ISUOG is delighted to be able to bring you this report on its recent and extremely successful advanced gynecology course in London. The course focused on early pregnancy (day one) and reproductive medicine and benign gynecology (day two) and featured a number of world-renowned faculty including course leaders Tom Bourne and Nick Raine-Fenning, as well as Steve Goldstein, Lil Valentin, Dirk Timmerman and a strong UK speaker contingent with talks from Siobhan Quenby, Emma Kirk and many more.
Registration outside the RCOG main lecture theatre
We welcomed over 185 delegates from 49 different countries to the RCOG venue in central London. Due to the unprecedented popularity of the course, it was also open to access by live streaming viewers, an ISUOG first! We had an additional 180 participants watching the program live online, adding a further 23 countries to those represented. Live stream viewers could also participate in the program by sending in questions to the speakers via an online submission interface. Many of these were put to the speakers as part of the discussion sessions which meant that we had excellent interaction between faculty, audience and online viewers.
Live streaming view: Nick Raine-Fenning speaking
Each day began with informal ‘meet the expert’ sessions. These were another new feature of ISUOG courses and meant that delegates could start the program with small group discussion on a specific topic. These sessions were led by an expert faculty member and then often evolved into wider group conversation. Given the diverse, international delegate profile, these discussions often proved both lively and informative for delegates and experts alike!
Steve Goldstein: 'meet the expert'
Significant discussion in the first day’s program revolved around Emma Kirk’s appraisal of management structures for PUL and Andrew Horne’s talk on biochemical markers for PUL and ectopic pregnancy. There was also some interesting debate on the relative merits of the application and use of methotrexate.
Audience participation and discussion
The day closed with a testing session for faculty members Steve Goldstein, Dirk Timmerman and Nick Raine-Fenning as they were presented with delegate-submitted case examples and asked to provide their own diagnosis!
Day two covered sessions on endometriosis, fibroids and polyps and their relative effects on fertility and treatment. Lil Valentin, Nazar Amso and Nick Raine-Fenning gave a very comprehensive insight into new research and diagnostic techniques. After lunch, sessions moved on to cover various aspects of benign gynecology, including ovarian cysts and tubal pathology. Each topic also concluded with case examples and just images to cover particularly rare clinical conditions.
Case examples with Dirk Timmerman
It was very pleasing that a significant number of industry partners also supported the course, contributing to our small exhibition. Astraia, De Smit Medical, GE Healthcare and Siemens all had stands at the course, and we are extremely grateful for their ongoing support and for the positive feedback we have received from them.
Participation from industry partners and exhibitors
We are looking forward to the next instalment of our 2011 gynecology courses in London, with a follow-up course covering oncology and urogynecology, taking place from 2–3 December 2011. Given the popularity of this program, delegates are recommended to register to attend in good time!
Certificate distribution