International Conference – Day 2 Highlights

Day 2 of the 8th International Conference on Herbal Medicine was a great blend of research and practical clinical information.

In addition to the main sessions there was a great choice of concurrent sessions available. There was a good discussion over afternoon tea about the future of the NHAA and members had some great input. The passion of it’s members, and the fact that they have a direct and meaningful say in the work of the Association, has long been the key strength of the NHAA.

This afternoon I chaired the panel discussion on Research & Education in Herbal Medicine. The panel members consisted of some eminent clinicians, educators and researchers, including Assunta Hunter, Dr Hans Wohlmuth, Ses Salmond, Dr Suresh Govindaraghavan, Professor Kerry Bone, and Dr Karen Bridgman. We got into some really productive discussions about the issues facing education in herbal medicine, the unfortunate demise of many of the clinical university courses, and the research priorities for our profession. There was a great deal of audience participation which was excellent – in fact we only got through 2 of the 8 preprepared questions!

Finally the Conference Dinner was fantastic fun as always. Ses Salmond and Kim Hunter did a great job of the crazy little competitions, and Stephen Foster (USA) did an interesting presentation about the people with whom he has worked and learned from over the decades. Some fascinating personalities and amazing people.

Finally Anne Cowper, who has been involved in the NHAA for over 20 years, was awarded for her meritorious service to the Association and the profession. For as long as I can remember Anne has been the glue of the Association, and done amazing work on the Journal, the Conferences, and much more. Anne is moving on to other things, and she will be missed.

Tomorrow is the final day, and I’m one of the first cabs off the rank with my presentation on Training the Next Generation at 9am.

Another update to come tomorrow.

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