There are currently 2 challenges in progress at STARFLEET Medical:
SURGEON GENERAL’S ACADEMY CHALLENGE 2025: Recalibrating, Restoring, Recharging for the Year Ahead
Duration: 6 weeks
Scope: Fleetwide (open to all members of SFI)
Description: Reading has been linked to the following benefits: improved brain connectivity, encourages better sleep, reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, lowers heart rate, fights depression symptoms and prevents cognitive decline associated with aging (
link)
Week 1: Unlock the Power of Stress: Learn to Manage and Thrive!
Stress is a natural part of life—it motivates us to achieve and grow, but sometimes it can overwhelm us. Did you know the Chinese character for stress combines the symbols for “danger” and “opportunity”? This highlights a key truth: while stress can be challenging, it also holds the potential for personal growth and transformation.
In SCM 101: Stress and Coping Mechanisms 1, you’ll explore how to identify your unique stress triggers and learn practical strategies to manage them effectively. (
link)
Take control of your stress and turn it into an opportunity for growth. Whether you’re balancing school, work, or personal life, these courses will equip you with the tools to navigate life’s challenges with confidence and resilience.
Join us today and start your journey toward a healthier, more balanced life!
LINK TO REPORT COURSE COMPLETION: https://forms.gle/ta16AWP8RnkqDdSJ9
STARFLEET MEDICAL READING CHALLENGE 2025
Duration: Ongoing, no set end date
Scope: Fleetwide (open to all members of SFI)
Description: Reading has been linked to the following benefits: improved brain connectivity, encourages better sleep, reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, lowers heart rate, fights depression symptoms and prevents cognitive decline associated with aging (
link)
The STARFLEET Medical Reading Challenge commenced on the 1st of March! But you can join at any time.
You must answer the questions and provide your SFI membership number (SCC) to join as per STARFLEET regulations. You will not be permitted to join if you do not answer the questions.
All files required for the challenge have been added to the facebook group.
The challenge is simple, you just read. Read whatever you want, as much or as little as you like, any genre, any age. You will fill out a live excel spreadsheet (that is in a post in the featured section) with your name, SCC number, ship name, region, book title, author, and pages read. The spreadsheet will auto calculate totals.
Certificates will be awarded to everyone who participates.
There will also be monthly awards for the most read per person, per ship, and per region.
There will occasionally be monthly challenges, for instance, this month we may give double pages read for:
JANUARY 2025: BOOKS ABOUT AND FROM AUSTRALIA (Including Australian Authors).
PREVIOUS SPECIAL TOPICS
March 2024: Star Trek
April 2024:: Comedies
May 2024:: Star Wars
June 2024:: Romance
July 2024:: Historical / Historical Fiction
August 2024:: Biographies and Autobiographies
September 2024:: Banned Books
October 2024:: Scary Books
November 2024: Books from UK and Ireland
December 2024: Short Stories
As always, any Star Trek books or STARFLEET manuals will be double pages scored.
PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS…AND TOGETHER WE CAN ALL REACH FOR THE STARS, ONE PAGE AT A TIME.
RECENTLY COMPLETED CHALLENGES:
STARFLEET PROXIMA CENTAURI STEP CHALLENGE (COMPLETED)
Duration: March to Dec 2024 (you are welcome to join at any time)
Scope: Fleetwide (open to all members of SFI)
Description: Walking can offer numerous health benefits to people of all ages and fitness levels. It may also help prevent certain diseases and even prolong your life. Walking is free to do and easy to fit into your daily routine. All you need to start walking is a sturdy pair of walking shoes. Read on to learn about some of the benefits of walking – (link)
Each month, we will travel along another leg of our journey to explore and establish a human colony in the Proxima Centauri system. At 4.25 light years distance, Proxima Centauri is the closest star system to our own Terran system. Research has shown that one of the planets in the Proxima Centauri system exists within the habitable zone of that star. We aim to travel there and establish the first extra-solar system human colony on that planet.
Each month’s new destination and step turn in dates will be announced on the SFI Members Only, Fleet/Regional STARFLEET Medical and Regional Fleet Facebook groups, as well as on the medical channel on the SFI Discord server.
PREVIOUS MONTHS
March: Take Me to the Moon
April: Slingshot past Saturn
May: Fly by Pluto
June: Interstellar
July: Oort Cloud
August: Retrograde Burn
September: Arrive at Proxima Centauri B
October: Turn this Ship Around
November: Rogue Planet
DECEMBER 2024: “HOMECOMING”
After 8.4 light years of travel, (79.5 Trillion kilometres 49.4 trillion miles) on the odometer, the sight of that beautiful blue-green marble in the sea of black outside the forward viewscreen is a welcome sight. The Earth has never appeared so beautiful to me as it does today.
We’ve worked hard, overcome unexpected challenges as a crew and have successfully established the first extra-solar human colony in history. What’s more, we completed our mission without any casualties. As Commander of this mission, I could imagine no greater achievement.
I want to thank each and every one of you for your contributions to this incredible journey. Be proud of what you’ve accomplished!
Now let’s dock this ship that’s been our home for so many years. I’m eager to smell the roses and get a cheeseburger!!!
As a participant, you will keep track of your own steps through interstellar space using an app, a smart watch, a pedometer, etc. and submit your steps to your Regional Assistant Surgeon General. The schedule for December will be:
Week 1: December 1st to 6th
Week 2: December 7th to 13th
Week 3: December 14th to 20th
Week 4: December 21st to 31st
Once the week ends, you will total up the steps you have travelled over that period. You will then have 48 hours to submit those steps to your Regional ASG (ie. Week 1 ends on Friday, May 10th, therefore you have until Midnight PST on May 12th to submit your steps). Any steps submitted after that time will not be accepted. Please submit steps and only steps, no other units will be accepted. Here is a handy conversion guide: (link)
If you do not know who your Regional ASG is, please consult the following website:
https://medical.sfi.org/office-of-the…/serving-officers/
If your region does not have an ASG, please submit your steps using the following form:
https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSeOFfOYPqv…/viewform…
Settle in for our long crossing through interstellar space. It will probably be very quiet but with any luck, we may see one or two more familiar objects out there!!!!!!
If you do not know who your Regional ASG is, please consult the following website:
https://medical.sfi.org/office-of-the-surgeon-general/serving-officers/
If your region does not have an ASG, please submit your steps using the following form:
https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSeOFfOYPqv…/viewform…
STEP UP TO THE CHALLENGE. PROXIMA CENTAURI AWAITS!
PREVIOUS CHALLENGES RUN AT STARFLEET MEDICAL
November 2021: HEALTH – Activity Minutes Challenge
October 2022: ACADEMY – Emergency Preparedness Challenge
December 2022: ACADEMY – Women of Starfleet Medical I
December 2022: HEALTH – Solar System Step Challenge
March 2023: ACADEMY – Men of Starfleet Medical
June 2023: ACADEMY Tribble Challenge
August 2023: ACADEMY – Medical Conditions in Star Trek
December 2023: ACADEMY – Interspecies Medical Exchange Challenge
March 2024: HEALTH – Starfleet Medical Reading Challenge 2024 (in progress)
March 2024: HEALTH – Proxima Centauri Step Challenge (in progress)
September 2024: ACADEMY – Women of Starfleet Medical II
