The New York chapter of the Association of Kerala Medical Graduates (AKMG) has scheduled a kick off meeting for its upcoming national convention in Philadelphia along with a medical conference on June 26. The events will take place at 6 pm at the Diwan Restaurant on Long Island, New York (37 Shore Rd, Port Washington, NY 11050 phone 516-439-4200)

The medical conference will be led by three experts. Dr Vinay Kapoor, chief, division of endocrinology at Flushing Hospital will highlight the updates in diabetes and its treatment.

Dr Horacio Rilo, director of center for diseases of pancreas at North Shoreâ€‘LIJ Health System and Dr Ernesto Molmenti, chief of division of transplant surgery, will speak about pancreatic islet cell transplant. These are CME classes with credits.

The event will also honor new medical graduates of Kerala origin from Greater New York Area, said president Dr Dheeraj R Kamalam and secretary Dr Thomas P Mathew.

They requested all members and associates to forward the names and contact information of new medical graduates, regardless of which college they graduated from.

The chapter has raised about $25,000 to help victims of Nepal earthquake, they said. The amount will be given to a respectable local organization which works in Nepal directly helping the victims

A subcommittee has been formed with Dr. John Benjamin, Dr. Deepu Alexander and Dr. Alex Mathew as members, to finalize on this matter and disburse the amount appropriately so that everything is done properly and transparently.

The chapterâ€™s executive and advisory committee thanked all the Malayalee organizations, and others who joined hands with the AKMG to raise the money for a good cause and making the move a great success.

The national leadership of the AKMG including national president Dr Alex Thomas are expected to attend the kick off meeting. They will explain about the convention scheduled for the Labor Day weekend on September 4, 5, 6 at the Downtown Marriott in Philadelphia. A variety of programs and entertainment will make the convention a memorable event, leaders noted.

Kerala Medical Graduates to organize medical conference and kick off for convention