FAQ

IFMSA-Quebec benefits from an equal contribution from the four deans of the faculties of medicine in Quebec as well as contributions from external partners, such as the Blue Cross and RBC. The majority of this amount is used to finance activities taking place on the various campuses, delegations representing Quebec on the international scene and certain national activities such as bi-annual conferences, leadership and communication training and the Global Health Symposium. For more information or to consult the annual budget, you can contact [email protected].

All medical students in Quebec, regardless of their previous career, their age or their interests, will find their place in IFMSA-Quebec. Getting involved in the organization is not reserved for “star” members, quite the contrary. There are job openings twice a year, calls for international delegations three times a year, invitations to participate in training weekends, applications for professional and research exchanges, not to mention everything that is offered to everyone on the six campuses! Obviously, any medical student can get involved, share ideas with colleagues and develop initiative by contacting local officers to benefit from resources and contacts.

There are several ways to approach this thought. While it is true that students do not make decisions that directly impact the health of the populations of Canada and the world, this is no reason to do nothing. However, since we are still doctors in training, our life course will shape and influence the doctor that we will be tomorrow and the decisions that we will support as a health professional. We see the implication as an investment for the future. The awareness campaigns, calls to action and fundraisers that we endorse are changing for the better the status of the issues that are important to us.

Taking a stand means making your voice heard to defend health equity and values ​​that are precious to us while catalyzing change in a positive way around local and global health issues. It is also at the heart of IFMSA-Quebec’s mission, which is to improve health here and elsewhere. In addition, it allows us to familiarize ourselves with democratic processes and to lend ourselves to the exercise to debate and confront our values ​​in a healthy, constructive and respectful context.

To many, this large amount of acronyms may seem incomprehensible and the usefulness of all this vocabulary could be questioned. The reality is that there are so many issues and subjects to discuss within IFMSA around the world that you need to have a certain method to classify them. The various committees were established in the first years of the formation of the Federation, more than 60 years ago, according to the themes which were dear to the members. This allows us to tackle several subjects and to maintain uniformity and consistency across campaigns and years. In addition, the abbreviations greatly facilitate work and communications within IFMSA-Quebec, as well as with other IFMSA member countries.

If you are interested in being part of an IFMSA-Quebec delegation to one of the international meetings, you must first respond to the call for candidates. You will need to submit: a cover letter (explaining your objectives for the meeting and your future prospects); your curriculum vitae; as well as an online form to be completed. The executive board assesses all candidates according to an objective and optimized system. It then makes the final choice of the delegation, taking into account the recommendations of the campus coordinators and national coordinators, the representativeness of the committees and campuses and the organizational objectives for the meeting. For more information, write to [email protected].

On campus, the primary contact person is your campus coordinator. This person is an expert in IFMSA-Quebec activities on your campus, in addition to being in permanent contact with all local officers and bridging the gap with the national team. You can learn more about his role here.

Of course! We have posted a form that allows all members to complete an application for a project that meets the objectives of IFMSA-Quebec. However, we suggest that you discuss with the officers in place if they can let you organize your initiative within the framework of the relevant committee on your campus. In this way, your project will be registered as an achievement of IFMSA-Quebec and you will be able to carry out your initiative together with the local coordinators and other interested committee members. We also invite you to read the reimbursement terms. Finally, you can contact our VP Finances: [email protected].

It all depends on the project you have in mind! We recommend that you first contact your campus coordinator: your resource person within your faculty. He or she will be able to give you the necessary resources and refer you as needed. You can always write to us at [email protected].