CISTM8 is a Spectacular Success on Broadway
by Karl Neumann, Editor, NewsShare
The recently concluded 8th biennial conference of the International Society of Medicine, held at the mammoth New York Marriott Marquis Hotel on Broadway in Times Square -- which, say New Yorkers, is the epicenter of the world, if not the universe -- made the Great White Way sparkle even brighter than usual, if, indeed, that is possible.
The gala opening reception, "Lights on Broadway/Tastes of New York" was held on the eve of the Conference in the bi-level 8th and 9th Floor Broadway Lounge and Promenade. These immense rooms, part of a forty-story atrium, protrude out over Times Square, offering a panoramic view of the bright lights, a fitting and unforgettable backdrop to the evening’s festivities. The food, plentiful and delicious, represented the various ethnic neighborhoods of the Big Apple. Music was provided by not one but two groups, New York’s own Jon Benitez Jazz Quintet offering a mellow jazz backdrop on the lower floor and the band, "Off the Wall" on the upper level playing a variety of music for the dancing pleasure of the assembled multitude.
The opening ceremony of the Conference, Act I, so to speak, began with a talented singer, from the Broadway show Mama Mia, presenting a rendition of well known Broadway show tunes about the City - perhaps the first medical meeting ever to be inaugurated in this "show biz" fashion. This was followed by a recorded address by former U.S. President Bill Clinton praising ISTM for its accomplishments and mission, welcomes from the deputy mayor of New York and from ISTM’s outgoing and incoming presidents, a stirring speech about travel and hope by one of our members, and a keynote address "International Health Regulations in the Era of Outbreaks and Epidemics" by Isabelle Nuttal, M.D. Dr. Nuttal is the World Health Organization’s Medical Officer for International Travel.
But as dazzling as Act I was, it was merely the curtain raiser for a memorably spectacular, sophisticated, state-of-the-art medical meeting. CISTM8 was expertly staged, produced, directed, and choreographed by Bradley Connor (USA), the meeting chairman and incoming president, and by Hans Dieter Nothdurft (Germany) and David Freedman (USA), the scientific co-chairmen. The co-chairmen were ably assisted by Kevin Kain (Canada) and Herwig Kollartisch (Austria). This ISTM extravaganza ran for four days -- five days, if you count the pre-meeting meetings -- of almost continuous presentations of the latest in travel medicine, with the only intermissions each night for sleeping.
The meeting attracted about 2,000 attendees from around the world, including invited guests, spouses, pharmaceutical representatives, local dignitaries, and press people. The faculty numbered 118. From sun up to way past sundown, the attendees immersed themselves in more than 200 presentations, consisting of plenary sessions, symposia, free communications, oral sessions and posters, pre-meeting meetings, debates of the day, workshops, destinations of the day, electronic interactive workshops, meet the professor, satellite sessions, and industry exhibits. And, of course, there were committee meetings, working lunches, social events and all the other accouterments that are now standard fare at such assemblages. Many presentations, even ones at 6:30 AM were SRO (Broadway talk for standing room only, referring to smash hits).
(Reports that several days after the closing ceremony some ISTM members were still riding elevators and escalators desperately looking for the level (floor) for their next session are believed to be unfounded, or at least, exaggerated. But it is apparently true that some members, including some officers of the Society, had great difficult remembering which level they were on and whether their next function was up or down, or north or south, or east or west.)
