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Conference of Medical Academic Representatives 2008

Choosing Academic Medicine
Friday 16 May 2008
British Medical Association, BMA House, Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9JP

The event
The event is the BMA’s annual representative conference for doctors employed at higher education institutions and other institutions engaged in medical research. It is the opportunity for medical academics from across the UK to meet together, to discuss key issues and set priorities for the Medical Academic Staff Committee (MASC) for the coming year. The business of the Conference is also to elect sixteen members of MASC for the succeeding session.

All representatives to COMAR shall hold office from the beginning of the annual Conference to which they have been elected, to the eve of the following year’s annual Conference. Between meetings of COMAR, representatives will be updated on the business of MASC electronically and be able to contribute to electronic debates on topical issues via the COMAR list server. Unless elected to the MASC, COMAR representatives are not normally expected to attend meetings.

Download the conference agenda as a PDF (446k)

Who may attend?
A number of places are still available for medical academics to attend from each medical school and higher education institution without a medical school and other institutions engaged in medical research.

As the deadline of Friday 28 March 2008 has lapsed, seats are available on a first come, first served basis.

Representatives appointed in this way will have a non-voting seat at COMAR. Other non voting observer seats may also be available. If you have any further questions about how to attend COMAR please contact Jane Daniels in the Hospital Seniors Department at jdaniels@bma.org.uk or by telephone on 020 7383 6159. To book please register here

Conference agenda
The conference will include keynote speakers that will introduce structured debate as well as representatives actively contributing to policy development in informal break out groups. This style aims to increase delegate participation in setting priorities for MASC in the coming year.

Keynote speakers are expected to discuss academic performance management and the future of academic careers. Representatives are encouraged to raise issues of importance to medical academics that are unconnected to the keynote speeches during the breakout groups. There will be two breakout sessions during the day and ample opportunities to highlight the issues you feel are important to the Conference.

A small part of the agenda will continue to be given over to the debate of motions submitted by medical academic representatives on behalf of their institution. Please submit your motions by email to the MASC secretariat at info.masc@bma.org.uk

Download the conference agenda as a PDF (446k)

Poster competition
This year the conference will host a poster competition. Representatives and observers are invited to submit an abstract detailing their work for the intended poster on the broad theme: Professional and trade union issues and academic medicine. Suggested sub themes are:

• Demystifying academic medicine
• The role of medical academics
• Overcoming the barriers to medical academic training pathways
• Facing challenges and identifying the ’right‘ career steps in academic medicine and
• The benefits and rewards of a medical academic career

Please submit abstracts by 17.00 hours on Friday 11 April 2008. Abstracts will be reviewed by a panel from the MASC executive according to content, clarity and general interest. Candidates with a successful abstract will be invited to display a poster at the conference with the winner receiving a book token to the value of £100 and coverage in BMA News. Posters should measure 60 cms by 90cms and will be judged on their clarity and communication of message.

Instructions for poster abstract submission

• Abstracts should be submitted no later than 17.00 hours on Friday 11 April 2008.
• Email all abstracts as a Word document (not docx format) to info.masc@bma.org.uk
• Abstracts cannot be submitted by fax or hard copy.
• Acknowledgement of receipt of your submission will be sent to your given email address. If you do not receive any confirmation by email within 48 working hours, your submission may not have been received, please contact the MASC secretariat immediately on 020 7383 6159.
• Notification of acceptance of abstracts will be provided via email on Monday 21 April 2008.
• The corresponding author will receive all correspondence concerning the abstract and is responsible for informing any other authors concerning the status of the submitted abstract.
• The winner will be expected to give a five minute presentation of their poster at COMAR
• Abstracts must be written in clear English.
• Abstracts must not exceed 250 words (excluding the title and author information).
• Please make the abstract as informative as possible; include a brief background, the purpose of the study, the methods used, the results obtained, and any conclusions based upon the results.
• Abstracts will be reproduced in the conference agenda and guide as submitted. It is the author(s) responsibility to submit a correct abstract. The MASC secretariat will not correct any errors in spelling, grammar, or scientific fact.
• The presenter of an accepted abstract is expected to register for COMAR. If the presenter fails to register and attend COMAR, the poster will not be displayed.

Conference venue
The conference will take place in the Black Suite at BMA House on Friday 16 May 2008.

Registration will take place from 09.30 – 10.00 hours in the Third Floor Foyer at BMA House. The conference will commence at 10.00 hours and will close at approximately 16.45 hours.

Expenses
Reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed for voting members of conference on production of receipts.
Accommodation expenses will be reimbursed up to a maximum of £140.00 per night. Please note that overnight stays should only be undertaken if it will be necessary for the attendee to leave home before 06.30 hours or arrive back at home later than 23.00 hours.

How to book
Places at COMAR are self-nominating, to book your place please register here

If you have any further queries or require any further information about the conference, please contact BMA Conferences on 020 7383 6819.