Heart health, specifically contemporary approaches to the diagnosis and management of acute myocardial infarction, was the focal point of the OMI’s eighth satellite symposium this year. It took place from October 2 to 3 at the University of Zenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina. OMI alumnus and local coordinator Dr. Malik Ejubović, who is a cardiologist himself, was inspired to organize the symposium because he wanted to “bring the educational experience of the OMI closer to colleagues in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In everyday practice, suspected myocardial infarction presents us with difficult decisions, and I wanted to create an opportunity to discuss those challenges openly with experienced international and local faculty. As a physician at Cantonal Hospital Zenica and a teacher at the University of Zenica, I wanted to connect clinical practice with medical education in our own community.”
OMI course director and Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine in the Division of Cardiology and Director of Consultative Cardiology at Weill Cornell Medicine, Dr. Robert J. Kim explained that the idea for the satellite symposium was born during the 2025 Cardiology seminar in Salzburg when Dr. Ejubović invited Dr. Kim to his home country. Dr. Kim remarked: “I eagerly agreed to his proposal, and so this year I traveled to Zenica to engage in this excellent symposium. We had case presentations that showcased entities as diverse as Kounis syndrome and an adult patient with ALCAPA. At an animated roundtable discussion with all the faculty, important controversies and gaps in knowledge were reviewed. I thank Dr. Ejubović for arranging this satellite symposium, which had all the most important aspects of OMI seminars: education, interaction, and friendship.”
The symposium brought 30 physicians from hospitals and emergency services in Zenica, Sarajevo, Tuzla, and Mostar, together with local faculty and special guest Dr. Kim. Participants represented several specialties, including internal medicine, cardiology, emergency medicine, and anesthesiology.
Dr. Kim gave two informative lectures, after which he patiently answered the participants’ many questions. Local faculty, Dr. Azra Durak-Nalbančić; Dr. Midhat Nurkić; Dr. Jasmin Čaluk; and Dr. Malik Ejubović, weighed in with their knowledge of the Bosnian healthcare system. The faculty discussed challenging topics including the proper use of high-sensitivity troponin in identifying myocardial injury and infarction, the current recommendations on identifying and managing patients with angina and ischemia in non-obstructive coronary artery disease, the management of patients with MINOCA, and the use of anticoagulants and anti-thrombotic therapies in acute coronary syndromes.
During his stay, Dr. Kim also visited the Cantonal Hospital Zenica, where he was welcomed by the Assistant Director, Dr. Rasim Iriškić. The visit provided an opportunity to learn about the institution’s work. “I had the opportunity to attend afternoon rounds, where I was delighted to see multiple specialists gathered to discuss patients admitted from the prior day; something that never happens in the US!” exclaimed the US specialist about his time at the local hospital.
OMI satellite symposia are a way to bring together leading specialists with local physicians to improve healthcare needs in a specific country; a goal that was definitely met these two days. On the same note, Dr. Ejubović stated, “Bringing together colleagues from different cities and specialties, exchanging experiences, and discussing real patient cases made this symposium particularly meaningful to me. I hope this meeting will encourage lasting professional connections and further collaboration with the OMI, while inspiring participants to share what they have learned within their own teams.”
