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Handover manual RC Americas

2010-2011

Handover manual 2010-2011

Table of contents
Preface! Aknowledgements! Introduction!
Introduction to the manual IFMSAs mission and objectives

4 5 6

General overview: the RCs role!

Regionalization The Regional Coordinator The Region Support documentation The RCs role and main tasks Budget (Personal) Meetings

NMOs in the Region!

Full members Associate members Candidate members Recent changes in statuses Particular situations or issues

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Topics of importance in the Region!

Communication Level of activity of NMOs

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Participation at events Language Corporate Identity PAHO PAMSA online

A bit of history and background!

PAMSAs history Past Regional Coordinators Past RMs

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Regional Tasks and Activities!

Regional structure and Assistants Recruitement of NMOs Regional Meeting External Organizations Publications Checklist

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Handover manual 2010-2011

Preface
First of all, congratulations on being elected to the role as RC! I know you will have a very busy but exciting year in that position. This manual has been prepared to help you start your term and to make sure that you have all of the important information about your role, the Region and your tasks. Of course, this manual will not be everything: there will be online meetings and emails and you are very welcome to ask me any question at any point. Every term as an Ofcials has sucesses and mistakes and is lled with ups and downs, I hope that by anticipatng these and being prepared you can prevent most of the downs, some mistakes and build on what has been accomplished already. Remember that you are in a team and ensure that you make the most of support provided by others and ask for it when needed. I also encourage you to lend a helping hand when others have difculties. I wish you all the best in your term ahead: I hope you have an incredible time and make sure our region keeps developing and ourishing. Take time to enjoy this term too, time ies, and it is a great experience With all my best wishes, --Genevive Bois Regional Coordinator for the Americas International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA) E-mail : rcamericas@ifmsa.org Alternative E-mail : genevieve.bois@umontreal.ca Cell Phone: +1 5149469976 IFMSA General Secretariat c/o World Medical Association B.P. 63 012 12 Ferney-Voltaire, Cedex, France Tel: (+33) 450 40 47 59 Fax: (+33) 450 40 59 37 E-mail: gs@ifmsa.org Web: www.ifmsa.org

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Aknowledgements
Many thanks to Anneliese Willems from AMSA-Australia, which has provided a template for this manual and a great deal of content. Also, many thanks to past Regional Coordinators - namely Lawrence Loh and Fiorella Barbagelata from CFMS-Canada and IFMSA-Peru - who have provided me with some information before and during my term. Finally, thanks to other members who have contributed to my own training as an RC, particularly Andrea Srur from IFMSA-Chile.

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Introduction
Introduction to the manual
This manual forms the tool that should provide you with some of the information needed to be prepared and best fulll your position. It can be used as a reference trough the year and makes sure some key information is handed down. However, this manual will be supplemented with a thorough handover and continued support from myself as your predescessor over the next couple of months. In addition, this handover is supplemented by electronic documents to assist you throughout your term. I encourage you to go trough them and use them as much as possible, while adding new les you might create or new versions to the folder so those documents keep being handed down and we reduce the need to re-create tools that once existed. This document is divided into two sections. The rst section is specic to your role, the second provides more general information which is specic to your role as an ofcial.

IFMSAs mission and objectives

"Our mission is to offer future physicians a comprehensive introduction to global health issues. Through our programming and opportunities, we develop culturally sensitive students of medicine, intent on inuencing the transnational inequalities that shape the health of our planet." - To expose all medical students to humanitarian and global health issues, providing them with the opportunity to educate themselves and their peers; - To facilitate partnerships between the medical student community and international organizations also concerned by health, education and medicine; - To give all medical students the opportunity to take part in clinical and research exchange around the world; - To provide a network that links active medical students across the globe, including student leaders, project managers and activists, so that they can learn from and be motivated by each other; - To provide an international framework in which medical student projects can be initiated, carried out and developed; - To empower and train medical students to take a role in bringing about the necessary changes to improve the health of all people of the world.

Handover manual 2010-2011

General overview: the RCs role

Regionalization
Regionalization as we know it in IFMSA was introduced in 2001 with the goal of having EB liaisons to the NMOs among the geographically adn/or culturally close NMOs. It is not to divide IFMSA into 5 smaller organisations, running parallel activities and structures, but to facilitate NMOs to be recruited, integrated, motivated, supported, etc. It is important for Regional Coordinatord to be up to date with regional issues pertaining to the Standing Committees, memberships, debts, etc.

The Regional Coordinator

As RC, you are part of the Team of Ofcials (TO) which is the international team that works in all areas of IFMSA, looking to integrate and get the organization to function at its maximum potential. You are the representative of medical students in the Region of the Americas within the IFMSA Ofcials and as such you must represent them, be a voice on their behalf, represent their interests to the best and make sure they are well supported and understood. At the same time, this relationship goes both ways: you are also the representative of the IFMSA within the Region and as such will also have to be a voice on behalf of the TO and represent IFMSA. Needless to say that there will be moments where balancing both is difcult, but it is part of the role of the RC to be this pivotal individual and although it might be difcult for you at times, things are easier for your Region and the TO because you are there. You simply have to keep in mind that the overall needs of IFMSA will have to come rst and that the TO must work in the best interest of all of the Federation. There are as many ways of being an RC as people that have done it I think. But there are a certain number of things that must be done and your personnality and leadership style might inuence how you do it and what else you add on top of it, but its a basis. One thing I believe is that the RC should act as a leader for the region, as a good example and promite further involvement. However, your leadership needs to match the personalities, needs and cultures present within the Region. As much as possible, I encourage you to take a participative and collaborative approach, but sometimes, some situation will require a more authoritarian approach. It is normal to have to resort to this in certain critical situation, but it is a parctice that needs to be used wisely.

Handover manual 2010-2011

The Region
We are from a Region that showcases a lot emotions and feelings, has strong friendship and tends to be very vocal and social. This is something you need to be aware of, work with, play in, but also control to an extent. I encourage you to be friendly with the Regional Team and all the members of the Region, but to promote a culture of hard work and professionalism as much as possible. You can be a positive example that is possible to work hard and play harder, and that things can be both fun and done well. Always be transparent and proactive also: let everyone know what is going on and what is being done. Keep asking for inputs/feedbacks from all the people you work with, even when feedback is scarce. Gradually, people might take more advantage of those opportunities, but they do need to be constantly offered. On the other hand, as an RC dont get too involved with NMO issues and national problems. Dont hesitate to involve the VPI in case of doubt. It is one thing to support an NMO and another one to be involved in their internal issues. You can give advice, but try to stick to general structural problams of NMOs and not specic conicts.

Support documentation
Prior to commencing your role, it is essential to read through a certain number of documents: the les used this year and multiple templates and support items, the previous handover manual and other archives, the reports of our collaboration with PAHO, and the Constitution and Bylaws of IFMSA. I recommend you read all of them at least once well, but make sure you are very familiar with the part on Regionalization as well as on IFMSA ofcials and the function of the RC. To have a better idea of the year in front of you, I encourage you to go trough my monthly reports and mid-term and end-term reports.

The RCs role and main tasks

The role of RC is to coordinate regional cooperation, which is supported by IFMSA, and assist the EB in regional way. The main tasks of an RC during the year are: organizing the Regional Meeting, supporting NMOs, fostering collaboration, supporting developement of SC/SD within the Region, recruiting NMOs and integrating them, taking care of relations with Regional partners supporting NMOs to be more active members. It involves a great deal of communication, liaison, adaptation and facilitation and can be quite time consuming. Keep in mind that being an RC involves a huge amount of communication and follow-up, and dont be demotivated if you have to write and write again and sometimes get little

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feedback, in the long run, your effort do provide results. Also, organisation is key, so make sure to have a very good system from the start for tasks, reminders, deadlines, follow-up dates, folders/labels, answer needed mails, etc. Be over organized and not under and aknowledge that people in the Region tend to work less and less as the year goes by, so plan accordingly.

Budget (Personal)
The budget for the 2011-2012 term was adopted at the August Meetings, some amendments might be adopted at the March Meeting 2012. Your personal budget can be spent on travel, administration or anything reasonably needed to do your job. You may not spend money from any other part of the budget without the prior agreement of the Executive Board. - IFMSA RC budget: 1,995 euros for 10/11, but it has been increased 10% - Your own budget: this can vary. I had probably about 2000-2500 euros of other expenses, but could probably have spent more if I could You need to be aware from the start that your IFMSA budget will not cover even the minimal requirements of your position, so you can start fundraising form other sources as soon as possible. Theres a limit to how much we can spend from our own money and that is personnal, but it is completely acceptable for me that one cant attend all the meetings because of logistical and nancial reasons. Try to budget your term in regards of needed expenses, potential expenses and expenses you doubt you can afford but could be made. I classied all my meetings and expenses this way and saw with the money I could spend, how many meetings of the maybe section I could afford.

Meetings
The meetings that you absolutely need to attend are: the Regional Meeting, the March Meeting and the August Meeting. Those need to be attended without any question. The meetings that you should go to as much as possible are the Team of Ofcials Meetings: TOM1, TOM2 and TOM4 are the stand alone TOM. Travelling great distances for a 3 to 4 day trip is often not possible, but you can see from the start if you can join 1, or 2, and which one would be easiest. Try to attend the TOMs held in relations to GAs: TOM3, TOM5 and TOM0. Others meetings I encourage you to attend as much as possible are PAHO meeting and National Assemblies, as weel as sub-regional trainings or events if any take place and the pre-GAs in parrellel to TOM3 and 5.

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I attended TOM1, TOM3, TOM5 and TOM0, both MM and AM and the Regional Meeting. I also attended the National Assemblies of both CFMS and IFMSA-Qubec twice (they both had 2 Assemblies in the year). I couldnt make it to other National Assemblies for logistical of nancial reasons. Even if you can afford to go, the National Meetings are often in the same period of time or close to other events (RM, GA, ...) so it is not always possible. But you can ask NMOs when the meetings will be and see if you could attend 1-2. Potential NMOs to visit would be NMOs that have certain issues, like ACEM Costa Rica, FEVESOCEM Venezuela, IFMSA Paraguay, etc. You can always offer support to those meetings even if you are not present. As RC it is often difcult to attend every TOM since they are often located quite far away. Try to attend at least one of the non-GA TOMs though as you will nd the experience very valuable in motivation and team-building.

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NMOs in the Region

We currently have 20 NMOs in the Region, making it the second biggest in IFMSA after Europe. Supporting 20 NMOs thouroughly is very time consuming, so you can prioritize certains issues or NMOs. Most of them run very well, some have particular issues.

Full members
1. CFMS-Canada 2. AMSA-USA 3. IFMSA-Mexico 4. IFMSA-El Salvador 5. ACEM-Costa Rica 6. IFMSA-Panama 7. JAMSA-Jamaica 8. IFMSA-Ecuador 9. ASCEMCOL-Colombia 10. IFMSA-Peru 11. IFMSA-Bolivia 12. DENEM-Brazil 13. IFMSA-Chile 14. IFMSA-Grenada

Associate members
1. IFMSA-Qubec 2. IFMSA-Brazil 3. APEMH-Peru

Candidate members
1. FEVESOCEM-Venezuela (2.5 years deadline already passed, it was at the AM2011) 2. IFMSA-Argentina (MM2013) 3. IFMSA-Paraguay (AM2013)

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Recent changes in statuses

Grenada becoming full member (AM2010) Argentina becoming candidate member (AM2010) Paraguay becoming candidate member (MM2011) ACOME loosing membership after merger (MM2011)

Particular situations or issues

Some NMOs have particular issues to monitor and try to resolve, some other NMOs just need a bit more support than average, here are the main cases:

Candidate members: Venezuela is already overdue to apply and needs to do so at the March Meeting. This issue needs to be discussed with Argentina and Paraguay so they have plan to when and how theyll apply. Two NMOs: the relationship between CFMS and IFMSA-Qubec is usually excellent, the relationship between the 2 Peru NMOs and the 2 Brazil NMOs is variable, so it is something to keep in mind. Although ACOME and ASEMCOL have ofcially merged for IFMSA purposes, they havent done so on the groud and it is needs to be monitored too. NMOs with generally difcult situations: ACEM and IFMSA-Bolivia have difcult situations at the national level right now, with a lack of ofcers, leadership and coordination, this needs to be a priority. It is also a difculty in FEVESOCEM. NMOs that have fees issues: although many NMOs have fundraising diffculties, some have very specic money issues with IFMSA, namely FEVESOCEM and ACEM. For now, they are the only ones with fees issues. NMOs with lack of involvement: some NMOs have little involvement in the Region, others in IFMSA, and some both, although its hard to put a line where this starts, some NMOs like AMSA, JAMSA and CFMS have been less involved at the Regional level and some NMOs are not very involved at the international level too, namely Paraguay, DENEM and to an extent the Central America NMOs.

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Topics of importance in the Region

Communication
There are many levels of communication happening and that you can use. The most important in a way is the server, but theres also individual emails, emailing presidents as a group and the Heartbeat. The server is a constant challenge in many regards: 1. getting it very active 2. having a diversity of people writing on it 3. balancing too much and too little information 4. balancing information and discussion/socializing 5. maintaining English as a language and a certain language level Also: ideally all presidents and all NOs would be on the server, its something to constantly promote. Possibly, you can send emails to presidents and/or the server every 2-3 months about how to join the server is useful. You can add people yourself if need be. At the beginning of the year, I added all the NOs of NMOs that were in the survey I did. It is hard to know how efcient it has been, but it does allow a signicant amount of NOs to be there. As far as moderation of the server goes, currently, no one can write without being approved, I suggest to keep it this way as many emails are spam and others not meant for the server, you can let some trough, and ltering them is a subjective thing. For spam: whenever theres a spam, delete the email and then go and delete the member. There is a les section on the Yahoo Group and there is a lot of work to do there and its not being used very much or at all. Potentially, the best thing to do would be downloading it all, sorting trough it, deleting it all from the server and putting only relevant things on www.ifmsa.org .

Level of activity of NMOs

The level of activity of NMOs varies trough time, trough the year and by NMO. People tend to slow after the RM and slow even more after the MM. Aim to do most of your work between October 1st and January if theres long term things and things to push. Some NMOs are classicly less active or have phases.

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Participation at events
The participaton at GAs and RMs is often an issue as some NMOs dont attend them very regularly. It can be a very isolated event, and it is not uncomon that an NMO misses a dGA or RM every couple of year, that is not per se an issue. But NMOs missing multiple events in a row or at risk of dropping, so it is something to monitor. It has been a struggle trough times to get NMOs to come to GAs and to be involved in all of IFMSA. Distance, language and fundraising are main issues. A lot of motivation has to be done though. RMs are important for this, as they allow new people in, are less costly and less difcult to blend in. RMs need to be heavily promoted to have maximum attendance and it should be a priority. Promoting activity in IFMSA is a work in progress, as been going better, but will always require promotion. You can heavily promite the TAF when it comes to GAs, for the few NMOs that are elligible. You can also contact early all the NMOs who have difculties attendin to encourage them to fundraise to have at least one delegate.

Language
There has been many issues with the language in the Region, at one point it was considered bilingual. Now the ofcial guideline is that everything needs to work in English in IFMSA, in PAMSA as elsewhere. Incidently, everything ofcial (manuals, server, communication, publications, ...) needs to be in English. But individual emails can be in Spanish if need be, namely when you communicate with one NMO on a specic topics. Keep in mind that if we always talk in Spanish to them, some people never get used to do it in English and then theres a clash when it comes to ofcial documents or the server, or even GAs. I try to answer in English to most of my Spanish email, except when I think there is going to be a signicant loss of information.

Corporate Identity
As for the language, many issues have arisen with regards to the Corporate Identity and there was a PAMSA logo at some point. It can not longer be used and the current CI and CI rules need to be implemented. I spent a fair bit of time clarifying the topics, convicing people and promoting the CI last year and it is something that will need to be continued.

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Its also important to stop any initiative going towards: a separate vision, a logo, an distinct identity, etc. It is often being suggested, and although its hard to constantly have to say no, it needs to be done.

PAHO
PAHO is our major partner in the Region, currently and also potentially. There ae not that many pan-american organizations and PAHO is the most important collaboration well probably ever have. It is not being used to its maximum capacity at the moment and it's something I wished I had had time for even more, but it does take a lot of time and others things too and it's hard to start if not at the beginning. By going to PAHO to the PAHO meeting, things should be easier this year. I learnt the date of PAHO 3 weeks before and it was the day before my worse nal, so there was nothing to do in this case. It is very much needed to have a plan well laid out before going, to be prepared and to have your delegation prepared. You need to meet with Unni and Usman as much as needed to be ready for the meeting, but generally, you need to discuss with Usman early on plans with PAHO for the year and who does what as the LO WHO doesn't have time to work properly with the WHO and all Regional Ofces, so the RC needs to step up, but in collaboration. The RC doesnt have an innite amount of time either, so make sure to plan well. Internships, ressources, and ofcial support to encourage national ofces to work with NMOs are the main things we could get out of PAHO in the short term. Linking projects to people or units could also be done and be very benecial, and that's something to discuss and consider with Philip and Usman. In the long term, having an ofce at PAHO, holding a RM there or having multiple interships would be excellent goals.

PAMSA online
One thing to be adressed is PAMSA on the web: theres currently a Facebook page, but not being used much, and a Wikiperdia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PAMSA), but not very known. The fate of those pages would need to be decided and this could be discussed with Roopa and the EB in general.

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A bit of history and background

PAMSAs history
The IFMSA Region of the Americas is one of the 5 regions that constitute our Federation. 11 years ago with the union of the medical students of Mexico, Brazil, Panama and Peru a rst intend to join the region was made and CLAMSA (Caribbean and Latin American Students Association) was conform. Some years after, in 2003, USA and Canada join the efforts and then PAMSA was build. PAMSAs goal has always been to give tools to the NMOs in the Americas Region to make them stronger and more involved in IFMSA, as well as spreading IFMSA to other countries. During this past year, the PAMSA mission has stopped being used, and for unity purposes, I suggest all potential visions or missions be put out of question. Theres a pseudo-mission for all Regions: and its IFMSAs bylaws on RCs and on Regionalization. For historial reasons though, here is the mission: PAMSA is a strong network of medical students in Americas, concerned with health issues and their impact on society. It is an active forum in constant communication and cooperation working towards a common goal: to integrate, empower, and strive to reduce the inequalities in the region

Past Regional Coordinators

Rodrigo Epperson (2003-2004) Lawrence Loh (2004-2005 and 2005-2006) Kiran Durage (2006-2007) Jessica Tang/Diego Lim (2007-2008) Fiorella Barbagelata (2008-2009 and 2009-2010) Genevive Bois (2010-2011)

Past RMs

Guatemala 2002 (in June versus January) Panama 2005 Brazil 2006 Bolivia 2007 Brazil 2008 Panama 2009

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Chile 2010 Bolivia 2011 Peru 2012.

Until 2009 RMs were fairly smaller, Chile was really a new standard or RM, and that should be maintainted. There were multiples difculties with Bolivia, but it wasnt as much as a setback as it could have been. Peru should bring back things to the condition of Chile or better and theres a big need to make sure things stabilize from there. Certain years, a RM report was made, some others not. It can be quite useful so you can see if you want to do it. I suggest it, but its been hard to manage this year with getting reports from RAs and without that, you can hardly make a report.

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Regional Tasks and Activities

Regional structure and Assistants
There are currently a number of Regional Assistants and Development Assistants in the Region, and it is generally similar from year to year. The Assistants for the Standing Committees and for the VPE are named by them after a call they make themselves, although you will have to work with them. Traditionally, the DAs being named by the RC would be a general assistant for the RC, an assistant for Publications and an assistant for Projects. The re-structuring of the Projects Division this year has created Regional Assistants for Projects within the Division, so there will no longer be a need for a DA Projects. The number and title of DAs is up to you but I would encourage you to name very little people, make sure you have very specic tasks for them and think strongly about how useful this person will really be for you and the Region, as coordinating is sometimes very time consuming. Make sure to stay in contact with all the Assistants though, as they are the Regional team, whoevers assistant they might be rst. You can make a group of contacts with their emails and email them periodically. It is particularly important for the Regional Meeting. You can also make sure they all have the manual for Regional Assistants. You can try to have meetings with them, but it is often hard to have more than a handful. Before the Regional Meeting it is very useful, maybe meet them once or twice on Skype, and maybe later in the year to dicuss plans for the rest of the term. I had made a documents for the recruitment of Developement Assistants. I encourage you to use it after updating it and adapting it and pass it on to the next RC.

Recruitement of NMOs
New candidate member: Paraguay. We now have 3 candidate members in the Region, please keep an eye on them and help they settle well in the IFMSA, make sure they know how to submit things like NMO reports, and how to register in GAs. I explained this to all of them, but quick changes in their teams might mean the little they know about IFMSA gets lost. Argentina is doing very well and is not a worry, but Venezuela and Paraguay are. New full members: no one since Grenada at the AM2010. Venezuela needs to apply as they are overdue and Paraguay and Argentina might want to wait a bit more for economical reasons, but

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need to have a well laid plan on how to apply before the deadline of 2.5 years. They should aim for at least application by 2 years, so theres one GA of buffer if anything goes wrong. Other countries not yet in IFMSA and status: 1. Antigua and Barbuda 2. Bahamas 3. Barbados 4. Belize 5. Cuba 6. Dominica 7. Dominican Republic 8. Guatemala 9. Guyana 10. Haiti 11. Honduras 12. Nicaragua 13. Saint Kitts and Nevis 14. Saint Lucia 15. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 16. Suriname 17. Trinidad and Tobago 18. Uruguay Some coutries dont have a known medical schools, others do but I havent been able to get in contact with anyone. Then, theres countries where I am talking to someone but theres not much short-term prospect. Finally, theres countries where theres a good relation, but the potential application might be soon or not, depending on many factors.

Country
Antigua and Barbuda

Status
no contact, there is an American medical school, but I couldnt get in touch with them although I emailed them no contact, there should be at least one school, although Im not sure if theres also an American school there no contact, I know theres one school but I doubt its a national school though, I contacted them and never got an answer

Bahamas

Barbados

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Country
Belize Cuba

Status
no contact for now, I got some emails of the internet and everything bounced or got no answer I tried multiples avenues (trough contacts, websites, emails, ...), they have a certain amount of medical schools, and local associations, but nothing national. Nothing concrete has come out of it yet. The ELAM (School of the Americas) would be a good starting point but even that, I never got an answer they have one school and I have been contacted by one girl from there, but she has stopped answering in April although she said she wanted to apply for May 1st. Still, theres good potential there. they have a few schools, mainly in Santo Domingo, and some public, some private. Theres no national organizations and not much student involvement. We have one very good contact there, but shes quite alone. there used to be an NMO but when there was the warl, the NMO was caught up in it. I have been trying to get in touch with people for a long time trough Rosa, a former IFMSA member from there, but she never got back to me, I also emailed some schools, without success. they have one school that I know of, I got somebodys email trough a girl doing a placement there, but nothing worked out they have a recentely created association and were supposed to apply this year, but didnt, they do answer, but often quite slowly. They are starting in a 2nd LC now I have the contact of one very involved girl at the only medical school, she was enthusiastic but never did much. She doesnt speak English though, or almost

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Guatemala

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

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Country
Nicaragua Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia

Status
no good contact for now, they must have at least one school though no contact for now, but if they have a school, its an American one they do have one school I think, but I couldnt get any contact

S a i n t V i n c e n t a n d t h e they have one American school, but its a branch of the Grenadines one in Grenada Suriname I was told they didnt have medical schools, and that people went to Holland, but later got one contact, although it later fell trough they have a student organization and used to be members, they have a student organization and applied once, and then were supposed to do it again, but for now its on ice. It would be nice if they could try again for the Dect 1st deadline although its not a country, but a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Curaao does have a medical school. I was contacted by a student there but later he got quite quiet. I explained they could be members, but associate it has a similar situation to Curaao, the island is halfFrench and half-Ducth and Im not sure on what side the school is, but they would have to be associate members. I got contacted by someone, but they stopped answering

Trinidad and Tobago Uruguay

Curaao

Saint-Martin

The fact that the MM and AM and far and difcult to reach for students in the Americas will make participation of new potential members much more difcult this year. Still, they can apply even if they cant attend. A focus should also be put on this RM and the next one. The countries the closest to apply would be Uruguay, Trinidad, Dominica and Hati. A special effort needs to be put on them, other countries should tried to be reached as much as possible,

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but those are the potential members for the next year. It would be important to try to have a plan with all potential NMOs as to when they want to attend. To recruit NMOs where you have no contact you can use pretty much any creative ideas: you can make calls for people who would know people there (sometimes people say yes and never link you with their contact or the contact never answers though), you can browse the schools on the WHO directory (but I never got emails back and the list is always 3-4 years late as schools go trough accreditation, you can search online (but most students organizations there dont have websites), etc.

Regional Meeting
As decided in president session of the Regional Meetings, the calls must be sent for hosts quite early in the fall, to have a deadline for submissions at the latest at the end of December. You can even try to make it a bit earlier, to have a buffer of a couple of weeks before the other, latest possible, deadline. The agenda of the RM needs to be designed by the RC, and you can also support RAs in designing agendas for sessions. They should get support from their Directors on this but you can still give valuable input. You also are in charge of the President sessions and you can offer RAs to give sessions for them too. You need to encourage other IFMSA Ofcials and other experienced IFMSA people outside the Region to attend the Regional Meeting. You can also liaise with other Ofcials: Directors (so they support their RAs), LOs (so they nd you externals), Division Directors (for Projects with the responsible RA or if you want alumni or anything else), etc. Starting this year, theres also a Regional Meeting support fund of 3000 euros to be split amongst the Region. Although the exact procedure is not clear yet, the input of the RC should be the rst factor taken into account for where those funds will go. Possibilities include: sponsoring a trainer to give a TNT or another training, sponsoring an Ofcial much needed for the meeting, paying for some expenses for an external, or any other expense of the RM that cant be taken care of by the OC.

External Organizations
Currently, the only signicant organization with whom we have a relationship is PAHO, although some LOs did contact in the past some more regional organizations in the Region. Theres also a sporadic exchange with FELSOCEM happening, but every time they asked for an agreement they always fell trough. After urging me to sign something, they havent written to me in 8 or 9 months.

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Publications
The appointement of a DA for Publications is the responsability of the RC. If he or she wants, they can gather a small team of people that want to write or edit more than others. Although the DA is in charge of making calls for the Heartbeat and making the publications, do try to motivate the troops. You can also write an article in each publication and support the DA in the preparation of the plan for the year for the Heartbeat.

Checklist
Here is a potential checklist of things to do, it is nothing complete, but can be a good tool to go trough from time to time to see if theres a few things that might have skipped your mind.

Time
Before October

Tasks
introduce yourself on the server make your plan for the year: goals, potential pitfalls, hopes, etc. prepare your budget put all the potential meetings in your agenda, see which one you can attend, or might attend read reports of the previous RC receive handover read report of previous year (or more) of the PAHO meeting prepare the call for your DAs and discuss the RAs with the relevant Ofcials (Ds, VPE, PSDD, etc.) get ready for TOM1: input, see if you can attend, prepare your points if any, etc.

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Time
October

Tasks
if possible, email all presidents one by one to introduce yourself and encourage communication (you can modify a general message) send email on the server after taking offce, greet everyone and encourage them to email you to discuss plans or things they would like you to work on with them name your DAs if its not done, discuss with them the plans for the term, introduce them on the server meet the RAs that have been appointed, introduce them on the server and try to meet with them or discuss briey by email you can send a call to NMOs asking them to communicate you their NGAs dates and to tell you if theyd like you or other Ofcials to consider attending get familiar with the email account, get it to your liking, go trough important mail nish planning your main tasks for the year on a timeline if its not done already greet all potential NMOs the previous RC had contact with (always cc the VPI, introduce yourself as the new RC) start looking for any new potential NMOs (always cc the VPI) take over the communication with the OC for the RM, meet with them regularly, keep the VPI in the loop, see if its needed to keep the former RC in the communication (can be, sometimes older members are also involved, but its not suggested at all times, just if it helps) support the RM OC with deadlines, registration, payment and make sure NMOs follow them follow-up on the pre-RM with the responsible OC member and the trainers of the selected workshops (ideally, the call should be closed and applications open for delegates) remind LOs of the need for externals and Ofcials in general about the RM details make a call for a rst OLM with the Region, have them not too often, but at least twice before the RM, once between the RM and MM and ideally twice after the MM, you can set yourself potential periods where you want an OLM in advance to know when to call for them invite potential NMOs to the RM, mention the MM to them too take over the PAHO communication, discuss with it the LO WHO if its not done yet make an NMO survey with questions on the ofcers they have, the NGAs, the emails, etc. if you feel like the information you have is not accurate

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Time
November

Tasks
send call for the next year RM host, with an initial deadline of about Dec 15th, so theres time after if theres no host applying update manual for applicants to be RM hosts, and send it with the call for RM hosts for the following year discuss the Dec 1st deadline with all potential NMOs, try to elaborate a timeline with them if they dont want to apply now, encourage them to apply well before Dec 1st to have time if any issue arises and make sure you go over all documents make reminders for all the Dec 1st deadlines send TAF reminders to all elligible NMOs whenever the call is out prepare for the RM: nalize the general agenda if its not done, prepare your president sessions (after gathering input), follow-up with any relevant Ofcial on topics (trainings with TSDD, projects with PSDD and the RA, etc) and encourage Ofcials to attend the RM remind RAs to work on their agendas for the GA, tell them you can support them and give input if you have some, same goes for Projects and Publications: support them in their RM preparations and suggest that the DA NMO helps if need be get ready for TOM2 nalize any leftover task for the RM, and be as ready as possible: have your tasks and goals clear, know who does what, clean your inbox and put your automatic reply on, have all documents and presentations prepared, etc. double-check with all RAs and DAs that their agendas/tasks are completed or well on their way, conrm with all attending Ofcials what they will be responsible for, try to nalize all externals with LOs as early as possible invite potential NMOs to the MM Regional Meeting! complete the RM follow-up, including an evaluation of the meeting, and share the results make the online vote for the RM host for the following year, announce the result and schedule a rst meeting with the new OC start the March Meeting preparations announce and make reminders for all the Feb 1st deadlines make a call for an OLM before the MM (can also be in Feb), touch on delegate preparation start to prepare TB day for March make an evaluation of the RC work, the Regional Team and the Region (can be done later in the year instead, as you wish)

December

January

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Time
February

Tasks
send documents and agenda of the MM to members make sure delegates are well prepared, have all the information and documents and have visas remind NMOs about updating ifmsa.net read all NMO reports submitted March Meeting! complete the MM follow-up chase all the potential NMOs that didnt apply for Dec 1st give extra support to any new NMOs and make sure they are all set up with their IFMSA email, ifmsa.net, the servers, the necessary documents, knowing the RAs and Ofcials, etc. before or after the MM, try to give individual feedback to the NMOs about their NMO report, you can also present an overview on the server invite potential NMOs to the AM get ready for TOM4 discuss the May 1st deadline with all potential NMOs, try to elaborate a timeline with them if they dont want to apply now, encourage them to apply well before Dec 1st and make sure you go over all documents make reminders for all the May 1st deadlines oversee registration of NMOs and heavily promote GA related calls like the PF and PP (trough the RA projects), the PT and FC calls, the pre-GA calls, etc. start the preparations for the AM make the rst reminders for the membership fees, ideally individually remind presidents of the July 1st deadlines send documents and agenda of the MM to members remind NMOs about updating ifmsa.net read all NMO reports submitted chase all the potential NMOs that didnt apply for May 1st give extra support to any new NMOs and make sure they are all set up with their IFMSA email, ifmsa.net, the servers, the necessary documents, knowing the RAs and Ofcials, etc. before or after the AM, try to give individual feedback to the NMOs about their NMO report, you can also present an overview on the server

March

April

May

June

July

August

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Time
September

Tasks
send call for pre-RM workshop proposals for the following RM (can also be done at the end of August), aim to have them selected around mid-September and open the call for applicants, carefully select the right amount of participants per workshop that can be allowed remind presidents on the server to notify you of changes in their Boards encourage people to sign on the server and repeat the policy of netiquette and language remind people to use their own ofcial emails and to email you on your own ofcial email

No particular time