Dear IFMSA friends and colleagues, A great Greek philosopher once said that: “The Only Thing That Is Constant Is Change �. While the closest I'll ever get to Heraclitus is quoting him I can definitely agree with the point he made. The ability to potentiate change is something that I always admired in all IFMSA members, starting from the local officers and other members to NMO presidents and IFMSA officials. Now, I want to bring all these voices together and ensure that SCOPHians around the world have the right tools, knowledge and skills to change their surroundings and by that to change the world. To introduce myself: My name is Jozo Schmuch, 22 year old medical student from Croatia and I am currently serving the Federation as European Regional Assistant to the Standing Committee on Public Health. My journey in the IFMSA started three years ago at the beginning of my second year of medical school. I felt that curricular activities did not satisfy all my needs and that as a young person I should do more to impact my community and that is how CroMSIC entered my life. I decided to sign up to be part of this group of people who, in my eyes, seemed to volunteer their valuable free time to raise awareness and educate about different health issues. When I joined I started working as part of a group of students in charge of a National Campaign dealing with raising awareness on the importance of early diagnosis in cancer prevention. I remember being very proud of myself and my colleagues, feeling that we were actually making a difference in someone's life and that if we managed to make one person go to the cancer screening organized by our government that we were already doing/achieving a lot. As I liked this project so much, I looked for more opportunities to get involved with CroMSIC which then lead me to IFMSA. My first encounter with the Federation was when I took part in the creation of educational materials for the World Cancer Day within Mr. & Mrs. Breasttestis - an IFMSA transnational project at the time. Later being inspired so much by both of these experiences I decided to run for the LPO position in my LC and at the same time I got elected to be an NPO Assistant.
This was also the year I went to my first IFMSA international meeting. It was the EuRegMe in Poland and it was a life changing experience for me. It was the first opportunity I had ever had to meet with other medical students who shared the same passion for Public Health as I did.
During this year I had the opportunity to get involved with SCOPH on a deeper level. First, as one of the contributors to the ‘NCDs and Health Lifestyles programs’, then at my first GA (MM2015 Turkey) and finally as SCOPH RA. It has been a very inspiring and educational term. To learn more about European NPOs and LPOs and the amazing work they do to make a change in their communities truly inspired me and taught me to look at health not just from my perspective, but rather from the perspective of others in different circumstances than my own, making me notice all the subtleties that influence health as such. It also made me realize that SCOPH needs to build on the strengths of its members and that only by securing that its members have all the appropriate tools and knowledge can SCOPH further develop. As I always say “Real Magic Happens on a Local Level” and only by building capacity from the local level up can we ensure that the SCOPH mission is being followed, that its vision is being achieved and through that, making a change on a global level. To summarize this effectively: “Think Globally! Act Locally!” I feel rather motivated and confident that I can be the one to continue the work done by previous SCOPH Directors and continue in the way of developing SCOPH, changing it in such a way that we can both face the problems of today and the upcoming issues of the future. I plan to fully devote both my time and energy to the full service of SCOPHians
to meet the goals that I set for the upcoming term, secure continued growth and positive change for our Standing Committee and its member and most importantly be a support to SCOPH members around the globe in their initiatives and ideas. I am confident that I have the right leadership skills to lead this big proverbial global family, that I can both motivate and inspire people to reach their goals. I would like to end this letter exploring something I mentioned at the beginning: Making a change is what draws me both to SCOPH and to IFMSA. IFMSA members have the immense talent of impacting their communities for the better in numerous ways. This chorus of global voices, when united, can make a great impact and I want to join in leading them in striving to achieve the goal that we set for ourselves when we started doing Public Health make a change! Yours sincerely,
For any further questions do not hesitate to contact me by email : joschmuch@gmail.com
Members The Standing Committee On Public Health is here to serve its members. In my work as Regional Assistant I have noticed that there are numerous ways to secure that the needs and wishes of our members are completely met. In my plan I would like to put emphasis on the following points in particular: 1. Listening to the voices of SCOPHians At the start of the term a form will be sent out to all NPOs (and/or relevant SCOPH contact person) in order to recive input on their needs from the SCOPH International Team (IT) and for them to share their vision of SCOPH. This is a very important step in the process of ensuring that the SCOPH IT responds to the needs of SCOPH members, and by doing so enabling SCOPH members to directly approach and shape the future of SCOPH. Special attention will be given to the wishes of SCOPH members when it comes to the General Assemblies (GAs) and SCOPH sessions at Regional Meetings (RMs), ensuring that both GAs and all RMs are in line with the needs and wishes of participants and other SCOPHians. 2. Educational materials: Different materials such as a SCOPH educational booklet will benefit all SCOPH members from around the world. The creation of educational materials by the SCOPH IT will ensure that our members
have a valid source of information about Public Health issues and enough knowledge to contribute to pinpointing solutions to those problems. Differently from the already existing SCOPH manual, this new document will mainly concentrate o more scientific aspects of the issues we face in Public Health as medical students. Other educational materials would include strategically designed infographics and educational videos to celebrate world health days and other important occasions. At the beginning of the term the SCOPH IT will choose specific world health days for which it will construct specific material in line with the above mentioned structure. 3.
SCOPH webinars:
While Public Health problems differ from country to country and from region to region, there are some common problems that we face everywhere which are often left out of our formal education. In order to take a first step to impact this issue a series of periodic meetings will be offered in the form of webinars, each addressing a differen Public Health topic . The topics of these webinars will be derived from the expressed needs and interests of SCOPHians. These SCOPH webinars, organized by the SCOPH Director, members with knowledge and interest in the given topic and relevant experts, will serve as a perfect opportunity for IFMSA members around the world (especially those unable to attend GAs and RMs) to gather together in learning and sharing about common issues.
Sustainability The only way to value efforts and the work of members and ultimately avoid repetition and waste of energy, is to strive for sustainability. The following points represent the ideas I have to promote sustainability: 1. Geographical Balance It is very important to make sure that all the regions are growing at equal rates within the Federation. The provenance of the SCOPH-D should not result in the favouring of a single Region, but concrete efforts should be made to make sure that each Region is equally heard and supported. 2.
SCOPH IT Reporting
To ensure a smooth and productive handover process, RAs will be asked to fill in a monthly form which will include information about things they have done in the previous month, showcasing challenges and opportunities for improvement. Moreover, during monthly SCOPH IT OLMs each specific region will be talked about individually then allowing each member of the team to contribute input. Minutes (which will then be available on a shared folder) will be taken each time allowing for the future IT to access outcomes and important points of these conversations. 3. SCOPH Diaries To ensure lasting institutional memory of SCOPH activities around the world, the practice of producing monthly SCOPH diaries will be kept, which will sum up all the information shared in the FB SCOPH groups. Alongside these, a brief monthly
article will be written by the SCOPH-D and the RAs showcasing what is being done in their region or in my case, globally. 4.
SCOPH Strategic plan
Continue with work done by previous SCOPH Directors in furthering the development of the SCOPH Strategic Plan with input from all SCOPH members and associating it with IFMSA 2014-2017 Strategic plan. 5.
Programs
Consistent communication with the Vice President for Activities will ensure that the elected Program Coordinators follow the vision and mission of SCOPH and IFMSA when it comes to programs related to SCOPH. As the Programs are a new structure within the federation it is crucial at the moment to ensure that their implementation runs smoothly. Working closely with IFMSA Program Coordinators will for sure be given due priority especially during beginning of the new term.
Collaboration As a team leader and a part of a big international team, the SCOPH Director must embody the highest ideals collaboration team know-how. There are certain key players that have to be taken into consideration when planning a term which are: 1. LPH – Liaison Officer to Public Health As the most crucial member of the SCOPH IT after the SCOPH-D, the LPH is one of the most important people to collaborate with as he is the main representative of SCOPH externally to the Federation.
Because of this, it will be important to make sure that constant input from the SCOPHians will be given, especially concerning external representation. Moreover, the LPH will be important in securing externals for GAs and RMs, thus being a key individual in ensuring the quality of GAs or RMs. 2. LOSO – Liaison Officer to Student Organizations During the past couple of terms, the SCOPH Director has had a great working relationship with the LOSO. Maintaining this relationship with the elected LOSO is important to further the work towards establishing and strengthening connections with Student Organizations (IVSA, IPSF‌) that work in the field of Public Health, creating potential partnerships to address common issues (Tuberculosis, Malaria, One Health,...). 3.
LO WHO and other relevant LOs
In order to constantly seek opportunities to externally represent the work of SCOPH, there will be collaboration with all the LOs, especially the LPH, LOSO and LO WHO, also to inform them of the needs of SCOPHians for external representation purposes. 4.
Other SC Directors
Further efforts will be made to establish stronger connections with other SC directors in hope of working to solve problems that concern multiple SCs. Mostly this would include Joint Sessions during International Meetings, but also the development of common projects, campaigns etc. in response to the common issues such as Maternal and Children's Health, Migrants and Health,
Global Health Education, Mental Health, etc.
Development The world we are living is in constantly change, leading to a completely new face of Public Health with each passing year. In the case of many problems, unimaginable to face a few years ago, many solutions can now be found. To ensure that we can keep up with the evolving systems,we have to work towards guaranteeing developments within SCOPH and among its members so they can be equipped to face any upcoming issues. 1. Taking a further step in SCOPH Networking This is a pilot project started in the European Region this term: The general idea is that every willing NMO receives, after participating in a short survey, a NMO SCOPH partner ( e.g. Swimsa NPO and IMCC Denmark NPO). These partnerships are meant to motivate both NMOs to strive, grow and to provide each other with new skills and new knowledge. Throughout this term, the aim would be to maintain partnerships within same regions, but in the next term, if there were substantial interest, further development could be pursued in order to include transregional partnerships. This process will be mainly handled by the SCOPH-D with the help of the RAs. 2. Guaranteeing progress in Regional Assistant activity At the start of the term, each Regional Assistant will be encouraged to define one or more goals they would like to achieve during their term. These goals will preferably be in line with this plan of action
and can concern both the regions or the entirety of the Federation. In order to make sure that both work towards these goals is being done and that activity is advancing in the right direction, a timeline will be defined, progress indicators will be discussed and various deadlines will be set during which it will be possible to check-in with the RAs as to their progress, needs or concerns. A close collaboration between SCOPH-D and RAs will be crucial to ensure efficiency of work in these terms and to keep team collaboration dynamic and constructive at all times. 3.
Development of SCOPH globally
If any NMOs, currently not having SCOPH structures wish to develop any, it will be ensured that their efforts be welcomed and that help be available if required. Full support will be given both to SCOPH NPOs and LPOs as well as to other members who are engaging in activities and initiatives related to Public Health such as - SCOPH Exchanges, Trainings and others. Efforts will be made to help members develop their work to its maximum potential. This represents a further step in furthering development among the SCOPH members group. It will be equally important to guarantee the SCOPH-D always be available for all the National Teams, if they require instructions or feedback on anything. 4. Communication Communication of members with the SCOPH-D and RAs and solid communication between and from the SCOPH-D and SCOPH IT is of the utmost importance. An attempt would be made at establishing quarterly meetings with NPOs (each RA being responsible for his or her region).
However, if this would not be possible, at least two Regional OLMs must be held in the course of a term. One-on-one OLMs between RAs and SCOPH National Teams once every term will also be encouraged, as it will benefit both the RA, giving him or her better knowledge of his or her region as well as National Teams. Constant Communication within the International Team would be guaranteed through: a WhatsApp group, monthly OLMs and oneon-one OLMs between individual RAs every three months. In addition to these, OLMs could also take place in view of special occasions, such as before RMs, before specific external events or in view of world health days.
Change Most people join SCOPH to make change. While most of the magic is happening on the local level we can also make a change on a global stage by introducing new and modern approaches 1.
Using Social Media
The SCOPH Facebook group is a great means of communication with our members, but it is also a great tool to spread ideas and start Social Media campaigns. This platform alongside others could be used to efficiently spread different messages related to Public Health to our members who can then share it on their profiles to reach a broader audience. Possibilities for such campaigns are countless - ranging from videos to new and original hashtags that could catch people's attention. Promotional material could be created during GAs and RMs and by the SCOPH IT.
2.
Improving Impact
Only by routinely measuring and evaluating can we ensure that verify whether an impact on our target groups is being achieved. Measuring impact and evaluating it is then the first step in improving it. Many times work done by SCOPHians goes unreported and by being so significant effectiveness is lost. In some cases it is due to some members' lack of knowledge. Addressing this issue will be possible by placing more emphasis on trainings on this topic, in collaboration with the Training Support Division. In order to also improve dynamism and compensate lack of time, more efficient ways for SCOPHians to conduct impact assessments and easier ways they could report back to the SCOPH IT will be
asidentified in collaboration with other TO members and especially the VPA.SCOPHians to conduct impact assessments and easier ways they could report back to the SCOPH IT will be identified in collaboration with other TO members and especially the VPA. ______________________________________ The vision... Even before the founding of the Federation, medical students passionate about Public Health around the world have been making a difference in the lives of countless people. This impact was then strengthened by the creation of SCOPH. Now, by striving to meet the needs of our members, encouraging sustainability and further development of SCOPH by the means stated in this plan of action, we can multiply the effects our members have on their communities and on society as a whole, guided by the old motto: “Think Globally, Act Locally� to truly change the world
Personal and contact information: Name: Jozo Schmucha Date of Birth: 04.01.1993 Place of Birth: Dubrovnik, Croatia Citizenship: Croatian Address: A.G. Matoša 2, 32000, Vukovar, Croatia Phone number: 00385993719444 eMail adress: joschmuch@gmail.com skype: joschmuch@gmail.com
Education: Secondary education: Zagreb Health School - Medical Laboratory Technician Currently: 3rd year of Zagreb Medical School, University of Zagreb Languages: Native: Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian Fluent: English Basics: French
Meetings attended: 2013 CroMSIC National Assembly - October 2014 2nd International Congress for Rare Diseases, Zagreb Croatia 2014 EuRegMe Warsaw, Poland - SCOPH sessions 2014 1st Human Rights Symposium, CroMSIC Zagreb 2014 CroMSIC National Assembly - October 2014 TOM 2 - OC member 2015 IFMSA PreGA, Istanbul Turkey - External Representation Workshop 2015 IFMSA MM2015, Antalya, Turkey - SCOPH session team 2015 13th Wonca World Rural Health Conference 2015, Dubrovnik - IFMSA representative 2015 EuRegMe Aalborg, Denmark - RA SCOPH Europe 2015 European Health and Alcohol Forum (EHAF) - IFMSA representative 2015 2nd Human Rights Symposium, CroMSIC Zagreb
Activities: CroMSIC Croatia - cancer prevention national campaign - volunteer 2012/2013 Peer to Peer educator - “Healthy Lifestyle” and “HIV/AIDS and other STDs” 2012/2013 SCOPE and SCORE contact person, CroMSIC Croatia 2012/2013
Creative assistant - Mr. & Mrs. Breastestis transnational project 2012/2013 Local Officer for Public Health, CroMSIC Croatia 2013/2014 Assistant to National Officer for Public Health, CroMSIC Croatia 2013/2014 Project Leader - Rural Health, CroMSIC Croatia - 2013/2014 “Healthy Lifestyles and Non-Communicable Diseases” program coordinator 2014 Public Relations - CroMSIC Zagreb Project Leader - Imagine Campaign - Collaboration with UNICEF national office Standing Committee on Public Health Regional Assistent 2014
Trainings: COST Disaster Bioethics Summer School - 2014 Peer to Peer Education - CroMSIC Croatia - 2013
Other related experience: 2013/2014 Medical office of private health insurance company - work with clients 2012/2013 Archivist for medical insurance company
Interests: Singing, literature, history, art, film
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To whom it may concern, On behalf of CroMSIC Croatia, I support Jozo Schmuch in his candidature for the position of Standing Committee on Public Health director. Moreover, I confirm that all the details mentioned in his Curriculum Vitae regarding the positions he has with CroMSIC are true. Sincerely, Ivan Jakopčić CroMSIC Predident