When it comes to planning a major international conference, location is almost as important as the programme on offer. This was evident in IMCAS 2014 delegates’ stated reasons for attending the conference this year; while 32% stated they came for the expert speakers, 19% gave the host city as a reason for their attendance. And who could blame them? Held in the prestigious Palais des Congres in the centre of Paris, IMCAS could not have chosen a better home for its 16th annual world congress. Indeed, the offer of a weekend in Paris, rubbing shoulders with the great and good of aesthetic surgery and cosmetic dermatology, was too good for PMFA News to pass up.
Despite the threat of airport delays due to a strike by French air traffic controllers, the congress attracted 4,500 participants from 80 different countries, eager to learn from more than 300 international speakers. With a packed scientific programme, bustling exhibition and enthusiastic delegates, the only thing that seemed in short supply was chairs, with many attendees standing or sitting on the floor in the corridors to see (or just hear) the oversubscribed live demonstrations.
The popular spotlight sessions covered: injections and cadaver anatomy; lipofilling and stem cells; rejuvenation revisited, medical and surgical rhinoplasty; research and development, products and devices; and marketing and professional business. For the first time, the congress also offered a full day Eastern European Masterclass for Russian-speaking delegates. The symposia, which ran throughout the conference, also allowed companies the opportunity to showcase their latest innovations.
In addition to the main sessions, communication and learning was promoted through the journal corner, e-papers, posters and video paper sessions. These short presentations were recorded live during the congress and included a diverse range of topics, from ‘vectors in facelift surgery’ to ‘pulsed dye lasers in rare and new indications’. Delegates could even share live comments with the other attendees via IMCAS Live or using the #IMCAS hashtag on Twitter.
Through our partnership with IMCAS, PMFA News was distributed both on our stand near the main lecture room and in ‘The Village’ section of the exhibition, and we were delighted to receive positive feedback from delegates, several of whom came to seek us out at our booth, as well as other exhibitors. We will look forward to being involved with future IMCAS conferences.
The location may have been a top reason for attendance at IMCAS 2014, but with so much going on, it seemed that not even the Eiffel Tower or Parisian boulangeries could tempt the delegates away from the educational delights on offer.
