Bula Friends4Fiji,
We hope this update finds you happy, healthy, and harmonious. It’s been a long time between updates because we’ve been so busy at F4F building the groundwork for a great year of partnership with our colleagues at the Umanand Prasad School of Medicine in Saweni, Fiji, hence we now have time to fill you in on all the ongoings in this “Calm AFTER the Storm Edition”. Of course, if you’ve been following the news you’d also be aware of the recent Tropical Cyclone Tomasi which struck rural areas in the Northern and Eastern Island groups, notably Vanua Levu (the second largest island in the country) and the Lau Group. Thankfully our colleagues at UPSM and their families weathered the storm with minimal damage and flooding but their countrymen and women are certainly in our thoughts as the rebuilding efforts commence thanks to support from the Australian and New Zealand governments. Fijians are hopeful and resilient people, and very used to tropical cyclones like this so will band together in support of one another and pull through.
Networking
The Friends4Fiji Committee has been busy at work building a network of businesses, doctors and medical students across the state dedicated to enriching the education of Fiji’s future doctors and through them the health and wellbeing of the long-suffering people of Fiji, especially the rural poor. We have distributed far and wide our prospectus in the hope of attracting donations of textbooks, equipment and funds to send over to Fiji this August. If you have connections who you think would be interested in helping us out by donating resources, money or time, get in touch with us at Friends4Fiji@gmail.com!
Our Friends and Colleagues: Fiji's future doctors at Umanand Prasad School of Medicine
Fiji Volunteer Trip – August 2010
Our collection deadline for texts and equipment for our colleagues in Fiji is this coming August as members of Friends4Fiji committee will travel there in our first volunteer trip! We will meet and travel with our Fijian partners at UPSM and a group of Australian medical practitioners who will hold a week of free medical clinics for the rural poor of Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu. This exciting opportunity will be extended into the future, so your support is vital to the success of our first trip and to the viability of future activities. Be sure to spread the good word of F4F and build up our support base with your colleagues and friends!
Upcoming Events
AMA Victoria Seminar: “Working Overseas in Crisis Areas”
Tuesday April 13th [6.30pm]
Friends4Fiji has been invited to present at this seminar held at the HQ of the AMA in Victoria! A must for those interested in humanitarian work overseas, this free member seminar at AMA House will provide you with all you need to know about equipping yourself to work overseas and the preparation needed beforehand. Come along, hear some great speakers and support F4F!
Friends4Fiji OSCE Training Workshops
In late May, F4F will be holding an OSCE training day for 1st Year students, run by later year students with advice on how to maximise your results in an OSCE, as well as to learn more about our partnership in Fiji and fundraise for the cause. Be sure to join this group to stay up-to-date with the latest progress and registation information.
Semester One Function
Plans are underway for a Semester One FUN-raiser for preclinical and clinical students. We’ll keep you posted: if you have any ideas or suggestions don’t hesitate to be in touch at Friends4Fiji@gmail.com
Meetings
Friends4Fiji meets every 2 weeks and are open to any and all interested people. Don’t hesitate to email us at Friends4Fiji@gmail.com to find out whenw we’re next meeting! We are always looking for more talented, dynamic meddies with a passion for people and improving health in our region! Bring your ideas and energy!
Until next we meet, Sega na leqa (“no worries” in Fijian)
Friends4Fiji
Tags: amsa, fiji, global health, lautoka, medical school, medical student, melbourne, monash university, university of fiji, UPSM
