The BDIAP is committed to the advancement of pathology through the organisation of educational symposia and courses in pathology. This has been exemplified by the continued engagement with this aim during the COVID-19 pandemic. The BDIAP underwent a rapid and professional transition to the use of digital and virtual platforms to help deliver study days and congresses to our membership both nationally and internationally. The positive feedback received by attendees has been very encouraging. This has been a significant learning curve for all involved and a huge amount of effort has gone into ensuring that the BDIAP continues deliver its educational aims under the most challenging of circumstances.

We recognise that with these changes to the format of the delivery of our meetings and educational sessions, the expectations and requirements of our membership may also have changed. Many have expressed a wish for hybrid meetings going forward, using both a combination of face-to-face and virtual formats. This would allow those who may be unable to travel to join the events at the actual time of the meeting. However, there is a significant financial cost associated with the provision and delivery of hybrid meetings, significantly more than is required for a stand-alone face-to-face or virtual meeting.

The BDIAP is a charitable organisation and our finances are carefully managed to ensure that we can meet all the aims of our membership. At the current time we will be unable to offer hybrid events. Where we are able, and after carefully following the government guidelines, meetings will be delivered in a face-to-face format going forward, with the talks recorded and made available to the attendees and our members so that those who may not be able to attend in person can register for the meeting and then watch the programme at their convenience as soon as recordings are transferred to the website.  This minimises our financial outlay and also allows all those who wish to view the lectures to do so with as little delay as possible.

The BDIAP is an evolving and ever-changing society and we will continue to review our event delivery methods at regular intervals and will endeavour to update our membership regarding any further developments.

Thank you very much for your continued engagement and support of the BDIAP.

If you have any questions please contact Sam Kiely.