STAR (Training in Advances in Radiology) is an international educational forum sponsored by Bayer Schering Pharma and Siemens aimed to present cutting-edge developments in radiology. The College of Radiology, Malaysia played host and together with the local counter parts of Siemens Healthcare and Bayer Schering Pharma was the organiser for the 5^th time in the past 10 years! The programme was run over 2 days (Saturday and Sunday) in Prince Hotel & Residence, Kuala Lumpur.

It was another well attended meeting with 221 delegates where 75% comprised radiologists and the rest were radiographers or paramedical healthcare technologists. There were some delegates from Indonesia, Singapore and one from Australia. The faculty of speakers headed by the very eminent Prof Hans Ringertz (STAR programme Scientific Director), Professor of Radiology in Karolinska Institute and Hospital, Sweden was remarkable and kept the delegates riveted to the series of lectures and one afternoon of workshops. The other speakers were Prof Nicholas c. Gourtsoyiannis, Professor and Chairman of Radiology in the Medical School, University of Crete, Greece; Geoffrey D. Rubin, Section Chief of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, USA; Heinz-Peter Schlemmer, Assoc Professor of Radiology, Divisional Head of Clinical MRI, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital of Tübingen, Germany and Pek-Lan Khong, Assoc Professor of Diagnostic Radiology Department, Director of HKU PET-CT unit, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong.

Lectures in paediatric radiology, CT angiography, whole body imaging (comparison of CT, MRI, PET/CT), state-of-the-art MRI of the liver, MR Enteroclysis and small bowel pathology, multimodality imaging of the prostate and biomedical imaging research, today and tomorrow. Workshops covered interesting cases, difficult cases or discussions from the radiologist’s perspective in abdominal radiology, PET/CT, paediatric radiology, CT Angiography and whole body imaging in oncology.

What impressed the Scientific Faculty was the enthusiasm of the participants, the tenacity and energy for having stayed for the 2 days, sacrificing the weekend. Even at 5pm on Sunday afternoon, there were still a sizeable number of delegates for the closing ceremony. In fact, several of the workshops that same afternoon were running overtime! Delegates were in active discussion with the eminent, highly dynamic faculty in the various breakout rooms. Spirits were running high.

Perhaps, the lucky draw for those answering the feedback questionnaire was icing on the cake after 2 full days of lectures and workshops. The grand prize for the lucky draw was a 5 Megapixel Camera Phone (Ericsson) and there were smaller consolations prizes. However, the delegates had to wait until all the formalities for the closing ceremony came to a close. After that came tea and many continued to interact with the speakers or chat with their colleagues.

At the closing ceremony, the College of Radiology took the opportunity to thank the speakers and also honour the STAR Programme and the Scientific Director in particular by awarding a solid gold College of Radiology collar pin to Prof Hans Ringertz. The rest of the faculty together with the director and coordinator of the STAR programme were given pewter College of Radiology collar pins. The local counterparts of Bayer Schering Pharma and Siemens also presented tokens of appreciation to the STAR programme speakers and coordinators.

It was a satisfying conclusion to the STAR symposia in Kuala Lumpur. Many of the delegates had the opportunity to catch up with colleagues from all over Malaysia during the tea breaks, before and after the day’s programme. The College of Radiology’s paediatric special interest group even held a meeting on 19^th January evening! In addition, the faculty was treated to two dinners, one of which was the Bayer Schering Pharma and Siemens welcome dinner at Gulai Restaurant, Seri Carcosa Negara whilst the other was hosted by the College of Radiology for the faculty and sponsors at the Tai Zhi Heen restaurant in Prince Hotel. A Chinese New Year menu enhanced the culinary experience for our European and American speakers and sponsors while a Malay menu at Gulai provided spice to the STAR programme!