SCOPE Newsletter Volume 1, 2020-2021

SCOPE International Team 20/21 Gabriel Jose Ortez Yousra El Gazari Yazan Demaidi Marcela Penaloza Anita -Varvara Juchiac Yodit Arsano Alvaro Josue Mazariegos Prinrasar Mongkolkul Amr Hassan Florian Bannier

Content Designer Marcela Penaloza Vectors by Freepik

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Greeting.........................................................1 Announcements.................................... 2 Themed Articles..................................... 4 Articles......................................................... 11 Narratives................................................. 18 Artwork & Photographs.................. 23 Poems......................................................... 26 Game........................................................... 29

Dear SCOPEople around the world, It is an honor to share with you the SCOPE Newsletter Volume 1.

2020-2021. In this newsletter, you will find announcements, themed articles, narratives, poems, artwork, and photographs.

We wanted to collect the voices of SCOPEnthusiasts around the world, which are made up of you, the people who make this possible. Through the newsletter, we hope you can read and feel identified with the people behind the articles, stories, and artwork. After all, we are a family, and each one of us has a unique perspective to contribute to our beloved SCOPE.

We

also wanted to highlight the humanity that our SCOPE is known for, whether it is living through a pandemic or reimagining the future. We invite you to enjoy the current issue and join the conversation by submitting your work in the upcoming issues.

Blue SCOPEnguin Hugs, Your SCOPE IT 2020-2021

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Authors: Safina Salwaa, Gyang Putri NMO: CIMSA Indonesia Dear medical students around the world, Exchanges have an important role in improving the quality of medical students' knowledge on Global Health and intercultural understanding. These skills and information are very important for us as future doctors and medical professionals.

That is why, SCOPE, SCORE and CIMSA Indonesia have teamed up with CIMSA Universitas Airlangga and MSCIA Universitas Brawijaya to facilitate exchanges amidst the pandemic through the initiative Airlangga-Brawijaya Virtual Exchange (ARRIVE)!

ARRIVE will become available on your laptop by June 2021, offering the knowledge of Tropical and Emergency Medicine – straight from the experts in this field!

Should there be any questions, please do not hesitate to contact: Clauvinna Adhityana Lie Fisca NEO-Out CIMSA Indonesia Raden Ayu Sarah Nathania Raissa NEO-In CIMSA Indonesia neo@cimsa.or.id

THEMED ARTICLES

Author: Stefan Leung NMO: swimsa Switzerland

Every year swimsa exchanges organizes the Exchanges Weekend for its beloved LEOs and LOREs. It has become a tradition and it is our way to say thank you for all the hard effort everyone puts into exchanges. Hence, we wanted to organize it despite the pandemic.

In the middle of the beautiful Alps in Zweisimmen (Bern), 34 participants from almost every Swiss university met from 16.10.2020 to 18.10.2020. It was a collaboration between swimsa Exchanges and a new Swiss training called STARS (swimsa trains leaders). Alongside a seven-person organizing committee, we invited four international trainers from bvmd Germany and BeMSA Belgium. The VPX of BeMSA 19/20, the NEO-In of bvmd 19/20, the SCORE SB 20/21 from Germany, and the NMO President of bvmd 2020 joined our adventure and facilitated numerous sessions to our members. Our Swiss trainers included the President of swimsa 20/21 and the former NEO-Out 18/19. The Exchanges Weekend 2020 was therefore a good example of inter-NMO collaboration.

Exchanges experts as well as new members got to know each other and share their exchanges knowledge, experiences, and passion. The beginners learned about what SCOPE and SCORE are all about and what a year within the swimsa exchanges team looks like. The advanced group brainstormed on how to improve our PDT, how to neutralize CO2-emissions of our exchanges, and created a new script for a new exchanges video. We focused on projects like how an exchange can take place during times of COVID-19 and how future exchanges could be more ecological and successful with fewer air miles. In contrast to the previous Exchanges Weekends, we offered general skills trainings on topics like Financial Management, Leadership and Conflict Management, Marketing and Advocacy.

As swimsa tries to increase national Capacity Building events, the STARS was led by two IFMSA trainers to train new leaders. Five active members of swimsa gathered and discussed leadership roles and how to facilitate a session to learn how to encourage medical students to be active on a national and international level.

To host one of the semester’s highlights, we needed to follow a very strict COVID-19 Protection Concept with disinfectants and masks, even during the social program.

Additionally, the group from the STARS were separated from the Exchanges Weekend and were hosted in an additional châlet next to the venue. The occupancy of the beds and rooms was less than 40% of the total capacity, so that everyone was able to keep social distance even while sleeping. Food was served in two different dining rooms with assigned time slots and most of the social program happened outside.

Overall, it was a huge success to host a physical event during a pandemic and it was certainly a nice contrast to the new normal we are facing currently. Many thanks to our international guests from Germany and Belgium for this collaboration, for putting their heart into it and making it the experience it was!

"It is our way to say thank you for all the hard effort everyone puts into exchanges."

Author: Lucía Vega NMO: AEMPPI Ecuador

Global health (GH) is an area for study, research, and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving equity in health for all people worldwide; emphasizes transnational health issues, determinants, and solutions;

involves

many

disciplines

and

promotes

interdisciplinary

collaboration; and is a synthesis of population-based prevention with individual-level clinical care” (Koplan, Bond, Merson, Reddy, Rodriguez, et al., 2009). For medical students, it is very important to know more about this topic because we are going to be future medical practitioners and global citizens. We need to work in order to improve health conditions all over the world. However, this topic is poorly implemented in medical curricula in my country, Ecuador, because only two medical schools have GH as a subject.

"We are more than Exchanges!"

That is why we decided to create a national educational campaign to increase awareness of Global Health as a fundamental aspect of medical education. At the beginning of the activity, we applied a form to assess the

previous

knowledge

of

the

participants about GH. About 76.6% of the participants have heard about Global Health at least once. Of the all of the participants, 99% thought that GH is important. Then when we asked

them

understand Second place winner

by

“What

do

you

GH?”,

only

40%

answered a clear idea of GH. The first part of our activity was a social media campaign. Then, we had a webinar series in which the speakers were people from SCOPE and SCOPH IT. The topics for this activity were: What is global health, Global Health Challenges (Chronic Non-Communicable

Diseases,

Mental health, Climate change) and Global Health Diplomacy. The last part of our activity was a themed artistic expression by participants.

We are more than Exchanges!

First place winner

Reference: Koplan, J. P., Bond, T. C, Merson, M. H., Reddy, K.S., Rodriguez, M. H., et al. (2009). Towards a common definition of global health.

Lancet, 373, 1993–1995.

Author: Mieszko Czapliński, Dominika Zajkowska NMO: IFMSA-Poland

Though the current pandemic was a

during three days that were filled with

significant blow for our activities in

informative

exchanges,

to

brainstorming. We also held a social

surrender. Some spheres of our work

programme because we were aware of

can be developed and maintained as

the importance of the team building

they used to be before the COVID-19

role in maintaining a high level of

pandemic, and I even dare say, better

motivation

due

teams.

to

we

the

decided

not

implementation

of

sessions

among

the

and

exchange

innovative solutions! As a NMO, we always strive for perfection and adjust

Although face to face workshops had

to different circumstances to ensure a

to be cancelled due to the pandemic,

high

our

we

matter

the

switched to an online setting. The

face,

we

efforts of our predecessors resulted in a

preserve our good practices and would

formula that enabled us to continue

love to present to you one of our

with Capacity Building and keep close

customs,

contact with our officers. Since we had

academic

exchanges. potential

quality

Thus,

no

obstacles

the

we

in

IFMSA-Poland

Winter

Exchange Workshops.

did

not

waste

any

time

and

seen the previous season and the terrible

toll

the

cancellation

Before the pandemic arose, NEOs and

exchanges

NOREs used to meet with their Local

determined to prevent such a situation

Officers and the National Team to share

from recurring. Thus, we invested time

knowledge about Exchanges, discuss

in building the skills of our Local

new

share

Officers and in their motivation to carry

recommendations regarding national

out exchanges no matter the adverse

and local work planned for the next

circumstances.

ideas,

and

months. The workshops took place

caused,

we

of were

The Workshops held during the weekend of February 13th-14th, turned out to be a tremendous success among all of our participants. They managed to learn about several topics including, taking care of incomings, how to organise a good social programme, and how to find new sponsors. What also has to be noted is the presence of guest speakers from the SCOPE and SCORE International Teams, Florian (SCOPE Regional Assistant for Europe), Florentina (SCORE Regional Assistant for Europe) and Marcela (SCOPE Public Relations and Communication Assistant). This was a one-of-a-kind experience which enabled the attendees to get to know the secrets of managing exchanges at an international level and to unleash their potential to serve the SCOPE program on all levels in the upcoming future. In addition, we even managed to organise an online social event to ensure the high morale of our participants.

To summarize, we want to emphasize the important role of capacity building, especially in times of hardship. Capacity building is not a mere notion, but a valuable tool that facilitates and improves the work of the LEOs. If we perceive NEOs as the heads of SCOPE, LEOs are its backbone. Thus, every investment we put towards building their capacity and knowledge will result in the improvement of our exchange program as a whole.

ARTICLES

Author: Rebecca Kassab NMO: LeMSIC

COVID-19 has fundamentally changed

Furthermore, exchanges were not an

our lives. One day we were attending

exception

classes,

seeing

family,

treatment, no vaccine, a hesitant

eating

at

partying,

tentative at managing the newly

traveling, and just livin’ la vida. Then, in

declared pandemic, and exponential

the

everything

rise in cases, most National Member

changed! We found ourselves locked

Organizations (NMOs) judged that it

up at home, shielded from the outside

would

world. Now, the word quarantine that

exchange season. It was not an easy

hadn’t been used for years resurfaced

choice if you consider that the power

more potent than ever.

of

blink

friends

and

restaurants, of

an

eye,

to

be

SCOPE

the

wiser

rule.

to

With

cancel

revolves

no

the

around

exchanges, and all the excitement We witnessed how easily one virus,

that they provide its members. The

roughly 100 nanometers in size, forged

decision could have been upsetting

2020 in a completely different way than

to say the least, but everyone was

one would have envisioned. We were

quick to understand that the most

all minding our own business and

responsible response in 2020 was

dreaming about our future plans, when

stay and far from crowds.

all of a sudden it came to a halt. No more work, no more schools, no more

Fast forward to 2021, we gullibly

college, no more going anywhere.

thought COVID would end by now…

But COVID lingers, more destructive

"We thought the exchange season would be safe, but it is still in jeopardy. Can it still be saved?"

than ever. We thought the exchange season would be safe, but it is still in jeopardy. Can it still be saved?

This year is not the carbon-copy of last year. With the advent of the so anticipated vaccine, we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We are not there yet, but moving slowly is better than not moving at all. Another major difference is that we are no more destabilized by a crisis that no one saw coming. For want of a better word, we are “getting used to it”, in a bid to tame it. The new Exchange Conditions imposed by the different NMOs would be one way to sustain the exchanges. Pre-departure and upon-arrival PCRs, vaccine, serology, mandatory quarantine days… To each NMO its own set of rules, and while they cannot put an end to the virus, they can certainly hinder its spread.

So, will this exchange season be cancelled for the second year in a row? Will outgoings get their hopes crushed once again? There is no answer to that, as no one can foresee what is coming. In the end, health is what matters the most, and no argument could possibly win against it. But what is sure is unless the situation goes haywire, we are now more than determined to save the day and make the best out of the cards that reality has dealt us!

Authors: Shahd Idais, Reem Alawna, Ruba Salameh NMO: PMSA-Palestine Despite

what

you

may

know

about

country. When visiting Palestine, you can

Palestine from the news, it is a safe, friendly,

experience

our

vibrant

Middle

Eastern

welcoming, and interesting destination.

culture, learn to love the food, and practice

Camera lenses and tv screens only show

your Arabic, at least learn what Halla Wallah

half of the image. For sure, it is not your

(hello, welcome) means.

typical destination and not for a typical student either.

Yes, Palestinians are all over their heads, but they

are

always

very

eager

to

meet

At first, students may assume it is not safe,

international citizens. They always have the

and that is understandable, but this image

time to talk to foreigners on the street, ask

of Palestine is unfounded. As a matter of

them to join them for a coffee, and even

fact, every year thousands of international

invite them to their house for a feast, which

students from every corner of the world

you should definitely accept!

come to visit, to volunteer, and to study in Palestine. It is full of opportunities and

Despite being a complete stranger, from the

experiences you will not have in any other

very first time you enter someone’s house,

they will say “elbiet betk”, which means my home is your home. You can feel the strong sense of community walking on the streets.

Palestine may not be a huge country, but it is very diverse. It is a puzzle of pieces from all around the world, where many religions, cultures, and nations unite through history to form the current picture of everyday life.

It is home away from home.

During your rotation, you will witness new kinds of problems, primarily with patients and healthcare accessibility, as well as the innovative solutions doctors create. It will not be a typical rotation, and you should come and see what I mean by that.

Perhaps you still have your doubts about visiting Palestine, but once you are here, you will live a memorable experience that you

will

want

grandchildren.

to

share

with

your

Authors: Hamza Isleem, Mohammed Jubeh, Yazan Dumaidi NMO: PMSA-Palestine

Medical faculties in Palestine are the

is to host professional and career-

home for the brightest of minds, and

striking medical doctors who have

the Faculty of Medicine and Health

studied

Sciences

at

National

doctors provide the students with

University

is

PMSA-

important information, tips, and advice

Nablus members -like other local PMSA

regarding their professional career or

members-

success-

education

hunting students. They do not wait for

enlighten

the

opportunities, they find, create, and

detailed

road,

make

These

advantages of a specific country, and

passionate students do not apply the

the importance of student mobility

widely-respected rule, “Do not plan

(including

your future until you reach it”. We don’t

student build a better career and back

even believe they ever heard of it, and

home, a better healthcare system in

that is where the idea of Med-X arose.

Palestine.

the

An-Najah no

are

most

exception. brilliant,

of

them.

or

worked

abroad.

abroad.

The

students

in

doctors

about

exams,

SCOPE)

These

the

obstacles,

helping

the

Med-X is a PMSA original series. Think of Med-X like Netflix’s originals, but Med-X is much more educative and entertaining in comparison to some of those. The idea of the program came as an answer to the massive demand from An-Najah medical students to the question: “What comes next?”

Med-X was founded by SCOPE at PMSA-Nablus

in

2019

(during

the

pandemic-free days). The idea of Med-X

"The idea of Med-X is to host professional and career-striking medical doctors who have studied or worked abroad."

What really made Med-X so unique is its performance during the pandemic.

Getting the utmost benefit of the virtual setting and hosting doctors even if they are abroad. Med-X housed doctors

from

countries

with

well-

established healthcare and medical education systems including: Germany, UK, USA, and the list will be increasing.

Med-X will continue to grow and to host

more

health

professionals.

Covering more health systems as we continue to put our efforts to empower students

with

the

needed

skills,

knowledge, and attitude to improve the health care system in Palestine.

NARRATIVES

Author: Gabriela Macedo NMO: IFMSA Brazil / Alumni

Most of you may not know who I am. But I am a doctor and an IFMSA (proud) Alumni. I fell in love with the Federation back in 2015 and kept working for it until September 30th, 2020 at 23:59 GMT. That was the moment I said goodbye to the SCOPE Director life, to SCOPE, and IFMSA. Well, at least that is what I thought would happen.

Working daily in the front line against the pandemic has made me realize that IFMSA is even greater than expected. Daily, I deal with public health issues, and I even gave ideas to some mayors and politicians on campaigns to improve the quality of our health system, human rights, and sexual and reproductive health and rights at a local level. Unfortunately, I am not having a good time promoting the importance of exchanges and its interculturality, because of, well… you know. But you can bet that as soon as it is over, and we can all travel freely again, I will go back to advocating our brilliant and unique exchanges.

"IFMSA is what shapes you."

I am extremely proud of IFMSA and what it has taught me. Medical school provided me with the theoretical and practical part of medicine. However, IFMSA was the one who taught me about soft skills, such as speaking in public, communication, presentation skills, leadership, motivation, etc…

Additionally, I learned about how to promote public and global health, while being human and touching another soul.

Therefore, I use IFMSA knowledge daily, and I am thankful for the opportunity of having been a member.

When you truly understand the meaning of IFMSA, and I do not mean the acronym, but the feeling of it, you become part of something different and special. You realize you cannot ever say goodbye. It is indeed a “see you soon”, as per my farewell email as SCOPE Director. When you do understand IFMSA, you notice that you live it everyday, even in your workplace, in healthcare, in politics…

IFMSA is what shapes you. It has shaped me into who I am. So, I think I can say life post-IFMSA is a life with IFMSA and its teachings.

Author: Eliana Karelys Andrade Sáenz NMO: AEMPPI ECUADOR

Everyone will probably feel identified

they cost you, as long as it is with love,

when I mean that a few years ago

is all worth it. That is how one day in

nobody knew what to do after high

biology class I decided I would study

school. Some were pressured to make a

medicine.

decision and others diverted their way to direct jobs. Perhaps my story is not

After suffering with the registration

the most accomplished or nostalgic,

processes, I finally found myself inside

but

the

remembering

those

moments

corridors

of

my

university.

I

makes me dry my tears and focus on

managed to complete the first step to

continuing with my subjects.

become a doctor someday. I was excited to go to the hospital and see

I was 16 years old, and I was in my

everything! I imagined I would be

second year of high school. At that

staying awake from studying. However,

time, my family was not doing very well

the truth set in, and the first semester

financially. Though I knew we were

was very hard! On the first day, I

going through some hardships, I never

received information about AEMMPI

imagined we barely had enough to eat.

during orientation.

Fortunately, I had a scholarship to study at a somewhat expensive school.

My

only

expenses

were

for

transportation to travel to another city.

My

mother

always

prioritized

our

education, even though she secretly cried because she did not know what to do. Thanks to her, I learned that the actions you do, no matter how much

"I wanted to know more about how to travel the world, discover new landscapes, find out about different medicine and food."

I was not very interested since I did not

but with love I can help others prepare

know

AEMMPI.

to become better doctors. AEMPPI

Nevertheless, due to fate, I signed up

encourages me to achieve what my

for SCORA, and I was an active member

mother sowed in me.

much

about

until third semester when I transferred to SCOPE. I wanted to know more

Nobody is born knowing how they

about how to travel the world, discover

want to die, but now I know that I want

new

to die in the service of the happiness of

landscapes,

find

out

about

different medicine and food. I even considered that maybe the future love of

my

life

would

be

in

another

continent! I had the opportunity to meet incredible hospital doctors and young people, as well as share my culture and traditions that amazed others. Also, I could feel the enthusiasm of those who would travel to get to know what medicine was like in other countries. SCOPE is like one world in two, where there are those who come and leave, but everyone is passionate about being better doctors.

After the fourth semester, I transferred from

the

university

due

to

the

consequences of COVID-19. Again, by fate, I ended up meeting wonderful people and an active, loving, and friendly team. I am currently a LEO. Together with my colleagues I fight so that after the pandemic we can once more

see

a

person

in

awe

of

discovering a new world, and so that a colleague can achieve their dream of one day discovering your world. I know my actions right now will not save lives,

others. Thanks SCOPE.

PHOTOGRAPHS

By: Sofia Bernal NMO: AMMEF México University: Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala UNAM

By: Flor Tatiana Soledad Gonzales Tello NMO: IFMSA-PERU University: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia

By: Flor Tatiana Soledad Gonzales Tello NMO: IFMSA-PERU University: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia

POEMS

Author: Horacio Fernando Sáenz Díaz NMO: AMMEF México University: Autonomous University of Aguascalientes

S earching for me on a far foreign homeland C hasing myself with papers and photographs On my mind live words set in paragraphs P leasure made presure. Message flew from my hand.

E motions burning. Time is covered by sand.

I magination made me my epigraphs.

S eeds of joy were sown in my heart like pure grafts.

T riumph but not the end. Soul waiting to expand.

H erald of mine, please go and show them my grace.

E nsure my path, enhance my voice, fly away.

B ring the notice, the alien has now trace.

E merald idyll, lovely magic clouds´ sway.

S hould I say that this is the end of the race?

T otally not, this is the start of the way

Author: Estepanie Sánchez NMO: AMMEF México University:

Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, UNAM

It's been over a year since life doesn't taste the same, People, places and moments will not be the same from now on, it's a shame, Well it is incredible how in the middle of the gloom of the night, loneliness falls on the soul, Like the rocking of the waves that are lost when they reach the coast.

Today I have lost sleep forcing myself to look for answers in the pouring rain, I don't want to be alone, sitting in my room because my essence disappears, As the wind blows in my windows, And the leaves of the trees reach their melancholic end.

The moonlight has hit me lighting a small path, Wearing pink flowers full of life, That still battered by the rain highlight their colors better, Trying to pick one up, I found the scrapes on my knees.

In them it has been drawn where I have been and where I have bled, Making a promise to myself, No matter how hard the ground hit me, But I will never break again.

GAME