It is fair to say that, before my last trip to Canada (that makes me sound very jet set-like, it was in fact, also my only trip to Canada), I really did not know what to expect; of the country, of the people and certainly not of the ICRE, which I attended in Vancouver.
It was a revelation.
Of the country, none of the stuff you read online covers it. It’s every postcard, every nature program, and every dream holiday brochure rolled into one. Of the people, the stereotypes hold true – they are the nicest, friendliest, and most welcoming people I have ever had the chance to meet. Trust me, when a British guy says a people are polite, he knows of which he speaks.
Then we come to the crux of the matter – the International Conference in Residency Education. This is the largest conference in the world, focused on the training and improvement of education of junior doctors around the world. It is mind boggling.
I have always had an interest in medical education which, over time has become a passion and a real focus of my career. For the first time ever, I found myself in a conference that spoke my language. These were my people. Everyone there had the same agenda– to share ideas, compare programs, explore and communicate to one another the multitude of ways we train doctors, undergraduate, postgraduate and beyond and, more importantly, how to make it better. It doesn’t matter what country you’re from– this is an international goal.
This year’s ICRE, in Quebec, will far surpass any that have come before. I was both honoured and not entirely flabbergasted to be appointed one of the Chief Residents, along with Drs. Mitch Goldenberg and Brie Yama. As Chief Residents, we have played a small part in the organisation of this superlative event. As President of the British Orthopaedic Association, I have had many behind the scenes experiences, seeing how these behemoth events are run, and it’s with no hint of hyperbole that I say, I have never seen anything like the ICRE. Every topic is covered. Every speaker is a leader in their field. Every workshop is a ‘do not miss’ opportunity.
So here is the crux of the matter. If you are a trainee, a resident, a trainer, a program director, an educator or just interested in medical education, you need to go to ICRE.
If you want to meet Mickey Mouse, you go to Disney.
If you want to see Big Ben, you go to London.
If you want to play a part in improving medical education around the globe, you go to ICRE. (And if you’re a resident, you apply to be a Chief Resident too!)
Dr. Simon Fleming is a trauma and orthopaedic registrar on the Pott Rotation in London, UK, and a PhD candidate in medical education at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. He is currently serving as president of the British Orthopaedic Trainees’ Association (BOTA). While passionate about orthopaedics and surgical training, Dr. Fleming’s special interests also lie in hand surgery; competency attainment; improved delivery of orthopaedic training; mentoring; and combating bullying, undermining and harassment in surgery through the UK’s #HammerItOut campaign. He is a recent recipient of the Surgeon Educator Award from the Royal College of Surgeons (UK) and the Academic Support Award from Queen Mary University, and Barts and The London Medical School. Twitter: @OrthopodReg
Leave a Reply