Emergency Medicine Symposium

07/06/2026

A big moment in emergency medicine this week.

One of the oldest questions we face at the bedside is what to do in the first few minutes when someone arrives critically unwell with sepsis. For decades the reflex has been the same: pour in fluids. This week a major trial called ARISE-FLUIDS — 1000 patients across Australia, New Zealand and Ireland — finally puts that habit to the test, not sure what they will say as out come but this is.excitkng to wait...

This one is close to my heart. I gave a talk on exactly this at our Emergency Medicine Symposium in Da Nang earlier this year, challenging the "fluids first" mindset.

The simple version of my argument: in sepsis the blood vessels go floppy and dilate — that's the real problem. Pouring in fluid doesn't fix floppy vessels. It buys you a little time, but it's borrowed time, and eventually it runs out. The issue is the tone of the pipes, not how full the tank is.

We were debating this in a room together long before the data arrived — and honestly, that's the whole point of the Symposium. Getting clinicians from across the region together to argue the hard questions and stay a step ahead of the evidence. This is what we do.

And we're already building towards 2027, which is shaping up to be our best year yet. The website is getting a fresh new look at the moment, so watch this space — the 2027 program is looking really exciting.

Whichever way this trial lands, it changes how we care for some of the sickest patients we see. Huge respect to the team behind it.

Our Symposium: emergencymedicinesymposium.com.au

📄 The trial: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2025-101215

05/05/2026

𝐂𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐏𝐄.

That's what we should be calling it.

Not "massive." Not "submassive."

Those words are gone. The 2026 AHA/ACC guidelines — 10 societies, one landmark document — just retired them.

At the Emergency Medicine Symposium 2026 in Da Nang, Dr. SSampavan SivasubramanianFACEM stood on stage and made it plain:

The classification system you trained on is obsolete.

Here's why it matters.

An 18-year-old. OCP for 10 days. Two ED visits in five days.
Sent home as sub-segmental PE on anticoagulation — twice.

HR 115. SpO₂ 94%. BP 110/70.
Stable. Watch and wait.
Under the new A–E framework?
Her lactate at hour 6 was 2.4.
She was Category D. Normotensive shock.
Normal BP was lying to us the entire time.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐦 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭.
The old question: Is the BP holding?
The new question: Is the perfusion holding?
Not the same question.
Lactate > 2 = normotensive shock. Full stop. These patients need ICU, PERT activated, and a clinician who isn't being reassured by a number that means nothing.

And PERT is no longer optional.
Class 1 recommendation. C2 through E.
Think Code Stroke — but for PE. Single call. ED, Cardiology, IR, CT Surgery, ICU at the table before the patient decompensates.

Maqsood 2025 meta-analysis. 15,809 patients. PERT reduced mortality (OR 0.72), reduced major bleeding (OR 0.60), cut length of stay by 1.5 days.

For your low-risk discharges — the COBRRA trial just settled the DOAC debate.
NEJM. March 2026. 2,760 patients.
Apixaban vs rivaroxaban. Apixaban cut clinically relevant bleeding by 54%.
RR 0.46. The debate is over. Pick apixaban.

This is what we called game changing care in our everyday patient care and advocacy.

This is why the Emergency Medicine Symposium exists.
Not to wait for the evidence to find us.
To go looking for it together — and bring it back to the bedside.
Many clinicians left that room calling it differently. - Thank you all.

EM Symposium 2026 · Da Nang, Vietnam
EM Symposium 2027 — coming. Watch this space.

27/04/2026

🔥 𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐚 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 — 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐆𝐨

There’s a certain energy to this night…
the kind you don’t plan, but somehow build over time.

The Emergency Medicine Symposium didn’t start with a gala in mind.
It started as a small group of clinicians wanting to learn together… and connect differently.

But somewhere along the way, this became one of the most anticipated moments.

And on the night of April 14th, woven quietly into that energy…
we shared something that means a lot to all of us:

$𝟏𝟑𝟓,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐀𝐔𝐃 — 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

supporting:

Palmera
Vanni Hope
Action on Poverty

Partners, families, children —
one of the highest family turnouts we’ve ever seen.

A gala attendance almost double the conference itself.

And we want to keep it that way.

Because this was never just about emergency medicine.
It became about belonging.

What makes this even more meaningful…

is the people behind it.

𝐀 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤, 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 —
𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲…

𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧.

Except this:

The pride of being part of something that matters.

So yes… the lights, the music, the elegance — they were all there.

But what stays with us is something deeper.

A group of emergency clinicians who came to learn…
and left having made a small difference beyond themselves. ❤️

27/04/2026

18/04/2026

Over the next few posts, we’re going to relive the moments of the 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 in Da Nang, Vietnam — from the 13th to the 15th of April.

𝐋𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏 — 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟏𝟑𝐭𝐡.

As organisers, Day 1 always carries a unique mix of emotion.
Excitement… and a quiet layer of nervous energy beneath it.

Because behind the scenes, this is the moment where months of planning meet reality.

One of the most meaningful parts of the morning was our 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐤.

Not run by professionals.
But largely supported by children.

Not as a token gesture —
but as a small step in exposing the next generation to leadership, organisation, and responsibility.

Watching them interact, guide delegates, and take ownership in their own way…
that’s a different kind of learning.

One that doesn’t come from a classroom.

Then came the heart of 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏 — 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐬.

Built deliberately at a 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫, 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥,, designed for real-world clinicians:

• 𝐅𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 – From Awareness to Action
→ enabling delegates to meaningfully engage with cultural safety competencies for CPD

• 𝐔𝐥𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐚 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐃
→ fulfilling procedural CPD requirements — but more importantly, building confidence to translate these skills to the bedside

• 𝐏𝐚𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
→ navigating one of the most anxiety-provoking yet essential skills

• 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬-𝐎𝐧 𝐀𝐈 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞-𝐏𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐧
→ not just talking about AI, but actually building and using it as clinicians

We’ll unpack each of these in detail over the next few posts — because each deserves its own space.

And then… we opened the doors.

And as expected —
our delegates walked in with 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲, 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐢𝐛𝐞.

It wasn’t something we had to create.
It was something they brought with them.

This is why we often say:

This is 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞.
It’s a 𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐞.

Looking back now — after it’s all done —

Day 1 feels less like a start…

…and more like a statement of intent.

📸 𝐀 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰.

Plenty more moments to revisit — we’ll share them in the days ahead.

12/04/2026

Today, April 12th, we had the privilege of beginning our Emergency Medicine Symposium journey with a faculty high tea.

Not the official start — but an important one.

A moment to pause, align, and ground ourselves in what truly matters.

Because at the EM Symposium,
**academic excellence is our core — and philanthropy is something we hold close to our hearts.**

We had the honour of hearing directly from our charity partners —
Palmera, represented by Abarna
Vanni Hope, represented by Valluvan and Ranjan
Action on Poverty, represented by Tuan Ta Van

We shared with our faculty not just our philanthropic contribution —
but more importantly, how this will be executed on the ground through each of these partnerships.

Because for us, it’s never just about giving.
It’s about doing it well.
It’s about making sure intention becomes impact.

This is what makes the Symposium what it is.

A space where real-world clinicians come together —
to learn, to connect, and to contribute to something beyond themselves.

A good start.

Tomorrow, Day 1 begins.

14/02/2026

Registration for the Emergency Medicine Symposium closes today.

If you’ve been meaning to join us — or bring one more friend — this is your final moment before we lock it in.
👉 www.emergencymedicinesymposium.com.au

08/02/2026

Final Week. Nearly Full. Deeply Grateful.

As we share this glimpse of our faculty, we’re mindful that this week marks the final stretch.

Registrations close 15 February, and there are fewer than five places remaining.

This year, almost 100 emergency clinicians are joining us — from every state of Australia and New Zealand. We’re honestly grateful for that trust.

We’ve chosen to keep this Symposium intentionally small.
Not for exclusivity — but for conversation, connection, and the kind of learning that only happens when the room feels human.

Three days.
Hands-on workshops.
Challenging clinical conversations.
Cultural safety. Paediatrics. Trauma. Leadership. AI.
And space to think, question, and grow — together.

If you’ve been sitting with the idea, this is the moment.
Not because seats are closing —
but because this programme, and this group, feels truly special.

Thank you for being part of the journey.
We can’t wait to share April with you.

— Emergency Medicine Symposium 2026
https://www.emergencymedicinesymposium.com.au

06/02/2026

Cocktail party

The part of Day 1 that’s almost too easy to stay at a little longer…

𝘾𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙥é𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙨.
𝘼 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙤𝙙.
𝘾𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙨 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙮.
𝙇𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨, 𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙞𝙧, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣.

That’s how Day 1 of the Emergency Medicine Symposium winds down.

And the best bit? You’ve earned it.

Because the morning is busy, hands-on, and properly academic workshops built for real clinicians:

– ꜰᴏꜱᴛᴇʀɪɴɢ ᴄᴜʟᴛᴜʀᴀʟ ꜱᴀꜰᴇᴛʏ
– ᴜʟᴛʀᴀꜱᴏᴜɴᴅ-ɢᴜɪᴅᴇᴅ ʀᴇɢɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴀɴᴀᴇꜱᴛʜᴇꜱɪᴀ
– ᴘᴀᴇᴅɪᴀᴛʀɪᴄ ᴘʀᴏᴄᴇᴅᴜʀᴀʟ ꜱᴇᴅᴀᴛɪᴏɴ
– ʜᴀɴᴅꜱ-ᴏɴ ᴀɪ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ-ᴘᴏᴏʀ ᴄʟɪɴɪᴄɪᴀɴ

📍 La Plage Upper Deck, Sheraton Grand – Da Nang
🗓 13 April 2026 (Monday)
🕠 From 5:30 pm

Conference registrations close 15 February, with places limited to keep the experience intimate.

https://www.emergencymedicinesymposium.com.au

28/01/2026

🤖 Hands-On AI for the Time-Poor Clinician

(Workshop | Emergency Medicine Symposium, Da Nang)

This is one of five hands-on workshops at the Emergency Medicine Symposium—but it’s unlike anything usually offered in clinical education.

This AI workshop is designed to make clinicians ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀᴏᴜꜱʟʏ ᴄᴀᴘᴀʙʟᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴏᴅᴇʀɴ ᴀɪ ᴛᴏᴏʟꜱ 😏 —dangerous to inefficiency, not to patients—bringing a style of hands-on building usually seen in developer spaces into emergency medicine.

Led by Dr Richard Haydon and Dr Rajan Kailainathan, participants will:

Learn Vibe coding and practical automation

Work hands-on with tools like GPT, Gemini, and Cursor

Understand concepts like APIs and MCP just enough to make them useful

Build and deploy clinically relevant tools that fit real ED workflows

This is not about turning clinicians into developers.
It’s about helping clinicians move from AI curiosity to real capability.

Bring a laptop. Bring the LLM and tools, complete the pre-work.
Spend 2.5 immersive hours building something you can actually use.

📍 Da Nang, Vietnam
🗓 April 13–15, 2026
⏳ Registration closes 15 February (or earlier if sold out)

https://www.emergencymedicinesymposium.com.au