The IFMSA is an independent, non-governmental and non-political federation of medical students’ associations throughout the world. As of March 2012, IFMSA represents national medical student associations from 104 countries in six continents. Our membership consists of more than 1,000,000 medical students worldwide. Since 1951, IFMSA has been run for and by medical students on a not-for-profit basi
s. Officially recognized as a Non-Governmental Organization within the United Nations’ system, our organization is recognized by the World Health Organiza- tion as the international forum for medical students and is considered the student chapter of the World Medical Association. IFMSA is registered as a chari- table organization in the Netherlands. For almost 60 years, IFMSA has existed to bring together the global medical student community working on global health issues. Hundreds of ac- tivities are planned, designed, and carried out every year on the local, national and international levels. Projects, conferences and workshops are organized across member countries in the fields of medical education, public health, reproductive health, gender issues and human rights and peace, thus of fering medical students a taste of the real and press- ing health issues worldwide. The IFMSA experience shows students that they are not passive subjects in a rapidly globalizing world, but are valuable individuals with a potentially powerful role to play in global health. They learn that their idealistic goals can be achieved with readily attainable knowledge and commitment. In IFMSA, the emphasis is placed on students returning to their local environments with new ideas and the skills to implement them. As the doctors of tomorrow and future leaders of health, we feel confident that our students will carry this spirit with them throughout their professional lives.