27 Jun AMSA Council 1 Report
In April, GUMS sent five representatives to AMSA Council 1. AMSA Council is held three times a year, and is where representatives from every med school in Australia meet to discuss policy and the management of AMSA itself.
Held in Sydney over three days, Council discussed policies on internships, tobacco free campuses, marriage equality and medical school admissions. Additionally, a proposal for discussion was brought to council by the Medical Deans of Australia and New Zealand. This aimed to create inherent requirements for entry into medical school. Examples of these included having the physical ability to insert a cannula, and perform CPR. Council gained a perspective on the full repercussions of such a document when Dinesh Palipana (fourth year at Griffith) and Paddy Owens (Immediate Past president at GUMS) spoke of how this would essentially preclude physically disabled people from studying, let alone practicing, medicine. Their presentation was very well received by councillors.
Most people don’t know that any member of AMSA can attend Council. Council isn’t just about policy – the AMSA exec give reports and there are always inspirational council guests. Perhaps the best thing about Council, though, is the people you meet. Some of them are almost superhumanly well-qualified. If you’re interested in contributing to AMSA in the future, I’d definitely recommend coming to Council 3, which will be held in Sydney in September.
Join the GUMS@AMSA Facebook group to stay updated: https://www.facebook.com/groups/778352792242767/
Policies:
Marriage Equality Policy – supporting marriage equality for its beneficial health effects. Griffith voted for, policy was passed.
Tobacco Free Campus Policy – advocating for banning smoking on university campuses. Griffith voted against, as we believed having designated smoking areas is a better option. Policy passed.
Medical Schools Admission Policy – a merger of a number of policies, with a variety of positions. Griffith voted for, policy passed.
Vaccinations Policy – called for no jab no pay (welfare) policy. Griffith voted for, policy passed.