VOTE S.A.M - MANIFESTO
- Samantha Forbes
- Apr 23
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 24
LEADERSHIP REIMAGINE THE MMSA
WE CAN BELIEVE IN BETTER TOGETHER
S - Students First
Every voice, every year group, your needs lead the agenda.
Revamping of the Student Lounge at MMLT ( fresh paint, coffee machine)
Launch of My Brother’s Keeper – an academic support unit focused on peer study time accountability, networking, educational webinars and sharing school resources.
Implementing Mental Health and Wellness Initiatives - hosting mental health forums, social media check-ins, partnering with the faculty, organizations and the FMS Run Club to help promote a healthy lifestyle.
Launch of Unafraid: Campus Safety and Self-Defence - an engaging and action-driven forum aimed at empowering students with essential safety strategies and self-defence skills.
Ensure students are heard and represented through weekly dissemination of google feedback forms, and bi-weekly meet and or check-ins with every year group and MBBS Class Presidents.
A - Action-Oriented Leadership
PROPEL Grant Program - the distribution of small grants to ease financial burden for groceries, daily meals, self-care items and tuition each semester. Grants are not dependent on GPA.
Advocate for accommodation for off campus sites for clinical students.
Advocating for the option to sit exams with partial tuition payment, especially for unsponsored medical students, so that financial challenges do not become a barrier to academic progress.
Advocate for policy change to allow students to graduate with their degree GPA as oppose to a PASS degree due to prior academic set-backs (or a prior failing grade).
Advocate for timely remediation opportunities, specifically, for third year medical students with outstanding courses such as Clinical Haematology to have the chance to complete requirements and sit exams within six months, rather than waiting until the next scheduled sitting in August. And or townhall meetings with the faculty's Undergraduate Department to explain why this is not feasible.
M - Momentum for Change
Reignite the energy, consistency and pride in the MMSA
Creation of a constitution to govern the MMSA body
Creation of a MMSA ( department) jersey
The continuation of CUL-MED: Where Culture Meets Medicine!
Launch of MED Week – celebrating our department with a week of activities including the Med-Olympics.
Launch of First Incision – a cocktail party at the beginning of the academic semester to foster integration among our cohort, networking with our Med Alumni and Corporate Jamaica.
Launch of Last Suture – a cocktail party at the end of the academic semester to foster integration among our cohort.
Med Charity Ball – formal dinner, live performances and a raffle where funds raised will be donated to health related research or local health departments / clinics. Awardee voted on by attendees on the night.
Foster healthy relationships with regional Medical Student Associations and seek to register the MMSA with the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations to provide benefits, including access to a global network of medical students, opportunities for international exchange programs, capacity building, and policy advocacy.
This is reallyyy good!!