Welsh medical students committee

The WMSC (Welsh medical students committee) covers all matters of importance to medical students in Wales and acts on their behalf. Find out more about our priorities, members and meetings.

Location: Wales
Audience: Medical students
Updated: Thursday 26 October 2023
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​The WMSC covers all matters of importance to medical students in Wales and acts on their behalf. We do this by informing, liaising and, where appropriate, collaborating with the Welsh Government, Cardiff and Swansea medical schools, local health boards and Health Education and Improvement Wales.

The committee also works closely with the BMA Welsh council and the UK MSC.

Our priorities

Mental health

Raise awareness of student mental health issues and assess the scope of the support offered by medical schools in Wales.

In 2020, we conducted a mental health survey of medical students in Wales to learn about mental health at university. 

Widening participation

Promote access to medicine regardless of background and monitor differential attainment.

Accommodation standards

We lobbied for improvements in the standard of accommodation for students on placements and continue to monitor these standards.

Grassroots engagement

Improve communication with students in order to increase awareness of the BMA and encourage engagement with WMSC.

Assessments

Monitor the implementation of the MLA (Medical Licensing Assessment) and medical schools’ own assessment procedures.

 

Our people

Chair: Serge John

Deputy Chair: Erin Flaherty

Members

Cardiff 1st Year

Mohammad Zabit Rishad/
Esther Ogrunbameru

Cardiff 2nd year

Vacant

Cardiff 3rd Year

Kevin Boon Chun Lee/Vacant

Cardiff 4th year

Ethan Baker/Leighton Newton

Cardiff 5th year

Erin Flaherty/Olivia Hird

North Wales C21

Vacant

Intercalating

Sanay Goyal

Immediate past chair: Craig Heath

Swansea 1st year

Sarah Osborn/Ashly Alava Garcia

Swansea 2nd year

George Carter

Swansea 3rd year

Megan Johnston/ JJ Green

Swansea 4th year

Lawrence Quach/ Belinda Wang

MSC representatives 22/23

Cardiff

Steffan Williams
Deputy: Sam Dyer
Bangor Deputy: TBC

Swansea

Malaika Sujeesh
Deputy: James Brawn

 

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Develop your skills as a committee member

Take part in one of our free courses designed to give you the right skills to:

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Find out more

Our meetings

We meet four times a year to discuss the latest issues affecting medical students in Wales. These meetings are open to WMSC members only.

Meeting dates:

  • Wednesday 11 October 2023
  • Wednesday 13 December 2023
  • Wednesday 21 February 2024
  • Wednesday 8 May 2024

All meetings take place from 6.30pm to 9pm either virtually or at:

BMA Cymru Wales
5th Floor
2 Caspian Point
Caspian Way
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff
CF10 4DQ

 

How to join

There are many advantages to becoming involved in our committees. You can actively influence BMA policy-making and negotiations, represent your colleagues' voices and develop your leadership skills. 

Each committee has a few routes to becoming an elected member. In the case of WMSC, these are: 

Medical schools elections to UKMSC
  • Seats/term - every year, both medical schools in Wales elect a representative to UKMSC for a one-session term. These representatives have non-voting seats on the WMSC.
  • Timeline - elections usually take place in March or April.
  • Eligibility - all student BMA members are eligible to stand and vote in this election.
Direct elections
  • Seats/term - every year, both medical schools in Wales elect two representatives, and an intercalating representative, from each year for a one-session term. 
  • Timeline - elections usually take place in May or June.
  • Eligibility - all student BMA members in Wales are eligible to stand and vote in this election.

There is also a co-opted representative position for the Cardiff Medical school C21 course run at Bangor University.

The election section below is kept up to date with details about any running elections, so make sure you keep checking it throughout the year.  

 

Elections

The Welsh Medical Student Committee (WMSC) is made up of two medical students elected from every year at both Cardiff and Swansea medical schools as well as an intercalating representative.

There is also a voting representative position for the Cardiff Medical school run C21 course at Bangor University

Direct elections 2023 to 2024

The WMSC is holding elections for the following seats: 

  • 2x Cardiff 1st year representatives
  • 2 x Swansea 1st year representatives
  • 2 x Cardiff 2nd year representatives
  • 1 x Cardiff 3rd Year representative
  • 1 x Swansea 4th year representative
  • 2 x Cardiff 4th year representatives
  • 1 x Cardiff 5th year representative
  • 1x North Wales representative

Eligibility

To stand or vote in this election, you must:

  • be a BMA full-time student member in Wales
  • have a BMA online account.

Nominations and casting your vote

  • Nominations open from: 9am on Tuesday 12 September 2023 and close at 12 noon Tuesday 10 October.
  • Ballot - from 9am on Wednesday 11 October to 12 noon Wednesday 25 October.

Read our guide on how to use our online system for elections

Take part in the election

Results

Results will be announced from Thursday 26 October 2023 on the election portal.

If you have any questions about these elections, please email us

 

 

Get in touch

If you are interested in finding out more about the work of the WMSC, please contact us or call 029 2047 4696.

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