Make Your Plans Now To Attend the Annual Meeting in Québec City

Doug Thomson, CEO
Canadian Orthopaedic Association

Pierre Mercier, M.D., FRCSC
Chair, Local Arrangements Committee

The 2^nd Combined Meeting of the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA) and the Canadian Orthopaedic Association (COA) will be taking place June 4-7, 2008, in Québec City, Québec. As with the first combined meeting of the AOA/COA in Victoria in 2002, this meeting promises to be a unique educational and social event.

The programme will blend the traditional clinical content of the COA's Annual Meeting - including 15 Instructional Course Lectures, nearly 150 Free Papers, and Tips and Tricks for Surgical Procedures  - with six cross-specialty symposia addressing controversial and critical issues for which the AOA Annual Meeting is best known. Rounding out the programme are addresses by Presidential Guest Speaker, Marcia Angell, whose lecture, "Health Care: A Tale of Two Countries," will touch on the topic of a single-payer health care system, and by the R.I. Harris Lecturer, Dr. Norman S. Schachar, whose presentation will be dedicated to the orthopaedic surgeon as educator.

The Programme Committee, Chaired by Drs. Chris Harner and Emil H. Schemitsch, has planned some interesting topics for the popular symposia component of the meeting:

• A Single vs. Multiple Payer Health Care System, moderated by Dr. Robert B. Bourne
• Orthopaedic Education: Are we Attracting the Best and the Brightest?, moderated by Dr. Sanford Emery
• Evidence-Based Approach to Bringing New Orthopaedic Devices to Market, moderated by Dr. Emil H. Schemitsch
• Orthopaedics in 2020: Predictors of Musculoskeletal Needs, moderated by Dr. Michael J. Dunbar
• Obesity in North America - Implications for the Orthopaedic Surgeon, moderated by Dr. Paul Tornetta
• Patient Safety in Canada and the USA: Beyond Operate through Your Initials and Sign Your Site, moderated by Dr. David Wong.
  All programming is subject to changes

The social programme will also be front and centre for delegates as we will be announcing the details in the coming weeks for "A Night at the Museum - Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec". There will also be an expanded spousal programme with some carefully selected tours exclusively for our delegates.

And, did you know.....
In 2008, Québec City is fêting her 400^th birthday! What's on the programme? No less than ten months of festivities in the cradle of French North America. The 400^th anniversary party will top the list of Canadian events next year. It also means that early planning is a must.

We would urge you to start making your plans now. Through the COA web site (http://www.coa-aco.org/) you will find all the information you need. Although on-line registration will not open until mid to late January, you can make hotel arrangements in advance by visiting the COA web site and navigating to the 2008 Annual Meeting site and the accommodations tab.

We look forward to welcoming you to Quebec City next June!