It's not where you start…
In desperation to pursue our interests, a team of twelve of us - having never even attended a conference - set out to host one with a goal in mind. With the help of our generous donor - The University of Aberdeen Development Trust Fund and our sponsor - The Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh, we were able to bring hostile environments and tropical medicine back to our University's front door.
Studying medicine at an institution which puts students at the centre of its teaching has given us the opportunity to practice holistic patient care through a rich pool of clinical exposure. It has also allowed us to find like-minded individuals focused on making a lasting impact in the world. However, we recognise that there is often limited opportunity within the curriculum to engage deeply with global health. A topic we believe holds significant importance, especially in the fragile state the world finds itself in today.
Setting up an event of this scale has offered each of us an invaluable insight into the world of conferences and collaboration. Firstly, conferences offer all those involved an opportunity to share knowledge, network, advance medical fields and for someone in our steps, an opportunity to feel inspired. We believe inspiration is the first step toward transformation, and we hope everyone who attended left with a renewed sense of purpose and importantly possibility. When asked about the founding father of Tropical medicine – Sir Patrick Manson, not many would think that his medical journey started at the University of Aberdeen. This existing legacy served as a catalyst which propelled us towards setting up H.E.A.T. and became a key theme which echoed through the talks of the day. A reminder to all Aberdeen medical students that the change we want starts in all of us and to never forget that ‘one of them’ could be ‘one of you’.
Our conference explored themes of conflict, expedition and tropical medicine - fields that embody the compassion and demand of healthcare. Our speakers' interests ranged from adult to paediatric care, and they came armed with experience gained through volunteer missions or professional work. The training we receive in Aberdeen has the potential for global outreach, and our speakers were a testament to this – their work has reached people in every corner of the world, and they all stood before us united in the hope of spreading the same message. Our attendees also reflected the same spirit by showing up to our conference. Through their engagement and curiosity, they demonstrated awareness, compassion and a growing commitment to one day take action on the urgent health crisis our fellow humans endure. With each and everyone's support we were able to contribute all our profits to Mission Aviation Fellowship and Médecins Sans Frontières to fund their global projects.
Thank you to the University, especially the medicine faculty team, for providing an environment where students are encouraged to grow as independent learners and urged to address both local and global challenges. The success of the day was remarkable and we take immense pride in representing the University of Aberdeen’s School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition. Thank you to everyone once again for being part of this journey and we hope you are as excited as us for all things yet to come.
