From student to president

In the past month, Emily Spry, a medical student from London, has been to the Netherlands, Finland, Denmark, and is currently travelling to France to set up camp for the next year. This month will be a month that typifies the coming year. As the elected president of the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA), her sabbatical year from studying medicine at St George's, London, will be swallowed up by attending meetings and conferences and coordinating projects around the world. She will represent the federation to the World Health Organization, other agencies of the United Nations, and interest groups, as well as managing members and officials of the IFMSA.

It is a meteoric rise given that Emily has only three years of medical study under her belt; so what is her secret? “Just try to always do something that challenges you; listen to advice and perspectives from others, particularly experienced people; and always try to take lots of time to reflect on …