Davos training course reaches new landmark and prepares to grow

The International Diagnostic Course in Davos, Switzerland, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The established annual training event now attracts more than 1000 participants, and a second course is being introduced in the autumn.

The IDC was founded by Prof. Alois Rüttimann, former professor of radiology at the University of Zurich and head of the department of radiodiagnostics at the City Hospital Triernli in Zurich. He became an honorary member of the RSNA in 2003 for his services to European education.

Rüttimann sought to emulate the U.S. style of teaching and developed a combination of group seminars and direct interaction with well-known international teachers. The Davos course has helped forge a closer relationship between U.S. and European radiology, and many departments now use it as a part of their residency programs.

The 40th IDC will take place from 30 March to 4 April, and will focus on diseases of the brain, head and neck, and spine. The scientific directors are Jürg Hodler and Gustav K. von Schulthess, both from Zurich, and Christoph L. Zollikofer from Kilchberg, Switzerland.

Instruction at the 21 workshops will be given to groups of around 50 participants, and all teaching materials will be presented in a digital format. Individual viewing of cases takes place in groups of two or three students, where possible. A typical workshop consists of introductory remarks from the teacher, self-study of case material for 15 to 30 minutes, and discussion of cases with the teacher.

"As the need for education is expanding, for the first time in our history we are planning a second course, which will take place near Athens in the autumn of 2008, covering chest and heart imaging," said von Schulthess.
-By Philip Ward

For more details, visit www.idkd.org.