5th Annual CANM IOM Symposium
Vancouver, British Columbia 2012

The 5th CANM IOM Symposium was held in Vancouver, British Columbia, September 28 – 29, 2012. I would like to thank all guest speakers, case study authors, vendor sponsors and attendees who came together and made it one of our best meetings yet! As many attendees commended, the case presentations at the beginning of the symposium was fun, interactive and educational. So was the workshop given by Rebecca Clark-Bash, the renowned IOM educator. These case studies and the workshop discussed various practical aspects of intraoperative monitoring (IOM), which was not only beneficial to those new to the field but to veterans as well.

The much anticipated, Dr. MacDonald, delivered an informative and elegant keynote speech on" MEP Warning Criteria" which will surely have an impact on our daily practice. The lectures given by the surgeons were also well received. They not only spoke on surgical procedures and how monitoring could help achieve optimal results but also talked about the security and reduced anxiety that IOM provides. Needless to say, lectures by our clinical neurophysiologists which detailed applications of electrophysiological techniques in surgical monitoring were much enjoyed by the attendees. Many indicated that they would adopt some of the monitoring techniques learned at the meeting in their future practice, which is exactly what we want to hear!

The meeting went smoothly and effectively thanks to the dedication and hard work of the organizing committee. During the Welcome Reception in the beautiful Coal Harbor Suite, people chatted with colleagues and met old/new friends over a cup of BC wine and tasty hors d’oeuvres. Two days of the meeting passed by quickly but the memory of the wonderful experience will last long. Once again, thank you to all who attended and made the Vancouver symposium a tremendous success. We look forward to seeing you again next year in Ottawa!

Charles Dong, PhD
Chair, CANM 2012 Symposium Organizing Committee