Flying faculty activity in Santiago de Chile in October 2018
The XV Chilean congress on physical medicine and rehabilitation was held in Santiago de Chile from 18th to 20th of October 2018. Dra. Tania Gutierrez, congress president, and Dra. Carolina Rivera, president of the Sociedad Chilena de Medicina Física y Rehabilitatión and their team created a full 3 day-congress with parallel sessions for the multi-professional audience with a medical or therapeutic background in rehabilitation. Scientific tracks including cardiac, oncological, pediatric and post ICU rehabilitation aside from neurorehabilitation.
The WFNR flying faculty supported the neurorehabilitation track that ran over two days and the one day post ICU rehabilitation track. Professor Jorge Hernandez Franco from the Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitation and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Dr. Máximo Zimerman from the Clinica de Stroke, INECO, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Professor Thomas Platz, BDH-Klinik and University of Greifswald supported the congress with their lectures. Our hosts had been most generous to make our stay enjoyable.
Both the scientific standard, the inclusive multi-professional approach, and the positive atmosphere with a focus on promoting rehabilitation services and quality of care in all parts of Chile were most impressive. The attending, mostly young, motivated and talented professionals are engaged in a continuous process of improving rehabilitation services in their country and hence bringing quality of life to those affected by neuro- and other disabilities.
The WFNR was well advised to support the Chilean congress with neurorehabilitation being a major topic and the many professionals from all over Chile attending. The importance of both the successful educational and networking character of the meeting cannot be overestimated in a country with a long-standing tradition in academic rehabilitation education, a considerable number of both young (kids) and older people in need for rehabilitation and a clear vision to further strengthen rehabilitation among the Chilean professionals.
