Annual Scientific Meeting 2007
Drs Thomas Mok & Wong Poon Chuen
Chairmen of the ASM Organizing Committee
Similar to previous years, the Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) co-organized by the Hong Kong Thoracic Society and the American Colleage of Chest Physicians (Hong Kong and Macau Chapter) was successfully held in March again this year.
During the one-day meeting on 11th March, the Organizing Committee had designed a packed and comprehensive programme covering a wide scope of hot and interesting topics in respiratory and critical care medicine, and invited a distinguished panel of local and overseas speakers by whom the lectures were elegantly and informatively delivered.
The ASM began with a Clinical Updates session comprising scientific lectures entitled “Lung Transplantation in Hong Kong: 12 Years’ Experience”, “Pulmonary Aspergillosis” and “Rapid Diagnosis of Drug Resistant Tuberculosis”. These were followed by a session of interesting cases in respiratory medicine, when our doyenne Dr Joseph Pang and Dr Sung-yang So enlightened us with extremely interesting cases of “PacMan” and “A Lady with Pneumothorax” respectively.
Following a lunch symposium on recent advances in the management of obstructive lung diseases, we had an afternoon session about practical tips in respiratory medicine consisting of talks on “Chronic Bronchial Sepsis”, “Weaning Strategies” and “CT Scan Interpretations”. The audience applauded these high-quality talks for their practicality and usefulness to daily patient managements.
After enactment of the amended anti-smoking bill to ban smoking in vast majority of indoor areas this year, many of our fellow colleagues would be playing a pivotal role in helping patients to quit smoking. A tailored workshop on smoking cessation was timely co-organized with the Centre of Health Promotion and the Nursing Studies of the University of Hong Kong to meet the increasing quest for professional knowledge and advice.
The ASM ended with a special symposium on air pollution, which was held in response to the growing concern of worsening of air quality in Hong Kong over recent years.
Medical science is advancing in leaps and bounds. With the closing of this ASM, we look forward to next occasion of sharing and learning among colleagues.
