AMSA Global Health Newsletter 🌏 May 2024

June 10, 2024

Welcome to the May edition of the AMSA Global Health monthly newsletter!

We're very excited to share the (belated) May edition of the AMSA Global Health newsletter, designed specifically for you. As medical students, we have the unique potential to shape a more equitable and healthy world. This newsletter will equip you with the latest updates, resources, events and opportunities in global health. Whether you're passionate about a specific cause or just starting to explore this field, we'll help you translate your ambition into action.

As we are still growing our newsletter after its resurrection, please send this on to anyone you think may be interested, and to your medical student cohort at large. AMSA Global Health wants YOU to be part of our network! Subscribe to stay up to date with us and access exclusive global health content, tailored to the Australian medical student.

You can also follow us on social media for more (info, events, memes, resources, et al) - we’re @AMSA Global Health everywhere, or you can click here for direct links.

Global Health adventures 🌟

Here’s what we’ve been up to in May:

Gaza Advocacy Action Toolbox

Advocacy Action Toolbox - Palestine.pdf437.25 KB • PDF File

  • Given the scale of the current crisis in Palestine, it can be understandably overwhelming to know how to help and where to begin. AMSA Global Health is committed to educating on and taking action for threats to global health. As such, we are addressing this crisis due to its devastating impacts on health and wellbeing. This document, collated by our Reactive Advocacy team, reflects our ethical and moral responsibility to take a stand.

  • This document has been endorsed by the Medical Association for Prevention of War (MAPW).

  • If you have trouble accessing the toolbox via the attachment, it’s also accessible via our official linktree here: https://tr.ee/3HSUibsT58

AMSA Global Health at the Australian Surgical Students Conference in May

Even though it was a surgical focused conference, there was so much global health knowledge to be gained. The theme for the conference was "beyond the blade", emphasising experiences beyond just working as a surgeon. One speaker that really stood out was Dr Bryony Simcock, whose experiences in leading a surgical team in Fiji gave her the inspiration to go and learn more skills around the world, wherever it may be - something she suggested that we as medical students should all do if we can.

Jerry Ji, AMSA Global Health Communications Officer

We started a TikTok (yes, finally)

What’s on 📣

RECRUITMENT:

We are currently recruiting a midyear Global Health Secretary and Communications Officer to join our team!

ADVOCACY ALERT:

  • AMSA Sexual and Reproductive Health and Gender Equity is preparing a submission for the Victorian Senate Inquiry into Women’s pain.This inquiry stems from a 2023 survey conducted by the Victorian State Government, revealing significant differences in pain experiences between women and men. Its aim is to formulate recommendations that will enhance care models and service delivery for Victorian girls and women grappling with pain in the future. As part of our submission, we are keen to delve into medical students’ experiences of teaching and understanding regarding the gender pain gap and their confidence pertaining to the topic.We would be immensely grateful if you could complete the following survey and also share it with your fellow med friends: https://unsw.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9B1V6sbvHBErbNk 

  • CLOSING TONIGHT, MONDAY 10TH JUNE!

SAVE THE DATE: AMSA’s annual Global Health Conference ‘Inception’ is only a few months away!

Global Health Conference — AMSA’s biggest global health event of the year — is rapidly approaching and YOU need to be ready.

Imagine inspiring academic sessions, hands-on breakout activities and superb social nights, which you learn from and enjoy with the most awesome group of people from all around AMSA and all around Australia.

It’s your Global Health Group scaled up to 4 jam-packed days days and 400 delegates!

Our theme this year is Inception, which means the establishment or starting point. As explored in Christopher Nolan‘s famous film, it’s all about navigating layers of complexity in systems that are difficult but not impossible to change.

Ticket sales are OPEN NOW - get yours at https://www.ghc.amsa.org.au/registration and join us September 20-23 for Inception.  

Oliver Kleinig, GHC Convenor 2024

OPPORTUNITY: Publish in our peer-reviewed journal!

Submissions are open for AMSA’s Journal of Global Health. You can find more information and submit your article online at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScNMg3I0StCcAMaWzlbacV7TyRdCL2TTj59bKK2sBTK6hscyw/viewform

If you have any questions, please reach out to Avriel Das, AJGH Editor-in-Chief at [email protected].

OPPORTUNITY: AMSA Healthy Communities 💡 

We're looking for student speakers to present at the Beyond the Clinic series, AMSA's Global Health Journal Club.

You can present any public health related research - this can be research you're involved with, or just a cool topic you've come across!

Signing up as a presenter gives you the opportunity to gain valuable experience in presenting and discussing research - in front of your peers and an academic expert! We also provide a certificate for your CV.

Check out the EOI form for more info: https://forms.gle/X4pYoCQcyJ8zJfi98

Pranay Gulati and Meredyth Lee, AMSA Healthy Communities National Coordinators

  • A cheeky reminder that only AMSA members can attend AMSA events (such as GHC)! If you haven’t officially joined yet, click here to sign up 🧡

External opportunities 🪐 

Passionate about in climate and health? Looking to expand your interests beyond AMSA Code Green?

Upcoming conferences:

Got something you’d like us to share or promote in our newsletter? Reach out to us via [email protected] 📩

Book of the month 📖

Our Education Officer, Julia, runs monthly book club exploring key takeaways from relevant global health books. The best part? You don’t even have to read the books to participate (though you’re most welcome to), because Julia will read them for you and then give you the lowdown. Effortless learning? Insightful and engaging discussions? We love to see it.

This month, she’s reading ‘I Found Myself In Palestine’, a compilation of stories contributed from people around the world and edited by Nora Lester Murad. Each vignette describes the way in which their time in Palestine shaped their lives, shedding light on the community and culture.

If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, head to our instagram ➡️ you can join our book club group chat on Instagram to get in on the discussion!

What in the world? 🌏

  • Want to learn more about global health? Check out Harvard University’s free online global health courses! More info here.

  • How many children did not die thanks to progress in global health Thanks to improvements in global health, more than 100 million children have been saved since 1990! Read more here.

  • The Australian Global Health Alliance (AHGA) is Australia’s peak body for global health organisations. They are working for a strong, equitable and sustainable global health ecosystem, and driving change through national and global connections, partnerships, research and innovation, promoting best practices in global health, and advocacy.

  • Inside the Global Burden of Disease Study: IHME Director Christopher Murray recounts the study's role in shaping global policy and how collaborators overcame COVID. Read more here.

  • Why does everyone assume medical students are from rich families The Australian Medical Students' Association says some students are forced to skip meals or GP appointments to survive financially. Read more from the Australian Doctor here.

  • WHO Results Report 2023 shows notable health achievements and calls for concerted drive toward Sustainable Development Goals. Read more here.

  • Three of the biggest global health funders have joined forces for the first time in a $300 million partnership aimed at tackling the linked impacts of climate change, malnutrition, and infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance. Read more here.

  • Medical students’ placement poverty remains unaddressed in the federal budget. Read more from AMSA here and the ABC here. You can also sign the petition to include medical students in paid placements here!

  • Some old school AMSA Global Health: A few years ago, in collaboration with AMSA MedEd, we developed AMSA Academy online modules on various global health issues. These modules involve a variety of topics such as climate change, tropical medicine, and refugee and asylum seekers. Our aim is to encourage medical students to critically think about and engage with the complexities of health on a global scale. Check them out here: AMSA Global Health online modules at AMSA Academy

That’s a wrap for May! Thank you for reading our newsletter - we hope it’s been helpful!

Don’t forget to follow us on social media - as well as the newsletter, this is one of the best ways to stay up to date with us and with other global health happenings both in Australia and around the world.

Got any questions, comments, submissions or ideas for the newsletter? We’re always happy to hear from you - please email [email protected] or [email protected] any time. We can also be reached via our social media (@AMSAGlobalHealth everywhere).

Want more info about AMSA Global Health? We’ve got you: click here 💛

Best wishes until next month!

The AMSA Global Health team 🌏