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CONTENTS
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President
Gabriel Joshua Ellul
Vice President for Internal Affairs Thomas Gatt
Vice President for External Affairs Kristina Bartolo
Secretary General Rebecca Stoner
Exchanges and Research Officer - Incomings Abigail Mula
Exchanges and Research Officer - Outgoings Martina Bugelli
Medical Education Officer Sarah Catania
Sexual and Reproductive Health Officer Victoria Camilleri
Public Health Officer Martina Gerada
Human Rights and Peace Officer Gerd Xuereb
Peer Education and Training Officer Francesca Curmi
Public Relations Officer Leonard Callus
Leisure Officer Dylan Attard
Electives Coordinator Matthew Pizzuto
Supervising Council Giuilia Magro, James Mario Gauci, Kurt Apap
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The MMSA Board of Directors 2014 - 2015
Eupa Grant Report Written by Jordy Borg
The MMSA Achievements
“If everyone is moving forward together.... ....then success takes care of itself” Henry Ford
Credits
Cover design - David Borg Editors - Leonard Callus Proofreaders: Julia Shaaban, David Borg, Micheal Micallef, Vanessa Mercieca Copyright - Malta Medical Students’ Association - www.mmsa.org.mt
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PRESIDENT GABRIEL JOSHUA ELLUL
Dear members, It is not easy to be a medical student. Faced with a constant battle against time, we are frequently pushed to our limits in order to reach the goals that we aspire to achieve. Then again, despite our many challenges, our demanding curriculum and our restricted schedules, we medical students run the most active and most prominent association on campus. From educating the young, to empowering the elderly, from fighting for minorities’ rights to representing the interests of our medical students both locally and abroad; our MMSA is multi-purpose, multi-functional and multifaceted. Bearing this in mind, throughout the year, I have sought to make the MMSA closer to the medical student. We have faced trying times, and the years ahead will not prove any easier. The issue on the introduction of a Bart’s Medical School at the Gozo General Hospital, as a branch of London’s Queen Mary University, dominated our work as a medical student body, leading us to call for at least four formal meetings with the Parliamentary Secretary for Health, a meeting with the Dean of our Faculty, and also to conduct an internal feedback exercise, to try to grasp what medical students think about the quality of our teaching system. In the span of just one year,
we have sought to consolidate our position on a variety of aspects, respecting those core values which make our association what it is today. It is important to know what the MMSA stands for. We stand for a better teaching system: we all know that our school has its faults, but also its strengths. We are faced with a gradual, albeit relentless, increase in the number of medical students who are studying in our medical school. Both Faculty and Government are aware of the problem, but there is reluctance in tackling it well, although the resources available at our teaching hospital remain, in themselves, frustratingly limited. We stand for an improvement in the Maltese healthcare system, and while recent developments are highlighting the glamour of the investment, which the Government is proposing in Gozo and in other secondary hospitals, it would be unwise to stop there. In the past months, the MMSA has adopted a position: we believe that what is being proposed will benefit our country and our education system if, and only if, certain guarantees are kept. The guarantees were obtained after countless hours of discussion, throughout the span of an entire year, with medical students constantly being invited to speak about the various aspects which concern them. As it currently stands, the government has guaranteed that the introduction of the Bart’s Medical School will not have any detrimental effects on our learning experience here in Mater Dei. The government has said that the project will not lead to poaching of our lecturers and will not pose an increased burden on the already limited resources of our hospital, including the Foundation
Programme posts offered to post-graduate students. These are the government’s words and new developments may show otherwise. These guarantees did not fall from the sky. We specifically sought them. Students approached us, they voiced their concerns, and we, as your Board of Directors, sought answers by speaking directly to the head of this project: the government itself. There is no better way to make a person abide to his or her word than by making it known to everyone, and holding them accountable to what was said. The MMSA was never given any written guarantees: only verbal ones. Our position consolidated all of this in writing, and made it known to all. But more importantly, our statement calls to you, our medical students. We need people to scrutinise what was guaranteed and to hold the government to their word. MMSA’s position was not a conclusion, as some areas of the media sought to believe,
but a starting point, a departure. As MMSA, we want to see an improvement, not a regression, in our teaching experience here in Malta. Throughout the year I have sought to show that hard work does pay off. We have managed to reach a record in the number of participants in TRD and in the number of applicants for Medik-T, in our voluntary work through the structured project of Amigo, in lobbying for changes in policies, through our organ donation petition, in achieving financial sustainability by doubling our income from electives and being awarded a €9,000 grant from the European Union. We fought stigma on all fronts, even inviting the President of the Republic for our candle vigil against AIDS discrimination. On a global level, we won first prize for our work in Peer Education and Training, and we also managed to make history by bringing the IFMSA, with a total of more than 1,000 delegates, here to Malta, come
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March 2016. Never believe that we are insignificant, or that our efforts will go to waste. We can make a change if we stand united, as one student body. Undoubtedly, we will be facing new developments with regards to the Bart’s Medical School project and all the health reforms being proposed. The guarantees we have published will be our only source of reference. We need active members, not complacent students, to ensure that they are kept, and to not fear applying more pressure if they are not. Now, more than ever, we need everyone to stand up and be counted. To make sure that we make our voices heard. Thank you for entrusting me to lead this magnificent association. I am indebted to you for all the lessons that I have learnt over the span of just one year. I wish the best of luck to the future Board of Directors: thank you for choosing to dedicate the year ahead to serve the MMSA. Let your work be an inspiration to countless other medical students, willing to strive for what we believe in.
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VICE PRESIDENT FOR INTERNAL AFFAIRS THOMAS GATT
As I sit here trying to summarise a stellar term for the MMSA, I have come to realize that together as a team we have accomplished so much more than I could have ever previously imagined. Our first success came in the form of the KSU Room Allocations Report. It is the role of the Vice President for Internal Affairs to compile a summary of all the work the MMSA has done in the previous term. After 3 weeks’ worth of amassing evidence and
event report forms, we presented a 1000+ page report which showcased MMSA’s events and achievements. For the 3rd consecutive year, we were pleased to rank 1st (with more than double the points compared to the 2nd place student organisation), further cementing our place as the best organisation on campus. A number of accomplishments were also achieved in the four different roles which comprise the VPi Office. This year, together with the help of the projects coordinator, Martina Papa, we managed to compile the MMSA Calendar of Events before the start of our term in an attempt to be able to plan events well in advance and maximize the efficiency and
quality of our events. Also this year, under the guidance of policy chair Naomi Mercieca, we managed to work on two policy papers simultaneously; the first paper on drunk driving which was
approved at the AGM, and the second on hearing impairment which is currently in its final stages. Throughout the past term we also worked on improving the feedback system, and with the help of feedback coordinator Emma Camilleri, we worked on updating the feedback form, making it more efficient and allowing us to collect more useful feedback. Similarly this year, thanks to Dr. Daniel Vella Fondacaro, former MMSA president and current alumnus himself, we also updated the alumni database and setup an online alumni form which will allow easier correspondence with alumni. For the 3rd consecutive year, the VPi was in charge
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of organising the administration workshop, which this year, was named ‘Behind the Scenes’. This event served the purpose of giving attendees a behind-the-scenes look of the goings on in the MMSA, allowing applicants to gain knowledge about the MMSA that they would not be able to from any other event. With over 30 applicants applying, this workshop was a huge success. The role of the VPi is ultimately to serve as a platform of communication between all members of the MMSA, and help ensure a smooth running of our association. I would like to takes this opportunity to thank all the members of my office, whose help has been invaluable.
I would also like to thank the entire team of officials and Executive Board for giving me such an enjoyable year; I do not consider them as colleagues, but rather, friends. I would also like to thank MMSA President Gabriel Ellul, for the patience, motivation and guidance he has given us in the past term. We would have not reached such heights without him. Finally I would like to thank every single MMSA member who has shown me support throughout my term. I am truly grateful. Without you, this amazing journey would not have been possible. The MMSA will always have a special place in my heart. I can only hope to have given back half of what it has given me.
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VICE PRESIDENT FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS KRISTINA BARTOLO
months were jam-packed with meetings with many different student organisations, nongovernmental organisations and governmental entities to plan collaborations for the year. The first big campaign was Science in the City, Malta’s annual Science and Arts Festival, where we had a stand promoting medicine in a fun and interactive way, in Valletta. Apart from blood pressure, blood glucose and body mass index (BMI) measurements, there was a Beat the Burn experiment to display the harmful effects of UV light, Teddy Bear Hospital, and promotion of human rights and medical education.
Dear MMSA members and friends, As my term comes to an end, I look back at this year with a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. It was a rollercoaster ride with its ups and downs, but with the hard work of all the team, we managed to achieve great things. As Vice President for External Affairs, my work started immediately in July. The summer
During summer, we also collaborated with Mater Dei Hospital to perform a week of health checks on hospital staff in different hospital wards. MMSA students performed blood pressure and blood glucose monitoring to the staff, whilst nutritionists from the Health Promotion Unit conducted BMI assessment and gave nutritional advice. Throughout the week there were sessions of Pilates, circuit training, Zumba, and aerobics to promote health and fitness within the staff. Moreover, we collected the results of the tests and compared them with the data collected during last years’ event. A certificate of participation was given to all the students. The MMSA was also invited to have a stand together with the Health Promotion Unit during the Malta Trade Fair, which is very popular with the Maltese public. This was a great opportunity to increase our reach whilst raising awareness on public health issues to peo-
ple from different sectors of society. Freshers’ Week 2014 was a great way to welcome the new first year medical students. The MMSA stand at the centre of the University Quadrangle was a hub to come and meet fellow students, make new friends, ask questions about the course, whilst enjoying different freebies and activities that were available throughout the week. The MMSA stand also served as promotion for the Training and Resources Development seminar. Throughout the year, we participated in various events organised by the University Student Council (KSU), such as Discover University and KSU Health Days. We also took part in the KSJC University Organisations’ Fair at Junior College, where students interested in medicine were given the opportunity to meet us and learn more about the course and the MMSA. A collaboration between the Gender Issues Committee, MMSA and KSU resulted in the opening of the Health and Wellbeing Clinic at the University Student House, which offers a space for parents to breastfeed, change nappies and warm milk, and the use of first aid equipment and showers. Furthermore, the VPe office focused on external representation within University and beyond. I was very active in the KSU Social Policy Office to present MMSA’s position on various current topics, including the trade dispute between MUT, UMASA, University of Malta and the Government, the spring hunting referendum, the Vote 16 campaign, the age of consent debate, the drug decriminalisation reform, organ
donation, Barts Medical School and the exploitation of Zonqor Point petition. I also had the opportunity to work with the Office of Her Excellency the President of Malta and she attended numerous campaigns organised by the MMSA. External representation went further offshore. I was one of the delegates to attend the IFMSA March Meeting 2015 in Turkey where we had the privilege to represent the MMSA and win the bid to host the next IFMSA March Meeting 2016 in Malta. Moreover, Georgiana Farrugia represented the MMSA at the first European Medical Students’ Association Spring Assembly in Warsaw, Poland. The highlight of my year was definitely winning the ‘Kokka Habrieka’ Award at the KSU Kokka Night 2015. Being nominated and shortlisted out of all the active students in University was already a huge honour. Winning this award was definitely the best way to end the year and I feel so grateful that my work and passion towards student activism and the MMSA was appreciated. My chapter in the MMSA Board of Directors is now concluding. The MMSA has provided me with skills and experiences where I’ve learnt and grown so much and I’ll treasure forever. I would like to encourage you to enjoy medical school and be active students. Believe that we can make change happen, follow your dreams, try something new, travel, inspire and be inspired, and grab as many opportunities as possible. Make your University years the best years of your life! Thank you all! Kristina Bartolo
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SECRETARY GENERAL REBECCA STONER
This past year as Secretary General was an exciting one for me because I had the opportunity to plan TRD, organise an Extra Ordinary General Meeting - where the bid to host the IFMSA March Meeting 2016 was officially agreed upon by the MMSA’s members and the Annual General Meeting, for the first time, was split into 2 days allowing more time to discuss the impressive work done by our association this year, along with many other events, meetings and administrative jobs. These allowed me to acquire of some lovely experiences, including working along side a group of incredible people and learning a lot more than expected along the way. TRD this year gave me an opportunity to work with a great team - we worked so well together and each member contributed something very special to the event. The hard work paid off, with the largest TRD being held with over 300 people, including the first ever ‘MMSA’s got
Talent’ which allowed our members to prove that medical students are not just quiet introverts with no interest outside our books - we got to observe some impressive talents and had a good laugh at a couple of acts! For the first time we had an activities fair, as well as suturing for 2nd years and above. Leisure activities were held outside the hotel, with Zorb Football and Lasertag being offered as well as the legendary costume parties! It was a very busy 3 days but I was so proud of the whole team for what we achieved - a very big well done to all of them. Being involved in the writing of the Policy Paper ‘Increasing the Legislation of Drink Driving’ is some-
thing else which I am proud of and am determined to continue working on it this year. Seeing the MMSA being used as a medium for advocacy about issues important to us is very encouraging to
see. These past 2 years on the Board of Directors and Executive Board taught me a lot more than I had expected when I first got involved in the MMSA. I went from someone who
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was only interested in the events my friends were going to, to an avid student activist who believes very strongly that as students who care and who do have a voice, we have the ability to make big change. I learnt that medicine is more than your grades and how much you can study. Being a doctor includes caring about others, including issues which are not covered in lectures or tutorials. We don’t have to wait until we graduate to start making the changes we want to see and doing good in the world. Furthermore, I will always be grateful for the many new friends I made, the amazing people I would otherwise not
have had the pleasure of meeting, experiencing areas in Medicine I did not know existed, let alone thought I would be interesting and discovering different cultures and systems of health care internationally. This year, as Secretary General, taught me many skills which I had to acquire throughout the year, as well as getting to see first hand the hard work of our members in different areas. I enjoyed my term fully and I am excited to continue helping out in my next two years in the MMSA! A big thank you to everyone who made it a lovely experience and a good luck to the next BD - I am sure you will all do an incredible job!
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EXCHANGES AND RESEARCH OFFICER INCOMINGS ABIGAIL MULA
To quote the famous words of Tim Cahill, “A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles.” My role as Professional and Research Exchange Officer for Incoming students over the past year has left me with much more than I ever anticipated; with friends from all over the world and memories I will certainly cherish. The Internships Over this term Malta welcomed no less than 98 students, mostly during the summer months. As PREO-Incomings Officer, my responsibilities included the organization of the internships for these students; the majority of which were professional (clinical) exchange students with the remainder being research exchange students. Organising a clinical exchange involves processing the students’ appli-
cation form (AF) submitted to the IFMSA database - which you may be familiar with if you have already applied for an exchange yourself. Processing the AF means ensuring that all students have submitted all the needed documents, and placing the students in the departments depending on their preferences and availabilities. I then contacted the local clinical consultants by email and handed them an official letter. With regards to the research exchange students, we had some difficulties since the opportunities in Malta are quite limited. Despite this, I was able to sign new contracts with AAT Research Limited with the help of one of my research assistants, thereby increasing the number of research opportunities for the exchange students. Student Lodging & Boarding Apart from organizing internships, my second main role was to find apartments in order to be able to accommodate these students at financially feasible rates. During the summer most students stayed in apartments in Msida - all of which were within ten minutes walking distance from the University campus and Mater Dei Hospital.
There were also some students who stayed in the Sliema elective apartments due to there being a shortage of affordable apartments in Msida area. In the non-summer months, students stayed in the NSTS hostel, which is also in Msida, and thus the location was again very convenient for the students. With the help of my lodging team, I was able to assess the apartments before and after the students left. We also compiled a set of possible prospective apartments for the upcoming exchange officer of the next term. As regards food, all incoming students were offered one meal a day. As of this year the food contract was signed with Meet n’ Eat found
very close to the University campus. This lunch consisted of a fruit, a sandwich of their choice and a bottle of water. The students gave very good feedback and the contract was in fact renewed this year for the upcoming term. The Social Program As usual, a jam-packed social program was organized for the exchange students coming in July and August. Malta, an island at the heart of the Mediterranean, has a lot to offer during the summer season. Events were held almost on a daily basis for these students. These varied from barbecues on the beach, trips to our sister islands, late nights out partying & clubbing, as well as sightseeing of the capital Valletta and also a treasure hunt in Mdina. Students were also taken to festivals including the Beer festival, the Wine festival and other concerts. The highlight of their month still remains the National Food and Drinks party whereby everyone prepares traditional national dishes and gets a taste of alcohol from the various countries. My leisure assistant and his team were very dedicated and enabled this year’s social program to be yet another success. Improvements Implemented As of this year MMSA has introduced its official Exchange Student Health Form which was
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devised together with the Head of the Occupational Health Unit. Prior to this, individual test results were presented to doctors for approval. This system is thus more standardized and efficient compared to its predecessor. I also made some amendments to the structure of the exchange team. As mentioned previously SCOREIn was mainly under the care of two research assistants, one of whom was mainly responsible of expanding the local MMSA research database and the other of taking care of IFMSA matters. I also had a transport assistant who coordinated exchange student transportation between the hospital and lodging apartments with the help of MMSA students as pick-up persons. With the help of the contact team we were able to introduce the exchange buddy system whereby MMSA students acted as buddies or rather contact persons to address any issues which arose during the exchange students’ stay. Moreover the contact team devised a Welcome Guide which was included in the students’ welcome pack, together with a map of the Maltese archipelago and brochures kindly provided by the Malta Tourism Authority. The welcome guide
included lists and explanatory maps of closest pharmacies, supermarkets, contact details of transport companies as well as a list of places of possible interest to the incoming students. In September, a new workshop was held with the help of the SCOPET Officer with the aim of welcoming the students and helping them to integrate with each other. This was an interactive way of addressing all of the students’ issues and queries at once, while breaking the ice and
getting to know them more. There is no other word to describe my year as an exchange officer other than exhausting; with no time to spare particularly during the summer months. However, it was very rewarding and in retrospect I wouldn’t have spent my year in any other way. According to the statistics gathered through the evaluation forms submitted by the students, all the students recommended Malta as an exchange
destination, with around 80% of the students rating the overall exchange experience at 9/10 and 10/10. I am really proud of the achievements made by SCOPE and SCORE over this term, and also would like to thank all the members of the teams involved and the Board of Directors, without all of whom these achievements and successes would not have been possible.
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EXCHANGES AND RESEARCH OFFICER OUTGOINGS MARTINA BUGELLI
Dear all, It is with great satisfaction and gratitude that I am writing this. It is very easy to get lost in our busy schedules during the year and never getting a chance to look back and actually appreciating the work being done. It really has been a great year for MMSA and this would not have been possible without a solid background of work from the previous MMSA Executive Board (EB) and Board of Directors (BD), and the contributions and support from all the active MMSA members, without which the association would not be where it is now. As in previous years, the Standing Committee on Professional and Research Exchanges has continued to provide our Maltese students with amazing international opportunities and offering an
unforgettable exchange experience to our Incoming students from all over the world. All this work would not have been possible without my partner in crime (or should I say, partner in achievements), Abigail Mula. Points System and Protocol Every year the MMSA strives to reward each and every medical student in the best way possible, promoting transparency and fairness. Members are continuously awarded points for their work for the association and these can be monitored on the MMSA website. However, points should never be the focus for
students to work for the association. The Outgoings Officer has the important job to promote genuine work for the association with the sole purpose of improving the MMSA further whilst still keeping the integrity of the points system. In order to do so I revised the Points Protocol, with a more detailed description of the work done and points allocated for the coordinators, members and during weekends. For the members of the Board of Directors, this year I worked closely with the MMSA president and each respective BD and Supervising
Council (SupCo) member. I believe that this was also a fair system especially since more than one person contributed to the final points allocated to the BD member, including the members themselves. With great optimism, I wish the new PREOOutgoings a successful and memorable year, and to continue working closely with the BD and coordinators to further improve the efficiency of the points system. Professional and Research Exchanges An MMSA member must first apply for the exchange he/she
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wants. If s/he is allocated an exchange, one pays a fixed amount which covers accommodation and boarding for one whole month. In exchange of the Maltese student going abroad, a foreign student comes to Malta for a clerkship at Mater Dei Hospital/University of Malta. Most of the exchange countries offer a well-organized social programme, ensuring the students get to know other exchange students and the culture of the country, visit places of interest and have time to enjoy in that respective country. Together with these 79 exchange opportunities, 10 students were offered the possibility of completing a clinical traineeship/internship in the specialist units of Red Cross Hospital in Kassel and another four 4th year Maltese students had the opportunity to go an elective in Forth Valley Hospital in Stirling, Scotland. The Points Ranking was released as planned, in the first week of December 2014, and the exchange application forms followed. Once again the students had the chance to choose up to
5 desired countries from the list of countries available. This increased the probability for the students to have an exchange allocated to them. Less than two days after the deadline of exchange applications, the exchange allocations were finalized and published. Such an efficient system gave students the opportunity to send their Application Forms and Card of Documents earlier and hence having a greater possibility of obtaining their desired city and department of choice in their respective country of choice. Exchange Feedback Guide In order to create the guide, first off I started by collecting feedback from the students who went on an exchange in Summer 2014. I compiled all the feedback in one document. Then I added a section with frequently asked questions on exchanges, another section with information on the Stirling elective and also useful links. ‘Your Guide to MMSA Exchanges’ was published by the end of November, before the exchange applications came out.
This was useful for the students since they could read about exchange experiences in different countries from students and help them decide which countries they will apply for. I feel that this guide is an essential tool to help medical students get a clear idea of what exchanges are and what they offer. I wish that in the future there will be more participation by exchange students so that the guide can have more information and include a larger variety of feedback from different countries. Pre-Exchange Training (PET) Workshop This year I decided to organize the Pre Exchange Training workshop after the exchanges had been allocated. The main reason for this decision was so that the content of the workshop would be more detailed and useful for the students going on exchange. The 2-hour workshop included a detailed description of the online application process, all the documents required, and what to expect in an exchange.
We also had a few students who shared their experience both in research and professional exchanges. I believe the workshop was very successful and had positive feedback from all students attending. I would like the next PREO-Outings to organize the workshop once again since it also helps in creating better contact and getting to know the students better. Conclusion Looking back at all the things we have achieved together as an association I think what an incredible year it has been. I couldn’t have been more lucky to be part of such an amazing team of dedicated members and without the constant support of one another and all the MMSA members we would not have made it this far. Being part of the Board of Directors has been an unforgettable experience and I truly hope that all the medical students reading this report are encouraged to work even more for the association to give the MMSA another exceptional year.
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MEDICAL EDUCATION OFFICER SARAH CATANIA
This has been a great year for SCOME and this is due to the great team of coordinators that were taking care of their respective events. This year’s SCOME team consisted of very dedicated and diligent medical students who believe that SCOME is much more than just events. Together we tried to show students that SCOME is also there to tackle situations that may affect our education in any way such as the issue of the increasing number of medical students
per year and the opening of Bart’s medical school. Many students complain that SCOME does not organise enough events compared to other Standing Committees but one must not forget that each event targets a specific or a different group of medical students hence, throughout the year I have tried to ensure that each student had equal opportunities to make the most of SCOME. SCOME has now become the passion of many medical students, especially first years, and this is the reason behind the large number of applications we received for this years’ MEDIKT. Moreover, for each event that was organised numerous students attended and very positive feedback was re-
ceived. The most successful SCOME events for this term include: Medical Book fair, orientation talks, Medical Scientific Maltese Degree plus course, Practice makes Perfect workshops (blood pressure and blood glucose taking, fibromyalgia, suturing, wound care workshops), Interview simulation seminar, Voice your Concern, Medical Statistics seminar and MEDIKT. The class representatives also managed to bridge the gap between the students and the Faculty as they were the key to bring education forward. The SCOME team worked towards achieving our main vision that is to attain an optimal professional and personal development to reach our full potential as future doctors for better healthcare worldwide!
My gratitude goes to those who have showed trust in myself and my team for this year. I am deeply humbled by all the positive feedback I have received. I thank my new and old friends for making this year an unforgettable one for me. I will cherish this experience for the rest of my life and I will be forever grateful for all the skills and knowledge I have learnt through this association. I hope that other students will make the most of what this association have to offer and trust in its potential in the same way that the MMSA believes in the capabilities of every student. Good luck Paul for your term, I trust that I leave this work in great hands!
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SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH OFFICER VICTORIA CAMILLERI
to improve on the quality of its sessions. Two of SCORA’s campaigns were nominated for Project of the Year and World AIDS Day won Kokka Kollaborattiva for a widely successful collaboration with 7 other organisations on campus. However, as cheesy as it may sound, I feel that SCORA’s biggest achievement this year was the significant increase in students’ understanding that sexuality, sex and gender have an extensive impact on our lives and thus issues relating to them should be discussed more in depth and given more weighting not only as MMSA campaigns but also within the education sector. Mr. & Mrs. Breastestis These peer education sessions tackling risk factors and methods of self-examination in relation to the four main neoplasms have proven to be very successful. Sixth form students are taught about
Dear MMSA members, What a year it has been for MMSA SCORA! I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to work alongside some of the most motivated and inspired individuals that I have ever met. It was the passion that this team has for sexual health and education that led us to achieve such great results. This year MMSA SCORA gave peer education sessions to more than a 1000 students and continued
breast, testicular, prostate and cervical cancer in a more relaxed and interactive manner that allows them to ask questions and clarify any misconceptions that they might have regarding these topics. This year we also carried out outreaches where we took to the streets and got a general idea of how much the public knows about reproductive neoplasms. This campaign also included a Facebook campaign that took place during the month dedicated to breast cancer awareness, Pinktober.
World AIDS Day The theme of this year’s WAD focused on the fact that the burden of HIV/ AIDS shouldn’t merely be considered in its medical aspect only since, as with any other disease, it affects both the social and psychological aspect of a person’s life. Furthermore, we focused on the fact that in a society that is prejudiced against people with HIV, these same people are less likely to seek testing and treatment thus increasing their morbidity and likelihood of infecting others. Therefore this year
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we collaborated with 7 other student organisations on campus on a campaign composed of 4 big events. The first being an innovative outreach on campus that took the form of speed dating. The second being the GLOVED Up party that had the aim of normalizing the discussions regarding HIV/AIDS. The third was a flashc-aid whereby 2 buses took students around the island to perform a flashmob to attract people’s attention and get them interested in this issue. The last was a candle vigil that was done in the presence of Her Excellency Marie Louise Coleiro Preca. RUDI? R U Doing It? These peer education sessions have been very successful at getting students to interest themselves not only in sexual health but also in the social aspects of sex. This year we have given these sessions to about 700 students, every time being bombarded with questions and at times,
even being asked to stay longer. This is very encouraging for us and more importantly, it is a definite indicator that more emphasis is needed on the topics relating to sexual health, sexuality, gender identity and consent and coercion. The Implications of the Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Act on Medical Practice - The Workshop Your first professional encounter with an LGBTQ+ patient will probably be the first time he or she walks into your clinic. As doctors we will have the duty of providing our patients with the best care possible. This is difficult to achieve without proper communication and understanding of our patients. MMSA-SCORA in collaboration with the Malta Gay Rights Movement organized a workshop with the aim of easing the future medical practitioner’s communication with LGBTQ+ individuals. This was done
through interactive case studies, with time for discussions and questions. This workshop also focused on the effect that the recently adopted Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Act will have on Medical Practice. Whilst these were the main campaigns for SCORA this year, as a team we made sure to push for sexual
health education, whether by attending other standing committee campaigns, speaking about sexual health issues on the media such as on Newsroom, TVM2 and other radio stations. MMSA-SCORA was also at the forefront on an international level where we presented our projects at each IFMSA meeting this year, as well as lending a helping hand to developing standing committees in other countries. Once again, I would like to thank my team and I hope that the level of sexual health education will continue to improve in the coming years. Let us first start by making sure the general public understands the impact that a positive sexual health education has on our community and then let us strive to achieve it!
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PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER MARTINA GERADA
reaches and peer education sessions around the islands. As part of this campaign an official press release was issued following the August heatwave which was published in several national media platforms. Through this campaign, MMSA continued to enhance its international collaboration with various IFMSA NMOs also through the inventive creation of a promotional video with HelMSIC Greece. Finally we also tried to improve the peer education sessions by producing an official BTB song with original music and lyrics with the aim of targeting the younger population in an innovative and catchy way. The event that followed was World Heart Day on the 28th September ‘14 which took place in Bugibba Square, in collaboration with the Health Promotion Unit and the Ministry for Health. We managed to increase further awareness on the risk factors of Cardiovascular diseases and educated the public on how to prevent them by leading a healthy lifestyle. This event gained national media coverage and involved health
It has been a very fruitful year for SCOPH, as the whole team raised the bar for the years to come. This year, SCOPH focused on raising money for several NGOs including the Kilimanjaro challenge, Puttinu Cares as well as the Malta Diabetes Association. The SCOPH year began with the Beat the Burn Workshop on the 30th June ‘14 which had the main goal of recruiting and training medical students to form part of this ever growing campaign. These students continued working throughout the summer months, and participated in several out-
checks
on
the
passers-by.
During TRD, SCOPH took a proactive role and apart from the standard training, for the first time in MMSA’s history, a Golden Ticket Challenge took place, which gave the opportunity to two medical students to fly over The Granaries in Floriana on World Diabetes Day. World Diabetes Day took place on the 15th November, in front of the Law Courts in Valletta. This year also included the creation of the largest human blue circle - the official symbol
of Diabetes. It also included health checks, outreaching as well as a silent walk through the main roads of the capital. A football tournament was organized with MMSA-Leisure, which involved a record breaking amount of teams participating and awarded 250 euro to the winning team. This year SCOPH also organised an Organ Donation Workshop. This involved sessions with several patients and donors who spoke to the students about their life and challenges they
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have faced. After this workshop the ‘Together Towards Change’ campaign was launched, including an online petition that challenged the government to legalise the organ donor card and set-up an official organ donor register. This was one of the most successful campaigns as it managed to acquire around 2000 signatures and was given extensive national media coverage. The aim was reached as the government published a white paper on this issue, affecting the country nationally. HealthFest this year took place between the 16th-21st March’15 both on campus as well as off campus in Valletta. This involved health checks, physical activity games, taekwondo demonstrations and food distribution to the general public. There was also the Healthy Lifestyles conference, funded by an Erasmus+ grant, in which prominent health issues were discussed between university students,
medical professionals and government officials. A policy paper was also issued in relation to this conference. This project was a big success, and was subsequently awarded the best project to be presented in the Activities Fair of the European Regional Meeting in Denmark. The Health Education Booklet was published this year, which included several articles written by medical students, reviewed by medical professionals and targeted the general public. The first-ever MMSA Hunger Games took place between the 25th-26th April ‘15 in the Għajn Tuffieħa International Scout Campsite. This event had the aim of promoting physical activity as well as climate care among university students through several competitions, physical challenges as well as a beach clean-up. SCOPH also provided Basic Support Life Sessions for medi-
cal students in October ‘14, as well as a refresher in March ‘15. SCOPH Goes Local also took place in which various events and conferences were provided with health checks all around Malta and Gozo. A statistical report was compiled from all the health checks which took place
over the year, which were then presented during the AGM 2015. This has been a very hectic year for the SCOPH team but definitely has been one of the most enriching experiences for both the organization and its members; educating and empowering the public on their greatest wealth-health!
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HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEACE OFFICER GERD XUEREB
The Standing Committee on Human Rights and Peace (SCORP) within the MMSA seeks to attain its objective of contributing towards a more tolerant and just society by voicing the needs of the oppressed, the forgotten, and anyone on the margins of the society. Voluntary care services are undertaken by our members to improve the wellbeing of all persons. Our mission is to replace boundaries with bridges, and this is the primary objective of Amigo, a new project launched by MMSA SCORP this year. Amigo is a project designed for medical students who would like to voluntarily assist those who are vul-
nerable in our societies. The project targets various segments of our society and it reaches out to children, elderly, persons with disability, terminally ill patients, refugees and other people in society’s margins. MMSA SCORP worked to offer voluntary experiences overseas to medical students and for the first time in July 2014 a group of 10 medical students participated in Go SCORP 2014 Romania, an exchange project within the IFMSA concerned with humanitarian work. This experience allowed the participants to understand better how they can make a difference as future medical professionals. This summer, 2015,
Maltese medical students will be participating in Go SCORP Barcelona and Go SCORP Romania. SCORP Weekend was introduced to SCORP this year. The weekend included sessions which helped first year medical students understand SCORP better. The weekend helped the participants to form part of our standing committee and empowered them to make a difference in society. This year MMSA SCORP strived to integrate international students. A number of events including the Discover Malta treasure hunt and the MMSA SCORP Movie Night were instrumental in reaching
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this goal. Every year, Human Rights Day, 10 December, is an opportunity to raise global awareness of human rights issues. In order to celebrate this Day SCORP organised the Know Your Rights workshop. The workshop raised awareness on all human rights with special focus on the following themes; The Right to Equality and Freedom from Discrimination, The Right to Education, Freedom of Opinion and Information and The Right to Life. With its many campaigns SCORP aims to educate individuals about their rights and the rights of others. On Saturday the 13th of December SCORP was present in Valletta to promote human rights. Through this event medical students emphasised
and shared with the Maltese general public on the importance of human rights in our society. It was a day of awareness and integration amongst medical students and the rest of society. Tangible results speak for SCORP’s successes and for the quantum leaps forward achieved during the past year. SCORP 2014-2015 achieved the successful integration of international medical students studying at the University of Malta, the introduction of international voluntary exchanges, the promotion of human rights and peace on a national scale and laid foundations for a national scale voluntary programme, Amigo. Thank you for this amazing year!
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PEER EDUCATION AND TRAINING OFFICER FRANCESCA CURMI
Dear MMSA friends, This term was a very busy year for the Standing Committee on Peer Education and Training (SCOPET), because apart from our annual events, new events and projects were introduced into our schedule. The year kicked off with the routine formulation of the MMSA Peer Education Booklet, as well as our summer Peer Education Sessions. This year we held over seventy sessions during the summer months in eleven different schools around the island. A new SCOPET Facebook page and e-mail
address was set up. The summer months ended with the first Peer Education in Exchanges Workshop, held on 2nd September for the incoming exchange students, where sessions were given on Intercultural Diversity, Surviving in Malta, Building your Portfolio and much more. The academic year started with our annual Training New
Trainers (TNT) Workshop that was held between 24th and 26th October at Villa Psaigon. With 16 Maltese students participating, the MMSA training family grew into an even stronger one.
end, we launched a new Peer Education Session called ‘The Tiny Helper’, which is aimed at teaching children the importance of being kind, helping out at home, what to do in an emergency situation and more.
Our Peer Education Weekend was held between 12th and 13th December, with a mix of sessions including an LGBTQI session given by We Are. Following this successful week-
The year continued with many more peer education sessions, reaching a final total of ninetyfour Peer Education Sessions, many of which being Teddy Bear Hospital sessions. With
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the great success of these TBH sessions, we launched the Teddy Bear Hospital Mascot, which was a huge hit with the kids in events throughout the year. The term of events ended with the first ever Training Old Trainers (TOT) Workshop, where five international and two MMSA participants attended, with two international and one MMSA trainer. The feedback we received regarding this event was more than I could ever hope for. Over the year, I worked on revamping the Peer Education Sessions in order to make them fun and interactive; therefore I updated all PowerPoint Presentations and uploaded them onto a new online database, in order to make them accessible to all MMSA members. We also created Peer Education Syllabi on SCOPH and SCORP sessions. A feedback form for teachers to fill in following each Peer Education Session was also created. Last but not least, after so
many years of hard work by the different SCOPET teams, SCOPET finally received international recognition when winning first prize in the March Meeting 2015 Projects Fair, out of over 200 projects worldwide. Our project, ‘Developing Your Peer Education and Training’, brought home first prize for the first time in MMSA history. This was a massive achievement for SCOPET and all members, both past and present, who have worked in the standing committee. The feedback we received on our work, which was explained through this project, was outstanding and gave SCOPET a new light. I can’t begin to describe how much this award means to us, because this was all we could have hoped for and more. Overall, SCOPET had a very eventful and successful year, and the initial strategy of organization, innovation and recognition definitely came across. I would like to give a heartfelt thanks to all those who helped make the SCOPET dream possible!
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PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER LEONARD CALLUS
Dear Reader, What an amazing year! Working with a student Board of the most active student organization on Campus was a marvelous experience for me. My aim in this role was always to encourage more professional media and create new methods to express our message and campaign not only to students on Campus but also the general public. Public Relations is the image and voice of the association. The MMSA App As soon as I was appointed PRO-Elect, I started working on this amazing project even during the exam period. The aim of this app is to extend further MMSA reach not only to the students but also to the general public through updates and push notifications. The app is available on both Google Play and the App Store and was awarded the MMSA Project of the Year 2015 thus being the most appreciated project by the Board of Directors! The MMSA App was also featured on Gadgets aired on TVM. MMSA Certificates Portal Inspired by Gabriel Ellul as President and previous PRO and created by myself, we managed to set up an innovative online system on the MMSA website which coordinators can use to upload event certificated to MMSA students. The latter can also upload
previous certificates given to them through emails or physical and keep a soft copy of it in their own account. This makes sure that students never lose their certificates which can proof useful for Foundation Year application and other applications. MMSA Corporate Training The MMSA Corporate Training (session, workshop, day, weekend – makes this phrase seem more complete) was something new for our Public Relations and was one of my aims in my Public Relations Officer candidature. We had sent an expression of interest to most companies in Malta teaching graphics design and manage to set a sponsorship deal with the I.T. company, Domain Group. In this deal, Domain Group agreed to provide a course in Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere and After Effects and in return, MMSA provided space for Domain Group to advertise in publications and other media. The course was delivered superbly – students who used these software before were able to create professional posters and short video clips by the end of the course and students like myself who have had some experience
still managed to learn more techniques thanks to this course. Personally, I had never done video editing before but I learnt enough to be able to do most of the videos launched on the MMSA YouTube Channel. I wish to thank the Board of Directors and Su-
pervising Council for helping me to set up a fair deal with Domain Group and Sarah Aquilina for sharing her knowledge in this field and giving individual attention to each and every student.
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MMSA on the Waves MMSA on the waves was a successful project which started last year as a podcast. This year, we made sure to keep these podcasts in a way which gave public exposure for upcoming events organized by MMSA and also helped to teach the general public. We also made sure to keep each episode light and entertaining similar to a radio programme. MMSA on the Waves Sound episodes received much more views than last year and received positive feedback. In addition to MMSA on the Waves, this year we also did two special episodes of MMSA on the Waves Video edition thanks to a collaboration with theSynapse. These 20 minute video episodes helped to advertise two of the biggest events organized by MMSA – World Diabetes Day and World AIDS Day. I wish to take the opportunity to Matthew Zammit who helped me organize the programmes and presenters Nicole Sciberras, Sahra A. Haji, David Cassar and Ebony Jaye
Giusti Farrugia. I also wish to thank Wilfred Galea, manager of theSynapse who made this collaboration possible. Providing opportunities for students to write in other magazines Apart from our own publication, as Public Relations we always encourage students to write articles for other magazines which can help educate the general public. Firstly, I wish to thank Cheryl Jaye Cachia who through her role as liaison for theSynapse, she kept students informed about articles which can be written for theSynapse and also helped in the distribution of these magazines on Campus and Mater Dei. Special thanks also goes to Vanessa Mercieca who single handedly managed to help as liaison for both The Times Supplement and Pink Magazine. Publications Thanks to Corporate Training, we have managed not only to improve on our yearly magazines but also encouraged
the production of new publications, such as: Your Guide to SCOPH and The MMSA Health Education Booklet. I wish to thank David Borg for his cover designs, Joseph Azzopardi for the interior design of all yearly magazines, Jordy Borg who has single handedly created the new publication and all the students who have written professional articles in these magazines. I wish to end this article by giving my biggest thanks to
my secretary, Matthew Zammit. He was Public Relations Officer as much as I was and helped me get out of anything that seemed to impossible to handle. Last but not least I wish to thank the massive Public Relations Team we had this year – thanks to the effort done by everyone in the team, we managed to keep MMSA media running smoothly throughout all Standing Committees and offices that make MMSA.
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LEISURE OFFICER DYLAN ATTARD
able to look forward to its events, having produced a record number of events throughout the year.
What a year it has been. Being medical students, enrolled into one of the toughest courses there is, we find ourselves being stressed out most of the times whilst having to face the dilemma of whether or not to go out every weekend. But thanks to MMSA Leisure and this year’s leisure team, everyone was
MMSA-Leisure would become very profesnot remain a force to sionally executed and be reckoned with. sought after. Competition between fellow The events on cam- faculties to have the pus as a whole have best events was at its When I look back at evolved and have all best ever. Thankfully, what we have managed to achieve, I feel very honoured and proud of both the leisure team, my fellow friends who have dedicated loads of their time and energy to come up with cool concepts and ideas, and also of the general medical students’ body as attendance was always superb and they have supported us very well throughout the year. Without you, the events wouldn’t have been the same.
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with hard work, determination and team work, MMSA-Leisure this year has regained its position as one of the best sub-committees on campus and our events have reached their peak. We introduced pyrotechnics in our events, something which was not explored before in the clubbing scene in Malta especially on campus. We did the MMSA Car Treasure Hunt which had been absent from the MMSA Leisure calendar for a couple of years whilst also managing to raise the bar of all the other events, something
which is becoming more difficult with every passing year. I don’t think I have to add anything more from my side. You were all there. You all witnessed our success. Success which I also owe to my fellow board of directors, leisure team and my closest friends and family. Working in this industry isn’t as easy as one thinks it is but together, we managed to emerge with our heads held high. I hope you enjoyed the ride. Thanks for being there with us.
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ELECTIVES COORDINATOR MATTHEW PIZZUTO
tion with the Electives Office of the Medical School within Mater Dei Hospital. The MMSA Electives Officer is required to process the students’ applications, solve any issues they might have, arrange airport pickups, organise their accommodation and ultimately to ensure a smooth and satisfying stay for the student in Malta. I had a number of assistants to help me out with these tasks, namely, Julia Aquilina, Thomas Borg Barthet, Erika Babbtunde and Bader Ali. Applications This year saw a lot of improvements and challenges facing us in the application process. For the first time ever, all applications had to be sent online in order to maximise the efficiency of their processing. This was especially important when we had to forward these to the Medical School. During this term over 500 students were accepted, 650 applications were reviewed, and over 5,000 emails were answered.
Dear MMSA Member, I, Matthew Pizzuto, was elected as the Electives Officer in April but did not enter office until 1st July 2014. Having received a comprehensive handover from my predecessor, Thomas Gatt, I felt prepared for the challenges which laid ahead of me. The Maltese Electives Social Media Programme runs all year During my term I strived long and is a project to promote electives which runs in collabora-
to make them a point of significance even for first year medical students. In fact I gave a short presentation during Fresher’s Week to highlight what we do and how the local students themselves can apply for an elective in the future. Furthermore I wanted to promote the Office’s exposure and worked
to increase the number of likes on our Facebook page from 379 to 881 during my term! This shows how more people are now aware of it on both a local and international level. Improving the Elective Social Programme The students coming to Malta know little about all that we have to offer, hence I retained
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my predecessor’s good work and used the already-existing Facebook group for elective students whilst writing a new lengthy and useful document about places that the incoming students might want to visit. A part of this document is illustrated as part of my report. Accommodation During my term I also wanted to further increase financial revenue. This winter was the best the Electives Office has seen so far; where we were fully booked with students for the first time –housing around 150 students. In addition, I have set the groundwork for acquir-
ing more accommodation for use in the future. The funds that we generate through this sector help you fellow MMSA members to attend and receive subsidies for many IFMSA events such as the GAs and EuRegMe meetings amongst others. My term as Electives Officer was the most hectic in my life so far, however it has given me satisfaction in helping foreign students realise their dream of coming to Malta for a medical elective. I would like to thank all of the other members in the Board of Directors for their constant support during this unforgettable term.
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SUPERVISING COUNCIL KURT APAP GIULIA MAGRO JAMES MARIO GAUCI OUR VISION As our term is coming to an end, we look back with a great sense of satisfaction at what we have achieved as a Supervising Council. We started the year with three different plans of action, which were then amalgamated in one. We shared a common vision, that of having a more transparent, just, and meritocratic association, and since our election we’ve been striving to always come closer to this ideal. We’ve worked hand in hand with the Board of Directors, and we’ve received and acted upon complaints from medical students with a wide range of issues of involvement in the MMSA. OUR PLAN OF ACTION We adopted a different approach compared to previous Supervising Councils. To be clear, we never considered ourselves policemen and we hope that neither did the Board of Directors. But, basically we investigated, without the necesity of a complaint and if we saw the need, we gave advice and suggestions. We attended every Board of Directors’ meetings and we kept ourselves updated with all issues, as we followed every email on the server and all posts on every communication platform, be it Facebook groups, chats or messages. If we felt that
the situation was more serious than usual and required greater attention, we published statements which were sent on the Board of Director’s server to highlight any errors, actions going against bylaws and to give deadlines and reminders. From time to time, we also felt the need to update the Board of Directors, by publishing SupCo Updates. OUR ACHIEVEMENTS A more transparent application process Transparency is a must for the exercise of accountability as without access to clear, accurate and up-to-date information, it is impossible to judge whether the original promise has been met. We therefore recommended that after a call was issued for a particular post and the deadline had closed, a list of applicants together with a copy of the applications was to be forwarded to the Supervising
Council. Our aim was solely to ensure that calls were sent and applications received. Moreover, we argued that when an applicant is not chosen for the said post, he/ she should ideally be encouraged to apply for another post. Yet, a post should not be assigned to the said applicant automatically, simply because they had been refused the previous post. This will ensure that all MMSA members have the opportunity to apply for the second post, making it fair for everyone and ensuring that the best applicant is chosen. This was subsequently introduced as a Bylaw in the Annual General Meeting. Resignations Following the resignation of one of the assistants; which was the first in this term, as a Supervising Council we felt it was opportune to institute a new concept of accountability - whereby persons who resign are asked to write a let-
ter of resignation and forward it to the Executive Board and Supervising Council. TAF Applications Besides overseeing the TAF application process, as a Supervising Council we also reviewed the allocation of points in order to ensure that the Executive Board attributed points to each application following the criteria listed in the TAF Allocation protocol, whereby points should be awarded as per Article 5.4. We were aware of the fact that attributing points to certain sections implies a subjective element and for this reason we did not expect the points to match completely, however we looked for consistency and trends, to analyse whether points were attributed fairly. We could apply this to those sections which can clearly be assessed objectively according to the protocol. We went through this exercise because we feel that it
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is part of our duty to ensure that TAF application are rated properly. We did not feel that it would have been fair on the TAF applicants which we represent, to give our go ahead without assessing the fairness of this process. As a
result, we dedicated time to read everything and grade each application accordingly, to be in a better position to give our views on the individual EB points and final results. We also reviewed the TAF protocol proposed by the
Finance Officer and came up with a series of suggestions. Bylaw Changes The following were the main bylaws changes instituted during this term: • Application Process
for Secretary and Coordinator posts • Resignation process for Secretary and Coordinator posts • Supervising Council duties and Election of Supervising Council Members
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THE MMSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2014/2015
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EUPA GRANT REPORT WRITTEN BY: JORDY BORG
This year, the MMSA successfully applied for the Erasmus + Key Action 3 grant. This grant was used to fund the Healthy Lifestyles Conference, which was held together with HealthFest, between the 16th and 21st of March 2015. The Healthy Lifestyles Conference was a five-day conference, with each day dedicated to a different health issue which needs
to be tackled in Malta. The programme was as follows: Monday 16th - Alcohol and Substance Abuse Tuesday 17th - Smoking Wednesday 18th - Youth Pregnancies Friday 20th - Mental
Health and the Youth Saturday 21st - Life is Worth Living - A Youth’s Perspective to a Healthy Life The first four days consisted of the gathering of medical professionals, government representatives and university students. Each day had the same agenda, where medical professionals opened the session by explaining the problem at hand that the health issue was posing, the government representatives explaining what the government is doing to tackle the problem and then the rest of the session was the debating between all three groups on what can be improved regarding the issue. In some days of the conference we also managed to get a person who suffered from the particular health issue to share his experience with us, in order to get a full picture of the problem at hand.
The points raised during the debates in the first four days of the conference were recorded and a policy paper was drafted, explaining MMSA’s position on what should be done to tackle these issues, based on the voice of the students who participated. This policy paper was then presented to the national media in a news conference on Saturday, 21st of March during HealthFest Off Campus in Valletta. This conference could not have been possible without the setting up of an Organizing Committee, whose members were the following: Chief Coordinator: PierreLuc Pace External Representative: Kimberley Jade Calleja Secretary: Kristina Duca Sessions Coordinator: Kim Micallef
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Logistics Coordinator: Bader M. Ali PR Representative: Matthew Farrugia The Organizing Committee was guided by The MMSA President Gabriel J. Ellul and Public Health Officer Martina Gerada. The grant amounted to a
total of 9,000 euros. The main expenditure of the Conference was the ordering of official Conference merchandise; which included a lanyard, pen and notebook, and the purchasing of the groceries needed for the coffee breaks held during the sessions. The securing of the grant involved filling in a final report to be submitted
to the European Union Programmes Agency. The report required plentiful documentation, which included a detailed attendance sheet for each conference participant, as well as a feedback form to be filled-in after each day of the conference, which was compiled into a feedback report form. Apart from helping us fi-
nancially, the acquiring of an Erasmus + grant also improved our reputation with other NMOs within IFMSA. In fact, this project was presented, together with HealthFest, at the Activities Fair in the last European Regional Meeting in Denmark, and was awarded first place from over 50 projects.
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THE MMSA ACHIEVEMENTS SCOME collected Organ Donation a record number of Petition which feedback surveys. managed to raise awareness on a SCORA organised a national level. The very original World SCOPH team also Aids Day featuring awarded flight a buscade and new tickets for World events on Campus. Diabetes Day. SCORP organised SCOPH managed a voluntary work to organise trip to Romania and Healthfest and for also structured a the first time the voluntary work Healthy Lifestyles programme for the Conference, all of MMSA known as which where a great Amigo. success. In addition to this, SCOPH this SCOPET also did year managed to an extremely good win Best Project in job by winning the Europe during the Best Project Award IFMSA European out of 270 projects Regional Meeting worldwide. Apart held in Denmark, from this SCOPET after successfully did the first TOT in p r e s e n t i n g Malta. HealthFest and the Healthy Lifestyles Leisure managed Conference. SCOPH to introduce also produced very pyrotechnics in relevant policy its events and papers and did an reintroduced the
MMSA Car Treasure Hunt which was removed from the MMSA Calendar in previous years.
been given more importance and has also taken the form of video episodes. Finally, there has also been a proposal Through Electives, for a TV programme MMSA made a on TVM. record number of students and MMSA obtained a revenue and 9,000 Euro Grant Exchanges had very from the EU. The positive feedback MMSA President and reviews. together with members of the The MMSA Public EB have met 4 Relations Office times with Hon. created the MMSA Chris Fearne and App was this year’s also once with the Project of the Year, Minister for Tourism. the certificates portal and published MMSA won the a record number candidature for of press releases the IFMSA March which were featured Meeting to be held on different local in 2016. MMSA social media. MMSA Board of Directors also organised a prepared a strategic press conference plan for the MMSA aimed to address for the upcoming 3 the Bart’s Medical years. School issue. MMSA on the Waves has
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