As I leave Dubai following the ISN Update Course in Nephrology and the first ISN GO Regional workshop for the Middle East region, I am again struck by the enormous benefit we derive from talking directly to our members and potential members in the areas where they live and work.

The ISN GO CME (the Dubai nephrology course) attracted over 700 people from 34 countries around the region and outside of it. For the workshop, over 70 energetic participants stayed after the course to participate in the workshop and tell us how our programs could better serve this important region.

Similar to our experiences at these workshops in Africa and Russia, the problems faced by people interested in participating more in ISN programs were diverse and regional ranging from economic to cultural to issues such as obtaining visas. And again it was striking how some hard working and very devoted nephrologists were prevented from applying for ISN fellowships, for example, by minor variations in our rules that were not made with their needs in mind. We again came away from a workshop with another list of things we need to do to serve our regional members better - things we would never think of if we had not met them face to face and listened to their concerns.