This guide was prepared at the request of the June 1998 AGM of the Canadian Society for the History of Medicine. It does not contain "rules"; rather it relies on our own experience and that of several other CSHM members to record the "customs" that have evolved through time. We hope that this guide will be useful to those planning meetings in the future.
- Jackie Duffin and Meryn Stuart

Contents
Program Committee / 2-3
Local Arrangements Committee / 4-5
Appendices (all available in print; ask recent organizers-some linked here at website)

1. Call for papers (English and French)
2. acknowledged receipt of abstract (English and French)
3. letter accepting paper (English and French)
4. letter of rejection
5. letter to session chairs (English and French)
6. Riot Act for future speakers and session chairs
7. Segall Award Terms of Reference

PROGRAM COMMITTEE

Chair, chosen by President, usually at or shortly preceding annual meeting from among members who served on committee in previous year. The program committee chair need not live near the meeting site.

Members. At least three, chosen by President and Chair of committee. It is useful though not essential to include Local Arrangements Chair as an ex-officio member of the committee.

Objectives:

1. To provide a fair peer-review process for would-be presentors.
2. To design the schedule of the meeting based on content submitted by members.
3. To select appropriate session chairs.
4. To invite the Paterson lecturer and act as contact for that Distinguished Visitor.

Issues facing past program chairs of CSHM include:

• delays and lack of details in communication with speakers;
• lack of clarity between Local Arrangement tasks and Program Cttee tasks;
• dilemma over rejections (previous AGM discussions favour rejecting some papers to avoid overloading the program);
• dilemma over parallel versus plenary sessions (all previous AGM discussions favour keeping plenary session at all times in favour of the collegial culture of the meeting; i.e. rejection of papers is necessary);
• dilemma over length of papers. Tradition has been 20 min. papers with 5 min. discussion. In general, occasional shorter papers (10 or 15 minutes) have not worked well: papers cannot be developed and the two-tier system seems to imply relative status.
• dilemma over discussion. CSHM/SCHM prefers 5 min. discussion immediately following each paper rather than at the end of a session.

Chronology of tasks (see Sample letters in Appendix)

May-June
Help President complete committee (usually three members) representation of both official languages and varying credentials (medicine/nursing and history) is essential. Geographic representation is also desirable. One member of the committee should be available for and anticipate chairing in the future.

June
Study report of previous committee. Discuss with President and Sec-Treasurer potential Paterson lecturers; establish a list and begin making contacts. Be certain of budget and costs.

September
Prepare and circulate (via Secretary) the bilingual Call for Papers, usually/ideally together with the Call for Nominations of the Nominating committee. Do not accept email or faxed submissions. SAMPLES APPENDIX A

October 31 to November 30
Approximate deadline period for receipt of abstracts.

November 30
Acknowledge receipt of all abstracts (or do so as they come in) and announce expected date of decision. SAMPLES APPENDIX B

November - December
Circulate abstracts to committee members, encouraging them to return their ranking of submissions by 31 December

January 15
Make cut, if necessary, and group accepted abstracts into sessions as per template of TWO years previously. WHY? REMEMBER the Presidential Address takes place in alternate years resulting in less time for proferred papers.

January 15
Notify all would-be speakers of the decision in writing. Request that accepted speakers respond in writing to confirm their intention to attend the meeting and read the paper in person. If possible include the exact date and time of the session. If not possible, announce date when program details will be available. If necessary remind all would-be speakers of the need to provide an abstract in other language. APPENDIX C and D. Enclose the Riot Act . APPENDIX F

January
Identify and approach appropriate session chairs (phone and/or email work best). Confirm acceptances in writing and enclose a list of speakers, titles, and abstracts for their session. Enclose the Riot Act SAMPLES APPENDIX E and F

Late January
Follow up on non-responders to original notification of acceptances. Warn non-responders that the paper will be deleted from the program if they do not confirm in writing.

January - Febuary
Liaison with Local Arrangements re program details, eg. room location; date, time, place of Board meeting; date, time, and place of AGM, Paterson lecture, Presidential address; and credits for donated refreshments and or special sessions.

Febuary 15
Finalize the program and forward to secretary for distribution to the entire membership. Ideally it should be mailed with ballot of Nominating committee (if voting is necessary).

Febuary 15
Forward all abstracts in both languages to the Local Arrangements chair for copying and distribution at the meeting.

March
Write a brief report for the Board to summarize activities and make recommendations.

May - June
As the meeting begins or shortly before, remind the president to select members for the Harold Segall Award committee. TERMS APPENDIX G

May - June
Attend Board meeting

June
Provide copy of report to successor.

LOCAL ARRANGEMENTS COMMITTEE

Chair, chosen by President, usually at, or shortly before an annual meeting one or two years ahead, ideally from among CSHM/SCHM members who live at or near the site of the future meeting. It is useful though not essential for the chair of Local Arrangements to serve as an ex-officio member of the Program committee.

Members usually chosen by the chair from among willing locals (often non members of CSHM/SCHM).

Objectives

1. To help plan the physical setting of the meeting and featured lectures.
2. To arrange refeshments (coffee breaks each morning and afternoon)
3. To act as a go-between for the Congress organizers and the CSHM.
4. To facilitate (logistically but not financially) one social gathering (usually a evening).
5. To provide local information for members attending the meetings.
6. To plan transportation (if needed) for any change of locale and to confirm payment via the Sec-Treasurer.

Issues facing past Local Arrangement chairs of CSHM include:

• delays and lack of details in communication with Congress organizers;
• lack of clarity between Local Arrangement tasks and Program Cttee tasks;
• issue over number, size, and equipment of meeting rooms (Ideally rooms should accommodate 60 to 70 delegates, windows are an asset. Larger halls or lecture theatres are selected for Paterson Lecture and Presidential address).
• complications over A-V arrangements and rentals. Best to insist on slide projectors, overhead projectors for every session. Recently speakers have used video projection. Computer projection is anticipated in the near future, but has not yet been used.
• complications over arrangements for refreshments at breaks. These are usually provided at an inflated cost by the host University's designated caterer. They have been paid for, usually, by a local benefactor such as a medical school or a history of medicine department or club whose contribution MUST be acknowledged on the program and in person. Now that CSHM/SCHM requires a registration fee, it could consider paying for the refreshments from meeting income.
• awkwardness in planning for dinners, usually on the second night because exact numbers cannot be predicted. If a restaurant is to be used, book EARLY.

Chronology of tasks (see Sample letters in Appendix A)

May - June
Complete committee (usually two or three members) and notify President of their names and coordinées.

June
Study report of previous committee.

September - October
Liaison with local Congress organizers. Insist on adequate rooms for meetings and special lectures. Visit the proposed sites and study their facilities for AV, video, and computer support. Find suitable rooms for Board (and Bulletin) meeting(s).

October to December
Local arrangements Chair may participate in the vetting of abstracts (a good idea because it gives advance warning of special equipment needs of speakers)

October to December
Look for suitable donors for refreshments, receptions, historical displays, etc. Consider one half-day in a different location.

Early January
Obtain pamphlets, brochures, etc re. local historical sites of potential interest to members; have supplies on hand to distribute or make available at meetin

January - Febuary early
Liaison with Program Committee re program details, eg. room location; date, time, place of Board (and Bulletin) meeting; date, time, and place of AGM, Paterson lecture, Presidential address; and credits for donated refreshments and or special sessions and historical displays.

Febuary
Receive all abstracts in both languages from Program Chair. Create a cover and copy in appropriate numbers (estimate based on registration numbers from previous year).

Febuary
Book restaurant for a dinner on the second night of the meeting for 20 to 40. Numbers to be confirmed with precision on the day of (or day before) Alternatively, book a caterer for a dinner to be held at a member's home or another pleasant location of interest. Restaurant or catered dinners are to be paid for by the conference registrants not by the Local arrangements. As a rule, no deposit is necessary, but in small cities a reservation well in advance is essential because of crush from other societies meeting at the same time.

April - May
Make a preliminary report of activities and anticipated short-fall in expenses for the Board.

May - June
As the meeting begins, ensure that copies of the program are available in the registration area. In the past, this has been done by TAPING (with epoxy) a program to the notice board or society table in the registration area. Visit the site on every day of the meeting to ensure that it is still there.

Attend Board of Directors meeting; ensure refreshments are available.

• In the opening remarks of the scientific meeting,
• distribute abstract books
• welcome delegates
• inform delegates of social plan. e.g., dinner possibilities on 2nd night
• acknowledge donors and volunteers
• be ready with info (brochures etc) about the host region.

By noon of second day, if necessary, obtain final numbers for dinner that night and communicate them to caterer or to restaurant. Attend the dinner.

June finalize report for Board. Claim outstanding expenses. Copy report to successor.