Top clinical conferences to attend in Italy

Italy has long held a prominent place in European medical education and scientific exchange. Home to some of the world's oldest universities, including Bologna, founded in 1088, and Padua, whose anatomical theatre dates to 1594 (completed 1595), the country's relationship with medical knowledge is foundational rather than incidental. Today, that tradition continues through a dense network of academic medical centres, specialist societies, and research institutions that collectively make Italy one of Europe's most active hosts for clinical conferences. For clinicians, researchers, and healthcare professionals based across Europe, Italy offers a recurring calendar of events spanning cardiology, oncology, neurology, digital health, and beyond, combining scientific programme depth with genuine opportunities for cross-border professional networking.

How these conferences were selected

The conferences listed below were selected on the basis of clinical relevance, specialty breadth, recognised standing within European medical and scientific communities, regularity of occurrence, and the quality of their scientific programmes. Where possible, conferences with established international attendance, peer-reviewed proceedings, or affiliation with recognised academic or professional bodies have been prioritised. Clinicians are advised to verify current dates, venues, and registration details directly with organisers, as scheduling can shift year to year.

Top clinical conferences to attend in Italy

AIME — International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Medicine

Pavia (founding city) | Typically June | AI in Medicine Association

The International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (AIME) is among the most historically significant clinical AI conferences in the world, and it has deep roots in Italy. The series began in Pavia in 1987, making it one of the longest-running forums dedicated to the application of artificial intelligence in medical care and biomedical science. AIME 2025 was hosted by the University of Pavia on 23–26 June 2025, marking what organisers have designated the 40th anniversary of the conference series.

The conference brings together researchers, clinicians, and computational scientists to present theoretical, methodological, and applied work at the intersection of AI and medicine. Sessions typically cover clinical decision support (AI-assisted suggestions to clinicians), knowledge representation, machine learning in diagnostics, and AI-assisted clinical documentation. These are areas of growing relevance to practising clinicians as well as informaticians. A decade-long review published in Artificial Intelligence in Medicine traced the evolution of knowledge representation for healthcare across European conferences, noting that semantic-web ontologies and clinical-guideline-based decision support have been persistent focal points, both of which feature prominently in AIME's scientific programme.

For clinicians working in digital health, clinical informatics, or AI-assisted care, AIME represents the premier Italy-based event in this domain.

SIN National Congress — Società Italiana di Neurologia

Padua (2025 edition) | Typically October | Società Italiana di Neurologia (SIN)

The Società Italiana di Neurologia (SIN) national congress is Italy’s longest-running forum for clinical and academic neurology, having reached its 55th edition in 2025. Sessions cover stroke, neurodegenerative disease, epilepsy, and neuroimmunology, among other areas. The congress moves between Italian cities each year — recent editions have been held in Padua (2025), Naples (2023), and Bologna (2019) — so dates and venues should be confirmed via the society’s own site ahead of travel.

AIOM National Congress — Associazione Italiana di Oncologia Medica

Rome (2025 edition) | Typically October–November | Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM)

The AIOM National Congress is Italy’s principal annual meeting for medical oncology, bringing together oncologists, researchers, and allied clinicians to review emerging treatments, clinical trial data, and guideline updates across tumour types. The 2025 edition, the 27th, was held in Rome in November 2025. As with most national specialty congresses, the host city rotates from year to year, so clinicians should confirm the current venue with AIOM directly ahead of each edition.

ESC Cardio-Oncology Conference (Florence, inaugural 2025 edition)

Florence (2025) | June | European Society of Cardiology, Council of Cardio-Oncology

The inaugural ESC Cardio-Oncology Conference, organised by the European Society of Cardiology’s Council of Cardio-Oncology, was held in Florence on 20–21 June 2025 and drew close to 900 delegates from more than 70 countries. The programme addressed the cardiovascular side effects of cancer treatment, a growing area of shared concern for oncologists and cardiologists managing long-term patient care. Like several major pan-European congresses, the event rotates host cities between editions — the 2026 conference moved to Vienna — so this specific meeting is not expected to return to Italy on a fixed schedule.

World Congress on Public Health (Rome, 2023 edition)

Rome | Periodic | World Federation of Public Health Associations

The World Congress on Public Health, hosted in Rome in May 2023, brought together public health experts from across the globe for multidisciplinary exchange. A focus group study conducted at the congress, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, involved 46 international public health experts examining alternative evaluation methods for medical apps as mobile medical devices. This illustrates the calibre of applied policy research that major Rome-hosted congresses can generate. The congress format supports both specialist and cross-disciplinary sessions, making it relevant to a wide range of clinicians and researchers.

Italy's major medical conference cities

Italy's conference activity is concentrated in a handful of cities, each offering distinct infrastructure and academic context.

Milan is Italy's largest commercial hub and hosts a significant volume of specialist medical congresses, particularly in cardiology, surgery, and pharmaceutical medicine. Its international airport connectivity and large congress venues, including the MiCo Milano Congressi, one of Europe's largest convention centres, make it a practical choice for high-attendance international events.

Rome combines academic depth with logistical capacity. The city is home to two major public universities with medical faculties, Sapienza and Tor Vergata, several teaching hospitals, and the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Italy's national public health institute. Rome regularly hosts public health congresses, clinical research conferences, and events with policy dimensions.

Florence offers a concentration of research hospitals and a well-developed congress infrastructure, making it a frequent host for oncology, respiratory medicine, and surgical conferences. Its central location within Tuscany and strong international transport links add to its appeal for European delegates.

Venice combines distinctive geography with established congress infrastructure, including the Venezia Congressi facility, making it a popular host city for international medical and scientific meetings. Its appeal lies as much in logistics and setting as in any single specialty concentration.

Pavia holds particular significance for clinical AI and medical informatics, as the birthplace of the AIME conference series. The University of Pavia's medical faculty and its historical association with the AIME community give the city a specific niche within Italy's conference landscape.

Naples is an emerging conference destination in southern Italy, offering access to the academic resources of the University of Naples Federico II.

Bologna, home to the world's oldest university, also features on the Italian conference calendar, particularly for events with strong academic and educational dimensions.

Tips for attending clinical conferences in Italy

Attending a clinical conference in Italy requires the same logistical planning as any international professional event, with a few Italy-specific considerations worth noting.

• Register early for high-demand events. Conferences held in cities with limited large-venue capacity, such as Pavia, can reach delegate limits well ahead of the event date. Early registration also typically secures reduced fees.

• Document continuing professional development and continuing medical education credits carefully. European clinicians attending conferences in Italy should confirm in advance whether the event is accredited by the relevant national or European body for continuing professional development (CPD). Many international conferences issue certificates of attendance. Clinicians should check whether their home country's regulatory or licensing authority recognises these.

• Check the language of proceedings. Most international conferences listed here conduct sessions in English, but some Italy-hosted events, particularly those organised by Italian national societies, may conduct sessions primarily in Italian. Verify this before registering if language is a concern.

• Combine attendance with regional networks. Italy has active regional chapters of several European specialty societies. Attending a conference in Italy can be an opportunity to connect with Italian and southern European clinical networks that may be less represented at northern European congresses.

• Allow time for venue navigation. Major Italian congress centres such as MiCo in Milan or the Palazzo dei Congressi in Florence are large facilities. Arriving ahead of the first session and reviewing the floor plan in advance helps avoid missing key presentations.

How to stay updated on upcoming clinical events in Italy

Conference dates and venues shift from year to year, and new events are regularly added to the Italian calendar. The most reliable sources for staying current include the following.

National and European specialty societies are the most authoritative source for recurring congresses in their field. Bodies such as the Italian Society of Cardiology, the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM), and the Italian Society of Neurology publish their annual congress dates well in advance. European counterparts, including the European Society of Cardiology, the European Society of Medical Oncology, and the European Academy of Neurology, also announce Italian-hosted satellite events and endorsed meetings.

The AIME conference series maintains its own official website and mailing list, which is the most reliable source for dates and calls for papers in clinical AI.

University and hospital websites, particularly those of the University of Pavia, Sapienza University of Rome, and the University of Milan, publish upcoming academic events and congresses hosted on their campuses.

LinkedIn and professional networks increasingly serve as early-notification channels for clinical conferences, particularly for events with international scientific committees that promote calls for abstracts through academic networks.

One important caveat: several of the most prominent pan-European congresses, including the European Society for Medical Oncology congress, the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Global congress, and the European Society of Cardiology Congress, are not held in Italy every year. In some years they take place elsewhere in Europe entirely. Clinicians should not assume that a conference held in Italy in one year will return to Italy the following year. Checking the host society's official announcements remains essential.

Frequently asked questions

▶ What are the top clinical conferences held in Italy for European clinicians?

Italy hosts a broad range of clinical conferences across specialties. Established events include the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (AIME) in Pavia, the Italian Society of Neurology (SIN) national congress, the AIOM national congress for medical oncology, the ESC Cardio-Oncology Conference (whose inaugural 2025 edition was held in Florence), and the World Congress on Public Health, which has been hosted in Rome. Several of these rotate between Italian or European host cities from year to year, so clinicians should verify current dates and venues directly with organisers.

▶ What is the AIME conference and why does it matter for clinicians working in clinical AI?

AIME, the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, is one of the longest-running forums dedicated to AI in medical care and biomedical science. It began in Pavia in 1987 and brings together researchers, clinicians, and computational scientists. Sessions cover clinical decision support (AI-assisted suggestions to clinicians), machine learning in diagnostics, and AI-assisted clinical documentation. AIME 2025 was hosted by the University of Pavia on 23–26 June 2025, marking the conference's 40th anniversary. It's the premier Italy-based event for clinicians working in digital health and clinical informatics.

▶ Which Italian cities host the most clinical and medical conferences?

Conference activity concentrates in a handful of cities. Milan hosts high-attendance specialist congresses, particularly in cardiology and surgery, and is home to one of Europe's largest convention centres. Rome combines academic depth with logistical capacity and regularly hosts public health and clinical research events. Florence has a concentration of research hospitals supporting oncology and respiratory medicine conferences. Venice offers established congress infrastructure and is a popular host city for international medical meetings. Pavia holds particular significance for clinical AI as the birthplace of the AIME series. Naples is an emerging destination in southern Italy, with access to the University of Naples Federico II.

▶ How were the conferences in this list selected?

Conferences were selected on the basis of clinical relevance, specialty breadth, recognised standing within European medical and scientific communities, regularity of occurrence, and the quality of their scientific programmes. Where possible, events with established international attendance, peer-reviewed proceedings, or affiliation with recognised academic or professional bodies were prioritised.

▶ How can clinicians find up-to-date information on upcoming medical conferences in Italy?

The most reliable sources are national and European specialty societies, which publish annual congress dates well in advance. University websites, particularly those of the University of Pavia, Sapienza University of Rome, and the University of Milan, also publish upcoming academic events. LinkedIn and professional networks increasingly serve as early-notification channels for calls for abstracts and registration openings. Clinicians should treat generic conference-listing directories with caution, as some surface events with little genuine scientific standing, and should instead verify an event's credibility directly with the organiser or host institution before registering.

▶ Do major pan-European medical congresses take place in Italy every year?

No. Several prominent pan-European congresses, including those of the European Society of Cardiology, the European Society for Medical Oncology, and the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, rotate between European host cities and are not held in Italy every year. Clinicians should not assume a conference held in Italy in one year will return the following year. Checking the host society's official announcements remains the most reliable approach.

▶ What practical tips should clinicians keep in mind when attending conferences in Italy?

Register early, particularly for events in cities with limited large-venue capacity such as Pavia, where delegate limits can be reached well ahead of the event date. Confirm in advance whether the event is accredited by the relevant national or European body for continuing professional development (CPD). Also verify the language of proceedings, as some events organised by Italian national societies may conduct sessions primarily in Italian rather than English.

▶ Which Italian conferences focus on digital health and health informatics?

AIME, the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, held in Pavia, is Italy's premier event for clinical AI and digital health, covering clinical decision support, machine learning in diagnostics, and AI-assisted clinical documentation. Clinicians interested in medical record systems, interoperability, or medical imaging informatics specifically should also check the calendars of European digital-health and biomedical-informatics societies, which periodically host events in Italy alongside their rotating European schedule.

▶ Why does Italy have such a strong tradition of hosting medical conferences?

Italy's relationship with medical knowledge is foundational. It is home to some of the world's oldest universities, including Bologna, founded in 1088, and Padua, whose anatomical theatre dates to 1594. Today, a dense network of academic medical centres, specialist societies, and research institutions makes Italy one of Europe's most active hosts for clinical conferences. This infrastructure, combined with strong international transport links and well-developed congress venues, supports a recurring calendar of events spanning cardiology, oncology, neurology, digital health, and beyond.