41 4718
(Just a few doors past the Eye andEar)
SP ECULUM 1961 PAGE SIXTY-NINE
PAGE SEVENTY SPECULUM 1961
A.M.S.A. CONFERENCE
REPORT—OFFICIAL
Report of the Second Annual Convention of the Australasian Medical Students' Asso- ciation, held in the University of Melbourne under the patronage of the British Medical Association of Victoria.
The Australasian Medical Students' Association—A Brief Historical Outline
The formation of the A.M.S.A. fulfilled a need that had been considered by many of the Medical Students' Societies of Aus- tralia to be an urgent one. Although attempts had been made in the past by both Sydney and Melbourne to form a National Association, it was not until 1960 that the University of Queensland Medical Society, with the support of the other medical schools, took the initiative, and held what was to be the First Annual Con- yention of the A.M.S.A. in Brisbane, dur- ing the May vacation, 1960. The Medical Students' Societies of Queensland, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth were the foundation members of the Association, and Mr. David Scott, a fourth year student from the University of Queensland, was elected its first President.
The aims of the Association, set out in its Constitution, are: to serve and represent the medical students of Australasia and to Promote co-operation and understanding among them; to encourage the interchange of ideas in all fields of Medical Education and Practice and to uphold the ideals of University Medical Teaching; to facilitate co--operation between the medical student and the medical profession and where necessary to co-operate and affiliate with other bodies having similar aims.
During the first year of its existence, despite some inevitable "teething troubles",
the A.M.S.A. was very active. Soon after the Brisbane Convention, a statement was released to the Press throughout Australia, pertaining to the Association's policy with regard to the limitation of numbers at Australian Medical Schools. While anxious that more University Medical Schools be established, so that those who want to take a Medical course and who have a reason- able chance of passing, may do so, never- theless, the Association firmly supports the principle of limitation of numbers within each School.
Then at the beginning of July, 1960, the Executive Secretariat was handed over to the Melbourne Medical Students' Society and Mr. Bernard Carroll, Mr. John Mc- Encroe and Mr. John Woodward, all fourth year students, took office as President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treas- urer. They obtained reports on the opera- tion of the Commonwealth Scholarships Scheme in each University, and critically reviewed the Scheme as it served medical students. A similar survey of Student Health Services within Australian Universi- ties was also undertaken.
At the National student political level, the Association is one of the affiliated Faculty Bureaux of the National Union of Australian University Students, and has received considerable assistance, financial and otherwise, from N.U.A.U.S. Inter- nationally, negotiations with the Inter- national Federation of Medical Students' Associations have resulted in affiliation with I.F.M.S.A., and Australia will be, most appropriately, the centre for the South-East Asian countries.
Negotiations with Otago University in New Zealand are expected to result in their affiliation with the A.M.S.A. in the near future.
SP ECULUM 1961 PAGE SEVENTY-ONE
The Melbourne Convention, 1961
During the May vacation, the Second Annual Convention of the Association was held in the University of Melbourne. Over three hundred students from every Austra- lian Medical School, including those of Monash University and the University of New South Wales, attended.
In a brief ceremony on the first day, the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Cr. Bernard Evans, welcomed the interstate visitors and officially opened the Convention. Mr.
Geoffrey Newman-Morris, the President of the Victorian branch of the B.M.A., Patron of the Convention, then wished the Asso- ciation success for the future, and Professor L. J. Ray, Professor of Anatomy, promised the co-operation and assistance of the Faculty to the A.M.S.A.
Throughout the week, a number of lec- tures was held. Topics were chosen which would be of interest to the student at all levels of training, and which are not empha- sized in the normal academic curricula. The lectures given were as follows:
Mr. J. Legge: "The Biochemical Origins of Life".
Dr. Alex Sinclair: "Psychiatric Problems of Medical Students".
Mr. George Stirling: "Experimental Surg- ery".
Prof. K. F. Russell: "The Edinburgh Mur- ders".
Dr. W. L. Carrington: "Marriage Counsel- ling in General Practice".
Prof. G. S. Christie: Hydatid Disease".
Sir J. C. Eccles: "What is Man".
Sir F. M. Burnet: "Auto-immune Disease".
Dr. A. Sinclair Symposium—
Dr. M. Blackwood j- "Sex and Dr. I. Martin Intersex"
As well as the lecture programme, special delegates from each University held a Pro- gressive Seminar on Medical Education, and as a result of their discussion, the A.M.S.A. has established a standing com- mittee on Medical Education. This will provide a proper service both to the medical profession as a whole, and to medical teach- ing staff, in the presentation of under- graduate thought and opinion on Medical Education.
PAGE SEVENTY-TWO
An extensive social programme occupied most evenings, and included a cocktail party, dance, picnic in the Dandenongs, and a river trip and barbecue. A Formal Dinner was held at the University, Mr. Newman- Morris and Dr. Sinclair were among the official guests.
The guest speaker, Mr. Douglas Donald, from Prince Henry's Hospital, combined the necessary entertainment with more serious reflections on the problems he considered likely to face the medical profession in the near future.
During the week the students visited many hospitals and institutions in Mel- bourne, including the four teaching hospi- tals, Royal Park and Kew Receiving Houses, the Commonwealth Serum Labora- tories, the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and the National Gallery. Com- plementary tickets for a League football match were also issued to interstate visitors.
The Convention concluded with the Annual General and Council Meetings at which the University of New South Wales Medical Society and the Monash University Medical Undergraduates' Fraternity were formally welcomed to membership of the Association, bringing the number of mem- bers to seven. Projected plans for the com- ing year include: efforts to stimulate inter- est in extra-curicular activities among medical students, and to include non-medi- cal subjects in the early years of medical courses; establishment of a scheme whereby medical students can obtain a trade reduc- tion on books and instruments: liason with the Medical Education Sub-Committee of the Australian Universities Commission;
and the publication of a regular A.M.S.A.
Newsletter.
Above all, the Association is anxious to develop in a similar fashion as its British counterpart, the British Medical Students' Association, who have supplied us with much information and advice, particularly in their reports on Medical Education. And now, encouraged by the success of the Con- vention, and on the advice and support of Mr. Newman-Morris, Dr. Sinclair and Mr.
Donald, the A.M.S.A. will seek to affiliate with the Australian Medical Association.
John McEncroe, Hon. Sec. A.M.S.A.,
SPECULUM 1961
REPORT—UNOFFICIAL
Tune: Macnamara's Band
We came to Melbourne in the fall of the year of '61,
We've happy memories of it all, we had a lot of fun,
The hostesses in the Kew Town Hall, they all had lateral holes,
The coiffes prevented all the boys from reaching their low goals.
Hooray for Moriarty's and for Jimmie Watson too,
We wish that Mary Patterson had been around to woo.
The dinner in the Union Buff, it was a jolly show,
Until the jokes which Hazel told, they reached an all time low.
We all went down to wine and dine at Molina's down the road,
Where Fuzz's pea in the butter dish was not quite a la mode.
The waiter expected a great big tip, but got such a surprise
When Timothy offered a shiny zac, he couldn't believe his eyes.
Who pinched them blooming pistols, who Pinched them sugar bowls,
Who stole the gong in Brisbane, and who ruined all our souls?
It was our charming visitors, not mention- ing any names,
Just wait till we get over there, we'll do the bloody same.
Tho' Vondy and Co. left early, and went to see the Snowy,
The rest of us stayed on in town and had a drink with Chloe.
We had a look for South Wark but couldn't find a drop,
So back we went to Chloe, and found we couldn't stop.
The social organizer was Mr. Jaguar George, he
Took us up to Hawthorn where we had our own orgy.
The jazz band played a merry tune, and we all drank lots of beer,
For we feared the cops might lock us up without Madeira dear.
The lectures came from eminent men in the school of Anatomy,
The scarlet waistcoat on one of them sug- gested things to be.
We finished with a barbecue, we sailed far up the creek,
And the girls all hid their faces while the boys got out to leak.