This week Medsin will be represented at the European Medical Students’ Association (EMSA) Spring Assembly in Ljubljana, Slovenia. We hear from Director of Branch Affairs, Sam Tweed on why Medsin are attending the meeting and what we’ll be doing there.
Threats to our health do not recognise international borders and strategies to improve health require cooperation globally. This has been a highly significant week in the relationship between the United Kingdom and European Union with far-reaching impacts on health, so it is pertinent that Medsin is represented at the EMSA Spring Assembly to raise the voice of UK students on health issues globally.
From the advocacy which defeated the Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership (TTIP) to the mobility of healthcare workers across Europe, cooperation is essential to promote and protect health. Cultural Exchange and learning about Medical Education in other countries is essential too, with Medsin already running dozens of exchanges across Europe every year.
Brexit will have profound impacts on medical students, healthcare workers, human rights legislation, regulation of medicines, freedom of movement and health protection for the UK and EU. We will be making the statement below to the Assembly with input from Branch Presidents on Medsin’s response to the EU referendum result and our advocacy priorities as negotiations for the UK’s departure from the EU commence. Having a strong voice representing the views of UK students to our European neighbours at this crucial juncture in history is essential and a great responsibility.
EMSA is an organisation with over 100 faculty member organisations across Europe, but Medsin does not currently have a formal relationship with it. EMSA made a presentation at Medsin Autumn Weekend 2016 and many branches indicated an interest in the organisation. This week I’ll be exploring if EMSA membership is something our branches could benefit from and whether a closer relationship with EMSA could help support our vision of equity in health as the UK’s student global health network.
Students for Global Health 