Dear Colleagues,
First of all I would like to thank you for the confidence and trust you have placed in me since 3 years to fulfil in 2019 the position of President of the Royal Belgian Society of Surgery.
I think that the society in collaboration with the universities must play a role in education of the trainees - that is why we have organized last year the VATS Belgian tour to visit some of the best places in Belgium to learn thorascopy. I hope that it will give ideas to sections and affiliated societies to develop their own 'Belgian tour', like it could be for obesity surgery, robotic surgery, rectal surgery and TME, …
The role of a scientific society must also be a meeting place to share knowledge but also and especially to be a place where friendships are developed, so valuable in our job.
To develop this friendship between trainees from different universities, we will organize two week-end with a mix of science and fun.
The society will also build up this year a cross-section-and-societies robotic working group .
In 2019, the Society will organize her 20th edition of the new era of the Belgian Surgical Week.
Last year, we have had a very interesting congress on the expanding universe of the technology. Now it’s time to look back and see if we are always respecting one of the first commitments of the Hippocratic oath : « Primum non nocere », « First do no harm » which will be the theme developed during the BSW 2019.
Currently, the positon of the surgeon has dramatically changed from the almighty position to the consumer product attackable anywhere along its practice.
However, we must question ourselves about the quality of care provided to our population and develop some guidelines.During the past meetings, especially the last one, we have listen to specialist who realize everyday great and difficult operations but this year, I would like to hear honestly about complications and how to treat or prevent them because we have a lot to learn about our errors maybe more than about our successes. Some other presentations should also talk about complications committed by other medical specialties.We have to discuss on learning curve and quotas. Debates will certainly also take place on the legal aspect of complications. I think we will have hot topics on these during the 2019 Belgian Surgical Week.
I sincerely hope that you will join us and remain in the meantime,
With best regards,
Jean Lemaitre
RBSS President 2018-2019
president[at]rbss.be