Madeleine Kruth, Khalidha Nasiri, and the CFMS Canada official mascot “Timmy Beary Horton"
The experience of attending the MM23 provided me with new insights into global health, medical education, and advocacy. The meeting acts as a forum for those who are most engaged in their NMOs and who represent the interests of medical students in their country, so the privilege of attending and meeting other delegates is fantastic. Learning about the successes and challenges of medical education, care, and provision others face internationally helped me contextualise the current challenges we see in Canada and reinvigorated my desire to seek creative and novel solutions in collaboration with other medical students, practitioners, and advocates, both in Canada and abroad.
- Madeleine Kruth, MS1 University of Alberta
Jun Kim doing roll call for CFMS Canada during a plenary session
Representing Canada at the March Meeting was an unbelievably amazing opportunity. I am grateful that I was able to meet so many medical students from around the world, learn about other cultures and engage in meaningful discussions about enhancing medical education at a national and international level. I was inspired by what groups in other countries have accomplished, and am excited to apply my new learnings to future initiatives at CFMS Canada.
- Lauren Wong, MS2, University of Alberta
Holding voting cards up during a vote. Can you find the CFMS Canada flag?
We usually have 1-2 spots for general members to attend with our delegation. General members who attend with the delegation have their accommodation, food, and registration costs covered, as well as most of their flight costs. To stay updated on our call for general delegates, please subscribe to our newsletter and bookmark our LinkTree (check out our “Global Health & IFMSA Opportunities” page), and follow the cfms on social media @cfmsfemc. You can also get in touch with our IFMSA Coordinator at cfms-canada@ifmsa.org.
Global Health Education
What Does the Global Health Education Portfolio Do?
Over the years, there has been an increasing demand for global health education at Canadian medical schools. Many schools have created programming, be it faculty-led or student-led, to account for this growing demand. Some schools, however, have fallen behind in addressing student requests for global health programming for a variety of reasons, including logistic concerns or a small number of global health faculty. The CFMS NOGHE portfolio aims to provide students with resources to supplement their medical education with global health core concepts. These core concepts for Canadian medical students were initially drafted in 2012 and were re-affirmed as well as mapped to CanMEDS roles (found here).
National Global Health Education Survey
- A follow-up survey to a study titled Global Health in Canadian Medical Education: Current Practices and Opportunities (Izadnegahdar et al, 2008)
- Collection of responses from students regarding current opinions of global health integration into medical school curricula and the value of global health education in residency and practice
- Surveyed responses include consideration for the accessibility of global health opportunities and desired future steps for future curricula development
- Project currently in progress
CFMS Social Medicine Certificate Toolkit
- Provides a framework for students attempting to implement a global health certificate program at their school
- Link to completed document: Click here
- An extension to this project organizing national and online social medicine events is ongoing
Summary of Global Health Education at Medical Schools Across Canada
- Collection of responses from students regarding key areas of global health education across Canada, survey questions derived from Building a Framework for Global Health Learning: An Analysis of Global Health Concentrations in Canadian Medical Schools (Watterson et al, 2015)
- Link to completed report: Click here
Selected Cases in Global Health
- Gathered data on students’ perspectives regarding mandatory service learning and areas for improvement
- Link to completed report: Click here
Global Health Mentorship For Canadian Medical Students
Are you a medical student looking for mentorship in the field of global health? Check out MentorNet (run by the Canadian Society for International Health), which offers a robust mentorship program connecting interested students with mentors working in global health: http://www.csih.org/en/programs/mentornet
Interested in getting involved with Global Health Education?
- Join our Global Health Education Committee: applications open during Fall recruitment each year (around August-September)
- Become a Local Officer of Global Health Education at your school’s global health committee (check with your Global Health Liaison in September)
- Contact the National Officer of Global Health Education: noghe@cfms.org
MDs of Global Health
MDs of Global Health is a new national initiative spearheaded by the National Officer of Global Health Education and the Global Health Education Committee. It is a collection of portraits and interviews of Canadian physicians dedicated to global health, inspired by “Humans of New York”. We are hoping that this initiative will inspire and engage medical students in learning more about careers and projects they can take on in global health. Each physician has also provided their contact information if you would like to learn more about their experiences or to seek advice on global health involvement.
Project Lead & Global Health Education Committee Chair:
National Officer of Global Health Education - Farnaz Javadian (University of British Columbia)
Global Health Education Committee Members:
Kiruthika Baskaran (University of Toronto)
Khalidha Nasiri (University of Western Ontario)
Nguyet (Na) Nguyen (Memorial University of Newfoundland)
Divya Santhanam (University of Western Ontario)
Caleb Sypkes (University of Ottawa)
If you would like to learn more about the MDs of Global Health initiative or have any questions, please contact the CFMS National Officer of Global Health Education at noghe@cfms.org.
Dr. Sarah Gander, Pediatrician, President of the Social Pediatrics Section of the Canadian Pediatrics Society
Dr. Dawn Howse, Family Physician, Hospitalist, & General Practice Oncologist, The Salvation Army Mission Hospitals
Dr. Patricia Livingston, Anesthesiologist and Medical Director of Global Health in the Dalhousie Dept. of Anesthesia, Pain Management & Perioperative Medicine
Dr. Russell Dawe, Family Physician, Founder and Director of the MUN Care of Underserved Populations Enhanced Skills Program
Dr. Melanie van Soeren, Family Physician, MUN Care of Underserved Populations Program, Downtown Healthcare Collaborative
Dr. Ali Okhowat, Family Physician, Co-Founder and Co-Lead of the WHO Innovation Hub
Dr. Joanne Perry, Family Physician, Médecins Sans Frontières
Dr. Peter Daley, Infectious Diseases Physician and Medical Microbiologist at MUN
Dr. Gigi Osler, Past President of the Canadian Medical Association
Dr. Sandy Buchman, President of the Canadian Medical Association
Reproductive & Sexual Health
You can contact the National Officer of Reproductive and Sexual Health (NORSH) at norsh@cfms.org. They are supported by senior and junior Local Officers of Reproductive and Sexual Health (LORSH) at each CFMS medical school across the country.
The CFMS recognizes the importance of supporting and advocating for reproductive and sexual health for all Canadians, including maternal health and safe access to abortion, LGBTQ+ health, and HIV/AIDS. In alignment with these values, the CFMS created the Reproductive and Sexual Health portfolio to create opportunities for medical students across Canada through projects and initiatives in the area of reproductive and sexual health.
Projects under the NORSH portfolio:
IFMSA SCORA X-Changes
The SCORA X-Change is a unilateral exchange program for IFMSA members focused on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: sexuality and gender identity, maternal health and access to safe abortion, comprehensive sexuality education, HIV/AIDS and other STIs and gender based violence. Throughout the exchange, participants gain insight into the social and health care situations of the host country and engaged in intercultural education and collaboration. CFMS students can apply to go on 1- or 2- week SCORA X-Changes in other IFMSA countries. These applications open on a rolling basis on short notice usually in the Spring. Please contact the NORSH or IFMSA Coordinator (cfms-canada@ifmsa.org) for updates when the applications open. Please note that SCORA X-Changes are not funded by the CFMS; applicants are responsible for all costs associated with the X-Change including flights, applicable visas, applicable vaccinations, lodging, meals, and applicable program expenses.
International Awareness Days
We aim to recognize important international awareness days. One example of this is “Paint the town red” for World AIDS Day (December 1) to unite in the fight against HIV! Previous themes for this day included “Communities make the difference” and we wanted to show that the reproductive and sexual health portfolio and Canadian medical schools as a whole are a community.
CFMS Reproductive and Sexual Health Topics
Please refer to the following links for more information on the CFMS stance on RSH topics:
Comprehensive Sexual Education
Health Care for Transgender Patients: Medical Education and Patient Access
Improving Healthcare for LGTBQ Populations
Rural and Remote Maternity Care
Collaborations
The NORSH is responsible for collaborations with external organizations relevant to Reproductive and Sexual Health. If you have any ideas or are interested in collaborating, please reach out at norsh@cfms.org.
Human Rights & Peace
Land Acknowledgement & Commitment to Action
The NORPs acknowledge that the CFMS main office is located on unceded Algonquin and Anishinaabe territory, colonially known as Ottawa. Furthermore, the NORPs and HRPC members represent the lands colonially known as Canada to the IFMSA SCORP sessions, as CFMS Canada. As many Co-NORPs and HRPC members are settlers, they are asked to use their privilege to center and share the work led by Indigenous communities.
Throughout the year, NORP and HRPC work is to be guided by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action 18-24 inclusive, the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Calls for Justice 7.1-7.9 inclusive, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and more. For more information, please reach out to us at norp@cfms.org to read through our Terms of Reference revisions for NORPs and HRPC, and more.
Who are the National Officers of Human Rights and Peace (NORPs) and Human Rights and Peace Committee (HRPC)?
The National Officers of Human Rights and Peace (NORPs) are part of the CFMS Global Health Portfolio. Their work includes coordinating the CFMS Human Rights and Peace Committee (HRPC), supporting Global Health Advocates (GHAs) or Local Officers of Human Rights and Peace (LORPs), representing the CFMS at the International Federation of Medical Students’ Association (IFMSA) Standing Committee on Human Rights and Peace (SCORP) sessions, connecting and collaborating with the Global Health Director, other National Officers and members of the Global Health portfolio, and leading and supporting projects relating to human rights locally, nationally and internationally.
The Human Rights & Peace Committee is composed of the National Officers of Human Rights and Peace (Co-NORPs), Local Officers of Human Rights and Peace or Global Health Advocates, and interested medical learners. As the Committee is composed of many medical students from equity-deserving groups, the HRPC team prioritizes anti-oppressive, intersectional, non-hierarchical, and decolonial approaches to their work and structure. The purpose of the Committee is to support, create and/or implement local, national and international global health initiatives under a minimum of one (1) advocacy themes, working towards at least one (1) local, national and international global health projects and/or initiatives each year.
How can you connect with the NORPs and HRPC?
Email: norp@cfms.org
Facebook Groups with CFMS HRPC and IFMSA SCORP opportunities: CFMS Global Health, IFMSA SCORP, IFMSA Americas, Americas SCORP
What are the CFMS HRPC projects for 2022-23? *Note: recruitment has finished for the following projects, please reach out in the Summer/Fall to join new project teams!
National Advocacy Theme (NAT): Refugee and Migrant Rights
Project Overview: The team is working towards 1-2 actions in support of the advocacy theme. Thus far, these include a phone/email zap, in collaboration with the Migrant Rights Network, Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, and in solidarity with migrant-led groups across the country.International Advocacy Theme (IAT): Impacts of War on Health
Project Overview: The team is working towards 1-2 actions in support of the advocacy theme. Thus far, these include virtual speaker events with advocates and community-led organizations from different IFMSA regions (Africa, Americas, Asia-Pacific, Eastern Mediterranean and Europe), on the impacts of war or conflict on health.Terms of Reference (ToR) Revisions
Project Overview: The team is working towards revisions of the Terms of Reference for the co-NORPs and HRPC/LOs. Thus far, this has involved consultation with the HRPC/LOs through two surveys, collection of feedback from members of the Global Health portfolio, other CFMS portfolios, stakeholders and community members, and finalizing draft revisions accordingly. The ToR revisions will then be shared with the CFMS Governance Committee and CFMS Board for final review and approval.Key revisions so far include, among others: a land acknowledgement and commitments to action for both ToR, mandatory anti-oppression training for both ToR, changes to language, voting and decision-making to reduce the hierarchy of roles in the NORP ToR, addition of both GHAs/LORPs and recruited members in the HRPC ToR, and more.
Equity-Focused Clinical Care Database
Project Overview: The Equity Database project aims to identify and address current gaps in medical education that relate to caring for members of equity-deserving groups during clinical training. The project has been updated to include the following three sections: a literature review, a survey of CFMS medical students, which will then both inform the database development, to support medical student learning.IFMSA Activities: Presentations & Collaborations
Project Overview: The team worked on a presentation relating to homelessness and housing insecurity in Canada, which included: human rights guidelines and legislation, community member perspectives, clinical impacts, and ways for medical students and attendees to take action.IFMSA March Meeting 2023 - SCORP Delegation
Project Overview: Preparation for and attendance at the IFMSA March Meeting 2023.
Update: We would like to thank and congratulate Bonnie Liu, our in-person SCORP delegate, for her extensive preparation, engagement and commitment to the sessions and projects before, during and after MM23! For any additional questions relating to the MM23 SCORP sessions, please reach out to Bonnie at bliu2025@meds.uwo.ca.
Reflection slides: Estonia
What do all the acronyms mean?
To increase committee member and CFMS student understanding of the committee’s work and opportunities locally, nationally and internationally, the co-NORPs developed an infographic that answers common questions, and explains the main acronyms used by the HRPC/LOs. The 2022-23 infographic is available here and copied below.
Pocket Series
**This page has not been updated since 2021. It is in the process of being updated. In the meantime, please contact the Director of Global Health, at globalhealth@cfms.org if you have any questions about the global health portfolio**
The CFMS Global Health Advocacy Program is proud to launch the Health and Human Rights Pocket Card Series. These cards are intended to serve as a resource for medical students who wish to take on a more holistic approach to the patient encounter. If you are interested in learning more about this initiative, please contact the CFMS National Officer of Human Rights and Peace, Alex Wong, at norp@cfms.org. Stay tuned for more cards in the future!
Special thanks to Hayley Chato, Graphic Designer and Illustrator (hayleychato@gmail.com).
Google Drive
