Read below the full translation of the article that has been originally published on the official website of the Croatian Medical Association :
https://www.hlz.hr/predsjednik-uems-a-po-prvi-puta-u-hrvatskoj/
With great pleasure, we once again extend a warm welcome to Professor Vassilios Papalois, the President of the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS), who attended the recent celebratory event in honor of the 150th anniversary of the Croatian Medical Association on February 26th. Professor Papalois' presence emphasized the importance of international collaboration and knowledge exchange within the medical community.
As the President of UEMS, Prof. Papalois leads the European Union of Medical Specialists, bringing together an impressive 1.6 million members from 41 European countries, with the Croatian Medical Association proudly participating in this community.
This meeting provided us with an opportunity to exchange ideas, experiences, and best practices, strengthening the ties between the Croatian medical community and our European colleagues. Professor Papalois' speech and dialogue enriched our celebration, providing insight into global perspectives in the field of medicine. The President of UEMS specifically highlighted the Croatian Medical Association as one of the most active members, having been a full member since 2013.
We would like to express our gratitude to Professor Papalois for his participation and contribution to this significant event. His expertise has further enriched our understanding, and we eagerly anticipate future collaborations, especially in areas related to European Training Requirements (ETR) and accreditation, as well as the evaluation of professional activities.
European accreditation involves UEMS-EACCME® recognizing that a Continuing Medical Education (CME) activity, event, program, or e-material meets quality requirements. This accreditation simplifies the process for event organizers, as they don't need to submit requests to each national accreditation body for recognition in every European country.
As a colleague, physician, and professor, Professor Papalois was presented with a bronze sculpture titled "Croatian Medical Association - the first president of the CMA." After the formal celebration, another meeting was held between the core team of the Croatian Medical Association and President of UEMS, Prof. Papalois. During this meeting, experiences were exchanged, discussions about the specificities of healthcare systems in Europe took place, and all similarities and differences were compared. Professor Papalois emphasized that all member countries face common challenges in healthcare systems, such as evaluating work and a shortage of physicians and other healthcare staff. He mentioned that nearly 2 million doctors are needed at the European level. The meeting was attended by the President of the Croatian Medical Association, Professor Željko Krznarić, members of the Executive Board of the CMA, the President of the Croatian Society for Nuclear Medicine of CMA, and representative of the UEMS section, Professor Dražen Huić. Also present were Professor Vesna Kušec representing the Croatian Medical Association's Laboratory Medicine Society, Dr. Krešimir Oremuš, a member of the UEMS Anesthesiology Section, Professor Nada Čikeš, former Vice President of UEMS and current head of the ETR program, and Ivona Matišić, mag.oec., univ. admin. sanit.
UEMS consists of 42 sections, 17 Multidisciplinary Joint Committees (MJC), 7 Thematic Federations (TF), and 17 Specialist Divisions. According to information from professional societies and previous data from the Croatian Medical Association, CMA has representatives in 34 sections, 3 MJC, 1 TF, and 3 divisions. In the future, there are plans for even more active participation by representatives of the Croatian Medical Association in UEMS bodies.
The Croatian Medical Association, March 2024