EFORT celebrated its 11th Congress in Madrid as a joint congress together with the Spanish Orthopaedic and Traumatology Society (SECOT).
The recent EFORT/SECOT Congress, which was held in Madrid from 2-5 June 2010, was without doubt a success as regards attendance and its scientific programme. More than 8,000 active participants registered for the Congress. This was due not only to the merger of two major congresses in Europe (EFORT and SECOT), but also to increasing recognition of this Congress by European surgeons as well as international participants.
EFORT is in particular giving members from smaller nations a platform to present new studies. The federation has seen growing participation rates from these countries recently to present new research. “Typically the share of attendees from smaller countries, such as Ireland or Switzerland, is quite large compared with larger countries that have their own strong congresses,” states Régine Brühweiler from EFORT Head Office.
Prof. Dr. Enric Caceres, Chairman of Local Organising Committees, summarises: “Attendees could focus on a wide range of activities and events this year. SECOT was offering a special exhibition on the history of orthopaedics, while EFORT was highlighting its perennially popular educational offerings.” The plenary sessions, were a new feature for EFORT, and the four sessions (arthroplasties in Europe, state of trauma care in Europe, musculoskeletal infections, surgical and non-surgical treatments in tumour care in Europe) were well received by the attendees. In addition, the major European Specialty Societies were invited to organise their own sessions embedded into the overall programme, thus enhancing the overall scientific level.
In response to the positive reception of the past years, EFORT had reprised its one-day comprehensive review course again in Madrid where participants could learn more about new techniques and prepare for the EBOT exam. (Visit the CRC course video at www.efort.org/crc.)
EFORT holds its next Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark on 1-4 June 2011. The abstract submission deadline is 15 September 2010. Visit the Congress homepage at www.efort.org/copenhagen2011.
