The Treasures of the 2024 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO℠

James C. Denneny III, MD
AAO-HNS/F Executive Vice President and CEO

I am excited to tell you about our upcoming 128th AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO that will be held in Miami Beach, Florida. This year’s meeting features a harmonized blend of the best of the old and traditional with the appealing glitz of something new and innovative. I trust that everyone, regardless of what stage of career or where you are coming from, will find a treasure or two that you will take with you from the unmatched scientific program and the many networking opportunities, all set in the backdrop of one of the most welcoming, culturally diverse cities in the United States. All signs point to this being one of the most widely attended meetings in our history with a large contingent of our international colleagues from around the globe.

It is important to recognize that this year’s meeting is switching from our typical Sunday-Wednesday format to a Saturday-Tuesday schedule. This change was made to minimize the out-of-office time for our professional attendees representing all types of practice settings. We recognize the pressure and stress that comes from being away from the office and your patients in these times. This structure in no way decreases the amount of time available for education, entertainment, and networking activities—in fact, the meeting in Miami will feature over 525 education sessions and increased networking and social activities.

Daniel C. Chelius, Jr., MD, and Cecelia Damask, DO, lead the Annual Meeting Program Committee (AMPC), which has constructed another spectacular program from over 2,500 submissions for this year’s meeting. We are continually improving our most popular offerings, as well as introducing something new that we think you will like.

Last year’s CME ENThusiast Track returns by popular demand and offers back-to-back sessions every hour of the meeting every day for those who prioritize maximizing their CME opportunities during the meeting. As a reminder, most CME courses will be placed on OTO Logic following the conclusion of the meeting, and all full registrants can access these courses for three years, offering even more CME-earning potential.

The Simulation Education track will showcase the return of the engaging otolaryngology escape room and the masterclass in frontal sinus dissection using 3D-printed simulation models.

This year’s Great Debates pit prominent thought leaders against one another as they debate some of the specialty’s most contentious issues in front of a stimulating audience. Now in its fourth year, the 2024 Great Debates will feature some newly enhanced aspects, including cross-specialty debating.

Additionally, our traditional education tracks, including Scientific Oral and Poster Presentations, Expert Lectures, Panel Presentations, and Master of Surgery Video Presentations, will be populated in the program with the top-scoring submissions as ranked by the AMPC.

The inaugural International Day was a great success last year, and it will return to the schedule on Monday, September 30.  This year we will expand the International Symposium sessions, where eight will be offered in Spanish in collaboration with the Pan-American Association of Oto-Rhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. Monday night concludes International Day with the International Reception gala.

On the new side of the ledger, the AAO-HNS acknowledges our responsibility as an organization and specialty to strive for equitable and accessible care for all who need it. To that end, our Annual Program Committee (AMPC) has created a new education track for the 2024 program titled, “Care Equity, Quality, and Safety.” The AMPC is developing this track to broadly address the problem of care inequity and put forth solutions that will move our field forward and ensure that patients have access to equitable care regardless of their social and economic situations.

Stump the Experts will take the ever-popular Office Hours format to the next level by asking the audience to present even more challenging clinical and professional topics to a panel of experts. My final EVP/CEO sessions will again contain five presentations of high interest this year, including the following topics:

• “Development, Safety and Efficacy of PRGN-2012, A Therapeutic Vaccine for the Treatment of Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis,” by Clint T. Allen, MD
• “Treating the Disabled Physician,” by Douglas D. Backous, MD
• Another chapter of “Crucial Conversation,” by Albert L. Merati, MD, with a diverse group of esteemed experts building on last year’s discussion on the future of otolaryngology education. 
• My final two selections will be made this summer based on value to attendees and current situations.

The AAO-HNSF is grateful to the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and their Department Chair, Fred F. Telischi, MD, MEE, for their willingness and energy to act as hosts along with the University of Florida, College of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery and their Chair, William O. Collins, MD. Miami is a fabulous city with a remarkably diverse culture, and the area around the Miami Beach Convention Center offers great entertainment opportunities and dining selections. The housing choices for this meeting include a wide selection of boutique hotels on Ocean Drive in addition to our normal variety of selections. For the best selections, book your housing early!

Within the framework of the education programming this year, committee meetings will take place as well as our Sections’ general assemblies and receptions. All of these, as well as our medical student events, offer valuable networking opportunities to meet your colleagues around the world. See you in Miami!