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The International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA) is an independent, non-governmental and non-political federation of medical students' associations throughout the world. As of March 2007 IFMSA has grown to 102 members, National Member Organizations from around 100 countries on six continents and represented more than 1 million medical students worldwide.
The IFMSA was founded in May 1951 and is run for and by medical students on a non-profit basis. It is officially recognized as a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) within the United Nations' and recognized by the World Health Organization as the International Forum for medical students. It exists to serve medical students all over the world. IFMSA was established in the Netherlands as a charity organization.
Mission of IFMSA states: "Our mission is to offer future physicians a comprehensive introduction to global health issues. Through our programming and opportunities, we develop culturally sensitive students of medicine, intent on influencing the trans-national inequalities that shape the health of our planet."
Aims of IFMSA are :
- 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 amongst medical students.
- To act as a mechanism for medical students' professional and scientific exchange and projects.
- To be a body through which cooperation and contacts with other international organizations are established.
- To act as a mechanism for member organizations to raise funds for projects recognized by the IFMSA.
The goal of the Federation is to serve society and medical students all over the world through its member organizations by:
- Empowering medical students in using their knowledge and capacities for the benefit of society.
- Providing a forum for medical students throughout the world to discuss topics related to individual and community health, education and science and to formulate policies from such discussions.
- Promoting and facilitating professional and scientific exchanges as well as projects and extracurricular trainings for medical students, thereby sensitizing them to other cultures and societies and their health problems.
- Providing a link between members, medical students' associations and international organizations, and to encourage co-operation between them for the ultimate benefit of society.
All activities of the IFMSA are linked to one of the six following Standing Committees (SCs):
- Standing Committee on Medical Education (SCOME) is a forum for the debate of medical education. Experience and knowledge is exchanged to allow dissemination of the new educational methods.
- Standing Committee on Professional Exchange (SCOPE) co-ordinates the international exchange of medical students within foreign hospitals, providing opportunities to experience the health care system and culture of other countries.
- Standing Committee on Public Health (SCOPH) is a forum for public health projects. National and local activities include vaccination programs and sexual education.
- Standing Committee on Reproductive Health and AIDS (SCORA) strives to enhance and extend knowledge of family planning and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases to medical students. This knowledge is used in planning local information campaigns.
- Standing Committee on Research Exchange (SCORE) co-ordinates international research exchanges. Medical students are involved in research projects of 3-6 months duration.
- Standing Committee on Human Rights and Peace (SCORP) co-ordinates health care projects in refugee camps allowing medical students to aid, learn and experience the problems faced in areas of disaster. At the local level, public awareness is sought through the information campaigns focusing upon issues such as human rights and the problems faced by refugees.
The Standing Committees are represented internationally, nationally and locally, and focus on areas of permanent interest to the IFMSA.
To find out more about IFMSA please visit www.ifmsa.org
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