The first conference was founded in 1982 by the Chinese Hospital Medical Staff on San Francisco.  The conference brought together a number of Chinese American and Chinese Canadian medical societies, as well as many North American and international physicians interested in health problems of the Chinese in North America.  During this time, the Federation of Chinese American and Chinese Canadian Medical Societies (FCMS) was established to oversee the continuing development of the Conference on a biennial basis.

1. To congregate physicians and scholars to discuss common and related health problems of the Chinese in North America
2. To establish a database of the incidence of disease patterns among Chinese North Americans
3. To establish comparative data on Chinese North American health problems related to cultural assimilation
4. To encourage clinical and/or basic research in health problems affecting Chinese North Americans
5. To publish proceedings of the Conference as a means of expanding access to resources on these health problems

2008	September 27-28	Toronto
2006	October 21-22	New York City
2004	October 22-23	San Francisco
2002	May 25-26	New York City
2000	June 30-July 1	San Francisco
1998	August 21-23	Los Angeles
1996	August 22-25	Vancouver
1994	July 1-3	New York City
1992	June 18-21	San Francisco
1990	June 23-24	Toronto
1988	April 22-23	San Francisco
1986	August 22-24	New York City
1984	August 18-19	Los Angeles
1982	May 22-23	San Francisco