Australian medical students responded swiftly and effectively to the increased burden of mental illness in the medical profession, which was highlighted by the 2013 beyondblue National Mental Health Survey.1 In 2012, medical student representatives from Australia’s 20 medical schools passed a health and wellbeing policy,2 then in 2013, voted student mental health as a top advocacy priority for the Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA), choosing to advocate for the mental health of all tertiary students through development of the AMSA Mental Health campaign.
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- 1. Beyondblue. National mental health survey of doctors and medical students: final report. October 2013. https://www.beyondblue.org.au/docs/default-source/research-project-files/bl1132-report---nmhdmss-full-report_web.pdf?sfvrsn=4 (accessed Mar 2016).
- 2. Australian Medical Students’ Association. Policy document. Mental health and wellbeing policy. Canberra: AMSA, 2015. https://www.amsa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/5-Mental-Health-and-Wellbeing-Policy.pdf (accessed Mar 2016).
- 3. Australian Medical Students’ Association. AMSA mental health. Keeping your grass greener. Canberra: AMSA, 2014. http://mentalhealth.amsa.org.au/keeping-your-grass-greener/ (accessed Mar 2016).
- 4. McAlpine M. We’re going on a bear hunt. Australian Medical Students’ Association Blog. 2014: Oct 6. https://www.amsa.org.au/amsa-blog/20141006-were-going-on-a-bear-hunt/ (accessed Mar 2016).
We acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the AMSA Mental Health Campaign Project Team in 2014 and 2015, specifically Ruth McLeod and Subalatha Devaraja for their work on Academy of the Mind, David Townsend for his support with the logo, branding and website, and Brian Fernandes for his work in the expansion of Blue Week. We also acknowledge the work and support of all three National Executives of the Australian Medical Students’ Association between 2013 and 2015, the major campaign partner and campaign partners , Orygen Youth Health, the Australian Medical Association, the Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre, and Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand. Other active supporters of the campaign include Jayashri Kulkarni, Patrick McGorry AO, Sally Cockburn, Mukesh Haikawel AO, Stephen Parnis and The Hon Jeff Kennett.
Jessica Dean is currently a Director of , but was appointed in 2015, after her role in the AMSA Mental Health Campaign had concluded.