Following the EURACT Council Meeting on April 22–23, the 4th EURACT Medical Education Conference concluded with record-breaking success in Iasi from April 23–25, 2026. Hosted at the Nicolae Leon Building of the Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, the event was a collaborative triumph involving EURACT, the National Society of Family Medicine in Romania, and the Local College of Physicians from Iasi. 🏥✨
Theme: Teaching Tomorrow’s Family Doctors 🩺 💡
Under the title “Teaching Tomorrow’s Family Doctors: Keeping patients close at heart in the digital era,” the conference explored how GP/FM can remain patient-centered despite workforce shortages and the rise of AI. 🤖❤️
Conference Highlights & Milestones 📊 📈
The 2026 edition set a new benchmark for EURACT:
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211 Participants (the highest ever!) from 36 different countries. 🌍 ✈️
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184 Abstracts submitted with a rigorous peer-review protocol. 📝 ✅
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Educational Impact: 21 workshops, 62 oral presentations, and 63 posters. 🏛️ 🎙️
Leadership and Committees 🤝 📋
The Scientific Committee was composed of:
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Martine Granek-Catarivas (Israel), Judy van Es (Netherlands), Sonata Varvuolyte (Lithuania), Venija Cerovecki (Croatia), Anne Simmenroth (Germany), and Alex Harding (United Kingdom). 👩🔬👨🔬
The Host Organizing Committee included:
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Razvan Miftode (Romania), Liviu Oprea (Romania), Dina Mergeani (Romania), Vesna Homar (Slovenia), Spyros Klinis (Greece), Joachim Frolund (Denmark), and Barbara Toplek (Slovenia).
The organizing staff was supported by six technical staff members, 12 GPs, and 10 postgraduate trainee volunteers. 🛠️ 🙋♂️
Opening Ceremony & Keynote Lectures 🎤 🎹
The conference began with an inspiring Opening Ceremony featuring speeches by:
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Prof. Dr. Nele Michels (EURACT President) 🇧🇪
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Prof. Dr. Viorel Scripcariu (Rector of Grigore T. Popa University) 🏫
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Prof. Dr. Thomas Frese (WONCA Europe President) 🇩🇪
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Prof. Dr. Martine Granek-Catarivas (Scientific Committee Chair) 🇮🇱
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Prof. Dr. Razvan Miftode (Host Organizing Committee Chair) 🇷🇴
Expert Insights: 🧐
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Liviu Oprea (Romania): Health Care Ethics in the Digital Era. ⚖️
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Gideon Shimshon (Global Health Education Group): Scaling Clinical Education. 💻
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Josep Figueras (European Observatory): Addressing the PHC Implementation Gap. 🗺️
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Karolina Orocz (Medical Student, Poland): “Do I Still Need You, Professor?” 👩🎓
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Adam Windak (Poland): The “Janko Kersnik Lecture” on the chances and pitfalls of digital education. 🖥️👥
Round Table Session ⭕ 🗣️
A key highlight was the Round Table entitled: “How can we improve the influence of GP in our countries and in Europe? What are the issues? What are the solutions?”
The session featured a dynamic debate among:
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Alex Harding (EURACT), Tiago Villanueva (UEMO), Sara Ares Blanco (WONCA working party), Fabian Dupont (EYFDM), Josep Figueras (European Observatory), and Calin Bumbulut (Romanian College of Physicians). 🗯️💡
Excellence & Awards 🏆 🏅
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Best Poster: Katarzyna Kracik, Katarzyna Nessler, and Adam Windak (Poland). 🇵🇱 📜
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Best Oral Presentation: Egidia Gabriela Miftode, Tudorita Gabriela Paranga, and Ionela Larisa Miftode (Romania). 🇷🇴 🎤
A Vibrant Community 🎶 🥂
The EURACT Choir (Council members on guitar, saxophone, and tambourine) brought a unique energy! 🎸🎷 The social program included a welcome cocktail and gala dinner, with national coverage provided by Radio Romania Actualitati. 🍸🍽️ 📻
Handover of Leadership 🎖️ 🤝
In a poignant Closing Ceremony, the EURACT Presidency was handed over from Nele Michels (Belgium) 🇧🇪 to Vesna Homar (Slovenia) 🇸🇮. 🔄👑
We look forward to seeing you all at the 5th EURACT Medical Education Conference! 🔜 ✨👋
Reported by: Prof. Dr. Esra Saatçı ✍️ WONCA Europe Executive Board Member