Ensuring that students are involved in the rapidly progressing medical field by engaging with industries in Hagastaden is one thing this student union does. Their Partnership program facilitates interaction between KI students and companies.
Medicinska Föreningen, MF, is the largest student union at Karolinska Institutet, representing 8000 students, including all of KI:s doctoral students. Hanin Allos and Rafael Martínez are responsible for the Partnership program at MF, which aims to establish and maintain collaborations with the life science and healthcare industry.
Hanin Allos.What does MF do for the students?
– Our aim is to improve the study time at KI both academically and socially. This is done by serving as a platform for all student influence toward KI, explains Hanin Allos, who is doing his fifth year as medical student.
They have sports activities, singing, theatre, music groups, sustainable committee, parties, “sittningar” (dinners with singing and entertainment), researchers’ group, business collaborations and lot more so everyone can do what they are interested in.
What does the membership include?
– The most important benefit for our members is the opportunity to influence their studies. Other benefits include collecting days for SSSBs housing queue, and participating in arranging all the activities we do here at MF while making new friends along the way, says Rafael Martínez, doing his second year master´s student in bioentrepreneurship at KI.
If non-students who want to be part of the fun, can become a supporting member and be involved in some of the activities. MF is the oldest student union in Stockholm, founded in 1877. Originally it only represented medical students but since then, the union has grown and now represent almost all of KI:s students including for example nurses, physiotherapists, and biomedical students.
Which role has MF in Hagastaden?
– We believe that MF is an important connector, ensuring that students are involved in the rapidly progressing medical field by engaging with our neighbour industries in Hagastaden, says Hanin Allos.
Rafael Martínez.Tell us how the Partnership Program works?
– One important role for us is to provide our members with an opportunity to interact with potential employers and acquire experiences and skills beneficial for the future work life, says Hanin Allos.
– One way to do that is through the work of the Partnership Program; which facilitates MF’s interaction with the surrounding life science community, fostering beneficial collaborations between the companies and student members, continues Rafael Martínez.
In 2020, MF initiated the Partnership Program which Hanin and Rafael are leading, and intends on providing a platform for collaboration with MF. This would facilitate interaction with the KI students through events and collaborations; lectures, site visits and seminars, giving partners a possibility to establish a closer connection with the students.
– We also see a value that students could provide to our partners in their daily work, in the form of innovative and forward-thinking attitude and contributing to the progress in medicine, adds Rafael Martínez.
Ultimately, the aim of the Partnership Program is to ensure that the union house serves as a central hub for discussions and collaborations concerning education, research and health between students and the neighbouring life science and healthcare industry.
Which spot is your favorite spot in Hagastaden?
– It goes without saying that the union house, right in the heart of Hagastaden, is our favourite place, says Hanin and Rafael continues:
– It encourages academic and recreational development for KI students and is certainly the spot in Hagastaden to swing by if you are looking for enjoyable activities and events. Another favourite is Macelleria which has the best pasta in Hagastaden and is a must-try!
The student union building is now being renovated. How is that work going?
– It’s going well! Thanks to generous donations we can start the renovation later this winter/spring, beginning with our aula which we are very excited about, says Hanin Allos.
– The renovation enables us to grow and keep up with the fast development taking place in the surrounding area of Hagastaden, says Rafael Martínez.
As a non-student, can you still visit the Friday pub?
– Yes, everyone is welcome to our Friday pubs and some of our after-parties as well. Come and hang out with us, says Hanin Allos.
Contact
Contact MF if you are interested in a partnership or want to know more about their work partnerskap@medicinskaforeningen.se
Webpage: medicinskaforeningen.se >>