SICOT NewsReport of the 25th SICOT Trainees Meeting Thami BenzakourSICOT National Delegate of Morocco - Casablanca, Morocco |
Dear Colleagues,
We organized the 25th SICOT Trainees Meeting on 12 April in Marrakech, Morocco. This event was held on the first day of the 36th Moroccan Congress of SMACOT. This 3rd SICOT Youth Day in Morocco comes in fact after those of 1996 and 2007.
The meeting aims at presenting the work and research of young surgeons under the umbrella of SICOT. Updates are also presented by the guest speakers in an interactive approach. All talks are then discussed in an open forum with senior surgeons from multiple international and national societies.
On behalf of the Moroccan SICOT section, I would like to express my gratitude to the national society, SMACOT, which accepted to combine the 2 meetings and to support the venue expenses and the accommodation of the SICOT guest speakers.
We also thank SICOT very much for enabling us to have guest speakers who have kindly contributed to the sessions: James Waddell, Patricia Fucs and Jacques Caton. Other invited speakers included Thierry Bégué and Véronique Molina, who were partially sponsored by an implants company.
The main topics of the meeting were Hip, Knee and Polytrauma.
The scientific programme comprised 8 guest lectures and 20 selected oral presentations by residents from 8 University orthopaedic departments.
The attendance of the Trainees Meeting itself was about 180 young (and less young) surgeons.
Moreover, in order to encourage Orthopaedic Residents, we have provided them with several facilities and gifts:
Waiving the registration fees of the SICOT Trainees Meeting
Two SICOT Awards, of 300 EUR each, were offered by SICOT to the authors of the two best oral presentations
A copy of the latest special issue of the “International Orthopaedics” journal
A SICOT Certificate of Oral Presentation
A special gift from our national branch, SICOT Morocco.
The social programme, including all lunches, comprised several pleasant visits to the main tourist sites such as: Koutoubia Mosque, Jmaa Elfna Square (UNESCO protected), Menara pool, Water Museum, Majorelle gardens and Yves St Laurent museum.
The Moroccan branch of SICOT was founded in 1994 from the will of some pioneers who understood that “union makes strength and collective intelligence”.
SICOT Morocco is thus a kind of unavoidable link between the Moroccan Society and the international entity for:
the contribution to "modern orthopaedic knowledge", newsletters, websites, and so on;
the dissemination of useful information concerning the annual international congress;
a reminder of the scholarships, internships, diplomas and awards offered by SICOT;
our commitment to the Casablanca University/SICOT Training Fellowships that will start soon;
the organization of the annual SICOT-Morocco Day, the next one taking place on 24 November in Marrakech, with "Ankle and Foot" as the topics.
We can be proud, and of course we must be aware of the challenges ahead of us.
Our objectives are to provide the best knowledge to our surgeons, the best care to our patients, and the best involvement to orthopaedic improvement by joining SICOT.
Welcome to SICOT faculty by the SMACOT President at the venue entrance
From left to right: Kacem Chagar, James Waddell, Patricia Fucs, Thami Benzakour
Opening Ceremony of the SICOT Trainees Meeting
From left to right: Thami Benzakour, Patricia Fucs, James Waddell and Kacem Chagar
Opening Ceremony of the Trainees Meeting
Thami Benzakour
At the SICOT Booth
James Waddell and Thami Benzakour
At the Closing Ceremony
From left to right: Jamal Dine El Ahmadi (SICOT-Morocco Past President), Kacem Chagar, Patricia Fucs, Halim Saidi (Head of an Orthopaedic Department in Marrakech), Thami Benzakour, and Jacques Caton
