BMA - Conference of Medical Academic Representatives 2008

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.

Who may attend?
Places are available to medical academics to attend from each medical school and higher education institution without a medical school and other institutions engaged in medical research.

Representatives appointed in this way will have a non-voting seat at COMAR. Other non voting observer seats may also be available.

Conference agenda
The conference included keynote speakers to introduce structured debate as well as representatives who actively contributed to policy development in informal break out groups. This style aimed to increase delegate participation in setting priorities for MASC in the coming year.

Keynote speakers discussed academic performance management and the future of academic careers. Representatives were encouraged to raise issues of importance to medical academics that are unconnected to the keynote speeches during the breakout groups. There were two breakout sessions during the day and ample opportunities to highlight important issues.

A small part of the agenda was given over to the debate of motions submitted by medical academic representatives on behalf of their institution.

Poster competition
This year the conference hosted a poster competition. Representatives and observers were 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 were:

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

Abstracts were reviewed by a panel from the MASC executive according to content, clarity and general interest. Successful posters were displayed at the conference with the winner receiving a £100 book token and coverage in BMA News. Posters were judged on their clarity and communication of message.