Alicante Medical Students Gather for Their Future: 'We Seek Some Light to Choose a Specialty'

The future of medicine in the province of Alicante gathers from this Wednesday. More than 500 aspiring doctors participate, until Friday, in an event with over forty editions behind it, demonstrating the organisational capacity of the group. It is the National Congress of Medical Students (CNEM), the result of the work of 5th and 6th-year medical students from Miguel Hernández University.

Mireia Valiente and Sergio Pacetti are part of the organising committee of the event, which includes 75 people. Both speak of the great 'emotional value' of participating in the congress: 'We have a total of eight round tables with very varied topics, from psychiatry in the prison environment to paediatric oncology, including medical approaches in emergencies or natural disasters,' explains Sergio.

Additionally, this year they have 27 workshops, six of which are completely new. There are also symposia organised by sponsors, awards, and a scientific panel exhibition. In short, there is a wide variety of activities to attend.

Mireia highlights the online aspect of the congress, which has allowed participation from 20 universities in 10 different countries. 'The online conferences are conducted in English, allowing us to learn from other hospitals, understand different working methods, and discover how future doctors are trained elsewhere.'

Among the students attending the event are Alejandro Solaeche and Hugo Guillem, who hope to clear their doubts about which specialty to choose for the MIR. The former leans towards Traumatology, while the latter hopes to 'find some light' at the congress to make a decision. Regarding the working conditions they will face when they start practising, Alejandro acknowledges that the future is somewhat 'opaque' and believes conditions must change: 'Medicine plays a very important role in society, and our conditions should be considered beyond partisan interests.'

Another student attending the congress is Manuela Castillo, who advocates for the need for doctors, even during their training period, to demand better conditions. 'The opposition to the Framework Statute has shown that doctors are not asking for anything extraordinary, just what is fair, like other professions.' Her colleague Yaiza Gutiérrez shares the same view: 'The advances we achieve now will be the ones affecting our generation.'

Unions and scientific societies are also present at the congress to guide future doctors as they embark on their professional careers. Among the former is the CESM-CV Medical Union, whose member Diego García explains the entity's work to attract members. 'We offer them the possibility of joining for free, and we also invite them to participate in the demonstration on November 15 in Madrid. Last year we gained over 200 new memberships during the congress.'

García also highlights the high level of awareness shown by some students: 'Many express their concerns; even as students, they are active and committed to the sector's demands. The Framework Statute directly affects their professional future. Personally, it won't affect me as much, but it will affect them because they will be practising in the coming years.'

To help them decide their professional future, the Spanish Society of Respiratory System Pathology (SEPAR) and the Valencian Society of Family and Community Medicine (SOVAMFIC) have set up information stands to assist students. Pablo Sanz, vice-secretary of the first entity, points out the large number of graduates trained in their specialty: 'Between 50 and 60% of the MIR positions offered correspond to Family and Community Medicine. Moreover, we want to convey the values that define us and that are sometimes not clearly perceived: humanism, technique, and the ability to bring medical advancement directly to the patient's side.'

He also acknowledges that many students are surprised and somewhat unaware of the work family doctors do. 'They don't know well everything we do. They are surprised to discover that we develop materials for the consultation on how to address gender violence, social exclusion, or health determinants.'

The great versatility demonstrated by these doctors is another aspect emphasised by the SOVAMFIC representative: 'We not only form the foundation of the healthcare system but also a key piece in the entire structure. We have a complete view of the patient: I can talk to them about how to quit smoking, address their heart problem, or deal with personal issues, such as relationship or work conflicts.'

Representing SEPAR at the congress is Dr. Beatriz Amag, head of the Pulmonology Service at Vinalopó Hospital. Her entity is holding an Interventional Pulmonology symposium this Wednesday as part of the congress, a subspecialty within pulmonology that focuses on performing minimally invasive techniques to avoid major surgeries in patients. 'With these techniques, we treat, for example, tumours in the bronchi using laser, argon, or cryotherapy, and place prostheses in the airway when necessary.'

To give students a more specific idea of this subspecialty, SEPAR has brought equipment to the congress to simulate the practice of bronchoscopy. 'It is a technique that allows visualisation of the epiglottis, which acts as a 'lid' to prevent choking. This visualisation is essential for the diagnosis and treatment of many pathologies, and it also allows us to extract foreign bodies—such as nuts, pieces of meat, or fruit—in case of choking.'