FOSS MEDRI (Faculty Committee of all students of the Faculty of Medicine in Rijeka) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan and nonpolitical student association that operates at the Faculty of Medicine in Rijeka. It is the umbrella association of the Faculty’s students, whose Assembly includes representatives of most other Faculty’s student associations and representatives of the Student Union. FOSS MEDRI is a full member of EMSA (European Medical Students’ Association), through which association members represent the interests of medical students from Rijeka and Croatia at the international level.
The Association’s goals are to improve the standard and quality of studies and to connect Faculty students. We achieve these goals throughout the entire year by implementing projects that include the biomedical and social fields of science: public health campaigns, awareness-raising about disease prevention and health promotion, scientific symposiums, international congresses, thematic forums, seminars, lectures, concerts, exhibitions, cultural and humanitarian projects, international scientific exchanges, publication of student newsletters and entertainment events. We strive to improve the quality of studies and science and encourage international cooperation between universities in Croatia and Europe.
Healthy Breakfast
With the Healthy Breakfast project, we are trying to bring the concept of a healthy diet closer to the wider community. We try to motivate citizens to incorporate healthy eating habits into their everyday life and explain the benefits of proper nutrition for health and quality of life from the medical aspect. The most important thing for us is to get students and the rest of the academic community interested and show them that a healthy breakfast is not necessarily expensive and time-consuming to prepare.
Freshman party
If you don’t come, you won’t pass the Anatomy exam. And we don’t want that.
Movember
Movember marks a movement in which, for the past 18 years, men worldwide have been putting away their razors in November to proudly show off their moustaches by the end of the month. Since 2014, students of the University of Rijeka have also joined this international movement. The goal of the project is to raise awareness about male health issues. The most attention is paid to prostate and testicular cancers and mental illnesses. The aim is to acquaint as many people as possible with the importance of self-examination, preventive medical examinations and various screening tests. Treatment at earlier stage results in a much better survival rate and less severe impact on the quality of life. As part of the project, there is a competition held called “University’s best moustache”, to which students apply by sending photos to the Facebook page “Movember at the University of Rijeka”. The best moustaches are photographed for the Movember calendar.
Medical students’ concert
Every year, our student singers and musicians traditionally hold a concert in the Governor’s Palace. If you are musically gifted, make sure you contact us and don’t ignore your talent during college.
Science PICNIC
The Science PICNIC gathers students/young physicians who have written a scientific paper/case report and students who show interest in the field, want to learn something new or participate in a scientific activity to create an affirmative environment and get educated. Participants are involved in the following activities: promoting the project through social networks, preparing promotional materials before the event, organising the event, preparing the hall before the event starts, welcoming participants and handing out credentials, gifts and certificates. Student volunteers took part in these activities and thus enabled the implementation of the project.
Prevention of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes
This socially beneficial project has been running for many years with the aim to raise awareness about cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, also called “silent killers”. The project consists of four campaigns: Health Days, Healthy Islands, Healthy Mountains and Drops of Life, which are held throughout the year. The project helps volunteers improve basic medical procedures such as measuring blood pressure, blood glucose testing and talking to patients.
Bloody Mary (Krvavica)
The final party held as part of Faculty Days and the project described above. The goal is for as many students as possible to donate blood. Afterwards, the students head to the Faculty’s parking lot, where they have fun dancing and listening to music until the morning.
Faculty of Medicine carnival group
The day when the entire city of Rijeka is on its feet. The Faculty of Medicine carnival group has been organised for many years. We try to design masks through which we can send a message related to our medical mission.
Brain Awareness Week
Brain Awareness Week is a project of public health importance that aims to familiarise the general public with the significance of brain research in the 21st century – the Century of Mind. The international name of this campaign is Brain Awareness Week. It lasts one week and is held once a year in March. It has been organised in Croatia since 2002. The Rijeka organisational team comprises students from the Faculty of Medicine in Rijeka (MEDRI) and professors from the MEDRI Department of Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine. For the last few years, the Science Office of the Student Union of the University of Rijeka has been supporting the project.
It is aimed at popularising neuroscience and introducing the public to new discoveries in brain research. The event is organised by medicine, psychology and teacher education students and others willing to participate.
HITRI
HITRI is a congress where you can learn, practice and exchange ideas. It consists of workshops such as ALS/BLS, airway management, possible scenarios, EKG, FAST ultrasound, etc. The Congress consists of three parts: educational, scientific-professional and social-entertainment. It has several goals, the main one of which is to provide medical students with opportunities to learn and improve the manual skills necessary for their work after graduation.
SANITAS
Our goal is to educate participants about current health protection and disease prevention issues and provide additional knowledge not covered by faculty teaching. The Congress is organised mainly by Environmental and Public Health students, and we cooperate with the University of Mostar and the University of Zagreb.
NeuRi – Neuroscience Congress
Under the motto “Education & Experience”, we want to make young neuroscience enthusiasts aware of the importance of brain research and provide them with an opportunity to meet colleagues who share similar interests, spread knowledge, learn and gain congress participation experience. It has been held ten times so far and has become a kind of brand. The Congress gathers students from Croatia, the region and beyond and provides them with a platform for gaining experience in the world of science. Another goal of NeuRi is to destigmatise mental illnesses and psychiatric treatment.
Humanitarian Ball of Medical Students
Dance and sing for someone’s better tomorrow. The longest-lived project successfully organised by our students. It is a tradition that our fourth-year students participate in the organisation and dance the waltz. Every year, we host a famous band or performer who entertains us all night, after which an afterparty is held in one of the nearby clubs. All income goes to the charity previously selected.
Interventional Radiology Workshop
The Interventional Radiology Workshop is a project intended for 4–6th-year medical students who get the opportunity to explore the field of interventional radiology. Through numerous lectures and conversations with patients, students are given an insight into this branch of medicine, whether their goal is to work in the field of radiology and cardiology or improve patient counselling and understanding related to these procedures. Through interactive workshops, participants are familiarised with the devices and materials used and apply the knowledge from lectures in practice.
TWINNING – international bilateral exchange
An exchange between the Faculty of Medicine in Rijeka and another European faculty. The duration of the exchange is 7 days in one city and 7 in another city, separated by a couple of months, and includes a dozen students from each faculty. Besides the educational part, the exchange also consists of a cultural and entertainment programme, as well as excursions and sightseeing throughout the country.
SCI CAFÉ
The Science Café was created as an idea of a place where students, Faculty employees and citizens of the city of Rijeka will be able to watch an interesting film or presentation on a selected scientific topic and then discuss it with each other and with the lecturer, learn something new and thus get educated about new scientific issues. Of course, with a cup of good coffee in a café.
Teddy Bear Hospital
Teddy Bear Hospital is a project aimed at helping younger children of preschool and kindergarten age to lose their fear of doctors and the hospital environment through play and a friendly approach. We want to show them that illness and the fight against it are part of everyday life and that they do not necessarily have to be associated with an unpleasant and painful experience. Children aged 3–7 are assigned the role of parents, the child’s teddy bear or other toy is their sick child and the medical student is entrusted with the responsible role of a physician. The students allow the children to use the various instruments they have at their disposal, such as an otoscope, stethoscope, sphygmomanometer…
SPECULUM
The Speculum magazine is a platform where one can objectively, meaningfully and purposefully express criticism or indicate disadvantages in teaching, student evaluation or the relationship between students and teaching staff. Also, Speculum is a place where students can read all the current events and, through various interviews and articles, get to know their professors and colleagues and their thoughts, activities and achievements. The role of this magazine is to familiarise younger students with all the opportunities offered to them and to encourage them to get involved in numerous activities offered by both the Faculty of Medicine and the University of Rijeka. In addition to all mentioned above, Speculum encourages students to be creative through numerous entertaining texts, humorous articles and illustrations. Speculum will be released as long as there is relevant content or until it is banned.
Clean Little Hands
This project is organised by our environmental and public health students with the aim of educating children of preschool and early school age. Preventing the transmission of numerous infectious diseases thanks to proper hand hygiene is best described by the well-known proverb: “Prevention is better than cure!”. Prevention can significantly contribute to the suppression of many infectious diseases.
FOSSCAST
Our Faculty’s newest media platform. We talk to people closely related to our profession about current topics but also the past. Philosophy!
Cjepko
The project Cjepko – the most important facts about vaccination is a project whose goal is to raise awareness and educate about vaccination. The project began with creating, writing and designing pamphlets that were later distributed to pediatric offices. The project is also presented on Korzo as part of World Immunization Week.
Invisible Life in the Water
Prevention is the key to suppressing many infectious diseases, including those transmitted by water. Considering that prevention is one of the most essential components in the future occupation of health workers, primarily environmental and public health specialists, we believe the education of the younger population is important. Children are by nature inquisitive, interested in everything and absorb new information rapidly, which is why we decided to convey our knowledge to them in a fun and playful way.