Reflections on the SPS meeting at V&A, June 2024

Dr Rosie Hague, President of the Scottish Paediatric Society, reflects on the successes of the Summer Meeting which took place at the V&A in June 2024.

This year’s summer meeting of the Scottish Paediatric Society brought together medical professionals and students from all over Scotland in the stunning venue of the Dundee V&A. The event was over-subscribed, so apologies to those who would have liked to join but applied once we had exceeded our numbers. The conference room was packed, but the venue enabled plenty of space for catching up with old friends and colleagues and meeting new ones, while enjoying the interactive exhibits and galleries.

Our host was Rebecca Goldman, consultant paediatrician in Ninewells Hospital Dundee, who welcomed us to the Jute City, and ably chaired the hot topics sessions – 4 fascinating talks on “the abnormal FBC”, “paediatric and adolescent gynaecology”, “craniosynostosis” and “common ENT conditions in childhood”. Thanks to all the speakers, and to those who contributed to the ensuing discussions.

Choosing the research/audit/QI, and the clinical case presentations from the abstracts submitted had been a challenging job, given the quality of the submissions. All the presenters gave well-rehearsed talks (and even kept to time!). It was particularly encouraging to hear contributions from medical students. I hope that the day further ignited their interest in pursuing a career in paediatrics. Congratulations to the prize winners: Darcey Jamison and Nicky Britton.

These days much information can be gained online, and we are fortunate to have such easy access to a wealth of webinars, Zoom and Teams meetings and literature. However, this meeting underlined once again the importance of human face to face contact, and how much the informal discussions generated by the stimulating atmosphere added to the day. We look forward to doing it all again in Glasgow in November – be there!