The annual RCSI Charter Day Meetings began in the College this morning and will continue until Saturday, 20 February 2010.

Over 80 leading Irish and international speakers will attend the College to discuss topics relevant to surgery and surgical training. Over 200 surgeons are expected to attend the three-day event.

The meetings began this morning with a symposium on Compartment Syndromes. On Friday morning, four parallel sessions will run on the topics of General Surgery, Head and Neck Cancer, Urology and Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgery. On Friday afternoon, Professor John Monson from the University of Rochester Medical Centre will give the Johnson and Johnson Lecture entitled 'The Failing Surgeon'.

Dr Michael Brennan, President of the Mayo Clinic in the United States and graduate of RCSI, will deliver the 85th Abraham Colles Lecture on Friday evening. His lecture entitled ‘Professionalism’ will address how and why professionalism must be a central and influential feature of medical education and how it can influence the public debate on the challenges facing the delivery of accessible, high quality and affordable healthcare.

Speaking at the opening of the meetings, Professor Frank Keane, President of RCSI, said: “The Charter Day meetings provides Fellows and Members of the College and colleagues from the international surgical community the opportunity to come together and discuss many of the difficult aspects that are facing clinical practices and healthcare systems at present. We hope the programme provides a stimulating and informative three days."

The RCSI Charter Day Meetings are held annually to commemorate the 11th February 1784, when RCSI was first established by Royal Charter by King George III. This year’s meeting also celebrates the College’s 200th Anniversary on St Stephen’s Green.