PAHPA's First International Medical Convention 

North of Portugal

By Manuel Luciano da Silva, M. D.

Over all description of the trip

On the later part of September of 1996 a bunch of medical members of PAHPA went to the north of Portugal for a combination of medical meetings and to visit historical and tourist sites.

It was an excellent, enthusiastic and memorable trip. The medical meetings at the Hospital in Guimarães  and  Medical School in Oporto were outstanding.  Our Portuguese Medical Colleagues and Hospital Directors received us with the utmost kindness and medical knowledge.  

Then we went on to Coimbra University where we were very well received by the President of the University and our Medical Colleagues as well.  From there we went to Avanca to visit the extraordinary House-Museum of the recipient of the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1949, Dr. Egas Moniz.  The City Hall of Estarreja gave us a delicious banquet at the Egas Moniz Institution.

In the evening the Mayor of Murtosa treated us with a pig roast prepared by a giant rotisserie and also with a show of ‘desfolhada’ (the act of stripping corn leaves during the harvest time) and we were entertained by the local folkloric group.  Great show!  

Now take a look at the photos to reminisce, those of you that went on this trip.  And for those of you that did not go, start feeling the saliva running through your mouths!...

We are already making preparations for our Fourth International Medical Convention to Madeira and Porto Santo on September 2008.  Start packing for another excellent and unforgettable trip. We will post the developments and information on this website.  Keep checking back.