the heartbeat vol 1 issue 1
DESCRIPTION
JAMSA's student magazineTRANSCRIPT
Dear fellow students:
Let me begin by wishing everyone a happy new year. On behalf of the JAMSA Council, I wish you all the best in your academic pursuits and
happiness in all spheres of your lives for this year.
As we enter a promising 2014, I will give an update on the progress that we have made thus far as a Council in addressing the concerns of our
fellow students. I will also give an update on what will be done in the
future.
The following report is based on recent discussions with Professor Fletcher, Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences and other faculty
members.
We thank you for your support over the past year and as we enter into a new year, we encourage you to contact Council members if you have
concerns. Also, do participate in the various activities, whether standing
committee activities or general JAMSA projects.
You may contact us at [email protected] and, you may access the contact information of individual council members and other infor-
mation on our website: http://ifmsajamsa.org/
Yours Sincerely,
Sachalee Campbell
JAMSA President (2013-2014)
JAMSA General Updates
Photos from IFMSA General Assembly
JAMAICA
MEDICAL
STUDENTS'
ASSOCIATION January 2014 Volume 1, Issue 1
The HeartBeat
Special points of interest:
GPA System Changes
Student facilities
- May Pen
- FMS Complex
Faculty Bus
CRH Lounge
Inside this issue:
Presidential
address
1
JAMSA Updates 2
JAMSA Updates
- CRH Students’
Lounge
3
Other updates 4
Connect with
JAMSA
5
Sachalee Campbell
JAMSA President
2013– 2014
March Meeting
Baltimore/ Washington DC, USA
August Meeting
Santiago, Chile
From left:(Front row) Jason Knight, Adrian Coore
(Back row) Anna-Lee Clarke, Sachalee Campbell, Errol Williamson, Annya Gordon-Whyte, Brandon
Dixon & Auvarhenne Howell
Auvarhenne Howell & Sachalee Campbell
Students have expressed concern about the changes that have been proposed
to the current GPA system, whether or not these changes apply to MBBS stu-
dents and if they do, how the changes will affect us.
From discussions with Professor Fletcher, it was confirmed that the changes
will affect students in the MBBS Programme. He noted that a repre-
sentative from the Board of Undergraduate Studies of the Mona Campus is ex-
pected to meet with us to provide more information on what should be ex-
pected. He was unable to say when this would happen.
JAMSA requested that a lounge be made available at the new teaching and re-
search complex in order to ensure that students, may be able to have a comforta-
ble location to rest and study outside of class time. This request was not granted,
however, areas have been identified that can be used by students. These
include the seating areas on the ground floor- for which we have suggested having
more chairs available to accommodate the large number of students that use the
facility daily. Professor Fletcher also suggested that the Museum on the Ground
Floor would also be transformed so that it can accommodate students wishing to
have quiet study. We have been warned however, that if any is damage is done in
the museum, this offer would be ceased.
GPA System Changes (2014-2015) —MBBS Programme
MBBS Students’ Lounge at the FMS Teaching and Research Complex
Accommodation Facilities in May Pen- Hotel Versailles
After presenting the complaints of students to Professor Fletcher and presenting
our proposed solutions, we are happy to say that there have been promised
improvements to the accommodation facilities in May Pen. Originally no
kitchen facilities were available for students; however, there will be renovations to
the facility to create a space for a kitchen. We have also been promised a larger
refrigerator. In addition to this, a library and a classroom that can be used as study
areas are available at the hotel. The opening hours for the library are from 8 a.m.-
4 p.m. and the classroom will be opened at students' request. Regarding internet
access, the Faculty has plans to ensure that Wi-Fi is available in central locations;
however, it may not be accessed from all rooms.
“After years of
lobbying on behalf
of our fellow
students ...a sixty
seater bus has been
identified. “
Page 2 The HeartBeat
Faculty Bus
After years of lobbying on behalf of our fellow students for an additional
faculty bus, we have now been informed that a sixty seater bus has been
identified. The bus should be here within a few months, however a spe-
cific deadline was not given.
Clinical students listening
attentively at ‘Internship &
Beyond’ forum
Class of 2018, the largest medical
class in the history of UWI. (~400)
This has been one of the victories of the JAMSA Council and we are quite grate-
ful to the Faculty for making the Lounge at CRH a reality. There have been a few
recommendations that we have made to make the Lounge even more student
friendly. We are happy to say that work has been started by the Deputy Dean
for Western Jamaica Campus and his Office in addressing these issues.
These include:
Code lock for the door: A request has been submitted to the Western Jamaica Campus Administrators by the FMS
Deputy Dean’s Office for the installation of a secured passcode entry door locking system. In the interim, students are able to use the key for the Lounge throughout the days (from
8:30 am to 5pm) and on arrival at CRH, they will be informed of the possibility of having
the Lounge open outside of office hours. Regarding concerns about lighting in the area at nights, currently construction is being
done in that area and as such, lighting will be available in the nights.
We requested lockers with a system similar to the one in use in the Medical Students
Lounge at the UHWI. We have been promised 25 lockers; however, we will try to get
more. The lockers will be rented to students for their time at CRH and the funds will con-
tribute to the work of JAMSA.
Computers in the library are sometimes all occupied when MBBS students have breaks
during the days; hence we requested that a desktop computer be made available in the
Lounge. Professor Fletcher said that he would try to determine if this is absolutely neces-
sary and there were concerns regarding security of a computer in the lounge.
The lack of Wi-Fi access in the Lounge was a concern of students and this was also ad-
dressed by the Deputy Dean’s Office at Western Jamaica Campus, however, there was no
proposed deadline for when this would be made available.
Extended opening hours for the Medical Library during the
summer periods.
Follow up on communication from the University on how
changes to the GPA system will affect students in the MBBS
programme.
MBBS Students’ Lounge at the Cornwall Regional Hospital
Other matters that we will continue to work on this semester include:
“We will
continue to
lobby for
extended
opening hours
for the medical
library during
the summer
periods”
Page 3 Volume 1, Issue 1
Entrance to Students'’ lounge 2nd
floor CRH hospital
O’Danielle O’Sullivan (Facilities & Resource
Manager) by the JAMSA booth at the FMS
22nd annual Research Conference
New addition to the council Monique Brown
Class of 2015
VP for External Affairs
JAMSA receives award from UWIDEF
Page 4 The HeartBeat
The Jamaica Medical Students’ Association on behalf of the MBBS Class of 2014 makes a donation to the
Kevin Wilson Memorial Bursary and Lia Lashley Scholarship fund.
Photo on left : Auvarhenne Howell ( VP for Internal Affairs ) submitting donations to UWIDEF.
Jamaica Medical
Students’ Association
University Hospital of the
West Indies
Mona,
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
http://ifmsajamsa.org/
LOOK OUT FOR !!!
JAMSA General Assembly March 17— 21, 2014 (tentatively)
This is will be a week long assembly of activities. Activities will include Training sessions, Standing Com-
mittee sessions, Career Day and other activities. Volunteers are being asked to join the
organizing committee. Send your emails to [email protected]
Med-Law Social TBA
Scan this barcode
Our facebook page :
www.facebook.com/JAMSA.UWI
@JAMSA_UWI
PUBLICATION OF THE JAMAICA MEDICAL STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
Channel: ifmsaJAMSA J.A.M.S.A
Follow: ifmsaJAMSA
Stay connected with us !!! We are now on :
JAMSA would like to invite applicants to be a part of our “Media & Com-
munications Team”. This Committee falls under the External affairs com-
mittee. We are asking for volunteers to join the team who have any form
of experience in:
publications
photography
videography
journalism
social media
basic web/blog design
All interested persons are asked to email [email protected]
Remember to like the Face-
book page of one of our spon-
sors for our recent Internship
and Beyond Session. Like Tertiary Books Express
on FB and follow them on twit-
ter @ TertiarybooksEX
Page 5 The HeartBeat
The Class of 2017 launches
their Smoker 2014 campaign.
Like on FB Smoker 2014
Instagram: @med_dent2k17
Twitter: @Med2k17
If you have any suggestions for
further publications, feel free to
email us at: