My journey to becoming part of the agenda committee for the BMA medical students conference was a unique one. I’d found a small paragraph in Bristol Medical School’s society newspaper about the conference, so I decided to write from the heart: advocating for improved eating disorder awareness.
Unfortunately, my motion was not voted in by my medical school. Our BMA medical students committee rep advertised a spare seat for a delegate, and so I did what my mom always told me to do: ‘when the door closes, climb in through the window’.
My first time attending the conference as a second year medical student was a confusing but incredibly enriching, fun and informative experience.
Here are my top tips on how to make the most of it as a first-time attendee, as well as what to expect:
1. There’s a lot of information to read – but please make the time to read it!
Sure, the agenda and information pack may seem hefty, but they are designed to adequately prepare you for conference and debate. Coming prepared increases your chances of making a speech and maximising your experience. You can focus on being present and getting to know other brilliant minds, rather than trying to figure out the logistics of when the gala dinner is.
You’ll also benefit from joining our Teams event for delegates, which will happen on 24 March at 7.30pm – so look out for the invitation in your inbox.
PLEASE check your emails regularly to ensure you receive all the vital information!
2. You’ll understand exactly what to do after seeing the first few motions presented
Once you get going with either actively participating in debate or observing it, you’ll begin to understand the way things work and some of the jargon in conference. Give yourself the time to adapt to this – new delegates sometimes panic and feel like they don’t know what’s going on. That’s normal. Settle your nerves during the breaks and enjoy it as much as you can!
3. Talk to as many people as possible and get to know them
Entrepreneurs call it ‘networking’. This is the perfect opportunity to talk to as many people as possible and meet people outside of your own medical school. I have built several strong friendships from my previous two times at this conference, and I am so grateful to have these people in my life now!
4. Don’t take anything personally
Delegates at the 2024 medical students conference
I was heckled once during my second time at conference as I gave a speech during an open debate. It is very rare, and not the nicest feeling in the moment, but one or two people may feel particularly passionate and will want to interject. Despite this, I was STILL elected for the agenda committee by the delegates.
A variety of opinions exist at conference, and it’s important to acknowledge and make peace with that. In fact, it is even better to endeavour to listen to other people’s viewpoints and understand where they came from.
The voting for your motion may be split; some people may disagree with it or prefer the ‘spirit’ of your motion to pass, rather than the exact conditions (taking a motion as a reference). Others may add ‘riders’ (adding a section or action) onto your motion or ‘amendments’ (a change of the wording). That is OK and expected at conference – remember, the point of it is debate! Controversial motions tend to give rise to a more balanced debate.
5. Don’t be intimidated by the amount of knowledge others have. Learn from them!
It’s very easy to compare ourselves and feel that other people know more than us. Instead of drowning in impostor syndrome, do your best to learn from the people around you! It will make you a fountain of new knowledge, and of course a more effective policy changemaker in the long run.
6. The gala dinner is good fun
The gala dinner is a perfect opportunity to get to know everyone informally. The dress code is formal, and cultural dress is encouraged! Some people choose to go on a night out in London after, while others prefer to stay in and get some good sleep. It’s completely up to you, so don’t feel pressured to go out if you don’t want to.
7. Time management is important for conference to run smoothly
Speeches all have a time limit, and we urge everyone to make it back to the Great Hall on time. There are a lot of motions to get through, and we want to ensure we cover ‘grey’ motions too.
8. Be sure to submit speaker slips!
Ideally, you should submit speaker slips before the conference, although you can also submit them during it. This will all be explained to you during the online conference engagement event in March. You should submit speaker slips for motions that you would like to speak for or against.
9. First-time speakers are prioritised
The BMA prides itself on inclusivity. The agenda committee does its best to invite students who have not had the opportunity to speak at conference yet; if you’re new here, this is the perfect time to gain experience in public speaking.
10. A ‘point of information’ really is a point of information and NOT an opinionated statement
You will see what I mean when you attend!
11. Once you’re in, you will probably want to do it all over again
So don’t forget to ENJOY IT!
Wiktoria Kotynska is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Bristol and a conference agenda committee member