Join Us in the City Where IT Happens!

Cecelia Damask, DO, AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting Program Coordinator

Cecelia Damask, DO, AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting Program CoordinatorThe AAO-HNSF 2025 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO^SM is the “IT” event in 2025 that you must simply experience in person!

It will be an otolaryngology takeover in Indianapolis, Indiana, during the AAO-HNSF 2025 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO this October 11–14. Indy has the perfect layout, providing our Annual Meeting with a united “campus-like” feel. The affordability, walkability, and accessibility make it a destination that is just a hop, skip, and jump away for attendees, with more than 50% of the  U.S. a day’s drive away and a centrally located airport!

Indy is a dynamic city brimming with culture, innovation, and a vibrant atmosphere that's sure to impress. And this Annual Meeting represents everything I love about our Academy—the pursuit of excellence, commitment to innovation, and deep sense of community.

In my first year as Annual Meeting Program Coordinator, we have really focused on providing attendees an unforgettable experience that balances traditional CME education and science with some new, innovative, and fun programming. Thanks to our sponsors, we are beyond thrilled to share the following new additions to our program:

Wellness Zone sponsored by Sanofi: If there's one thing I've learned balancing my practice with leadership roles, it's that physician wellness isn't optional—it's essential.

As surgeons, we often prioritize patient care over our own wellbeing. That's why I'm particularly excited to introduce the Wellness Zone—a new  experience in the OTO EXPO area designed to help you decompress and recharge. Visit this sanctuary to enjoy chair massages, ergonomic consultations, and guided meditation sessions. Start your mornings with invigorating Tai Chi and yoga stretching sessions, or express yourself through therapeutic mural painting. Beyond just Annual Meeting perks, these experiences provide actionable strategies you can implement long-term to reduce stress. My hope is you'll return to your practice, homes, and communities not only intellectually enriched but personally renewed.

Wait, Wait Do Tell Me: Join us for a captivating and unconventional game featuring host Michael Platt, MD, in this special session inspired by the popular radio quiz show format but tailored for otolaryngologists. Dr. Platt will host this interactive and fun session in which Cecelia E. Schmalbach, MD, MSc, AAO-HNSF journals Editor in Chief, and Associate Editors, Michael J. Brenner, MD, and James G. Naples, MD, will be challenged—all while engaging audience participation. Don't miss this opportunity to learn, laugh, and challenge yourself.

Game Changer 2025 | Research Shaping Our Specialty: Join us for an exceptional opportunity to engage with the minds behind the most influential research in our field. In this landmark session, Cecelia E. Schmalbach, MD, MSc, AAO-HNSF journals Editor in Chief, presents a carefully curated selection of 5–10 breakthrough studies that have fundamentally impacted clinical practice, patient outcomes, and our understanding of the specialty. The authors will have the opportunity to present the real-world impact their work has had on patient care and clinical decision-making across the specialty. The selected research spans diverse topics within the specialty, ensuring relevant takeaways regardless of your specific area of practice or interest.

Problem-Based Learning: Immerse yourself in our dynamic problem-based learning activities, where scientific medical evidence meets actual clinical experience in a collaborative environment designed to sharpen your clinical reasoning and decision-making skills. These carefully structured sessions challenge your critical thinking skills, placing you and your colleagues at the center of patient cases developed from clinical practice. These will be small group, interactive sessions.

Advocacy at the Heart of Our Future: A successful advocacy strategy is central to the future of otolaryngology practice no matter your setting of choice. The Academy needs to elicit every voice in the specialty to have the impact needed for the longevity of patient care. We know it can be daunting or confusing to take the first steps, so this session will be the primer you need to  get involved. AAO-HNS Coordinator for Advocacy Lance A. Manning, MD, and Marc G. Dubin, MD, will provide the tools you need to get involved and address topics like payment and prior authorization with your congressional representatives and to address issues at the state level, such as the onslaught of scope of practice bills. 

Simulation Opportunities: Following last year's overwhelmingly positive response, we've expanded our Simulation Education offerings for the 2025 Annual Meeting—all conveniently located adjacent to the OTO EXPO floor at no additional cost to registered attendees. These hands-on learning opportunities allow you to practice cutting-edge techniques with expert faculty guidance in a risk-free environment. From new procedures to advanced technologies, there's something valuable for otolaryngologists at every career stage.

And More… We are still planning more so that when you fly home and back to your families, friends, practices, and life, you are filled with memories and knowledge that stays with you until we gather again in 2026.

Education and Science: In addition to the new events, the incredibly dedicated AMPC members have crafted an unforgettable education experience that will continue the long tradition of elevating our specialty through scientific advancement in clinical care and knowledge sharing!

Meeting You Where You Are: Something I'm particularly passionate about is creating education content that meets you at your career stage and practice setting. This meeting is for EVERYONE no matter where you are in your career—from medical student to retired otolaryngologist. To better serve our first-time attendees (medical students and residents only), we're excited to launch our new Meeting Buddy program. This initiative pairs newcomers with experienced meeting attendees who will help them navigate the Annual Meeting and maximize their experience. Residents and medical students who are first-time attendees can sign up for this program directly during the registration process.

For early-career attendees, we've created more opportunities to connect with potential mentors. I remember what it was like navigating the early years of practice, and building these bridges remains a priority for me and our leadership as you will read from AAO-HNS/F President Troy D. Woodard, MD, in his May column.

For private practice physicians and practice management professionals, our practice management sessions will directly address real-world challenges like telehealth reimbursement, implementing digital therapeutics responsibly, and navigating the ever-changing regulatory landscape.

For our international attendees who have traveled far and wide to join our global otolaryngology gathering, we will continue to have special, dedicated programming on Monday, International Day! From the Eugene N. Myers, MD International Lecture on Head and Neck Cancer, presented by Ralph Gilbert, MD, FRCSC, BSc (Hons), to the International Advisory Board General Assembly, International Reception, and so much more. International Day  is a day to celebrate the invaluable connections we can make with colleagues around the world, helping us all to gain  diverse perspectives. 

OTO EXPO | The Heart of Innovation: The OTO EXPO is at the heart of innovation, where you can participate in hands-on demonstrations and Q&As with over 200 exhibitors that can improve your practice and enhance patient care. It is where you can test-drive emerging technologies and speak directly with exhibitors about your clinical needs. It is where hundreds of Poster Presentations will kickstart the research careers of the next generation of our specialty. It is where you can recharge with lunch, make new connections, and meet llifelong friends. It is the hub of the Annual Meeting! 

Registration opens in May so be sure to mark your calendars for the upcoming Annual Meeting, where you can find your place and find your own pace by creating your own unique experience. Together, we'll continue advancing patient care through education and collaboration, while taking time to nurture ourselves as well.

Feel free to reach out to me directly with questions or suggestions. This is your meeting, and I'm honored to help shape it for you.

For the most up-to-date information, stay connected via www.entnet.org/events/annual-meeting/.