From the Wonca President:
Family Medicine is Also Alive and
Well in the East
2
From the CEO’s Desk:
Opportunities in a Wonca World
3
Conference
From the Editor
:
:
:
One Stop Shopping at Global Family
4
Doctor – Wonca Online
FEATURE STORIES
5
• Women in Academic Medicine
• Register Online for Wonca World 2007 in Singapore
Wonca REGIONAL NEWS
8
• Asia Pacific Family Medicine Journal Enters its Sixth Year
• The European Journal of General Practice Finds New Global Publisher
HEALTH AND HEALTH SYSTEM NEWS
10
• World Health Day 2007 Focuses on International Health Security
MEMBER AND ORGANIZATIONAL NEWS
11
• Linda French Joins Global Family Doctor’s Medical Editor Team
RESOURCES FOR THE FAMILY DOCTOR
12
• The Wonca Dictionary of General/Family Practice
• GFD – Wonca Online: Mailing Lists For Family Doctors
WONCA CONFERENCES 2007-2011 AT A GLANCE
16
GLOBAL MEETINGS FOR THE FAMILY DOCTOR
17
VOLUME 33
NUMBER 2
APRIL 2007
CONTENTS
Wonca website:
http://www.GlobalFamilyDoctor.com
Wonca President
Prof Bruce Sparks, South Africa
2 Cruden Bay Road
Greenside
Johannesburg 2193
South Africa
Tel: 27 11 646 2140
Fax: 27 11 717 2558
Email: brucespa@global.co.za
Wonca Chief Executive Officer
Dr Alfred W T Loh
Wonca Administrative Manager
Ms Yvonne Chung
World Organization of Family Doctors
College of Medicine Building
16 College Road # 01-02
Singapore 169854
Tel: 65 6224 2886
Fax: 65 6324 2029
Email: admin@wonca.com.sg
Wonca President-Elect
Prof Chris van Weel, Netherlands
Wonca Immediate Past President
Dr Michael Boland, Ireland
Honorary Treasurer
Richard Roberts, MD, USA
Wonca Regional Presidents
Prof Khaya Mfenyana, Africa
Warren A Heffron, MD, North America
A/Prof Goh Lee Gan, Asia Pacific
Prof Igor Svab, Europe
Dr Shatendra K Gupta, Middle East
South Asia
Dr Adolfo Rubinstein,
Iberoamericana-CIMF
Wonca Executive Members at Large
Dr Javier Dominguez del Olmo, Mexico
Prof Michael Kidd, Australia
Richard Roberts, MD, USA
Chair, Bylaws and Regulations
Dan Ostergaard, MD, USA
Chair, Publications & Communications
Dr Geoffrey D Martin, Australia
Editor, Wonca News and Editorial Office
Marc L Rivo, MD
4566 Prairie Avenue
Miami Beach, Florida 33140, USA
Tel: 305 671 7327
Fax: 305 674 8839
Email: marcrivo@aol.com
WONCA GLOBAL SPONSORS
FROM THE WONCA
PRESIDENT :
FAMILY MEDICINE IS ALSO
ALIVE AND WELL IN THE
EAST
“If the principles (of Family
Medicine) ...have an enduring value,
they should be applicable to all
cultures and all social groups ..... I
believe firmly that these principles
have universal application. How
they are applied, however, will vary
according to circumstances. If there
is only one physician for 50,000
people, it is obvious that his or her
role as a manager of resources,
leader, teacher, and resource for
difficult problems will be
predominant......”
Professor Ian McWhinney
In Oxford Textbook of Primary
Medical Care,
OUP, 2004
During my three years of
international travel as President of
this remarkable organisation, and
through the preceding years on the
Executive, I have been repeatedly
impressed by the universality of the
foundations and principles of family
medicine. While the content and
ecology of family practice may vary
from country to country, the basic
characteristics of family doctors
permeate all systems. “A good
family doc is always a good family
doc, no matter where she or he is
practicing”!
This universal thread was once
more stressed during my recent
exciting visit to the Philippines. I
was invited to present a keynote
and Dr Ramon R. Angeles Memorial
Lecture at the 46 th Anniversary and
Annual Convention of the Philippine
Academy of Family Physicians. The
WONCA
News
FROM THE WONCA PRESIDENT
2
theme of their meeting was
“Looking back, moving forward from
illness to wellness”. Remarkably,
this organization, which began as
the Philippine Academy of General
Practitioners, was established in
1960 and it commenced its first
annual postgraduate course that
year. The Founding President was Dr
Ramon R. Angeles, a true and
humble community-based family
doctor in every sense, who has
become a legendary icon and
remarkable role-model within the
country. When Wonca was
established in 1972, he represented
the Academy, one of the 17
Founding Member Organisations. So
their organisation and its
practitioners have been essential
contributors to the World
organisation and family medicine for
nearly half a century.
Bruce Sparks and Alejandro Pineda, President
of Philippine Academy of Family Physicians
Bruce Sparks Sharing a Moment with Zorayda
“Dada” Leopando, Past Regional President of
the Asia Pacific Region
Three Philippine Academy Past Presidents,
from left to right: Raphael Bantayan,
Benjamin Chang, Edward Tordesillas
Philippine Family Medicine Resident Winners
of the Clinico-Pathological Conference
Bruce Sparks and Family of Founding
Philippine Academy President, Ramon
Angeles
The activities of this organisation
under the recently re-elected
President, Dr Alejandro Pineda, are
most exceptional; they not only
maintain high academic standards
and numerous activities through
contributions from all academic
departments of family medicine, and
national training programmes, but
also have specific community
programmes for the poor and
indigent. Academic endeavour has a
long history in the Philippines – The
University of Santo Tomas was
established in 1610, 26 years before
Harvard! It now has one of the many
excellent teaching hospitals in the
multi-island country.
What has really impressed me
during my tenure had been the rigor
and standards of research in family
practice in our member
organisations. While much of the
research in developing countries will
not see the ink of major
international publications, due to
the apparent and reported bias in
paper selection, the projects being
carried out are generally of major
WONCA
News
FROM THE WONCA PRESIDENT / FROM THE CEO’S DESK
3
FROM THE CEO’S DESK:
OPPORTUNITIES IN A
WONCA WORLD
CONFERENCE
A Wonca World Conference is
held only once every three years.
The next World Conference will be
held in Singapore in July 2007 over
a three-day period. Preparations are
now in their final stages.
As has been the policy over the
past twenty odd years, the World
Conference will be preceded by a
Full Wonca Executive Meeting lasting
three days, followed by a day of
Regional Council Meetings for the
six Wonca Regions and by three full
days of the Wonca World Council.
This then leads onto the conference
proper lasting three days.
This gathering of the leaders of
Family Medicine from the various
Wonca Full and Associate Member
Organizations, as well as
Organizations in Collaborative
Relations with Wonca, provides a
unique opportunity that presents
itself only once in a triennium.
Besides the many opportunities for
the renewal of friendships, side-
discussions on issues of mutual
interest, networking and learning for
these leaders, the occasion also
presents opportunities for several
other events to occur. I hope in this
short article to suggest some of
these that may be worth
considering.
Firstly, whilst the growth of
Wonca over the past decade has
been characterized by the increase
in the number of member
organizations, there has also been
an increase in the number of sub-
groups that have been established
for which Wonca has agreed to
importance locally to the
communities and to the health
workers in these countries. This was
very evident in the academic
programme of the convention and
the innovative research competition
held during the convention in
Manila. Equally exciting were the
finals of the Clinico-Pathological
Conference. Teams of Family
Medicine Residents from training
programmes throughout the country
had been assessed at preliminary
rounds prior to the meeting. The
presentations by the finalists, of
their understanding of a patient
with a complex hepatic disease, had
the excitement and tension of a
World Cup final! It was a test not
only of their academic rigour and
ability to problem solving, but also
essential family doctor
characteristics of teamwork,
collaboration, humility and respect.
Among my most rewarding
experiences were the times I spent
with residents, discussing their
patients, course work, learning
styles, and aspirations. It was in
them that I particularly experienced
the universal family medicine
thread. Their enthusiasm of the
discipline was especially
encouraging, as was their
biopsychosocial approach to patient
care. This I had also experienced
during the refreshing time I spent
with the Taiwanese residency
program last year. I am reassured
that the quality of our up and
coming leaders in the discipline will
move us to new heights. Not only
are they clinically very sound but
they have embraced the best of the
past with the challenges of the
future, while maintaining the core
values of being a ‘good family
doctor’.
The lessons I learnt are
numerous, but perhaps the most
refreshing was the enthusiasm
instilled in the discipline by the
senior family practitioner leaders in
the Philippines, not least of all
Zorayda (Dada) Leopando, well
known for her dedicated enthusiasm
and nurturing of the discipline over
the years and during her tenure as
President of the Wonca Asia-Pacific
Region. In no other organisation
have I witnessed such continued
active participation of past-
Presidents in the affairs of the body
– their wisdom and experience is
silently influential throughout its
activities without stifling growth and
change. Another lesson is that of
palpable commitment to improving
the plight and health status of their
practice populations.
My friends would know that my
message would not be complete
without a suitable quote from Sir
William Osler. Perhaps the most
appropriate one which reflects my
visit to the Philippines, with its rich,
long history of family medicine and
which incorporates the wisdom of
the past in its exciting new
activities, would be from
Aequanimitas, “The past is always
with us, never to be escaped; it
alone is enduring; but amidst the
changes and chances which succeed
one another so rapidly in this life,
we are apt to live too much for the
present and too much in the future.
Professor Bruce Sparks
Wonca World President
PS. Regretfully due to illness close
to my family I was unable to submit
my usual column in earlier editions.
I express my family’s gratitude to
Professor Chris van Weel, Wonca
President Elect, for standing in for
me over this period.
WONCA
News
FROM THE CEO’S DESK
4
provide financial and organizational support. These
would include the Women in Family Medicine, Mental
Health, and the Education Working Parties.
Currently all these and other established sub-groups
are actively pursuing their own agenda which in most
cases do not significantly compliment each other. There
is perhaps a need to have some common thread
connecting the agendas and objectives of these various
sub-groups. This will require that the gathering of the
many family medicine leaders prior to a world
conference be an occasion for Wonca to set some
specific goals for each triennium. Once these goals have
been identified, the various Wonca regions and sub-
groups could incorporate the identified goals in their
planning for the triennium’s activities. In this way, the
efforts of this global organization would be better
focused and the objectives more achievable through its
regions and sub-groups.
It is therefore with this in mind that the coming
Wonca World Council will devote some time to a break-
away session during which the leaders in smaller groups
will be requested to discuss in-depth on what some of
these specific Wonca goals should be. If this approach
proves successful and desirable, the same may become
a feature of all future Wonca World Councils.
Secondly, at each World Council, the Wonca
Executive and the various Wonca sub-groups present
their triennium’s work and reports and only issues of
importance are singled out for discussion. Even with
this selective approach to discussions, the Council is a
three full- day affair on account of the very lengthy
agenda. There is hardly any opportunity for dialogue
and discussions between the Wonca Executive and the
CEO with the representatives of the sub-groups. Such
dialogue if achievable may lead to better and closer co-
ordination, collaboration and working relationships
between these sub-groups and the Executive Committee.
We should perhaps explore the possibility of special
working lunch or dinner meeting between the Wonca
Executive and some representatives of each Wonca sub-
group to achieve this end. These dialogue sessions may
help the parties involved to better understand each
other and the priorities, planning, concerns and
limitations of the various programs proposed for each
triennium. Whilst there will be some cost to be incurred,
I believe the outcome will be worth the time and money
spent.
Finally, there should perhaps be incentives to
encourage all Wonca sub-groups to hold special events
in conjunction with a Wonca world conference. Currently,
most Wonca sub-groups do hold their business
meetings just prior to the world conference. But these
tend to only involve a small number of key persons of
the sub-groups and do not add much to the attractions
of attending the world conference for the vast majority
of delegates of the conference. If each and every sub-
group were to hold some educational programs specific
to its area of interest in conjunction with its business
meeting, these would increase the flavor and variety of
the conference.
Perhaps one of the ways this could be realized is to
encourage the use of the funds allocated to sub-groups
for the year of a world conference for the specific
purpose of holding such educational programs before or
during the conference. Such funding could be used to
sponsor speakers or help support participants from
developing countries to attend the programs and also
the world conference.
A Wonca World Conference, held once in a triennium,
is a very special event for the Organization. This is the
time when global leaders of Family Medicine gather to
exchange ideas, learn from each other, expand
networking and explore opportunities. I believe that
maximum advantage should be taken of such an
occasion, as most would have made significant effort
and sacrifice to be present.
Dr Alfred Loh
Chief Executive Officer
World Organization of Family Doctors
WONCA
News
FROM THE EDITOR / FEATURE STORIES
5
FEATURE STORIES
WOMEN IN ACADEMIC
MEDICINE
(This article is one of a series
done by the authors on behalf of
the Wonca Working Party on
Women and Family Medicine
(WWPWFM) published in Wonca
News over the past few months.
Please see
www.womenandfamilymedicine.com
for the full monograph, literature
review, summary and annotated
bibliography on Women in
Academic Medicine.)
Despite the increased proportion
of women entering medical training,
women are still under-represented in
academic medicine. Although
women are more likely than men to
choose an academic career, women
physicians’ advancement is slower
than that of their men colleagues.
We explored the individual,
institutional and societal factors that
contribute to this phenomenon.
Most of our evidence came from
North American literature, and might
differ from experiences elsewhere
that have not been reported as
widely.
Currently, women comprise 32
percent of faculty at US medical
schools. More women are advancing
to senior academic positions in
medical schools (27% of associate
and 15% of full professors) than
previously, but not as many as their
numbers in medicine would dictate
and not as fast as their numbers are
growing among medical students
(47%) and junior faculty (38% of
assistant professors). According to
the Association of American Medical
Colleges (AAMC), which gathers
comprehensive data each year on
students and faculty at US and
Canadian medical schools, women
FROM THE EDITOR:
ONE STOP SHOPPING AT
GLOBAL FAMILY DOCTOR
– WONCA ONLINE
The 18
th
Wonca World Conference
in Singapore, July 24-27th, is just
three months away. Time is running
out if you have not yet made travel
plans to attend this most
extraordinary gathering of family
doctors from around the world.
Would you like to register for the
Wonca World Conference? Learn
more about the World Organization
of Family Doctors? Keep up with
relevant family medicine / general
practice knowledge? Find a link to a
Wonca Member Organization’s
website?
All of this valuable information
and much more are but one web
click away at
www.GlobalFamilyDoctor.com
Professor Wes Fabb has served
with great distinction as GFD’s
Medical Editor since its inception in
2001. Stephen Wilkinson joined as
Medical Editor in 2004, Jim Vause in
2005 and Linda French in 2007. The
Wonca GFD Medical Editors scan
5,000 article titles each month from
over 200 family medicine, general
and specialist online journals for
articles relevant to family doctors.
This valuable service available to
you through GFD allows you to
maintain current as a family doctor
with minimal time and effort.
In additional, GFD contains
everything you need to know to
quickly become knowledgeable
about Wonca, its member
organizations, working groups,
relevant global meetings for the
family doctor, and other useful
resources. Each bimonthly
publication of Wonca News is
posted and can be downloaded
from GFD, including archived issues
back to 2001.
This issue of Wonca New will
give you just a taste of what is
available to you on GFD.
The Wonca GFD Medical Editors,
Publications Committee Chair Geoff
Martin, CEO Alfred Loh and the
Wonca Executive are continually
looking for ways to make Global
Family Doctor – Wonca Online even
more relevant to you.
I continue to be amazed upon
meeting family doctors who have
not yet discovered a website that is
so relevant and important to their
professional lives. If you are already
a regular GFD visitor, would you
please do your part to inform your
fellow family doctors about this
invaluable resource at
www.GlobalFamilyDoctor.com
For those who have yet to
register for the 18th Wonca World
Conference in Singapore, please
register online through GFD. I look
forward to seeing you in Singapore!
Marc L. Rivo, M.D, M.P.H.
Editor, Wonca News
marcrivo@aol.com
4566 Prairie Avenue
Miami Beach,
FL 33140 USA
WONCA
News
FEATURE STORIES
6
are making slow gains from
assistant professor to full professor,
but the rate of promotion to full
professor has been stagnant at 25%
of promotions for the past 5 years
(currently an average of three
women faculty per medical school).
The number of women deans (10%)
and department chairs (11%) is still
small, but has increased
substantially in the last decade,
although women’s participation as
associate and vice deans is
proportional to their representation
among senior faculty.
One key measure of academic
productivity is the number and
quality of publications. Increasingly,
women fill the ranks of first and last
authors of articles and editorial
commentators in prestigious medical
journals, especially in fields like
pediatrics and ob-gyn with strong
women’s presence, but overall
women still make up the minority of
authors. A 2004 study showed that
women comprised 29.3% of first
authors and 19.3% of senior authors
in six prestigious U.S. medical
journals, and 11.4% of guest
editorialists in NEJM and 18.8% in
JAMA. The percentage of women
editorialists could change
dramatically, as the editors of
medical journals have the explicit
power to select the authors of guest
editorials.
Historically, women have
reported less infrastructure support
than men in laboratory space and
research assistance, and even when
their research output was equivalent
to men peers, their financial
compensation has typically lagged.
Several studies have shown that
women academic physicians in the
US received lower salaries than
comparable men colleagues, a
deficit in compensation worse than
that for non-physician women and
more exaggerated in women with
greater seniority. In addition, of
faculty with children in the US,
women researchers report less
research funding and less secretarial
support than men, with resulting
fewer publications, slower progress,
and less career satisfaction –
differences that did not occur
among faculty without children. At
the personal level, letters of
recommendation about highly
qualified women used tame and flat
language to describe their
accomplishments compared to the
superlatives in men’s letters of
recommendation. To make headway
in such difficult circumstances,
women believe that mentoring is
important. Nevertheless, they feel
that they have more trouble finding
a mentor than their men colleagues.
A recent UK study at one medical
school showed that randomly
selected medical students valued
men faculty as role models “in
relation to their knowledge,
professional power, and authority”
while they viewed the women
faculty role models for the qualities
of tolerance, integrity,
respectfulness, and support towards
students.
Structurally, academic institutions
could choose to be more flexible in
how they operate. Meetings still
frequently occur in the early
morning and evening hours, times
notably unfriendly to the parents of
small children. The promotions time
clock, in some universities, has not
slowed down for childbearing
women – or their spouses. In those
medical schools that do offer the
possibilities of tenure clock-
stopping and part-time approaches
to tenure (69% of U.S. medical
schools in 2005), these policies fail
to generate real change because so
few faculty make use of them.
Moreover, the creation of part-time
faculty positions has actually slowed
promotions, removed tenure options
and done little to resolve the
problems. Both men and women
may choose to work part-time: in
one US study in 1993, women were
more likely to split their hours
between faculty work and
childrearing while men divided their
hours between faculty work and
private practice. While medical
faculties may perceive part-time
members as valuable, women (and
parents of small children) believed
that part-time faculty was viewed as
less committed to their careers and
to the institution.
The academic environment
remains an inhospitable habitat for
women in the U.S., even though
professional development focusing
on the needs of women faculty is
widely available. The “hidden
curriculum” continues to foster
traditional assumptions about men
and women. And while the academic
organizations may call for leaders
with the skills to build consensus
and collaboration toward values-
based goals, competition, not
cooperation, continues to
characterize medical education
settings.
These challenges are not only a
matter of an unfriendly “climate.”
Harassment (including sexual
harassment) is a reality for many
medical students and residents
(estimates run up to 35% of 1st year
residents), usually from supervisors
who may be senior residents or
clinical faculty members. Sexual
harassment may include flirtation,
offensive language, sexual
propositions, sexual contact, sexual
bribery and assault, as well as
discriminatory grading and exclusion
from educational opportunities. The
experience of harassment leads to
poor self-esteem and low self-
confidence. Such experiences may
“frame” a student’s medical career
and lead to long-term career
dissatisfaction.
Multiple competing demands are
a reality for professional women.
Even highly trained academic women
in medicine define success as
WONCA
News
FEATURE STORIES
7
achieving a balance between work
and home. Among mid-career
women physicians in the U.S. who
had completed an academic
fellowship 15 years earlier, those
who were satisfied with their life in
academia had clear values and
goals and a sense of control over
their time. Those less satisfied with
their careers experienced struggle in
balancing their lives and confronted
institutional barriers, such as
unfriendly work environments,
limiting their potential. At exactly
the point in their early careers
where childbearing was on the
agenda, they were forced to choose
between high intensity work
inconsistent with family life, or
lower pressure jobs with defined
hours that would effectively remove
them from the academic track. Their
success, according to Kalet and her
colleagues writing in the Journal of
General Internal Medicine in 2006,
consisted of “making life work,”
“making work work,” and “defining,
navigating, and negotiating success”
through creating flexibility and
managing change.
The barriers facing women in
academic medicine are part of the
picture; another aspect may be
women’s own discouragement or
reluctance about the task. They may
also lack the negotiating skills to
argue for resources and
remuneration comparable to men.
Some may find the struggle to
succeed while maintaining a family
and home life to be too difficult and
that the achievement of balance is
not feasible in an academic setting.
Canadian data show that although
women physicians with children do
clinical work approximately eight
hours less per week than men, they
put in an additional 40 hours of
home-related work each week. New
graduates in many countries strive
to balance their professional and
personal/family responsibilities
differently from their more senior
colleagues. Incoming academic
women physicians may set more
limits on their work life. Accepting
part-time positions, slowing the
tenure clock, attending fewer
meetings, and accepting a slower
trajectory in academic promotion, or
even staying stationary on the
academic ladder, are all ways that
women might choose to achieve
balance and flexibility at the cost of
academic success.
Interventions to support
academic women physicians have
important ramifications for men as
well. An academic department that
implemented and studied strategies
to foster the careers of young
faculty showed that promotions for
both men and women can be
accelerated by a system of personal
mentoring. Moreover, changing the
timing of rounds from Saturday
morning to the usual work week led
to an increase in the numbers of
both men and women participants.
Increasingly men physicians in
families are recognizing what they
are missing out on in their pursuit
of academic success, and some are
asking for the same flexibility in
academic promotion as women have
chosen.
Change is also ahead in the
definition of excellence. Researchers
from the AAMC note the emergence
of trends in the U.S. to recognize
interdisciplinary team science in the
process of promotion and tenure
and to broaden the definition of
scholarship to include integration,
application, and education – a
direction that would foster the
advancement of many medical
women in academia. If these
changes succeed in taking hold,
academic medicine will become a
place where both men and women
will seek and gain deserved work
fulfillment, when equal
opportunities are ensured and the
critical importance of balance
between work and family
responsibilities is widely recognized.
Lucy Candib MD
Barbara Lent MD
Michelle Howard MSc
Cheryl Levitt MB, BCh
Register Online for Wonca
World 2007 in Singapore
Warm greetings from the sunny
island of Singapore!
Singapore is honoured to be the
host of the 18th Wonca World
Conference! As we gear up in our
preparations for the Wonca 2007
World Conference, Singapore
promises a host of exciting
attractions and activities. Besides
getting updates on the latest
advances that genomics and
biomedical sciences have to offer,
our scientific program also promises
a whole new paradigm in delivery of
lectures and plenary sessions.
The conference theme is
“Genomics and Family Medicine”,
bringing you an assembly of
renowned plenary speakers like Dr
Shigeru Omi, Regional Director of
Western Pacific Regional Office of
the World Health Organisation; Dr
Francis Collins, Director of National
Human Genome Research Institute;
Professor Yvonne Carter, Dean of
Warwick Medical School; Dr Spencer
Wells, Population Geneticist of
National Geographic; Professor
David Goldstein, Director of IGSP
Centre for Population Genomics &
Pharmacogenetics; Professor Edison
Liu, Executive Director of Genome
Institute of Singapore; Professor
Michael Kidd, Head of the Discipline
of General Practice in the University
of Sydney; and many others. So,
please sign up now to enjoy early
bird discounts and also to pre book
your hotels so that the choicest
sites can be reserved for you!
WONCA
News
FEATURE STORIES / REGIONAL NEWS
8
WONCA REGIONAL NEWS
ASIA PACIFIC FAMILY MEDICINE JOURNAL ENTERS ITS
SIXTH YEAR
Asia Pacific Family Medicine (APFM) is published four times a year by the
World Organization of Family Doctors. Now in its sixth year, APFM is
dedicated to promoting the discipline of family medicine within the region.
The Journal aims to provide a forum for the dissemination of high quality
regional research and to enhance the standards of family medicine by
focusing on best practices. The breadth of the region encompasses much
cultural diversity, which provides a rich and complex heritage. By reflecting
this in the pages of the journal, regional links should be fostered and
strengthened.
Visit our trade exhibition — a good platform for your business and
service matching opportunities. The medical technology exhibition will
provide a unique business matching opportunity for all family physicians
and medical groups wanting to scale up their practice profiles and offer an
improved and vastly increased range of point of care testing services for
their patients.
In addition to work and academic schedules, the organizing committee
also promises to host a dazzling array of social programs for your partners
and family members. Thinking of bringing along your loved ones? There are
several fun and exciting attractions to keep your family occupied throughout
your stay so that you can attend all of our programs and social activities
with complete assurance that they would never get bored.
Singapore is a beautiful and dynamic city where you get to experience a
multicultural society living harmoniously under one community.
Geographically located in the centre of South East Asia, Singapore offers a
blend of East meets West heritage, its unique multicultural society portrays
tradition as well as modernity of the world today. You could shop till you
drop, feast on some of the greatest culinary delights as well as attend
world-class performances at our latest state of the art architectural marvel,
the Esplanade. I am certain you will never have a dull moment in Singapore,
the city that never sleeps! Make Singapore your 2007 travel destination
today.
Stay tuned for more exciting updates on our conference website and
make a date with Singapore for the Wonca 2007 World Conference, 24 July
2007 to 27 July 2007! I look forward to welcoming you here.
Dr Tan See Leng
Chairman
Host Organizing Committee
Wonca World Conference 2007
Email: contact@cfps.org.sg
Website: www.wonca2007.com
The Journal welcome articles
from all authors on the diversity of
topics and interests that fall under
the umbrella of general practice/
family medicine. However, we are
particularly seeking papers that
address four key topics of relevance
for our region: avian influenza
pandemic planning; mental health;
diabetes; and medical education.
We also particularly welcome new or
aspiring authors to join the research
debate. All original manuscripts are
reviewed by at least two
appropriate reviewers in the field of
the submitted paper. Acceptance of
manuscripts is based on scientific
content and presentation of material
and at the discretion of the editors.
We all faced many challenges
during the past year. It has been a
year that has seen the network of
family physicians form even stronger
bonds globally, as we have faced
challenges from many quarters:
• Both new infectious disease
threats such as avian influenza,
and old ones such as the
continual decimation of
populations in developing
countries by HIV;
• Implementing and disseminating
concepts of preventive medicine;
• Addressing the issues of health
inequalities, whether they be
gender, ethnic or socio-
economically based; and
• Dealing with the scourge of
chronic disease and
comorbidities that form the daily
bulk of problems presented in
GP waiting rooms around the
world.
This concept of professional
commonalities, irrespective of the
locale of our practice, was
emphasized most recently at the
November 2006 Wonca Asia-Pacific
Regional Conference in Bangkok.
This meeting also highlighted the
importance of research by our
profession to better understand our
WONCA
News
REGIONAL NEWS
9
patients’ needs and to encourage
better directed health care and
policy initiatives for individual
countries within our region. In line
with this, the “Research Networks
within the Asia Pacific Region”
seminar was well attended.
Participants underscored the need
for adequate funding and protected
time to promote and support
research initiatives. This focus on
research closely supports the
mission statement of our journal,
which has always been dedicated to
providing a platform for
disseminating regional research and
helping raise the standards of family
medicine within our region.
While the APFM is in its 6th year of
publication we, the editors, continue
to search for the most effective and
efficient way for the Journal to meet
its readers’ needs. While
internationally recognized “quality”
criteria in publishing means that
many authors seek publication in
the larger international journals, this
underestimates the question of
readership. Topics of pressing need
and interest locally may have little
importance or relevance on a
worldwide scale. Does this mean the
topic is not suitable for general
debate or in need of dissemination?
Not at all. It means that the
audience needs to be carefully
selected, and this is what smaller,
more targeted journals specialize in.
For this reason, we believe that the
APFM journal has an essential part
to play in the discipline of family
medicine in this region. Its place on
the library shelf is beside local,
national journals, to provide a
repository of locally relevant
research that supplements each
local national journal’s impressions
and discussions of their national
policies and interests.
Please visit Asia Pacific Family
Medicine online at www.apfmj.com
Lyn CLEARIHAN, Co-editor
Tai Pong LAM, Co-editor
Zorayda LEOPANDO, Co-editor
The European Journal of
General Practice Finds
New Global Publisher
Created in 1995, the European
Journal of General Practice is the
official journal of WONCA Europe
(the European Society of General
Practice/Family Medicine) and
supports its aims and objectives.
The EJGP is an international
scientific journal. Its objectives are:
• To foster scientific research in
general practice/family medicine
(GP/FM) by the publication of
original papers and reports;
• To present background papers,
and papers stimulating
discussion and debate relevant
for the development of GP/FM;
• To facilitate the communication
between the members of the
ESGP/FM, the international
network organisations and the
national colleges and societies
involved in general practice.
EJGP has a distinguish group of
Medical Editors: Professor Michael
M Kochen (Germany); Dr An De
Sutter (Belgium); Dr Andrew Ross
(United Kingdom); Dr Philip Evans
(United Kingdom)Prof Jan De
Maeseneer - Belgium (Editor for
Commissions). In addition, a highly
respected Editorial Advisory Board is
strongly rooted in all aspects of GP/
FM and represents the whole
geographical area. The journal is
indexed in Index Medicus/PubMed
and EMBASE.
Following some recent difficulties
experienced in the production of the
journal, the European Journal of
General Practice is now to be
published by Taylor and Francis. We
look forward to our new
collaboration with Taylor and
Francis, one of the world’s largest
medical and scientific publishers.
Happily, we continue to receive a
good flow of manuscripts from GP
researchers throughout the world
and we are confident in maintaining
our high standards of scientific
publication. We also plan to develop
other aspects of the journal
including more material for
education and debate in our
discipline and material both from
and for our growing number of
European network groups. We also
have plans to enhance the website
and improve electronic access to the
journal. It is vitally important to the
development of academic general
practice that you continue to
support our endeavours with your
journal subscription and we would
urge your colleagues and
institutions to do the same. The
European Journal of General Practice
is available online at:
Colin P. Bradley
Chief Editor
Ireland
ejgp@ucc.ie
Letter to Editor: Family
Medicine and Culture in
Argentina and Greece
As the former Chairman of the
International Committee and the
present Chairman of General Affairs
for Japanese Academy of Primary
Care Physicians, I attended the 1st
Wonca Iberoamericana-CIMF
Regional Conference held in Buenos
Aires from Oct 11-14, 2006. The
scientific program, coordinated by
10
WONCA
News
REGIONAL NEWS / HEALTH AND HEALTH SYSTEM NEWS
HEALTH AND HEALTH SYSTEM NEWS
WORLD HEALTH DAY 2007 FOCUSES ON
INTERNATIONAL HEALTH SECURITY
Political, business and opinion leaders met in Singapore on 2 April for a
global debate that that underscored the urgent need to improve
international health security. The high-level debate, hosted by the World
Health Organization (WHO) and the Government of Singapore, launched the
World Health Day 2007 theme of international health security and global
message to “Invest in health, build a safer future.” World Health Day
highlighted the health threats to communities of emerging and rapidly
spreading diseases, environmental change, bioterrorism, natural disasters,
chemical spills or radioactive accidents, and HIV/AIDS.
“The uncertainty and destructive potential of disease outbreaks and
acute public health emergencies gives them a high public and political
profile,” said the WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan. “When the world
is collectively at risk, defense becomes a shared responsibility of all nations.
WHO continues to track evolving infectious disease situations and acute
health threats, sounds the alarm if necessary, shares expertise with local
and national health officials, and mounts the kind of response needed to
protect people from these dangers to health.”
The wide-ranging debate challenged panelists to confront the public
health, business and diplomatic obstacles to improved cross-border
cooperation and collaboration. In addition to WHO DG Chan, participants
included Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore; Philip Chen, Chief
Executive of Cathay Pacific Airways; Dr Balaji Sadasivan, Senior Minister of
State of Foreign Affairs of Singapore; and Jonas Gahr Store, Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Norway.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said “The theme of this year’s World
Health Day, international health security, is apt given the global health
landscape today. In a highly interconnected world, diseases spread fast and
recognize no boundaries. Cooperation among nations is crucial, for we all
have a responsibility to one another.
Jonas Gahr Store, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, began an
initiative last summer to establish an informal group of foreign ministers to
explore the linkages between foreign policy and global health. He said:
“Globalization has increased countries’ vulnerability and interdependence.
Health issues are among the major challenges that call for stronger strategic
focus and closer international cooperation.”
Philip Chen, Chief Executive of Cathay Pacific Airways, steered the airline
through the 2003 outbreak of SARS, a highly contagious disease that
traveled the globe quickly and inflicted severe economic damage. He said:
“The SARS outbreak taught us that organizational competence is essential
in meeting the challenges of a crisis. Perhaps more importantly, it is also
critical to invest in the time needed to build credibility and win the trust of
those people you must rely on for support should a crisis ever happen. This
Dr Ezequiel Lopez, and the overall
conference, chaired by Professor
Sergio Solmesky, was outstanding.
In addition, I had the pleasure of
attending the 2005 Wonca Europe
Regional Conference in Kos Island of
Greece in September 2005.
These wonderful meetings
expanded my understanding of
family medicine and cultural
diversity. In ancient Greece, I
learned about Hippocrates, the
father of the western medicine, and
how he taught his physician
students and colleagues. In Buenos
Aires, I learned how family medicine
in Argentina, and throughout Central
and South America, was influenced
by history, politics, economy and
culture.
Every time I attend a Wonca
Regional Conference, I have learned
not only about family medicine but
the political, socioeconomic and
cultural aspects of the region and
its countries. We family physicians
must always pay attention to the
relationship among medicine and
health, and the history, politics,
economy, and culture of each
country.
Dr. Hiroshi Bando
Chairman of General Affairs,
Japanese Academy of Primary Care
Physicians
pianomed@bronze.ocn.ne.jp
WONCA
News
HEALTH AND HEALTH SYSTEM NEWS / MEMBER AND ORGANIZATIONAL NEWS
11
is as true for multinational organizations and governments as it is for
commercial enterprises such as Cathay Pacific.”
A new sense of urgency following the outbreaks of SARS and avian
influenza in the early years of this decade has led the world to adopt an
innovative new approach to strengthen global defenses against the spread
of disease. The revised International Health Regulations (2005) come into
force on 15 June 2007. The legal framework requires countries to inform
WHO of all public health emergencies of international concern. They
represent an unprecedented public health tool that aims to ensure maximum
health security and minimum interference with international transport and
trade.
“New outbreaks of avian influenza and the looming danger of an
influenza pandemic, together with the severe health impacts of recent
flooding in Indonesia and the Horn of Africa, underline the fact that now is
the time to focus on international health security,” said WHO DG Chan.
“Even with serious challenges in today’s world, however, it is my view that
these are optimistic times for health,”
A WHO background document, released today, was used to help guide
discussions and stir debate. The paper profiled eight issues linked to
international health security, together with key points to focus the debate:
New, highly contagious diseases, such as SARS and avian influenza,
know no borders. Their potential to cause international harm means that
outbreaks cannot be treated as purely national issues. With fewer than
10,000 cases, SARS cost Asian countries US$60 billion in gross expenditure
and business losses in the second quarter of 2003 alone.
In 2006, international crises and humanitarian emergencies affected
134.6 million people and natural disasters killed 21,342 persons. Upwards of
60,000 were killed in recent years in climate-related natural disasters,
Chemical, radioactive and biological terror threats: whether deliberate or
accidental, pose serious threats to water, food and sanitation systems.
Anthrax-tainted letters sent through the U.S. postal system in 2001 and the
release of sarin on the Tokyo subway in 1995 remind us that although
chemical and biological attacks are rare, some people are ready to use this
brand of terrorism.
Additional information on World Health Day and the issue of global
health and security is available at: http://www.who.int/world-health-day/
2007/en/index.html
MEMBER AND
ORGANIZATIONAL NEWS
LINDA FRENCH JOINS
GLOBAL FAMILY DOCTOR’S
MEDICAL EDITOR TEAM
Linda French, a family doctor
born in the United States, has joined
Global Family Doctor as medical
editor. She moved to Chile with her
husband when she was 22 years old
and lived there for 14 years. During
that time she attended medical
school at Universidad Austral de
Chile, the same university where her
husband taught English. She
graduated in 1988 first in her class.
From 1988-1990 she worked in a
primary care clinic in the city of
Punta Arenas, Chile, which is about
the southern most inhabited place
on earth of any size. She was also
able to take a one-month intensive
course in public health during that
period. This experience forged her
commitment to the importance of
primary care for the common good.
Dr Linda French –
GFD Medical Editor
Upon return to the United States
in 1990 she did her residency in
family medicine, following which she
joined the faculty of the community
hospital program where she trained.
In 1993-1994 she was a fellow in the
Primary Care Faculty Development
Fellowship at Michigan State
University, a part-time program
concurrent with her faculty position.
Her fellowship project was a
curriculum for teaching evidence-
based medicine and scholarship to
family medicine residents.
RESOURCES FOR THE
FAMILY DOCTOR
THE WONCA DICTIONARY
OF GENERAL/FAMILY
PRACTICE
The Editor of the Dictionary and
Chair of Wonca International
Classification Committee (WICC)
Niels Bentzen writes in the Preface,
“The main purpose of this dictionary
is to act as a reference for GPs/FPs
throughout the world, so that they
can communicate meaningfully
about general/family practice now
and in the near future. The
Dictionary’s ambition is to cover
general terms regarding the
organization and the work in
general/family practice, research,
classification, and epidemiology.”
Professor Niels Bentzen, Chair, WICC
The Past President of Wonca,
Dr. Michael Boland writes in the
Foreword, “On behalf of Wonca, I
welcome this publication as a
milestone in the development of
international family medicine. I
commend it to all our member
colleges, academies and scientific
12
WONCA
News
MEMBER AND ORGANIZATIONAL NEWS / RESOURCES FOR THE FAMILY DOCTOR
From 1999-2006 she was Associate Professor of Family Medicine at
Michigan State University. She was also Associate Chair for Clinical Services
until July of 2005 when she was appointed Senior Associate Chair and
Acting Chair while the titular chair was on sabbatical. In November of 2006
she took the position of Professor and Chair of Family Medicine at the
University of Toledo College of Medicine.
Her scholarship consists principally of evidence-based reviews, including
two Cochrane Reviews. She has been a member of several editorial boards.
Linda is a proud member of the Wonca Working Party of Women in Family
Medicine. She has been married for more than 30 years and has four adult
children.
Linda French joins a prestigious group of four editors under the
leadership of Wes Fabb, Medical Editor since the inception of Global Family
Doctor in 2001. Stephen Wilkinson joined Wes in 2004, and Jim Vause in
2005. Recently, Jim Vause was appointed Medical Editor of GFD to replace
Wes Fabb who retires in July 2007.
The Wonca GFD Medical Editors scan the contents pages of over 200
family medicine, general and specialist online journals for articles relevant
to family doctors. Over 5,000 article titles are scanned each month.
Interesting articles describing clinical, epidemiological and health services
research are summarized into items in Journal Watch, and reviews of topics
relevant to family doctors are featured in Clinical Reviews. Summaries are
posted within days of publication. The purpose of this valuable GFD service
is to enable busy clinicians to keep right up-to-date with minimal time and
effort.
with the editor Niels Bentzen (Norway), associate
editors Bent Bjerre (Denmark), Chris Peterson (Australia)
and Philip Sive (Israel) and 31 contributors from all over
the World.
The aim of WICC is to Develop, update and
distribute systems which enable international
communication about the work with patients in general/
family practice. Further information about WICC and the
Wonca Dictionary of General/Family Practice can be
found at: www.GlobalFamilyDoctor.com ‘Publications’
and About Wonca, ‘Committees, Groups’, ‘Classification
WICC’
Global Family Doctor: Mailing Lists For
Family Doctors
Global Family Doctor – Wonca Online has a very
listing of mailing lists for family doctors at http://
www.globalfamilydoctor.com and then going into
“information” and then “mailing lists” from the top tool
bar.
Here is a brief summary of the mailing lists with
hyperlinks for those interested from the above website
to the interested organizations and individuals. The
mailing list summary includes the following:
Cardiovascular_EUR
European Network for Cardiovascular Prevention in
General Practice, mainly consisting of interested General
Practice/Family Medicine physicians to discuss issues
related to Cardiovascular prevention, both non-
pharmacological and pharmacological both on
individual and society level. Started after a workshop at
the WONCA-meeting in Ljubljana June 2003.
CISP-L
This list is for French speaking persons interested in the
French version of ICPC classification system developed
specifically for primary care.You can join by sending the
message “subscribe CISP-L” to
requests@listserv.fp.med.umich.edu.
The National Divisions of General Practice Mailing List
A list for the National Divisions of General Practice in
Australia.
Docsboard.com
Docsboard.com was created on Feb 26 2004 to help
physicians share knowledge. Docsboard.com is run by a
13
WONCA
News
RESOURCES FOR THE FAMILY DOCTOR
associations throughout the world, and to the growing
community of teachers and researchers in family
medicine everywhere. It will help us to define our
discipline more precisely and to explain more clearly to
others the contribution we can make to medical science
and to the delivery of health care.”
The Editor of “A Dictionary of Epidemiology”
Professor John Last writes, “Reading it (the Wonca
Dictionary of General/Family Practice), I was reminded of
the preoccupation of thoughtful GPs with improved
methods of education and research, at both of which
many important cutting-edge innovations have come
from family practice. The Wonca Dictionary is replete
with terms from these domains and defines, usually
concisely and clearly, their meaning in general/family
practice”.
Family doctors, the team members they work with
and administrators and others who are responsible for
primary care, will find this handy, slim reference book a
useful source of explanations of terms they encounter
and wish to ensure themselves that they know the full
and correct meaning.
The Wonca Dictionary of General/Family Practice can
be obtained from the Wonca website at
www.GlobalFamilyDoctor.com ‘publications’
A printed version can be paid for electronically ($25
USD) and will be mailed directly to the purchaser from
the printer in Denmark. It can also be downloaded from
the website at a price of $15 USD.
The Wonca Dictionary in General/Family Practice is
published in British English. If you want to translate it
you must contact the CEO of Wonca, Dr. Alfred Loh, in
order to get a license. This can either be a non-
commercial or a commercial license.
The translator must work in close cooperation with
WICC through Dr. Inge Okkes: i.m.okkes@amc.uva.nl If
the translator is from one of the countries which has a
member in WICC (see other side), this member should
also be contacted.
Wonca has the copyright of any version of this book,
and an agreement with Wonca is therefore necessary
prior to any translation, publication or sale of the
Wonca Dictionary in whatever language.
The Wonca International Classification Committee
(WICC) is the committee in Wonca responsible for the
Wonca Dictionary of General/Family Practice together
WONCA
News
RESOURCES FOR THE FAMILY DOCTOR
14
group of physicians, on a voluntary basis. The site is
non-commercial and although moderated, allows free
discussions and exchange of ideas.
Doctors’ Dialogue
This South African list is aimed at providing practical
support to rural doctors. It has developed due to a need
to reduce the isolation of rural doctors and to help
facilitate their access to specialist knowledge,
information and limited resources in order to improve
the quality of rural healthcare. You can join by sending
the message “subscribe mailadoc” to
listproc@healthlink.org.za.
EGPRN
This is the list of the European General Practice
Research Network. The topics to be discussed include
EGPRW meetings and projects, and primary care
research in general.
Eyr
This list is open to everyone who understands
Norwegian and wishes to discuss topics related to
general practice. File archive available.
FAMDEL
This list is organized by the Society of Teachers of
Family Medicine Group on Family Centered Perinatal
Care. It is directed at group members, and others
teaching and providing pregnancy care in Family
Medicine. The list is open to all who are interested. You
can join by sending the message “subscribe FAMDEL
your name” to mailserv@asri.edu.
FAMILY-L
This list is primarily for family medicine faculty and
fellows who are interested in medical education,
administration, or research within family medicine. File
archive available.
Fam-Med
This list focuses on the use of computer and
telecommunication technology in the teaching and
practice of Family Medicine. It comes in two formats:
unmoderated and a moderated digest version. File
archive available.
Fellow Family Docs
A private group of about 50 family physicians across the
USA discussing patient care and practice management
via email moderated by Paul Hunter, MD.
FPCAN-L
This list is primarily for physicians and concerning
issues of interest in the area of family medicine in
Canada. File archive available.
FPRES
Family practice residents discussion list. You can join
this list by sending the message “subscribe fpres your
name” to listserv@lsv.uky.edu.
GERI-FP
A list for family physicians and health care
administrators who have an interest and expertise in
geriatrics. You can join this list by sending the message
“subscribe geri-fp your name” to
listserv@shrsys,hslc.org.
GP-UK
This list facilitates discussion on new ideas, research,
workshops, seminars, conferences, grants, education,
software development etc. for the UK General Practice
community. Non-UK views are also welcome. File archive
available.
GP-WONCA
This list is designed to facilitate member interaction and
discussion on topics relevant to Family Doctors around
the world. Probably, the most ‘global’ list around.
ICPC-L
This is an e-mail discussion list devoted to the
International Classification of Primary Care. It is open for
discussion of all issues related to the implementation
and use of ICPC in practice and research.
Le Forum
Belgian mailing list for SSMG (Societe Scientifique de
Medecine Generale).
MedFam-APS
Foro sobre Medicina Familiar y Atencion Primaria de
Salud. Spanish list dedicated to discussion of all topics
concerned with Primary Health Care. Primarily in Spanish
and dedicated to the Spanish Primary Care professional
community, non-Spanish views, specially latin-american,
are welcome You can join this list by sending the
message “subscribe MEDFAM-APS firstname surname” to
listserv@listserv.rediris.es. File archive available.
Medfam foro
Mailing list for the Argentinian Association of Family
Medicine.
MIR - Medicina In Rete
Italian mailing list for general practice. To join MIR, send
a message to Fabio Turone.
MMATRIX-L
This mailing list serves individuals interested in the
development and promotion of Internet medicine
resources. It is an appropriate place for Internet
resource providers and authors to introduce their
documents to a global medical community. You can join
by sending the message “subscribe mmatrix-l
your_name” to listserv@listserv.acor.org.
MPL-forum
This is a Danish list for general practitioners.
NAPCRG-MH-L
An e-mail discussion list for the NAPCRG Special Interest
Group and Task Force on Mental Health. You can join by
sending the message “subscribe NAPCRG-MH-L” to:
requests@listserv.fp.med.umich.edu
NAPCRG-L
North American Primary Care Research Group. This list is
open for NAPCRG members and any interested persons.
It is hoped that NAPCRG-L will become a resource to
further research issues relevant to all primary care
specialties.
PCSG
A discussion list for the Primary Care Society for
Gastroenterology. The list is open to any Primary Health
Care workers.
Primary Care Cymru List
A discussion list for Primary Care in Wales. All those
with an interest in primary care are invited to share
news, views and debate. Feel free to discuss clinical
issues, education, medical politics etc.
RURAL-CARE
This list is a part of InterPsych, a consortium of mental
health discussion groups. You can join by sending the
message “subscribe rural-care firstname lastname” to
listserv@listp.apa.org.
Rural Doctors
This mailing list is for rural health personnel, especially
those who are more or less isolated from universities,
medical schools, large clinics and large hospitals. You
can join by sending the message “subscribe
rural_doctors your_name” to listserv@rhc.coos-bay.or.us.
WONCA
News
RESOURCES FOR THE FAMILY DOCTOR
15
RURAL MED
This mailing list was started in 1995 as an initiative of
the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada. It is an
attempt to create a network of physicians in rural
practice, as well as others in universities or elsewhere
with an interest in rural medicine. Although RURALMED
has a Canadian focus, international participants are also
welcome.
RuralNet-L
This list provides a forum for the discussion of issues
relevant to rural health care. Practitioners,
administrators, students, faculty, government officials
and others are invited. You can join this list by sending
the message “subscribe ruralnet-l your name” to
listserv@ruralnet.marshall.edu.
SFAM Ordbyte
Open mailing list for the Swedish Association of General
Practice.
VTS-LIST
This list is for discussing Vocational Training of General
Practitioners. You can join by sending the message
“subscribe vts-list” to majordomo@ukpc.org.
Woncawomen
The Woncawomen list is a listserv of people who helped
to plan the Women’s Track in Durban and who are
involved in the recently formed Women and Family
Medicine Working Party within WONCA. To subscribe,
send an email to Lucy Candib at lcandib@massmed.org
stating your interest in being on the
If you know of other lists that you feel should have
been included on this GFD page, please contact Hogne
Sandvik (hogne.sandvik@isf.uib.no)
WONCA
News
CONFERENCES 2007 – 2011
16
WONCA CONFERENCES 2007 – 2011 AT A GLANCE
**Wonca Direct Members enjoy lower conference registration fees
See Wonca Website www.GlobalFamilyDoctor.com for upates & membership information
2007
24 – 27 July
18th WONCA
SINGAPORE
Genomics and Family Medicine
WORLD CONFERENCE
17 – 20 Oct
European
Paris
Re-Thinking Primary Care in the European
Regional
FRANCE
Context: A New Challenge for General
Conference
Practice
2008
4 – 7 Sept
Europe
Istanbul
Theme to be confirmed
Regional
TURKEY
Conference
1 – 5 Oct
Asia Pacific
Melbourne
A Celebration of Diversity
Regional
AUSTRALIA
Conference
2009
5 – 8 June
Asia Pacific
Regional
Hong Kong
Building Bridges
Conference
16 – 19 Sept
Europe
Basel
The Fascination of Complexity -
Regional
SWITZERLAND
Dealing with Individuals in a
Conference
Field of Uncertainty
2010
19 – 23 May
19
th
WONCA
Cancun
Millennium Development Goals:
World
MEXICO
the Contribution of Family Medicine
Conference
Date to
Europe
Malaga
Theme to be confirmed
confirmed
Regional
SPAIN
Conference
2011
February 2011
Asia Pacific
Cebu
Paradigms of Family Medicine:
Regional
PHILIPPINES
Bridging Old Traditions with
Conference
New Concepts
Information correct as of February 2007.
May be subject to change.
17
WONCA
News
GLOBAL MEETINGS FOR THE FAMILY DOCTOR
GLOBAL MEETINGS FOR THE
FAMILY DOCTOR
WONCA WORLD AND
REGIONAL CONFERENCE
CALENDAR
18th Wonca World Conference,
Singapore 2007
Host: College of Family
Physicians, Singapore
Theme: Genomics and Family
Medicine
Date: 24-27 July, 2007
Venue: Singapore International
Convention and Exhibition
Centre
Contact: Dr Tan See Leng,
Chairman,
Host Organizing Committee
College of Family
Physicians, Singapore
College of Medicine
Building
16 College Road #01-02
Singapore 169854
Tel: 65 6223 0606
Fax: 65 6222 0204
Email:
renawong@pacificworld.com
enquiry@wonca2007.com
registration@wonca2007.com
Web: www.wonca2007.com
Wonca Europe Regional Conference,
Paris, 2007
Host: French National College of
Teachers in General
Practice
Theme: Rethinking Primary Care in
the European Context
Date: 17-20 October, 2007
Venue: Palais des Congres
Paris, France
Contact: French National College of
Teachers in General
Practice
6 rue des Deux Communes
94300 Vincennes, France
Tel: 33-153 669 180
Email: cnge@cnge.fr
Web: www.cnge.fr
8
th
Wonca Rural Health Conference,
Nigeria 2008
Host:
National Post-Graduate
Medical College of Nigeria
Theme:
Frontline Medicine – From
Natural Disasters to Daily
Care
Date:
20th – 23rd
February 2008
Venue:
Calabar, Cross River State,
Nigeria
Contact:
Dr Ndifreke Udonwa
Chair Local Organizing
Committee
C/O Office of C.M.A.C
University of Calabar
Teaching Hospital,
GPO Box 147, Calabar
54001, Cross River State,
Nigeria
234 (0) 803 341 6810
234 (0) 87 232 053
nudonwa@yahoo.com
Tel:
Fax:
Email:
Wonca Europe Regional Conference,
Basel, Switzerland 2009
Host:
Swiss Society of General
Medicine SSMG/SGAM
Theme:
The Fascination of
Complexity - Dealing with
Individuals in a Field of
Uncertainty
Date:
Venue:
16-19 September 2009
Congress Center Basel,
Switzerland
Contact:
Dr Bruno Kissling
Chair Host Organizing
Committee
Swiss Society of General
Medicine SSMG/SGAM
Elfenauweg 6, CH-3006
Bern
Switzerland
0041 352 48 50
0041 352 28 84
bruno.kissling@hin.ch
Tel:
Fax:
Email:
Web:
www.woncaeurope2009.org
19th Wonca World Conference,
Cancun 2010
Host:
Mexican College of Family
Medicine
Theme:
Millennium Develop Goals:
The Contribution of Family
Medicine
19-23 May, 2010
Cancun Conventions and
Date:
Venue:
Exhibition Center, Cancun
Mexico
Mexican College of Family
Contact:
Medicine
Anahuac #60
Colonia Roma Sur
06760 Mexico, D.F.
52-55 5574
52-55 5387
Tel:
Fax:
Email:
jdo14@hotmail.com
MEMBER ORGANIZATION AND
RELATED MEETINGS
4th National Family Medicine Days
with the 2nd European Systemic
Family Medicine Conference, Antalya
Turkey, 2007
Host:
Turkish Association of
Family Physicians
Akdeniz University
Faculty of Medicine
Department of Family
Medicine
April 25-29, 2007
Antalya, Turkey
Kremlin Palace Hotel
Dekon Congress and
Date:
Location:
Venue:
Contact:
Tourism
+90 212 347 63 00
dekon@dekon.com.tr
www.fammed2007.org/en/default.asp
Tel:
Email:
Web:
Gender Matters! in General Practice
Research, Education and Health
Care, Nijmegen The Netherlands,
2007
Host:
Dutch College of
General Practitioners
(NHG)
Dutch European General
Practice Research
Network (EGPRN)
Theme:
Gender Matters! (in
General Practice
Research, Education and
Health Care)
10-13 May, 2007
Nijmegen, Netherlands
Coordinating Centre
Date:
Location:
Contact:
EGPRN
Hanny Prick
General Practice –
University Maastricht
+31433882319
+31433671458
Phone:
Fax:
Email:
hanny.prick@hag.unimaas.nl
Website:
http://www.egprn.org/
EGPRN Meeting
Nijmegen
1st International Conference of
Medical Students and Junior Doctors
on Family Medicine, Lodz Poland,
2007
Date:
Host:
11-12 May, 2007
The Student Scientific
Organisation of the First
Department of Family
Medicine, Medical
University of Lodz
First Department of
Family Medicine,
Medical University of
Lodz
Location:
Venue:
Lodz, Poland
Sheraton Tucson Hotel
& Suites
Chair:
Prof. Andrzej LEWINSKI,
Rector of the Medical
University of Lodz
Dr. Konstanty Radziwill,
President of the Polish
Medical Chamber
Web:
www.zmr.lodz.pl/
1ConferenceOnFM.php
The Hong Kong College of Family
Physicians Annual Scientific
Meeting, Hong Kong, 2007
Date:
Theme:
26-27 May, 2007
30 years of HKCFP and
Beyond : A New Era in
Family Medicine
Chair:
Web:
Dr. Winnie W. Y. Chan
http://www.hkcfp.org.hk/
asm2007.htm
http://www.zmr.lodz.pl/
1ConferenceOnFM.php
15th Nordic Congress of General
Practice, Reykjavik Iceland, 2007
Theme:
The human face of
medicine in a hi-tech
world
Date:
Host:
June 13-16, 2007
The Icelandic College of
Family Physicians and
Department of Family
Medicine
Location:
Chairs:
Reykjavik Iceland
Jon Steinar Jónsson
Alma Eir Svavarsdottir
Johann Ag. Sigurdsson
Contact:
Johann Ag. Sigurdsson,
Professor
Phone:
(+47) 95 14 45 64
(+354) 897 79 19
(in Norway)
(+354) 550 26 01
gp2007@hi.is
Fax:
Email:
Web:
http://www.meetingiceland
.com/gp2007/
WONCA
News
GLOBAL MEETINGS FOR THE FAMILY DOCTOR
18
4
th
AAFP International Family
Medicine Development Workshop
Tucson, 2007
Date:
Location:
Venue:
September 13-15, 2007
Tucson, Arizona
Sheraton Tucson Hotel
& Suites
Edward J. Shahady, MD
Rebecca Janssen
rjanssen@aafp.org
Chair:
Contact:
Email:
Web:
www.aafp.org/intl/workshop2007
American Academy of Family
Physicians (AAFP)
Annual Scientific Assembly, Chicago,
2007
Date:
Venue:
Contact:
October 3-7, 2007
Chicago, Ilinois
AAFP
11400 Tomahawk Creek
Parkway
Leawood, Kansas
66211-2672, USA
1 913 906 6000
1 913 906 6075
international@aafp.org
http://www.aafp.org
Tel:
Fax:
Email:
Web:
The Royal Australian College of
General Practitioners
50th Annual Scientific Conference
Sydney, Australia 2007
4-7 October 2007
Sydney, Australia
www.racgp.org.au
Date:
Venue:
Web:
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We take days scanning the journals, so you need take only minutes.
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