I would like to acknowledge the Kaurna people, the original custodians of this land, and recognise the relationship between Indigenous people and the lands and waters of the Adelaide Plains, on which we learn and grow every day.
As we lead into semester 2, I want to take the time to reflect on all the hard work our committee members have been putting into work not just for the medical student community, but also to excel in their own studies and health. With our MD1s and MD2s finishing up their exams and holidays, and clinical years back into their placements, we have focused less on that busy social calendar and more on ways to recharge ourselves.
In the spirit of student wellbeing but also environmental stewardship, we organised a day away from study for all FMSS committee members, planting trees with Bio-R at Frahns Farm. Not only was this new event a great way for our committee to get to know each other better, but a way to get students outdoors and participating in something productive that was not study. We all learnt some new skills and interesting facts about the land and trees we were working with, fostering a sense of responsibility to promote a healthier and greener future.
The Push Up Challenge, which we previously mentioned, has now come to a successful conclusion. Throughout the month of June, our members actively participated in this fundraising event, completing 34,971 push-ups and raising $1400 collectively. We had 7 people complete the full 3144 push-ups over the 23 days! We are immensely proud of their commitment to raising awareness and funds for Lifeline and Movember Australia. Together, we have made a tangible impact on the lives of those affected by mental health issues.
On the theme of mental health, FMSS also attended the SASMOA Crazy Socks for Docs breakfast, the first Friday each June. This event highlights the many challenges doctors and medical students face with mental health and seeking help, aiming to break the stigma and encourage people to talk about it. With excellent guest speakers like Federal Health Minister Hon. Mark Butler MP and author Dr Ben Bravery, students had a thought provoking morning, able to meet some big names and still make it back to class before 9:30 am.
On the national advocacy side, we have been working closely with the Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) as well as other individual university societies to address various issues raised by students and the university. AMSA has also completed their second council for the year, passing policies to help inform our advocacy directions. Some of the policies passed included the internship and prevocational framework policy, LGBTQIASB+ health policy, climate change and health, harm minimisation and substance use, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health policy. These are then accessible for us to use when addressing media, the University or other stakeholders. As always, we are very grateful for the regular contact we have with MD staff and their willingness to hear the student voice and want to make improvements to the course. We have been able to make regular changes, both big and small, over the past months to improve the student experience.
FMSS is looking forward to getting back into its social calendar and would like to wish everyone a good start to semester two.
Christine Mausolf
FMSS President