INTERNATIONAL TRENDS

The Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE) Malaga Annual Conference -what's new?

Conferencia Anual de la Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE) en Málaga: novedades

A. Wojtczak

Exdirector del International Institute for Medical Education (IME)
Expresidente de la Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE)
E-mail: wojtczak@cmkp.edu.pl

The Malaga AMEE Conference was organized in cooperation the Spanish Association for Medical Education (SEDEM) that held simultaneously their XIX meeting. It was organized in the modern Congress Center that provided very comfortable facilities for both meetings. What was exceptional for AMEE normally monolingual conference that plenary sessions were simultaneous translated to Spanish and there were some sessions in Spanish. On this occasion it is worthwhile to remind that in 1970, when SEDEM had been just established, during organized jointly with the World Health Organization Regional Office in Copenhagen the 'Seminar on teaching methods in medicine' in Madrid the decision was taken about establishment of the Association for Medical Education in Europe. Now they come together to organize jointly the world forum for medical educators that attracted over 2300 participants from 86 countries and all continents. What is encouraging is fact that over 50% of attendees were coming for the first time and they have learnt about the educational merits of a conference from their colleagues. It is a good sing of growing popularity of this annual meeting, based on the recognition of quality of conference activities. What is worthwhile to note was a great number of Workshops devoted to the different aspects of medical education, which number for the first time reached 75, and what seems to indicate that attendee wants to learn some educational aspects practically and not only listen to presentations. Validity of this observation can support also the fact that very well attended were also the Essential Skills in Medical Education (ESME) courses dealing with different aspects of teaching skills such as a wide variety of assessment methods in medical education (ECMEA), basic skills in carrying out research in medical education (RESME), or some essential principles and methods for identifying, selecting and utilizing technology to enhance medical education (ESTME) even it involves additional financial charges.

Also the posters sessions are playing an increasing role not only because every year fast increasing number of poster presentations, but because the high quality of these presentations. The poster sessions are attracting more and more conference attendees being actively involved in the discussion on the presented topics, what is lacking during the plenary of big group sessions presentations.

This development can be extremely satisfying and encouraging for AMEE executives, indicating that the participants of the conference wants to take back to home country a practical knowledge and skills to use it in the home. It is also a sing a fast growing interest in the introducing of the innovations to medical education processes.

The very well attended session was a one introduced recently so call 'orientation session' organized before opening conference to give to newcomers a glimpse of AMEE past and presence and to providing them with programme information with an indication on various activities, what indicates on the need of such briefing to enable attendees to find their way in hundreds of different conference activities.

Finally, worthwhile to mention that the newly established the AMEE 'Lifetime achievement price' for those who greatly contributed to the development of the organization and medical education was handed to the past AMEE Presidents -Professor Henry Walton (1972-1986) and Professor Alberto Oriol Bosch (1990-1993). On the other hand, created by the SEDEM in 2005 the Antonio Gallego Award in memory of one of the great pioneers' of medical education in Spain that to be presented to persons who has developed excellence in a professional career in the field of medical education, this year went to Professor Andrzej Wojtczak in recognition of his longstanding cooperation with the Spanish educators.

I am quite sure that participants of the AMEE Malaga Conference took back home not only the valuable professional experiences, new communication lines and refreshed friendships but also took back a memorable time spend in Andalusia.