ECCES 2026 — International Conference on Medical Education

Preliminary Programme

Advancing Medical Education: Internationalization, Innovation, and Academic Success

12–13 October 2026 Biltmore Hotel Tbilisi Tbilisi, Georgia

All times are Tbilisi local time (UTC+4).

Preliminary programme – subject to minor updates as final confirmations are received.

Location

Biltmore Hotel Tbilisi, Tbilisi, Georgia

Main Dates

12–13 October 2026

Format

Keynotes, Workshops, Networking

Day 1 — 12 October 2026

Welcome & Opening

08:30–09:00

Registration

Registration; Preparing exhibitions

Conference Team

VenueFoyer / Exhibition

09:00–10:00

Official Opening

Official Opening Ceremony

VenueMain Hall

Global Health Professions Education – Strategy, Partnerships & Local Context

10:00–10:20

Keynote

Global Health Professions Education, Strategic Academic Development & Partnerships

Prof. Emiola Oluwabunmi Olapade-Olaopa, FAS, FNAMed, FAMedS

President-Elect, World Federation for Medical Education (WFME)

VenueMain Hall

10:20–10:40

Keynote

Looking at Educational Partnerships through the One Health and Sustainable Development Goals Lens

Prof. Janusz Janczukowicz, MD, PhD

President, AMEE – The International Association for Health Professions Education Ltd

Head of the Centre for Medical Education and Vice Dean for the Development of Education; Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lodz

VenueMain Hall

10:40–11:00

Keynote

Globalization versus Diversity: Are They Two Sides of the Coin?

Dr. Mary Jo Lechowicz

Professor and Vice Chair for Education, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology; Margaret H. Rollins Chair in Cancer, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University

VenueMain Hall

11:00–11:20

Invited Plenary Talk

Georgian Perspective on Higher Education

Lasha Margishvili

Director, National Center of Education Quality Enhancement, Georgia

VenueMain Hall

11:20–11:50

Coffee & networking

Quality, Excellence, Academic Integrity & Readiness for Practice

11:50–12:10

Keynote

Striving for Excellence in Medical Education: Beyond WFME Recognition and Standards

Prof. Harm Peters

President, Association of Medical schools of Europe (AMSE)

Professor of Medical Education and Medicine; Germany

VenueMain Hall

12:10–12:30

Online Keynote

Preparing Graduates for an Uncertain Future: What Does Readiness for Practice Really Mean?

Prof. Mairi Scott

Emeritus Professor of Medical Education and General Practice

International Consultant in Medical Education, Quality Assurance and Governance

VenueMain Hall + Online

12:30–12:50

Invited Plenary Talk

Building a Culture of Academic Integrity and Professionalism in Medical Education

Prof. Paul Horrocks

Director of Medical Sciences and Director of Educational Partnership Development; School of Medicine, Keele University, United Kingdom

VenueMain Hall

12:50–13:50

Panel Discussion

Quality, Excellence & Readiness in Medical Education: Beyond Standards

VenueMain Hall

13:50–14:50

Lunch

13:50–16:50

Poster Exhibition

Poster Exhibition; Student art exhibition

VenuePoster Zone

13:50–14:50

Poster Session

Poster Author Session & Judging (during networking lunch)

VenuePoster Zone

Internationalization & Intercultural Education – From Mobility to Meaningful Integration

14:50–15:20

Invited Plenary Talk

Cultural Contexts of Illness Narratives

Dr. Michael McQuaide

Professor Emeritus of Sociology; Oxford College of Emory University, United States

VenueMain Hall

15:20–15:40

Invited Talk

Internationalization, Global Mobility & Strategic Partnerships

Alejandra Vicencio

Director, International Education Strategy Consultancy; Global Mobility and Partnerships Specialist

VenueMain Hall

15:40–16:00

Invited Talk

Training Neurologists Across Cultures: A German Practitioner’s Perspective on Intercultural Competence

Priv.-Doz. Dr. med. Tim Patrick Jürgens

Chief Physician, Department of Neurology, KMG Klinikum Güstrow

Medical Director, Headache Center North-East, University Medical Center Rostock

First Vice President, German Migraine and Headache Society (DMKG), Germany

VenueMain Hall

16:00–16:30

Coffee & networking

16:30–17:30

Panel Discussion

Internationalization in Medical Education: From Mobility to Meaningful Integration

VenueMain Hall

17:30–17:45

Closing

Day 1 Closing & Day 2 Orientation

VenueMain Hall

Parallel Off-site Clinical Masterclasses

15:30–18:30

Advanced Cardiology Clinical Masterclass

Advanced Heart Failure: From Complex Management to Mechanical Support and Transplantation

David W. Markham, MD, MSc, FACC

Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology

Target audience: Cardiologists, internal medicine physicians, cardiology residents and fellows, intensive care clinicians, and physicians involved in the management of patients with advanced cardiovascular disease.

Registration opens soon

VenueChapidze Emergency Cardiology Center

15:30–18:30

Interactive Quality Improvement & Patient Safety Masterclass

Building Safer Systems: Practical Principles of Quality Improvement and Patient Safety

Bhavin Adhyaru, MD, FACP, SFHM

Associate Professor of Medicine, Emory University; Grady Memorial Hospital

Target audience: Clinicians, healthcare leaders, faculty, quality and patient safety professionals, residents, and healthcare professionals involved in improving clinical systems.

Registration opens soon

VenueIngorokva and TSMU High Medical Technology University Clinic

Day 2 — 13 October 2026

Innovation in Education & Institutional Development

08:30–09:00

Registration

Registration; exhibitions open

Conference Team

VenueFoyer / Exhibition

09:00–09:20

Keynote

Does a Curriculum Have a Notochord? The Signals and Forces That Shape a Culture of Learning

Prof. Joe Le Doux

Executive Leader for Education Transformation and Innovation, Emory University's School of Medicine

Dean's Education Innovation Professor

Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University

VenueMain Hall

09:20–09:40

Plenary Talk

Advancing Medical Education: The Georgian Perspective

Salome Voronovi, MD, PhD, FAMEE

Head of AMEE Regional Centre of Excellence in Georgia

Deputy Head of Faculty Development and Strategic Planning Department

Tbilisi State Medical University

VenueMain Hall

09:40–10:00

Plenary Talk

Obstacles to Student Success

Gordon Churchward, PhD

Professor Emeritus of Microbiology and Immunology

Former Assistant Dean in Medical Education and Students' Affairs; Emory University School of Medicine

VenueMain Hall

10:00–11:00

Oral Presentations

Faculty Scientific & Medical Education Oral Presentations

VenueScientific Rooms A, B, C

11:00–11:30

Coffee & transition to the parallel program

Interactive Learning Tracks – Parallel Sessions

09:00–14:30

Student Hackathon

Student Medical Education Hackathon (Selected Student Teams)

Selected student teams + mentors

Registration opens soon

VenueHackathon Zone

11:30–13:00

Interactive Workshop

The Art of Telling Your Story

Prof. Joe Le Doux

Executive Leader for Education Transformation and Innovation, Emory University's School of Medicine

Dean's Education Innovation Professor

Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University

Dr. Mary Jo Lechowicz

Professor and Vice Chair for Education, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology; Margaret H. Rollins Chair in Cancer, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University

Registration opens soon (Faculty/students)

VenueWorkshop Room 1

11:30–13:30

Interactive Workshop

Teaching Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM): Integrating Traditional Methods with AI-Enabled Learning

Bhavin Adhyaru, MD, FACP, SFHM

Associate Professor of Medicine; Emory University, Grady Memorial Hospital

Registration opens soon (Faculty)

VenueWorkshop Room 2

11:30–13:30

Interactive Workshop

Narrative Medicine & the Art of the Patient–Doctor Relationship

Raisa Chyorny, MD

Family Medicine Physician/Hospitalist; Clinical Assistant Professor of Family and Community Medicine, University of New Mexico

Registration opens soon (Faculty)

VenueWorkshop Room 3

11:30–13:30

Interactive Workshop

Structural Dilemmas in Health Systems: Quality, Universal Access and Cost Control

Dr. Michael McQuaide

Professor of Sociology; Oxford College of Emory University, United States

Registration opens soon (Faculty/students)

VenueWorkshop Room 4

11:30–13:30

Interactive Students’ Workshop

Academic Integrity, Professionalism & Responsible Use of AI: An Interactive Student Workshop

Prof. Paul Horrocks

Director of Medical Sciences and Director of Educational Partnership Development; School of Medicine, Keele University, United Kingdom

Registration opens soon

VenueStudent Room 1

13:30–14:30

Lunch

Scientific Exchange & Student Experience

14:30–15:30

Oral Presentations

Faculty Scientific & Medical Education Oral Presentations

VenueScientific Rooms A, B

14:30–16:00

Interactive Roundtable

Nursing Education & Professional Development / Conversations on Nursing Education: Challenges, Innovation and Future Directions

Dana J. Thomas, MSN, NP-C

Lung Screening Program Coordinator

Georgia Cancer Center for Excellence

Nursing educators & invited experts

Registration opens soon

14:30–15:30

Student Interactive Session

Student Support, Belonging & Academic Success

Michele Rutherford

Medical Student Education Coordinator; Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine

Registration opens soon

VenueStudent Room 1

14:30–16:00

Interactive Workshop

Supporting Students, Strengthening Universities

Dr. Nino Chinchaladze

Executive Director, Center for International Education (CIE)

Registration opens soon (Faculty)

VenueWorkshop Room 1

14:30–16:00

Student Workshop

Student Experience, Wellbeing & Support

Student-led workshop

Registration opens soon

VenueStudent Room 2

16:00–17:00

Panel Discussion

International Student Support & Academic Success: Beyond Recruitment

VenueMain Hall

17:00–17:20

Awards

Hackathon, Poster & Student Recognition

VenueMain Hall

17:20–17:40

Closing

ECCES 2026 Conference Closing

VenueMain Hall

Parallel Off-site Clinical Masterclasses

15:30–18:30

Clinical Imaging Masterclass

Cardiac MRI in Mitral Regurgitation: From Imaging to Clinical Decision-Making

Dr. Elliott K. Gozansky

Professor of Radiology; Chief, Cardiopulmonary Imaging, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Target audience: Radiologists, cardiologists, cardiology and radiology trainees, and physicians with an interest in cardiovascular imaging.

Registration opens soon

VenueIngorokva and TSMU High Medical Technology University Clinic

15:30–18:30

Emergency Medicine Clinical Masterclass

Emergency Medicine: Clinical Decision-Making in High-Stakes Situations

Bryan F. McNally, MD, MPH

Emory University School of Medicine

Target audience: Emergency physicians, residents, clinicians involved in acute care, medical educators and senior medical students with a particular interest in emergency medicine.

Registration opens soon

VenueSimon Khechinashvili University Clinic