IFMSA in HQ38

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IFMSA in Macedonia

Minke van Minde

IFMSA in Tunisia

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF MEDICAL STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATIONS (IFMSA) A talk with Minke van Minde, Vice President for External Affairs THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF MEDICAL STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATIONS (IFMSA) IS AN INDEPENDENT, NON GOVERNMENTAL AND NON POLITICAL FEDERATION OF MEDICAL STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATIONS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. IN 2009 IFMSA HAD 97 MEMBERS, WITH NATIONAL MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS FROM 92 COUNTRIES ACROSS FIVE CONTINENTS AND REPRESENTED MORE OVER 1.2 MILLION MEDICAL STUDENTS. MINKE VAN MINDE EXPLAINS HOW HER FEDERATION IS STRUCTURED. HQ: Could you briefly introduce IFMSA? Minke van Minde: Founded in 1951, the IFMSA is run for and by medical students on a non-profit basis. It is officially recognized as a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) within the United Nations’ and by the World Health Organization as the International Forum for medical students. It serves medical students all over the world. Its mission is to offer future physicians a comprehensive introduction to global health issues.

Every year, nearly 10,000 students participate in the exchange programs of the IFMSA; thousands more design projects, attend

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conferences, and plan events in such areas as human rights and refugee health, medical education, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS, international research and public health.

Our mandate, as we interpret it, is to train and sensitize medical students to become advocates for health issues that they will face later as practitioners.

Twice a year IFMSA organizes a conference, better known as General Assembly, in one of the member countries. During these GA’s almost 700-800 medical students gather, share experience and participate in sessions, workshops and trainings for 6 days. Thus, the IFMSA is now one of the biggest student

networks in the world and our meetings one of the largest student gatherings.

HQ: What is the association’s decision process concerning the organization of a congress?

Minke van Minde: IFMSA Member Organizations have a bid for hosting a GA one year prior to the event. The candidatures are voted upon by the Member Organizations themselves. Our members decide where the next conference will be held according to certain criteria.

Every IFMSA General Assembly has its own charm; this is mostly due to the different destinations where the meetings take place.

We just returned from Bangkok, Thailand, and the August Meeting will move to the other side of the world, to Montreal, Canada.

The destination of the March 2011 Meeting will be Jakarta, Indonesia. The Member Organizations themselves elected this venue during the meeting in Bangkok. Asia is becoming popular!

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IFMSA GENERAL ASSEMBLIES + March Meeting 2006: Pucon, Chili (500 delegates) + August Meeting 2006: Zlatibor, Serbia (600 delegates) + March Meeting 2007: Perth, Australia (600 delegates) + August Meeting 2007: Canterbury, United Kingdom (800 delegates) + March Meeting 2008: Monterrey, Mexico (600 delegates) + August Meeting 2008: Ocho Rios, Jamaica (600 delegates) + March Meeting 2009: Hammamet, Tunisia (800 delegates) + August Meeting 2009: Ohrid, Macedonia (700 delegates) + March Meeting 2010: Bangkok, Thailand (800 delegates) + August Meeting 2010: Montréal, Canada + March Meeting 2011: Jakarta, Indonesia

HQ: What kind of venues do you need for your congress? What criteria must it satisfy?

Minke van Minde: We prefer a venue where both the hotel and conference centre are located, this to reduce time between moving from one place to the other. The venue must accommodate up to 900 participants, having one big conference room where the plenary can take place and at least 15 smaller workshop rooms. All these rooms must have projection, internet and air-conditioning.

HQ: Do you work with a PCO or a DMC? Why? What do you expect of them?

Or do you do everything in-house?

Minke van Minde: Most our conferences are organized in-house; they are organized by our own members; medical students who received training enabling them to do so. Some externals or eminent professors may intervene or conduct a part of a session. We devote ourselves to conduct professional conferences and to offer to our international counterparts trainings that will build their personality, and give them the tools to make a difference in their communities.

IFMSA in Bangkok

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IFMSA General Assembly, March 2010, Bangkok, Thailand The 59th General Assembly was held this year in Bangkok, Thailand, at the Rama Gardens Hotel.

Number of delegates was 700 from outside Thailand and around 100 Organizing Committee and Thai delegates. The main theme of the conference was ‘Complementary and Alternative Medicin’.

Feedback from delegates was mainly very positive: ‘The Thai Organizing Committee did a fantastic job’, ‘Bangkok is a great city to have a meeting in, it offers a variety of social program events’, ‘Great to finally have a meeting in Asia!’. Feedback from the Organizing Committee was positive as well. To organize a meeting in Bangkok seems to be easier than in other provinces of Thailand; transport and venues are more available and accessible. Staff recruitment was more difficult though: the recruitment of medical students from different faculties is a tough task and of course the funding was not easy. Janewit Wongboonsin, Vice President of

HQ: How would you summarize new trends in the association congress world?

Minke van Minde: Since we’re a students’ association, registration fees must be low, as our members have to pay the amount themselves, most of the times. Overall, the destination has to appeal to most people: they tend to vote on the venue that has the best facilities (such as transport and accommodation) and is the most pleasant to the

the Organizing Committee said: ‘I am really proud that we were able to organize this meeting in Bangkok, especially when we were honored with the presence of her Royal Highness the Princess of Thailand for our opening ceremony.’

Bangkok is easy accessible as a conference destination and transport within the city is easy and quick. In spite of traffic jams, travelling time is rather short. Thai people are very helpful as it is accustomed not to say ‘no’, Western people should be careful not to take advantage of that!

The Organizing Committee of the meeting worked in collaboration with the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau: they cooperated with the bidding, contacted the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the government. They also helped with the funding and to contract a suitable venue.

eye. Potential destination must offer social programs which combine cultural, traditional and fun aspects. On a side note, some members may need visas, which can be difficult to acquire. The country which is easier to get visas for or the hosting member who offers more assistance in applying for them will be more likely to get our vote!

www.ifmsa.org

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