The Finnish Medical Convention, a three-day hybrid training event and the largest annual training event for doctors in Finland was held in January 2024 in Helsinki. For the occasion the Finnish Medical Women’s Association (FWMA) organized a series of lectures in cooperation with the Helsinki University Hospital and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. The session was entitled ‘Recognizing violence against women.’ The lecturers from Finland were Dr Arja Kobylin, Dr Aaro Mäkelä, Elisa Nikander and Suvi Nipuli. Our international lecturer was Prof. Dr. Bettina Pfleiderer from Germany. The discussion at the event was lively and we are planning to organize another series of lectures under the same title next year.
FMWA held its annual meeting on March 7th, 2024, in Helsinki. A new board was elected and Dr Paula Pihlaja continues as president of the Association. The six previous members also continue on the board. After the meeting Dr Tuula Saarela gave a lecture on professionalism today which sparked an active discussion.
Our young member Jasmin Honkamäki obtained her doctorate in Medicine in April 2024. The title of the doctoral thesis is Epidemiology of Asthma by Age at Diagnosis.
I would like to take a moment to honour Dr Anna Maria Seppäläinen who passed away in January 2024. Anna Maria was a dedicated member of FMWA from 1985 to 2006 and served also as vice president in MWIA. A beautiful tribute had been written in the Finnish Medical Journal and in the leading newspaper of Finland, Helsingin Sanomat, by Marjaana Luisto, Juha Lehtinen and Erkki Seppäläinen, who are Anna Maria’s collegues, friends and son. (See below, translated by Johanna Ajanki)
Anna Seppäläinen 19.8.1934 – 4.1.2024
Docent, clinical neurophysiology specialist Anna Maria Helena Seppäläinen (née Sipilä) died in Helsinki on January 4, 2024 after she a long illness. She was 89 years old, born in Tampere on August 19, 1934.
Anna Maria graduated from Tampere Girls’ Lyceum in 1954. From the University of Helsinki she graduated as a licentiate in medicine in 1961. Anna Maria became acquainted with clinical neurophysiology in the USA in the early 60s. At Northwestern University in Chicago, she learned electromyography (EMG) and was introduced to electroencephalography (EEG). She returned to Chicago again, in 1966 for a year.
In Helsinki at the Institute of Occupational Health (1969–1985), Anna Maria researched the effects of work-related exposure to chemical and physical factors on the nervous system and its clinical-neurophysiological diagnostics. She researched the effects of vibration on chainsaw users and the effects of solvents and lead on the nervous system. Anna Maria’s research work also achieved international fame.
As a senior physician and a trainer in Helsinki University Hospital’s department of clinical neurophysiology (1985–1997), Anna Maria was always ready for consulting and answering questions of younger colleagues.
Anna Maria was also a pioneer in starting private Clinical Neurophysiological activities in the Helsinki capital region. There was no professorship of clinical neurophysiology in Helsinki during Anna Maria’s active time, but she received the professor’s qualification from the University of Turku in 1986.
Anna Maria’s open and social nature was also remarkable outside of her own profession. In MWIA she served as vice president. She was a member of the board of the Finnish Women’s Medical Association from 1985 to 2006 and served as chairperson for several terms. She was also one of the founding members of the Finnish Clinical Neurophysiology Association.
Anna Maria was characterized by efficiency: in ten years she became a specialist, Doctor of Medicine and Surgery and gave birth to four children. At home, she was a caring mother who supported her children wonderfully, and a grandmother who called her family together for delicious Sunday lunches.
Fig 1. “Recognizing violence against women”, Lääkäripäivät January 2024
Fig 2. Jasmin Honkamäki, April 2024