Conference 'State of Mind' Organized by KIMSU

On the 25th of April, Kaunas International Medical Students' Union (KIMSU) organised its first ever conference 'State of Mind'. The conference was based on how emotions affect our health and well being. The guest lecturers included speakers from abroad as well as from LSMU.

Dr. Clemence Haag, an alumnus of the University of Ulm, Germany, kicked off the conference with an intriguing talk about the emotions and neurotransmitters. A joint lecture on the impact and relation of emotions on cardiovascular health by Prof. Marija Rūta Babarskienė and Eglė Tamulevičiūtė-Prascienė followed. The topics were relevant and received with a great interest from the students, with close to 100 international medical students attending.

The post lunch session had Prof. R. Miliauskas, speaking about the emotions and their role in memory formation. It provided students a unique insight and development of various theories and the physiology of emotions and memory. This was followed by a lecture on empathy and clinical practice by Dr. W. Adam. Dr. Adam has been practicing medicine as a paediatrician for 30 years in Germany. His lecture provided a clinical edge to the conference. The final session of the conference was delivered by psychologist Jevgenij Razgulin, who works with children with autism and also with the International Relations and Study Centre as a counsellor for international students.

KIMSU would like to extend its gratitude to the guest lecturers who delivered stellar lectures, for taking time out of their busy schedules. Prof. Žilvinas Padaiga and International Relations and Study Centre took a special interest in this conference - it would not have been possible without their continued support. Lastly, a word of thanks to the main organisers Viola Adam (MF II k.), Shaden Zuhairy (IV k.) and Hani Rafiq (III k.) and the KIMSU team who put together such a wonderful conference for the students.

Shekhar Saha, MF 4 k.