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ICO Notes
Important Dates and Deadlines

June 2011

Dear ICO Members and Friends,

This issue of ICO Notes, focuses on some important upcoming dates and deadlines. As always, I would appreciate your passing this information on to your members.

1. WOC Abstract Submission Deadline: July 1, 2011

In response to many requests, the World Ophthalmology Congress® (WOC) 2012 Scientific Program Committee has extended the abstract submission deadline from June 1 to July 1, 2011.

Abstracts can be submitted for free papers, posters, videos or instruction courses. Abstracts may be submitted online at www.woc2012.org/call_for_papers.html.

Please share this information with all of your society members through your e-mail or other communications. WOC 2012 is February 16–20, 2012, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

2. Buenos Aires Conference for Educators Date of Conference: July 5, 2011

The Buenos Aires Conference for Educators is July 5, 2011. The Conference “Refocusing Ophthalmic Education in the Americas” precedes the 29th Pan-American Congress of Ophthalmology, July 7 to 9, 2011 (www.paao2011buenosaires.org.ar).

This second Conference for Educators (the first was in Sydney, Australia in March) is organized and co-sponsored by the ICO, the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO) and the Argentine Council of Ophthalmology.

Registration is free, but participants will need to cover their own travel and personal costs.  If you haven't already registered officially for the Conference for Educators, please do so at: www.icoph.org/rsvp/Conference_for_Educators_Buenos_Aires_2011.html.

The Conference agenda may be downloaded at: www.icoph.org/downloads/BAagenda.pdf.

3. Buenos Aires Advocacy Workshop Date of Workshop: July 6, 2011

On July 6, 2011, an Advocacy Workshop will be held in Buenos Aires to help “Advocates” become more effective at promoting positive change within their countries' educational and health-care systems. The Workshop will give "Advocates" who have been designated by their ophthalmologic societies to work with the ICO–and others who are interested in advocacy–tools and strategies to help generate financing and other support for eye care and prevention of vision loss.

Held immediately prior to the Pan-American Congress of Ophthalmology, the Workshop will include case studies from Latin America and beyond, panel presentations on strategies and tools for advocacy and opportunities to discuss what approaches are most effective. This is an unprecedented opportunity to hear from experts in the field and meet with fellow advocates and ophthalmologic society leaders committed to advocacy.

The Workshop for Advocates is organized and co-sponsored by the ICO, the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO) and the International Agenda for the Prevention of Blindness/VISION 2020 Latin America. The program will be in English and Spanish, with simultaneous translation available.

Registration is free, but participants will need to cover their own travel and personal costs. Please register for the Workshop at: icoph.org/rsvp/Workshop_for_Advocates_Buenos_Aires_2011.html. The preliminary agenda in English and Spanish for the Workshop is available at: www.icoph.org/downloads/BA-Advocacy-Workshop.pdf.

4. WOC Early Bird Registration Rates Deadline: July 31, 2011

If you have not already registered for the 2012 World Ophthalmology Congress (WOC), you must do so soon to take advantage of early bird registration rates, which will end July 31, 2011. To register, go to: www.woc2012.org/register_online.html.

WOC 2012 is being held February 16-20 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and it is the first time such a prestigious international ophthalmology meeting will be hosted in the Middle East and Africa Region. WOC 2012 is hosted by the Middle East Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO).

5. ICO Advanced Examination Deadline: July 31, 2011

The deadline to register for the ICO Advanced Examination is July 31, 2011. Taking place on October 13, 2011, the ICO Advanced Examination is offered to ophthalmologists who have passed the complete Basic Science and Clinical Science Exams or an examination of similar standard recognized by the ICO Examinations Committee. Successful candidates are allowed to use the post-nominal acronym of FICO when they have passed a local face-to-face examination.

For more information about the 2011 Advanced Examination for Ophthalmologists go to: www.icoexams.org/exams/advanced/.

To download an application, go to: www.icoexams.org/assets/user/doc/downloads/ICO_Application_Form_Advanced_Exam2011_Layout_1.pdf.

Please note that a fee reduction is offered for candidates who apply within a group of two or more and who make a joint payment for the exam.

6. Helmerich Fellowships Applications Due: September 1, 2011

The application deadline for the 2012 Helmerich Fellowships for advanced subspecialty training is September 1, 2011.

The Helmerich Fellowships are an ICO program started in 2009 to provide advanced subspecialty training to ophthalmologists in developing countries to help them share new knowledge upon return to their home countries. The Fellowships are supported by a grant to the ICOFoundation from the Retina Research Foundation to honor the public service leadership of Mr. W.H. Helmerich III.

Full details and complete description of the Helmerich Fellowships, application requirements and instructions are available for download at: archive.icoph.org/pdf/helmerichfellowships.pdf (PDF - 519 KB) or at the ICO Subspecialty Education page at: www.icoph.org/refocusing_education/educational_programs/subspecialty.html.

Best Regards,

Bruce

Bruce Spivey, MD, MS, MEd
President, International Council of Ophthalmology

945 Green Street
San Francisco, CA, 94133, USA
Fax: (1-415) 409-8403
spivey@icoph.org
www.icoph.org