The Pécs Medical Students’ Association (POE) is a non-profit organisation with several decades of history. It operates as one of the local committees of the Hungarian Medical Students’ International Relations Committee (HuMSIRC), which serves as the national umbrella organisation for four autonomous local committees corresponding to Hungary’s four medical universities. HuMSIRC represents Hungary within the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA), an international connection that forms the foundation of our student exchange programme.
The main focus of POE is prevention and health promotion. One of our best-known initiatives is the Teddy Bear Hospital, which was first introduced in Hungary here in Pécs. Primarily aimed at young children, the programme seeks to prevent and reduce white coat syndrome and anxiety associated with medical environments.
For older children and teenagers, we organise prevention and health education sessions using professionally reviewed educational materials. Our main topics include drug, smoking and alcohol prevention; cancer prevention; cardiovascular disease prevention; healthy nutrition and obesity prevention; antimicrobial awareness and immunisation; mental health promotion; and reproductive health.
Another key responsibility of our prevention sections is organising health awareness campaigns and events connected to international health days. We regularly hold information stands at the University and organise outreach events at Árkád shopping centre once per semester, allowing us to engage with the wider local community. For example, this year, on 15 October, we will mark Breast Cancer Awareness Day with prevention information and interactive quizzes. Last year, we organised similar outreach activities for World Cancer Day and the Dry November campaign.
This spring, our Recognise It in Time! event was held for the third time in the University courtyard. Approximately 100 participants had the opportunity to access free health screenings provided by the screening buses of the National Directorate General for Hospitals (OKFŐ), including melanoma screening, oral health screening, and general health assessments.
Another regular initiative is our Heart Steps campaign, organised every semester to encourage students and University staff to be more physically active. Participants compete for prizes based on their step counts. In the future, we aim to further expand the range of our programmes and activities.
Participation in and delivery of these activities is completely free of charge. Our volunteers earn so-called POE points for every hour of volunteer work. By collecting these points, members can redeem them after their third year of studies for the opportunity to participate in a one-month international professional internship or research exchange.
This year, our members could choose from 50 countries, while we will also host nearly the same number of international students in Pécs during the summer. Under the exchange agreements, incoming students are provided with one hot meal per day, and we organise community and social programmes to help them discover Pécs and experience local life.
These activities are supported by our so-called contact persons, who accompany and assist international students for one month in exchange for POE points. Our student exchange programme is complex and resource-intensive; however, by following the strictly regulated IFMSA framework, it has operated successfully for many years, contributing to the international reputation and visibility of the University of Pécs.
In addition to prevention activities, members can also earn POE points by participating in community programmes. These include our Monday Running Club, launched this year, as well as events such as the Run for Cancer Treatment initiative held in September and blood donation programmes.
We also organise cultural presentation evenings, where international students in particular have the opportunity to introduce their home countries, cultures, and traditions to the community — alongside many other professional, health promotion, and social activities.