5
Asian Medical Students’ Conference 2016 – Manila, Philippines Every year, the Asian Medical Students’ Conference (AMSC) brings together over 600 medical students from 24 countries across the Asia-Pacific Region. These countries include Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan and Mongolia amongst others. Imaginably, it’s a mammoth task, but what better city to host the conference than Manila, the founding members of AMSA International, and home to the Western Pacific Regional Office of the World Health Organization. The theme for this year’s AMSC was “Health Beyond our Clinics”, and after several days of touring through the corners of Manila, from the ancient Spanish city of Intramuros, to the classy streets of Bonifacio Global City, I certainly started to get a first hand taste of the many societal dimensions that make up health. Additionally, the conference was an ideal opportunity to connect with students from our neighbouring countries. Daily social events, cultural immersion experiences, and hour long bus rides sparked academic debates and hilarious conversations. We discovered that despite our cultural and geographical differences, we ultimately share the same trails, tribulations and passions of the average medical student. Social events aside, countries also had the chance to show off their finest academic achievements through various scientific and public health poster and video competitions. Australia picked up second prize for our public health poster – a project that arose from our very own Geelong. Special thanks to Callum Robinson (fourth year Deakin medical student) whose face will now continue advocating for mental health in the international hall of fame. Overall, AMSC was a whirlwind of adrenaline, sleep deprivation, new food and unforgettable experiences. Attending an international conference during your medical career is an absolute must and AMSC provides the perfect combination of fun
