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 I was recently sponsored by Singhealth to present 2 papers at the 19th World Congress of the International Society for Digestive Surgeons in Yokohama, Japan. This biennial event is an important international meeting whereby experts from all over the globe gather to share their ideas and discuss the latest advances in the field of gastrointestinal surgery. These international experts hail from world renowned institutions such as the Mayo Clinic, Harvard Medical School, Cleveland Clinic, Tokyo University and Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong. The congress was an unprecedented success with over 1,700 delegates from 46 countries including a sizeable number from Singapore.
The trip was both enjoyable and educational. Many of my colleagues from the Department of Surgery, Singapore General Hospital also attended the trip (many of whom were also sponsored by Singhealth), and we enjoyed many group outings together. Although the conference was jam packed with up to 4 concurrent sessions running from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm, we could still afford the time to do some sight-seeing and shopping. The symposiums and talks were both interesting and stimulating and it was enjoyable to listen and watch some of the greatest minds in GI surgery at work.
In my opinion, the best learning experience one can derive from an overseas conference is not just listening to the talks and lectures but the opportunity to present one' s research work in front of an international audience. During the discussion segment, one can exchange thoughts and opinions with some of the world's leading experts. From this interaction, one can gain much from the questions and comments of these experts. These constructive criticisms will help greatly when one is writing up one's research paper.
I strongly encourage all junior doctors (medical officers and registrars) to apply for the Singhealth sponsorship to present at an overseas conference as it provides an excellent opportunity to listen to the opinions of and interact with world experts. Moreover, it provides a platform for one to present and share one's research ideas with the rest of the scientific community.
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