Stefan
Plontke, MD
Alec Salt was given a Gold Medal Award for his “contributions to our present understanding of endolymphatic hydrops and inner ear fluid homeostasis”.
The award ceremony was held at the biannual meeting of the Society at the Hotel Theresa in Zell am Ziller, a small village high up in the Austrian Alps. Although this meeting is colloquially known as a “ski meeting”, I was not in the minority being a non-skiing attendee. In fact, I have never been to another meeting quite like it. Over the six days of the meeting you sit in on 24 hours of lectures, 2 hours in the morning (7:30 – 9:30 am) and two in the afternoon (4:00 – 6:00). Each two-hour session has 4 speakers (30 mins each) so the program is always changing and there is never a chance to get bored. The topics focus on the most current research issues in Otolaryngology, so many of them closely related to the work we are doing. But, notably the most outstanding aspect of the meeting is the discussions between papers. The group is small enough (and opinionated enough) to support vigorous discussion on most topics. Not your usual polite question and polite answer type of discussion you see at the big meetings, but instead what I describe as a “brutally honest” appraisal of each field. It is here you find out what people have confidence in and what they don’t trust
The award ceremony was held on Wednesday evening after dinner with Dr John Dornhoffer presiding over the event with the help of Brenda Speed.
Stefan
Plontke, MD
First I was “roasted” by my colleague and good friend, Stefan Plontke, MD from the University of Tuebingen, Germany
After
which Dr. John Dornhoffer offered some very complimentary words and
made the award.
Then
I was asked to speak for a while. I tried to explain exactly how much
this award meant to me.
And even after Stefan had roasted me, we were still buddies.
And a close-up of the award
Some
shots of the charming Hotel Theresa.
The hotel Theresa calls itself a “spa hotel” and the
exercise/recreation facilities are excellent. As well as workout
facilities they have 5 saunas, an indoor pool and hot tub, 2 outdoor
pools (both heated, one filled with salt water) and a number of aroma
therapy relaxation rooms.
Theresa’s son is the hotel chef, trained in France and as a result the food is just spectacular. If you don’t like 5-course dinners, accompanied by good wine and good friends, then this meeting is not for you.
And just to prove I was there…..
The meeting was so good in 2008 that we attended again this year (2010). Again, the science at the meeting was both entertaining and excellent. The abstracts of the meeting are available here. The award of merit this year went to Dr. Lloyd Minor, who was roasted by his colleague, Dr. John Carey. And I also plan to go to future meetings of this group. It really is the best way to enjoy the science of the field. And just so much more informative than sitting through 24 sessions of “Grand Rounds”.
I would again like to thank the organizers and the Members of the Prosper Meniere Society for nominating me for this award. It is truly an honor and I greatly appreciate it.