13th ECIM Congress, Geneva - Switzerland

Dear colleagues,

I have the privilege of inviting you to the very first European and Swiss Congress of Internal Medicine. This congress is a joint effort of the Swiss Society of General Internal Medicine (SSMI) which will hold its 82nd Assembly and the European Federation of Internal Medicine (EFIM). Geneva was chosen as the venue of this Congress because of its central position and easy access from all over Europe. It is also as the perfect example of a Swiss cosmopolitan city which is open to our European partners and friends.

We expect a rich and exciting programme, rendered even more so by the contribution of the members of EFIM and its affiliated national societies of internal medicine. We intend to cover all the main aspects of internal medicine, whether new breakthroughs or identified limits. As it is the goal of both the SSIM and the EFIM, we will try to meet the goals of all participants in terms of science and postgraduate and continuous education. The learning formats will be diverse and will include clinical symposia, updates in various specialties of medicine, keynote lectures, oral presentation and poster sessions, workshops as well as learning centers. To accommodate the attendants of all participating European countries, most plenary sessions will be held in English. In addition, we will ensure that one track will be held in French or German for those of you who would prefer to be addressed in one of the Swiss national languages. Also, the workshops will be delivered in French, German or English in equal proportions.

As tradition in Switzerland, other Swiss specialty societies close to internal medicine will also participate in the elaboration of the programme and their members will be most welcome. Finally, this will be a great opportunity to meet general internists from all over Europe, and share the joys and preoccupations of our fantastic discipline which is still at the very core of clinical medicine.

We hope you will be many to come and join us in Geneva and will do our very best to prepare a programme worthy of your attendance.