Your Participation at the Annual Meeting Is Vital to Energizing the Community
There is no other annual otolaryngology meeting that brings together the diverse practice expertise to conquer the most difficult questions in our field.
Although the Education Program is the primary focus of Dr. Chelius and Dr. Damask’s work, there is so much more happening at the Annual Meeting that they have their pulse on and a hand in planning. Both leaders believe that the connection and exchange of ideas that happens at the meeting simply cannot be replicated in other environments or virtually, which is what makes attending so important.
“Attendees can network with colleagues so that they can feel energized and renewed about our specialty and excited about the practice of medicine,” said Dr. Damask.
There will be plenty of networking opportunities—formal and informal—at the Annual Meeting. Each of the sections [Women in Otolaryngology (WIO) Section, Section for Residents and Fellows-in-Training (SRF), Young Physicians Section (YPS), and Otolaryngology Private Practice Section (OPPS)] has events where attendees can connect, and there are student networking events as well. From indepth discussions impacting your practice at the Coffee Talks to strolling the OTO EXPO exhibit hall, you will never have to travel far to meet new and old friends.
The Opening Ceremony, including the John Conley, MD Lecture on Medical Ethics at 8:00 – 9:00 am (ET) on Saturday, September 28, and the Presidents' Reception at 7:00 – 9:00 pm (ET) on Saturday, September 28, are two ideal events for meeting members of the otolaryngology from around the world. First-time attendees are especially encouraged to attend the Opening Ceremony because it will help them get a sense of the Academy’s priorities. “Where we are globally headed as a community is really on display during the Opening Ceremony,” Dr. Chelius said. Meanwhile, the whole community is out and about at the Presidents' Reception, providing a picture of just how large and diverse the community is.
One element of the Annual Meeting that Dr. Chelius and Dr. Damask think all attendees should take advantage of is attending committee meetings. “This is the only opportunity for all of otolaryngology and all of the different committees that make up the Academy to meet in person to discuss their ideas and projects to work on for the next year,” Dr. Damask said. Committee meetings are open to all attendees, so they encourage everyone to attend meetings on topics they might be interested in as well as committees they are potentially interested in serving on next year.
The OTO EXPO is also increasingly becoming the place to meet up with colleagues. There will be networking areas adjacent to the OTO EXPO, while the Simulation course rooms and Scientific Poster Hall will also be nearby. “I really see [the OTO EXPO hall] becoming our sort of downtown gathering space of sorts for the Annual Meeting where the future is on display and you can also make connections with your colleagues,” Dr. Chelius said. The Simulation courses will be not only an amazing opportunity to receive hands-on education, but many of them also require teamwork and collaboration that can foster new professional relationships. The Meet the Scientific Poster Authors session will be a congregation of hundreds of students and young physicians alike where new ideas and research will be exchanged, making it a great place to meet fellow members of the young otolaryngology community.
“I'm looking forward to all the little moments—those little moments define the Annual Meeting for me: meeting a new resident in the poster hall and making a connection, hearing from someone about the ways the meeting has touched them or inspired them,” Dr. Chelius said.
Coming to the Annual Meeting almost guarantees that you will hear diverse perspectives from otolaryngologists and other medical professionals from around the globe. Expanding your view through a conversation with someone you may have never met otherwise can be invaluable to your patients and practice.
“[We need different perspectives] to answer the biggest questions facing us, like, 'How do we continue to serve our entire patient population no matter where they are located, no matter their social determinants of health, no matter their access to an academic center? How do we serve them for the next 30 years in an expert fashion? How do we get the care into their hands?'" said Dr. Chelius.
“There is no other annual otolaryngology meeting that brings together the diverse expertise of subspecialists of practice, settings of academics and community-based providers to conquer the most difficult questions in our field, which transcend all of those categories. When you look at the global health of the community, there is no question that what happens in person at the Annual Meeting is vital for energizing this entire community. And that's what the Meeting is really about,” he said.
