The 43^rd Singapore-Malaysia Congress of Medicine was held at the Waterfront Grand Copthorne Hotel in Singapore from 6-8 Aug 2009. The scientific programme was excellent with pre-congress workshops as well as post-congress workshops. The Back to Basics – Interventional Radiology Techniques & Imaging post-congress workshop was free for fully registered delegates to the main congress. Therefore it was not surprising the conference was well attended. Congratulations to the Organising Chairman Dr Lim Shih Hui and his team.

The opening ceremony was held on 6^th Aug evening, with Dr Vivian Balakrishnan (an ophthalmologist, now politician), Minister of Community Development, Youth & Sports officiating as Guest of Honour. Overseas Presidents of Fraternal Colleges were conferred honorary fellowships, new members to the Singapore Academy of Medicine were inducted and Prof Dr Tan Chorh Chuan delivered the 19^th Gordon Arthur Ransome Oration. He spoke on the “Three I’s (Integration, Innovation & Individuals) and The Future of Medicine”. Prof Tan was presented with a gold medal. The opening ceremony was followed by a welcome reception.

Traditionally, this Congress of Medicine alternated between Malaysia and Singapore. For the first time, Hong Kong will also participate in a tripartite arrangement and will see its first “joint” Congress of Medicine in 2010. As the umbrella bodies, the various Academies of Medicine have already forged this alliance, the various Colleges under the Academies of Medicine have also been meeting up to discuss how they can collaborate and synergise. So it was that in addition to the official Joint Council Meeting (7.30am, 7^th Aug ), the Presidents of the Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysian Colleges of Radiology/Radiologists met at 7.30am on 8^th Aug 2009 to try to activate the ideas and suggestions raised in an earlier and first 2007 meeting. The Singapore CoR Council was also present at this informal meeting. Meetings were held early so that council members could attend the varied and interesting array of lectures.

Topics covered included preventing and managing diabetes, challenging issues in chest surgery, advances in allergy and clinical immunology, update on influenza infection, curing heart disease (is it possible?), medical education (post graduate training and assessment; ethical and professional challenges in clinical training and teaching), advances in neurological therapeutics, better cancer care, improving multidisciplinary care for the critically ill, professionalism & medical ethics, increasing success in transplants, cancer prevention, role of clinical database in reducing mortality & morbidity, presbyopia – what a doctor should know, advances in resuscitation, updates in ophthalmology, reducing adverse pregnancy outcome and hot topics in emergency care.

The radiology/oncology tracks were highly interesting: Tapping on Technology to Reduce Mortality & Morbidity and Radiological Education: Cradle to the Grave – from Undergraduate to Continuing Education Programme. The highlight was of course the Distinguished Academician Lecture on 7^th Aug evening, which was delivered by Dr Andy Adam, a renowned interventional radiologist who is currently President of the Royal College of Radiologists UK. He spoke on “Does Radiology have a Sell-by Date?” In his lecture he emphasised that radiologists had to recognise the changes occurring in the field, and needed to add function and pathology to their knowledge and experience base. In this manner, radiology would continue to add value to the management of the patient and remain relevant. Dr Adam felt that radiology is here to stay and the key would be subspecialisation with closer interaction with the referring physicians. The challenges are not insurmountable, with the increasing spectrum of knowledge, maintenance of adequate workforce, increasing research activity and appropriate use of IT in teleradiology and computer assisted diagnosis.

This was followed by a Dinner Forum: Challenges Facing Radiology, attended by delegates and open to all Singapore Radiological Society and other non-College of Radiologists, Singapore members. The panellists were Dr Andy Adam, President of Royal College of Radiologists UK; Dr Carol Rumack, President of the American College of Radiology; Dr Chun-Key Law, President of Hong Kong College of Radiologists; Dr Mark Khangure, President of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists; Dr Evelyn Ho, President, College of Radiology, Academy of Medicine Malaysia; Dr Anthony Goh, Vice-President of College of Radiologists, Singapore and Dr Fong Kam Weng – Board Member of Chapter Of Radiation Oncologists, College of Radiologists Singapore.

This congress has been one for the memory banks, with new links forged, friendships renewed and knowledge gained.