The Swiss Medical Students’ Association (swimsa) is an independent association representing all medical students in Switzerland. It was founded in 1917, and currently maintains 31 member organisations, comprising 11 local medical students' associations and 20 public health and awareness organisations or projects.

All medical students in Basel, Bern, Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne, Lucerne, Lugano, St. Gallen, and Zürich are represented by swimsa on a national and international level.

History In 1917, the medical faculties of Switzerland united to form the Association of Swiss Clinicians (Verband der Schweizer Klinkerschaften, VDSK).

In 1951, the IFMSA (International Federation of Medical Students' Associations) was founded by the VDSK and associations of six other countries in Copenhagen, Denmark. History on the official website of IFMSA History on the official website from swimsa Since then, the IFMSA has represented the interests of medical students on an international level. Later, the VDSK was reformed into the Association of Swiss Medical Students (Verband der Schweizer Medizinstudenten) VSM, from which the organization IFMSA Switzerland had split, concentrating solely on professional clinical exchange for medical students.

In 2006, the VMS and IFMSA Switzerland approached each other and decided to create a joined venture under the name of Swiss Medical Students’ Association (swimsa). Nonetheless, IFMSA-Switzerland became swimsa Exchanges and remained a legally independent organization, still responsible for international exchanges. Further founding members of swimsa were the medical student organizations Achtung Liebe, promoting sexual health and education, and Gruhu, enabling medical students to volunteer for clinical electives in third world countries.

In 2014, the organization swimsa Exchanges was dissolved and formally integrated into swimsa.

Member Organisations The student councils of the medical faculties of Basel, Bern, Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne, Lucerne, Lugano, St. Gallen, and Zurich are recognized as members of swimsa with voting rights at the national delegate assembly, which takes place twice a year. Other medical student organizations, also known as swimsa projects, are represented as members with voting rights as well. Currently there are ten such organizations/projects. Usually the organization/projects have their own constitutions and are as such de jure independent from swimsa.

Medical Faculty Full Name University Number of Students fvmed Fachverein Medizin Zurich 1800 AEMG Association des Etudiants en Médecine de Genève Geneva 1400 AEML Association des Etudiantes en Médecine de Lausanne Lausanne 1600 FaMed Fachschaft Medizin Fribourg 300 FaMBa Fachschaft Medizin Basel Basel 900 FSMB Fachschaft der Medizin Universität Bern Bern 1300 mesa Medical Students Association ETH Zürich Zurich 300 FluMed Fachverein Luzerner Medizinstudierenden Luzern smusi Studenti di medicina dell'Università della Svizzera italiana Lugano MUSt Medizinstudierende an der Universität St. Gallen St. Gallen

Organisation Locations Purpose Achtung Liebe Basel, Berne, Zurich Sexual and Reproductive Health incl. HIV/AIDS Awareness & Peer-Education EROS Lausanne Educating future physicians and the general public on the vast taboo subject of sexual health escolhares Lausanne Offering free eye exams and eyeglasses to schoolchildren in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Marrow Switzerland Basel, Berne, Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich Blood Stem Cell Awareness, Information & Registration GRUHU Gruppe für UnterassistentInnen und medizinische Entwicklungszusammenarbeit Zurich Humanitarian Internships in 3rd World Countries Doctors and Death Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne Offering medical students a platform to exchange thoughts and feelings on how to deal with death, suffering, rupture. Teddybear Hospital Basel, Berne, Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich Allowing children to come into contact with medicine, create trust with doctors and hospitalsMedSICS Lausanne Promoting mental health among medical studentsM.E.T.I.S. Lausanne Public Health Projects and Social Awareness in and around Lausanne, Ecuador, and TanzaniaASC Action Santé Communautaire Geneva Public Health Projects and Social Awareness in and around Geneva UAEM University Allied for Essential Medecine Basel, Berne, Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne Medicines and innovations in the medical field should be accessible to everyone Medstache Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne Movember, Men's Health Awareness & Fundraising AGT Aufklärung gegen Tabak Bern Voluntary smoke prevention project by medical students for pupils from 7th to 9th grade ASTiM Associazione Studenti Ticinesi di Medicina Switzerland Bringing together Ticino medical students enrolled in all faculties throughout Switzerland Young Sonographers Switzerland Section of the Swiss Society for Ultrasound in Medicine (SGUM) and are committed to the ultrasound training of students and internsLigue Academique de Medecine Aigue (LAMA)Geneva, SwitzerlandAdvancing medical education and improving engagement in acute, emergency, catastrophe, humanitarian and critical care medicine.

Activities swimsa is the official representation of Swiss dental and medical students and has seats in various commissions, such as the Commission of Swiss Medical Faculties SMIFK (Schweizerische medizinische Interfakultätskommission) or the Federal Office of Public Health. In addition, swimsa organizes international exchanges and takes part at the activities of the IFMSA. The association collaborates with various projects and organizations on the topics of public health, medical education, sexual and reproductive health including HIV/AIDS, and human rights. The Swiss Medical Students' Convention (SMSC) takes place twice a year and enables students throughout Switzerland to meet and exchange experiences and ideas. A trainings weekend is organized once a year.

Awards

swimsa honors medical students with the "U ROCK swimsa Award".

The "U ROCK swimsa Award" is presented twice a year during the SMSC (usually in April and November) to people who have shown excellent commitment and endurance. The candidates are nominated by medical students to be voted on by the national delegate assembly. The following list shows the recipients since its introduction: 2008 Karin Helsing David Eisner 2009 Carla Gürtler Patrizia Kündig 2010 Gaby Moser Sergej Staubli 2011 Nicola Rüegsegger Alexandra Leuenberger 2012 Samuel Zweifel Roland Fischer 2013 Alexandre Moser Rainer Tan Samuel Heiniger 2014 Clara Sailer Anna Wang | Zurich 2015 Andrea Mauracher | Zurich Noémie Boss | Berne Mirjam Ryter | Basel 2016 Eleonora Frau | Fribourg Anna Schmidt 2017 Dominic Schmid Benjamin Magyar 2018 Grace Corella Cédric Fricker 2019 Federico Mazzola Margaux Saudan 2020 Robin Walter Gaia Grigorov 2021 Simone Temperli Stephanie Hauser 2022 Estelle Delamare Lorena Mackinnon Lacasa

2023 Matias Jacomet Rahel Laager 2024 Aurélia Hepner Abeelan Rasadurai 2025 Kevin Brunold Danai Bucher 2026 Diego Ryf

See also American Medical Student Association (AMSA-USA) Australian Medical Students' Association (AMSA-AUS) Turkish Medical Students' International Committee (TurkMSIC) New Zealand Medical Students' Association (NZMSA) International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA)

References

External links Official website in French and German Swiss Medical Students` Association