2004 APS International PD Tour to Egypt

Cairo University

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The first APS International Professional Development Tour took place in Egypt through January 2004, with 50 members and their families signing up to come along. 

It was a very quiet Cairo we experienced on landing at 5am on Saturday January 3 but this soon  changed as the sun came up and we noticed there was not a traffic light in sight (in this city of 18 million, and no-one puts on their headlights!).

Traffic converged at intersections like dodgem cars but surprisingly, through all the honking of horns and screaming between drivers, there was no evidence of any car accidents. However, this was cold comfort if you were in a rickety old taxi travelling at great speed down the highway.

Of course, I could tell you about the pyramids, the temples, the tombs, the Nile cruise and the resort Sharm el Sheik (which were all breathtaking....I loved the Sphinx!) but I should concentrate on the professional development activity undertaken by our members.

Our first PD event was a visit to the Cairo University where we met the Dean of Faculty and the Head of the Department of Psychology. Members were escorted to the Boardroom where we met other staff and three members of the department presented papers on their latest research. We then had a tour of the laboratories and lecture halls. Also on the same day, we visited the American University where we had a tour of the library and looked at the rare book collection.

We also visited the Behman Hospital for Psychological Medicine and were led on a tour of the grounds by the Executive Director. All members were invited to a case presentation by the psychiatric team involved in the care of a young man with anxiety.  During the presentation we were encouraged to participate in the interview of the patient and also to contribute ideas towards the treatment plan. This was a very satisfying experience for all concerned.

The cruise down the Nile was not all relaxation, lounging by the pool and drinking cocktails, as we had seminars/workshops on board addressing the socio-cultural aspects of living and working in Egypt and being part of the Middle-East.

The meetings and activities were well organised and delivered and fit seamlessly around our holiday!

Dr Mary Katsikitis
APS Manager, Science and Education

The images below show scenes from the tour:

	Participants in front of the Psychology Department of Cairo University
	The Executive Director of Behman Hospital for Psychological Medicine speaks to members
	Professor Trang Thomas presents members of the Cairo Psychology Department with a gift from the APS