Below you will find an interview with Prof. MUDr. Richard Češka CSc., the Chairman of the Czech Society of Internal Medicine of the Czech Medical Association of J. E. Purkyně, on support for the secretariat leaders which made it possible for the committee to focus on professional aspects of the society.
What do you consider to be the greatest benefit of the association management?
“All the members of the committee of the Czech Society of Internal Medicine perform their functions in the society as volunteers, i.e. in their own time in addition to their jobs. On that account my time as well as that of the committee is limited and this is where I find the cooperation with GUARANT International company most beneficial. I can concentrate more on professional aspects and thus focus on the main goal of our society, which is the development and progress of internal medicine.”
What do you think about the cooperation with the team of GUARANT International company?
“The association management team has explicitly defined responsibilities and areas in which we cooperate. I appreciate flexibility, thoroughness and a forthcoming approach. The original relationship between a contractor and a supplier has grown into a partnership in which we have a common objective that we successfully accomplish. I am happy and satisfied. I know that this team supports me and I can fully rely on their accomplishment of the agreed upon steps.”
What are the tools the professional societies can employ for the development of their specialty?
“These are particularly the active and zealous colleagues who care about their specialty. Extremely important is also to build a strong community in which discussions take place and information and experience are shared. The position of the specialty of internal medicine has to be strengthened not only inwards, also outwards, towards institutions, the public, and also abroad.”
Do you see a big difference between the internal medicine in the CR and in the other EU countries?
“The internal medicine in our country has achieved a very good professional standard. We have a sophisticated system of lifelong learning. The physicians educate themselves at conferences, symposiums, seminars, but also in a modern way, electronically. In this respect, too, the professional society, i.e. the Czech Society of Internal Medicine acts as their partner. This way we educate physicians who can measure up against medical doctors for example in Germany or Belgium. We can assess their knowledge and experience at international conferences of internal medicine and individual specialties derived from internal medicine.”
“Thanks to association management I can dedicate some time to relationships with foreign societies and in this way foster our cooperation.”
