Dear Colleagues,

Turkish Surgical Association (TSA) has been working for actualizing the protection and development of the rights of its members related to their profession, the contribution to the their professional developments, regarding the benefit of society on general surgery and the development of the medical service related to the general surgery. In this context, congresses are the most important study fields, continuous medical education (CME) being in the first place.

Medical education is a life time learning process. CME starts after graduation and continues until the medicine period ends. "Curriculum for 50 years" expression means that CME comprises the whole medicine period and this is a right definition. Surgeons participate mostly in the national congresses among the CME events. In this context, National Surgery Congress is one of the most important events for our association.

This term it is decided that the National Surgery Congress will be held in 2010 in Ankara. Although the congress understanding which almost every profession association holds in holiday villages the with "all inclusive" system in Antalya has some advantages (especially the social program of the congress and the satisfaction of the attendants of the congress from the social program), it has some disadvantages like keeping the scientific program of the congresses in the background and attendance/access problems. For this reason, we will hold the 17th National Surgery Congress in capital of Turkey. By holding 17th National Surgery Congress in Ankara, we believe that the attendance will increase and will be easier especially for the assistant doctors.

We pay attention for the principles such as the transparency in the industry-doctor relationship and also not supporting any other purposes except the purpose of the corporative relationship and education activities. In this context, the Board of Directors of Turkish Surgical Association has carried out a study named Ethical Principles and Rules in the CME. This congress will be carried out according to the published principles and rules.

Besides as an important innovation, Prof. Dr. Dursun Buğra (University of Istanbul, Istanbul Medical Faculty General Surgery) has become the President of the 17th National Congress instead of the President of Turkish Surgical Association. Hereby it has created an opportunity for an instructor to arrange a congress in the education and medical field. We believe that this innovation is an important step for Turkish Surgical Association. The scientific board of the congress has been determined by the congress president and a self-governing study understanding has been developed.

Turkish Surgical Association has very good relationships with all of the associations displaying activities in general surgery. The events in Turkey such as congresses, courses, symposiums have been named according to the demands and understanding of the organizers regardless of the purpose and context of the event. Nowadays if it is considered that there is inflation in the training events, is it very significant to avert the events that repeat each other and to determine standards according to the type of the event. According to the decision made in the Second Branch and Regional/City Surgery Associations held in October 10, 2009 in the Central Office of Turkish Surgery Association, the definitions of Continuous Medical Education events has been carried out by taking into consideration the international standards by Turkish Surgical Association. This study which is carried out to determine the standards and definitions of the events such as congress, course, and symposium is published by the approval of the Board of Directors of the TSA. We believe that it is a rational method for creating traditions for this country by the consensus made within the national scale while different institutions and foundations works for the similar purposes on the same field and also for the success of the events and for utilizing the sources efficiently. For this reason as Turkish Surgical Association we have invited the region/city associations, second branch associations and all the other education foundations which are present in general surgery field to arrange CME events which are not repetitive but complementary and developer with the right name, suitable purpose and suitable method.

We are waiting for your attention to 17th National Surgery Congress, inviting you with kind regards.

Prof. Dr. Cem Terzi
The President of Turkish Surgical Association


Dear Colleagues,

The cumulative number of the attendants and the satisfactory scientific programs of National Surgery Congress (NSC) provide high expectations from the next meetings. As is known, National Surgery Congresses were being held in Antalya in the hotels with large meeting halls. According to the decision made by Board of Director of Turkish General Association, the congress that will be held in 2010, will be held between 26th - 29th May in Ankara Sheraton Congress Center.

The regulatory Board is determined from the colleagues out of board of directors by the Board of Directors of TSA. This respectful approach has increased the responsibility of the regulatory board in the eye of Board of Directors of TSA and surgical community as well.

Surgery is a very dynamical medicine branch. A diagnosis or treatment method which is current today may lose validity tomorrow. For this reason, we intend to present subjects which may find solutions for the problems that our colleagues come across in daily life and also the new diagnosis/treatment methods, the solution of the difficulties encountered during the surgical education or after graduation period in a stabile way in the scientific meetings of the congress which is held biyearly.

We intended to create a program including all of the topics on general surgery in our congress. During the four-day-period of the meeting the important topics of recent years/days will be discussed in panels, conferences, courses, counter-views, video sessions, disputable fact sessions, free announcements and poster sessions, and nationally and internationally distinguished scientists will make presentations. The industry supported satellite presentations which are the integral parts of our meetings will enrich the scientific context. Nurses with whom we share our study fields in our professional life will arrange parallel sessions. There will be poster and announcement prizes to encourage young surgeons.

In the meetings which have a high level of attendance like NSC out of the program, meeting of the colleagues with their friends or mentors and becoming free from the heavy burden of the surgery by getting together in a social environment will load extra studying energy to the surgeons who have been developed with team spirit and who always give point to "us" not "me".

Dear Colleagues, the main power of the 17th National Surgery Congress will be constituted by the attendants and their efficient supports. You can convey your offers and demands for the scientific program which is still in development phase to the regulatory board by the board of directors of TSA. I am waiting for your contributions to carry out this congress whose scientific and social context will be remembered and giving my best regards on behalf of the regulatory board and scientific board. Turkish Surgical Association

Prof. Dr. Dursun Buğra
President of the Congress