Welcome to 2026 

As we step into 2026, the International Panel Physicians Association (IPPA) would like to extend our warmest wishes to all panel physicians around the world, and civil surgeons in the U.S.

We are deeply grateful for your dedication, professionalism, and continued commitment to safeguarding public health and supporting immigrant communities globally. Your work remains at the heart of IPPA’s mission, and we are honored to serve and support you.

This year brings exciting opportunities to connect, learn, and collaborate through our virtual programs and in-person events, designed to foster shared knowledge, best practices, and meaningful global engagement. We look forward to strengthening our community and continuing to build a modern, inclusive, and connected educational ecosystem together.

We hope to meet many of you very soon—whether online or in person—and to continue growing alongside you throughout the year.

On behalf of the IPPA Board and team, we wish you a healthy, successful, and fulfilling 2026.

Africa Regional Event Now Open for Registration

IPPA is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the Africa Regional Event, taking place on May 14–15, 2026, in Nairobi, Kenya.

This event is designed with a strong regional focus, highlighting the needs, challenges, and best practices relevant to panel physicians based in Africa. At the same time, all panel physicians worldwide are warmly invited to attend and participate in this important gathering.

Our team has worked diligently to make this event as accessible as possible. We are pleased to share that we secured a special hotel rate of USD $153 per night, with a room block of 60 rooms available on a first-come, first-served basis. We encourage attendees to reserve their accommodations early to take advantage of this rate.

To learn more about the event, register to attend, and book your hotel, please visit the event website using the link below.

Africa Regional Training Summit Registration Link

We look forward to welcoming you to Nairobi and connecting with colleagues from across the region and beyond.

More updates will be shared as they become available.

Reminder Regarding Vaccination Technical Instructions

Dear Panel Physicians,

As a reminder, the current official vaccination requirements for the immigrant medical examination are always provided in the Vaccination Technical Instructions.

Any official changes to vaccination requirements for immigration purposes will be reflected online in the Vaccination Technical Instructions and will be announced through the distribution list at the time a change is made. This is a standing policy.

Thank you for your continued work,

CDC Medical Assessment and Policy (MAP) Team

One of the most powerful outcomes of IPPA’s Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Program is the lasting professional connections it creates across borders. In the article below, a panel physician shares a firsthand account of how participation in the P2P program evolved beyond a site visit into a meaningful collaboration—opening the door to shared learning, ongoing dialogue, and operational improvements that continue well after the program concludes.

Stronger Together: How Peer-to-Peer Collaboration Is Elevating Migration Health Standards

In a shining example of cross-border collaboration, St. Luke’s Medical Center Extension Clinic (SLEC) and the IME Center of the Fuzhou University Affiliated Provincial Hospital recently completed a peer-to-peer panel visit program aimed at strengthening clinical practice, improving service quality, and enhancing patient outcomes. What began as an opportunity to learn from each other’s systems has evolved into a promising partnership focused on continuous improvement.

During the exchange, both clinics shared insights on workflows, technical instructions, and quality assurance processes—opening conversations that extended far beyond the visit itself. One tangible result came shortly after the program ended: SLEC reached out to the China panel clinic to schedule a dedicated virtual meeting with Fuzhou’s laboratory team. The goal was clear and forward-looking—to better understand how GeneXpert testing is conducted in China and explore ways to improve Manila’s own processes, from efficiency and service quality to enhanced test yield.

This type of collaboration highlights the immense value of the peer-to-peer program. By creating safe spaces for knowledge sharing, clinics can benchmark best practices, discuss operational challenges, and jointly refine strategies aligned with evolving technical instructions and global standards. For panel sites working across borders, these exchanges don’t just enhance technical capacity—they build trust, strengthen networks, and set the stage for continuous innovation.

The partnership between SLEC and Fuzhou Provincial University Hospital demonstrates how meaningful the impact can be when clinics invest in shared learning. With ongoing communication and future engagements already being explored, both institutions are poised to benefit from a relationship that will continue to uplift migration health services.

This experience serves as a reminder that the future of panel practice lies in collaboration—where every shared insight brings the global community one step closer to excellence.

Maria Peachy Lara L. Villanueva, MD
Vice President and Medical Director
St. Luke's Medical Center Extension Clinic