At 12am, you will most likely find me in/at/on ...: A late night bar talking and drinking with friends Favourite General Assembly/Regional Meeting memory: Jamaica 08 More people should get involved in APRO activities because: It helps you connect with your peers in the region My goals in the APRO this year are: To help launch the APRO Student Project Grant Scheme What I would like to see the APRO achieve this year: Increase awareness of APRO

Publications Working Committee Chair - Anny Huang

University: University of Melbourne NMO: AMSA (Australia) The Asia-Pacific region is the best region in IFMSA because: Warm, friendly people, fascinating cultures, diverse range of lifestyles and spectacular scenery!

Favourite place in the Asia-Pacific region: The South Island of New Zealand, Melbourne, Shanghai and southern China Favourite ice-cream flavour: Ben and Jerry’s Dublin Mudslide (very specific, I know) The body part that I most resemble is: The eyelid - I never stop moving! I fidget all the time.

At 12am, you will most likely find me in/at/on ...: online, on stage or out and about Favourite General Assembly/ Regional Meeting memory: Being introduced to IFMSA at MM2007 in Australia, and meeting up with old friends again at AM2008 in Jamaica.

More people should get involved in APRO activities because: They’re fun and they give you an opportunity to contribute to something worthwhile. It also makes you feel good to know that there are medical students just like you all over the world.

My goals in the APRO this year are: To take publications to the next level!

What I would like to see the APRO achieve this year: I’d like us all to work together to achieve great things, like bringing the General Assemblies back to our region and making transnational projects a huge success.

International Organizing Committee Chair for 7th APRM in Thailand - Anggara Mahardika

University: University of Indonesia NMO: Indonesia The Asia-Pacific region is the best region in IFMSA because: It is a region that has so many different cultures and different ways to express feelings, but still in one union and able to cooperate to fulfill tremendous dreams.

Favourite place in the Asia-Pacific region: Indonesia Favourite ice-cream flavour: Chocolate Favourite saying: Hope for the best, Think for the worst The body part that I most resemble is: nose At 12am, you will most likely find me in/at/on ...: home Favourite General Assembly/Regional Meeting memory: 6th APRM More people should get involved in APRO activities because: the more people involve the more thoughts and ideas come up My goals in the APRO this year are: to make a successful

APRM and to become more active in IFMSA What I would like to see the APRO achieve this year: can be able to compete with any other ROs from another regions and can be more solid.

Project Working Committee Member - Miguel C. Dorotan

University: University of Santo Tomas, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery NMO: AMSA-Philippines The Asia-Pacific region is the best region in IFMSA because: it is where cultural diversity flourishes and unity persists…

Favorite place in the Asia-Pacific region: The Philippines Favourite ice-cream flavour: mocha with mint Favourite saying: failure makes you stronger At 12am, you will most likely find me: sleeping or studying Favorite General Assembly/Regional Meeting memory: ACTION2008 More people should get involved in APRO activities because: it provides an avenue for personal and interpersonal growth while making a difference in lives of those reached by its projects.

My goals in the APRO this year are: 1. Build camaraderie/ friendship with the members of the region; 2. Help in activities that would have a impact on the lives of ordinary people; 3.

Learn from the colleagues from different countries and possibly pass it on to my colleagues here in the Philippines What I would like to see the APRO achieve this year: 1. Further strengthen the existing network of NMOs; 2. Reach out further to those countries not represented in the APRO; 3. Maximize the potential of existing transnational projects such as ACTION, and Volunteer and Professional Exchanges that they may lead to a PROACTIVE responses to the needs of our communities.

Project Working Committee Member - Romelyn April Imperio

University: University of the Philippines-Manila NMO: AMSA-Philippines The Asia-Pacific region is the best region in IFMSA because: of the diversity of the different countries and cultures that all are coming together, meshing, in order to attain the same goals of being well-rounded medical students who are responsive to the needs of society Favourite place in the Asia-Pacific region: Philippines Favourite ice-cream flavour: Mint Chocolate Chip Favourite saying: Do or do not, there is no try - Yoda, Star Wars At 12am, you will most likely find me in: Starbucks Favourite General Assembly/Regional Meeting memory: I haven’t experienced any general assembly, apart from the ACTION 2008. My favorite memory was actually when we were so worried since the rented buses did not arrive, and Bradley from Australia just suggested that we hail down Jeepneys (Philippine transportation) and all commute to the venue.

More people should get involved in APRO activities because: in this line of “business” we wish that everyone is included. In any advocacy work, we are inclusive and we recognize the efforts and talents that everyone can share.

My goals in the APRO this year are: - to participate more actively in the planning and conceptualizing of projects

- to establish good working relationships with all the members of the team What I would like to see the APRO achieve this year: Dreaming of a transnational project that focuses on peace across the region

Project Working Committee Member - Cassie Rickard

University: Monash (Gippsland) NMO: AMSA-Australia The Asia-Pacific region is the best region in IFMSA because: of the diversity of nations, culture and people Favourite place in the Asia-Pacific region: Currently in Fiji so I’ll have to go with that for the gorgeous villages and friendly people Favourite ice-cream flavour: Cookies and Cream Favourite saying: Hakuna Matata The body part that I most resemble is: apparently a kidney for my terrible posture At 12am, you will most likely find me... totally depends on the day of the week!

Favourite General Assembly/Regional Meeting memory: falling asleep by the pool very late one night in Jamaica... and the National Food and Drink party More people should get involved in APRO activities because: nobody can do the whole job with our workloads and the more involved means the more we can achieve in the region My goals in the APRO this year are: to develop a projects database and work towards IFMSA endorsement of projects in the Asia-Pacific region What I would like to see the APRO achieve this year: more sharing of ideas and successes between NMOs.

IOC Member of APRM - Yuni Astria Rahardja

University: University of Indonesia NMO: CIMSA (INDONESIA) The Asia-Pacific region is the best region in IFMSA because: 1. We have many projects and activities that are related to global issues .. in other words, we are active.

2. We have close relationship (in my opinion) 3. We have good cooperation Favourite place in the Asia-Pacific region: still not decided..

Favourite ice-cream flavour: chocolate, choc-chip Favourite saying: “Don’t be afraid of going slowly. Be afraid if just standing alone without do anything.” (Chinese proverb) The body part that I most resemble is: my heart..

At 12am, you will most likely find me in/at/on ...: bedroom and sleeping..

Favourite General Assembly/Regional Meeting memory: 6th APRM Taiwan More people should get involved in APRO activities because: We need many brilliant and creative ideas, we need people who are responsible with this job to achieve our goals.

My goals in the APRO this year are: Finishing the organisation of 7th APRM program and its details What I would like to see the APRO achieve this year: - keep up its good relationships - make IFMSA Asia Pacific greater and more famous in public..^^

Thailand, March 2010 - Pennapa Kaweewongprasert and Manita Charanwetprasert (Co-Presidents of the Organising Committee) On behalf of the International Federation of Medical Student‘s Association-Thailand, we would like to invite IFMSA and medical students from all over the world to feel the new experience of the General Assembly (GA) in Asia, hosted by one of the most intriguing cities in the world, Bangkok.

The IFMSA’s GA, in our opinion, is the most attractive, valuable and unique conference that is worthwhile for all medical students to attend. As a platform, GA has created a wonderful opportunities for medical students from all continents to share experiences, contribute ideas, and make collaborations in order to make the world a healthier and better place to live. More importantly, GA offers the great opportunity among medical students to create friendships beyond frontiers.

Thai medical students first joined the IFMSA’s GA in 2002 and were inspired to found IFMSA in Thailand. Since then, IFMSA Thailand has been enthusiastically active in a number of IFMSA activities. We are cordially engaged in working with IFMSA to establish a strong IFMSA organization in Thailand and create a diplomatic bridge to medical students in various geographies.

However In the Asia Pacific region we currently have only 13 IFMSA members . It therefore would be inspiring to hold a GA once again in the Asia Pacific region to facilitate the travel and convince more active countries to join IFMSA. We are proud to present our exciting Bangkok to host the GA in 2010 and let the world learn more about the beautiful Thailand. We strongly believe that as a host we will provide a friendly atmosphere to exchange the knowledge across from Eastern to Western regions. We are confident that we will organize a successful GA and ready to represent a host city of the Asia Pacific region.

Photograph by Helen Chan, AMSA Australia

markets, the magnificent natural scenery of Chiang-mai and the white sand beach of phuket. Thailand is also famed for its unique traditional cuisine and styles. Bangkok, one of the world’s most vibrant and charming cities, is definitely the perfect destination to explore.Situated in the heart of mainland Southeast Asia, Thailand serves as a gateway to Asia with the new and largest airport terminal, Suvarnabhumi International Airport. The cost of living in Thailand is relatively inexpensive and reasonable. We are of course well known as a shopping paradise for shoppers. Last but not least, the smiles of Thai people always welcome visitors with gracious hospitality.

We are thus highly motivated to candidate Thailand as the host country for the IFMSA General Assembly March Meeting 2010.

It will be a great challenge for us to host this honorable event.

We promise to put our best effort to organize this coming March Meeting 2010 through our experienced and enthusiast committees and host this event in the beautiful and warmly courtesy country to make this meeting become one of the most memorable GA ever.

Looking forward to see you soon in Bangkok for MM2010!

Host NMO: IFMSA Thailand A group of Thai medical students first attended the IFMSA GA in 2002, in Taiwan, and were inspired to found IFMSA in Thailand.

Since then, IFMSA Thailand has been enthusiastically active in a number of IFMSA activities. We are cordially engaged in working with IFMSA to establish a strong IFMSA organisation in Thailand and create a diplomatic bridge to medical students in various regions of the world.

Now we have 14 universities in our organization: - Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University - Chuloalongkorn University - Ramathibosi Hospital, Mahidol University - Thammasat University - Srinakarinwiroth University - Pramongkutklao College of Medicine - Naresuan University - Rangsit University - Bangkok Medical College - Proboromarajchanok Institute - Chang Mai University - Prince Song Kra University - Boorapha University IFMSA Thailand is also divided into 6 standing committees: SCOPE & SCORE (Standing Committee on Professional exchange and Research exchange): Thailand is one of the most popular destinations for exchange programs for foreign student especially those from Europe.

Several reasons place Thailand as a suitable candidate for the host country of IFMSA March meeting in 2010. We have many experienced members who envision ideas about GA. In the past 7 years there are many Thai GA delegates and all of them are ready to show their hospitalities. We also experienced the successful arrangement of IFMSA meetings in Thailand such as the Asia Pacific Regional meeting 2005 at Pattaya and the ACTION Project 2008 at Phuket. We presently have a large number of new energetic members and organizing committee who are currently working hard to support our candidacy. This would ensure our capabilities to host and organize such an international event.

Thailand is best known as one of the most popular tourist destinations. Like no other place on earth, Thailand demonstrates diversities of attractive places including the historic capital of Ayutthaya, the Grand Palace, the colorful street

SCORA (Standing Committee on Reproductive including AIDs): International Condom Exhibition on AIDS (ICE on AIDS) The exhibition that aims to give the knowledge to the teenagers on how to properly use condoms and lubricants and to provide information for preventing HIV/AIDS. SCOPH (Standing Committee on Public Health): The Teddy Bear Project is a transnational project that has been done in several countries around the globe. Thailand is also one of the countries that has joined this project. The objective of the project is to help young children between ages of 3-7 years to lose their fears of doctors and the hospital environment in a playful and nonthreatening way.

SCOME (Standing Committee on Medical education): Let’s light up your light in the future project aims to inspire medical student to think about their future and guidance and to share experiences from the professors about being medical students abroad. In USA, UK and Germany, this project gained more than 300 medical students participants, including residents. The post-event questionnaire also shows a good result.

We also created collaborative projects between SCORA, SCOPH and SCORP such as the Health as Human Right Project. IFMSA Thailand has been contributing fundamental health care to the low socio-economic communities and providing information about fundamental public health and prevalent health problems, including AIDS and family planning.

well as the sandy beaches of the East Coast and vibrant cosmopolitan Bangkok;

Not only working in the country, IFMSA Thailand has also collaborated on projects with the other countries. Projects include the ACTION project (Asian Collaborative Training on Infectious Disease, Outbreak, Natural Disaster and Refugee Management project). This collaborative training program exposes medical students to healthcare problems resulting from incidents of infectious diseases, secondary to disasters or infectious diseases as a disaster themselves, by providing the efficient knowledge and skills needed in their near-future careers as doctors to be able to relieve disaster victims in the Asia-Pacific region. Thailand is the foundation member of this project and being the 2nd host countries of this ACTION project in 2007.

Bangkok, one of the world’s most vibrant and intriguing cities: Bangkok is both a destination in itself and the perfect base from which to explore the central region. From the stately Grand Palace and myriad temples to the hustle and bustle of riverine life and colourful street markets, the capital is a wonderland waiting for you to discover.

The peninsular South where the unspoiled beaches and idyllic islands complement economically vital tin mining, rubber cultivation and fishing.

Another international project in which IFMSA Thailand participates is the P square project (Physician x Pharmacist) Collaborative Project. This project aims to improve collaboration among healthcare students, particularly medical and pharmaceutical students. We have done preliminary studies about medical and pharmaceutical students’ perspectives on their own professions and on how do they think about future partnerships between both professions.Thailand has been a part of this project since 2007.

We have also had the honor to hold several IFMSA meetings such as APRM 2005 (Asia pacific regional meeting 2005) in Pattaya and ACTION 2007 in Phuket, for which we have received much praise about the organisation of the event from the delegates.

And now we are looking forward to host another important event ever: IFMSA-General assembly March meeting 2010 in Bangkok!

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About Thailand

The Kingdom of Thailand lies in the heart of Southeast Asia, making it a natural gateway to Indochina, Myanmar and Southern China. Its shape and geography divide into four natural regions : the mountains and forests of the North; the vast rice fields of the Central Plains; the semi-arid farm lands of the Northeast plateau; and the tropical islands and long coastline of the peninsula South.

Thailand is divided into 4 natural regions: The mountainous North, with its profusion of multi-coloured orchids, fascinating native handicrafts and winter temperatures are sufficiently cool to permit cultivation of temperate fruits such as strawberries and peaches; The high Northeast Plateau, which still jealously guards its many archaeological and anthropological mysteries; The Central Plain, one of the world’s most fertile rice and fruitgrowing areas with colourful traditional culture and way of life as

To make each guest feel at home, Rama Gardens Hotel Bangkok furnishes each of its 500 rooms and suites with an atmosphere of comfort, including luxuries and amenities like mini bars, color television with satellite news. Our 24-hour room service makes guests feel pampered and we provide a key card system, IDD, voice mail message, and laundry service. Adding to the relaxation, each room opens to a serene view of the Rama Gardens Hotel’s scenic landscape. With accommodations as welcoming as these, you may never want to leave.

Asia-Pacific Project Reports

OPH Japan, SCOPH Gabaldon Project (SC ) nes ippi AMSA Phil

GIVE Project - Get Involved in Volunteer Exchange Brief outline

Our goals are: 1.

Put the SCORP spirit into practice 2.

Help people who are most in need 3.

Work as a volunteer in different countries and travel at the same time How we do the job: 1.

Set up a website with information about volunteering opportunities.

Apply for a website with the IFMSA to put up a list of volunteering jobs from different countries. We will tailor the information to each country so that local and international volunteering jobs will be in two sections.

2.

Compile a list of volunteer opportunities for each country.

In each country a “Volunteer Assistant” will ask local LORPs for volunteer opportunities in their area. We will focus on student clubs, but NGOs are welcome as well. The information collected from each country will go onto the website.

3.

Applying for volunteering jobs Medical students who are interested in a particular project can contact their local VA, who will, in turn, contact the VA of the relevant country. If the VA agrees to the student undertaking the project, he or she will organize a contact person for the foreign student. The contact person will be responsible for the student’s safety, transportation, accommodation and the such. Therefore it is advisable that the contact person belongs to the same organization the student intends to volunteer.

The countries involved in this project are: Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Korea, Philippines

What has been achieved so far:

We have been collecting volunteering information from the above countries and we will conduct an online meeting to discuss our progress. We hope to have the first exchange taking place by the summer of 2009.

Future goals:

After organizing the initial exchange, we will set a database listing the information country-by-country so medical students can see the full range of possible projects. We hope that all medical students will embrace the challenge to volunteer in another country and this will be our goal.

How to get involved:

Once the website is established, it’s as easy as selecting a suitable job and contacting the VA in your country by email.

The VA will contact the student if their application is successful.

Project title

Asian Collaborative Training on Infectious Diseases, Outbreak, Natural Disaster and Refugee Management (ACTION)

Category

Development of Key Human Resources

Sector

Health and Education

Period

7 days, 9th- 15th August 2009

Location

Indonesia

Homepage

http://www.action-project.org/

Budget

30,000 Euro (estimated)

Participants

50 healthcare student leaders, representing several IFMSA National Member Organizations (NMOs) especially in Asia-Pacific region.

Goals

1. To raise student awareness of infectious diseases, outbreaks, and natural disasters.

2. To develop human resources – trained and motivated doctors, who can work to relieve people who are affected by infectious diseases, outbreak, and natural disasters.

3. To motivate trained medical students to spread their knowledge on infectious diseases, outbreak, and natural disasters in their own country.

4. To cultivate medical field workers which have international perspective in dealing with infectious diseases.

Expected outcomes

1. To educate medical students giving them the knowledge and skills to initiate locally relevant and sustainable projects.

2. To produce medical students that can react positively to disasters and related issues.

3. To cultivate medical students with rich international perspective in healthcare, with network and connections.

Organisers

1. Center for Indonesian Medical Students’ Activities (CIMSA) 2. International Federation of Medical Students’ Association (IFMSA) – Japan 3. International Federation of Medical Students’ Association (IFMSA) – Thailand 4. Asian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) – Philippines 5. International Federation of Medical Students’ Association (IFMSA) – Taiwan 6. Asian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) – Hong Kong

Progress Report ACTION stands for Asian Collaborative Training on Infectious Diseases, Outbreak, Natural Disaster and Refugee Management. The theme of ACTION 2009 is Infectious Disease, so we will focus on infectious diseases which spread frequently in the Asia Pacific Region. The participants of ACTION are students who are going to become healthcare professionals.

Every year, most of the participants are medical students from the Asia Pacific Region.

Our first goal is to increase and develop healthcare students’ awareness of natural disasters and the role of healthcare professions in disaster relief. Our second goal is to build human resources: trained and motivated doctors, who can work to bring relief to people whose lives have been impacted by natural disasters. We hope that we can achieve this goal through providing participants knowledge needed in disaster, refugee, infectious diseases and outbreak management. Moreover, our last goal is to motivate trained healthcare students to disseminate their knowledge on natural disasters in their own country. We also expect that every participant can be a pioneer in their own country to distribute their knowledge to people in their network. For this last goal, IOC formed a follow up coordinator team, so they will regularly check , coordinate, and monitor

Featured Project: ACTION

Quick Facts

the progress of follow up activity done by participants in their countries.

Currently, our structure is as follows: a. International Organising Committee (IOC) team, which consists of 19 members, they are: project coordinator (Akihiro Kuno), fundraiser, program team, website maker, and general secretary. b. Local Organizing Committee (LOC) team, which consists of 20 members, they are LOC chairman (Samuel Olam), Vice chairmen, secretary and treasurer , fundraiser, program team, accommodation and transportation team, documentation.

During the last month (December 2008- January 2009): a. LOC member recruitment has been completed. b. The IOC has designed a logo for ACTION. c. The IOC has completed the project proposal through several online meetings to organise the proposal, to familiarize themselves with the actual situation and the theme of this activity, and to determine which infectious diseases we will focus on. d. The LOC is still conducting surveys for transportation, accommodation, and equipment and other items needed during ACTION. The LOC is also working on the budget estimate. e. The LOC will continue to have meetings to discuss the program and the arrangements.

How can you get involved in this project? a. As a member of the local organizing committee: This year, they are CIMSA Faculty of Medicine University of Indonesia and CIMSA Islamic University of Syarif Hidayatullah, Jakarta. b. As participants: Our website coordinator (Alex Jeng from IFMSA Taiwan) will create the ACTION website as soon as LOC and IOC finalise the program and other technicalities for ACTION. Participants can download the registration form there, and send it to ACTION project e-mail address. After that, they will get a confirmation e-mail from OC. c. As APRO Team: Please help us to promote ACTION, especially in your country. We hope that many medical students will have the enthusiasm to participate. Thank you.

- Akihiro Kuno (Project Coordinator) and Festus Andrianto Susilo (LOC Vice Chair)

An interview with the Project Coordinator Pulse: So, how did you guys come up with the idea of ACTION? Akihiro: We’ve been suffering from a lot of natural disasters, especially in Asia-Pacific region. Therefore, we’d like to cultivate human resources capable of “disaster medicine”.

However, it is not enough to learn it from textbooks. There are 2-reasons.

- We have to get to know the real situations (i.e. refugee camp, orphanage and so forth).

- We need to build relationships. If we have a global-ACTIONnetwork, we can support your country in the future. We can also use the IFMSA network. Thus, when a disaster attacks your country, ACTION-ers from many countries will help many people with you.

Pulse: What steps are involved in making these goals come true?

Akihiro: We are achieving the first step, which is “to continue the project”. ACTION marks its 4th performance this year. A lot students who had participated in ACTION in the past will also have become doctors,nurses, or so. Therefore, it is our 2nd step to review how much ACTION influenced the participants’ school life.

Pulse: How do you get funding for this project?

Akihiro: We round up subsidies or in-kind donations from many companies in Japan, for example Honda, Kao, Meiji.

Pulse: Do you have any tips that you can share with us on how to make projects successful?

Akihiro: Till now, I don’t have any. I’d like to get advice, to be honest.

Pulse: What did they do at the ACTION project last year?

What are some of the highlights?

Akihiro: We had lectures, field trips, and social programs!!

- Lecture: We obtained lectures from WPRO (Western Pacific Regional Office).

- Field trips: From the point of view of disaster management, participants made a field trip to 3 places. First, we visited a community that was built by a foundation called GK. This community was one of the places where survivors of natural disasters lived. Secondly, we observed Department of HealthHealth Emergency Management Staff, which focused on preparedness for and prevention of disasters in the Philippines.

Next, we looked around the Department of Emergency Medicine of PGH (Philippine General Hospital). The Department of Emergency Medicine plays a central role in PGH. After that we toured the trauma wards of PGH, where we see patients who are victims of disasters in all senses.

- Social programs: We think the opportunity to share culture and to increase networking is really important and invaluable.

It will also enable us to work together smoothly when we suffer from disasters in the future. ACTIONers will meet again,

and we will cooperate to offer medical services.

Pulse: What was the most exciting outcome of the ACTION project last year?

Akihiro: We welcomed AMSA Philippines and IFMSA Taiwan in ACTION08. ACTION is getting bigger world-wide.

Pulse: What do you have planned for the ACTION project this year, and what do you plan to achieve?

Akihiro: This year, we are setting a high value on evaluation and takeover. We need to improve every year. In fact, in the

Conference Report: ACTION 2007 39 medical students from 8 countries converged in Phuket for one week of intensive seminars, workshops and skill building activities that focused on training future doctors in the area of natural disaster response and subsequent refugee management and infectious disease control.

Using the example of the Boxing Day Tsunami 2004, we learnt about the myriad of issues to consider in a disaster, from initial medical aid and dead body management, to basic needs such as food, shelter, and water sanitisation, and the long term needs of a community such as psychological rehabilitation and support.

Natural and humanitarian disasters leave a huge impact on countries worldwide every year. Such events come in many forms: from civil unrest in countries such as Sudan to the Andaman Basin Tsunami affecting costal regions in Asia, from an earthquake in Peru to local flooding in Newcastle. A spectrum of different aspects of human existence and fundamental human rights are thrown into disarray through the event of a disaster. In the worst case, infrastructure within a community is destroyed, lives are lost, economic burden is huge, political relationships may be disturbed, local employment strategies are ruined, and people are displaced from their original community, placing a huge burden on other countries who will accept them as refugees. Medically speaking, there are initial injuries, trauma, and dead body management, and subsequent opportunity for the spread of infectious diseases through poor water hygiene, waste management, vector control and overcrowding

past, ACTION takeovers did not occur smoothly. It is really hard for the successors to organise the project. We have to change it.

And about evaluation, it is about time for past ACTIONers to graduate from their medical schools. Therefore, we plan to follow up with review. We will interview them through e-mail, and ask, “What do you feel was the impact that ACTION had on your schooldays?� and so forth.

of shelters. Although many medical aid projects often focus on the immediate situation, there are huge long term ramifications of a disaster for communities and countries, such as psychological trauma, physical rehabilitation, management of refugees or internally displaced persons, and, disturbingly, the exploitation of vulnerable groups of people through rape, abduction of children and forced prostitution.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies define a humanitarian disaster as: Long-term man made disasters tend to refer to civil strife, civil war and international war. On a national level this involves warlike encounters between armed groups from the same country which take place within the boarders. Such outbreaks of war may pose large-scale medical problems such as epidemics, lack of water, accumulation of rubbish, displaced persons, refugees, food shortage, hunger etc.Internationally, war may break out between two or more armies from different countries. Similarly such conflict may cause large scale mass movements of refugees and displaced persons.

The academic program for the ACTION conference was extremely busy.

The first 3days of the program were dedicated to discussing various aspects of natural disasters. Over the 25 sessions in the first 3 days, including workshops, seminars and debates, we met with many experts who work in the field of natural and humanitarian disaster management.

We learnt from local paediatricians, psychiatrists and pathologists, international World Health Organisation representatives, geologists, and health care systemphilosophers. It was very interesting to hear not only about the immediate and long term medical concerns and needs of a

community after a natural disaster, but also to hear from professionals in other fields such as health infrastructure and climatology.

The second half of the week saw us becoming more hands-on, and performing a lot more group work and problem solving activities. For example, we were given a scenario in a small group, and would have to assess the needs of a community and the resources needed for an effective disaster response and prevention. We also were fortunate enough to partake in two excursions to the surrounding mainland regions and look at the way the Tsunami affected individual communities. We were visitors to a morgue, a regional hospital involved in triage after the tsunami, a temple used for dead body management, a small fishing village recovering its main income, and a memorial centre for victims of the tsunami. It was enlightening to speak to people who had worked through the initial relief phase and into the recovery and rehabilitation phase of the natural disaster.

Apart from the academic schedule, the ACTION project was designed

to allow delegates to network with other medical students from other nationalities. Medical students from 8 countries were present at this event, and it was particularly interesting to hear about the situation of natural and humanitarian disasters in countries like Sudan, Germany, Slovenia, Indonesia, and Japan.

This conference was an amazing learning experience and has contributed hugely to further ignite my interest in natural and humanitarian disasters and refugee health. After spending two months in postTsunami Sri Lanka in 2005 and seeing the effects of the Tsunami on local people and communities, it was particularly useful to visit Thailand and gain another perspective on the situation. This conference has helped me to learn about the considerations of a community in the face of disaster, network with other students and prepare and for future work in the field of relief medicine and refugee health.

- Geordan Shannon, Australia

Life of a Medical Student - Part One: Australia

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a medical student in another country? What do other medical programs have in common with yours? What sets your medical program apart?

Do medical students in other parts of the Asia-Pacific region feel the same about their courses and careers? Here is the first part of a three-part series looking at the medical school experiences of students from around the region.

Australia Correspondent name: Kevin Tan University: University of Melbourne Course name: Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery/ Bachelor of Medical Science Year in course: 4th At the moment, I’m starting my fourth year of medical school, which means I graduate at the end of 2011. Although I’m enrolled in a 6-year degree here in Melbourne, they’ve actually phased it out to make way for the new Melbourne Model.

Essentially, the new degree was designed to run parallel with the medical school system in the US, so that means a 4 year degree with 2 years preclinical and 2 years clinical. Naturally,

there are pros and cons of each system, but it just depends on how you look at it.

In terms of the old model (my degree), we completed 5 semesters (2.5 years) of preclinicals, 2 semesters of research work, then returned for another 5 semesters of clinical studies, culminating to a total of 12 semesters. In our preclinical years, each semester was assigned a major body system, except Semester 1, which was more of an introduction since most of us were undergraduate students straight out of highschool. From Semester 2 onwards, our course was quite unique in that we had a mixture of undergraduate and graduate students, which always provided for great discussion in tutorials. I think the dynamics that arose between students of different ages, backgrounds and life experiences was invaluable particularly when tutorials focused on the social aspects of medicine.

In terms of how “medicine” was taught to us, each semester was divided into 2 major subjects. One involved the medical science aspect (ie. physiology, pathology, biochemistry, pharmacology etc) and the other was entitled “Health Practice”, which basically required us to explore the psychosocial aspects of medicine in tandem with medical science subject.

The material was taught through a series of lectures, usually about 6 one-hour lectures a week, along with 2 two-hour

Problem Based Learning (PBL) tutorials and often a prac/lab class to complement the material. Ever so often, we would also have an additional pathology lecture that explored some practical material in further depth. On top of that, we also had fortnightly tutorials entitled Introduction to Clinical Medicine (ICM), which focused on developing our communication skills with patients through practice OSCEs. In Semesters 2-4, we also had fortnightly visits to the hospital where we put our interviewing skills into practice, while Semesters 1 and 5 involved several visits to local clinics and GPs. University life is different from highschool in many ways, one of which is the topic of homework. Essentially, there is no homework, it simply falls upon your own judgment as to how much work you think should be done for a certain topic. In that sense, medicine at Melbourne is quite self-directed, but I would expect that to be the same across most medical schools in the world. The academic life of a medical student is difficult, I guess, in terms of the sheer volume that must be memorized and recalled, but the up side is that we’re all in it together so you always know that whatever you’re feeling, there’s probably someone right next to you who’s thinking the same thing. The majority of our exams take place at the end of the semester, usually across 4 papers and 1 OSCE. Our semesters were also often punctuated with minor quizzes that counted for 10-15% of the total mark.

I guess we have a fair bit of spare time because of the relatively low contact hours, and subject coordinators do make an effort to schedule the timetable so that classes don’t run from dawn to dusk! That gives most of us enough time to pursue extra curricular activities, but that also depends on the individual. Every term, we often have a social event lined up where students of all year levels can mingle, as well as several charity events/random once-off social events that are sprinkled throughout the year. Each September, there is also the Medical Ball, where students dress up for a night of formal dinner and fun.

In terms of clinical studies, essentially the first year is divided

into 6 blocks, each with a few major topics. These blocks are then examined at the end of the 2 semesters, after which students spend one semester in women’s/children’s health and another semester split between rural health, emergency medicine, and psychiatry. The final semester is focused predominantly on general practice.

I’m glad that my course is structured the way it is, because I feel that it provides me with adequate time to explore the different aspects of medicine. And while sometimes it still amazes me that we all remain sane amidst all the crazy study, I’ve made many close friends through medicine and for that I am grateful.

Photograph by Kevin Tan, AMSA Australia

Pulse, the IFMSA Asia-Pacific Magazine

Issue 1, March 2009 Editor: Anny Huang (AMSA Australia) - Publications Working Committee: Helen Chan, Jocelyn Chan, Kevin Tan, Betty Zhang (IFMSA Australia) - Special thanks to: Roy Shen (Regional Coordinator), Shelly Chang (Regional Secretary General), Members of the Asia-Pacific Regional Office Cover photo: Public Health in New Zealand, by Anny Huang - Back cover photo: Pile, by Kevin Tan