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Candidature for the position of SCORE Director 2014/2015

Balkiss Abdelmoula

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Motivation Letter

Dear IFMSA family, It is a real pleasure and a great honor for me to present you my candidature for the position of SCORE Director for the term 2014-2015. My name is Balkiss Abdelmoula. I am a 4th year medical student in the Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, Tunisia. My SCORE life has actually started since October 2012 as the LORE of a new born LC in my NMO (Associa-Med) which enabled me to develop a great experience both personally and professionally while establishing SCORE for the first time in my university and at the same time preparing a solid ground for the coming exchange seasons locally along with a whole team of motivated members. I really enjoyed this challenge as well as all discoveries and achievements it brought to my journey especially after having the opportunity to participate in my first IFMSA meeting: the EMR 8 held in Jordan in January 2012. Indeed, it was a big turning point and a real advantage for me to partake in this EMR exchange sessions conducted by the SCORE-D at that time: it was when I absolutely fell in love with the IFMSA spirit through its Standing Committee on Research Exchange as well as its great people and this feeling has been lasting since then. The second turning point in my journey was the year after, when I was elected as the NORE of Associa-Med Tunisia for the term 2012-2013 after attending all the different national meetings and general assemblies, introducing many new research projects as well as coordinating national exchange SWGs as a LORE. This new challenge of being the NORE was even more enjoyable to undertake especially that it gave me a greater overview on the IFMSA’s work internationally while carrying on the work done locally and nationally during the previous terms. Indeed, I worked hard on achieving the core mission of our national exchange team which was to better the quality of our exchange program for both incomings and outgoings especially when it comes to SCORE while focusing on two major points internally: Academic Quality & Capacity Building. In the meantime, I had the chance of furthering my SCORE knowledge internationally starting from the coordination of the SWG on SCORE Documents and Manuals as well as the active participation in the SWG on SCORE Bylaws which both resulted in fruitful outcomes during the last AM after being launched by Ivana the previous SCORE-D in December 2012 in order to revise, update and make accessible to all NOREs the different basic SCORE materials. It is thanks to these SWGs that I got closer to the different NOREs across the world and also had the privilege to attend different Skype Meetings of the previous SCORE IT which both enabled me along with my active participations in the EMR9 and the MM2013 to learn more, broaden my horizons and get more involved in a visionary flourishing teamwork that is till now charging me with motivation and enthusiasm making SCORE one of my biggest passions. That’s how, after two years of full dedication to SCORE, I was not only re-elected as the NORE of Associa-Med Tunisia for the term of 2013-2014 but also chosen for the position of Development Assistant on Academic Quality in order to pursue my vocation in ensuring high quality Research Exchange program worldwide. I actually succeeded in both missions while closely monitoring the local SCORE work within my NMO and actively participating in the work of the SCORE IT. Indeed, till March 2014, I enthusiastically took part of all of the IT Skype Meetings as well as the preparation of the SCORE sessions of the MM2014, not to mention facilitating workshops and delivering one of the joint sessions with SCORA as a Y-Peer Educator and an Old IFMSA Trainer. On the other hand, the main task I had the pleasure to undertake in the first mid-term was coordinating the SWG on the first SCORE Universal Logbook that was born one month before the MM2014 thanks to fully motivated members. As a matter of fact, as a NORE for two terms on a row, I had always made sure to implement the capacity building strategy which was based on mobilizing, training and especially motivating the different SCOREans within the same shared vision and mission. Such process needed continuous teambuilding and empowerment during the different national meetings and assemblies while focusing on sharing experiences, materials, ideas, advices or any other kind of support throughout the year among the different members of Associa-Med SCORE team both

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nationally between the different LCs and locally between the different active members. Such a method allowed them to improve their individual skills while working as one team on a higher goal. It is this exact same spirit that represents the biggest strength of our federation, which, in my mind, should be appreciated and fostered along the way. Therefore, if elected as the next SCORE D, I intend to implement this very same spirit within the SCORE family including the IT and the different NOREs while ensuring a regular and effective communication along with the two half-year reports and during the SCORE sessions of the IFMSA GAs for the next term. Indeed, other than during assemblies and meetings, we always should have the chance to share our materials, ideas and achievements via electronic methods so that everyone in the SCORE family stays well updated and interact with each other. That’s what I actually have witnessed after keeping in touch with many of those I had the chance to train especially during the last SRT of Turk-MSIC in Istanbul, April 2014. Now regarding the core mission of the position I am applying for, I think that the most efficient way to succeed in it is by both setting a visionary sustainable strategic plan assisted by the rest of the IT as well as by approaching the different NOREs closely while collecting their actual specific problems, previous obstacles, future challenges as well as their ideas for potential solutions when it comes to developing the standards of the Research Exchange program starting from its local base and going from the achievements that have been done so far. While involving the NOREs in this whole improvement process, it is of a major strategic importance to bring together all different inputs of both experienced SCOREans and new visionary ones in order to ensure an efficient sharing, discussion and thus implementation procedure. Besides, I believe that a professional efficient handover is crucial with both the previous SCORE-D and the next one in order to guarantee the sustainability of our work. To cut a long story short, I am full of motivation, highly dedicated and truly committed to continue serving my second family that is the IFMSA while implementing what I do best: making a difference in SCORE. Indeed, I would love to see the motor of our standing committee thumping without a break through the coming terms. Therefore, it would be a mere bliss for me to be working for the best of SCORE on a larger scale as its Director along with the other members of the TO, the SCORE IT and awesome NOREs and thus continue building brick by brick a very high standard successful Standing Committee on Research Exchange within the IFMSA for this year and the coming ones while exploring its potentials to the maximum. Thank you for taking into consideration my candidature. Shall you have any questions, feel free to contact me. Yours faithfully,

E-mail account: abdelmoula.balkiss@gmail.com

FB account: www.facebook.com/The.Queen.of.all.times Skype account: abdelmoula.balkiss

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Plan of Action As I strongly believe in the IFMSA spirit of team-work and the importance of the federation’s continuous development, this plan of action is just a draft that would be adjusted afterwards according to the needs of the SCORE family guided by its International Team as well as the joint vision of the elected Team of Officials, all along with the IFMSA Strategic Plan that will be adopted in this General Assembly.

Work on the SCORE Capacity Building: Support the activation of SCORE in the different IFMSA regions in collaboration with not just the SCORE

RAs and the concerned NMO presidents but also hand in hand with SCOPE, Design SCORE related specific training such as ‘LORE/NORE Handovers’ and ‘How to approach tutors?’

etc. to implement not just in GAs and RMs but especially locally within every SCORE active NMO and LC, Encourage NOREs and their teams to share the outcomes of their local trainings and events with other

SCORE active NMOs within the NORE and SCORE servers in order to help each other learn and grow, Along with the SCORE and SCOPE ITs, ensure the presence of Pre-GAs and Pre-RMs on Exchanges

whenever logistically and financially possible to help maximize the outcomes of the meeting main SCORE/SCOPE sessions and enhance the number of IFMSAnians ready to spread the gained expertise,

Promote the organization of SRTs in every region and provide the needed support to concerned NMOs while assisting along with the SCORE and SCOPE Its with their content preparations as well as follow ups.

Work on the Research Exchange Quality:

Close monitoring of the ongoing Research Exchanges within SCORE active NMOs: o Prevent the problem of LATE CAs from its roots while assisting the concerned NOREs by their RAs, o Come up with a more efficient and more accessible Universal Evaluation Form, o Solve communication problems between NOREs, o Ensure the implementation of the SCORE Bylaws,

Help NOREs in establishing the SCORE PreExchange Training (PET) in their NMOs in order to prepare their Outgoing students for a more beneficial Research Exchange experience both academically and culturally,

Collaborate with the SCORE-SB to ensure high quality Research Projects to Incomings in the different SCORE active NMOs while working on an updated guiding Manual to NOREs/LOREs that could help in this,

Follow up the implementation of the Universal SCORE Logbook in all SCORE active NMOs after its first term of use and evaluate its efficiency in order to come up with the necessary adjustments if needed,

Analyze the NORE reports to help adjust the work of the SCORE IT according to the needs of the SCORE active NMOs while creating out of these reports statistics that could be used for external representation,

Promote the use of the different SCORE documents on the official FB group and Yahoo servers so that to encourage the NOREs and their teams to learn raise the standards of their Research Exchange programs,

Increase the visibility & promotion of the SCORE program internally and externally not just via the ExPlore Pages and the SCOREview articles but also while exploring new creative ways with the SCORE IT.

Work on the University Recognition of Exchanges: In coordination with SCOPE:

Define through an international survey among SCORE/SCOPE active NMOs: o The current status of the University Recognition in every SCORE/SCOPE active NMO (evaluation) o The problems facing the local and national officers in obtaining this Recognition (weaknesses) o The methods used by NMOs/LCs who have succeeded in obtaining this Recognition (strengths)

Facilitate the University Recognition of the Exchange program while providing to the concerned NOREs: o Needed SCORE/SCOPE documents/official letters (already available or newly created) o Guidance and supervision in the process of approaching the university officials/professors while:

collaborating with the RAs in this process (based on regular communication) using methods inspired from other NMOs who have already succeeded in this task!

Design a specific training on this matter that may be delivered in the IFMSA meetings globally and locally.

Work on the SCORE Recognition by Externals: Assisting the LORMA in: Maintaining the already obtained recognition of the SCORE program by the current IFMSA partners,

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Seeking this very same recognition by the new potential externals both regionally and globally, Improving collaborations with externals when it comes to developing the SCORE program AQ:

o Following up and implementing the already existing agreements (signed or to be), o Organizing sessions, interventions or trainings (especially during the IFMSA GAs), o Receiving guidance and materials (that may be disseminated within the servers), o Reviewing the SCORE Universal Logbook by Professional Experts in order to develop it, o Establishing joint projects and new initiatives (e. Internships in research centers, pre-GA

workshops...) Avoiding the conflicts of interest with the IFMSA external partners and applying the existing policy

statements of the federation especially when it comes to the ethical conducts in research through disseminating the relevant PS and guidelines while updating the different NMOs on the servers about it.

Work on the Research Related Activities: In collaboration with the other standing committees as well as the project support division, evaluate previous IFMSA research related activities and explore new possible ones according to the TO Strategic Plan and IFMSA priorities for the coming term(s) while inviting SCOREans to get involved in these activities via the regular channels of communication:

IFMSA SWGs such as the one on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), Mental Health, … Projects such as the Research Workshop, STEP (explore new collaborations between NMOs)… Pre-GAs such as the Lancet Pre-GA on Research Methodologies…

Promote the Global Action Projects (GAP Projects) between the SCORE active NMOs and their students while guiding NOREs on how to establish GAP projects via close assistance and trainings and after updating the manual on GAP Projects by a potential SWG.

Work on the Regular Communication: Ensure regular internet availability to give quick responses to the different received e-mails and questions along with the needed Skype Meetings and reports as this is how regular communication can be proved among a team:

Within the IFMSA TO: Other than providing the needed reports and attending the different TOMs and OLMs, regular communication and collaboration with fellow TO members is crucial to ensure the harmony and sustainability of the federation short term and long term agenda especially on topics of shared interest (primarily the IFMSA Database, GAs…).

Within the SCORE IT:

Ensure all SCORE IT members have an adequate handover, participate in shaping the next term SCORE plan of

action, are updated about each others’ work, and are giving inputs to the different subjects the team is dealing

with, helping each other when it is needed, attending the team OLMs and providing their reports on times…

With the NOREs:

Ensure all NOREs are subscribed to the official NORE sever and are well informed about relevant deadlines, have

an adequate handover, have adequate assistance via their RAs and the rest of the IT, have access to all SCORE

related informations and give inputs to the discussed subjects on the servers along with their bi-annual reports.

Within the SCORE family:

Ensure all SCOREans are well updated about relevant SCORE related opportunities, important IFMSA events as

well as what the SCORE IT is preparing for them via a monthly shared IT report on the SCORE servers and the

official SCORE FB group. Not to forget encouraging interactivity on the servers via monthly discussed subjects.

Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it. -Buddha-

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Curriculum Vitae Personal informations:

Date of Birth: 21-05-1991

Place of Birth: Sfax -Tunisia

Phone: 00216 21 44 42 40

Address: N°303, Ain Palace, Liberty Street, 3003 Sfax, Tunisia

E-mail: abdelmoula.balkiss@gmail.com

Educational background:

2010-2014: Sfax University, Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, Tunisia (4th year medical student)

2012: Informatics (IT) and Internet Certificate: C2i – by the Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, Tunisia

2011: Social Entrepreneurship SUSI program for student Leaders - Connecticut University, USA

2010: Baccalaureate degree (Very Good19, 03 /20 pass mark) - Sfax Pioneer Highschool, Tunisia

Positions/Titles:

October 2011 - September 2012: Local Officer on Research Exchange (LORE) of Associa-Med Tunisia

October 2012 - present: National Officer on Research Exchange (NORE) of Associa-Med Tunisia

October 2013 – March 2014: SCORE Development Assistant on Academic Quality (SCORE DA on AQ)

January 2013 – present: Certified IFMSA Old Trainer (TOT in November 2013)

February 2013 – present: Certified Y-PEER Educator

Attended conferences:

March 2014: 63d General Assembly of the IFMSA (March Meeting 2014) – Hammamet, Tunisia

November 2013: The BuKo meeting of the German Medical Students’ Association – Aachen, Germany

March 2013: 61st General Assembly of the IFMSA (March Meeting 2013) – Baltimore/ D.C, USA

January 2013: 9th Eastern Mediterranean Region Conference (EMR9) of IFMSA – Sousse, Tunisia

April 2012: 4th Forum of Medical Research – by ADREMED NGO, Sfax Faculty of Medicine, Tunisia

January 2012: 8th Eastern Mediterranean Region Conference (EMR8) of IFMSA – Amman, Jordan

2012-2014: All National Meetings and General Assemblies of Associa-Med Tunisia since 2012

Extracurricular trainings:

•2012 (January) – 8th Eastern Mediterranean Region Conference (EMR8) of IFMSA – Amman, Jordan:

Marketing & Publicity training

SCOPE/SCORE Exchange sessions

•2012 (September) – Young Arab Voices: Debating training – Delivered by the British Council, Tunisia

• 2012 (August) – Healthcare Leadership Summer School (HLSS) – by Zero Generation, the Netherlands

• 2012/2013 – Associa-Med Tunisia trainings – Delivered by IFMSA trainers:

Communication Skills

Fundraising & Sponsoring

External Representation

Project Management

Advocacy Skills

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•2013 (January) –9th Eastern Mediterranean Region Conference (EMR9) of IFMSA – Sousse, Tunisia:

PreEM9, Training New Trainers (TNT)

Emotional Intelligence training

SCOPE/SCORE Exchange sessions

•2013 (March) – 61st General Assembly of the IFMSA (March Meeting 2013) – Baltimore/ D.C, USA:

Research Exchange (SCORE) sessions

Intercultural Learning training

•2013 (November) –National General Assembly of bvmd (German Medical Students’ Association)

Training Old Trainers (TOT)

•2013 (March) – 63d General Assembly of the IFMSA (March Meeting 2014) – Hammamet, Tunisia:

Research Exchange (SCORE) sessions

Delivered trainings/sessions:

Team Building (On a regional level during EMR9-Sousse-Tunisia, January 2013)

Fundraising & Sponsoring (On a local level, LC Sfax VPE team -Tunisia, February 2013)

Creative Writing (On an international level, during the IFMSA MM-USA, March 2013)

Advocacy & Lobbying (On a national level, during NGA-Associa-Med Tunisia, April 2013)

Pre-Departure Training (On a local level, Sfax-Associa-Med Tunisia, June 2013)

• Pre-Exchange Training (On a national level, Associa-Med-Tunisia, September 2013)

Intercultural Learning

Conflict Management

• An invited trainer to the 1st LSMA Training Camp (Organized by the LMSA Libya, September 2013):

Presentation Skills

Leadership Skills

Communication Skills

Research Exchange Introductory session

• As a NORE in National Meetings and General Assemblies of Associa-Med Tunisia:

Research Exchange Sessions Facilitation

• As an Old Trainer in the National General Assembly of bvmd (German Medical Students’ Association):

How to be Assertive Training

• During the 63d General Assembly of the IFMSA (March Meeting 2014) – Hammamet, Tunisia:

Leadership Skills (as an IFMSA Old trainer)

Research Exchange Workshop on ‘How to approach Tutors’ (as SCORE Development Assistant on

Academic Quality)

Joint SCORE-SCOPE-SCORA session on Pre-Exchange Peer Education (as a Y-Peer Educator)

• During the Turk-MSIC Sub-Regional Training (April 2014) – Istanbul, Turkey:

Leadership Skills

Conflict Management

Intercultural Learning

Academic Quality Training

Other relevant activities:

• Simulation of the WHO assembly –by Tunisian United Nation Models (March 2012): USA Delegate

• Registration coordinator (OC) – of the first National General Assembly of Associa-Med (April 2012)

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• Participating in Public Health Projects:

The week of Oral Hygiene in Schools: Awareness campaign about oral hygiene for children

Ping Pong, a Game for life: National campaign and competition for collecting blood bags

Diabetes & High Blood Pressure free screening campaigns in public areas

Breast Cancer awareness & free screening campaign during the Pink October

• Organizing the first National Pre-Exchange Training (SCORE PET) for Tunisian Medical Research Outgoings

Awarded the 2nd place of IMFSA Projects Presentation during the EMR9 (January 3013).

Languages: Arabic (native), English (excellent), French (excellent) and Spanish (basic)

Personal Interests: Painting, Playing Guitar, Reading and writing in French, English and Arabic

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