AAO-HNS Bulletin | Special Edition | January 2021

ENTNET.ORG/BULLETIN AAO-HNS BULLETIN SPECIAL EDITION: 125TH ANNIVERSARY 33 Eugene N. Myers, MD, FRCS Edin (Hon) AAO-HNSF International Coordinator (1996-2002) AAO-HNS/F President (1995) W hen the AAO-HNSF Board of Directors approved the creation of the International Affairs Program Department, I was appointed the first Coordinator of International Affairs. I was eager to play this role since I was passionate about international relations. At the time of my appointment I had already spent approximately 25 years traveling to more than 100 countries that invited me to lecture and to provide surgical care. I felt that the relationships I had made during this time would be very useful in building our International Affairs Program. The main goal of this new program, at the time, was to provide a continuing education program for our colleagues overseas as well as make the Annual Meeting more accessible by providing interpreters and offering Instruction Courses in Spanish. I also felt that it was important to provide continuing education to our colleagues overseas. At a breakfast meeting held at the 1997 Annual Meeting, I invited four of my best friends who represented global otolaryngology communities around the world and explained the goals of creating International Corresponding Societies (ICS). With full agreement, the first ICSs were defined and included Greece, Hong Kong, Korea, and Spain. By the end of my six-year term, we had 24 ICSs. With the popularity of the program and the leadership of successive Coordinators, there are now 75 ICSs today. To further integrate our international colleagues, the International Editorial Board was formed, comprised of the journal editors from national societies around the world, including the editor in chief of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. We met each year at our Annual Meeting to discuss issues of mutual interest. Much of the success of the International Affairs Program must be attributed to the leadership provided by a series of extremely active and successful Coordinators of International Affairs— Drs. Lee, Randolph, Saunders, and Stolovitzky. It has been thrilling for me to watch the positive impact that this program has had for the AAO-HNS/F, our international colleagues, and their patients. I am very grateful to the AAO-HNS/F for trusting me with the invention and care of this program. K. J. Lee, MD AAO-HNSF International Coordinator (2003-2009) AAO-HNS/F President (2002) I appreciate the foundation built by Dr. Eugene Myers, my immediate predecessor. During my term, the emphasis was to build the Academy’s international outreach through education, networking, and bonding in relaxed enjoyable environments. As the proverb says, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” We aimed to achieve work-life balance and reduce stress by offering a seven-day cruise to Alaska in 2005. With the largest gathering of United Kingdom and United States otolaryngologists attending, we offered two full days of rigorous scientific program presented by the who’s-who in otolaryngology, followed by five days of recharging and forming friendships. Expanding the AAO-HNSF Joint Meetings was a goal throughout my term. In 2006 the first AAO-HNSF Joint Meeting with the German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery was led by Professor Karl Hoermann, MD, who is currently the Chair of the International Advisory Board. I helped to have our leaders lecture in Chile, Ireland, Mexico, Portugal, Russia, Scotland, and Turkey. Across the Pacific, we had a Joint Meeting in 2008 with the New Zealand Society of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and multiple meetings with the many academic centers in China, Korea, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. In addition, the AAO-HNSF was well represented in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Congress held in Singapore in 2008. These efforts to extend our reach around the world also resulted in an average of 35-40% of our Annual Meeting revenue attributed to international attendees—a fact the exhibitors appreciated. Another component of the Annual Meeting that peaked our global outreach was our multiprong humanitarian efforts including but not limited to the International Visiting Scholarship. Personally, I am so pleased to witness the expansion of the AAO-HNSF International Affairs Program by Coordinators Greg Randolph, James Saunders, and Pablo Stolovitzky. We have no doubt that Mark Zafereo will take us to the next level. Thanks to the many Academy members, Academy EVPs, and staff who made the above possible.