SCS medical students inspired at World Congress on Controversies in Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Infertility

Tristan McCaughey, Phoebe Simpson, Professor Gab Kovacs
and Jenna Lyttle

Six medical students were selected to attend the World Congress on Controversies in Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Infertility (COGI) in Melbourne last month on behalf of the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS).

Professor Zion Ben-Rafael, COGI Congress Founder and Co-chairman generously offered the Monash Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology six complimentary student registrations.

Final year students Tristan McCaughey, Lachlan McNamara, Marcus Davenport, Phoebe Simpson, Claire McGannon and Jenna Lyttle were competitively selected to attend the conference.

COGI Faculty member and Monash University Professor Gab Kovacs said it is important for medical students to start interacting at international conferences early in their career, to get ideas and meet potential collaborators. 

"COGI is an opportunity for students to hear and meet high profile people speak about topics," said Professor Kovacs.  

"Our presenters included a number of world leaders in the field, such as Professor Jacques Donnez, who famously reported the world's first livebirth after cryopreserved ovarian tissue transplantation."

The conference is known as a forum for healthy debate about a range of controversial topics in the field of O&G.

"COGI shows medical students that there are many ways of doing things- that many topics are not black and white and even experts disagree," said Professor Kovacs.

Jenna Lyttle said she was very excited to attend the COGI conference, as it was a great opportunity to hear experts in the women's health field debate and discuss the current issues in obstetrics and gynaecology. 

"I have been interested in pursuing a career in O&G for some time, and the conference really helped to solidify this direction for me," said Jenna. 

"I met some influential clinicians and researchers, inspiring me to combine a medical career in both clinical and academic areas in the future." 

Lachlan McNamara said it was a very worthwhile couple of days which covering a breadth of controversial issues in the field of O&G. 

"The conference covered major modern day issues in fertility, obstetrics, surgical gynaecology and foetal maternal medicine, with commentary from world-leading researchers and clinicians."

The students would like to express their gratitude to SCS and Monash Health for giving them the opportunity to attend the Congress.

Professor Kovacs acknowledges and thanks Professor Zion Ben Rafael and Head, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Monash University Professor Euan Wallace for their support.