From the 2012 Scientific Program Coordinator
Interviewed by M. Steele Brown John H. Krouse, MD, PhD, Scientific Program Coordinator The Scientific Program at this year’s Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO in Washington, DC, features some significant additions to what has been a very successful formula during the past several years. According to Scientific Program Coordinator John H. Krouse, MD, PhD, the 2012 Scientific Program will again be integrated across all areas of the specialty—from basic and translational science to clinical research and practice—and will offer all of the same features attendees have come to expect. “The program will have approximately the same number of miniseminars (90) that we had last year,” he said. “The same is true of the oral presentations (250), and the poster presentations (400).” Dr. Krouse said the AAO-HNSF Program Advisory Committee (PAC), which has increased the number of presentations and miniseminars regularly during the past few years, has the program where it wants it. “Just in terms of size, I think that we, as a program committee, feel we are right where we want to be now,” he said. “At this point, were we to add any more, I think we would begin to dilute what has become an outstanding program. So, pragmatically, we don’t want to be any bigger, because at 13 rooms running consecutively, we are at a good size that meets the needs of our attendees.” So with the program’s base as solid as ever, Dr. Krouse said the PAC looked to make improvements to the early segment, adding two morning seminars focused on adding value for attendees. “One of our ‘hot button’ issues this year—how to move into practice—is geared for residents and fellows, but it really can apply to anyone,” he said. “So on Tuesday morning from 8:00 am–noon, we will talk about how you get into a practice setting for the first time. Or maybe you want to move and establish a new practice, so we will go over interviewing, setting up contracts, the mistakes people make, etc. This is all geared toward letting people know what to do and how to do it.” The second morning block will focus on simulation. Simulation “One of the big trends in education and clinical development has been the use of clinical simulators to allow physicians to get training in various competencies in a lab-based setting,” he said. “So on Wednesday morning we will have back-to-back sessions from 8:00 am–noon, which will be led by experts from around the world. “We will also have a simulation expo, so people can move around and look at different stuff. This isn’t so much of a workshop, but a forum to discuss how simulation can be used in education to enhance clinical practice.” Clearly Defined Tracks Dr. Krouse said both programs will take place in the same room and will be split into three parts to allow for a comprehensive review of the topics. Dr. Krouse said the PAC also increased the number of business-minded sessions by 50 percent this year, to roughly 16 sessions, and will, for the first time, clearly delineate tracks by topic in the program this year. “We want to make sure, from a lifelong learning perspective, it is easy to track what you need to know from room to room,” he said. “We want to make that knowledge easily accessible from session to session and make it easier to get through the meeting successfully.”
Interviewed by M. Steele Brown John H. Krouse, MD, PhD, Scientific Program Coordinator
The Scientific Program at this year’s Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO in Washington, DC, features some significant additions to what has been a very successful formula during the past several years.
According to Scientific Program Coordinator John H. Krouse, MD, PhD, the 2012 Scientific Program will again be integrated across all areas of the specialty—from basic and translational science to clinical research and practice—and will offer all of the same features attendees have come to expect.
“The program will have approximately the same number of miniseminars (90) that we had last year,” he said. “The same is true of the oral presentations (250), and the poster presentations (400).”
Dr. Krouse said the AAO-HNSF Program Advisory Committee (PAC), which has increased the number of presentations and miniseminars regularly during the past few years, has the program where it wants it.
“Just in terms of size, I think that we, as a program committee, feel we are right where we want to be now,” he said. “At this point, were we to add any more, I think we would begin to dilute what has become an outstanding program. So, pragmatically, we don’t want to be any bigger, because at 13 rooms running consecutively, we are at a good size that meets the needs of our attendees.”
So with the program’s base as solid as ever, Dr. Krouse said the PAC looked to make improvements to the early segment, adding two morning seminars focused on adding value for attendees.
“One of our ‘hot button’ issues this year—how to move into practice—is geared for residents and fellows, but it really can apply to anyone,” he said. “So on Tuesday morning from 8:00 am–noon, we will talk about how you get into a practice setting for the first time. Or maybe you want to move and establish a new practice, so we will go over interviewing, setting up contracts, the mistakes people make, etc. This is all geared toward letting people know what to do and how to do it.”
The second morning block will focus on simulation.
Simulation
“One of the big trends in education and clinical development has been the use of clinical simulators to allow physicians to get training in various competencies in a lab-based setting,” he said. “So on Wednesday morning we will have back-to-back sessions from 8:00 am–noon, which will be led by experts from around the world.
“We will also have a simulation expo, so people can move around and look at different stuff. This isn’t so much of a workshop, but a forum to discuss how simulation can be used in education to enhance clinical practice.”
Clearly Defined Tracks
Dr. Krouse said both programs will take place in the same room and will be split into three parts to allow for a comprehensive review of the topics.
Dr. Krouse said the PAC also increased the number of business-minded sessions by 50 percent this year, to roughly 16 sessions, and will, for the first time, clearly delineate tracks by topic in the program this year.
“We want to make sure, from a lifelong learning perspective, it is easy to track what you need to know from room to room,” he said. “We want to make that knowledge easily accessible from session to session and make it easier to get through the meeting successfully.”