QUALITY OF MATERIALS:
All delegates are given one set of high quality colour photo print of most of the slides in the talks- POWERPOINT BOOK WITH YOUR NAME IN FRONT PAGE and also ONE WORKBOOK ON ULTRASOUND TECHNIQUE AND NORMAL IMAGE EXPECTED that are given which makes it easy to follow and refer to these notes at a later date. This set of books weighs nearly 0.5 kg so please make allowance for it in your luggage. These books are worth RM200.00 and will not be replaced if lost, so guard them carefully.
As a matter of security bring a high quality padlock and lock in your cabin or main baggage any valuables, handbags etc that don’t fit into the safe even though we have not had any reports of theft so far. You can then keep the padlock key in the safe.
In addition, on the first day you are required to bring your Windows laptop or Windows partitioned MAC to download the following materials which cost nearly RM900.00 in intellectual property. You will take turns to download the materials while the lectures are going on this first day. Please have an updated antivirus programme in your laptop and ensure your laptop is virus free to prevent virus entering the shared external hard disc. All downloads are to be done on the first day from 9am to 6 pm. EACH SEAT WILL HAVE A POWER SUPPLY UNDER THE DESK. 240 Volts Square plug.
If you don’t want to bring a laptop to download the materials, just bring an 8GB virus free thumb drive and we will download the materials on the thumb drive while the lectures are in progress on the first day.
WHAT YOU WILL BE DOWNLOADING:
1. Video of technique of doing MSK Ultrasound and some common pathology.
2. Powerpoints from lecturers that are useful to bring home many relevant points. Most of the lecture images are in the book but not all as otherwise the book would become too heavy to carry.
3. Resource materials from over 10 years of collection – 2 G. This provides very interesting reading and is provided by the present and past lecturers, previous fellows, generous MSK radiologists who are willing to share some of their materials, articles in PDF from journals and E books by lecturers.
PRACTICAL SESSIONS AND FACULTY:
You will be divided into groups according to your subspecialty for the first round of training.
Rehabilation specialists have 3 groups current. Two groups will have the first round with Dr Hamizan and Dr Kavitha. Muscle identification for Botox by conventional cross sectional method by Dr Kavitha and Tracing of Muscle method from distal tendon by Dr Hamizan. Prof George will take the third group to show the Orthopaedic technique and after this first round of teaching is over, the group will swap to the next group under Dr Kavitha and Dr Norhamizan till everyone has completed all three stations.
For the 3 Orthopaedic groups, we have two Musculoskeletal Radiologists, Dr Niraj Dubey – One advanced group and Dr Nurul Aida, and Prof George’s MSK Sonographer, Ms Soodah Binti Osman who will train two BASIC groups of those who have not much experience at all in MSK Ultrasound.
Following initial round of hands-on, delegates can join other tables and ask MSK radiologists anything that was not clear at initial table. However, they should not interfere or take over until all those designated at that table have had one round of training.
For the Rheumatology group and part Orthopaedic group interested in Rheumatology, there will be Prof George Bruyn to teach this Advanced Rheumatology ultrasound , so we encourage those who have been to Basic Rheumatology Courses under APLAR or EULAR or others to attend this special small group to have this personal training from Professor George Bruyn for two days along with the personal Orthopaedic scanning techniques by an advanced MSK radiology trainer in rotation for each practical session.
After the first round of training in your own group, then only will you be allowed to change or observe other groups so that we don’t have large numbers around certain faculty and obstruct the actual members or worse still attempt to take their place.
Don’t worry if you don’t get much hands on in the initial practical sessions as there is a 2 hour hands on session with 10 models and 10 machines and 7 demonstrators on the 2nd day of the course from 2pm -4pm to be shown anything you are unsure of.
BASIC MRI ANATOMY AND PATHOLOGY: This will be shown by Prof John George during the lectures.
VENUE:
The venue chosen is a Holiday Beach Resort. Holiday Inn Beach Resort, Batu Feringghi is at the heart of the most popular beach in Penang and has a famous night market along the main road which will surely delight all the delegates for its value for money and also the Famous Hawker food available. Public Bus Service from outside the hotel to the town is only US 1.00 one way and it takes you to the heart of one of the biggest shopping areas in town. From the town, taxi fares to any destination within the town are very affordable (US 3-7). Penang is best enjoyed in the evening in the company of friends who join you for the course and it is best to come a few days earlier (hotel booking special rates start from 3 days before to 3 days after the course) to sightsee Penang Island, Penang Hill, Gurney Drive Hawker Centre, Gurney Mall, Little India, Fort Cornwallis, Large Sleeping Buddha statue are some of the popular landmarks to visit. The cost of stay is very reasonable compared to Europe – a deluxe room with two breakfasts will cost only around US100 per night. In addition, cheaper hotels are present around Holiday Inn which can be found through Google search.
FOOD:
All food provided in this hotel is Halal. Unlike many courses where lunch is not provided or only a lunch box, all lunches provided in this course are BUFFET lunches comprising of North Indian and International Food over the two days. The hotel is famed for its not so spicy North Indian Tandoori and Naan or Pilau rice. Two tea breaks are provided daily with two snacks such as sandwiches or Malaysian delicacies at 10.30am and 4pm.The lunch is provided at the seaside terrace and is a very enjoyable experience. The BBQ is provided with chefs preparing on the spot for a hot and tasty meal. We encourage as many of you to stay at the hotel, as with more guests, the hotel provides two perks:
1. A Coffee machine for espresso, cappuccino and latte is provided all day which you are free to get up anytime to get a cup and bring to the lecture hall.
2. For those who do not take the hotel breakfast package but are staying at the hotel, there is light breakfast provided with toast, jam and coffee at 7.30am so that you can be refreshed and ready for the 8am prompt start of lectures.
We have stationed projector screens and 40 inch TV screens throughout the room so that you can change positions and prevent back and neck pain sitting or standing anytime in positions you can see at least one of the screens. No seat reservation is allowed but once you have taken a seat for one particular day and left your materials there the seat belongs to you for that day.
In 2016, an additional large screen will also be available by wireless projection for those who would like to change their seat for a while or watch the presentations sitting or standing at the back of the room and watching the presentation on this large screen at the back.
FLIGHTS INTO PENANG:
There are direct flights into Penang from Hong Kong. For most others, you can get an Air Asia Budget flight into Penang via Kuala Lumpur into the new and advanced KLIA 2 airport from which you can transit. Look out for special offers by Malaysia Airlines, Air Asia and other budget airlines like Malindo airlines and book way in advance to get very cheap promotions. KLIA 1 & KLIA 2 allows very good connectivity .There is no airport departure fee payable and airport fees are included in your tickets.
TAXI TO AND FROM HOTEL:
BUDGET TAXI from the airport to the hotel costs Ringgit Malaysia RM74.00. (US20.00) using the safe and efficient taxi counter. From hotel to the airport, you can use the taxis outside the hotel for the same rate. These taxis have been serving the hotel for many years and are safe. Please insist on a BUDGET TAXI even if they tell you none is available to avoid overpaying. BUS TO TOWN: You can hop on the local bus US1.00 to Georgetown big shopping center called Komtar, a large tower like building which sticks out and can be seen from most parts of Georgetown city and Penang Hill.
CURRENCY:
The Malaysian ringgit can easily be obtained at Currency Exchanges near the hotel at very good rates and you don’t need to change much at the airport which gives poor rates. 1 US dollar = RM3.50 approximately. Long Beach Hawker food centre with fruit juices and others at US3.00 to US5.00 for standard food and the famous Penang Char Koay Teow. This Hawker centre is about 0.5 km to the left of the hotel along the night market. Plenty of other restaurants with Chinese, Malay, Arab and Western food are present opposite the night market from 6pm to 11pm.
POWER SUPPLY:
240 volts square plug with three pins. You may wish to bring a plug adaptor if you have two pin plugs.
ACCREDITATION OF THE COURSE:
The Physicians Course has applied for 6 CME points via the Malaysian Association of Sports Medicine to the Malaysian Medical Council and Ministry of Health. Doctors can use the certificate which shows the total number of hours in learning from lectures and demonstration for calculation of points by MOH. It is important you stay till the end of the course and attend all sessions to be sure you have learned sufficiently as all aspects are covered at some stage in the course even though it may not be covered in a particular lecture.
SAFETY:
It is very safe to walk in the night market outside the hotel till 11pm at night when shops close. In the six years of the course, no theft has been reported in the Holiday Inn hotel rooms (safe deposit box provided free of charge in the rooms). Come with a friend to feel safer if you like.
PREVIOUS COURSE REVIEWS:
Please read the testimonials that are provided at www.penangmskrad.com. For those who come to learn and listen carefully even to the basics that they may think they know , the tips and pearls given will enable them to report more accurately and also perform Musculoskeletal Ultrasound at the level of competency they had wanted to learn. Powerpoint Quizzes in MSK Ultrasound really consolidate the knowledge acquired. Don’t forget that Interventional MSK Ultrasound Procedures using PRP, Prolotherapy, Autologous Blood are now getting more popular and its use and indications will be covered in this course.
HARD COPY RECEIPTS:
All delegates will receive a hard copy receipt. It will be prepared for you to pick up along with your certificate of attendance at 6pm on Monday. Only in special circumstances will the certificate be given early and with permission from Prof Dr John George.
SEE YOU IN PENANG 2016. The course is worth every dollar/ringgit you are going to spend to increase your accuracy in reporting MRI, performing MSK ultrasound and interventional procedures of joints under ultrasound. This will lead in future to a constant flow of referrals for MSK MRI and MSK ultrasound for a lifetime of income far more than you will spend on this unique course.
If there is any query or further information needed, please email the Secretariat at globalfuturistic@gmail.com. To secure a place at this course, please email the Course Director, Prof Dr John George FRCR at msk.rad@gmail.com. Kindly do so prior to making payment.
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