1. Education on Medical Ethics
International Federation of Medical Students' Associations
16/11/2018
Education on Medical Ethics
Vision and Activities
of the
International Federation of
Medical Students’ Associations
Presented by: Laura Hirvensalo
Liaison Officer to UNESCO
M.D. Student, Ph.D. Student
Opening slide
This is the opening slide of the presentation. Please fill in your name and title after ”presented by”. This slide should be up when you introduce yourself, thank the organizers (for the great meeting/conference and for letting you present IFMSA), and tell the audience that you will be giving them a presentation about IFMSA.
Hint: If somebody has given a presentation before you, it is often customary to thank them for their ”very interresting/enlightening/inspiring presentation”
Medical Students Worldwide
16/11/2018
Medical Students Worldwide

2. Medical Ethics Moral issues in medical practice
Hippocratic Oath (c. 400 B.C.E)
Human Rights
Cultural differences
In the best interest of the patient
Medical Students Worldwide
16/11/2018

3. Ethics Teaching in Medical Schools
International Federation of Medical Students' Associations
16/11/2018
Ethics Teaching in Medical Schools
No universally used curriculum
Varies from
country to another
university to another
Introduction to IFMSA
”World medical students’ organisation”: to explain what we really are to people who don’t know us, we could also be called the ”world medicals students’ organisation”
Founded in 1951: Speaks for itself . IFMSA was started by 8 european national medical students’ associations, based on the need of medical students to get training that was not available in their own country. (one of the first exchanges that was arranged, was on dissection practicals)
members in 91 countries: These are the member organisation numbers after the March Meeting New numbers will be available on the web and with the Secretary General after each General Assembly
Officially recognised by WHO: IFMSA is officially recognized by WHO as the spokesmen of medical students worldwide. (This point is included to show that we are taken seriously by other than ourselves (!)). We also enjoy official status within the UN system in General (ECOSOC), and cooperate with several UN organs like UNAIDS, UNICEF, UNESCO etc (see ifmsa.net under ”partners” to find your preferred one!)
Mission: This is an abbreviation of our mission statement, that is easier to understand intuitively for the people you are talking to. The full mission statement can be found in the Bylaws
Medical Students Worldwide
16/11/2018
Medical Students Worldwide

4. Medical Students around the World
International Federation of Medical Students' Associations
16/11/2018
Medical Students around the World
Think that all medical programs must provide the students with ethical education
Work together to
improve the education of medical ethics
raise awareness on medical ethics
Introduction to IFMSA
”World medical students’ organisation”: to explain what we really are to people who don’t know us, we could also be called the ”world medicals students’ organisation”
Founded in 1951: Speaks for itself . IFMSA was started by 8 european national medical students’ associations, based on the need of medical students to get training that was not available in their own country. (one of the first exchanges that was arranged, was on dissection practicals)
members in 91 countries: These are the member organisation numbers after the March Meeting New numbers will be available on the web and with the Secretary General after each General Assembly
Officially recognised by WHO: IFMSA is officially recognized by WHO as the spokesmen of medical students worldwide. (This point is included to show that we are taken seriously by other than ourselves (!)). We also enjoy official status within the UN system in General (ECOSOC), and cooperate with several UN organs like UNAIDS, UNICEF, UNESCO etc (see ifmsa.net under ”partners” to find your preferred one!)
Mission: This is an abbreviation of our mission statement, that is easier to understand intuitively for the people you are talking to. The full mission statement can be found in the Bylaws
Medical Students Worldwide
16/11/2018
Medical Students Worldwide

5. International Federation of Medical Students' Associations
16/11/2018
IFMSA
World medical students’ organisation
Founded in 1951
Over members in 92 countries
Independent and non-political
Officially recognized status by WHO
Operational relations with UNESCO
Introduction to IFMSA
”World medical students’ organisation”: to explain what we really are to people who don’t know us, we could also be called the ”world medicals students’ organisation”
Founded in 1951: Speaks for itself . IFMSA was started by 8 european national medical students’ associations, based on the need of medical students to get training that was not available in their own country. (one of the first exchanges that was arranged, was on dissection practicals)
members in 91 countries: These are the member organisation numbers after the March Meeting New numbers will be available on the web and with the Secretary General after each General Assembly
Officially recognised by WHO: IFMSA is officially recognized by WHO as the spokesmen of medical students worldwide. (This point is included to show that we are taken seriously by other than ourselves (!)). We also enjoy official status within the UN system in General (ECOSOC), and cooperate with several UN organs like UNAIDS, UNICEF, UNESCO etc (see ifmsa.net under ”partners” to find your preferred one!)
Mission: This is an abbreviation of our mission statement, that is easier to understand intuitively for the people you are talking to. The full mission statement can be found in the Bylaws
Medical Students Worldwide
16/11/2018
Medical Students Worldwide

6. International Federation of Medical Students' Associations
16/11/2018
The Mission of IFMSA
To introduce medical students to global
health, and to work together to improve
health all over the world.
Our core activities: cooperation and exchange
This is where you talk about and try to explain the most important activities in IFMSA; exchange and cooperation. You may want to include how we were founded on a wave of international ”peace and love” after World war II (in 1951, by 8 European countries), and how we believe that meeting and discussing across geographical borders is important. We believe that it is no use for the national students organisations to be working separately on the same cases in their own country; we are so much stronger when we work together! We meet and exchange experience, challenges and competencies, and develop our practises together, instead of isolated in our own countries. Like this, a successful local project in Sudan may be spread via IFMSA so that it is started up both in other African countries and in other continents. In the same way, a project in Sweden which is experiencing problems can get help and advice from a parallel project in an other country. IFMSA is truly an international family of health-related projects,- some on a local level; others on an international or global level.
Medical Students Worldwide
16/11/2018
Medical Students Worldwide

7. What we offer to our members
International Federation of Medical Students' Associations
What we offer to our members
16/11/2018
Themes
Medical education
Public health
Refugees and peace
Reproductive health including AIDS
Exchange programs
Professional
Research
Formal slide: what we offer to our members.
Delete this slide if you use the informal slide (next slide)
Opening image: (network) The primary function of IFMSA, is to create a network for its different member organisations, a platform where they can meet across borders
Hit 1: (exchange and cooperation) The essence of IFMSA is to bring people together so that they can exchange experience, challenges, practises and solutions, as well as share and develop new ideas. Via communication and sharing of ideas, and through developing a common understanding of our health environment, we develop common international projects within a range of topics. An important part of this mutual learning happens during our biannual meetings. But even more people get to learn about different countries and cultures via our Exchange Programs, where more than 6500 students spend a month abroad each year.
Hit 2: (training) In order to help our members to develop themselves and their projects, IFMSA provides a wide range of trainings and manuals within various topics. Through our international network and our exchanges, we give medical students a wider perspective on health and health problems, which allows them to be more reflected about the health problems both internationally and in their own local environment. Through our trainings, we enable these medical students to start up projects which can alleviate health problems that they identify, wether it is on a local, national or international level. With us, students can be trained in topics such as sarting up a project, fundraising, strategic planning, chairing meetings, group dynamics, writing a project proposal, etc.
Hit 3: (external representation) IFMSA as a federation also provides its members with external representation. We give our member organisations external profiling both on an individual level and as members of IFMSA, in addition to providing comprehensive representation of international projects to both funders and resource persons. IFMSA also provides an excellent recruitment forum for our members, both for recruiting staff and participants to their projects.
IFMSA maintains Liaison Officers (Contact persons) to 12 different agencies, amongst others WHO (World Health Organisation), UNICEF (United Nations Childrens’ Fund) and WMA (World Medical Association).
Medical Students Worldwide
16/11/2018
Medical Students Worldwide

8. Activities in the field of Medical Ethics
International Federation of Medical Students' Associations
16/11/2018
Activities in the field of Medical Ethics
Ethics Teaching
Patients
Society
Colleagues
Research
What we do - activities
This slide is about in which ways IFMSA work; which activities we carry out in our organisation.
You may want to mention in your presentation some (very brief) examples of things that have been going on in your country/your region under the different points. Especially if you are talking to students, it is nice to include information about upcoming events under ”Conferences, workshops, summerschools”. Also, it is nice to squeeze in some humanitarian projects that the students in the audience can participate in themselves under ”Humanitarian projects”. For publications, the main IFMSA publication right now is our monthly, electronic newsletter- e-VAGUS. We also produce topic-based magazines, called Medical Students’ International. (In 2002/2003, we are finalizing one on Exchanges, working on one on Anti-tobacco, and one on Violence and Injury prevention).
More information about the activities in IFMSA can be found on and by contacting the Projects’ Support Division at
The function of IFMSA as a forum for discussion and debate is especially important so that students can learn more about international helath problems; to widen their perspective from the national health level.
Medical Students Worldwide
16/11/2018
Medical Students Worldwide

9. International Federation of Medical Students' Associations
16/11/2018
Medical Students and
Ethics Teaching
Discussions and debates on
Ethical practices of medical education
Patient rights
International Standards on Medical Education
Collaboration with World Medical Association
Themes
In IFMSA, we have divided our work into six different themes, and for each theme we have a separate committee. (just read up the points)
Important: When you present, avoid using the term ”standing committee”, it is just confusing for the audience. It is best if you talk about themes/topics. (and if you need to, committees).
Important 2: You should NEVER use IFMSA-made abbreviations when you give presentations like this! SCOME, SCOPH, NEO, NPO, LEO, LORA and so on are abbreviations that are STRICTLY FORBIDDEN to use when you are presenting! In stead you can say ”under the theme of Medical Education”, ”In connection to Medical education”, or ”Committee of Medical Education”. (this also goes for ”NMO”, you should always say ”Member organisations”. These abbreviations are totally confusing for the audience, and there is no need for them to know about them before they become involved on (at least) a national level.
Medical Students Worldwide
16/11/2018
Medical Students Worldwide

10. Medical Students and Patients
International Federation of Medical Students' Associations
16/11/2018
Medical Students and Patients
Projects on topics related to patient advocacy and human rights
Regional Training on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights
With UNESCO
International Students Network on Ageing and Health
Professional Exchange
Each year, more than medical students go on a Professional Exchange with IFMSA. A professional Exchange is like a clinical clerkship; a student goes one month to an other hospital and stays there and observes the culture, practises and focuses of the health system in the country. The student can itself give preferences to which country, city and ward to stay at. This gives medical students a unique chance to experience foregin health systems with hands-on experience, while also experiencing the culture and people of the country.
The exchanges are coordinated via IFMSA, but in essence, they are between the different member organisations. IFMSA provides the framework, the meetingplace and assistance for the member organisations to conduct the exchanges, but in the end the countries themselves make agreements with each other about exchanging students.
The majority (90%) of IFMSA exchanges are bilateral. This means that if one country wants to send a student to an other country, it has to accept one student from that country to come and stay with them. It also implies that the country that welcomes a student for an exchange, has to provide free board, lodging and social programme for that student. The expences of this is covered by charging a fee from the students who leave the country to go for an exchange. In this way, students from all our member countries can afford to go for an exchange. If a student from a developing country wants to go for an exchange, she essentially pays the costs for having a student staying in her own country. And then she can go to a country with higher costs and stay there for free. This is a highly valued principle in IFMSA; that economical barriers should be erased as much as possible.
Also, the principle of letting the welcoming organisation be responsible for social programme, reduces the need for pocket-money to a minimum. The exchange student spends a lot of time with students from the welcoming country, and so gets unique insight in social life, habits, priorities and challenges of the students in that country.
Each year more than 6000 medical students go on these exchanges via IFMSA, and the number is growing.
(There is a possibility to make unilateral agreements for countries who are especialy interrested in this, especially for countries who are starting up with professional exchanges)
Medical Students Worldwide
16/11/2018
Medical Students Worldwide

11. International Federation of Medical Students' Associations
16/11/2018
Medical Students and
Society
Protection of the health of current and future generations
Education on ethical aspects of the wide factors that affect the health of our society
Think Global
Peace Test
Research Exchange
Research exhange is founded on the same principles as Professional Exchange. But here, the students spend 1-6 months with a research team in a foregin country. They work with the research team, and gain valuable insight in the research culture, ethics, priorities, and challenges of the country.
Again, IFMSA provides the framework, the meetingplace and assistance for the member organisations to conduct the exchanges, but it is the countries themselves make agreements with each other about exchanging students.
Also for research exchange, the majority of the agreements (90%) are bilateral. Two and two countries make agreements to exchange students in between them, and the principle of the hosting organisation paying for food, lodging and social programme is kept. What is unique to the IFMSA Research Exchange programme, however, is that IFMSA has created a Research Database which displays information about all avilable research projects. Here, the countries who participate in the Research Exchange of IFMSA upload information about their projects, so that anybody interrested can go to the database and search under different criteria to find the most optimal research project for themselves.
Each year, approximately 500 students go for a research exchange with IFMSA.
Medical Students Worldwide
16/11/2018
Medical Students Worldwide

12. Medical Students and Colleagues
Respect colleagues and treat them as family members
Platform for collaboration between future doctors
Over 7000 exchange students
Training
Collaboration with other health professions
Medical Students Worldwide
16/11/2018

13. Medical Students and Research
International Federation of Medical Students' Associations
16/11/2018
Medical Students and Research
Research Exchanges
Education on medical research ethics
workshops and discussions
raise awareness of the unsolved issues
Research Ethics Manual
Public Health
Here is a short description of two projects from Public Health. Read through them, and make your own summary, depending on how much emphasis you want to give.
International Project:
Romania Orphanage Project
Because of the bad economic situation in some cities in Romania, there is a lack of staff and locations for the many orphans of the country. The children in the orphanages get their pysical basic needs covered, but they don´t receive the amount of contact and stimulation from adults necessary for normal development, because of lack of staff. Students from all fields of study and from all countries are invited to work as a volunteer in a romanian orphanage for three weeks
The Romania Orphanage initiative is conducted as a a series of projects in five villages in Romania.
Through running the project for several years we hope to achieve that:
The children will benefit from the stimulation that they get from the students. Foreign students will only go to Romania during the summer and three weeks in November, but we hope to have Romanian students working in the project during the whole year.
The staff will be motivated to do an even better job, and the help that they receive from the students is very welcome. They have a very difficult job, and we should give them all the encouragement we can.
The students who join the project will learn about a world completely different from their own. Hopefully they can pass some of this knowledge on to other students at their home. Through raising awareness of health problems such as this will motivate some of them to keep working to the improve the situation.
This is not a medical project, and although you can learn something from talking to the doctors, the focus is not on the medical needs of the children.
National Project:
Caring for the health of neglected children in Indonesia
This project is a cooperation between the Public Health Committee of CIMSA-ISMKI (Indonesia) and Klinik Kerabat Yogyakarta (KKY), a clinic that gives health services and basic care to neglected children in Yogyakarta. CIMSA-ISMKI contributes to the cooperation by recruiting volunteer personnel with medical experience (medical students) to work at the clinic.
National project: Caring for the health of neglected children in Indonesia
Medical students visit children who are neglected for health checks and preventive medical care.
Medical Students Worldwide
16/11/2018
Medical Students Worldwide

14. International Federation of Medical Students' Associations
16/11/2018
Medical Students
Consider medical ethics important
Require education on ethics
Contribute to the education and promotion of medical ethics
Refugees and Peace
Here is a short description of two projects from Refugees and peace. Read through them, and make your own summary, depending on how much emphasis you want to give.
International Project:
International Training on Refugee Health in Pakistan
Medical students and physicians have the unique opportunity to improve refugee health on a physical, psychological and social level, both as advocates for justice and as health care providers. It is important, therefore, to provide medical students with a good understanding of refugee problems, so that they might play a more active role in the global refugee effort in the course of their professional lives. Unfortunately, traditional medical education includes minimal teaching on refugee health issues especially in Pakistan where not much emphasis is given on community oriented medical education.
The Refugee Health Training is an initiative aimed at providing medical students from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and around the world the means to address and ameliorate the health crisis among refugees in Pakistan and elsewhere. In addition the training will focus on preventing brain-drain by making Pakistani and Afghan students enthusiastic and involved in this important cause. It will expose them to and provide opportunities in many specialities within the health system in their respective countries. This basically comes down to creating human resources.
During the 8-day training local and international medical students will acquire the basic skills and knowledge of refugee health issues. The training will aim to expose medical students to refugee health conditions, to interact with vulnerable individuals and to learn to provide health-care using limited resources. In addition medical students will also be reminded of their responsibility as the primary spokespeople for the ailing whose voices are often not heard internationally. Students around the world will also benefit from the outcome of the training as all program materials and reports will be disseminated through the SCORP and IFMSA networks.
National Project:
Friendship programme with Young unaccompanied refugees in the Netherlands
(Description made by NORP-the Netherlands)
In 2000 we started cooperation with the Amsterdam department of the Dutch Refugee Council. Medical students are recruited to serve as a mentor for young unaccompanied refugees in the Netherlands. These are refugees in the age of who were not accompanied by an older relative on their flight to the Netherlands. Mentors are coupled to a refugee and undertake activities together once every two weeks. Important aims are to strengthen the social network of the refugee, to introduce her/him to Dutch culture, to practice the language more, solving problems together and to get to know the city and society.
After Amsterdam being an example, this year we started the project in Rotterdam, Utrecht, Groningen and Maastricht. In Nijmegen en Leiden people are going to start this project as well. This means, soon the project will be present at all 8 medical faculties in the Netherlands!! For this project, in different cities we cooperate with different organisations, for example the Dutch Refugee Council, the Dutch Red Cross and Humanitas.
We have got plans to arrange activities for groups of the Young Unaccompanied Refugees and the volunteers to participate together.
Medical Students Worldwide
16/11/2018
Medical Students Worldwide

15. International Federation of Medical Students' Associations
16/11/2018
IFMSA
International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations
Presented by: Laura Hirvensalo
IFMSA Liaison Officer to UNESCO
Opening slide
This is the opening slide of the presentation. Please fill in your name and title after ”presented by”. This slide should be up when you introduce yourself, thank the organizers (for the great meeting/conference and for letting you present IFMSA), and tell the audience that you will be giving them a presentation about IFMSA.
Hint: If somebody has given a presentation before you, it is often customary to thank them for their ”very interresting/enlightening/inspiring presentation”
Medical Students Worldwide
16/11/2018
Medical Students Worldwide