On the 21st of March 2022, the biggest faculty-based student organisation on campus, MMSA, held its first part of the AGM, hence closing the window for applications for students to become part of the MMSA executive team for the term 2022/2023. This process will continue throughout the week with debates and elections for contested positions. More than 11 candidates are contesting for 5 positions within the organisation in one of the most interesting elections MMSA has seen in a while.
In an effort to promote student participation in student organisations and student activism, we will be giving the contesting candidates a platform to reach out to their voters. The contested positions so far are:
- President – 2 candidates
- Vice president of internal affairs – 2 candidates
- Leisure Officer- 2 Candidates
- Public Health Officer – 2 candidates
- Supervising Council without board of directors experience – 3 Candidates
President of MMSA
In this election there will be two candidates going for the role of president in the MMSA. This being The Former Education Officer for the Term 21/22 Nicholas Galea and the former Supervising counsel officer (SupCo Official) for the term 21/22 Andrea Bugeja.
Nicholas Galea:
Nicholas is MD3 student who spent the last three years as an active member of MMSA, taking the positions of assistance to the medical education officer (SCOME Assistance) for the term 20/21 and as medical education officer in (SCOME Officer) in the term 21/22. He is also the student representative on the board of studies for the doctor of medicine in the faculty of medicine and surgery.
Nicholas announced his candidature on the 12 of March in a Facebook post saying :
“I feel uniquely positioned to share the knowledge and skills I have gained during this time and apply it to guide this association forward into the next term in this post-pandemic era.”
He followed his announcement with his promises for the presidency :
“By ensuring MMSA has a unified vision, voice, and values, our association can take the next step in extending its help and influence to medical students and beyond.
Should you trust me to be your next president, I will be an open and transparent leader; someone who will give time to all standing committees to operate effectively and who will give room to all members to grow and make themselves the best medical professionals they can be.”
We reached out to Nicholas who provided us with further comment saying:
“Should you entrust me to lead this organisation, I promise to be a transparent and formative leader and I look forward to giving each standing committee and member the opportunity to flourish both within the organisation and externally.
My plan of action is the culmination of three years of local and international experiences, which has filled me with the motivation to work tirelessly in the upcoming term and strive to improve every aspect of the running of MMSA.”
You can find more details about what he is planning in his plan of action here.
Andrea Bugeja:
Andrea Bugeja is also an MD3 student who was an active member of MMSA for the last 3 years. His past experiences include being the Electives Officer and SupCo Offical among other local and international experiences you can find in his Fb announcement published on the 15th of March.
Andrea justified his motives for running for presidency by stating:
“Throughout these experiences it was a source of great accomplishment and satisfaction to see the difference we have been able to make, all working together to achieve similar goals, passing through similar struggles, sharing a common path. However, it also became apparent just how much room for improvement there is at hand”
He continued to point out his focus for the presidency:
“To continue moving forward as an organisation we need to ensure our stability. We need to diversify our income, increase our certified trainers, raise awareness of what we do and increase the opportunities we offer. We need to host more frequent capacity building workshops, subsidise conferences and training costs, and increase exchanges and electives opportunities. “
Concluding his announcement message with :
“As a friend and mentor once said, “Let us dare to lead”.”
We reached out to Andrea for a comment and this is what he had to say”
“My experience in our organisation has emphasised the importance of stability and improvement. We need to diversify our income, increase our trainers, settle outstanding legal matters, improve our public image, medical education, and facilities, subsidies conferences and training, increase international opportunities and the implementation of a temporary study area as well as look to the future and set the groundwork for our very own IFMSA GA.
With your help and support, I look forward to work on these and many, many more ideas in the coming term. Thank you!!”
For further details take a look at his plan of action here!
MMSA Vice president of internal affairs (VPi):
There are two candidates for the 22/23 MMSA VPi role, both of which were part of MMSA executive team for 21/22. These being Owen Cachia, Sexual and reproductive health and right Officer , and Martina Formosa, Public Relations Officer.
Owen Cachia:
Owen Cachia is an MD3 student who occupied many co-ordinator roles within his first and second years which includes ( Media Coordinator and Awareness Coordinator) within Public relations office and SCORA office respectively. He was also the SCORA officer for term 21/22.
In his announcement he spoke of his experiences and reasons to run for VPi as follows:
“I was privileged enough to gain invaluable experience and build external relations with numerous stakeholders. Along the way, I took up every opportunity I could to listen to and help my colleagues within the Board of Directors, through which I started to truly understand the inner workings of MMSA. In addition to this, I have come to greatly appreciate the importance of the Executive Board in the functioning of the organisation. Along the way, my passion for the organisation only became stronger and thus, Contesting for this role felt like the next step forward”
He went forward with a following post on FB showcasing the focus of his campaign by saying:
“Should the medical student body entrust me with this role, MMSA’s unified image will be my utmost priority. I look forward to serve as the Bridge between the medical student body and the board of directors,in order to ensure that the student remains the organisation’s top priority.”
We reached out to Owen and this is what he had to say to our viewers:
“My tenure as Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Officer has been an invaluable experience which I will cherish forever. Driven by my passion for student activism, I believe that through my candidature for Vice-President for Internal Affairs I can continue to contribute to the association and the medical student body, as I have done throughout these last three years.”
For Further details about what Owen has to offer read his Plan of Action here.
Martina Formosa:
Martina Formosa is an MD3 student who occupied The media coordinator in her first year, The PR officer in her Second year and currently occupies the Public relation officer role for the term 21/22 while also being an active MMSA member throughout her three years tenure.
Martina announced her Candidature on the 16th of march saying:
“Being trained extensively on the numerous aspects involved in activity management and member engagement at a pre-GA workshop on Public Health Leadership Training, has inspired me greatly on how to tackle the issue of overloaded activity calendars and decreased member participation, two prevalent issues in our organisation.
With all this in mind, I believe that I have what it takes to fulfil the duties expected from this crucial position within the Executive Board, if given the opportunity.”
She elaborated on her experience from the past term by adding :
“This past term has been a turning point in my journey so far. Being given the opportunity to gain a direct insight into the running of medical student organisations around the globe at the GA this month, has made me all the more aware of the strong suits and shortcomings in the foundations of our organisation, and how these directly impact the wellbeing of our members.”
Martina added on her announcement in a comment sent to us:
“Having worked so closely with all the Offices, as well as all of the EB in my role as PRO, as well as having attended IFMSA trainings such as TNT, PHLT and a GA this very month, has provided me with substantial experience in feedback, student participation and engagement, and, most importantly, working with other members. I will do my utmost to work towards enhanced member engagement and recognition in MMSA, a greater focus on activity management and capacity building, as well as tackling the issue of overloaded activity calendars and decreased member participation, two prevalent issues in our organisation ”
For more detailed information on her plan of action for the position click here!
Leisure Officer :
Leisure officer is also witnessing an election as two candidates have announced their campaign for the office. These are Tara Borg Caruana and Lara Bugeja. Both have had experience within the leisure office in different positions.
Tara Borg Caruana:
Tara is a MD3 student who served as Leisure office assistance for the term 21/22 enabling her to work closely with the past leisure officer in organising and managing the leisure office event. She also has various other past experiences as an active MMSA member which include being SCORA Peer Education Co-Ordinator and part of SCOME Buddy system for two years.
In her announcement she summarised her plans for the office by saying:
“If elected, I shall work hard, together with my team, to maintain the iconic MMSA-Leisure reputation as well as coming up with new and innovative concepts to continue building on what past officers have worked so tirelessly on.”
Tara also wanted to say this to MMSA members:
“My main aim with regards to the future of this role if elected is to prioritise new and innovative events as well as to continue our iconic MMSA traditions. Whilst also, seeking to form new relationships with other student organisations on campus, as well as maintaining our current ones. On the whole I feel like my candidature for this role reflects the type of person I am, which is an outgoing person who seeks every opportunity to interact with different people and form new relationships.”
For more details about Tara’s plan of action click here!
Lara Bugeja:
Lara Bugeja is an MD2 Student who occupied the role of leisure coordinator in term 21/22. She was also part of the SCOPET Peer ED team while also maintaining an active presence within MMSA events hosted by other committees. Through her role as Leisure coordinator she was actively involved in numerous events which include ‘Leisure Goes Camping’ and TRD’s parties among others.
In her announcement post on Facebook Lara said:
“Working side-by side with the Leisure Officer for this year has inspired me to take on the more active role of MMSA Leisure Officer.Should I be elected, I promise to do my utmost to maintain the jam-packed calendar filled with a wide variety of events that past leisure teams have worked so hard to build. I will also ensure MMSA Leisure’s legendary reputation is upheld.”
In Comment obtained from Lara she had this to say:
“My goal is to provide students with the opportunity to find a balance between leisure and education. I have big ideas and a big passion for the leisure office and I would love to give back to MMSA what it gave to me!”
For more details about Lara’s plan of action click here!
Public Health Officer :
Two MD2 Students are running for this year’s Public health Office both of which were part of the previous year Public Health officer team. These are: Adriel Camilleri and Gabriel Grixti.
Adriel Camilleri:
Adriel Camilleri was the assistant for SCOPH positioning him in an unique position experience wise to take the mantle of Public health office. His past experience include being an active part of most SCOPH events as well as numerous other positions in MMSA which include TRD performance Co-ordinator ’21.
In his announcement post he said:
“It is with great honour, that I formally announce my candidature for Public Health Officer for the term 2022-2023.
As Assistant for the current term, I believe I have developed the necessary leadership skills, and through working with every branch of SCOPH, an intrinsic understanding of all the work we do, making me uniquely qualified to effectively lead a new team and to tackle those topics that we as medical students must understand. Over the past term I have truly fallen in love with SCOPH, but I believe my journey is far from over, and I would like to lead it to new heights!
When asked for comment Adriel had this to say:
“As medical students, our priority should always be to serve the community and foster a sense of trust and communication between future healthcare professionals and their future patients. I aim to do just this. Through various exciting brand new initiatives, and innovation of our most successful events, I seek to increase our relevance on both a national and international level, doing what’s best for not just SCOPH, but MMSA as a whole!”
For more details about Adriel’s plan of action click here!
Gabriel Grixti:
Gabriel is a MD2 student and also a national team athlete in Table tennis. His past experience include being SCOPH goes local Co-Ordinator giving him a front seat row into the planning and organisation of various SCOPH events such as Diabetes Awareness day and World diabetes day health check among others. He is also an active member in other standing events which include SCORA aborition event, SCOPET First aid, SCOME Fresher activities and other events.
In his announcement Gabriel had this to say about contesting for this position:
“Public health has been brought to the forefront in medicine and also in peoples lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health is concerned with the general well-being of members in society. Should I be elected as SCOPH officer, I will make it my priority to ensure that public health issues within the population are tackled in the best possible way. I would also make it a priority to ensure that medical students will receive the necessary exposure to patient interaction and also become familiar with taking some basic clinical examinations. “
Gabriel also summarised his idea and plan for the office in this Comment:
“I believe that as a standing committee our 3 main objectives should be: education, outreach and inclusion. In addition, I believe that SCOPH is a great platform not just for medical students but also for the general population.”
For more details about Gabriel’s plan of action click here!
Supervising Council Without EB experience:
This year the Supervising Council without EB experience has Three candidates Running for one position All of which are MD2 students. These are : Gabriel Camilleri, Daniel Zammit Lupi and Gerard Zammit Young.
Gabriel Camilleri:
Gabriel occupied many roles in MMSA during his two years in Medicine. This includes Peer Education Coordinator and TRD Ceremonies Coordinator. He believes that his experience in these roles among others made him obtain the necessary skill set and experience to occupy SupCo position with no EB experience.
In his candidature announcement he showcases his plans for the roles by stating:
“If elected, I will always carry out this role based on 3 core values; transparency, impartiality, and fairness within the organisation. I would like to see SupCo as a fair, available and trust-worthy body which advices and assists the work of our Board of Directors whilst also serving as a bridge between our members and BD. With your support, I would be able to give back to MMSA what it has given to me during these past two years.”
In a comment obtained by The Third Eye here is what Gabriel had to say:
“I believe that this role is the best manner to continue contributing to our beautiful organisation and give it a brighter future. If elected, I will always carry out this role based on 3 core values; transparency, impartility and fairness. I would like to see SupCo as a fair, available and trust-worthy body which advices and assists the work of our Board of Directors whilst also serving as a bridge between our members and this year’s BD.”
For more details about Gabriel’s plan of action click here!
Daniel Zammit Lupi
Daniel occupied the roles of SCOPH goes local Co-ordinator and Non-Communicable disease Co-ordinator among being part of other events organised by different Standing committees of MMSA. It is through his roles as co-ordinator he had the chance to get a closer look into MMSA internal organisation while also positioning him in an engaging position with students.
In his Candidature announcement post he stated what he want to implement within the role:
“I wish to establish a more communicative society within MMSA, bringing all our members together in a coherent and cooperative fashion. Optimizing the flow of information and smooth handling of functionality is at the top of my list. I want to shed light on what the supervising council actually is, that it is there to help members along the way and not punish them. It is imperative that SupCo helps carry the weight of MMSA and is always there to steer us back on track when problems arise. I will ensure that the right changes are made and that they are made for the right reasons. The implementation of justice, equality and unity is an absolute must, allowing every single student to have a voice which is heard fairly by everyone in our community.”
Daniel summarised his plans for the position by saying:
“If elected, I promise to ensure a more unified environment pillared on stronger communication and equality amongst all students. Tackling and preventing conflict is also a huge priority”
For more details about Daniel’s plan of action click here!
Gerard Zammit Young
Gerard is an MD2 student and the current MD2 class representative with plenty of experiences as Back to basic-curriculum orientation Co-ordinator, Class representation, MD1 buddy, Blood and organ donation Co-ordinator among many others. Through his various roles Gerard has realised how important this role is and how he can contribute to it.
In his Candidature announcement post Gerard explained his reasoning to run for this position by saying:
“Being an active member within MMSA throughout both years of my medical school experience has equipped me with a great amount of knowledge about the association’s inner workings, and I feel that I have grown into a strong advocate for medical students’ rights. If entrusted with this role, I will work to guarantee medical students’ rights, as well as work to make SupCo more accessible, transparent, and fair.”
In a comment obtained from Gerard this what he had to say:
“Through my work within MMSA, I have gained a deeper appreciation of SupCo, and should you entrust me with the role, I vow to listen to students and work tirelessly in pursuit of justice. I will do my utmost to ensure that SupCo is an impartial, accessible, and transparent body working in the best interest of the organisation and its members. ”
For more details about Gerard’s plan of action click here!
Timeline for the election:
Candidate presentation will take place on Tuesday 22nd of march at 4 pm while Debate for contested positions will take place on Wednesday 23th hosted and organised by the electoral committee. Thursday 24th will be a silent day and elections will take place on Friday 25th.
The Third Eye wishes all candidates good luck in the upcoming elections.
