CANDIDATURE FOR REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR THE AMERICAS
LETTER
My dear Americas,
Dear IFMSA,
If you are reading this it’s because you have taken the time to give me an opportunity to open my heart on each page that this application has, whether because you knew me as a new member with many dreams to achieve or as part of the Regional Team, but after so much effort I can be here; but if it's the first time you hear about me, let me introduce myself:
My name is Josselyn Jacinto Valdivia, member of IFMSA-Peru, currently in my second term as Members Engagement Assistant, sometimes a student in crisis like anyone else at IFMSA, and today a candidate to be your next Regional Director for the Americas!
My journey at IFMSA began when I was only 18 years old and some people told me about a group of students who really wanted to make a change but they were needing a LORP; being a bisexual woman who has observed the shortcomings that can be found in our society, I could see a bright path by giving SCORP a chance, the committee that saw me born, laugh, cry and open my wings to fly, because that was when I realized that it was possible to change the world even as an undergraduate
IPart of growing is changing, and many times dreams have several paths, I come from an NMO where even being a local assistant is a constant competition and you have two options: Either you are very lucky and fulfill your dreams as you imagine when you enter to IFMSA or discover new routes to achieve what you want; during these years my doubts began to arise more and more: What about being a VPCB? What if I try to be MEA? And now I had this bug who told me: It’s your time to shine, don’t be shy and apply!
However, having been VPCC in my NMO and Regional Team for 2 occasions, I can confirm the need we have to create new opportunities without barriers that can stop us, that neither language, money or distance could be an impediment to achieve your dreams, and whether you are a member who is still learning or someone with a charge, you can have the opportunity to attend events, be a trainer or inspire new members, and that is why I finally decided to apply for being the next Regional Director for the Americas, to be that person who once inspired me, to support each member and to be that empowerment that our region always needs
With
love from the land of the llamas,
Josselyn Jacinto
WHY ME FOR REGIONAL DIRECTOR?
LEADERSHIP ROLES
Local LORP, VPE, VPCB and VPA
NORP National Assistant (2 Times)
Vice President of Capacity Building IFMSA-PERU
Member Engagement Assistant for the Americas (2 Times)
TNT, TPHT, ITHRE
AVAILABILITY
It is very important that a Regional Director is still an undergraduate medical student so they can represent the voice of many of us in the federation, which is why I have decided to apply on this occasion as I have free time before starting my internship in March 2025.
However, the fact that I am going to be an intern won’t mean a reduction in my time, that’s because my thesis is already completed, the hospital I will attend has few patient admissions per day and is only 15 minutes from my house; which is why therefore, if I am elected as your next Regional Director, I would not only attend the GAs, TOMs and our AmRM, but I will also take the time to be present at our Americas Camp and the SRTs who wants a follow up from their RD and the members of the RT.
HEALTHY FRESHTEAM and
1.RT STRUCTURE
Maintain the structure of 1 member in each of the RT positions: General Assistant, Internal Development Assistant, Member Engagement Assistant, CB RA, PRC RA, EA RA and Standing committees RAs. A new position in the RT: Documentary Management Assistant: Its creation will be to reduce the documentary work that the GA may suffer during the term in addition to supporting the organization of important information for the NMOs.
Why wouldn't we have 2 GAs?
Because we have observed that sharing the same report can become difficult if one of the parties works more, and the feedback from the NMOs can be more personalized with the assistant.
2.RT communication and transparency
Maintain gender and NMOs diversity when selecting the Regional Team. Use of a Google Calendar connected to the RT to track activities, meetings and opportunities, and a linktree to keep the necessary documents organized for any member of the RT.
Monthly RT OLMs and preparatory meetings prior to the events (AmRM, MM and AM), all of them with the presence of observers when necessary and with the sending of the minutes to the NMOs Presidents.
Continue with the RT Competency Model in the first 4 months of term and in the last 4 months in case the RT members want to apply for new positions and continue in IFMSA.
3. Mental Health and workload
Using activities such as virtual yoga, movie nights or online games to maintain connection between RT members and reduce burn out.
Use the RT Calendar to take into account exam dates, vacations and holidays so the RT members can work more or less during those periods and we can help each other
OUR NMOS, OUR BACKBONE
1.Situation analysis
1:1 OLMs with NMOs presidents at the beginning and end of the term to carry out a SWOT NMOs Needs Assessment that must be completed by the presidents and their team, this will be sent at the beginning of the term and when a new president enters.
Bimonthly meetings with the presidents of the region and the RT to train them, follow up their work plans and complete the NMO Report together if necessary.
2.NMO Management
Divide RT members to communicate with their national counterparts: RD y GA - NMO Presidents 1. DMA - VPDL/VPF 2. IDA - VPM/VPI 3. MEA - VPA 4.
3. Intersectionality and networking
Constant monitoring of NMOs that have not been active in the last NMO Report and trying to have meetings with these NMOs to take into account their specific needs.
Part of the NMOs Needs Assessment will have a section where you can tell us if your country has another NMO so that we can connect with them and tell them about IFMSA.
Create buddy groups that are divided into North, Central and South America so that communication with them is much more effective; in addition to creating an Online Activities fair prior to the events (AmRM, MM, AM) so that the buddy groups can present their activities and interNMOs work can be increased.
AMERICAS ENGAGEMENT REPRESENTATION and
1.Communication and resources plan
Continue with the use of WhatsApp communities and sending opportunities through these groups, seeking to have them in each committee. Create opportunity groups in Spanish, Portuguese and French apart from the one we have in English to reach members who do not speak this language but want to participate in the opportunities. Create contact groups in Gmail to divide NMOs according to the language they speak most (English, Spanish, Portuguese) and to share external opportunities, IFMSA events, etc.
2.6th Americas Heartbeat magazine
Request feedback from the last 3 PRC RAs on the work of the AHB. New concept on topics: These will be chosen by voting of the members so that we can achieve a greater number of articles. AHB SWG will be chosen from the beginning of the term to have the opportunity to get to know each other better and work with peace. Hold Americas Café focused on the creation of ar regulations and many more topics that can be use SWG and members in general of the Americas
3.Americas Regional Meeting 2025
Strategic Planning: We are going to seek the strategic planning of the event together with the Regional Team, proposing the division of tasks from the first meeting together to avoid burnout days before the event, in addition to maintaining the buddy groups to communicate with the members of each region of the Americas and receive their input for our reports, decisions and observe the progress of the NMOs with respect to the creation of activities, workshops, etc.
AMERICAS ENGAGEMENT REPRESENTATION and
3.Americas Regional Meeting 2025
AmRM25 without barriers: Our main objective of this term will be to increase the participation of our members, both virtual and in person, and to remember that if the members are not able to attend Colombia it won’t be a limitation to be part of the event.
Activities Fair and Presentation
This will be carried out in 2 days so that we can also observe the NMOs that are going to be presented virtually.
Hybrid sessions
Having previously observed that virtual sessions are of utmost importance, we are going to divide the Sessions Teams (Standing committees, NMO Management and presidents) into 3 Members virtual and 3 members in-person, sessions will be given simultaneously so everyone can receive the same knowledge
Scientific poster and Exchanges fair
We are going to seek that both can be carried out in a hybrid aspect with the support of in-person members (even if they are from other NMOs) who can present the poster or NMO stand
Hybrid plenary
In the same way as the sessions, we will ensure that this can be done through Microsoft Teams so that the information is kept in the cloud and the signal is not as weak as it happens with zoom.
AMERICAS ENGAGEMENT REPRESENTATION and
3.Americas Regional Meeting 2025
CO2mplete our goal: This will be the first plan that we will have together with the AmRM25 Organization committee when beginning the term, since we want to seek ecological sustainability at the event with the use of the ISO 20121, which is an international standard based on the management of sustainable events in each of its facets. This will be done with a green survival kit and with previous training for both the OC, Sessions team and the participants.
4.Regional priorities and strategic plan
Regarding the regional strategy, I am going to contact the past RDs who have been working during these years so that we can observe the achievements and shortcomings, in addition to being able to see what we could change during this last year of the strategy. During the last 2 terms I have been able to observe how many times the work of regional priorities is left aside by the Regional Team itself, which is why we will ensure that the buddy groups comply with these new regional priorities, and to follow up at each of our meetings.
CAPACITY BUILDING
1.Americas Camp
Make a Host Call to NMOs that have not had an SRT in the last 2 years to prioritize NMOs with fewer trainers.
Conduct preparatory OLMs with the NMO Host within budget so that more trainers have the opportunity to attend without paying a fee.
Meet with the former host of AmXp23 to train the new host of Americas Camp 2024 and 2025
2.SRTs and NMOs Follow up
Track the SRTs planned with the use of a constantly updated database and promote the participation of our members in these CB events planned during the term.
Monitor and support NMOs that have carried out SRTs or international workshops in their Pre NGAs to prepare their reports together with CB RA. Include a CB space to our NMOs Needs Assessment to know more about how many trainers they have, which workshop they need and what are their difficulties.
3.1st AOC: Americas Online
Organize the 1st Americas Online to expand CB opportunities for m who cannot travel to events.
Conduct workshops focused on fin document management and yout advocacy for NMOs Presidents an teams.
4.Trainers pool
Conduct CB Weekends focused on the Trainers pool and how to apply, in addition to sharing information (through videos, flyers, etc.) on how to put together their trainers portfolio
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS PARTNERSHIPS and
1.Stakeholders mapping
We are going to map the stakeholders with whom we have worked in the last two Regional Meetings to be able to contact them and analyze if we want to continue with them, this will be done with the use of the Stakeholders matrix together with EA RA.
Likewise with EA RA, we will work on mapping future Stakeholders by asking our Standing Committees RAs which organizations, academies, etc. they want to work with (Example: Contact UN Women so they can give joint sessions to our SCORA RA)
This research on our partnerships can be helpful when we need permanent stands at AmRM25 where we will also look for some of these to participate in the theme event.
2.External events
Work hand in hand with the Liaison Officers so they can promote external opportunities in our Américas Café and so that we can translate and share it in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French.
Training our delegations from the Americas that will attend external events promoted by IFMSA, some important topics may be dictated by LEADs and GHAs.
3.Youth Advocates
Hard work together with VPE and LWHO so we can take advantage of the opportunities that are offered in the PAHO, both such as virtual training and access to events for those members interested in advocacy
Nationaland internationalmeetings
Enviromental Health Boot Camp - interNMOs activity co author
2 AmRM activities fair coordinator
SWG TNHRT regulations
CCC - AmRM24
National activity author
CCC at XLVII NGA IFMSAPERU
More than 3 National policy
SWG
JosselynJacintoValdivia
Positionsheld
Americas Members Engagement Assistant 2023-2024
Americas Members Engagement Assistant 2022-2023
Vice President of Capacity Building IFMSAPERU 2023-2024
IFMSA-PERU National Assistant at 20-21 and 22-23
Former Local VPE 2022-2023
Former Local VPCB 2022-2023
Former Local VPA 2020-2021
Former Local LORP 2019 - 2020
CapacityBuilding
TNT, TPHT and ITHRE facilitator
AmericaXperience SRT 2023 (Coordinator and Facilitator)
Pre NGA TNT 2023 (Coordinator and Facilitator)
SRT IFMSA-PERU 2024 (Coordinator and Facilitator)
MHASA Workshop 2022 (Participant)
AmRM Online CB Weekend 2021 Facilitator on SCORP Sessions
More than 50 Training sessions delivered being a trainer/facilitator
You can waste your lives drawing lines. Or you can live your life crossing them.
– Shonda Rhimes