TheAuricleDecember 2014

Global Health Conference...

Blue Day

Fiji Villge Project A year of hard work...

The end of an era...The departing words of a fourth year

Dear Students,

Exams are finished and the holidays are drawing near. I hope everyone is enjoying the freedom of summer and taking some time to relax and enjoy the things in life that are often brushed aside during the academic year.

Congratulations to the Class of 2014 for your achievements! The Graduation Ball was a perfect evening, allowing time to celebrate and reflect on your time in medical school. I wish you all the best in your future career.

I would like to thank my Committee for their hard work and dedication to Support, Represent and Entertain ANU medical students throughout the year. As we continue the handover period and the new Committee starts to plan activities for 2015, I encourage you to talk to your MedSoc representatives and provide feedback for things you would like to see in the coming year.

Best wishes for a safe and happy New Year and I look forward to seeing everyone in 2015!

Lauren O’RourkeANUMSS President

President From the

Editors’ noteThis is the fourth and final Auricle of 2014 and I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to every edition this year. This amazing publication would not be possible without the dedicaton of all the contributors. I would also like to welcome Sarina Gloecki who will be taking over my role as the publications officer in 2015. I previously worked with her in Volume 5 of the Medical Student Journal of Australia where she was one half of the dream team that revamped the design of the ANU publication. I am confident she will do an amazing job next year and look forward to seeing how the Auricle will grow under her guidance.

Yi Fan TangPublications Officer

Global Health Conference 2014Global Health is not a niche, nor a specialty, it underpins a whole person, whether they be a patient seated in front of a doctor or a stranger on the street on the other side of the world. This year at the Global Health Conference in Sydney, we discovered that our role in Global Health does not stop at what we can do as future doctors, as medical students, or as students in general. We were challenged to think and act at the pragmatic level, to utilise our thirst for knowledge and answers to feed our passion, and engage in global conversations and advocacy for removing structural obstacles when it comes to accessing health.

The academic program was opened with a bang on Friday, with an inspiring opening address by the convenor, Rahul Chatterjee, who invited us to jump in to the conference and expand our capabilities as individuals, to initiate, lead or guide movements towards ending disparities in global health care access.

Saturday was themed Change your world, and what better insight to receive than from Jose Ramos-Horta, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, the former president of Timor-Leste, a country stricken by long term conflict, and a behemoth of international relations. From his experience of exile and numerous assassination attempts, along his journey to peacefully end conflict in Timor-Leste, Jose Ramos-Horta shared advice concerning surrendering to violence. Such advice, relevant then, is just as relevant today, and entailed the need for genuine and patient dialogue between the parties involved. International bodies such as the UN can’t replace leaders of the nations engaged in conflict. He believes it to be possible that people, and cultures of differing ideals are able to co-exist equally, just as the over 500 ethnic groups in Indonesia.

Our first academic morning was brought to an end with a debate by a panel of academic speakers on the effectiveness of Foreign Aid. Particular attention was paid to humanitarian aid, where it was concluded that such aid may never do any harm but it is important to be sustainable. Moreover, such effective change can only be brought about with a leader and a focused goal.

Sunday’s theme was Change your community, where we were invited to never forget the inequalities back home and the efforts we can contribute to achieving equality. The stand out speaker was Paul Pholeros, an Australian architect who for the first time in my opinion, aimed to achieve pragmatic solutions to health in Australia. He pioneered the social enterprise, HealthHabitwhich has worked to improve the health of Indigenous people by improving their living environment and housing in suburban, rural and remote Australia. He is a strong believer in utilising the skills of volunteers in the best possible way, touching on the current trend of voluntourism as an example of a practice characterised by the lack of sustainability and pragmatism.

On Monday, we were reminded to change our focus at a time where we do not need to travel far nor think on the big scale to implement change. Dan Flynn, was no better example of this. He spoke of his efforts to change the lives of developing nations by funding safe water projects. And what better way to do this than by selling bottled water? An obviously crazy idea in a world dominated by countless brands of bottled water, which became a success with the help of believing in implementing baby steps with enormous persistence.

Our very own Professor Frank Bowden made an appearance at GHC, where he presented at a leadership workshop. He taught us the process by which we can make a difference in Medicine at the same time as changing peoples lives. What started out as a classic Bowden EBM lecture(Insert Darwin and TCH twin hospitals here), ended up with a simple strategy we could use as students to eradicate disease, such as he did with Donovanosis. This was particularly important due to the high incidence and morbidity of the disease in Indigenous populations.

Last but not least, how can we forget the Ask Julian Assange anything session. Hundreds of delegates, masking the signs of a wild Saturday night with eagerness, pushed their way into the plenary, hoping for front row seats worthy of a selfie with the man himself. Through answering our many questions, we were able to see his views on the new global civilisation of the digital age, the right to communicate;to receive and transmit information across boundaries. And with this boundary-less access to information, should come boundary-less access to health too. I believe this to be one of the many unforgettable moments experienced by delegates at the GHC.

Violet InatiYear 2

#ghc2014 Sydney

Global Health Conference 2014GHC would not have been complete without the nightlife. After a full day of lectures and workshops, it was time to put your best crazy outfit on and let loose on the dance floor. Over five nights we attended some of Sydney’s finest hipster clubs. It was a chance to meet and catch up with medical students from other universities in a more relaxed (and disinhibited) environment. On Friday night we graced the presence of Ivy Bar in pink attire. Many came as ballerinas, fairies, Mean Girls characters and general pinkness. You would think that people would pace themselves with the partying, but medical students do not do anything half way. Waking up Saturday morning with a slight twinge in the head was only the start. Saturday night rolled around and it was time for Make Your Mark. This essentially involved wearing white so people could draw and throw paint at you at Mr Tipply’s night club. This night was probably one of the best (in my opinion) because the music was fantastic, we had started to make new friends, and we still had the stamina to party. Mr Tipply’s had an upstairs and downstairs component. The upstairs was a silent disco which involved putting on headphones and dancing to the tunes you liked. Downstairs was per normal – another raging dancefloor. So after catching the last bus home at 1am; it was fair to call it an epic night. The third night approached us after an intense day. Big Change was the theme of the night which invited many superheroes, Harry Potter and Smurf characters to the harbourside at Pontoon bar in Darling Harbour. Another night of partying occurred with a vegetarian hotdog challenge taking place at midnight. There was also an ice luge out the front which involved pouring your drink into an ice sculpture and sculling it…medical students are a creative bunch. The penultimate night came about at Oxford Art Factory where we were invited to attend a Secret Garden party. There was free popcorn and burritos and another night of dancing and frivolity. Finally, our exhausted but inspired bodies attended a gala ball. Nuit Blanc was held at The Museum of Contemporary Art located at The Rocks. With views of the Harbour Bridge and Sydney opera house we could not have had a more beautiful setting. A twenty-four piece Jazz band graced our ears while we had a much classier Gatsby-esque night sipping on wine and champagne. These five nights were epic and a vast contrast to some of the heavy topics discussed during the day. It was however, a wonderful opportunity to connect with other students with the same passions and to discuss topics from the day. It made me realise we are privileged to have opportunities were we can be relaxed and have fun in a safe environment, but we also have the opportunity to contribute to changes in global health in a constructive manner.

Natasha SinghYear 2

2014 proved to be another successful year for the Fiji Village Project Committee raising an impressive $4500. We continued on from last year’s good work by holding the same events that have become synonymous with FVP but always looked to improve on these events thanks to some fresh ideas from a fresh new committee.

We started the year off with a new look “Fiji Village Five” 5km walk/fun run. This was the first time we have advertised this event as a fun run and we hope to improve on this event next year by getting more participants across the ANU and broader Canberra community to participate, making this a mainstay on the “fun run” calendar.

Our next big event saw us strengthen our relationship with the ANU MedRevue. As per years gone by, we sold snacks and drinks pre-show and during the intermission but with a few changes this year. Through the help of many generous committee members and ANU students, we were able to sell the finest home baked goods from brownies, cakes, slices and cookies around. Furthermore we were able to provide a pre-show dinner package through Vivaldi’s restaurant, which was a great success raising over $1000. We will be looking to continue this next year and encourage you all to look forward to a great night out for dinner and a fantastic show next year!

After surviving the first half of the year and some particularly stressful mid year exams, the FVP committee looked to provide a means of relaxation to help get everyone to the mid year holidays. For the FVP movie night we decided to show a classic in Pulp Fiction. The night was a success with many pulp fiction enthusiasts showing up in their best gangster suit, Hawaiian shirt or even their gnarliest gimp leathers and chains*.

The last event for the year was a night where those who know lots about not very important things thrive. No I’m not talking about HLP students, I’m talking about trivia buffs and of course the famous FVP trivia night. We managed to give away up to 40 fantastic prizes including 2 free tickets to see Strictly Ballroom the musical, a Hot Air Balloon ride for 2, at least 10 meal vouchers valued at least $50 each and the all important segue tour of Canberra. This night was a resounding success where we discovered that Luis Paxton (not Tom Shaw) is Australia’s brainiest medical student and despite the lack of attendance from doctors, professors and anyone with a salary we still managed to raise $2500 - a phenomenal effort.

There are no more events planned for the year but for those attending the graduation ball please keep your eyes peeled for the Professor’s Dozen Raffle where we will be auctioning off 12 bottles of exceptionally fancy wine generously donated by the professors of the ANU medical school.

To finish up we would like to say a big thank you. Thank you to the many wonderful sponsors who donated prizes and food so generously for our events this year. Thank you to the lucky students who will be going to Fiji to be a part of this fantastic project in January next year. Perhaps most importantly thank you to all of the people who gave so generously and came to our events to help us keep this project alive and strong and allow us to truly make a positive impact on remote Fijian communities. None of this would be possible without your continued support.

Lachie CormickYear 2

*No one may have actually worn gimp leathers as surely no actually owns said leathers

When I stepped into the medical school on my first day I think I was more nervous than my daughter, who happened to be starting kindergarten on the same day. The class of 2014 were scattered about the entrance to the Peter Baume building. A group of budding surgeons, physicians, paediatricians, obstetricians or GPs. Many desperate to don the stethoscope around their neck and wander the halls of the hospital, ready to treat that heart attack or cure that cancer. One day soon we would be doctors, we had finally arrived on the path - but the ‘one day’ felt so far away.

As a group we navigated the first phase of the medical school curriculum and examinations. The anatomy, the physiology and biochemistry - trying to figure out where it would all fit into the magical world of medicine that we would one day inhabit. On many occasion we wondered why on earth we were given another exam question on the virulence factors of streptococcus pneumoniae. We memorised lists of symptoms, analogous tales to make sense of the coagulation cascade and interpretive dances about myotomes.

Through the clinical school we learned what to ask, we learnt how to ask, perhaps most importantly we learnt to listen – ‘tell me more’ became our mantra and would soon be enough to prompt gems of information that would deliver us the diagnosis. With Talley & O’Conner under our arm we advanced quickly. Once needing half an hour to take a scripted history from an actor, we were soon with patients on the wards, patients with a complex history and a puzzle of clinical signs to weave together. We examined our friends and family, and sometimes our pets. We developed our medical vernacular along side our patient-friendly explanations of COPD, the benefits of vaccination and memorised the Translator and Interpreter Service phone number.

Yesterday I received my intern allocation for next year, and it is suddenly here. The time has gone fast. As we make the next step from class-mates to colleagues, I am reminded that medicine offers an environment where you can step beyond your comfort zone, be constantly challenged. It is also an environment where the effectiveness of the team is paramount, and now we are a part of the team.

For those of you who are in the early years of medicine, it can be difficult to see where the course is heading, what they want you to know, what to study. Sometimes it is difficult to link the biochemistry or the blood supply of the small intestine to the symptoms of the patient sitting in front of you. We will always be motivated to study for exams, but the greater aim should be studying to be a good junior doctor. Find a mentor, and meet with them regularly. See patients on the wards and think about what you would do if you were responsible for them, then go home and read about them to strengthen the links. When you have been trained to perform a skill go out and practice it as much as possible, especially the things that scare you.

Finally, but most importantly, make time for life outside of medicine. Remember that ‘food is the most abused anti-depressant and exercise the most underutilised’. There may be times throughout that you don’t feel okay. As medical students we value our minds, yet we are not very good at looking after our mental health. Make some time each week to see friends, get some exercise, and eat healthy meals. If you are not okay make sure that you seek some help.

We wish you well for the rest of your studies at ANU, and look forward to seeing you on the wards in 2015. Don’t be shy, we will remember that we were once medical students too.

Kerrie Aust Year Four Academic Representative

Farewell from year four

The week of the 6th of October saw Mental Health Awareness Week stampede towards the ANU Medical School like a heard of blue elephants. A group of first year ANU Medical students, confronted by alarming statistics from Beyond Blue’s 2013 Doctors and Medical Students Mental Health Survey, decided to organize the inaugural ANU MedSoc Blue Day. This event aimed to help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health by engaging, empowering and educating students.

Some of the hard facts released by Beyond Blue that motivated these otherwise charming students to kick up a fuss include: • 43% of medical students have a high likelihood of experiencing a minor psychiatric disorder and 9.2% have very high levels of psychological distress. The general community mean score for high psychological distress is 2.6%• 19.2%, including 31.8% of Indigenous medical students, have had suicidal thoughts in the past year• 21.3% are moderate risk drinkers while a further 4% are high risk drinkers• 52.3% are experiencing emotional exhaustion

The ANU Blue Day commenced with the Ultimate Blue Bake-Off – a challenge of MasterChef portions, judged by two of our favourite staff members – David Krammer and Gerry Corrigan. First-year students Jennifer Robertson and April Pascoe were victorious in the Bake-Off, taking home the satisfaction of having their baking prowess deemed most delectable and the realization that their procrasta-baking throughout the year was completely validated. Baked goods were sold to starving medical students before their PBL sessions and all reports were of satisfied taste buds, immense sugar highs and subsequent sugar hangovers.

The highlight of the day was a talk given by the president of the 2014 Civic2Surf Team. Civic2Surf involves a team of 60 students from ANU and ADFA who run from Canberra Civic to Bondi Beach, Sydney over two days. They run and raised money in support of Batyr – a young charity organization that helps school and university students address their mental health issues and provides them with the support they need to feel comfortable in talking about their problems and reaching out for help. Batyr are hoping to start up a program at ANU for students next year that involves workshops that teach those who’ve experienced mental health issues how to help others by sharing their stories.

Throughout the day a portable photo booth composed of balloons and speech bubbles captured the smiling faces of medical students sharing powerful and supportive messages about mental health and wellbeing.

The day was rounded off with a big BBQ and some friendly rounds of touch on Fellow’s Oval. A large number of first and second years got involved and everyone had the chance to burn off the sugar they’d consumed at the morning’s bake sale and get their endorphins flowing.

I would like to say a massive thank you to the amazing team that were involved in organizing the days events, everyone who supplied baked goods, Charlotte McMichael (the Civic2Surf president) for her wonderful talk and to all of those who so generously donated and got involved throughout the day. Thanks to everyone’s help we raised a staggering $569.20 which was donated to the Civc2Surf Team to provide further support to Batyr.

We’re looking forward to next year and can’t wait for it to be even bigger and better!

Philippa ‘Pip’ Dossetor Year 1

Blue Day