Buenos Aires Sheraton Hotel & Convention Centre Buenos Aires, Argentina September 16–20, 2008

The 29th International Congress of Internal Medicine was an outstanding event! Prof. Roberto Reussi, the President of the 28th WCIM, and his numerous collaborators within the organisation committee prepared a meeting covering all aspects of Internal Medicine. The congress took place at Buenos Aires Sheraton Hotel & Convention Center, which offered all facilities to run such a successful medical meeting of this impressive size. The congress was attended by thousands of participants from all over the world. The 29th International Congress of Internal Medicine actually had over 10’000 participants! This is outstanding since this breaks any record in the history of this biannual world congress. The high quality of the program was very much appreciated.

The congress had four goals: I) To define the role of internal medicine and the internist, II) to analyze the changes that will occur in the next 30 years in the prevalence of mayor diseases (XXIst Century Epidemics), III) to update on advances and new trends in internal medicine, and IV) to update on subspecialties from the point of view of the internist. The scientific program had over 100 sessions, and there were around 900 poster contributions. One third of these poster contributions came from Argentina, one third from Latinamerica and one third from abroad. This reflects the high national and international interest to participate in this important biannual world congress.

The World Congress of Internal Medicine is always a very special event, a «coming together» of physicians from all over the world. It is also a milestone in regard to Internal Medicine, or in other words…, «Internal Medicine goes global». The World Congress of Internal Medicine is the ideal place for exchanging knowledge in Internal Medicine, to discuss different health care systems and an excellent opportunity for recruiting a new generation of young Internist, a «must» for the future of Primary Care!

To have the congress in Argentina was wonderful. Argentina has a lot to offer, it’s a wonderful country!

In the name of the International Society of Internal Medicine I would like to thank the Organizing Committee again for the hard work!

Hans P. Kohler, MD, FACP
Secretary General,
International Society of Internal Medicine

SOCIÉTÉ INTERNATIONALE DE MÉDECINE INTERNE
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF INTERNAL MEDICINE
INTERNATIONALE GESELLSCHAFT FÜR INNERE MEDIZIN

Report on the Meeting of the General Assembly of ISIM held on September 19, 2008, at 1.45 p.m. at the Park Tower,
Sheraton Towers Meeting Rooms, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

President: Dr. Rolf Streuli, Switzerland

At this meeting the following items were approved:

• The report of the President

• The financial report of the Treasurer

• The report of the Secretary General

• The General Assembly decided on the next ISIM Congress as follows:
32nd International Congress of Internal Medicine 2014: Seoul, Korea

The following officers of ISIM were approved:
Dr. Napier Thomson, President; Dr. Rolf Streuli, Past President; Dr. William Hall, President Elect.

As new members-at-large were approved:
Dr. In Sung Song, Korea, and Dr. Aru Sudoyo, Indonesia.

The General Assembly was then informed of:
the election of Dr. Thomas Kjellström, Past President ISIM; as Honorary Member.

October 2008

Hans P. Kohler, MD, FACP,
Secretary General ISIM