Organised by Eastern Mediterranean University Dr. Fazıl Küçük Medicine Faculty, Student Scientific Research Club, 2nd Eastern Mediterranean International Medical Students Congress commenced at Rauf Raif Denktaş Culture and Congress Center at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, 4 May 2017. Taking place under the theme “Multidisciplinary Discussions on Medicine and Health in a World of Conflict”, the congress is hosting medical students from 21 different universities and 7 countries. Chair of the Eastern Mediterranean International Medical Students Congress Buse Ataoğlu delivered an opening address and thanked all those participating and also those who contributed to the organisation of the event.
In her opening address, Dean of EMU Dr. Fazıl Küçük Medicine Faculty Prof. Dr. Nahide Gökçora highlighted the importance of the participation of medical students in the congress which has a multidisciplinary context. Prof. Dr. Gökçora also mentioned the difficulties encountered in war zones regarding the delivery of health services and ensuring the security of the health professionals, Talking about the number of children affected in war zones, Prof. Dr. Gökçora also stressed the importance of the maintenance of health services targeted towards people living in zones as such. Prof. Dr. Gökçora stated that the congress will host multidisciplinary discussions. At the end of her speech, Prof. Dr. Gökçora wished all participants a productive event and thanked the members of the organising committee for creating a platform bringing together medical students from different institutions.
Following the opening addresses, Dr. Fazıl Küçük Medicine Faculty student Nursel Kürtoğlu gave a short concert with two children playing the violin. Following the concert, İstanbul University, İstanbul Medicine Faculty, Forensic Medicine Department academic staff member Prof. Dr. Nevzat Alkan delivered a presentation titled “Problems of Forensic Medicine Brought by Ideological, Political and Socio-Cultural Conflicts”. In the said presentation, Prof. Dr. Alkan talked about the multidisciplinary developments in forensic medicine and law regarding the cases of sexual assault and provided an overview of the applications and legal regulations in the United States of America, Turkey and the TRNC regarding the issue. Advising forensic medicine students to approach all cases in a sceptical manner, Prof. Dr. Alkan added that a lot of people try to deceive doctors of forensic science.
Prof. Dr. Ali Şehirlioğlu from Ortopedics and Traumatology Department, Prof. Dr. Afksendiyos Kalangos from Cardiovascular Surgery Department and Dr. Abdulhannan Aljouja from Internal Medicine Department also contributed to the congress through presentations. Presentations of students on scientific research findings and numerous medical and social workshops formed the basis for the scientific program of the congress. Additionally, a panel titled “Idological, Political and Socio-cultural Conflicts and Health” took place under the moderatorship of the Vice Dean of EMU Dr. Fazıl Küçük Medicine Faculty Assist. Prof. Dr. Mevhibe Hocaoğlu. EMU Arts and Sciences Faculty, Psychology Department academic staff member Dr. Mustafa Öngün, EMU Business and Economics Faculty, Political Science and International Relations Department academic staff member Assist. Prof. Dr. Berna Numan and Nicosia Dr. Burhan Nalbantoğlu State Hospital Vice Chief Physician Dr. Sonuç Büyük participated in the said panel which aimed to support the medical students’ internalisation of the information accumulation and collective work forming the core of the medical world and to provide the participants with a social and academic experience contributing to their professional development. The congress also featured a social aspect allowing the participants to get to know the TRNC through exhibitions as well as natural and cultural tours.
