Australian Medical Students' Association (AMSA)

The top news can be found just below this line (coloured titles). If you want to find out more about AMSA instead, click here.

Hey guys,

So...you may have heard of AMSA's GHC & National Convention. But what more does AMSA have on offer?? Well, have a look at the links below and find out!

AMSA does Movember

Here's how to get amongst it:

For MedSoc teams, click here and firstly create your own team and then in the networks section simply search for our network and join it. It's called the "Australian Medical Students' Association (AMSA) Movember Challenge". To set up a MedSoc team, one person will need to initially register as the Team Captain and come up with the team name. Subsequent team members when they register simply select to join an existing team and type in the name of their MedSoc team when prompted. Also, joining the AMSA network doesn't prohibit you from joining other networks so if there's an on-campus rivalry (with, say, the engineering students) you can still battle it out on that front too.

For individual medical students not part of a MedSoc team, please join us on the AMSA team. When you register, ask to join an existing team and when prompted enter our team's name: "Australian Medical Students' Association".

IFMSA March Meeting 2012 - Applications now OPEN!

For all the info about the aplication process for the IFMSA March Meeting in Ghana, click here!

AMSA National Convention Bids - 2013 - an update (31 August 2011)

Many of you have been asking for an update, which I can finally provide.

As a little background, currently, National Convention is scheduled to be held in a regional centre in 2013. Regional bids were accepted by the AMSA Board and were discussed at their face-to-face meeting on August 28.

A few decisions were made at this meeting. These are as follows, that:

• the Regional Bid Application Process will be re-opened (in accordance with the official notice of such, available here)
• Convenor Applications be made in the format set out by the AMSA Convenor Application Guidelines (available here)
• in the unlikely situation that there is no suitable Regional Bid, National Convention 2013 will be hosted in Adelaide
• a decsion regarding a Regional Convention will be made at the next AMSA Board Face-toFace meeting, to be held across the AMSA Third Council Weekend (October 8-10)

This decision was not taken lightly by the Board, and was made with the best interests of medical students and the future of National Convention in mind. I acknowledge that this is frustrating for those of you looking to get involved in the AMSS with the upcoming AGM, however, unfortunately there is nothing we can do to speed up this process. I apologise if this makes your nominations difficult, however, I would hope that you would be looking to get involved in the AMSS regardless of when Convention visits our fine state.

I have also been asked to clarify the process of election of a Convention team. This occurs in the following manner (further detailed in the AMSA Regulations and By-Laws available at http://amsa.org.au/content/documents - you must be logged into the site to view the documents):

• applications made for the position of Convention Convenor by individuals to the AMSA Board
• applications considered by the AMSA Board + panel
• phone interview with each applicant + discussions with referees/local MedSoc etc
• successful candidate appointed by the Board
• appointed Convenor chooses their team - this can be done in whichever way that the individual chooses from shoulder-tapping to a totally democratic process; plans of approach are worthwhile considering prior to application, as they will be considered by the Board
• Convenor-elect presents team for ratification at next Council
• plans get underway!

I hope that this clarifies a few things for you, and sorry again that it makes nominations tricky. If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch (daina.rudaks@student.adelaide.edu.au).

National Blood Drive: Vampire Cup

Donated? Register your donation before September 6 at Club Red.AMSA National Teaching and Student Awards - Prof Peter Devitt and Dr Chris Wong!

Congratulations to Prof Peter Devitt and Dr Chris Wong on winning the 2011 AMSA National Awards. Click here for the media release for Prof Devitt. Click here for the media release for Chris.

Keeping Your Grass Greener - AMSA/NZMSA Wellbeing Guide

• Check it out today by clicking here.

Wellbeing

• In 2011, AMSA have created podcasts for you! Click here to listen to the Wellbeing episode narrated by Falk Reinholz today!
• Continuing on from the Student Fact Sheet created in 2010, the next installment is here..and you guessed it, wellbeing features! Have a read today!

AMSAtv

• Are you fit to practice? What does fitness to practice mean for students?? Watch AMSA's Vice-President External, Andrew Webster, eplain it to you!

Further Info

• I'm always around to answer your questions, so feel free to call/e-mail/stop me on the street, but if it's AMSA Exec or Convention Exec bids that you're interested in, then come along on August 4 at 6:15 in the EHB for an open Q&A session about what's involved!

Lime Connection Bursary Applications

Bursaries are available to Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Maori students wishing to attend the Lime Connection Conferenve in New Zealand. Click here to find out more.

Volunteering opportunities - Linkz

Check out more info on the AMSA website by clicking here.

The Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) is the peak representative body for medical students in Australia. The key mandate of AMSA is to connect, inform and represent Australia’s 15,000 medical students. Each of the 19 medical schools in Australia elects a representative to sit on AMSA Council, which is the key decision-making body of the Association. AMSA’s core operations aimed at realising its mandate include:

Advocacy – AMSA advocates for medical students through policy development, advocacy campaigns and representation to governments, universities and relevant medical and medicopolitical bodies. AMSA has a strong grass-roots approach to policy development whereby AMSA Subcommittees at medical schools throughout the country are chaired by local AMSA Representatives and produce and review policy and initiatives.

Events, programs and projects – Medical students from across the country are able to connect with peers by participating in AMSA’s renowned educational, social and leadership events and programs. Further, AMSA runs projects across several different areas including those designed to improve medical student health and wellbeing and others for community participation.

Global and rural health – Global health, rural health and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health are important focus areas for AMSA and its members. AMSA provides specific opportunities for medical students to become actively involved in these areas while still studying, for example through AMSA’s popular Global Health Network.

Publications - AMSA produces many publications which are distributed in electronically and in hardcopy. These publications form a key conduit by which AMSA connects and informs Australian medical students.

MORE INFORMATION

Contact your local AMSA Senior (Daina Rudaks) or Junior Representative (Aakriti Gupta) for more information about how to get involved locally and look out for Team Representation meetings.

Subscribe to AMSA publications and announcements to receive monthly updates from your national body by visiting the AMSA website at www.amsa.org.au

Visit the AMSA National Convention website at http://convention2011.amsa.org.au/

Visit the AMSA Global Health Conference website at http://ghc2011.amsa.org.au/

Training New Trainers - Applications open NOW! Click here for more information.