Emergency Medicine Symposium 2025
CEBU – Philippines
Reflection…
April 2025
Shangri-La Mactan, Cebu, Philippines
Hello!
To our delegates
Thank you for bringing energy and engagement.
To our faculty
Thank you for bringing your expert insights and creating a space for us to grow.
And to all who’ve been part of this journey over the years—your fingerprints are everywhere. This symposium continues because of you.
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
— Mahatma Gandhi
This April, on the quiet shores of Cebu, the Emergency Medicine Symposium reminded us why we gather. Not just for education, but for clarity. Not just for knowledge, but for purpose. In a world that often asks for more and faster, this was a rare opportunity to slow down, reflect, and reconnect—with our work, with each other, and with the deeper mission of emergency medicine.
Built by Clinicians, for Clinicians
Designed by FACEMs, the Emergency Medicine Symposium continues to be a space shaped by those who practise emergency care at the front line. It’s for senior clinicians who carry the emotional and clinical weight of decision-making every day.
This year’s academic program stayed true to its mission: relevant, rigorous, and grounded in the real world. We explored cardiogenic shock, pericardiocentesis in uncertainty, endometriosis in the ED, paediatric and geriatric care, and the human cost of incivility in healthcare, to name a few.
During the workshops, delegates sharpened their skills in advanced ECG interpretation, got hands-on in emergency dentistry, and explored non-pharmacological strategies in adolescent mental health—topics designed to empower clinicians immediately, not eventually.
A hospital visit in Cebu opened our eyes to the challenges and commonalities in Emergency Medicine when we look beyond our own systems.
“The goal is not to be perfect by the end. The goal is to be better today.”
— Jay Shetty
Our Philanthropic Portfolio – Expanding with Heart
Philanthropy is a feature of the Emergency Medicine Symposium that we can all be proud of. In 2025, we donated AUD $61,500 to complete our long-standing support for Theravil, a village in northern Sri Lanka. With the guidance of our charity partner Palmera, this community has grown toward self-reliance—through entrepreneurship, dignity, and local leadership.
As one village steps into independence, another begins its journey.
Also in partnership with Palmera, we launched our next project in the neighbouring village of Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mullaitivu. This initiative reflects our belief that sustainable change begins with investing in people—supporting livelihoods, community leadership, and cultural empowerment from the inside out.
In 2026, our philanthropic portfolio will continue to grow, joined by more aligned charities working towards one shared mission: to uplift rural communities in Sri Lanka with humility, care, and commitment.
Small by Design, Global in Spirit
Emergency Medicine Symposium is intended to be large enough to embrace diversity while being small enough for everyone to be noticed. We hope you made some new friends and reconnected with some old ones. The conversations were open, the energy honest, the connections real.
As we grow, we welcomed a broader international presence this year. Though modest in numbers, delegates from outside Australia and New Zealand added richness, reminding us that the challenges of emergency medicine are shared across borders—and so are the values that guide us.
Next Stop:
Da Nang, Vietnam
Emergency Medicine Symposium 2026
will be held in Da Nang – April 13, 14 and 15.
A vibrant culture-rich seaside city. A revitalised academic program. An expanding philanthropic mission.
A community growing stronger with every step.
We can’t wait to welcome you there.
As a first-timer to this conference, what struck me most was the inclusive, relaxed, welcoming vibe that really complemented the academic program. It is so much easier to remain engaged and to learn when you feel comfortable speaking up, asking questions, or providing opinions. Thank you for creating such an atmosphere!
The fact that by attending this conference, we were able to assist in a very worthwhile cause in Sri Lanka was such a bonus, and I want to congratulate the organisers for their amazing efforts both in organising the conference and in their quest for equity for people/communities.
I thoroughly enjoyed the week and know that I will be back to attend another Emergency Medicine Symposium.
The kindest and most collegiate conference I have ever attended. I will be back!
Thanks so much to the organisers! So much effort which is deeply appreciated.
The Emergency Medicine Symposium is a conference that is a notch above because it is a smaller and more intimate way to learn, reflect, and connect with like-minded people. And always in a superb destination! Already looking forward to the next one!
Thank you and well done to the faculty.
A thoughtfully curated conference which included exploring global emergency care by visiting a local tertiary emergency department in the Philippines. Wonderful memories created through rich learning content, engaging speakers, and highly enjoyable social gatherings.
This was such an amazing conference… relevant EM topics. It was great to see children were welcome in this, makes such a difference (even though mine is much older already). Will look forward to the future conferences.
Thank you for delivering such a wonderful conference over the past three days. The program was packed with excellent content—thought-provoking, practical, and incredibly relevant to our work. The effort that went into curating such a high-quality educational experience did not go unnoticed.
Thank you to the convenors for your time, energy, and commitment in bringing this all together. It’s very much appreciated.
Well presented, high yield topics backed with research. Enjoyable. Altruistic and Philanthropic cause. Thank You.
Close-knit ED colleague family conference. Great venue for family (Shangri-La). Appropriately scheduled half-day conference. Great location – Cebu. Fits the purpose—CPD for a cause. Reality check with resource-limited ED visit (Cebu hospital).”
Excellent quality and useful education coupled with enjoyable social events. First-time attendee and will definitely attend again in the future
The team has delivered another masterpiece! Great talks. Fantastic discussions and lasting friendships, all for a worthy cause. Excellent!!!”
Thanks for bringing us to this beautiful location with some interesting speakers and educational content. The local hospital tour was both humbling and illuminating.
Fantastic, well-run conference put on by a great group of people.
Amazing conference for a great learning experience and networking. Great venue.
An amazing cause for charity. Great opportunity to network and thanks for the professionally well-run conference.
Another great conference, had fun and learned a lot. The field visit to the local hospital was an eye-opening experience. It made me appreciate the struggles we have with work and life are nothing compared to these hard-working doctors and nurses at Cebu.
Another excellent few days.
Thank you again for another fantastic conference! The educational content was excellent, with a wide variety of topics and space for discussion.
The social program allowed for reconnection and making new connections.”
Academic Programme 2024
Day One - 14th April 2025
| 0730 – 0800 |
Registration |
| 0800 – 1030 | Workshops – Mactan Ball Room |
| 1030 – 1100 | Morning Tea – Mactan Ball Room Foyer |
| 1100 – 1400 | Cebu Hospital Visit – Introduction to Emergency Care Philippines – Dr Pauline Convocar |
| 1400 – 1430 | Lunch – A buffet lunch will be served at 14:00 in the Mactan Ballroom foyer |
Workshops
Delegates can choose to attend ONE of the workshops below. Each workshop will have a maximum of 20 delegates to allow active participation.
Delegates can choose their workshop choices in March 2025, and we will endeavour to accommodate your preferences.
1. Emergency Dentistry – Dr Rajan Kailainathan
- Initial Management of dental trauma in ED
- Dental Local Anesthesia – Infiltration and Blocks
- Dental Filling, stablisation of avulsions – Hands on.
2. Advanced ECG Workshop for Emergency Physicians – Dr Siva Sivasubramaniam
- We Read ECGs Daily—Now Own It Like a Pro
- Who owns the ECG- Cardiologist or EPs?
- Stop Second-Guessing—Start Deciding
3. Non-pharmacological strategies in Adolescent Mental Health – A/Prof Joe Rotella
- What Makes Teenagers Tick?
- Aside from medication, what else can we provide for an adolescent in the ED?
- Simple as 1-2-3? Put your communication skills to the test.
Cebu Hospital Visit
We are delighted to invite Emergency Medicine Symposium delegates to visit a Tertiary Government Hospital in Cebu.
EM Symposium has arranged for delegates to travel by bus approximately 45 minutes to the Hospital.
1. Global Emergency Care – Philippines Perspective – Dr Pauline Convocar – IFEM president-elect and immediate past President of the Philippine College of Emergency Medicine.
2. Common Conditions in Cebu – tropical diseases and disaster medicine – Dr Pauline Convocar
3. Emergency Department and Hospital Walk-through – small groups led by Philippine Emergency Medicine Trainees and Physicians.
We are immensely grateful for the opportunity to visit a clinical environment in the Philippines and are assured that delegates will treat this privilege with care and respect.
Dress code – Office wear appropriate for clinical spaces
Outline of Visit
11.00 am Bus departs Shangri-la – In front of Main Reception
11.45 am Hospital Visit
1.00 pm Bus departs Hospital
2.00pm Lunch at Shangri-la – Mactan Ball Room Foyer
1730 – 2030 |
Cocktail Party at Ocean Pavilion
|
Day Two - 15th April 2025
| 0730 – 0800 |
Registration |
In the Resus Room |
|
| 0800 – 0830 |
Cardiogenic Shock Dr Rajan Kailainathan |
| 0830 – 0900 |
NeuroStorm: Navigating the Tempest of Neurological Emergencies Dr Siva Sivasubramaniam |
| 0900 – 0930 |
Mastering Haemodynamic Assessment in Critically Ill Patients Dr Raj Kathirgamanathan |
Jack of all Trades |
|
| 0930 – 1000 |
Discharging Acute Mental Health patients for GP follow-up – A Self-Help Tool Dr Rebeca Wong |
| 1000 – 1030 |
Many Phases of Endometriosis Dr Srigala Nagarajan |
| 1030 – 1130 |
Morning Tea |
Professional Development |
|
| 1130 – 1200 |
Unlocking Leadership Skills for Emergency Physicians Dr Simon Judkins |
| 1200 – 1230 |
Incivility, Bias, Resilience and other uncomfortable words in Emergency Medicine Dr Ray Lopez |
| 1230 – 1300 |
Tackling Hard Conversations Dr Jay Weeraratne |
| 1300 – 1400 |
Group Exercise – Cracking the Code: Solving ED’s Toughest Culture Challenges Together! Description:
Moderator – Dr Jay Weeraratne Panellist- Dr Ray Lopez; Dr Simon Judkins and Dr Srigala Nagarajan |
A working lunch will be served at 13:00 during the panel discussion, with a table-style setup to encourage interactive conversations and engagement.
| 1900 onwards |
Gala Dinner – Mactan Ballroom✨ Get ready to be mesmerised by a vibrant Filipino cultural dance performance |
Day Three - 16th April 2025
–
| 0730 – 0800 |
Registration |
Caring for the Ages: Enhancing Geriatric Emergency Care |
|
| 0800 – 0830 |
Beyond Conventional Trauma Care: Focused Approaches for the Elderly Dr Siva Sivasubramaniam |
| 0830 – 0900 |
Breaking the silence: elder abuse and the value of care Dr Lai Heng Foong |
| 0900 – 0930 |
Geriatric Pharmacology: Balancing Safety and Efficacy Dr Rajan Kailainathan |
Little Patients, Big Challenges: Pediatric Care in the ED |
|
| 0930 – 1000 |
Pediatric insights Dr Karen Quay |
| 1000 – 1030 |
Adapting Sedation Techniques for patients with Autism in Emergency Care Dr Robert Millar |
| 1030 – 1130 |
Morning Tea |
Working with Uncertainty |
|
| 1130 – 1215 |
Balancing Action and Inaction Addressing 2 cases of ED Pericardiocentesis Dr Raj Kathirgamanathan & Dr Rajan Kailainathan |
| 1215 – 1315 |
Let’s Debunk Some Common Pediatric Myths, Followed by ‘You Can’t Ask That! Dr Christina Fong, Dr Karen Quay and Dr Srigala Nagarajan |
| 1315 – 1400 |
Building your Second Career as an Emergency Physician Dr Rizwan Qureshi |
A working lunch will be served at 13:00 during the panel discussion, with a table-style setup to encourage interactive conversations and engagement.