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Dear IFMSA member,Welcome to the IFMSA’s monthly E-newsletter! In this April issue we bring you more interesting news from across the IFMSA world! We bring you news of events and projects in Bulgaria, Finland, Portugal, and the Domin-ical Republic. Do not miss out on the word of our fantastic Publications Support Division Director Ms. Bronwyn Jones! We hope you enjoy this is-sue of the Newsletter.

Ismail El-Kharbotly and Bisher Al-Halabi- Newsletter Co-Editors

April 2013

issue6th

In this IssueNews and updates from:• The IFMSA Publications Support Division Director

• NMO Updates:• Bulgaria• Dominican Republic• Finland• Portugal

Learn More about the Post-2015 Development Agenda Here

Learn More about the Pre-World Health

Assembly on Youth Here

Please use the hyperlinks above for easy navigation and click on the bar flower to go back the first page.

Learn More about the Youth Multi-Stakeholder Meeting in Bali Here

Message from the Publications Director

Dear IFMSA Family,

It is now more than half-way through the term so I thought it about time that I updated you with a bit of our news. This year, the IFMSA Publications Division has undergone a reform process of its own, working intensively on our new integrated Medical Student International magazine and E-newsletter, and on the Corporate Identity Manual, amongst many other things.

Behind all of our achievements so far (and to come), our Awesome Publications Team has been there, workinghardtoensurethatwedowhatisneededforthebenefitoftheFederation.

For some time now, I wanted to make special mention of the contributions that Helena Chapman (ODEM-Dominican Republic) and Ebraheem Mousa (IFMSA-Egypt) have made towards realising our Publications dreams and goals.

Helena and Ebraheem are wonderful team players who have oftentimes gone beyond the call of duty to assistmyselfandtheteamintimesofneed.Helenaisfilledwithaseeminglynever-endingstreamofposi-tiveenergy,andisalwaysthefirsttovolunteerforcontent-editingandproof-readingtasks.Ebraheem(orHima, as he is fondly known) is a graphics and layout designer of considerable skill who has been working tirelessly on the Corporate Identity Manual, E-newsletter design and layout, and numerous other design tasks. Both team members are excellent communicators and incredible human beings who will, undoubt-edly, do well in life, both for themselves and for others.

Hima and Helena, thank you very much for all you have done (and continue to do) for us! Your work is al-ways greatly appreciated, and your presence on the team always greatly enjoyed. I wish you all the best!Here’s to Health!

With love,

Bronwyn :O)

Bronwyn Jones

Ebraheem MoussaHelena Chapman

NMO Updates

BulgariaDear IFMSA members and friends,

TheLocalExecutiveBoardoftheAssociationofMedicalStudentsinBulgaria-Sofia(AMSB-Sofia)ispleasedtointroduceournewwebsitetoyou!Itisinformative,well-structuredanditallowsyoutoeasilyfindanythingyouseek,regardingnotonlythestructureandgoalsofAMSB,butalsoourcurrentactivities.Onourwebsiteyouwillfindinterestingnews,campaigns,projects,andothervaluable information.

If you want to get to know us a little bit better, visit the “About Us” page. Here you will meet our team and you will be provided with thorough information about our association.

NewvisitorswhoarenotfamiliarwithIFMSAandtheStandingCommittees’purposewillfinditveryusefulthateverycommitteeisintroduced at its own page.

The gallery of the site contains albums with various photos from different campaigns, projects and trainings that recreate the atmos-phere of volunteering and enthusiastic teamwork.

A great advantage for the members of our community is the possibility to track every upcoming campaign and to sign up to par-ticipate in those of their interest, all in one place. After a certain campaign has been held a short review will be posted in order to evaluate its results.

The web site has a modern design and provides various ways to contact us. At the current moment the site is on Bulgarian, since it has just been launched, but it will be translated to English in the near future so that every IFMSAian could keep in touch with our activities.

Wehopeyouwillvisitusatwww.amsb-sofia.org!

PortugalWAMTE - Workshop on Access to Medical Training in Europe

The Portuguese Medical Students’ International Committee (PorMSIC) is organ-izing the 2nd edition of its Workshop on Access to Medical Training in Europe (WAMTE).

WAMTE is an initiative directed to 50 young medical students from the 27 mem-ber states of the European Union to discuss access to medical training and the organization of the training itself. Also, it intends to evaluate the mobility of young doctors both across Europe and outside it. The constraints to youth mobility and the proposal of solutions to overcome them will be the main focus of WAMTE in order to build a public database with the different types of access to medical training in Europe and also to compile the proposals discussed to be sent after-wards to European governments.

This project will take place in Lisbon for 5 days, between 22nd and 26th July of 2013 and inscriptions will be available soon!

Dominican RepublicPaint Your Nails: Say No to Racial Discrimination!Hane Lore King, NORP

As I arrived at my hospital rotation, my colleagues and attending physician asked me, “Why are so many of our male and female classmates wearing different kinds of nail polish today? I see white, black and yellow colors!” With a smile, I answered, “Today is March 21st, and we are celebrating the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination!”

As part of our SCORP activity, “Paint Your Nails: Say No to Racial Discrimination!” medical students from three Dominican Republic medical schools are spreading this important health message! It is an amazing feeling to collaborate with other ODEM members and future physicians who are aware of this global health concern! Together in health, we say no to racial discrimination!

FinlandUnderstand the Relationship between War, Conflicts and Health

FiMSIC organized an annual educational weekend concerning development co-operation. Over 100 students participated, most of them medical students, but also dentistry, peacekeeping and development sciences students. The aim of the weekend was to widen students’ knowledge about projects abroad in which they can take part, as well as about FiMSIC and other non-governmental or-ganizations related to these themes.

Thisyearthethemeoftheweekendwaswar,conflictsandhealth.Itwasap-proached through lectures, small working groups and a panel discussion. The goal of the weekend was to understand the many relationships between war, conflictsandhealth.Manyactualcriseswereraisedupfordiscussion.Amnestywas present, reporting on the ongoing civil war and health crisis in Syria. PSR (PhysiciansforSocialResponsibility),aFinnishaffiliateofIPPNW(InternationalPhysicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War) talked about the topic of nuclear war and its potential local and global consequences. Also a discussion about conflictmanagementlegislationwasheld.Apsychiatristworkinginaclinicforimmigrantsspokeabouttraumasofimmigrantsbeingtorturedinconflictsandexplained what to keep in mind when meeting them as a doctor in a new home country. A pediatrician who had worked in Afghanistan talked about personal experiences on how to deal with children during war. Also, perspectives on the position of women, the role of media in war, as well as mental growth while workingonthefieldwerediscussed.Therefugeewomanoftheyear,nominatedby the Finnish refugee council, and an army doctor attended the panel discus-sion.TheyclarifiedthecontrastbetweenlifeinthemiddleofawarandlifeinFinland. Also the upcoming risks of health were raised: water and unequal ac-cess to health. In total, the lectures were interactive and students motivated – a successful event!

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E-newsletter Team

Join us on

Co-Editors of the E-newsletter:• Ismail El-Kharbotly• Bisher Al-Halabi

Layout and Designing:• Ibrahim Mousa• Airin Aldiani• Hassan Aboul-Nour• Eric Melendez

IFMSA Publications Support D.D:• Bronwyn Jones