Swiss Medical Students’ Association
Verband Schweizer Medizinstudierende Association Suisse des Etudiants en Médecine Associazione degli Studenti di Medicina Svizzeri | |
Abbreviation | swimsa |
---|---|
Motto | Have you Med me? |
Formation | 1917 |
Type | |
Purpose | Representation of all Swiss medical students on a local, national, and international level |
Headquarters | Bern |
Location | |
Membership | 7000+ medical students |
Official language | German, French, English |
President | Federico Mazzola |
Secretary General | wanted |
Internal Affairs | Mirjam Nussbaumer |
External Affairs | Nadine Schönenberger |
Main organ | Delegate Assembly |
Affiliations | |
Website | http://www.swimsa.ch |
The Swiss Medical Students’ Association (swimsa) is an independent association represeting all medical students in Switzerland. It was founded in 1917, and currently maintains 17 member organisations, 6 of which are medical faculties and 11 are public health and awareness organisations/projects. All medical students of Basel, Bern, Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne and Zurich are represented on a national and international level.
History
1917 the medical faculties of Switzerland were united to the Association of Swiss Clinicians "Verband der Schweizer Klinkerschaften" (VDSK).
In 1951 the IFMSA (International Federation of Medical Students' Associations) was founded by the VDSK and associations of six other countries in Copenhagen, Denmark.[1][2] From then on the IFMSA has been representing the interests of medical students on an international level. Later on the VDSK underwent a reform to become the Association of Swiss Medical Students (Verband der Schweizer Medizinstudenten) VSM, from which the organization IFMSA Switzerland had split, concentrating solely on professional clinical exchange for medical students.
In 2006 the VMS and IFMSA approached each other and decided to create a joined venture under the name swimsa - Swiss Medical Students’ Association. Nonetheless IFMSA-Switzerland mutated to swimsa Exchanges and remained a legally independent organization, still taking care of international exchanges. Further founding members of swimsa were the medical student organizations "Achtung Liebe", promoting sexual health and education, and "Gruhu", enabling medical students to volunteer for clinical electives in third world countries.
In 2014 the organization swimsa Exchanges was dissolved and formally integrated into swimsa.
Member Organisations
The student councils of the medical faculties of Basel, Berne, Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne and Zurich are recognized as members of swimsa with voting rights at the national delegate assembly, which takes place twice a year. Other medical student organizations, also known as swimsa projects, are represented as members with voting rights as well. Currently there are ten such organizations/projects. Usually the organization/projects have their own constitutions and are as such de jure independent from swimsa.
Medical Faculty | Full Name | University | Number of Students |
---|---|---|---|
FVMed | Fachverein Medizin | Zurich | 1800 |
AEMG | Association des Etudiants en Médecine de Genève | Geneva | 1400 |
AEML | Association des Etudiants en Médecine de Lausanne | Lausanne | 1600 |
FaMed | Fachschaft Medizin | Fribourg | 300 |
FaMBa | Fachschaft Medizin Basel | Basel | 900 |
FSMB | Fachschaft der Medizin Universität Bern | Bern | 1300 |
Organisation | Locations | Purpose |
---|---|---|
Achtung Liebe | Basel, Berne, Zurich | Sexual and Reproductive Health incl. HIV/AIDS Awareness & Peer-Education |
Marrow Switzerland | Basel, Berne, Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich | Blood Stem Cell Awareness, Information & Registration |
gruhu | Zurich | Humanitarian Interships in 3rd World Countries |
Amitié Hispaniola | Zurich | Fundraising for the Justinian University Hospital in Haiti & other projects |
Doctors and Death | Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne | |
Teddybear Hospital | Basel, Berne, Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich | Example |
M.E.T.I.S. | Lausanne | Public Health Projects and Social Awareness in and around Lausanne and in Tansania |
ASC Action Santé Communautaire | Geneva | Public Health Projects and Social Awareness in and around Geneva |
UAEM University Allied for Essential Medecine | Basel, Berne, Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne | Example |
Medstache | Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne | Movember, Men's Health Awareness & Fundraising |
Aufklärung gegen Tabak | Bern |
Activities
Swimsa is the official representation of Swiss dental and medical students and has seats in various commissions, such as the Commission of Swiss Medical Daculties SMIFK (Schweizerische medizinische Interfakultätskommission) or the Ministry of Health BAG (Bundesamt für Gesundheit). In addition the swimsa organizes international exchanges and takes part at the activities of the IFMSA. The association collaborates with various projects and organizations on the topics of public health, medical education, sexual and reproductive health including HIV/AIDS and human rights. The SMSC – Swiss Medical Students` Convention- takes place twice a year and enables students throughout Switzerland to meet and exchange experiences and ideas. Furthermore once a year a trainings weekend is organized.
Awards
swimsa honors medical students with the "U ROCK swimsa Award" and the organizations with the "Projects Award".
The "U ROCK swimsa Award" is presented twice a year during the SMSC (usually April and November) to people who have shown excellent commitment and endurance. The candidates are chosen by the executive board to be voted on by the national delegate assembly. The following list shows the recipients since its introduction:
- 2008
- Karin Helsing
- David Eisner
- 2009
- Carla Gürtler
- Patrizia Kündig
- 2010
- Gaby Moser
- Sergej Staubli
- 2011
- Nicola Rüegsegger
- Alexandra Leuenberger
- 2012
- Samuel Zweifel
- Roland Fischer
- 2013
- Alexandre Moser
- Rainer Tan
- Samuel Heiniger
- 2014
- Clara Sailer
- Anna Wang | Zurich
- 2015
- Andrea Mauracher | Zurich
- Noémie Boss | Berne
- Mirjam Ryter | Basel
- 2016
- Eleonora Frau | Fribourg
The "swimsa project award" is the equivalent award for outstanding work of a project/organization and is presented annually at a SMSC after being elected by a representative jury.
See also
- American Medical Student Association (AMSA-USA)
- Australian Medical Students' Association (AMSA-AUS)
- Turkish Medical Students' International Committee (TurkMSIC)
- New Zealand Medical Students' Association (NZMSA)
- International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA)
References
External links
- Official website in French and German Swiss Medical Students` Association