
Advocacy
Liaison Officers
LOs represent swimsa in political institutions and are part of the AK/CoFo.
About
The Liaison Officers (LOs) represent swimsa in political institutions that deal with medical education or healthcare politics. Liaison Officers ensure that the medical students are heard in these committees. LOs, in addition to delegates from the full members, chiropractic, pharmacy, and psychology students are part of the Commission on Medical Education (AK/CoFo).
Liaison Officer to the Federal Office of Public Health
LO-BAG/OFSP
The LO BAG/OFSP is appointed after the delegates’ assembly in spring. The term commences on September 1 and lasts one year.
The LO-BAG/OFSP has a seat and a vote in the platform “Zukunft ärztliche Bildung”, a meeting organized by the BAG of different stakeholders in medical education and health care. At these meetings current medical-political issues are discussed and recommendations for healthcare stakeholders are formulated. Studies for the improvement of medical education are discussed and commissioned. In particular the topic of the federal licensing exam is discussed in this platform. In recent months, the LO-BAG has also been involved in various advocacy efforts such as trying to increase youth participation in decision making of the BAG/OFSP.
If you have further questions about this position, please do not hesitate to contact bag@swimsa.ch

Liaison Officer to the Swiss Medical Association
LO-FMH
The LO-FMH is appointed after the delegates’ assembly in spring. The term commences on September 1 and lasts one year.
The LO-FMH represents swimsa in the “Ärztekammer/Chambre medical”, a biannual meeting of the Swiss doctors’ associations together with the swimsa president. Representatives of all cantons and medical specialties as well as other medical representatives such as the vsao/asmac attend these meetings. swimsa participates in discussions and take position on new legislation and the working environment in the medical profession.
The LO-FMH is also part of the BMS/SAEZ (swiss medical journal) Advisory Board and participates in Advisory Board meetings that take place every six weeks. The swimsa LO represents the Swiss medical students and is the main contact person for this journal. He/she also voices the student’s viewpoint to be included in the journal and has the opportunity to contribute to this journal by writing two “zu guter Letzt”/”mot de la fin” per year.
If you have further questions about this position, please do not hesitate to contact fmh@swimsa.ch

Liaison Officer to the Verband der Schweizer Assistenz- und Oberärztinnen und -ärzte/ association suisse des médecins-assistant(e)s et chef(fe)s de clinique
LO-vsao/asmac
The LO-vsao/asmac is appointed in autumn. The term commences on January 1 of the following year and lasts two years.
The LO-vsao/asmac has a seat with voting rights in the business committee and executive board, the two leading bodies of the national junior doctors association. The LO-vsao/asmac establishes the flow of information between swimsa and vsao/asmac and represents swimsa in the monthly meetings.
If you have further questions about this position, please do not hesitate to contact vsao@swimsa.ch

Liaison Officer to the Commission of Medical Profession LO-MeBeKo
The LO-MEBEKO is appointed after the Delegates’ Assembly in fall. The term commences on January 1 of the following year and lasts two years.
The LO-MeBeKo has a seat with voting rights in the Commission of Medical Profession (MeBeKo), which is an non-parliamentary Commission of the BAG/OFSP, tasked with overseeing the federal diploma. They are primarily responsible for the recognition of foreign diplomas. The LO-MeBeKo delegate attends the four meetings per year which run under the name of “Department of Education”.
If you have further questions about this position, please do not hesitate to contact mebeko@swimsa.ch

Liaison Officer to the Swiss Students Union
LO-VSS/UNES/USU
The LO-VSS/UNES/USU is appointed after the delegates’ assembly in spring. The term commences on September 1 and lasts one year.
The LO-VSS/UNES/USU represents swimsa within the Swiss Students Union and connects the two organizations and assures communication between the two organizations. They attend the members’ council on once per month, and attend the delegates assembly, which happens twice per year.
If you have further questions about this position, please do not hesitate to contact vss@swimsa.ch

Liaison Officer for Planetary Health
LO-PH
The LO-PH is appointed after the Delegates’ Assembly in fall. The term commences on January 1 of the year following the appointment and lasts two years.
The LO-PH ensures the organization's active participation in Planetary Health initiatives. It envisions to promote collaboration, advocacy, and education to make a meaningful impact on the field of Planetary Health. The LO-PH effectively represents swimsa in the Planetary Health Working Group of the Swiss Medical Association (FMH), which meet four times a year. The LO-PH has a guest status within the Working Group with speaking rights but no voting rights.
The LO-PH also represents swimsa in the the Consortium ETHiCH (Ecological Transformation of Healthcare in Switzerland (used to be: Schweizer Konsortium für nachhaltige Gesundheit und ökologischen Wandel des Gesundheitssystems/ Consortium suisse pour la santé durable et la transition écologique du système de santé)), which meets at least four times a year. swimsa, as an official founding member, has full-member status in this consortium and therefore has speaking and voting rights.
Outside these meetings, the LO-PH collaborates with other members of the working group or Consortium such as Health for Future on specific projects and advises swimsa in matters related to planetary health.
If you have further questions about this position, please do not hesitate to contact planetary-health@swimsa.ch

Liaison Officer to the Swiss Brain Health Plan
LO-SBH
This is a pilot project.
The Swiss Brain Health Plan was launched by the Swiss Federation of the Clinical Neuro-Societies (SFCNS) in November 2023 to address the ongoing brain health crisis. Its mission is to nationally engage in valuing, promoting, and protecting brain health across the entire life course. The SBHP aims to establish a person-centered, integrated, coordinated, and cost-effective public health approach, leveraging synergies among all health-related stakeholders.
In May 2022, WHO Member States adopted the Intersectoral global action plan on epilepsy and other neurological disorders 2022–2031. This action plan aims to improve care, recovery, well-being and participation of people living with neurological disorders across the life-course, while reducing associated mortality, morbidity and disability associated with neurological conditions.
The LO-SBHP attends the steering committee meetings and workshops at least 3 times per semester but with no fixed frequency yet, representing swimsa's viewpoints. The LO-SBHP has a voting right and actively participates in discussions and decision-making processes. They are encouraged to voice the opinions of medical students as well as of generational young people during discussions and decision-making and can propose new projects aligned with swimsa’s goals. Outside those meetings and sessions, the LO-SBHP can engage in projects and brainstorming sessions with other members of the steering committee, swimsa, or other stakeholders.
If you have further questions about this position, please do not hesitate to contact vpe@swimsa.ch

Liaison Officer to the World Health Organization
LO-WHO
The LO-WHO is a member of the Swiss delegation to the WHO organized by FOPH (Federal Office of Public Health). They attend the WHO meetings after consulting with the FOPH such as EB meetings and the World Health Assembly. Their goal is to network with other international partners in the healthcare field, especially with other youth delegates.
If you have further questions about this position, please do not hesitate to contact who@swimsa.ch

Contact
Do you have any questions or need further information? Please do not hesitate to contact the Vice President for External Affairs (VPE) or the Vice President for Medical Education(VPA) at vpe@swimsa.ch or vpa@swimsa.ch