Although many medical students choose to focus on activities that are related to their training; extracurricular activities are not always limited to medicine. Medical students have formed clubs and societies in their time in school to make it more meaningful, more collegial and more enjoyable.
The Medical Student Society (MSS)
Medical students have formed an organization joining students from different classes to help each other achieve their goals.
There are plans to launch several programs such as a mentorship program whereby students can guide their juniors throughout their medical training, events to join classes together, and organizing a shared platform for students and others. This society is open to all medical students to help each other accomplish great things.
You can contact them on this email or check their page on Facebook
The Lebanese Medical Students' International Committee (LeMSIC) in AUB
The Lebanese Medical Students' International Committee (LeMSIC) is a non-political, non-religious, non-profit student-run organization that represents medical students in Lebanon. It is a full National Member Organization (NMO) of the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA).
LeMSIC - was founded in the 1960s by active medical students from the American University of Beirut.Activities were reactivated in 1997 after the civil war, with the launching of the Exchange Program and of the IFMSA's 6 th International HIV/AIDS Summer School.
After that milestone year, LeMSIC re-established itself both locally and internationally, and has grown to embrace hundreds of active medical students in its various standing committees.
LeMSIC website link
LeMSIC Facebook Page
Student-Led Initiatives:
Student-led initiatives play a crucial role in enhancing education, promoting community engagement, and addressing healthcare disparities. These initiatives often include peer tutoring programs, health fairs, outreach to underserved populations, and wellness activities aimed at fostering mental health among students. By empowering medical students to take the lead, these programs encourage leadership skills, collaboration, and a deeper understanding of patient-centered care, ultimately enriching the overall learning environment and benefiting the community at large.
AUB Medicine Cares (AUBMCares) was initiated by the Office of the Dean, as a response to the numerous spontaneous endeavors by medical students and faculty and aiming at providing healthcare to the marginalized, the vulnerable, and the underserved in Lebanon. Over the years, AUBMCares has launched 9 impactful student-led initiatives, each tailored to meet the needs of specific communities. These are:
- Heal Clinic: serves marginalized communities, including individuals with special needs, migrant workers, and the LGBTQIA+ population.
- Humblebee Clinic: dedicated to Pediatric care
- Care Clinic: provides medical services to the Lebanese population
- Gold Clinic: focuses of Geriatric health.
- OGIG clinic (Obstetrics & Gynecology Interest Group) : specialized in women's health
- Hope Clinic: provides services to victims of all types of violence
- Get Bowtied for a Cause: organizes fundraising events and awareness campaigns to support AUBMC healthcare funds.
- AMP (Attending Musician Program): Provides interactive musical activities and performances for patients in psychiatry and hemodialysis units.
- Little Doctors: partners with the Ministry of Education to promote health education in schools and orphanage.
https://www.aub.edu.lb/fm/Pages/AUBMCares.aspx
https://www.instagram.com/aubmcares/
Several other student-led initiatives exist at AUBFM such as interest groups for almost every specialty. HAVEN which is an initiative of SHBPP (Salim El-Hoss Bioethics and Professionalism Program) that stands for Humanism, Advocacy, Volunteering, Ethics, and Nurturing, aiming at humanism endorsement, bioethics, education, and volunteer work. Medical Humanism Fund (MHF), established in 2013 also by SHBPP, is dedicated to helping patients in need of financial assistance at AUBMC. AI in Medicine (AIM), aims to develop, evaluate, and disseminate artificial intelligence systems to advance patient care. Many more initiatives exist at AUBFM that are established and implemented by students who run the elections for cabinet and team member positions abiding by their terms and conditions.