Americas' Regional Meeting 2017 Follow-up Report by International Federation of Medical Students' Associations

Americasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; RM 2017 Follow-up Report

A message from the Regional Director

Dear Americas Region As I said in my motivation letter when I applied to be your Regional Director, I joined IFMSA convinced by a group of non-conventional medical students who, in their words, said they can change the world. A while has passed since that moment and now I can proudly say that I’m here, and as you have, I have become part of this amazing group of people who are passionate for the Federation. During this journey one of the most inspiring things I have seen is how motivated and full of background our federation is, but it is always exciting to for me to see the fire in the eyes of the members of the Americas Region, those people ready to speak up on behalf our thoughts and to also learn a lot during the process. That’s why the Americas mean so much for me. This regional meeting was the perfect platform to do and show this to ourselves but also to our guests. As a Region I believe we still have a lot of barriers to face and important topics to discuss, but the most important thing is to keep working on increasing our commitment, friendship and work bonds and last but not least our motivation to keep working for this Region that totally deserves it. These are things we definitely saw during the Regional Meeting and that we’ve been working hard to follow up in a way we can keep those feelings and commitment together in order to develop a better and more inclusive Region for all. Our Regional Meeting was the instance to gather, meet and share around our great passion, for our region and for the IFMSA. We learnt a lot and go back to our countries and NMOs with all this new information and knowledge to improve the process of capacity building.

With love Ivan Fabrizzio Canaval IFMSA Regional Director for the Americas 2016/17

Americas Regional Meeting 2017 at one glance

Americas Region

30 24

National Member Organizations (NMOs) NMOs represented at ARM 2016

181

Participants

Pre-Regional Meeting

47 • • • • • • • • •

Participants trained

Workshops

Biggest Regional Meeting with 200 registered attendees. Approval of the IOGs change proposals including a new section for External Representation and Policy Making Biggest Presidents Sessions with 28 participants from 16 different countries Creation of follow up system through the SWG of Regional Collaboration Creation of SWGs in all the Standing Committees Presentation of Students Organizations as Externals for the first time in the Regional Meeting Agreement and plan forward for the Americas Strategy 20172020 First time selected Theme Event based on Presidents’ needs First time selected Pre RM workshops based on Presidents’ needs

Americas Regional Team

Americas RM Organizing Committee

Table of Contents

1. Pre-Regional Meeting Workshops

2. Standing Committee and Presidentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sessions

3. Capacity Building Sessions

4. Theme Event

5. Activities Fair & Presentation, Americas Award

6. Miscellaneous Sessions

7. The Regional Meeting in Numbers

Pre-Regional Meeting Workshops

Training Old Trainers: Capacity Building Systems Participants

5 Countries

Methods and Objectives. We proposed to conduct a Facilitators workshop on how to establish a purpose-driven capacity Andrej Martin Vujkovac building structure, a well-orchestrated process within the IFMSA Vice-President for Capacity Building organization. We planned to equip participants with skills and Frida María Vizcaíno Rios tools mostly revolving around strategic decision-making and Capacity Building Regional Assistant for quality assurance. We believe that with the knowledge Americas participants would obtain in the workshop, they would be able to set up a capacity building system in their organization, or reform the existing one, making it more efficient and qualified. The workshop was intended for members, experienced in internal affairs, organizational development and capacity building (including training). With the aim of improving capacitybuilding processes, we planned to conduct a workshop that: • • •

Empowers individuals from NMOs that do not have a CB system to create one Empower individuals from NMOs that do have a CB system to improve it Challenge participants to introduce aspects of needs assessment, quality assurance and evaluation to their CB systems

Outcomes. The participants completed the workshop and not only planned a new Capacity Building system, but also a new purposeful workshop. The IFMSA Capacity Building Regional Assistant is following up on the development of prospective workshop (and SRT) proposals. This is also a requirement for obtaining a certificate. This workshop did not go without challenges as we lacked participants in the beginning of the workshop, as we only had 4 (and only 1 trainer). That was the reason for us joining LEAD for the first few sessions. As more participants (and the RA) arrived, we separated and worked on topics more specific for Old Trainers.

Participants of the Training Old Trainers Workshop at AMRM 2017

Training New Medical Education Trainers (TMET) Participants

We developed a strong TMET Team that is motivated to replicate the training sessions in their NMOs. Some of the participants had experience in SCOME, but they are now capacitated for improving their own local and national committees. We had 3 training sessions during the RM to graduate our new trainers. As Regional Assistant, I will follow the creation of TMETs in the Americas Region. In the Americas there is a general lack of TMET Trainers. The objectives were: 1. 2. 3. 4.

6 Countries

Facilitators Pablo Estrella SCOME Regional Assistant for Americas

Ximena Paredes IFMSA Paraguay

Victor Leal Garcia IFMSA Brazil

Provide tools such as education theories, existing guidelines, models related to medical education Provide soft skills to medical students, such as leadership, teamwork, advocacy and communication skills Motivate and empower medical students to take action in their medical education learning process Give an space for participants, for sharing their medical education experience and debate the different medical education systems in the Region.

Participants of the TMET workshops at AMRM 2017

Participants of the Global Health Exchanges workshop at AMRM 2017

Global Health Within Exchanges Participants

This workshop provided us the unique opportunity to improve the exchanges in our region, training new members and helping our National or Local Officers to become experts on the topic. The SCOPE & SCORE Regional Assistants had one objective, to capacitate more members so they can help us have exchange trainings all around our region. We want our region to stand out and for that we need to provide the necessary tools to our members so they would be able to

6 Countries

Facilitators Rodrigo Roa IFMSA Standing Committee on Professional Exchange Director

Betsabé Insfrán NEO IFMSA-Paraguay

Larry Leiva NEO IFMSA-Perú

Andrea Falconí SCOPE Regional Assistant for Americas

handle a perfect exchange program with a great academic quality. Acknowledge the importance of Global Health within Exchanges. Explaining and making our participants understand the importance of educational activities. We strengthen both our Local and National Exchange Programs by giving our participants the tools to manage exchanges in a more practical way and create a better exchange program.

Maternal Health & Access to Safe Abortion Participants

4 Countries

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 21.6 Facilitators million women experience unsafe abortion annually, with Jenna Weber 18.5 million of these procedures occurring in developing SCORA Regional Assistant for Americas countries. Approximately 47,000 of these women die each Paula Escobedo Aedo year due to complications of unsafe abortion. Thus, deaths Past SCORA Regional Assistant for due to unsafe abortion are responsible for 13% of maternal Americas deaths globally. Latin America possesses some of the highest annual numbers of unsafe abortions in women between the ages of 15-44 years. The main drivers of these figures are visible within the contexts of our cultures, laws, policies, and healthcare settings. In many cases, these restrict the ability of women to exercise their reproductive and sexual health rights. The Ipas Maternal Health and Access to Safe Abortion training is designed in such a way as to encourage empathic discussion and knowledge generation amongst participants in order to educate and engage future healthcare providers. Our outcomes included, among others, the initiation of discussions and knowledge sharing between NMOs, the development of ideas for capacity building events within each NMO, and the sparking of discussions which later resulted in the formation of a SWG dedicated to CSE in the RM.

Participants of the LEAD workshop at AMRM 2017

Participants of the Maternal Health & Access to Safe Abortion workshop at AMRM 2017

LEAD Participants

7 Countries

The main goals of the workshop were: Facilitators • To strengthen NMO leadership within IFMSA Ivan Fabrizzio Canaval Díaz • Empower NMO leaders in: Decision Making, Conflict IFMSA Regional Director for the Americas & team Management, Project management, External Diego Mendoza Diaz IFMSA Supervising Council member Representation • To Learn Advocacy skills and strategies with a focus on local and national level. • Provide tools to help develop new and experienced NMOs, based on productive and effective needs assessments, strategy, capacity building, and productive management.

Public Health Leadership Training (PHLT) Participants

4 Countries

We as medical students represent current and future health Facilitators leaders and as such we represent a fertile field to grow future Eleonora Dafne Frau competent leaders that will involve themselves in finding IFMSA Standing Committee on Public Health Directors solutions to Public Health issues, both in their studies, but Maria Peniche also later in life. The Public Health Leadership Training (PHLT) is imagined IFMSA Mexico as a longitudinal concept of training Medical students to take up leadership positions in their NMOs, countries, regions and on the international level. This workshop aims to equip participants with knowledge in three large domains: • • •

The leadership domain (communication, conflict management, leadership skills, team dynamics) The Public Health domain (SDH, levels of prevention, basics of climate change,...) Activity management (goals, objectives, vision, mission, evaluation,...)

By growing both as communicators and gaining increased insight into the functioning of a team, as well as achieving increased clarity in the domain of Public Health, our participants are meant to leave the workshop with inspiration, motivation, and drive. By gaining skills in Activity Management, they will be able to formulate concrete and effective plans to impact their communities and the issues that they are passionate about. All the participants attended the entire workshop successfully. During the first day we discovered that most of the participants had however "ended up" in this workshop as second or third choice, and not as first. The "Climate Change" topic was therefore not a topic of interest for nearly any of them. This led us to shifting the PHLT from a Climate Change-focused one, to a generalized PHLT. All participants made plans to either improve or implement new Activities in their NMOs as a follow-up to the workshop. They will also be asked to fill a 6 month report 6 months after the workshop. Participants of the PHLT workshop at AMRM 2017

Standing Committee and Presidents’ Sessions

President’s Session Participants

16 Countries

Topics Covered Facilitators • Introduction to IFMSA and IFMSA Americas Fabrizzio Canaval IFMSA Regional Director for the Americas • Programs: What now? • SWG explanation: Involvement, Internal Aline D Khatchikian External Representation and Policy Making Development, Regional Collaboration, External Assistant for Americas representation Candela Benavides • NMO skills trainings: External representation Internal Development Assistant for Americas (Policy Making) ,External representation (External Manuel Mendive Partnership), LCs and NMO Development, Involvment Assistant for Americas fundraising strategies and financial management • Plenary simulation • Brainstorming session: “NMO Presidents: challenges and experiences” • IOGs: What, Why and How. • IOGs change proposals • Online communication, exchanges and financial sustainability • Task Force on Participation and International Team’s structure • Regional Meeting 2018 candidates debates, • Regional team plan of action: Survey, Priorities and Work ahead • External Representation Opportunities • Open Space for discussions. Outcomes. We are currently in constant communication with all the NMO presidents to follow up on outcomes of each sessions and also relating them with the assistant's' duties. The goal is to have more involvement in external representation and policy statements. For internal development, we have created a SWG for Regional Collaboration. For the involvement, we have done the plenary simulation and presented international opportunities.

Participants of the Presidents’ Sessions at AMRM 2017

Exchanges Sessions (Standing Committees on Professional and Research Exchange) Participants

Topics Covered. We talked about Activation of SCOPE/SCORE in a NMO or LC and also about an International Update of what we are doing in the SCOPE IT. To improve our exchanges in the region we talked about: doing an adequate handover (flow chart), time management (giving them multiple tools), advocacy in exchanges (having different perspective, how to advocate to students, teachers and deans) and financial managements. We talked about Educational Activities, giving a Joint Session with SCOME and the importance of doing them for their exchanges. We had a GAP session to understand the importance of it in SCORE and how our NOREs can apply to the program.

12 Countries

Facilitators Rodrigo Roa IFMSA Standing Committee on Professional Exchange Director

Mauro Camacho IFMSA Standing Committee on Research Exchange Director

Larry Leiva NEO IFMSA-Perú

Betsabé Insfrán NEO-in IFMSA-Paraguay

Erick Marcelo Torres SCORE Supervising Board

Andrea Falconí SCOPE Regional Assistant for Americas Outcomes. Time management and avoiding burnout, our participants had a more clear idea of all of the tools they can use in their emails and calendars to facilitate their work as NEOs. They also managed to understand the importance of being organized for the job and understand when they are having burnout and should take a break from doing their job. The joint session was awesome because we had a lot of NEOs/NOREs and NOMEs motivated to work together in Educational Activities in their countries. One of our best sessions was the handover, because it was explained in an easy way with a really good flowchart. We also encouraged our participants to think outside the box and create new promotional material for their NMOs and here it was important to let them understand that we always have to consider our target and learn how to approach it.

Participants of Exchanges Sessions at AMRM 2017

Standing Committee on Medical Education (SCOME) Participants

Topics • Expectations + Presentations • SCOME introduction • SCOME Poster Fair • Project Design, Evaluation + Debriefings, • Advocacy and External Representation, • Joint Session with SCOPE - "Medical Education within Exchanges" • Evidence Based Medicine + Open Access, Motivation + Empowerment • Communication inside SCOME • SWG for Regional Activities • Introduction to SCOME related Programs • SCOME Open Space

10 Countries

Facilitators Pablo Estrella SCOME Regional Assistant for Americas

Alexander Lachapelle Liaison Officer for Medical Education issues

Ximena Paredes IFMSA-Paraguay

Matías Yáñez IFMSA-Chile

Christoper Alarcón IFMSA-Peru

Alan Patlán IFMSA-Mexico

Outcomes. The sessions were delivered almost as planned in the agenda. For some we had to extend the time, others had to be reduced, according to the needs and dynamic of the group. Participants got really motivated during all the Sessions. We think that is because of the trying to approach them with different methods, such as with SCOME merchandising (pens, stickers, flag, sunglasses, etc), the Black and White party. For the future, communication with the participants should be improved, so we can be sure that they receive all the necessary information. We cannot expect that the NOMEs share with them the Survival Kits for example. From our feedback and evaluation, we concluded that in the future we should give more space to debate and discuss about medical education issues. Even though giving them the tools and knowledge, participants expect more time for them to talk about their local or national problems. Even though this time was given on the last day in the SCOME Open Space and in the SWGs, the other Sessions should include these type of dynamics. We made an envelop survey in every RM session for input from SCOME. And it was a general thought that SCOME highlighted as committee, that is getting empowered in the Region and that they were wrong by thinking that “SCOME was a boring committee”. The work from the ST was exceptional. They surpassed my expectations and made an amazing job. They were really prepared in their Sessions and gave confidence to the participants. Participants in SCOME Sessions at AMRM 2017

Standing Committee on Public Health (SCOPH) Participants

Countries

Topics Covered. We discussed the mission and vision Facilitators of SCOPH to give the participants a clear idea about the Ella Frau IFMSA Standing Committee on Public Health objectives and goals of SCOPH so they can reproduce Director that information and understand how and why we do this. Then we had the Basics of PH & SCOPH Program Juan Sebastian Valderrama NPO ASCEMCOL-Colombia related brief introduction (Non-Communicable Disease, Blood & Organ Donation, CD, Climate Change). It was Iara Porro very important to us to present NPOs the IFMSA NPO IFMSA-Paraguay Programs and the benefit of the activity enrollment for Jessica Zhang them and their NMOs, as a way of having statistics IFMSA Standing Committee on Human Rights reports that could helps us achieve external support for and Peace Director activities and show us the increase or decrease of the Pamela Delgado impact in our countries. We had a joint session on SCORP Regional Assistant for Americas Climate Change and Risk Management, it was the perfect combination of knowing the damage we are doing Maria Peniche to this word and how to avoid it, but also knowing how to SCOPH Regional Assistant for Americas act in time of risk, and that was really helpful because of the natural disasters that Americans are living through year by year. As a tropical region with a lot of vector-borne diseases like Zika, we should not only learn the physiopathology but also how the authorities will act on such an epidemic. We took the law arrangement in Colombia as an example. Rural Health and Social Determinants of Health are sometimes forgotten, but this is the reality in America, learning talking about is what makes it real. Mental Health, also among medical students, is sometimes a taboo in our region, so this time we began with our closests circle. We then looked at the most frequent causes of morbimortality in each of the countries represented - every participant prepared a presentation of the top 5 causes in their country and how their SCOPH campaigns work on those, while the other participants could give input, which was very enriching. We closed the session with discussions on the SCOPH Strategy and Fundraising. Outcomes. We agreed to work in SWGs to follow up on the topics and make regional campaigns to have a better impact and measure the results. We will implement these campaigns in IFMSA Programs. We opened a call for 3 SCOPH SWG in America, Rural health, Vector diseases and Malnutrition. Each SWG will propose an activity that achieves the goals of the IFMSA Program most related topic, submit it, and putting words in action. Then, the plan is to invite other Regions. We have already approched the SCOPH Regional Assistant for Europe at March Meeting 2017. The SCOPH Strategy session made it clear what SCOPHeroes in the Americas need.

Standing Committee on Sexual and Reproductive Health incl. HIV/AIDS (SCORA) Participants

Topics Covered. Various topics within the categories of gender, obstetrics, abortion, HIV/AIDS, and capacity building.

Countries

Facilitators Jenna Webber SCORA Regional Assistant for Americas

Gonzalo Castro IFMSA-Panama

Outcomes. Two major outcomes from these sessions Gabriella Cipriano are the Small Working Groups that have been formed IFMSA-Peru within the region on the topics of Comprehensive Sexuality Education and Pre-Exposure HIV Prophylaxis. Romina Rios IFMSA-Peru We plan to design and begin with the implementation of the initiatives over the next 6 months. We have also since activated multiple SCORA chapters within the Americas.

Participants of SCORA Sessions at AMRM 2017

Standing Committee on Human Rights and Peace (SCORP) Participants

13 Countries

Topics Covered. We discussed since the basics in Facilitators human rights, which are the human rights and how we Pamela Delgado SCORP Regional Assistant for Americas handle them with the medical carreer, then we focused on some particular groups like children, women, mental Jessica Zhang health and their rights, we also had some talks and IFMSA Standing Committee on Human Rights and Peace Director cases discussions about medical ethics and life situations we face everyday, the international differences Danilo Morales NORP IFMSA-Panama in economic situations activity and had some explanations about SCORP international: how we work, JosĂŠ Espino IFMSA-Panama what does SCORP do and the big green family we have. Ending everything with action groups and thoughts we can share in our NMOs to make everything we talked about during the sessions come to life

Outcomes. We have the Whatsapp group of the sessions which is our main communication channel where everyone will be posting how everything is working out in their NMOs, any question they may have or activity that want to share. We are having constant follow up through their NORPs and for supoort in sessions they want to give about topics seen in the RM, or any other topic they want to talk

Participants of SCORP Sessions at AMRM 2017

Capacity Building Sessions

Team Building Participants

Objectives. The workshop had the goal to answer such Facilitators questions as what is team building? What is the difference Juan SebastiĂĄn Valderrama between a team and a group? What are the stages of team NPO ASCEMCOL-Colombia building. When is a team needed and when is a group needed? We also looked at the importance of building trust and a sense of belonging within a team. Evaluation. Overall it was around a 85% satisfaction, the only things participants didn't like were mainly the hot weather which was a bit distracting, and that they thought the training session could have used more energizers and the facilitator should have spoken a bit slower.

Time Management Participants

Objectives. The workshop had the goal to answer such questions as what is time management? What is an agenda? It also looked at agenda dynamic and the importance of prioritizing and the dynamic behind it. Also it was discussed how can prioritizing, teambuilding and lateral thinking improve their efficiency on time management?

Facilitators RaĂşl Aveiro VPE IFMSA-Paraguay

Patricio Caro VPE IFMSA-Chile

Evaluation. Overall 95% satisfaction, the participants loved there was a lot of facilitatorstrainees interaction, and most of them expressed having learned something new.

Conflict Management Participants

Objectives. The workshop had the goal to answer such Facilitators questions as what is a conflict? What is conflict Luz Elena Bances management? When is a conflict a problem? Participants TSDD IFMSA-Peru learnt about the Conflict evolution curve and common attitudes towards conflicts. Furthermore, it was discussed what to do when facing a conflict and preventive behaviors to take on while confronting a conflict. Evaluation. Overall satisfaction was around 90%, participants said they liked everything, they loved the dynamics but they would have liked to go deeper in the theory.

Leadership Participants

Objectives. The workshop answered questions such as what is a leader? What makes a leader? Participants learnt about the difference between a leader and a boss, types of leaders, and types of leadership. The workshop rounded off with a look on self esteem dynamic.

Facilitators Javier MartĂnez ASCEMCOL-Colombia

Deborah Larrauri General Assistant of the Americas

Evaluation. Around 85% satisfaction. Participants enjoyed the dynamics and how the facilitators used different materials for the training session, they felt motivated and positive, they liked the exchange of ideas and interaction between them and the facilitators, as well as the facilitators' attitude and energy. However they would've liked to have more energizers as well as more time for the training.

Motivation Participants

Objectives. Mainly two ideas were addressed: how to Facilitators motivate members to work actively in IFMSA and member Candela Benavides Internal Development Assistant for Americas recruitment. Evaluation. 95% satisfactory rate. Everybody loved that the training session focused on their needs and what they wanted to learn about. However they would've liked a bit more theory.

Participants at different training sessions at AMRM 2017

Theme Event | Climate Change in the Americas Day 1 | What do we know about Climate Change? Speaker This first lecture provided a better understanding about the Andrea Bustamante San Martín main reasons behind the increase of temperatures around Biologist the world and how people’s health is being affected by these Facilitators Dr. Edward Michael Reyes Díaz changes. OC Theme Event Responsible Through a participatory approach, participants discussed and identified climatic changes that are occurring in their homecities and their direct and indirect impact on their community health. Finally, international agreements and lines of action to prevent climate change impact on health were presented to encourage the audience take part of this task in their own settings.

Day 2 | Round table about Climate Change Consequences on Health This activity aimed to provide information about the effect of climate change on specific areas of health: Communicable diseases, Non-Communicable diseases and Emergencies and Disasters. Geographical re-distribution of vector-borne diseases, risk of outbreaks, changes on the cardiovascular and respiratory system and mal-nutritional and the need for natural-disasters health preparedness programs were part of the discussed issues by the speakers. At the end of the three lecture a round table took place to answer audience questions and final comments were spoken.

Speaker Dr. Elmer Cuentas

Alejandro

Communicable Diseases related to Climate Change

Dr. J. Jaime Miranda Montero Non-Communicable Diseases related to Climate Change

Dr. Celso Bambarén Emergency and Preparedness

Disaster

Moderator: Dr. Andrés (Willy) Lescano Guevara

Medicine

Guillermo

Facilitators: Dr. Edward Michael Reyes Díaz OC Theme Event Responsible

Llano

Activities Fair st

1 Place: SCOPH Run by IFMSA-Paraguay

36 Activities presented

Place: Sanitazing by IFMSA-Mexico

3 Place: I HEART by ASCEMCOL-Colombia

Activities Presentation 7 Activities presented

1 Place: Sanitazing by IFMSA-Mexico

Americas Award

Best SCORAngel

Rafael Batista, IFMSA-Brazil

Best SCORPian

Javier Meza, ASCEMCOL-Colombia

Best SCOREan

Túlio Maia, IFMSA-Brazil

Best SCOPEan

Marie Martinez, IFMSA-Paraguay

Best SCOMEdian

Luis Vivar, IFMSA-Panamá

Best SCOPHero

Michelle, IFMSA-Quebec

Best Trainer

Javier Martínez, ASCEMCOL-Colombia

Best President

Ernesto Caballero, IFMSA-Paraguay

Best Activitie Fair

SCOPH Run, IFMSA-Paraguay

Best Project Presentation

Sanitizing, IFMSA-Mexico

Most Supportive TO

Joakim Bergam IFMSA Vice-President for Finances

Best Delegation

ASCEMCOL-Colombia

Miscellaneous Sessions IFMSA Strategy by Andrej Vujkovac, IFMSA Vice-President for Capacity Building This session is part of one of the biggest activities we currently do in IFMSA: creating the next IFMSA Strategy. The session was intended to give the space to all participants of the RM to give input on what the want the IFMSA to be in the future. A majority of the participants contributed in this session as they gave input in four main priorities: • Finances • Participation and representation • Prioritisation • Outside-in We used the techniques of brainstorming and Affinity Diagram to generate and categorise ideas. The session yielded 31 different bullet points with brief explanation as input for the strategy. With that we have fulfilled our objectives of receiving input from different members and different NMOs from the Americas Region.

The Regional Meeting in numbers Logistics Evaluation

Logistics Evaluation 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Information shared prior

Transportation

Registration Visa Facilitation Accomodation Process

Very Dissatisfied

Dissatisfied

Neutral

Venue

Boarding

Satisfied

Social Program

Very Satisfied