An African first: Cape Town will host the first African meeting of the International Medical Education Leaders Forum

OTTAWA, 20 March 2018 – Cape Town, South Africa will host the first African edition of the International Medical Education Leaders Forum (IMELF) for specialist physicians.

IMELF is a “by invitation only” meeting of medical deans, presidents, CEOs and other leaders in postgraduate medical education to discuss common challenges and solutions for better health care globally. IMELF started in 2008 as a pre-conference meeting before the annual International Conference on Residency Education (ICRE), the signature meeting of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Growing interest and increasing attendance from Canada and abroad resulted in a decision to jointly host satellite IMELF meetings with sister colleges around the world. In 2017, the first satellite IMELF meetings were held in Santiago, Chile and Hong Kong. This year, IMELF satellites will be presented in Kuwait, Cape Town, Sydney, Stockholm and Mexico.

“IMELF meetings have been great places for leaders to share experiences and insights and to create strong networks for mutual assistance and inspiration. We enjoy working with colleagues and peers to improve health and healthcare systems through education, training and research,” said Dr. Andrew Padmos, founder of the IMELF series and Royal College CEO.

IMELF Cape Town takes place on May 17, 2018 and is co-hosted by the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA). This year’s theme is “Assessment: Across the Continuum” and guest speakers include:

- Prof. Francois Cilliers - Associate Professor, University of Cape Town
- Dr. Kgosi Letlape – President of Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA)
- Dr. Viren Naik, Director, Assessment, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, FRCPC
 
About the Royal College
“We hope the 2018 edition of IMELF will connect our specialists with subject-matter experts and develop a long-lasting global network of medical education professionals, “said Prof. Mike Sathekge, president of CMSA. “It’s important to know, as we grapple with issues in our healthcare systems, that we aren’t alone and have support and assistance from colleagues around the world.”

About the Royal College

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada is the home of specialty medicine in Canada, setting the standards for postgraduate medical education, supporting the continuing professional development of over 50,000 Fellows and affiliates, and supporting health system innovations nationwide. To find out more, please visit http://www.royalcollege.ca/rcsite/home-e

For information, contact

Melissa Nisbett Senior communications specialist,
Communications and External Relations
mnisbett@royalcollege.ca
T: 613-730-8177 ext. 426
Cell: 613-218-9570