FLAMeCIPP up to date

achievements and future

Abstract

Dear colleagues, as the end of our FLAMeCIPP presidency gets close, we would like to thank you all for the support given these years, and we are honnored to do it thru this fantastic window, borned from the fusion of our journals, ABTPe and Tobillo y Pie, to become stronger, one of the greatest achivement of our region in the recent years.

FLAMeCIPP for Latinamerican foot and ankle surgeons represents integration, science, development and friendship, a meeting point for our region that keeps growing and expanding. Recently we had Panama and Dominican Republic adhrence as new members, expansion in countries like Perú and Costa Rica and reactivation of El Salvador and Guatemala preparing their return to FLAMeCIPP, but there still work to do and that´s a great challenge for the upcoming authorities.

One of the main goals of this administration was to make FLAMeCIPP dynamic and closer to members, not leaving it just to a every 2 or 3 years congress; in order to do it we started our monthly Instagram case discussion and webinars from the beggining of our administration in 2018; first with moderate engagement of our members, expanding the interest gradually with time as we got used to these fantastic and interactive tools, to reach then an outstanding participation.

FLAMeCIPP internationalization was an important objective for us. Webinars and case discussion brought us closer to other Foot and Ankle Federations, and is now normal that not only americans, europeans an asians foot and ankle surgeons participate in our activities but many latinamericans surgeons are invited oftenly to participate in other Federations activities as well, showing the expertise and knowledge of this side of the world. Is very important to highlight that the expanding scientific influence of our region made FLAMeCIPP as institution, receive invitations as special guest to online activities from IFFAS, EFAS, SICOT and SLARD.

We planned special attention to research, trying to figure out a path to organize it in the region, although we managed to do few steps thru it we are very far from what we outlined and that´s a regret for us; we believe there is a high potential for research in our region, we need to find a way to stimulate and facilitate it mainly among the new generation of foot and ankle surgeons, and that´s the main task for our region in the near future.

Finally, we would like to send a word of hope in this difficult days the world is living, particularly our region. Thanks God we could keep in touch by the different mechanisms that technology allowed us, maintaining the FLAMeCIPP spirit alive, and wish we can embrace each other again in our IX Congress to be held in conjuction with IFFAS meeting in Santiago de Chile in April 2022. All the best.