http://ghc2010.amsa.org.au/home/

Hosted by the Australian Medical Student’s Association (AMSA), The Global Health Conference responds to a growing demand for focus on topics effecting human-kind on a global scale. From an inaugural cohort of 200 students in Sydney in 2005, the event has almost doubled in size!

During the conference delegates will learn about global health issues from internationally renowned keynote speakers.  You will be inspired by the work that is being done all over the world by specialists in their field, and be empowered with practical skills to help bring about real change through interactive workshops. Read the rest of this entry »

Dear Budding Surgeons,

Are you a leader? Or are you interested in improving your leadership skills? Well the Australian Medical Students’ Association in conjunction with the National Rural Health Students’ Network (NRHSN) are teaming up to bring to you the inaugural National Rural Leadership Development Seminar! This Seminar will be held in Wollongong over 8-10 April, Read the rest of this entry »

I had a discussion with a friend the other day about my first year of medicine here in Newcastle and her first year of law at a fairly prestigious law school. It came down to a teaching philosophy of sink or swim – somewhat ironic considering I work as a learn-to-swim teacher. She felt that she had, in her standard style degree, barely kept afloat all year and was in no way a better swimmer (ie a better law student) than 12 months ago. At this point I became acutely aware of my gratitude to the Newcastle way, to PBL, to UPs, to MedSoc and to the whole experience that is BMed. Read the rest of this entry »

Before medicine, my passion was Biology. I studied biology at high school then at the ANU before coming to Newcastle, and found myself fascinated by amazing stories of how creatures adapt and survive in the wild. I love my animals, and I love my animal analogies. Some may be familiar with my ‘South American Gerbils’ from the Great Debate, whose entire male population basically copulate themselves to death during mating season (a true story by the way).

So it was no surprise that when I was told the Wildebeest Analogy by an older and wiser third year medical student, as I expressed my deep and unfamiliar fear of failure, that it stuck. Some may have heard this story already, and I make no claim to have thought of it myself. However as you head into life in med and series upon series of those terrifying med exams, I thought it was fitting to share this short but reassuring bit of wisdom with all. Read the rest of this entry »