Medsin National Committee

2009/2010 TNTers, I salute you

2010-09-30T23:29:00.001+01:00

Good evening my lovelies,

You! You are some of my favourite people of last year! You know why? Because you're the future of Training. Whether you choose to continue using your skills and developing them either within or without Medsin is up to you, but I'm grateful enough that you chose to come and attend my course, it's basically just me rambling for two-three days in a context where people HAVE to listen to me. (I mean, you could leave midway through the weekend, but that's not happened so far...)

In all seriousness though, you guys are fricken awesome and I have major love and respect for all of you. There is, however, some business to consider:

Certificates: Those of you who have completed TNT - i.e. have held a Training session, please make yourselves known to me, I have certificates ready to mail out (actually these have been ready for some time, I've just been busy with other things, unfortunately).

***Major Action Point*** Even if I know you've done a session, please send me an email, just because I need your addresses to post to, and because it'd be nice to hear from you anyway. Let me know how you are :)

Those of you who've helped me in other capacities, MSLR / TNT helpers (you know who you are you awesome people!) I'm willing (And exceptionally happy!) to do certs for those too, since those events were big undertakings and awesome, and would not have been anywhere near as good without your help, guidance, and participation.

To those of you who did not hold sessions, to my knowledge, I apologise that the opportunity has not come up between us, and I can only suggest that in the future if you do hold a choose to hold a training session, you let Yize, my wonderfully awesome successor know about it, and she can either help or attend your training session, or appoint another experienced Trainer to come and supervise/help on her behalf. (I am always willing, if able!)

If you have held a session that I did not hear about, I apologise for not hearing about it, and am willing to retrospectively certify you assuming we can discuss your plan and how it went etc over the phone at some stage.

Much love to you all, it's been great working with you guys, and I hope we shall continue to do so for the future.

"It's bad enough being miserable, but it is even worse when everyone else claims to be miserable too" - Eeyore. A.A. Milne

+Hi+

2010-06-18T19:54:00.001+01:00

http://medicines_for_you56106.sloqubmel.com

Erica Pool has invited you to Dropbox

2010-06-06T07:21:00.000+01:00

We're excited to let you know that Erica Pool has invited you to Dropbox!

Erica Pool has been using Dropbox to sync and share files online and across computers, and thought you might want it too.

Visit www.dropbox.com to get started.

- The Dropbox Team

To stop receiving invites from Dropbox, click here

What was Musty doing at 11.45 on Friday night?

2010-03-05T23:44:00.002Z

I don't think the word "geek" quite does this justice:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/video/2008/jun/25/interesting.world.warcraft

Question: to what extent does laughing at the cross-link between computer games and the theory of general relativity make one cool?

Musty's Update

2010-02-24T14:27:00.001Z

In a happy life
Environmental health I
Work on many day

Fran's life post gloucester...

2010-01-26T15:31:00.001Z

Hey All -

So since last blogging I have left Gloucester, yay! and am now back in Bristol for a unit called ''medicine and surgery''. You may be confused what i have been doing up till now....me too in some senses.....So its lovely to be back home. I actually feel like I've moved into my house now! Have done the last exam and have a little while (though not that long....:S) before the next thing due in/next exam.

Bad news is that i no longer live next door to Alex. (campaigns news person i happened to be placed with in Gloucester!) This has come as sad news although may not be an entirely bad thing.....! She is however still with me for next unit so is not that bad.

I graduate from International Health in Bristol in a couple of weeks time with Mummy Fran is coming along to so that will be mighty lovely.

As far as Medsin in concerned, I have been thinking about Haiti and trying to remember all that I learnt about it last year and continuing to newsletter, evote, minute-ify etc.

We had a global health central teaching day the other day which has reminded me of the point which i had forgotten since last year. That was nice:)

In other news my west wing addiction continues. i'm on series 4:S

Thats about it people xxx

Sunny Christmas, and Snowy New Year!!

2010-01-21T22:23:00.006Z

Well the month before the Christmas break was pretty hectic as I scrambled to finish off deadlines before heading off to Johannesburg. But once I got on that plane, I got to start my holiday with the onboard movies!

SA was wonderfully hot, and it was glorious to spend so much time outdoors, but best of all I got to see my family for the first time in two years. It reminded me how much I miss the lifestyle out there, and emphasised my desire to return and practice Medicine. I have great dreams of living with my family, and working in the Trauma pit at Joburg general - but such dreams are a long way off.

But in the meantime it is a good incentive to keep working with such organisations as Medsin UK, because there is nothing so humbling as realising that as British medical students, we are some of the most fortunate people in the world. Everyday I complain about the menial things, but really I should be thankful that I have so much - brilliant free healthcare being just one of the many. Haiti truly highlights our fortune - and with such reminders it is reasonable to hope that we try our best to never be complacent.

My return to England didn't have quite so many revelations to rejoice in, and rather I have to accept that I am not quite as invincible as I have always thought of myself as.

Unfortunately I haven't been very well, and have finally got to the point where I have had to take some time off. SO be warned Medsinners - Burnout exists, even for medical students. Apparently you can't do everything. I'm sure the Pharmacology world will be devastated, but fear not I have great plans to return and finish the work I have made such a great start on.

So not a great start to the year, but at least I will have more time for Medsin, assumin

g I have the energy for it. I'm sure the experience will mature as me as a person, and better me as a doctor in the future.

My 2010 so far hasn't been what I wished for, but every challenge only betters you.

From Global Negotiations to Local Touring!

2010-01-19T15:48:00.007Z

It's been a rough but exhilarating ride in Medsin the past month or so. Wrapping up the term after an amazing array of events, activities and developments in the Medsin network would leave most in need of a good break, but instead off I went for the UN Climate Change negotiations in Copenhagen (COP15) for 10 days. Crazy!

COP15

More about the conference and our work there is available at http://medsincop.wordpress.com/. Briefly, the week was a steep learning curve in understanding how decisions are made in global politics, working with inspiring youth activists from around the world, and taking our campaign efforts to a new level as we sought to represent the health caucus at the conference. Sadly, we weren't to see a new treaty emerging from the negotiations; government leaders instead voted with their wallets and struggled to reconcile their economic ambitions, as opposed to their desire for a safe environment. We left the conference downhearted at first, but with time this has only driven us in our desire for a strong, grassroots movement calling for the change the world needs to see for a fair and just global society.

Campaigning in Copenhagen. Left: Climate Change & Health action stunt with WHO Public Health and Environment Director Dr Maria Neira. Right: Guppi and Jonny endorse the Lancet's diagnosis of climate change as the "greatest global health threat of the 21st century".

Holidays :)

After the whirlwind of Copenhagen a break was well-needed! Spent a great week or so at home, celebrating the new year with friends and recharging the batteries for all that 2010 is going to provide. After stocking up on food, drink and all the mince pies I could manage, it was off to London to prepare for our exciting start to 2010: the Medsin Branch Tour!

The Medsin Branch Tour 2010 Website! www.medsin2010tour.wordpress.com.

Going Local!

As our ambitions for making Medsin a strong force to be reckoned with grow, my hope is throughout the next coming 2 months to engage with as many Branches and members of Medsin to discover what Medsin means to them, what glue holds our network of projects and campaigners together, and how we can strengthen and unite the structures and people in our network to become a true force for change. We'll be blogging (yes, more blogging!) at http://medsin2010tour.wordpress.com/ as we go, so check it out and hope to see you at one of the next events!

Musty's World of Updates

2009-12-07T12:52:00.003Z

Musty's World of Updates

So basically my world is a little in the air because I was intelligent enough to not get treated for a throat infection until a few weeks later I landed myself with swine flu. Sooo I'm preeeeetty weak and tired still and apparently will not be well again until the New Year! For the next few weeks I'll be on a strict regimen of tea, biscuits and Crash Bandicoot. This relaxation thing...it's quite nice, really.

So! To business, what have I been doing!?

In Medsin:
1. I've finished the first Branch Consultation Summary that includes pages on Regional Training Days, a Welcome Pack, a Revamped Branch Guide, a Branch Fund, and Accessible Campaign Briefings. I will contribute these ideas to this year's strategy and for implementation in 2010/11
2. I've been working with Iulia from Sheffield on a Medsin Global Health Briefing. This is Directed by Iulia so I shan't say anything more here on her behalf.
3. I've been working on Regional Medsin Days. These are pretty fantastic and I've have had massively positive feedback on how useful, interesting and worthwhile they were. I wasn't able to attend the Glasgow Day but I heard it was just as wonderful without National Committee facilitation which is worth noting for the future. South West and South East have happened; South West and Midlands will happen in the next fortnight; Northern will happen in January.
4. I've decided that my focus for 2010 will not be empowering branch presidents, it will be on the local committees. I think this year has been a real step forward in branch president empowerment, I think the challenge now is to engage with committees. Local committees and members have no obligation or responsibility to Medsin-UK and there is rarely any interaction - I'd like to apply the same principles that worked with branch presidents this here onto these groups and see what happens.

Out Medsin:
1. I'm just coming to the end of Kafka's The Trial. It's just so....hopeless!! It's the most crushingly absurdist work in...ever! Just thinking about it is an excruciating assault of will. Ugh!! Dammit Kafka! Why, dammit, why!?!?
2. Healthy Planet is storming away! So very strong! Got my British Council gig almost sorted, got the IFMSA ripped, got my strategic plan up until April 1st done and dusted! Bring on the future!
3. Got a load of theatre and ballet trips planned, desperately want to see La Boheme!
4. I've been watching a shedload of TV - the Great Escape, the Flight of the Phoenix, Das Boot, Fight Club, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest...this might seem normal, but it's really a new thing for me!

Weird, that's all I've got to blog. I've done so little recently, it's a really really weird feeling. I can't wait to get storming back again in January! Being ill sucks, man!

Cheers!

Mustafa

Marie-Clair's Nov/Dec update!

2009-12-01T19:29:00.004Z

Hello! So what have I been up to?

In Medsin;
Post Manchester meeting and Star Wars giggles we were all psyched and ready to go again! Competition planning, distributing merchandise and leaflets galore and thoroughly enjoying attending Medsin events in Bristol and Exeter!! Off to a training day in Manchester on Thurs to try to learn some new skills in creating publicity items which should be usefull!

My plans over xmas is to get some t-shirts ready to go for next year as many of you need them ASAP! Also source and price some Medsin items in order to create an inventory of what each branch would like for the start of next term. The ultimate aim is that you can hit the ground running once the freshers arrive in September 2010!! Finally get competition publicity ready to go for Jan 2010.

Out of Medsin and in International Health:

I've been Millenium Development Goaling it up over Brazil and trying to learn how to write something called ... 'an essay'?? Ah yes those things we dont really do very much of in medical school! Also saving my laptop from near death experience - it died and oh yes so too did the back up computer! Yeh for technology! Thankfully all good now!

In life:

REALLY looking forward to Christmas hols!!=) Off to London next weekend for shopping and hopefully iceskating CAN'T WAIT!

Marie Clair x

Fran's belated blog based news....

2009-11-28T11:51:00.001Z

Following an amazing weekend in Manchester - who would have thought the first time I watched X factor would have been with the Medsin National Committee! Amazing cake and birthday fun-ness. Here's what's been going on....

In Medsin I have -

Been thinking about how to make the newsletter better. Including MedsINFORMATION, which has involved me looking around the internet for useful/interesting bits and pieces to do with global health. Hopefully it's going down well! Feedback to secretary@medsin.org!

Thinking about whether to apply to go to Thailand, went with my better judgement, not going to apply, now wondering if this was an error? It looks so much fun....

Thinking about long term medsin plans post meeting and generally trying to get a plan going!

Trying to get funding out of Bristol

In Medicine I have:

Been enjoying orthopeadics! Shock horror. This was surprising to me and those that live with me, further away from an orthopeadic surgeon I could not be. (Short, female, REALLY bad at anatomy, likes people etc)

Been mocked/laughed at by orthopeadics suregeons. Laughing at and mocking orthopeadic surgeons myself. Me: ''I suppose the 3 second rule doesnt apply in theatre'' After ortho surgeon drops something **withering look from surgeon''

Been feeling swiney post swine flu jab.

Out of Medsin/Medcine I have:

Been to see Bunny and the Bull. Recommended. Very silly.

Watching more West Wing in Gloucester illegally on the internet. Cursing megavideo.com when it doesnt have the episode i want. I particularly enjoyed the episode focussed on HIV patents.....!

(Been getting excited about xmas....is it too soon? Its after my birthday!?)

That's it folks.

Fran x

JC's Ruminations and Culminations of November

2009-11-17T11:35:00.011Z

Hello folks :)

So I took a long look at my diary (I don't do that too often, it kinda scares you) and ruminated on what's been going on in the last month. In short, A LOT! Rather hilariously it seems things really picked up pace 1 month ago when a 'Dinner with Musty' was scheduled in and the ideas & intense pace for change really began...gotta love Medsin dinners :)

Medsin-wise
Since most of my year and Monday to Friday obviously seems to get spent on this, there's a good place to start.

Great meeting with Elly on her fundraising plans, despite us having to cancel a fundraising meeting in London after she travelled through - what a trooper ;)
BMA International Committee meeting - report at docs.medsin.org if you need it - covering international health & medicine issues - much came up, including how we can work together with them on issues including water/sanitation and refused asylum seekers' access to healthcare
Nottingham Medsin National conference - PHWOAR! Such a busy weekend of awesome people, places, things and speakers. Really loved our first conference and have to thank them for hosting (again!) - not to Yonny for starting my speech video with a hilarious shouting JC. Check out some coverage at http://www.thelancetstudent.com/2009/11/03/medsin-nc09-vulnerability-in-health/!
Spotlight on Health & Human Rights Conference @ Royal Society of Medicine - little bit of Medsin promo, met some Medsin folks who popped down to London for the weekend (some by surprise!) - the amazing Ben Warner from Dundee wrote up the event for The Lancet Student

Speakers and Joseph Fitchett (Royal Society of Medicine) at the Spotlight on Health and Human Rights conference - see http://www.thelancetstudent.com/2009/11/12/spotlight-on-health-and-human-rights/

Did a little networking at the Public Policy Exchange 'Briding the Gap' conference where I had a chance opportunity to lobby the Department of Health on their policies. Ask me for details!
Interactions with student unions - didn't enjoy that. You know what I mean, and I'm going to follow up on this with some other people who have had some *interesting* experiences with these people.
SKIP Conference! What a party of folk, brilliant times and really good to see how things work in other groups or organisations. May have *borrowed* some ideas for our NC meeting from Danny Hutley (SKIP Coordinator)!
Climate Change, Pharma, NC Meeting, Meeting Mike Rowson, Rhona MacDonald, Entitlement Working Group meeting. Jeez, should I do a weekly blog instead?! This is a long list of boringness and work!
The highlight of course was our 2nd NC meeting (just gone, and after the deadline we set for blog postings, whoops) where I have to admit I was stunned by the brilliance of the whole team in terms of moving forward with a structured agenda and strategy. Particularly, Darth Vader, running with Master Yonny Grek (Communications) and chill-axing on Saturday evening was a well worth it after some v. intense few weeks!

Finally I think I'm ready for the role and the year ahead - it takes a while but after researching, training and learning from everyone on the team and from years gone by I think we're at a good place to kickstart some

In the Life of JC

Nearly have a place to live in London, that's good right? Also been good to set aside some time to catch up with all the many disparate people spread across London (and Leeds, nice little 2 day jaunt up North!); I plucked up the courage to watch a musical last week which actually turned out to be quite entertaining. Oh, can't miss out Sadhia and my lunch date in Kensington, finally got a load of those crepes! Yummy.

I've run out of energy to complete this, so am just going to post some random photos since they
make people happy.

The Star Wars Start to our Weekend. Love it.

No idea why, this photo makes me smile :)

I think...I think I'm angry in this one. But it is before lunchtime, so it might be hunger.

Improving Sexpression-Medsin relations: Eva and Amena (Sexpression Coordinators) visit Medsin-UK HQ for a coffee by the canal :)

Sarah's November

2009-11-13T16:29:00.002Z

Hello
October + November = all is busy in the land of GP, with not much else around in Torre or Paignton that's ok! Having a lot of fun with my own patient clinics most of the time and getting to see patients back again. Loving the GP friendlyness and being allowed to teach them as well as them teaching me. Medsin wise I have been getting through the AB fund applications and happily getting some money for projects and campaigns. Starting to plough on with the AB weekend coming up at the beginning of 2010! I have also had quite a lot of interest from people wanting to set up branches of Marrow and Sexpression. Locally I have run some training for Peninsula Sexpression and also facilitated my small group session on Global Health - with the help of Hans Rosling via gapminer of course! (for anyone not familiar with gapminder please see (www.gapminder .org).

Of course Im running as usual as the Sussex half marathon looms ever closer! Have also slotted in a bit of swimming and Dartmoor - very good for the mind and body. Though it is puring with rain just now - I am plucking up the courage to head for a run this evening....

With many stomps and smiles
Sarah xxx

October meets November

2009-11-12T23:05:00.001Z

Where, where, where is this year going? Screeching towards job applications and grown up land (eek).

We've launched November's campaign, we are stopping the AIDS once and for all. I managed to trog along to the Stop AIDS speaker tour when it visited Leeds and left truly inspired - the speakers were amazing man. The patent pool work the AIDS troop are doing is shit hot and there were some very pleasing words about WTO and strengthening health systems love too - happy happy. Unhappily the Conservative candidate for Leeds was also there, I am bad at diplomacy as she just made me cross talking of "the next Conservative Government" with no possibility of defeat (incidentally my desired outcome is a hung parliament with a lib=lab coalition).

I've also been attending meetings with my medical school about how educational Thailand will be and I hosted el Presidente in Yorkshire.

In my alternative life as a HIV researcher (= lie ins followed by regret and stress filled typing) I have been veering away from actual biomedicine - I don't know how you cope with those labs Elster - and made my research all about asylum seekers. Woop.

In my second alternative life I had a Disney-come-zombie Halloween party and zombified my favourite Disney princess with the help of a truly vile ball dress (worn without irony to my year 11 prom!). Excellent work. I've also been taking advantage of FREE tickets Leeds city council provides to any under 26 year old to go to the Yorkshire Playhouse midweek - Grapes of Wrath last week, The Secret Garden next week. Lovely. I also went to see the film and then devoured the book of 'An Education' and advise you all to do the same in that order - Nick Hornby's screen play is EXCELLENT and deserves to be seen prior to reading the slightly bitter/cross/cruel writings of Ms Barber (it's a memoir).

That is all for now folks..... Exxxxxx

Proof of Elly's PIPETTING skills and AMAZING lab coat!!

2009-11-12T20:53:00.001Z

In case anyone thought lab work is boring, or that I am not completely crazy!!!

Elly - the pharmacology-pipetting-yoga-maestro!

Blue Gold, and of course Training ad infinitum

2009-11-11T10:07:00.011Z

I can't remember whether we decided if this was an internal communication tool, or an external one... naturally you'd expect me to tow the safer line in this case wouldn't you... Moving on swiftly.

I'm not so sure I like this WYSIWYG editor, it seems to be a bit meh.

Medsin-wise

I completely expected this, and I knew it was what I would be getting myself in for. But emailing is key. Email is king. Email is deity. Luckily I'm a technoamorant (I just made that word up, I think; it means technology lover in my mind), and going abroad for a week (which I shall come on to!) makes it hard to catch up, and you do end up missing deadlines for communication. Sorry guys!

I had the pleasure of attending the National Conference at Nottingham this month which I found immensely enjoyable. It was an incredibly well run conference, on an interesting and engaging subject and I left feeling invigorated and not brain-drained, as I usually do after conferences. Arranged for a couple of Training sessions to be run while I was there which seemed to go down a treat!

A lot of my time this month has gone into preparing Training New Trainers (TNT) in Iceland and in Manchester. This naturally, is the highlight of my time since I love Training and everything to do with it!

I had the pleasure of being invited to FINO (Federation of International Nordic medical students' Organisations) to hold TNT and then to attend their conference. More pleasure was had when I got there and met my amazing co-TNT Trainer, Karolina Tuomisto, and the amazing bunch of new Trainers that came.

I've decided that running TNT is the best thing ever. It's like crack, the enthusiasm and invigoration that you get from doing it is amazing. The rapidity that a group of people gets to know each other is amazing. You don't necessarily learn facts about each other, but you learn how each other work. It's a gruelling course for the new Trainers, but a journey that is frankly beautiful to watch and be a part of facilitating.

People-watching is fun.

My mission for this year is to run TNT at every possible opportunity. Capacity building for Medsin Trainers++++

I also have liased with the IFMSA Training Support Division Director as is part of my role. :)

The boring bit... my life outside of Medsin (at least there are pictures, right?)

Not really much going on here. Iceland was great fun. On the first day we got to go to the Houses of Parliament given a guided tour by Siv Friðleifsdóttir (pictured below), ex-Minister for Health and Social Security, ex-Minister for the Environment, ex-Minister for Nordic Co-operation, which was great fun.

Learning about Icelandic politics was fantastic, and learning about their economy especially. It was quite interesting talking to such a high level politician after Medsin Question Time a few weeks ago where a some of the local MPs were, how can I put this, might not have been so well read?

Below: TNT Team go to Icelandic Houses of Parliament

Alas, due to business, tiredness and a few other things I actually didn't experience any of the typical things people think of when they think of Iceland: Geysers, lagoons, and geothermal awesomeness. I did enjoy the view where we were though, but I have shamelessly stolen these pictures from one of the TNT attendees. I don't regret having too much work to visit this stuff, I was out there for business, and I only hope to go back one day when I can devote more time to pleasure.

The conference was entited Blue Gold (a reference to water), and the conference was opened by Iceland's President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson (pictured below)

He was an exceptionally good speaker, who seemed very, very into his Climate Change issues. He clearly understood the importance of the changes that the world is undergoing, and how we need to fix it now. A very inspirational and motivational speaker! He did namedrop Obama once or twice though... ;)

Post Scriptum

This WYSIWYG editor is driving me mad, randomly changing the line-height settings, inserting 's (actually it made me add a because it is crazy.) as it feels necessary, and then when it breaks something... You try to read the HTML, it's horrible. For shame Google, for shame. (I still love you).

New Website to be making an appearance?

2009-11-10T20:27:00.002Z

Hello!

I'm feeling empowered :) The Medsin website is no longer such a logistical nightmare to me now, as I've had it all explained to me (i.e. how to work it/make it look differently etc.)

Which means everyone can be thinking of making a beautifully awesome new Medsin.org website. I love the way it works, it's just the design...which I'll need YOUR help with over the coming months to make it look the best that it can be.

I've made a little video to aid my efforts, which you'll all see soon...currently only Mr President has had the honour!

That's all I'm going to say. It's very exciting :)

xx

Duvet days, conferences and pipetting

2009-11-10T15:00:00.001Z

A real mixed bag of a month.

National Medsin Wise:

My Medsin Highlight was getting to run a workshop at the National Coference on 'Selling Yourself' - fundraising and building your case for support. It was a real challenge, but I feel it went well, and in keeping with the entire National Conference in Nottingham, I had a wonderful time. The conference was brilliant, inspiring me to rethink what population would I as a doctor in the future like to treat.

Otherwise in Medsin I have been trying to manage the SWGs - Membership and Charity Status - but I haven't made any real progress in either department. This was particularly evident when I realised I had over four members of Membership ask explicitly for me to provide more guidance to the group. So really this is an entry to emphasise I need to work more on the SWG.

I have been updating a creating a FR resource pack, and have been gradually adding to the online pack.

General tasks: Chasing up sponsorship money, answering emails on how to FR, investigating possible national FR methods, and crawl my way out of the the emails that I hae let build up.

In Brighton: I have just started up a local branch of GHEP and am getting fanstatic support from BSMS. Have fantastic local Medsin committee and am really excited for the some of our upcoming events and plans.

Non-Medsin:

I got to go to Powershift - which was amazing, and oddly very emotional.

I am pipetting away in the lab most days, and am happy to say I have had some good results and will soon be able to start write up my research project.

Sleeping, sleeping, sleeping - as I keep getting ill - and avoiding people and social activities as I recover - very boring.

Hoping the next month will be slightly brighter.

October

2009-10-18T23:51:00.002+01:00

So I finally have got round to writing a blog, even though yorange my borther asked me so long ago, apologies.

In medsin:
I read through Rafi's handover booklet thing which is amazing!!!
I feel a lot more comfortable with what I am doing and have begun looking into a budget now. So don't worry we are not buying 1000 tshirts.
Otherwise responding to other emails and trying to see if I have any bright ideas about anything medsn related i.e. membership mainly and defining ourselves

Outside Medsin:
I met up with Jonny and elly :):). Elly got to see what creperie I am always on about, Jonny didn't.
I was home for a week, I loved it.
I am trying to catch up with work I missed when I was ill from the beginning.
I am trying to get my money from the bank back from the fraud they are accusing me of.

All is good and I saw UP this weekend and by accident went to a really expensive restaurant but loved it all. I would say everyone should watch UP but it can get a bit emotional. Also watching 3D films with 3D glasses with real glasses underneath is not that comfortable.

I feel winter has arrived with the weather being soo cold in Manchester. Word of warning when you come bring like a million layers. Houses are not warm and the weather will be cold

hope all is good

Musty's updates

2009-10-18T14:11:00.003+01:00

In Medsin

1. I’m on my second round of ‘call up the all BPs and chat’ – this round is much faster, very efficient. Machine-like, even. Love it.

2. Having trouble with Barts & Warwick still – no word. Have sorted out Swansea and UEA.

3. We’ve all finished our first round of ‘Regional Discussions’ – just after the AGA I introduced them each to their regional teams and gave them each a topic in Medsin to talk about. I’ve collated their email threads and sent them round to the entire group for final inputs before Nottingham and before we move onto Round 2 with 5 new topics to discuss. Magic.

4. This month’s Grand Discussion – where I send out one topic for everyone to input into – is half way done; still waiting on inputs from the rest.

5. Preparing for Branch President Meeting in Nottingham – first aim is to finalise the Grand Discussion bitty, not quite sure what else to do for the hour...

6. Regional conferences – only one confirmed

7. Regional BP meetings – November/December. Have completely ignored this. Oh well!

8. Regional Days out – Scotland (well, technically it’s Scotsquastle now...) has got one planned, trying to convince Peninsula that ‘South West Surfing Action’ is productive for the region...

9. Two new groups – Cardiff and St Georges – are thinking about joining. St Georges is technically a Medsin group, but the new group would be different. It’s all hilariously confusing.

10. Some other things, surely...joined membership SWG...spent a while on the website....Oh! Most impotantly, I’ve been trying to see just how short and snappy I can make my emails to JC. I think my last one was just a ‘k’...

Out Medsin (damn right, Al, I’m with you!!)

1. Basically just climate change and health stuff! Went to this policy making evening at the Royal College Physicians last Wednesday, got my SSC for 2^nd years approved and in Jan I get to be a teacher (woot!), did a sweep and we’ve got 8 groups nationwide, got my grant from the British Council to set up an international wing of Healthy Planet, just finished the 1st draft of HP website, something something....

2. I loved this article - http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/17/david-hare-decade-9-11

3. I’ve been reading The Health Practitioners Guide to Climate Change

4. And Amartya Sen’s The Idea of Justice

5. And I really want to see the new Moctezuma exhibit at the British Museum

6. And lying in bed with my iPod on shuffle made me realise how much I love the Spice Girls

7. And now I’m going to the park to finish my to do list. Global health in the park – love it.

There. My life in a blog.

Musty

Reflections from the office :)

2009-10-15T10:52:00.004+01:00

Power and Politics: in Medsin?

I was not surprised on reading this morning's Guardian how hopeless I took our political system in the UK to still be. Any system of leaders that expects or assumes some 'royal' recompense for endless frivolities, for what can only be described as the fruits of its woeful labours, is horribly corrupt and worse, deeply damaging in the face of its voters.

I wonder though, is there an inevitable slide to despotism and deal-making which power seems to so regularly achieve? Tony Benn once famously said he was "leaving parliament to spend more time on politics". Do power structures inevitable tend to corruption, and how can we avoid such a calamitous future for our own purportedly grassroots movement?

Whatever solutions we choose - and accountability, transparency, and the dissolution of absolute power itself are without a doubt justifiable methods transferring agency and empowering our own members - we must use all the fantastic tools we know we could use if we are willing to rise to the challenge. We really do need to prove that our legimitacy derives not only from the fact that our vision is positive or ambitious, but that we will not, and refuse to accept the methods or corrupt tactics our leaders choose when it comes to representation and financial transparency.

Isn't reflecting fun :)

Jonny

Campaigns... Activism... Adovocacy... and DANCING!

2009-10-14T17:57:00.001+01:00

Happy October everyone! And my what a busy time it's been, amazingly fun but busy busy as a bee also. After a year "off" (doing International Health BSc not Medicine) being scheduled to be doing things 9-5 has taken a little adjustment... I mean when do working people go to the bank, go to the post office, get milk and all those other things that are so hard when you're busy?! Anyways what have I been up to?

IN MEDSIN
- Launched the Campaigns Community at the Medsin Autumn Weekend, more to come at the National Conference!!
- Getting super excited about the National Conference in general.
- Planning stunts for the National Conference...we're going to stunt it up baby ;)
- Preparing for the Medsin Question Time... lets find out what those politicians have to say!
- Being inspired, enthused, amazed and energised at Powershift with UK Youth Climate Coalition, best dance protest ever :) It was especially nice to feel part of the wider Climate Change movement (beyond health, important though it is).

OUT OF MEDSIN
- Enjoyed having dinner in Sheffield and Manchester - yay trains!
- Been surprised about loving poking tubes into people's lungs on my Anaesthetics placement.
- Went to watch Fame and got very hype, thank god I started my new dance class the very next day or I might have combusted with the urge to dance. Few. I heart Irish dancing.

Lots of love xxxxx

frans news - not in newsletter form. controversial.

2009-10-13T22:54:00.001+01:00

Ok - so me, like Al pretty late - nevs minds.

In Medsin I have:
been amazed at people's dedication and efficiancy
been getting excited about National Confernce
been getting good at finding my mistakes in the newsletter! woop woop! did the last one without one moan to yonny/anyone else - score!
you know, writing stuff, sending people that ask hopefully accurate info.....it feels like more....
advertising my availabilty to be delegated to!

Out of Medsin I have:
been on medics bar crawl - messy. possibly an over 24hr long hangover. its just as well i wasnt driving back to glossie for a while...
watching strictly come dancing in 20 minute sections (its so frickin' long! but i do love the dancy....)
been reprimanded for not staying in touch with people

In medicine i have:
been doing psych - heavy but good! alternate between liking and not liking. its orthopeadics next and with my anatomy know-how, i dont stand a chance! in 1st/2nd year i was lucky if i got which limb it was let alone which artery on which limb....

looking forward to notts and, yes elly, it does feel as if we know everyone more. realised the other day im in touch with you guys more than my family or housemates, and i like my family AND my housemate. odd no?!

al being mistaken as a pimp = funny. made my actual day.

medsin love x

Al's Awesome Alliterative Title Alluding to Activities in Medsin

2009-10-11T11:47:00.004+01:00

Hi everyone, I realise I'm almost a bit late for this now, so I apologise. I think Elly's completely on the ball when she says that it feels like we've been working together for ages and ages, but equally the time is going so fast!

In Medsin:

I have attempted to recruit Trainers for:
Medsin Autumn Weekend
National Conference (trainers and meeting facilitators)
Marrow AGM (just me! :( )
Pharmaware's AGM (email sent out today!)
I have attempted to raise the profile of TNT already having quite a few potentials (work in progress)
Working with Claire Thomas to develop the plan for TCT, Campaigns Day and the final integration of TCT and TNT
Arranged some IFMSA Training: Norway (13-15 Nov), Iceland (2-4 Nov)
Began preparing TNT application forms
Repping Medsin at the Marrow AGM (my final act for Marrow? :'( ) [I'll probably still go to clinics]

Out Medsin:

Met lots of drug addicts in the last two weeks (psych rotation)
Friend of mine broke up with her boyfriend so I went out drinking for the first time since Macedonia. Four of us, having decided that we were gonna go back to my house walked about 2 miles while drunk. Then she changed her mind and I had to walk her back 1.5 miles in the opposite direction, then walking all the way back I decided to ask a random guy what the time was (my phone battery had died), and another friend was driving past, pulled over and asked me why I was drug dealing to a tramp...
Going to see Up in 3D today which I'm very excited about!
Saw Florence and the Machine the day before the MAW.
I've probably done something else.. right? :S

What I'm wondering now is.. why is it "In Medsin", but "Out of Medsin"? Why the relatively unnecessary "of"? If "In Medsin" makes sense, why shouldn't "Out Medsin"? I'm making a stand!

Sarah P VPP update

2009-10-08T12:31:00.002+01:00

Recently in Medsin...

1. National Conference: a. I have been calling out for workshops for projects/campaigns and liasing with Nottingham organisers b. Activities fair - again persuading activities and others to get a stall and keeping the Nottingham nc upto date with this.

2. AB newsletter: done the call out and will be getting this together in the next few weeks

3. Sexpression conference presentation - have been putting together and practicing a presentation on medsin & sexpression to give at sexpressions conference on Sunday.

4. Phone call with Jc about activities, projects, and general vpp life

5. Heading to GHEP conference in London Sat and Sexpression conference in Leicester Sunday

6. Planning Buddy love - seeing Fran next Wednesday!

7. Writing application for for funding from my medical school for nc expenses

Aside from Medsin

1. Moving House: Moved to Torbay into lovely flat with my friend who's an F1

2. Helping friends with their F1 applications: and drilling into them that they need to start now - time obsessed Sarah!

3. Seeing friends from the South West :)

4. BMJ careers fair in London: fun times left even more undecided on a career but had some fun and bumped into Mark Prince my predecessor so that was good!

5. Am now back in Swindon - Torbay to be permanent as of October 19th. I'm in Swindon, London, Leicester, Kettering, Exeter, Gloucester, & Cheltenham between then and now!

6. Am doing second part of NLP practictioner course (google it) thurs-sun next week. Still don't know if I think the stuff works but bits of it are def useful to training, and my friends aunt is running it so I am no being charged very tiny friend&student price!

7. Running: as always! I have now entered a half marathon Feb 21st in Brighton so a proper training schedule will be implemented soon!

10 train journeys over the next 10 days :) woooooop

What's been a bit of a challenge recently is...

Having a 3 week gap between elective and med school (surprisingly!)

Sarah's time management weakness is concept of time - tends to overestimate what time = i.e. 3 weeks isn't 3 months! Consequently I have to be really strict with how I use my time, and remember moving house needs adequate time allowed!

Getting gmailed out, need to be careful!

My first month as VPE

2009-10-05T10:37:00.001+01:00

I can't believe it has only been a month! It's seem I have been VPE a lot longer, and that I have known the NC for years - but really some of us have only met twice.

Medsin so far has really exceded my expectations; I didn't think it would be this much work :-(, but I also didn't think I would get so much pleasure out of it, and meet such fantastic people! The Medsin Autumn Weekend, I thought was a great success, and I'm really proud to be part of the NC team!

Recently in Medsin I have been ..... trying to get my head around all the stuff I want to do as VPE and what I can actually do.

Fundraising:

Fundraising is my main priority and although I have many dreams of what I can do to fundraise on a national level, they are still just dreams as I see what is actually feasible. I am hoping to do my own VPE strategic plan for the year so I can have a better idea of what I want to concentrate on.

For the past week I have been concentrating on helping local FR - I have been beefing up and enhancing the online resource pack, and have been in contact with two of the newer branches - Bath and Lancaster - to try and help them realise their FR dreams.

Membership:

I am going to be facilitating a SWG on Membership and so have put a call out for participants, and am waiting for a few more participants before I start it. In the meantime I have been reading through the work done so far on membership and trying to explore the issues individually.

Charity Status:

This is where my job is really exciting, and I have been spending many an hour reading through the Charity Commision's website, and trying to get my head around the Charity Act.

Local Medsin:

I haven't quite let go of my Medsin roots, and am still involved with Brighton's Medsin and StopAIDS - though I am sure I will eventually have to let go :-(.

Aside from Medsin.....

My amazing housemate Priya has returned from Canada so we have been frequenting our favourite eateries and catching up. Which has been contradicting with me trying to get back into a decent physical fitness, as I am starting basketball soon, I have been hitting the gym and my bike before season starts.

I also started my BSc this last week and am now doing Pharmacology - note that is not Physiology JC and Erica - at Brighton. Which has been exciting as I have some fantastic modules coming up and a really exciting research project to start! And yes that's right, your VPE does in fact get excited about Pharmacology - as well as fundraising of course!

Monthly Update: September, What a month!

2009-10-05T00:24:00.002+01:00

Hey guys

As first update for the year it's difficult to know where to start since there's been so much to talk about, do and reflect on since the intensive high that was April of our election!

Recently in Medsin I have been...seconded as one of the Student Editor interns/Medsin random in the office at The Lancet Student magazine therefore currently based there with desk, computer, phone and professional facilities par excellence which was a rather unexpected boon for Medsin this year!

Lots of external meetings to get the year in full swing (hoping to balance internal vs external time, always a challenge). So time with Oxfam, BMA, Medact, UK Youth Climate Coalition , Stop Climate Chaos, was wisely spent with reports to follow very soon! Was elected onto BMA International Committee from the Medical Students area, which will be really valuable to us.

Much of the month spent on preparing for and running our 1st National Committee meeting and the fantastic Medsin Autumn Weekend which started the year with an intense bang, and what a start it was!

Some other Medsin stuff:

Ran a workshop with End Water Poverty at the Lancet Student Water Forum (18/9) on how to campaign, great fun :)
Learnt how we can fundraise better, harder and more via the Foundation for Social Improvement at the Sharing the Best Forum (1/10) - FREE training!!
Meeting with the BMA Medical Student Chair Tim Crocker-Buque and Natalie Breeze (Secretariat) on how we can help them write mandated guidane on medical students and interactions with pharmaceutical companies.

Aside from Medsin I've also...Well it's been a wee bit of a busy month recently which started to rule out at times a lot of chillaxation though still loving being in London, about to secure a new place to live v. soon hopefully and generally very much setting aside time for the next short while to catch up with everyone I've neglected of late and explore my new hometown..Saw my brother and sister's football game and horseriding skills this weekend at home, that made a nice change from Medsin weekends for once!

My week so far!

2009-10-04T13:30:00.001+01:00

Hey team,

This week I've been in Oncology! An unbelievable experience: sobering but strangely uplifting. It certainly takes it out of you, emotionally and physically.

Which has left me with a modicum of time to do stuff away from the hospitals. I guess we're all going through the same sorts of things at the moment though, so I'm sure we can pull through as an NC. We've got a great team going here, and I've spent a large part of the week going on at people about the wonders of medsin.

And that's all. My week, in words.

Yonny