Why I am excited about World Congress
Thoughts turn to spring in Buenos Aires and less than a month to go before the start of the great jamboree that will be the World Congress of Dermatology. The citizens of this proud and independent city, the Porteños, will welcome an anticipated 12,000 delegates on the 30th of September for the 21st edition of this celebration of skin, its appendages, and its disorders. Over five days, the cream of academia, pharmaceutical experts and cosmetic scientists will forgather in the 91,000 square meters of the La Rural Convention and Exhibition Center situated in the Palermo neighborhood, close to downtown Buenos Aires. Lectures, workshops and symposia on every conceivable aspect of this, the largest and most visible organ of the human body, will vie with the technical exhibition where all major pharmaceutical and cosmetic manufacturers have the opportunity to display and give away their wares.
A Personal View
So why am I excited and why might you want to go?
A variety of reasons – some facile and some important.
- Learn some really important “stuff” from the world’s experts
- Meet old friends and acquire some new ones
- Acquire those CME points
- Experience a fascinating vibrant society with unquenchable night life
- Bring lots of presents for the folks at home
World Congresses tend to be like the Olympics – you can see all of the elements in other places but not all together and not with such enervating excitement that you go away feeling like YOU can take on the world.
As with any Congress, location is important – Buenos Aires certainly fits the bill, although I am not sure my new total knee replacement will quite cope with the Tango.
So is the energy of the organisers and the type of people who will be there. Under the guidance of Congress President Galimberti and Congress Secretary Adrian Pierini, the event will definitely be highly exciting – an element too often lacking when trying to refresh flagging skills, learning new ones and merely survive the five days.
Seriously, the bottom line is this – Why is dermatology important? Why do you need a World Congress, and why do YOU need to be there?
Personally, as a physician trained at time when the art of observation, communication and practical management were keystones – dermatology has it all! It is a specialty in which the physician “sees” the problem and the patient can rewardingly “see” rapid benefits from your intervention. At this World Congress, the role of skin in defining our health, wealth, age and identity comes under as much scrutiny as the traditional diseases have over the previous 20 years.
As a 20-year vicarious observer of “global” dermatology – it is manifestly clear that doctors are facing the stark reality of social, governmental and consumer pressure which may affect and change their professional life.
In many developing countries whilst the “old diseases” linger, the cutaneous manifestations of HIV/AIDS represent a major medical and social challenge. The expansion of dermatology services is vital to these societies.
On the other hand, socialised medicine in Europe is pressuring dermatology services to be more cost effective, potentially at the expense of patient specialist care. Other specialities and alternative practitioners are intruding into what was once purely a professional dermatological domain. At the same time, academic dermatologists reluctantly have to face up to a world in which dealing with the “well” patient’s desire to preserve youth will have to be a core function. Already the burgeoning public demand for cosmetic procedures in the USA and other highly developed systems has produced the specialist “cosmetic dermatologist.” Here, association with the cosmetic scientist presents opportunities for development and public service.
Ultimately, it is in the fight against the tide of global skin cancer and by extension, the place of derm-surgery, that the profession has a critical role to play.
Enough of the diatribe…
So, what does a “World Congress” offer? In fact, this 21st World Congress of Dermatology offers something for everybody – the best speakers, the most important topics in disease management, and the best training for this and the generation to come. More importantly, it gives us and physicians dealing directly with patients the opportunity to meet old and hopefully new colleagues, exchange ideas and make new contacts.
SO – if you are already going – see you there!
Don’t forget to visit the P&G Beauty stand and DO attend the P&G Sponsored Symposia (links below).
If you have nothing better to do in the first week of October – could do worse than a week in the sun in vibrant Buenos Aires.
THINGS NOT TO MISS:
Opening Day, Monday, October 1, 2007
- Workshop: “Genomics and proteomics: a link to practical dermatology,” Giovanna Zambruno (Italy), Nelida Davalos (Paraguay), Junh-Mo Yang (Korea) and Ervin Epstein (United States) – 8:15 to 10:15.
- Symposium: “Ethnic hair and skin physiology,” Victoria Holloway (United States), Xue Min Wang (China), Sergio Talarico (Brazil), Adama Traore (Burkina Faso – 8:30 to 10:30.
- Symposium: “UVA and the skin,” Andre Rougier (France), Franklin Madero (Ecuador), Yoon Kee Park (Korea), Irene Stefanaki (Greece) – 8:30 to 10:30.
Day Two, Tuesday, October 2, 2007
- Workshop: “Photoprotection and Sunscreens,” John Hawk (United Kingdom), Zhigang Bi (China), Alejandro Ruiz Lascano (Argentina), Peter Wolf (Austria) – 8:15 to 10:15.
- Plenary: “Toll-Like Receptors: Role in Skin Inflammation,” Philippe Musette (France) – 11:34 to 11:54.
- Workshop: “Understanding and Governing Cell Migration,” Bernhard Homey (Germany), Jorge Laffargue (Argentina), Jean Francois Nicolas (France), Wolfgang Weninger (United States) – 13:45 to 15:45.
Day Three, Wednesday, October 3, 2007
- Sponsored Symposium: P&G Beauty “Hair and Scalp Science Breakthroughs,” Prof. Rodney Sinclair (Australia), Amy McMichael (United States), Ramon Grimalt (Spain), Tom Dawson (United States), Prof. Ralf Paus (Germany), Prof. Antonella Tosti (Italy) – 14.00 – 16.00, Room B
- Workshop: “Skin Barrier: Mechanism and Repair,” Enzo Berardesca (Italy), Peter Elias (United States), Genji Imokawa (Japan), Cristina Pascutto (Argentina) – 8:15 to 10:15.
- Workshop: “Skin of Color Around the World,” Susan Taylor (United States), Martha Minino (Dominican Republic), Jean-Jacques Morand (France), Edith Nkechi Nnoruka (Nigeria) – 13:45 to 15:45.
- The real benefits of cosmetics – Prof. Zoe Diana Draelos (United States), 14:00 – 16:00
- Alopecia Areata – Prof. Jerry Shapiro (Canada), 13:45 – 15:45
Day Four, Thursday, October 4, 2007
- Sponsored Symposium: P&G Beauty “Skin Health and Anti-Aging Research Update,” Alexa Boer Kimball (Chair, United States), Paul Matts (United Kingdom), Jean-Paul Ortonne (France), Kevin D. Cooper (United States), Wenyuan Zhu (China), Zoe Diana Draelos (United States) – 8.45 to 10.45, Room B
- Satellite Symposia: P&G Beauty “Cosmeceuticals: Practical Solutions for Common Problems,” Zoe Diana Draelos, MD (Chair, United States), Steven Shiel (United Kingdom), James R. Schwartz (United States), J Frank Nash (United States), Patricia Engasser (United States), Harald Schlatter, PhD (Germany) – 16:30 to 18:30, Room D
- Workshop: “Antioxidants and the skin,” Unandar Budimulia (Indonesia), Graciela Cuomo (Argentina), Sheldon Pinnell (United States) – 8:15 to 10:15
- Antioxidants – their efficacy in dermatology – Prof J.P. Ortonne October 4th 13:15- 14:15
Day Five Friday, 5th October 2007
- Nails – Prof Antonella Tosti – October 5th 14:00 – 16:00
- Hair diseases – Prof Blume – Petayvi and Professor David Whiting , October 5th 8:30 – 10:30