The Canadian Federation of Medical Students' Annual General Meeting will see 
160 medical students from across Canada visit Queen's and Kingston.

By Rosie Hales, Communications Officer

This September, 160 students from Canada’s 14 medical schools will visit Queen’s and Kingston to attend the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS).

The success of Queen’s bid to host the event was announced in early January and means increased exposure for medical students to campus and Kingston, as well as an opportunity to have more medical students from Queen’s in attendance.

“The conference is all about bringing brilliant minds together from across Canada,” says Branden Deschambault, conference coordinator. “Being the host city also gives us the chance to have as many Queen’s students attend as possible. We’re planning to have spots for as many as 20 students.”

The conference will run from 19 – 21 of September and members will review the internal and external initiatives of the CFMS, vote on member resolutions, listen to guest speakers and physician mentors, enjoy a boat cruise on Lake Ontario, and conclude the weekend with a social gala at the Confederation Place Hotel.

The conference will also include a discussion on the CFMS’s representation, advocacy and student wellness efforts, including recently announced changes to the national medical school accreditation standards. Global health representatives from each of the attending schools will have an internal conference where they decide on their priorities for the upcoming year, including a discussion on housing as a social determinant of health.

Mr. Deschambault hopes that the conference will engage the Kingston community by having guest speakers from the Kingston Economic Development Corporation and by providing opportunities for the medical students to engage in many of the community's attractions and amenities.

"This is a great opportunity for our faculty and students to pitch Kingston as an ideal place for young doctors to complete their residency," says Mr. Deschambault. "We're excited to have a keynote speaker from the School of Medicine to talk about all the great things in Kingston and at Queen's, like our research and residency programs."