UMMSS set for changes

“So what do you do in your spare time in Australia?”
“Ummm, I dunno… eat, sleep, bum. I watch a lot of TV and do a heap of Medsoc stuff. And oh, I learn Chinese. But I do a lot of all that med student stuff. I’ve got a lot of MedSoc Love… MSL.”

MSL I thought to myself. I like that one.

I’m in Madang in Papua New Guinea and I’m chatting to one of the other doctors in the emergency department. After one month of speaking Pidgin, my English has gone downhill but that innate ability of a med student to come up with three letter acronyms (TLA) is still present.

My elective in Madang was an absolutely fantastic experience and I was able to consolidate my clinical skills with the beach just metres away to cool down when required. However, my thoughts often went back to UMMSS, wondering how the rest of the team in Melbourne were going and our plans for 2009.

In 2009, UMMSS is restructuring to ensure our sustainability as we transition to the new Melbourne Model postgraduate medical course.

We will integrate our clinical school medical student societies into UMMSS and have students from all year levels on the Committee rather than just pre-clinical students—as it traditionally has been over the years. Over the coming years there will be a transition in the committee from the old to the new course with the full restructure implemented by 2014.

The restructure has given UMMSS the opportunity to identify its strengths and weaknesses in its committee structure as well as review its core activities, aims and ensure that it remains relevant and valuable to its current members. The responses from the UMMSS membership survey conducted at the end of 2008 will assist UMMSS in planning future activities.

Representation will be a primary focus for UMMSS in 2009. Representation of all our students whether they are local, interstate or international students or undergraduate or graduate students, has always been core business for UMMSS.

Our education officer aims to promote UMMSS as an avenue for feedback since UMMSS is the official medical student representative body on faculty education committees.

We again will work with the Australian Medical Students’ Association, the Medical Student Council of Victoria, AMA Victoria and other organisations to increase awareness of medical student issues at the local, state and national level.

The increasing medical student numbers will affect the future of medical education, job opportunities and the health workforce.

UMMSS also aims to seriously explore issues facing international medical students so we can advocate for these members.

Our educational programs officer is planning a monthly lecture series as well as continuing to provide relevant education programs such as careers nights for all our students. UMMSS also would like to educate its members in a variety of other relevant domains including volunteering opportunities for medical students and doctors, general health and well-being and basic finance.

The introduction of a membership officer aims to provide a member benefits program for the UMMSS membership including discounts at local businesses and a mentoring program.

The IFMSA local exchange officer joins the UMMSS committee in 2009 and we hope that we can promote exciting exchange opportunities to our students. Publications will continue and we hope that the UMMSS website (www.ummss.org.au) will be a valuable source of information next year.

There are many traditional social and charity events on the UMMSS calendar.

UMMSS will attempt to cater for the needs of all students while ensuring that these are affordable. A Medball, trivia night, barbecues, coffee nights, pleasant Friday afternoons (PFAs) and a sports day, are all on the calendar in 2009.

Collaboration with the Deakin and Monash University medical societies as well as other University of Melbourne student groups like dentistry and biomedicine will network students and add even more events to the calendar.

With feedback from the UMMSS membership survey and ideas from the UMMSS committee and membership, the new ideas and enthusiasm for UMMSS in 2009 and into the future is hard to contain. Everyone has different perspective on activities, what can be done and where we can improve.

It is this constant yet dynamic process, the fresh ideas and excitement, the ability to find people so passionate about issues, ideas and activities that fill me with so much MSL. Surrounded by such bubbly energy, great friends and vision—it is a unique atmosphere I feel with medical society and other voluntary membership organisations.

UMMSS has an incredibly diverse and optimistic membership and it a pleasure for the UMMSS committee to serve its membership in 2009.

From the other side of things, members are lucky to have a committee who are so optimistic, talented and dedicated. It is an absolute privilege for me to work with such a wonderful group of people and I am sure my MSL will only grow this year.

The 2009 UMMSS committee is enthusiastic about contributing to the positive experience of being a University of Melbourne medical student. We look forward to an exciting year ahead!

Christine Mandrawa
UMMSS President 2009
president@ummss.org.au
0421 462 165
www.ummss.org.au