GAME NEWS
 GAME President's Corner
There have been exciting and important developments at GAME since this column last appeared. By way of example, last June, GAME's Board of Directors held a retreat, attended by current and previous directors, to deliberate on a strategic plan to guide GAME over the next three years. Over a very productive two days in Montreal, fueled by passionate debate and the international collegiality that is the soul of GAME, a plan emerged. Here are the highlights.
  • We examined the core values of GAME and arrived at the following:
    • International focus
    • Continuing health and medical education
    • Networking
    • Leadership
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Improving health care
  • With those values in mind, we strove mightily to recast the GAME Mission Statement. The following is a work in progress and your comments are encouraged!

    "GAME is the international forum where thought leaders network and share innovative ideas in continuing medical education."

  • GAME has set itself a number of strategic plan objectives. The most fundamental among them is to build the membership. Our goal is to have 200 members by 2005. To achieve it, we must be sure that what we offer through GAME is of distinct and high value. You can help us in this regard by responding to a brief questionnaire we have posted on the GAME website. If you have not responded to this survey yet, I urge you to take a couple of moments and fill it in. It is vital that we hear from you! With the survey results in hand, the Board will be refining everything from membership services to program topics and themes in future meetings.
Join Us in the Big Apple for GAME 2003

Speaking of having a keen ear for the membership, Mark Evans and his Program Committee have paid special attention to the comments and evaluations provided by attendees at last year's highly successful meeting in Montreal. You told us you wanted more practical presentations on how to do CME in different countries and accreditation regimes around the world; more small group breakouts with opportunities to network with international colleagues; poster sessions (a first for GAME); and more interactivity.

This year's program – International CME: How Does It Work? – drawing upon a superb lineup of presenters from around the world, responds to your feedback in every way. GAME 2003 in New York promises to be a truly outstanding meeting. Mark June 22 – 24 in your calendar and register early. [Hint: rooms at the Westin New York at Times Square are available to GAME registrants at a great rate that can be extended three days before and after the conference. But numbers are limited.]

GAME and ACME Snuggle Up

I was asked to represent the interests of GAME at an International Strategy Sub-committee meeting of the Alliance for Continuing Medical Education (ACME), held in conjunction with the ACME's annual meeting in Dallas. The peripatetic Marty Cearnal, CEO of Thomson Physician's World, ably chaired the proceedings and I am very happy to report that as a result, Marty's committee will be recommending to the ACME Board that henceforth ACME and GAME keep the lines of communication open between our two organizations with a view to enhancing and supporting our respective international CME roles.

GAME co-sponsors "CME Congress 2004" in Toronto

Every four years the Alliance for Continuing Medical Education, the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education and the Association of Hospital Education hold a major joint CME congress.

GAME is flattered to have been asked, and we have accepted, to be a co-sponsor of CME Congress 2004, to be held in Toronto. Dave Davis, of University of Toronto, and Van Harrison, of University of Michigan, are co-chairs and the theme for the Congress is "Information, Education, and Implementation." Other organizations who are involved in the planning for Congress 2004 include: CACHE (Canadian Alliance for Continuing Health Education), AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges), ACCME (Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education), AMA (American Medical Association), CMSS (Council of Medical Specialty Societies), ACMC (Association of Canadian Medical Colleges), CFPC (College of Family Physicians of Canada), CMA (Canadian Medical Assn.), RCPSC (Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada), AMEE (Association for Medical Education in Europe) and the Latin American Medical Education Association. Talk about strength in numbers! Here are the dates: May 16 – 19, 2004.



Christopher West
President
Global Alliance for Medical Education
Chairman & CEO
Pegasus Healthcare International