Facts about Finnish Cardiac Society

Facts about FCS

The founding meeting of the Finnish Cardiac Society (FCS) was held in November 13, 1967 in Helsinki. There were 37 founding fathers present at the founding meeting.

There are currently around 760 members from which around 210 are consultant cardiologists and 38 registrars in cardiology. The rest of the members consists of doctors with a special interest to cardiology (cardiac surgeons, anaesthesiologists, paediatric cardiologists, specialists in internal medicine, clinical physiology, paediatrics and radiology) and other professionals with an interest in cardiovascular medicine (nutritionists, nurses, technicians).

An important part of FCS are the 12 active Working Groups.

FCS has also 38 industrial members representing both the pharmaceutical and device companies in the field of cardiology.

FCS has a strong co-operation in the international level. FCS is an affiliated member of the American Heart Association and World Heart Federationin. Also, FCS has been a National Society member of the European Society of Cardiology since 1968 and was second Scandinavian country to join the ESC in 1968. “The grand old man” of the FCS, Dr. Pentti I Halonen, was one of the founding fathers of the ESC. Nordic and Baltic countries share similar objectives, population base and educational structure. Thus, it is natural to have strong co-operation in which the most visible produce is the Nordic-Baltic Congress of Cardiology. Next NBCC - XXII Nordic-Baltic Congress of Cardiology - will be organized in Riga, Latvia on June 16th to 18th 2011.

Finnish Cardiac Society works closely with the Finnish Heart Association in the role of promoting cardiovascular health in Finland. FCS organizes several educational meetings in co-operation with other national medical associations and/or societies, such as Finnish Hypertension Society, Finnish Society of Internal Medicine, Finnish Society for Thoracic Surgery and Finnish Society of Anaesthesiologists.

Main activity of the society is scientific and educational aspect. For example in 2008 FCS organized altogether 143 educational events, having over 4300 participants. The main/biggest meetings are the Autumn Meeting held in October, Spring Meeting in March and Annual Meeting in January. Official language of the meetings is Finnish. Most events have also exhibition, but so far the meetings and exhibition instructions are available only in Finnish language.

Grants

Finnish Cardiac Society grants yearly around 90.000 € to Finnish professionals in the field of cardiology. Grants are aimed to support financially the Finnish research and presenting the research results in the field of cardiovascular diseases. FCS has specific rules of grant awarding. Some grants concern specific areas of cardiology and eligibility criteria may differ between them.

Board

Board is composed of 9 voting members elected by the society members at the Annual Business Meeting in January every even numbered year. In addition, the Board consists of the non-voting Editor-in-Chief of the membership journal Sydänääni (Heart Sound). Executive and Course Secretaries of the Society also attend to the Board meetings.

Board has eight meetings yearly.

Board 2010-2011

President
Pekka Raatikainen

Vice president
Jyri Lommi

Past President
Saila Vikman

Secretary
Kari Ylitalo

Vice Secretary
Maija Kaartinen

Treasurer
Mikko Pietilä

Board member, WG Affairs
Antti Hedman

Board member
Juha Nissinen

Board member
Olli Pitkänen

Editor in Chief
Jukka Lehtonen

Contact information here.

Working Groups

Finnish Cardiac Society has 12 Working Groups dedicated to variety of specific areas in cardiology. Each WG has nucleus composed by Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary. Nucleus is changed every second year.

Working Groups and contact information here.

Membership Journal

Finnish Cardiac Society publishes membership journal Sydänääni. Journal has 5 issues yearly and one theme issue per year.

Journal is posted to the members of the Finnish Cardiac Society, it’s supporting industrial members and for example medical directors of the University and Central Hospitals in Finland. No availability to purchase or subscribe the journal.

More of the journal here.