National Anaesthesia Societies Committee (NASC) Report 2008-12
Geraldine O’Sullivan
NASC chairman: Geraldine
O’Sullivan (UK)
NASC delegates: Hans
Kirkegaard (Denmark), Miodrag Milenovic (Serbia), Azriel Perel (Israel), Ivan Smilov (Bulgaria), Indulis Vanags (Latvia), Michael Wee (UK), Christian Werner (Germany), Roman
Zahorec (Slovakia).
Activities and Budget
The NASC budget mainly, though not exclusively, supports activities in
Eastern Europe. The budget is about 100.000 – 120.000, – EURO per annum. In 2009 there were four NASC symposia: (UK, Spain, Denmark and Norway).
In 2009 NASC also supported teaching and training projects in both Albania and Moldovia.
In 2010 NASC supported activities in Serbia, Romania, Hungary and Estonia
whilst in 2011 NASC supported projects in Serbia, Greece, Poland and Russia.
International School for Instructors in Anaesthesiology
A very important and
on-going project is the International School for Instructors in Anaesthesiology
(The ISIA or teach the teachers project) which is run and financed jointly by
the ESA and the WFSA. Dr Gaby
Gurman from Israel has been the driving force behind this project.
There is a very
detailed account of this project in the WFSA Education Committee Report.
However the following may be of interest to those wishing to apply for this
scheme in the future.
In order to be
selected as an ISIA student, a candidate must fulfill the following:
1. He/she must be a specialist
in anaesthesiology in their own country,
2. He/she should be less than 36 yrs (but the age of
40 could be accepted as an upper limit in special cases),
3. He/she must have a good command of English, at a
level that permits understanding of written texts and an ability to converse
and discuss in the language,
4. He/she is under obligation to attend all the classes
and must cover their own travel expenses.
The responsibility for student recruitment to ISIA rests
with the National Societies of Anaesthesiology. The Societies must organize the
selection process and ensure that each proposed participant to the ISIA courses
meets the eligibility criteria.
Ultimately a trained student would be encouraged to
participate and teach on future ISIA courses.
Details of these courses can be obtained from the NASC
chairperson through the ESA secretariat.
ESA: Young Teaching
Recognition Award of NASC
The purpose of this award
is to discover an individual with outstanding teaching skills.
The award winner is required
to give a total of 3 lectures. One lecture must be presented at the annual
Euroanaesthesia congress. The other two lectures are given on ESA satellite
meetings of national societies. The award winner receives a travel
reimbursement for every lecture according to ESA policy. Applicants must not be
older than 40 years of age. To qualify, applicants must be member of the
European Society of Anaesthesiology (ESA). Applicants must submit their
Curriculum Vitae as well as an outline of their proposed lecture. Each
application must be accompanied by a letter from the applicant’s Chairman, and
a letter of the president of the national society outlining the teaching
qualifications of the applicant.
One award is given for applicants from Eastern European countries and
one award is given for applicants from Western European countries. Applications
have to be submitted to the ESA Office in Brussels
Recognition of NASC as WFSA European Regional
Section:
In July 2009 NASC received the information that the
WFSA recognised the NASC as the WFSA European Regional Section. The benefits of
this recognition are:
- Shared projects
between the two organisations - Better
coordination of activities - Improved
co-operation and an expension of activities
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