COLOMBO MEDICAL CONGRESS 2020: PRELIMINARY INFORMATION

From: Saroj Jayasinghe <sarojoffice@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 5 Jan 2020 at 08:41
Subject: COLOMBO MEDICAL CONGRESS 2020: PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
To: Colombomedicalcongress Info <info@colombomedicalcongress.org>

Dear Sir / Madam / Colleague

We warmly welcome you to the Colombo Medical Congress 2020. This is a historic event, and we thank you for agreeing to contribute towards its grandeur.  You will soon receive an official letter of invitation, the scheduled time for your presentations and other details on uploading your presentation etc. 

We have a full programme: Pre-Congress workshops 10-12 Feb (Faculty and Hospital), Inauguration Ceremony on 12th Feb (Water's Edge), Academic Sessions: 13-15th Feb 2020 in the Faculty premises and Banquet on 15th of Feb. 

Our goal is to make this a unique academic event that highlights advances in knowledge, your research findings or a rigorous review of a topic. A large gathering of students, staff, alumni and other professionals are expected to attend the academic sessions. There are well over 200 lectures and the Congress has received 250+ Abstracts!

The Academic Sessions are from the 13th to the 15th of Feb. There are 6 parallel sessions (Main Hall on the top floor of the Admin Building), Pathology Hall in the first floor of the Path Building, Auditorium in the ground floor of the Biochemistry Building, Physiology Lecture Theatre (top floor of Physiology Building), Anatomy semi-circular lecture theatre in the 'Block' and Surgery Auditorium in the hospital (near the Department of Surgery). 

The program begins at 8 am sharp with a plenary (till 8.30 am) on each day. All of the remaining academic activities are in 6 parallel sessions except the Concluding Session at 3-4.30 pm on the 15th of Feb.  We have avoided using terms such as Guest Lectures, Symposia, Seminars etc.  ALL sessions and ALL lectures are invaluable to us and of equal importance. Meals will consist of healthy snacks and a break from the usual calorie-dense food at conferences.

The following is the basic format for the three days.

• Plenary 8-8.30 am in the Biochemistry Building (Hall C) ground floor
• Sessions running parallel (90 minutes total. Each speaker has 15-20 mins)
• Lectures running parallel (20 minutes + 10 mins discussion)
• Tea
• Sessions running parallel (90 minutes total. Each speaker has 15-20 mins) 
• Lectures running parallel (20 minutes + 10 mins discussion)
• Lunch
• Sessions running parallel (90 minutes total. Each speaker has 15-20 mins)
• Sessions running parallel (90 minutes total. Each speaker has 15-20 mins)
• Tea
• Academic events are scheduled to end by 5 pm the latest

This will be followed by social events (e.g. Batch Meetings), walks down memory lane to visit the old sites in and around the Faculty and Hospitals, Nature Trails and Heritage Walks. 

We have encouraged students and staff to meet the alumni and form networks that would foster future research collaborations, exchanges and enable training opportunities. We request you to invite your colleagues, former students and other well-wishers to be at the Congress so that it would become an opportunity to network and strengthen links. You are encouraged to have a contact person from the academic staff of the Faculty to help you with arranging side meetings etc. The Congress Secretariat is a bit stretched at this stage to arrange such events.

Parking will be a problem at the venue. We have reserved space around the Faculty premises and there is basement parking in the new multi-storey-building behind the Anatomy Dept. Campbell Park will be reserved for parking and a free shuttle service will be available. Online registration is encouraged.

We look forward to welcoming you to an event that will go down in history. 

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Saroj Jayasinghe and Prasad Katulanda

Co-Chairs of the Congress Organizing Committee

For further information visit colombomedicalcongress.org