What is the IFMSA?
The
International Federation of Medical Student Associations is the
official international forum for international medical students
as recognized by the WHO. It exists to serve medical students all
over the world through its member organization and to promote
international cooperation. The IFMSA aims…
To act as a mechanism for medical students' professional exchange and projects
To be a forum for medical students throughout the world to discuss topics related to health, education and medicine, to formulate policies from such discussions and to carry out appropriate activities
To promote humanitarian ideals and medical ethics among medical students
To be a body through which cooperation and contacts with other international organizations are established (To act as a mechanism for organizations to raise funds for projects recognized by IFMSA
It is officially recognized by the United Nations, the World Health Organization. It has student chapters from all continents with over 50 countries are represented.
The activities of the IFMSA are coordinated by 7 Standing Committees and several Project Groups including the Standing Committee on Professional Exchange (SCOPE), on research (SCORE), on Refugees and Peace (SCORP), on Public Health (SCOPH), on Reproductive Health and AIDS (SCORA), on Disasters and Emergencies (SCODE) and on Medical Education (SCOME). All of these subcommittees have various projects that allow medical students to participate in international medical exchange as well as gaining personal experience in international health issues. An explanation of the committees is listed at the end of this page.
What is the USA-IHP?
The USA-International Health Project was founded in March 1992
and is the agency of US membership in the IFMSA. It is a
coalition whose members have included AMSA, the AMA, and SOMA,
but membership is open to any national US medical student
association. Members share the fee, vote equally, and rotate
offices every January at the USA-IHP National Convention.
The best way to find out more about this organization and its subcommittees is to go directly to their two sites:
www.usa-ihp.org: This site has more information about the organization itself.
www.ifmsa.org: This site has more information about the current ongoing projects.
IFMSA/IFMSA-USA Organizational Chart-Standing Committees
1. SCOPE
The Standing Committee on Professional Exchange coordinates the international exchange program arranging clerkship opportunities for over 4,000 students every year. In general the exchanges are bilateral, offer free room and board, a social program, and are one month in duration. English is the only required language and first through fourth years are eligible, since there are pre-clinical and clinical electives available abroad. Because the exchanges are bilateral (you host an international student for every one you send), only students from participating universities are eligible. In addition, since the exchange program requires cooperation of the Dean and faculty, all medical students attending the university are eligible.
2. SCORE
The Standing Committee on Research Exchange split off SCOPE and is identical to it in most respects with some notable exceptions. SCORE has their own application, duration is from 1 to 6 months, and the subjects studied are highly specialized and include research. The same considerations discussed above under SCOPE apply here.
3. SCORP
The Standing Committee on Refugees and Peace attempts to relieve and prevent the medical repercussions of war by advocating disarmament, promoting tolerance, and enhancing the building of peace after a conflict. SCORP is especially focusing on achieving a ban on landmines, the prevention of nuclear war and the problems and needs of people living in refugee camps around the world. International medical students are given the opportunity to be involved in refugee camps in Uganda, Burma and Sudan. Students work along side physicians in camps, administering basic health care, vaccinations, health education, etc. Students with clinical experience are preferred. SCORP aims to create a permanent clinic in some of these camps. Workshops are organized, a land-mine exhibition is on a world tour and SCORP has discussed the possibility of trust building student exchanges between countries in a tense political situation, such as in Sudan. In addition students are encouraged to get involved in the project proposals, planning, intersectoral work, medicine and equipment drives, fund raising, etc.
4. SCOPH
The major program of the Standing Committee on Public Health is the coordination of the Village Projects. The Village Projects are student run clinics in the developing world with an international staff and financial base in cooperation with local faculties and intersectoral organizations. Current Village Projects are in Sudan and Zimbabwe. We encourage students to form a Local Project Group associated with one of the Village Projects. Students can be involved in all levels from proposals, to epidemiological studies and needs assessment, to intersectoral collaboration, site visits, fund raising, and clinical experience.
5. SCOME
The Standing Committee on Medical Education is a forum for discussions on different method of teaching and learning medicine. Currently SCOME has established an international databank of medical school curricula. It is available on computer disk to interested students. They are extending their research with an extensive survey of international curricula whose results are not in yet. Any students interested in this project should contact the IFMSA-USA National Officer of Medical Education. Every year a medical students workshop on the future of medical education is held. Current projects are the Medical Education Evaluation, the Book Aid to supply eastern European medical libraries, the Electives in Medical Education to enable students to experience new approaches to medical education, public health in medical education, and the need for student support in medical education.
6. SCORA
The Standing Committee on Reproductive Health and AIDS shares information about AIDS education programs and AIDS conferences with the aim of establishing long-lasting AIDS education programs in all IFMSA member countries. SCORA, through educational campaigns, increases the awareness of both medical students and the general population of all problems concerning AIDS and reproductive health. SCORA seeks to prevent the spread of the diseases, and to deal with the medical and social aspects of the diseases and infected people. Examples of international projects is the annual IFMSA World AIDS Day Event, the annual International Summer School STOP AIDS, the Workshop on AIDS Prevention and Cultural Issues, the SCORAS manual for newcomers, the SCORAS electives and the medical education survey on education, knowledge and attitudes towards AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases.
7. SCODE
The Standing Committee On Disaster and Emergency was established at the 1999-2000 IFMSA-USA meeting. A Training Program For Medical Students On Disaster Preparedness was held in late March 2000 in Istanbul, Turkey. 9 international students from disaster prone areas around the world were funded (travel, meeting, and room and board for the 5 day meeting) to attend this training session. The program was sponsored by TurkMSIC (Turkish Medical Students’ International Committee). Three of the 5 at large international spots were filled by UIC medical students.
Each Standing Committee is ideally represented locally and nationally and a Standing Committee Director takes care of the overall management of the Standing Committee.