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Swiss Medical Students' Association

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Swiss Medical Students' Association
Verband Schweizer Medizinstudierende

Association Suisse des Etudiants en Médecine

Associazione degli Studenti di Medicina Svizzeri
Abbreviationswimsa
Formation1917
Type
PurposeRepresentation of all Swiss medical students on a local, national, and international level
HeadquartersBern
Location
Membership10’000+ medical students
Official language
German, French, English, Italian
President
Valeria Scheiwiller
Secretary General
Mélanie Imhof
Main organ
Delegate’s Assembly
Affiliations
Websiteswimsa.ch

The Swiss Medical Students’ Association (swimsa) is an independent association representing all medical students in Switzerland. It was founded in 1917, and currently maintains 30 member organisations, comprising 10 local medical students' associations and 20 public health and awareness organisations or projects. All medical students in Basel, Bern, Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne, Lucerne, Lugano, St. Gallen, and Zürich are represented by swimsa on a national and international level.

History

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In 1917, the medical faculties of Switzerland united to form 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] Since then, the IFMSA has represented the interests of medical students on an international level. Later, the VDSK was reformed into 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 Switzerland approached each other and decided to create a joined venture under the name of Swiss Medical Students’ Association (swimsa). Nonetheless, IFMSA-Switzerland became swimsa Exchanges and remained a legally independent organization, still responsible for 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

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The student councils of the medical faculties of Basel, Bern, Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne, Lucerne, Lugano, St. Gallen, 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 Etudiantes 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
mesa Medical Students Association ETH Zürich Zurich 100
FluMed Fachverein Luzerner Medizinstudierenden Luzern
smusi Studenti di medicina dell'Università della Svizzera italiana Lugano
MUSt Medizinstudierende an der Universität St. Gallen St. Gallen
Organisation Locations Purpose
Achtung Liebe Basel, Berne, Zurich Sexual and Reproductive Health incl. HIV/AIDS Awareness & Peer-Education
EROS Lausanne Educating future physicians and the general public on the vast taboo subject of sexual health
escolhares Lausanne Offering free eye exams and eyeglasses to schoolchildren in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Marrow Switzerland Basel, Berne, Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich Blood Stem Cell Awareness, Information & Registration
GRUHU Gruppe für UnterassistentInnen und medizinische Entwicklungszusammenarbeit Zurich Humanitarian Internships in 3rd World Countries
Doctors and Death Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne Offering medical students a platform to exchange thoughts and feelings on how to deal with death, suffering, rupture.
Teddybear Hospital Basel, Berne, Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich Allowing children to come into contact with medicine, create trust with doctors and hospitals
MedSICS Lausanne Promoting mental health among medical students
M.E.T.I.S. Lausanne Public Health Projects and Social Awareness in and around Lausanne, Ecuador, and Tanzania
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 Medicines and innovations in the medical field should be accessible to everyone
Medstache Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne Movember, Men's Health Awareness & Fundraising
AGT Aufklärung gegen Tabak Bern Voluntary smoke prevention project by medical students for pupils from 7th to 9th grade
ASTiM Associazione Studenti Ticinesi di Medicina Switzerland Bringing together Ticino medical students enrolled in all faculties throughout Switzerland
Young Sonographers Switzerland Section of the Swiss Society for Ultrasound in Medicine (SGUM) and are committed to the ultrasound training of students and interns

Activities

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swimsa is the official representation of Swiss dental and medical students and has seats in various commissions, such as the Commission of Swiss Medical Faculties SMIFK (Schweizerische medizinische Interfakultätskommission) or the Federal Office of Public Health. In addition, 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 Swiss Medical Students' Convention (SMSC) takes place twice a year and enables students throughout Switzerland to meet and exchange experiences and ideas. A trainings weekend is organized once a year.

Awards

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swimsa honors medical students with the "U ROCK swimsa Award".

The "U ROCK swimsa Award" is presented twice a year during the SMSC (usually in 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
  • 2017
  • 2018
  • 2019
    • Margaux Saudan
  • 2020
    • Robin Walter
    • Gaia Grigorov

See also

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References

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  1. ^ [1] History on the official website of IFMSA
  2. ^ "Swimsa: Swimsa: Geschichte". Archived from the original on 2015-07-16. Retrieved 2015-05-23. History on the official website from swimsa
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