Exciting SUMSA plans!

Some of us might vaguely remember being carted off into the Physician’s Hall one evening last school-year with the rest of the studentry to listen to a throng of schoolmates vehemently orate their plans and visions for our dear school. And you might remember wondering who made sense and who was the funniest – then wrote down names on a piece of paper. Yes, that Silliman University Medical Student’s Association (SUMSA) election.

Have you ever wondered, in a rare moment between exams and worksheets (of course, let us not fail to mention the bread and butter of medschool every chance we get), what ever happened to those pieces of paper? Well they are probably used by Nong Nats as bonfire feed but whatever happened to the avid promises and dreamy-eyed plans?

On the second month of its official term, let us check on how SUMSA is faring so far and maybe catch a glimpse of what exactly this new set of officers has in store for us. Luckily, a little chat with the SUMSA president herself, Ms. Maria Zanetta Gadingan, reveals more than enough to raise hopes for a livelier, more action-packed year. But I’ll let you be the judge of that.

 When asked how she is managing as the new SUMSA leader, a very demanding role I can imagine, Ms Gadingan  replies “Being SUMSA president is like a walk in the park – Jurassic Park! It is both scary and exciting, bringing both the privilege to be of service to my fellow medical students… and at the same time, it is a breathtaking experience to know the extent of responsibilities placed in my hands.”

SUMS advocates Social Awareness and Responsibility

We might be wondering what’s new this year. What should we be expecting extracurricular-wise? Apparently, SUMSA 2015-2016 has decided it is time for medical students to be active advocates of Social Awareness and Responsibility.

As they work to increase student participation in the ongoing community outreach activities like the feeding programs in Casa Esperanza and Brgy Cadawinonan, they are developing student activities that are environment-oriented. Ms Gadingan also adds “Information dissemination at its finest! We would be scheduling city and provincial forums and symposiums on current health issues.”

The Perpetual Trophy            

In line with Dr. Amante’s vision to see two perpetual APMC National Quiz Bowl trophies in SUMS, SUMSA, under the direct advisement of Dr. Walden Ursos, has launched the SUMS quiz bowl marathon to screen for candidates.

Study hard, Play hard

It is official. SUMSA has just decided that the university intramurals and the Regional Medlympics are not enough sports fun for SUMS medical students. Their solution? Medicine Week! Yet in its rudimentary form, but it is working out to be a medical school sports fest.

SUMSA is also planning to schedule the Run for Juan on September and November as parts of the Regional APMC and Medlympics, respectively, in the vision of uniting medical students from various medical schools to run as one for a social cause.

SUMSA definitely has big big plans this school-year. And we are just looking at a skeletal plan! I heard more ideas are pouring in and the officers are actively gathering more suggestions from the students themselves. This is turning out to be a huge undertaking for our SUMSA officers. So what keeps them hanging in there, you ask? Ms Gadingan admits “We have been so blessed to have supportive former SUMSA officers who have guided us and taught us all the mechanisms behind planning and implementing activities. They never run out of advices and tips and they manage to follow-up on us every chance they get. Kudos and special shout out to Ate Jermaine Sy (SUMSA president 2013-2014).”

So there we have it! A foretaste of our future – atleast this school-year. These are definitely things to look forward to. More than them being fun, these are the ones that pull us back to the real world from the clutches of paperwork and exams, the stuff that reminds us that we are more than just students – we are Medical Students.

So good luck and more power to all SUMSA officers!

Iza Layla Lacadin