ICSM Vision Manifestos 2017-18

President
Simon Thackray and Ayesha Ahmad

Hi everyone, we are Ayesha and Simon and we are running to be your Vision co-chairs. Since
first involving ourselves in Vision four years ago at the same Roadshow talk we have both
become committed and integral members of the society. Between us we have held the
positions of Senior conference chair and Roadshow chair, giving us an entirely
comprehensive view of how the society is run. Over our time on the committee we have
seen Vision flourish as a society which stands firm to its ethos. However, there are certain
aspects which could be targeted to improve its running:
- Introduce UKCAT/BMAT day
- Increase conversion of sign-ups to attendees
- Aim towards paperless events with cheaper ticket incentives
- Redefine the roles of certain committee positions
- Optimise strategies to promote early and extensive delegate recruitment
- Maximise reach through the website and social media

We are both extremely committed to this cause, and ‚despite the pressures of fifth year- we
feel that running together gives us the best chance of building on Vision’s legacy.
She PROTEC, he ATTAC, we AK.

Vice - President

Haaris Rahim

Dear All,

I am running for the position of Vice-President. Vice-President has traditionally held a

predominantly holistic role within the society, and I feel as if I have deluged Vision with
energy and chutzpah this year at both official and social events, and hope to improve the
cohesion within this Vision family; it has been shown that stronger friendship groups are
associated with improved decision making and organisations may benefit from encouraging
friendships. Furthermore, I have been Sponsorship Officer this past year alongside Laura,
where we quietly and efficiently obtained over £1000 worth of Sponsorship, highlighting my
ability to competently liaise with external companies on behalf of Vision. Additionally, I
played an invaluable role at conferences and events this year, troubleshooting and
facilitating the smooth management of the timetable on many occasions to ensure the days
were a success, a role I wish to continue as Vice-President.

Thank you for your consideration,

Haaris
Senior Conference Chair

Trushna Damania

I believe I would be well suited to take on the position of Senior Conference Chair. Being
part of the Vision committee as Publicity Officer has allowed me to have an insight into the
organization of the event.
Building on from previous conferences, a recurring issue is attendance and matching the
number of sign-ups to attendees. We can increase our target audience by contacting more
schools and increasing our social media presence. To improve attendance, I would have an
incentive in place and make the initial contact with schools more appealing.
Being involved in Outreach events and coming from a state school background myself, I feel
I have a good understanding of the position that students may find themselves in when
choosing their university course. I believe I have the passion, wealth of experience and
dedication necessary to inspire students to study medicine and organize a successful
conference.

Kumuthine Sivasithamparam

Hi I’m Kumuthine, a fourth year medic. I would like to put myself forward for the role of
senior conference chair. Since joining imperial four years ago, I have been a member of
Vision. This year, I took on the responsibility of recruitment officer.
As recruitment officer, I advertised volunteering roles and allocated volunteers to their
preferred roles. This was challenging as the volunteer list had to be constantly updated prior
to the event. At the conference, I had to manage the volunteers to accommodate for
unforeseen changes to the allocations. I delegated tasks to committee members to ensure
the day ran smoothly. This process developed my organisational and leadership skills.
I have a very good understanding of the structure of the conference. I would like to take on
greater responsibility by chairing senior conference. I believe that I am organised, efficient
and thus well suited for this role.
Junior Conference Chair

Amar Rai

Since attending my first Junior conference in Year 11, I have always wanted to organise and
run the Junior conference as Chair. The enthusiasm and motivation within me, has led me to
attend and help Vision since Year 11. Having been on committee as Publicity officer for the
past year, I have learnt much about the administration and planning behind running the
Junior conference. Being VP of Punjabi society, where I was involved in organising the
world’s biggest Bhangra event, my leadership, communication and teamwork skills have
particularly flourished. These transferable skills will be key to running a successful Junior
Conference. Being in direct communication with my previous school regarding outreach for
medicine, I feel I can provide a unique insight into the development of Junior as I am aware
of what students would most benefit from and so, inspire the future generation of medics.

Kumuthine Sivasithamparam

Hi I’m Kumuthine, a fourth year medic. I would like to put myself forward for the role of
junior conference chair. Since joining imperial four years ago, I have been a member of
Vision. This year, I took on the responsibility of recruitment officer.
As recruitment officer, I advertised volunteering roles and allocated volunteers to their
preferred roles. This was challenging as the volunteer list had to be constantly updated prior
to the event. At the conference, I had to manage the volunteers to accommodate for
unforeseen changes to the allocations. I delegated tasks to committee members to ensure
the day ran smoothly. This process developed my organisational and leadership skills.
I have a very good understanding of the structure of the conference. I would like to take on
greater responsibility by chairing junior conference. I believe that I am organised, efficient
and thus well suited for this role.
Roadshow Chair

Aaran Patel

I have greatly enjoyed being involved in the vision committee this past year, attending all
events and helping where needed. In particular being part of the roadshow team has been
great and so now I want to step up and take on the role of Roadshow chair. I am already
familiar with events that the roadshow team organises and have taken control of the
roadshow email account for a time. Therefore I am ideally placed for this role. My previous
experience as Hindu Soc president has allowed me to develop the leadership,
communication and organisational skills this role requires. I hope to be able to lead the
roadshow team from strength to strength next year and ensure the continued success of
our talks and events.

Treasurer

Shubham Sharma

Hi All, I’m Shubham, a second year. I have contributed to Vision as a volunteer in my first
year, and recruitment officer in my second year. I have found it an immensely rewarding
experience, and would love to continue to contribute to the society as its treasurer. Having
been on the Vision committee, and through my experience as a volunteer at Imperial open
days, I understand the importance of good teamwork and communication in running large-
scale events, and making them a success. I am very organised with finances, and through my
volunteering at the local Cancer Research shop managing cash, helping in setting prices,
gained a good insight into the financial aspect of running a small business or society. I am
very passionate about Vision’s goals, and you can count on me to perform the role of a
treasurer with utmost dedication and diligence. Please vote for me!

Secretary

No applications received

Individuals can put themselves forward at AGM, and deliver a one-minute speech.
Catering Team (2 positions available)

Rezwana Rahman

My name is Rezwana, and I am applying for the role of catering officer. This is not only
because I am enthusiastic about food, but because I am confident talking to people, which
will be of use when it comes to contacting caterers. I also have great organisational skills
which would be beneficial whilst coordinating meetings with the caterers and ensuring that
food arrives on time etc. Having been a BanglaSoc fresher representative this year, I was
involved in the setting up and running of events, and so I believe that I will be able to fulfill
this role with ease. During sixth form, I was at the receiving end of Vision and so I know the
value of the support provided. Therefore, I want to be a part of the team that can make a
daunting process like applying to medical school that much easier.

Shiv-Raj Sharma

I like food, I did a decent job this year and I want to go on retreat.

Marcellina Chiejina

Hi my name is Marcellina and I’m a second year medic who would love to be a part of
Vision. Vision is such a great cause, helping out students in secondary school to get into
medicine which everyone knows isn’t an easy task. Organisations such as Vision helped me a
greatly when applying for Medicine therefore I would love to be able to give back and help
students too.
I am currently secretary of Imperial College Gospel Choir so already have experience being
part of committee and know the importance of being involved and being a good team
player; a useful skill when working with other committee members and fellow catering
officer. I am also an organised and dedicated individual who will give 100% and get the task
done.
Recruitment Team (2 positions available)

Annie Cheung

Visions Recruitment Team

Previous Experience:
• Friends of MSF - Fresher Representative
• Paediatric Society - Volunteer
• Geriatric Society Project Star – University Lead
• Imperial Visions – tutor & interviewer
• Numerous charitable positions: Little Princess Trust - fundraised £1,300; Royal
Volunteering Service - manager for 2 years; National Citizen Service – Graduate
Representative; Royal Air Force Cadets – Corporal; Silver Duke of Edinburgh

Aims:
• Maintain an open and clear spreadsheet for volunteers to understand (share on drive)
• Encourage more personalized training for volunteers – for example in Junior Conference
Day, ensure volunteers speak about their own experience in applying to medicine
• Improve the ratio of different years volunteers
• Design volunteer briefing to support volunteers on conference days

Geraldine Wan

Having volunteered at Vision’s conferences and interview workshops, I have witnessed the
hard work behind organising these events, from providing tutor materials and training to
ensuring every prospective student makes most of their day with Vision. Excellent support
materials made sure volunteers knew what to do and ensured the smooth running of the
conference overall. As recruitment officer, I would reach out to all volunteers ahead of time
to make sure they’re engaged and supported throughout the lead up to the conferences,
providing resources and training sessions. I believe I will be able to spread my enthusiasm
and motivation to get the support of more volunteers to help more prospective medical
students in the same position we were all once in. Vision can really be a turning point for
many prospective students on their journey to medical school and I would love to be part of
such a meaningful committee.

Amber Dhoot

With the number of medical school places increasing by 25%, there is no time like the
present to encourage the students with the most potential (no matter what their back
ground) to consider a career in Medicine. I want to join Vision so that I can devote my time
this year to providing equal opportunities to those considering a career in Medicine and give
them the support they may be lacking through their circumstances. I wish to be recruitment
officer because I believe it is imperative that we as Medical students help those applying to
ensure that Medicine remains a diverse and extremely talented field. I would be good at this
role because I have high levels of organisation having been Head Girl previously and, I feel
equipped to meet deadlines for recruitment process as well as communicating with the
chairs to ensure smooth operation of events.
Nikisha Patel

Overall, being a marshal and tutor in the Senior and Junior Conferences over the past three
years, has emphasised the importance of recruiting volunteers, and maintaining their
enthusiasm to uphold Vision’s ethos of continually inspiring prospective students.

Managing school students volunteering in a care home through Geriatrics Society’s outreach
project to support their UCAS applications, has involved providing motivation to boost their
confidence, and communicating with fellow team leaders to ensure students fully immerse
themselves in each session. These transferrable skills, along with my professionalism, well-
equip me to competently handle the immense preparation involved in large-scale
recruitment of volunteers.

As Recruitment Officer, I would firstly aim to liaise closely with the Publicity Team,
promoting the benefits of being a marshal in recruitment posters to increase this cohort of
volunteers for conferences, and secondly organise structured pre-event briefing sessions to
fully engage volunteers and express appreciation of their contribution to Vision.

Farukh Munshi

Having been on committee this year has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience and I've
loved the community spirit of even being at SAF at 7am in the mornings :):):):) 1 year of
experience on committee has helped me understand how much work and effort goes into
running successful conferences and how much of an integral part the recruitment team
play. Seeing Kumuthine and Shubham run back and forth from in between rooms to make
sure all the equipment needed is there, to them running around trying to facilitate with the
last minute drop-out of volunteers, I am well aware of how tough the role can be. Being
organised, committed and sociable is necessary for this role and I believe that I'd be really a
good candidate to fill this position. I'm passionate about Vision as a society and very eager
to stay a part of it

Shruti Sreekumar

After having been involved with Vision previously, I am passionate about mentoring
prospective students as I found it extremely satisfying. I understand that a Recruitment
Officer has the vital role of enlisting student volunteers, and I am sure that my enthusiastic
attitude will be effective in advertising the role positively and recruiting many ICSM
students. In addition, due to my job as a tutor, I have 2 years of experience at looking at
personal statements and improving entrance exam and interview techniques. This, coupled
with my recent role as a Clinical Communication Peer tutor, will aid in motivating and
training the volunteers. Moreover, organisation is key for a smooth-running event and as I
was head of lower school activities previously, I am sure that I can prioritise and help run a
successful conference. Overall I am incredibly keen to involved in this committee and would
really appreciate the opportunity.
Amina Waheed

My first experience with Vision was volunteering at the Interview Workshop Day three
weeks into university. Hearing such positive feedback from the attendees really
demonstrated the impact of societies like this on widening participation in medicine, which
is something I have always wanted to promote. During my role as medical society president
in sixth form, I arranged weekly sessions including guest speakers, mock interviews and
student talks- through this, I learned the organisational skills necessary to fulfil the role of
recruitment officer. Therefore I believe my skills and experiences well-equip me to
encourage and recruit volunteers, and would aid in the smooth running of Vision!
Sponsorship Team (2 positions available)

Natania Varshney

As a prospective medical student only a year ago I remember the daunting process that is
the medical school application. I was fortunate enough to have access to a wide variety of
resources such as KAPLAN, older students who offered their advice and people with a
medical background willing to inform me more about the profession. Now I believe is my
chance to give back. After volunteering in the Vision conference in 2017 I enjoyed myself so
much being able to pass on my own experiences to students who are in the position I once
stood. I have previous experience of fundraising and organising large events, being on the
committee for my schools annual fundraising day raising around £9,000 a year, developing
my teamwork and communication skills. Through this position I hope to strengthen and
develop new ones as I give back to the medical community.

Amer Al-Balah

ICSM Vision is amazing in the fact that it helps a lot of sixthform students understand more
about life in medical school and more importantly be better informed about the application
process. I would like to contribute to the success of the society as your sponsorship officer.
Previously, I have been secretary for BUCA, a national-led society that promotes
cardiovascular-related themes and teaching. In this role, I liaised with multiple doctors to
organise a very successful conference filled with workshops, lectures and research
presentation. More importantly, I worked with the treasurer to secure sponsorship for the
conference such as from the MDU, BHF, and Doctors Academy to name a few. Therefore,
with the skills I acquired in this role, I aim to help with sponsorship for both flagship
conferences and beyond.

Smruthy Chakka

Asking for sponsorship is about a lot more than just asking for money. You’re persuading a
company to believe in your cause and not just that, believe in it so much they’re willing to
give you a substantial sum of money. This is not possible without someone who is not only
completely passionate and enthusiastic, but also articulate and persuasive enough to be
able to convey that passion. Vision is an amazing society that takes on such a vital outreach
role that many companies would be excited to sponsor, they need only be persuaded. I
believe I would be suited for this role as I am committed, organised and above all,
enthusiastic and friendly. I will be fully focused on the work required. Furthermore, I have
experience in sponsorship from school where as Charity Representative, I was responsible
for overseeing whole year charity events and gaining sponsorship from a range of local
businesses.
Robert Vardanyan

Hi again! My name’s Robert, and I’m applying to be a sponsorship officer.

I believe that securing strong sponsorship is essential, for Vision more than most, as it forms
the foundations to achieving our goal of widening access to medicine.
Sponsorship, much like investment, is more than just asking for money; it’s about convincing
people to support your cause while developing long-lasting relationships for mutual gain.
Therefore, I believe that my experience and skill in procuring investment in the private
sector will allow me to perform my duties as a sponsorship officer with efficiency and
excellence, and I will not lose focus on maintaining current sponsorship contracts while I
seek to create new relationships for Vision. Having recently secured a wave of investments
for a tourism company that I co-founded, I believe that my skills are still fresh to be put to
good use in helping Vision thrive. Thank you.
Publicity Team (2 positions available)

Suraj Joshi

Vision. I believe in Vision. Having worked as Roadshow Officer this year, I have attended all
conferences as a committee member, and have contributed to tutorials as a mentor for
BMAT, UKCAT as well as clinical skills teaching. Having been a dedicated member of Vision
for over 4 years, including attending workshops, conferences and school talks, I have
thoroughly immersed myself in the world of Vision. I have also been President of Hindu
Society and sponsorship officer of both TEDxImperialCollege and Pathology Society, I have a
deep understanding of sponsorship and publicity. I now hope to provide this support and
organisation expertise to the Vision committee for a second year. As a previous teaching
assistant, I have always been passionate about enabling others to achieve their very best,
and Vision has helped me to do just this. This is my vision.

Aiswarya Gopi

Hi, I’m Aiswarya Gopi, a 3rd year Medic and I am applying for the Publicity Team. I believe I
can execute the role successfully as I have both the skills and experience necessary to
maximise the presence of the society, both digitally and around campus.

Owing to my role as IC Indian Society‚ as Creative & Marketing Head this year, I have gained
valuable experience in creating original and captivating content, in the form of posters,
social media posts and so forth, to publicise a variety of events. From this, I have been able
to vastly improve my time management and teamwork skills, both of which I consider vital
to this role. In terms of experience, I am accustomed to using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe
Illustrator and a variety of other design software, as well as maintaining the society’s online
presence on social media.

Thank you for considering me!

Robert Vardanyan

Hi there! My name is Robert and I have been a member of Vision since my first week at
medical school. It has been an absolute pleasure being a part of such an altruistic society,
and I am very passionate about widening access to medicine and giving students the
opportunity to level the playing field, regardless of their parent’s wealth.
I am currently the publicity and events coordinator of another medicine outreach program,
and I have developed numerous successful posters, marketing campaigns, conference books
and revision guides, and a successful e-commerce website attracting almost 400 people a
month. I also developed an anti-smoking and anti-narcotics poster campaign for my local
resident’s action and regeneration group, and am currently working on marketing for an
upcoming global tourism app, which I co-founded.
I would love to be the publicity officer as I am determined to give back to Vision and make it
grow.
Shifa Bangi

Hello, my name is Shifa and I’m a second year medic. As someone who attended a similar
series of events when I was in year 12, I understand how helpful it can be to have someone
explain what universities look for in prospective medical students. It would be an honour to
return the favour and help other students achieve their dreams.

Having had previous experience as publicity officer for ‚’Islam and I’ an Isoc event, I am
proficient in the use of publisher and canva, as well as other Microsoft office programs. My
hard-work, dedication and creativity make me an ideal candidate for publicity officer. I am a
great team player and would go above and beyond for such an amazing cause.
Roadshow Team (2 positions available)

Shubham Sharma

Hi All, I’m Shubham, a second year. I have contributed to Vision as a volunteer in my first
year, and recruitment officer in my second year. I have found it an extremely rewarding
experience, and would love to continue to contribute to the society as a road show officer.
Being on the Vision committee has helped me to develop my teamwork, organisation and
communication, and appreciate how large-scale events are successfully run. As a
recruitment officer, I liaised effectively with schools to publicise Vision conferences. I have
enjoyed mentoring aspiring medical students in the past, and would love to visit schools to
help students improve their applications. Through volunteering at local MP’s office, I gained
experience of publicising issues and disseminating information, which will be valuable as a
road show officer. I promise to be an effective road show officer. Given my experience and
motivation, please vote for me!

Khaleda Islam

On the roadshow team, I want to be able to inspire students with perhaps a similar
background to mine in pursuing a career in medicine. I was on the ‘Pathways to Medicine’
outreach programme so I know what it is like to be someone who relies and uses outreach
services. I want to use my personal experience to deliver events that reach students from all
demographics. Doctors need to be a representation of the public which is why Imperial
medical school needs to inspire prosperity regardless of socioeconomic background. I aim to
help achieve this with Vision. With my passion to widen medical participation and personal
journey, I truly believe I could fulfill my role on the roadshow team.

Qianhui Sun

I’m Qianhui, a second-year medic and I’m running for Roadshow Officer this year. Being a
medical student from a comprehensive school, I understand how difficult it might be for
students from a disadvantaged background to fulfill their potentials and achieve their
dreams of studying medicine. I received lots of help during my application from medical
students and I would love to help prospective applicants with my knowledge and
experience.

Having been an interviewer at vision roadshow last year, I have seen how the event is run
and I believe I have the necessary organisational and co-ordinational skills to assist the
roadshow chair to deliver informative and successful roadshows. Being on committee this
year for AMSA, I know how to work effectively with other committee members. I truly
believe Vision is striving for a great cause and I would love to be a part of it so please vote
for me!
Medical School Liaison Officer

Geraldine Wan

Choosing which medical school to attend can be a really difficult decision to make and I
think it definitely helps to be able to find out as much as you can before applying. I still
remember going to all of the open days and asking various students and admissions officers
a list of questions I had prepared. Most of my experience for this role will come from my
personal experience liaising with the medical schools in the run up to making my final
decision on UCAS. I am an organised individual and I believe I will be able to support the
other committee members in the run up to the preparation for the conferences.

Ambreen Muhammed

After a year of success for Vision, I would like to be a part of the committee to carry on
taking Vision to new heights. To do the role of medical school liaisons officer justice, I will
use my effective communication and time management skills to contact other medical
schools in advance of events and be ready as a point of contact for them. My passion for
widening participation into medicine is highlighted as I was the founder of a medical society
at my sixth form as I believe that every student deserves an equal chance of applying to
medicine. If elected, I hope to broaden the spectrum of schools including single faith schools
where we deliver our talks and also have more interactive sessions not just in schools but
also in local communities to reach a wider range of pupils.
Thank you!

Orla Williams

I’m Orla, a 2nd year medic and I would love to be the Vision Medical School liaison officer.
Having previously volunteered for Visions as an interviewer, I would like the opportunity to
be more involved with the committee, and I think my experience would allow me to be
good at this role. This year I worked on the MSF conference, sourcing speakers for the
refugee panel, and doing the marketing and logistics. I would aim to use this experience in
sourcing institutions and individuals when working with the conference chair and president
to contact and invite speakers from medical schools. As chair of STARsoc and the SolidariTee
campaign, I have developed lots of skills in leasing with different people, organising their
needs and working in a wider team, all of which I would need for this role. I hope to be part
of your visions committee next year!

Shifa Bangi

Hello, my name is Shifa and I’m a second year medic. As someone who attended a similar
series of events when I was in year 12, I understand how helpful it can be to have someone
explain what universities look for in prospective medical students. It would be an honour to
return the favour and help other students achieve their dreams.

My hard-work, dedication and creativity make me an ideal candidate for medical liaison
officer. I have great communication and team working and organisational skills which would
be a great asset in liaising with schools. Vision is a great cause that I strongly support and
would be willing to go above and beyond for.

Procurement, Website & Social Media Officer

Adannaya Johnson-Nwosu

Hi, I’m Adannaya and I’d like to be your Procurement Officer.

I would like to help Visions reach wider group of people through

Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/YouTube. (A huge percentage of 16-24 y/o use social media).
Pain-staking research (about all of 2 mins) has shown that Vision doesn’t have Instagram
and has not tweeted since 2016, whilst my experience as IMWFC secretary has shown that
regular engagement using social media serves as a useful interface between societies and
those whom they serve and increases engagement by providing a window into what
societies do. My experience on IMWFC’s committee also means that I have learnt how to
work effectively with others and know where to start looking for decently priced T-shirts,
polos etc.

I believe in the ethos of Visions, both ideologically and in practice, and believe that my
previous experiences should hold me in good stead for the role.
Alumni and Friends Officer

Nikisha Patel

Volunteering at Vision events these past three years has given me a deeper insight into the
importance of alumni to sustain Vision’s ethos of inspiring prospective students. Simply
volunteering as a general helper and tutor during several mock interview workshops has
been incredibly rewarding, especially when I have seen those same slightly anxious
students, but with immense potential, return to Imperial as confident medical students.
Even providing general information as an Outreach e-mentor has shown via feedback that
our advice and experience as medical students is highly valued.

I would aim to encourage more Alumni to attend conferences, firstly through incentives
such as certificates for their portfolios, and secondly by highlighting the successes of each
Vision event through regular newsletters to show their input and experience is extremely
valuable. With my friendliness, professionalism and dedication, I hope I can expand the
Alumni network to help take Vision to new heights.

Simran Mahmud

The main qualities of the Alumni and Friends officer are organisational skills and ability to
effectively communicate. If voted for this position, I ensure I will send emails to
communicate with alumni to keep them updated on events they can get involved with.
Having written for Felix in my first year here, I would love to continue to write newsletters
to members of the faculty, senior lecturers and clinicians. Furthermore, being BanglaSoc
fresher rep this year involved contacting companies for sponsorship deals and required a
great deal of communication skills, a skill that is essential for this role.
I think being Alumni and friends officer is a commitment which needs someone willing to
put effort into the role. I feel that I can meet the demands of the role and would love to
have your votes.

Jamil Kabbani

Hello, My name is Jamil Kabbani and I'm a second-year medical student. I'd like to apply to
be Alumni & Friends Officer. I believe I have the organisational skills required to maintain a
list of alumni, as well as to make sure they are updated in appropriate detail on the progress
of the society in regard to events. As Arabsoc president, I frequently emailed staff at the
union about events and bookings, and I feel confident in being able to email alumni whether
that be to ask for their kind support, or to invite them to the conferences that have been
carefully organized by the team. Finally, I would enjoy helping to plan an annual alumnus
meeting, especially as a form of thanks, but also to keep them all updated, as by showing
them how committed the society is, they are more likely to be willing to help out.