Vol 63 No 1 2023

Page 4

33rd Brazilian Congress of Pathology: 

A Congress for history

Testimonials of international speakers,  Brazilian specialists, students and resident doctors that made the Brazilian Congress in Foz do Iguaçu in 2022 a real success!

With about 850 registered and almost one thousand persons circulating on site, the 33rd Brazilian Congress of Pathology and 26th Brazilian Congress of Cytopathology was different for each person and is the sum of the experience of each one. The event made history and is already missed. Postponed from 2021 to 2022 due to the pandemic, the congress was characterized by an atmosphere of happiness and fraternization, reuniting those waiting a long time to see colleagues and attend in person an event that is already symbolized by scientific excellence.


People seemed to be nostalgic of a major face-to-face event such as the Congress, which does not end with the conclusion of lectures, like those online. The discussions continue even after presentations. Many contacts were made. For some young people, it was the first chance to be in an event in person, what resulted in even more learning and opportunities to expand the network of contacts with specialists of several parts in the world. 


In this edition, the Brazilian Society of Pathology (SBP in Portuguese) brought 47 international speakers to Foz do Iguaçu, a record rarely seen in congresses of other medical specializations, and counted with world pathology references such as Dr. George Netto, responsible for teaching the first Major Conference. “We had the opportunity to see major presentations that only reinforce my belief: we have a bright future for pathology”, he said, who is professor of Alabama University in Birmingham (UAB), United States. “It was a pleasure to teach a major in one of my favorite events. I had the opportunity to speak directly to young people of incredible talent that Brazil has, presenting how new technologies linked to digital pathology may revolutionize our profession and open many doors, so we may develop an even better work for our patients”, said Netto.

 The chairman of International Academy of Pathology (IAP), Dr. Robert Osamura, in addition to attaining the opening ceremony, gave a speech at the congress in Foz do Iguaçu, in South of Brazil. He considered the event “very successful”.  Professor at Health and Wellbeing University in Tokyo, in Japan, he said that was honored in participating and happy to meet old and new friends in Latin America.  

Dr. Fernando Soares

Dr. Augusto Moreira

Dr. Cristina Magi-Galluzzi, Italian who led the second conference, said that the event was a “fantastic opportunity” and thanked the organizers. “We had a phenomenal audience, which enjoyed the meeting a lot! Everyone seemed to be extremely enthusiastic”, she observed, who is Director of the Pathologic Anatomy Division of UAB.

 

The enthusiasm came from the high quality program itself and with simultaneous presentations, what led groups of friends to exchange information to make better use of the package that was provided in congress. “The event was very well organized, with interesting topics and renowned guests, what made me very indecisive about which lecture to choose”, said Jamile Barboza de Oliveira, a Brazilian resident doctor of 3rd year of Pathology at Medicine Clinics Hospital of São Paulo University (USP) in Ribeirão Preto. “I had the opportunity to participate with a group of friends from the residence and each one chose their rooms by affinity, which provided us with exchanges of updates and a broader view of the event. It is with great pride that I follow the evolution of national congresses of Pathology, with satellite symposia and innovations such as an app for mobile that greatly helps in the selection of classes with reminders and notifications”, completed.

 

The former chairman of SBP, Dr. Fernando Augusto Soares, taught one of the satellite symposia, about biomarkers in metastatic gastric cancer, among other activities in the congress. “After all these years dedicated to SBP, it was very gratifying to see this Society so vibrant, so happy, and bringing all progresses made in pathology in a key changing moment”, he affirmed, who is also the head-editor of Surgical and Experimental Pathology (SAEP), scientific publication of SBP. “We saw our friends again and an extremely young group, very happy, enjoying a Congress of extremely high level”. 

 

The 121 national speakers did well. They were specialists from all regions in Brazil, sharing their experiences in the profession and current topics in their respective areas.


The vice-president of Academic Subjects of SBP, Dr. Isabela Werneck, who coordinated several sessions, commented that “it was a very successfully congress, with renowned outstanding speakers from all over the world”. She said that, in each area, the organizers of each area tried to bring the best and newest existing in the world. “Under the scientific point of view, left nothing back in respect to any international congress”, she noted.

Dr. Isabela Werneck

 With the chairman of the Latin American Society of Pathology (SLAP in Portuguese) and Argentine Society of Pathology (SAP in Portuguese), Dr. Laura Jufe, we had the opportunity of not only deepening even more in Uropathology and pseudo-tumor lesions, but also to reflect about the reality of pathology in Latin America and inequality in the world and in Brazil.

 “It was a luxury and privilege to share with the Latin-American colleagues these activities, which allowed us to see that our conflicts, and all our economic, social and cultural situation are very similar”, she stated. “We had the pleasure of listening to professionals from Europe and United States about precision medicine techniques that are actually a dream that we intend to achieve. We will have to work together for the pathologic anatomy of Latin America to reach this same level in order to provide the same quality to our patients.”  

With an interesting program even for top professionals such as Dr. George Netto, the event also paid attention to the Pathology teaching for medicine students and in residence. Dr. Geraldo Brasileiro Filho, founder of Pathology Teaching Forum (FEP), was one of the area coordinators. “We had an excellent opportunity for the teaching and learning activities of Pathology. We were able to show to our teacher colleagues and students what the Pathology Teaching Forum is doing in the past years. We addressed teaching and learning in medical residence and some very important lectures were presented in this context”, he reported, who is professor of Pathology at Minas Gerais Federal University (UFMG). “It was possible to discuss with a good part of the community subjects and topics of major interest that certainly will contribute for improving our teaching and learning work.”


Dr. Emilio Assis

Dr. Alex Moisés Pimente

The coordinator of activities, Dr. Juliana Arôxa, stated that she was very surprised and happy to see that undergraduate students developed several activities during the pandemic. For Isadora Pêsso, resident doctor of 2nd year in Pathology at Santa Casa de Misericórdia of São Paulo, the congress “went far beyond a professional experience” and thanked a lot. “I was able to update, consolidate essential basis that my residence provides me, and make discoveries of things unknown to me (since we always have much to learn) and of what is new and updated. In addition to getting to know exceptional people, from residents from several other places in Brazil to reference pathologists and speakers of Brazil and of the world!”


The Brazilian Congress in Numbers

844 registered, not including exhibitors

33 sponsors

124 people registered by the exhibiting brands

968 registered in total

47 international speakers

121 national speakers

over 450 works sent (90% of them approved)

21 scholarships for Resident Physicians SBP


Awards


SBP Resident Physician Award: 10 works

SBP Oral Category Award: 10 works

SBP Poster Category Award: 10 works

SBP Scientific Register/Undergraduate Category Award: 5 works

Kolplast Award

APESP Professor Marcello Franco Award: 2 works

Resident Doctor Slides Seminar: 6 works

Report submitted by Virgílio Amaral and Rita Martins

December 2022