A scientific congress like no other

If 2020 has taught us anything, it is the unpredictable nature of life that we now incorporate into our work, education and daily existence. With COVID-19 restrictions currently in place, we have planned for 500 registrants onsite for the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) Annual Scientific Congress (ASC) 2021 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. At the time of planning, the number appears feasible; however, we are also ready to scale either downward or upward depending on the prevailing pandemic environment. We have been preparing for different scenarios and experimenting with new initiatives so that we can engage many of you for 2021, and in the years to come. With this flexibility, the ASC 2021 can be anywhere around the globe – get creative and share your experience using the hashtag #RACS2021. Your local RACS STANZ offices will also host hubs and more information will be updated on the ASC website as it becomes available. The STANZ offices will also be happy to help with any questions you might have, so please reach out.

For Fellows interested in attending the ASC physically, we encourage you to go online and register now. A new registration category for virtual attendance has been introduced for 2021. Register as a virtual attendee and you can watch the sessions wherever you are, whenever you want. All Fellows must register for RACS ASC 2021, whether physically or virtually, to obtain Continuing Professional Development points. If you Convocation ceremony: Melbourne or are watching at a hub without registering local – your choice for the ASC, you cannot claim your points. Hubs The ASC 2021 convocation ceremony will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre presided over by the RACS President and senior office bearers. In addition to Melbourne, local convocation ceremonies are also available. Fellows who are eligible to convocate in 2021 For our regular attendees, we know this is different. For members who don’t usually attend the ASC, this is a good one to try. We truly hope that many of you can join us onsite or online to make this an ASC like no other! We have been in discussion with your are entitled to receive complimentary The 2021 Annual Scientific Congress State, Territory and New Zealand (STANZ) registration for the ASC. An email invitation will run from Monday 10 May to Friday committees and offices to form hubs in to register has been sent to those eligible 14 May. Find out more about how to set your regions. Forming a local hub is a to register. up a hub. If you are hosting a RACS ASC fantastic way to bring your colleagues 2021 hub, please complete an online together to participate in the RACS ASC Registrations form to register your hub at tinyurl.com/ 2021 as a group. You can watch any Registrations for the RACS 89th Annual h7k0lpcr. sessions of your choice, including your surgical specialty, sessions of interest, the plenaries and the named lectures that suit your schedule. A hub can be any Scientific Congress 2021 are now open. As previously mentioned, physical onsite registrations have been limited to 500 people, following local government Dr Liz McLeod ASC CoordinatorADD YOUR HUB TO THE LIST place you like, whether it be at your work, guidelines and health advice. For 2021, home or anywhere with the appropriate onsite registrations have been made connections to stream the content. available only to Fellows of the RACS.