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The Ideas Olympics
In keeping with the overriding Olympic theme of the Convention, day two opened with the Ideas Olympics as the morning plenary with Dr Nick Cooling coordinating the session.
RTPs were invited to come to the stage with a ‘national’ flag and an idea. Convention delegates were then invited to join a ‘national’ team, depending on the idea that interested them.
The 19 groups were marched off the stage by the convention marshals to debate or discuss their idea and create a compelling statement or solution related to their idea.
Outcomes were fed back to Dr Cooling who put together an Ideas Olympics vision and summary based on the collective ideas of all ‘nations’.
The Script
A shrouded Socrates (A/Prof Steve Trumble) is seen in the corner of the stage in the “thinking position”...thinking about profound medical education issues. He then seeks help from the Gods “I call on the Gods to come forth with solutions to the medical education dilemmas which weigh heavily on my mind”
A clap of thunder explodes above.... followed by the fanfare of many trumpets
The hero Nicholai enters triumphantly with his servants (Dr Rachel Lee and Dr Tim Francis) and the dancing Grecian maiden, Helen of Troy (Dr John Buckley) in advance.
Nicholai summons all the assembled nations to bring forth their brightest minds and ideas. Let the 2008 Ideas Olympics begin!
Instructions are given about the process of the debate. (PowerPoint slides 16 onward)
Helen of Troy announces the 19 RTPs (from a parchment scroll) and their ideas. The flag bearers line up at the front of the stage, holding their flag while their RTP and idea are called. The masses are asked to consider which idea they are drawn to, to engage in passionate debate.
Then each RTP is again announced, in turn, with their flag bearer exiting the plenary hall taking with them a group of willing participants. As they exit the hall Helen of Troy wishes them well and they cheer enthusiastically in anticipation of the challenge ahead.
After 50 minutes of group discussions, runners from GPET take one recommendation from each group to Nicholai and Helen of Troy. These two enlightened ones prepare a PowerPoint summarising the best and brightest of the ideas.
Delegates are then invited to return to the plenary to hear a summary of the deliberations.
Socrates ushers the delegates into the hall again to the music of Chariots of Fire.
Nicholai and Helen of Troy summarise the profound work of each group. The recommendations are handed to the Chair of GPET. The Gods are then thanked and a pronouncement made that “All nations should gather again one year hence”. The crowd is then discharged and Nicholai and Helen regress from the hall. Their work to transfer ideas from the Gods to GPET is over.
Socrates muses "Will GPET live up to the Gods ideas?"...then swallows hemlock....
A true Greek tragedy is over.
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