Indian Academy of Pediatrics

Highlights

Committee

Registration

Travel Form

Details

Faculty

CME Home

CME Home

The history of the association between the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) began many years ago. Pediatricians of Indian origin like Dr. Vidyasagar and Dr. Surpure made individual efforts to develop the exchange of educational ideas between Pediatricans of India and America.

These efforts became a reality in 1986 when the IAP president, Dr. Avalokita Desai was invited to attend the annual AAP meeting at New Orleans as an official International guest. She was accorded an official recognition at the formal Presidential dinner. During this visit she initiated various modalities through which a cooperation could be made possible.

Succesive Presidents of the IAP, namely, Dr. D.G. Benakappa (1988), Dr. N.R. Bhandari (1989), Dr. R.D. Potdar (1992), Dr. Meherban Singh (1993), Dr. Uday Bodhankar (1994), continued these efforts when they attended AAP meets, and a fillip was received to the Pediatrics Advanced Life Support (PALS) and Neonatal Advanced Life Support (NALS) courses both for the IAP and the National Neonatology Forum (NNF).

In 1992, Dr. R.D. Potdar not only attended the Annual San Francisco meet of AAP as an official International guest but also established the practice of the AAP Executive Board setting aside time to discuss matters of mutual interest with the visiting IAP President.

During the same visit to USA, Dr. R.D. Potdar also visited the AAP headquarters at Evanston, Illinois and spent three days with various Heads of Departments of the AAP under the guidance of Dr. Errol Alden, Director of Education and Dr. Joe Sanders, Executive Director. It was during these three days that the basic idea of an International collaboration between the two associations was muted. Successive Presidents followed up the idea.

The International Health Section of the AAP decided to hold the first International CME course at Italy from June 16-20, 1997 in three cities. The preparation for this had started in 1994. At the same time in Boston in 1994, a meeting of IPA Standing Committee members with the AAP Executive Board took place wherein Dr. R.D. Potdar informally proposed that the next country for the International CME should be India.

In 1996, Dr. Swati Bhave, the then General Secretary received a letter from Dr. O.J. Sahler, Director, Department of Education, AAP, enquiring whether the IAP would be interested in co-sponsoring an International CME. Dr.Swati Bhave replied in the affirmative in the interest of the IAP.

In March 1997, the Asian Congress in Hongkong presented an excellent opportunity to the leaders of both these associations to develop the matter further and give it a firm structure. This meeting was attended by Dr. A. Parthasarathy, President (1997), Dr. M.R. Lokeshwar, President Elect, Dr. R.D. Potdar as the liason officer, as well as by Dr. Errol Alden and other AAP members.

Towards the latter half of 1997, Dr. A. Parthasarathy, then President of IAP attended the annual meeting at New Orleans. He also met the Executive Board and discussed the multiple modalities involved in a collaboration between the two associations, including issues related to publications and reciprocal memberships. His efforts were futuristic, the fruits of which are being reaped today and will continue to be experienced for many more years.

By this time, the IAP and AAP had come so close that AAP leaders like Dr. Joseph Zanga, Dr. Errol Alden and many of their colleagues, whole heartedly participated in the Pedicon 1998 held in Cochin. Dr. Joseph Zanga, the President of AAP was conferred the prestigious Hony. Surg. Cmde. Dr. Shantilal C. Sheth Oration Award. The AAP/IAP CME format was discussed at length and and several details including plans for the year 2000 were finalised.

In 1998, at the AAP World Congress at Amsterdam, a meeting of the AAP and IAP leaders was called where certain decisions were reconfirmed. >From the IAP, the participants were Dr. Lokeshwar, Dr. R.D. Potdar, and Dr. T. Jacob John.

Towards the end of 1998, Dr. M.R. Lokeshwar, President (1998), continued the discussion further at the Annual AAP meeting in San Francisco. The AAP had at that time begun a scheme for International Membership for pediatricians from abroad. Dr. Lokeshwar discussed and finalised the details of IAP members becoming members of the AAP.

At the 5th ICTP Conference at Jaipur, held in February 1999, a final shape was given to the respective responsibilities of the concerned societies at a meeting held in the Rambagh Palace. This meeting was attended by Dr. T. Jacob John, Dr. Swati Bhave, Dr. M.R. Lokeshwar, Dr. A. Parthasarthy, Dr. G.S. Hathi and Dr. R.D. Potdar on behalf of the IAP.

In the Executive Board Meeting of 1999 at Jaipur, Dr. Jacob John (President) formed a Core Committee for the organisation of this Congress. This committee consisted of Dr. Jacob John (President, 1999), Dr. Swati Bhave (President, 2000), Dr. R.D. Potdar and Dr. G.S. Hathi (Secretary General, IAP, 1999). This committee was given the full responsibility of organising the CME 2000 at Mumbai on 5th and 6th February 2000.

The work of this committee is now in full swing and it is expected that this event will become a landmark in the history of the IAP and the AAP.

Dr. Swati Bhave, President Elect of IAP, was invited to Chicago for the Spring Meeting of the AAP in April 1999, to finalize the details of the CME with the AAP CME Coordinators.

Dr. T. Jacob John attended the Annual AAP Conference in Washington in October 1999, in the capacity of the President of the IAP. All details were cemented during this visit.