To EFIM Members
Dear friends,
With 2006 behind us, it is appropriate to look back at some of the main achievements of EFIM during the past year and to focus on the major activities ahead of us in 2007. Thanks to all your work, 2006 was a very active year for EFIM. A necessary prerequisite is the strong representation from all National Societies at the Administrative Council and General Assembly Meetings, making it possible for the Executive committee to get your support for all necessary decisions enabling us to move forward. The Executive Committee is grateful for your strong interest in the Federation and we hope that we can rely on you also in 2007.
EFIM had two successful meetings in 2006, in Copenhagen and in Katowice. We want to express our particular gratitude to the Danish and Polish Societies for their generous support of these meetings. In Copenhagen the focus was on whether EFIM should increase the number of congresses, aiming at 1-year intervals only. This discussion was a necessary platform for a later decision by the Administrative Council to make this idea a reality, starting already in 2008. The highlight of the autumn meeting in Katowice was, of course, the 100-year jubilee of the Polish Society of Internal Medicine and the Second European Internal Medicine Day. EFIM is particularly grateful to Professor Kucharz for his ambitions to make this meeting a success, not only for the Polish Society but just as much for EFIM. At the Administrative Council during this meeting it was decided that the Congresses after Lisbon will be given to Rome 2008 and, as it was already decided, to Istanbul in 2009. It is a great pleasure for us to announce that since the meeting in Poland, Sweden has declared its interest in arranging the Congress in 2010 (Stockholm) and Greece in 2011 (Athens). We are sure that this will mark a new era for EFIM, making our activities even more known throughout Europe and internationally.
Other major achievements during 2006 were our activities with regard to the further development of professionalism. This has resulted in several publications and the work is moving forward towards new goals. This is, of course, of central importance for internal medicine. The European School of Internal Medicine has successfully moved from Alicante to Sintra, outside of Lisbon. The successful concept of Jaime Merino has been further developed under the strong and enthusiastic leadership of Antonio Martins Baptista. Plans are already in progress to extend the participation during 2007 to delegates also from the Unites States and Canada and, possibly, also to China. In spite of this, the focus will still be on European Internal Medicine. It is a pleasure to see the continuing strong development of one of the major successes of EFIM.
During 2006 the EFIM webpage was developed and new associate members from the industry were contracted. This means new projects and scientific developments for EFIM, but also financial support to enable us to increase our activities. From both a scientific and a financial point of view, it is particularly satisfactory to note that the European Journal of Internal Medicine is developing strongly as a result of both devoted editorial work and improved co-operation with our publisher, Elsevier. Hopefully, the Journal will be able to achieve an impact factor in 2008.
The first group of candidates for the European Diploma in Internal Medicine sat for their exam at the beginning of December 2006. The interest was strong and finally 19 candidates participated. The logistics worked well and we are now looking forward to the gradual growth of this important EFIM project.
In 2007, the EFIM will continue to build on the activities described above. We will also expand our contacts with ISIM. The focus next year is, of course, the EFIM-6 Congress in Lisbon 23–26 May, under the leadership of Faustino Ferreira. We are sure that this will be a success and we are looking forward to meeting you all there. It is important that you all announce this high-quality congress to all members of your National Society and encourage as many as possible to participate. The EFIM-6 Congress website for registration is available at: www.efim2007.com.
Enquiries may also be sent by email to: info@EFIM2007.com.
The working groups are continuing their activities and the 4th Clinical Research Seminar will take place in Paris on 10–12 May 2007.
During 2007, the European Board of Internal Medicine, together with the MRCP in London, will offer two occasions to sit for the European Diploma in Internal Medicine, one on 11–12 April and one on 5–6 December. The closing date for applications for the April exam is 2 February. Please refer to the EFIM website www.efim.org for further information and, at the same time, please look at the updated information about all EFIM activities. The Executive Committee urges you to inform all potential candidates about the possibility to sit for the exam this year. Due to the varying regional interest, the exams in 2007 will take place in London, Prague, Athens, Istanbul and Dublin. Other cities can be incorporated when participation in the exam increases.
We are looking forward to your continuing support in 2007 and to seeing you all in Lisbon.
With best regards to all our friends and colleagues.
Stefan Lindgren
EFIM President
(on behalf of the EFIM Executive)
E-mail: stefan.lindgren@med.lu.se
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