 MARCH APRIL 2017 SCOME NEWSLETTER
1. EXTERNAL REPRESENTATION Let’s find out what our Liaison Officer on Medical Education issues (LME) Alex Lachapelle has been up to these past two months!
Dear SCOMEdians, The last few months have been extremely busy in terms of external representation for the Federation. Here are the main points: AMEE EB meeting: I proudly represented the Federation at the Executive Board meeting of the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE), the largest med ed organization in the world. The meeting took place in Amsterdam from February 18 to 20. As a result, we managed to approve funding the AMEE student initiative “AFTER RECEIVING OVER 1200 APPLICATIONS, WE HAD THE HARD TASK OF SELECTING THE 39 MEMBERS WHO WILL REPRESENT IFMSA AT THE AMEE CONFERENCE IN HELSINKI IN AUGUST.” grant, and received more funding for international students attending the AMEE conference - a huge win considering past funding used to be the same whether a student came from a few kilometers away or from across the world. We also got approval for 2 additional spots to attend the AMEE Hackathon. UNESCO World Conference on Bioethics: IFMSA sent a delegation to the UNESCO World Conference on Medical Ethics, Bioethics and Health Law, held in Limassol, Cyprus. The delegation was composed of 10 students from all 5 regions, with each submitting an abstract. It was especially important, since we are currently developing a new training in collaboration with
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SCOPE, SCORE and SCOME for an ethical workshop for all pre-departure trainings. As a result of the conference, the training and IFMSA exchanges will be endorsed by the UNESCO Chair on Bioethics, and we will have full reviews and feedback from several chairs across the world. World Summit on Social Accountability: IFMSA was awarded the Charles Boelen Social Accountability award, in recognition of all its efforts for social accountability. The Federation was represented by Arij Chatbri, SCOMEDirector, and Stijntje Djik, my predecessor and current SupCo member. Please find all the details of the conference here. AMEE Delegation selection: After receiving over 1200 applications, we had the hard task of selecting the 39 members who will represent IFMSA at the AMEE Conference in Helsinki in August. The selection process was extensive, long and difficult given the high number of great applications, but we were able to pick a diversified extremely competent delegation, and are very much looking forward to the meeting. WFME EB meeting: I will attend the board meeting of the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) in Geneva on May 2nd. WFME is one of IFMSA's primary partners in medical education, and we are excited to be represented there. As always, feel free to reach out to me with any questions or comments! Should you wish to know about regional opportunities for external representation, please contact your Regional Director, or SCOME Regional Assistant. Cheers!
2. REGIONAL UPDATES As per the previous version of SCOME Newsletter, here are the major updates from all 5 of IFMSA’s regions regarding Medical Education!
Africa This couple of months saw a great deal of amazing initiatives organized by African SCOMEdians, who kindly shared some photos with us! In Sudan, capacity building was a major priority as there were Medical Education trainings in all 17 active Local Committees and
graduates while actually giving them field work and policy drafting to do! In Rwanda, a bimonthly debate and a quiz game tournament called MED-Q was held, coordinated by Jonathan, the Rwandan NOME. In Zimbabwe, a Basic Life Support (BLS) training event gave many students valuable skills! And of course, keep an eye out for the upcoming TMET event in Nigeria as applications are soon to open!
a national SCOME camp! MedSIN-Sudan has also been organizing an ongoing project called Model Health Systems: the main object is to teach the basic concepts of health systems, health system empowerment and health policy writing to medical students and newly
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Americas The Americas Regional Meeting and March Meeting are over. But we are more motivated than ever. During these months we have been working in several areas of medical education.
SCOPH as well. Many SCOMEdians and SCOPHeroes have their diseases already assigned and will write a review article about it to create the manual.
The SCOME Online Capacity Building Regional Activity SWG, is ready. The aim of this Small Working Group is to create an Online Capacity Building Activity for LOMEs/NOMEs/Medical Students that are interested in Medical Education, in order to give open access to trainings, MedEd webinars and tools through an ONLINE PLATFORM.
Our SCOME Activities Database from the Americas is growing. Now we have more than 126 activities from all over the Region! Check what the SCOMEdians are doing here: https://goo.gl/RAXLWr
Some TMETs and other trainings will be happening in the next months. The SRT Paraguay participants’ application is open and will have a TMET: http://www.bit.ly/PSRTPy17 In case you missed it, the SCOME AmRM Follow Up Kit is ready. Here you will find useful information about the sessions delivered and the outcomes. Check it out: https://goo.gl/jh4MdN
ASCEMCOL have launched The Manual of Rare Diseases, a SCOME Regional project with the objective of creating a formal manual of diseases that have little literature reviews. We are working with several NMOs and with pg. 3
For more updates don’t forget to check the SCOME Americas Facebook Group: https://goo.gl/ky1mg
Asia Pacific SAY SCOMEEEEEEEEE!
publication for prospective medical students, with introductions to anatomy and exploring ethical dilemmas through well constructed case scenarios. MSAI-India also presented their concise and colourful Fresher’s Manual at the Activities Fair at MM17, which aims at providing guidance to newly admitted medical students. It succinctly hits a number of topics like dealing with personal life changes and selecting learning material for
This being the March- April edition, of the
the first year subjects of Anatomy, Biochemistry
Newsletter, the SCOME regional sessions are
and Physiology.
inevitably going to feature. Being given specific
Both are quality publications that I recommend
instructions by our Regional Director to wrap
you check out.
things up in 55 minutes, I had to blitz through the intended agenda. We SCOMEdians kept well within those time restraints, unlike a certain
Until next time!
other standing committee that shall not be
Rahoul Gonsalves
named. Nevertheless, we had scores of fun,we didn’t actually score it, but I’d have to say we scored at least 8.5/10. We explored some of the common issues that were brought up, such addressing mental health issues in medical students , improving the communication skills and ethical awareness of students, in a region where often theoretical knowledge is given the utmost importance, neglecting the soft skills that are instrumental to the art of medicine. This edition’s features AMSA-Hong Kong’s projects Medstart and Medthoscope. Medstart is a medical school immersion experience for highschool students and Medthoscope is a
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RA for SCOME in Asia Pacific
Eastern Mediterranean Region After the thrill of the EMR meeting came the
ME were giving sessions and conferences,
evaluation phase. Making the EMR report and
helping us shape our ideas and our strategic
preparing the evaluation form and sharing it
approach towards ME. Posters sessions were
with NMO members were an essential step in
open to all the participants in order to emphasize
order to guarantee our development as a region.
on the spirit of sharing and exchanging ideas.
The EMR was an opportunity to tackle new
This
subjects, discover new aspects of medical
stakeholders, leaders of ME, students on the
education and mainly create a space where
same level of communication. Our goal is to have
NOMEs and members were able to share the
a 100% collaborative work in order to tackle
challenges they face . Their responses to both the
several issues.
conference
aims
to
put
professors,
evaluation forms and the sessions helped shape my work within the region. Sharing supports and material with the NOMEs was a first step to guide them through their various NGAs . TMETs were are second step as we are assisting the NOMEs to prepare for their upcoming trainings and get familiar with the regulations. The March Meeting was also an opportunity for the EMR members to meet each other and get to know more about the SCOME activities in the EMR whether through the SCOME sessions or the SCOME regional session .
Breaking-NEWS:
SCOME IFMSA
Morocco is
working on a Survey to assess medical students knowledge on Ethics & Human Rights in Medicine, in collaboration with one of our WSSA: April is the Social Accountability month
professors in Casablanca. SCOME IFMSA-Spain
for the EMR with the WSSA (World Summit on
is also aboard. March and February have been
Social Accountability). This meeting gathered
the months of national GAs from IFMSA-JO to
more than 500 participants coming from over 45
IFMSA-IRAQ and IFMSA-Morocco.
countries. IFMSA, AMEE, The Net participated as
partners of this conference. Leaders of SA
such as Dr. C. Boelen and Dr. B. Woollard and pg. 5
Our upcoming event will be the one and only IFMSA-Egypt is inviting you to its 4th SubRegional Training, CLEOPATRAIN from 3rd to 7th of May in Hurghada! Stay tuned!
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Europe Dear IFMSA family!
using patients' cases and interesting clinical examples we learned how to implement our
Recently it is very interesting and active time, not only for SCOME, but I suppose for all Standing Committees, especially since Europe - March Meeting has already passed, but EuRegMe is coming. I am spending most time preparing SCOME Session for EuRegMe, which is priority for now. I am working on OMEGA survey, but about this I will write a bit more in next newsletter.
theoretical knowledge in our future career and discuss critical issues with colleagues. All in all 3 tutorials have been already held - "Clinically relevant aspects of anatomy of the
musculoskeletal
morphology immune
and
system",
"Immune
mechanisms
response",
"Clinically
of
the
relevant
aspects of anatomy of the spine and the upper limb".
Now I can reveal that preparation are quite
The aim of the project "Teaching Medical
intensive and we have first NMO for
Skills" is to create an unique platform for
preliminary survey.
exchange of experience, integration of well-
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to approach me: Whatsapp +48515478904, mail: ra.scome.europe@ifmsa.org
structured competency-based tutorials in the universities' curricula, and therefore, transformation of the Ukrainian system of medical
education.
We
are
strongly
convinced that by working together we are Best wishes and warm hugs,
really able to make a change.
Aleksandra
Teaching Medical Skills. Discover. Develop. Teach. Marta Bazylevych, NOME UMSA
NMO Updates On the 2nd of March 2017 SCOME and IPD of
the
Ukrainian
Medical
Students'
Association presented a brand new project
Training Medical Romania
Education
Trainers,
- "Teaching Medical Skills". Committees decided to start by organizing tutorials "lectures from students for students" -
Our white family of FASMR organizes one
format, not till recently represented in the
of the most important events of SCOME this
Ukrainian system of medical education.
year, which is TMET.
In the 1st block of tutorials - "Clinical
Cluj-Napoca will be the place of this great
Anatomy Course" - tutors focused students'
experience,
attention on the most relevant topics of
organizing committee is working hard to
human
practising
bring for both trainers and participants
physician. In a non-formal atmosphere
unforgettable moments and is making sure
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anatomy
for
every
during
October
2017.
The
that the activities, the places and the people
opportunity to grow up, create new projects
will be the reason to come back to Romania
and to cooperate with projects from another
as soon as possible!
NMOs.
When
you
feel
support
and
ambitions from someone, work is going on! Keep an eye on the media to stay in touch with the news!
Future plans of SCOME in Russia besides lectures, workshops, competitions - are formation of the Summer schools where
Elena Manea, FASMR
every
incoming
student
will
have
opportunity to get invaluable experience of SCOME includes a lot of important and interesting functions. We are very happy that it’s active in Russia now! For the last 6 months we have got excellent results with interactive lectures, surgical workshops, English clubs. Also, the GA provided an
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specialization in some medical spheres, a lot of knowledge, practical skills, unforgettable emotions and to meet new people. So, there is a big area to work and create! It’s just beginning. To be continue… Maria Shaldina HCCM Russia
3. MARCH MEETING 2017
Here are some thoughts, almost 2 months later, we would like to share with you.
It only took 5 days for around 70 people,
remarkable) work and their ideas to the
from all different corners of the world,
world. Make sure to read the detailed
to come together and give life to some of
Follow-up Kit to find out more!
the most fruitful and fun sessions our
Medical Education brought us together,
committee has ever had. It took 12 hardworking SCOMEdians to prepare everything and set up what was meant to be an incredible experience.
but the real glue that made everything stuck
was
the
characterizes
determination every
that
SCOMEdian
worldwide: when, despite all the apathy and indifference around us, we hold our head
high
and
demand
a
better
education, a better healthcare. Nothing will change unless we do something for it; and it is exactly this thought that made MM17 SCOME sessions a success. Now, we wish to pass this idea on to every student out there, reading this Now, 1 month later, looking back at everything
that
happened
in
newsletter: we are here, we are many and we will not give up.
Montenegro, we can safely say that it’s
So, from the entire sessions team, a big
the smallest actions that make the
thank you to everyone who gave input,
biggest
attended
impact.
Medical
Ethics,
the
sessions
and
shared
Accreditation, Social Accountability, the
thoughts or reached out to us and a
OMEGA Survey (stay tuned for more
bigger thank you to every SCOMEdian
details), Advocacy were some of the
doing their best every day, whether they
topics addressed and raised among
could attend the March Meeting or not.
participants. And of course, no SCOME
Here’s to seeing as many of you as
sessions would be complete without the
possible in wonderful Tanzania!
Poster Fair and the Open Space session for SCOMEdians to present their (really,
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Black & White hugs, Katerina Dima
4. 6 WAYS TO ENCOURAGE SCOMEDIANS For all those times when we need to be reminded “why”.
1. “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” Many students complain about their medical education, but do they actually try to change something? We cannot expect that without student’s involvement our education will become better. Advocating and and sharing our ideas is the key to success and therefore the first step we could do is to join SCOME. 2. “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” - Become an IFMSA TMET Trainer and organize workshops to empower and motivate other students! 3. “Educate yourself!” In SCOME you will meet many other people who share similar values and motivation. If you feel something is missing in your curriculum, organize an extracurricular activity. In SCOME you will find the perfect platform for that. 4. “Your big opportunity may be right where you are now.” Use the many opportunities you have with SCOME and IFMSA. If you are interested in Medical Education there are some many ways what you can do on an international level: IFMSA General Assemblies (SCOME Sessions), Regional Meetings , AMEE Student Task Force and many more. 5. “Think globally, act locally” In SCOME and IFMSA you will learn so many new things about Medical Education and what you can exactly do at your University. It is a great network that provides you many new ideas and input for your local work. 6. “SCOME is fun” In SCOME you will meet wonderful people with whom you will never get bored. You can chat for hours about medical education and you can also party all night with them.
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