On the road
Whether inspired by Willie Nelson, Jack Kerouac, or Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, sometimes we are just called to go “on the road” for parts unknown. Perhaps it is the cold New England weather or just my nature, but this time of year always makes me long for faraway (and warmer) places. The international relationships of our Academy provide unique ways to explore the world of otolaryngology.
Whether inspired by Willie Nelson, Jack Kerouac, or Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, sometimes we are just called to go “on the road” for parts unknown. Perhaps it is the cold New England weather or just my nature, but this time of year always makes me long for faraway (and warmer) places. The international relationships of our Academy provide unique ways to explore the world of otolaryngology.
We maintain relationships with more than 50 partner otolaryngology societies around the world, forming the International Corresponding Societies (ICS) network. The ICS holds meetings throughout the year, which constitute wonderful opportunities to exchange ideas with otolaryngologists from other countries, experience other cultures, explore collaborative ways to address mutual problems, and gain from the wealth of expertise that lies outside U.S. borders. Each meeting has its own charm and value and I encourage AAO-HNS Members to attend these meetings and discover that you have many friends beyond our borders.
This summer, the Balkans Society of Otorhinolaryngology will host a meeting in Tirana, the colorful and vibrant capital of Albania. You also might consider joining the AAO-HNSF delegation in Havana, Cuba, for the Pan-American Congress of Otorhinolaryngology in June. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to interface with Latin American partners in a country relatively unknown to most Americans. These meetings also offer great travel opportunities for Academy Members.
On occasion, the Academy will jointly organize a meeting with in-country partners in a given country or region. Over the past few years, the Academy has co-sponsored meetings in such diverse places as Victoria Falls, Cartagena, Paraguay, Prague, the Bahamas, Singapore, Taiwan, and Dubai, to name just a few. The cultural experiences in these far-flung corners of the world are truly unique. Most of these joint meetings occur in the first half of the year or the early summer. This year, for example, AAO-HNS Members were hosted by the Emirates Rhinology and Otology Congress in the thoroughly modern city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where they encountered Arab hospitality at its finest. Up next is the All African Ear Nose and Throat and Audiology Congress in June, where otolaryngologists from across the African region will descend on Kigali, Rwanda, for an engaging scientific program. Please visit the Events Calendar at www.entnet.org for more details. But be sure you leave room in your travel plans to attend the AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPOSM in San Diego, CA, September 18-21, 2016. This meeting will be one of the best ever, with lots of new international offerings—more on that in a later edition of this column.
But the best thing about these meetings and experiences is that we get to share them with a whole network of new friends. I am always astounded by the hospitality of our overseas colleagues at these meetings. When visiting colleagues in their home countries, one really does feel part of a much larger, global community of otolaryngology. For me one of the greatest benefits of the Academy has always been the friendships with people who share a common cause and common attitude. To share this with people from all over the world is a wonderful thing. To paraphrase Willie Nelson, “The life I love is otolaryngology with my friends, and I can’t wait to get on the road again.”
