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The World Society of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons is a global society of leading surgeons formed in 1990. The Society was started by the important "first generation" pioneers in the field of Cardiothoracic Surgery. The annual meetings rotate through all parts of the globe. The last seven meetings were held in Geneva, Switzerland (2014) Edinburgh, UK (2015), Cape Town, South Africa (2016), Astana, Kazakhstan (2017), Llubjana, Slovenia (2018), Sofia, Bulgaria (2019), St. Petersburgh, Russia (2022). The meetings were not held in 2020 and 2021 due to restrictions on international travel due to the Covid pandemic.
These meetings bring together experts from all parts of the globe. The WSCTS is the only truly International Society. It provides a forum where ideas and progress can be presented from all parts of the world, without geographical bias.
The inaugural meeting of the WSCTS was held in Chiang Mai (Thailand) in 1991. Juro Wada (Japan) was the founding Chancellor and led the Society from its establishment in 1990 to 2007, when he passed on the Chancellorship to Stuart Jamieson (San Diego, USA). Stuart Jamieson led the Society from 2007 to 2022, when he passed the baton to Hermann Reichenspurner (Hamburg, Germany). Herman Reichenspurner is the current Chancellor. Additional leadership of the Society includes the Vice-Chancellor, Sotirios Prapas (Athens, Greece), the Secretary-General Vipin Zamvar (Edinburgh, UK), the Treasurer Afksendiyos Kalangos (Athens, Greece), Senior Advisors Marko Turina (Zurich, Switzerland), and Stuart Jamieson (San Diego, USA).
Each year the Executive Board select a venue for the Annual Meeting three years in advance. Consideration is given to the geographical areas, with as yet unrepresented countries favoured, and essential to the selection is a local chairman who carries an international reputation and who is capable of organising a Congress worthy of the Society. The Chairman of the last years Congress assumes the role of President for the ensuing year.
To join the WSCTS, please click on the link below:
List of members of the Board with their position:
Hermann Reichenspurner (Hamburg, Germany): Chancellor
Sotirios Prapas (Athens, Greece): Vice-Chancellor
Vipin Zamvar (Edinburgh, UK): Secretary-General
Afksendiyos Kalangos (Athens, Greece): Treasurer
Marko Turina (Zurich, Switzerland): Senior Advisor
Stuart Jamieson (San Diego, USA): Senior Advisor, Past Chancellor
