Behind the Scenes with the AMPC: How an Incredible Annual Meeting Is Crafted

Kelly M. Malloy, MD, Annual Meeting Program Committee member

For many members, the Annual Meeting is the highlight of our AAO-HNSF experience. Every fall, we have the opportunity to gather as otolaryngologists to learn, network, thought-partner, and enjoy each other’s company in an exciting North American city. The education offerings are always tremendous; from Expert Lectures and lively Panel Presentations to the Great Debates and innovative Simulation sessions, there is something for every member at the Annual Meeting. While October may feel far away now, your Annual Meeting Program Committee (AMPC) has already been laser-focused on taking the LA meeting to the next level of excellence and innovation.

Have you ever wondered how we cultivate an incredible Annual Meeting? Let me give you a behind-the-scenes tour of how the AMPC, led by Cecelia Damask, DO, Annual Meeting Program Coordinator, does it!

The work for the Annual Meeting really starts during the preceding meeting itself. Members of the AMPC gather during the meeting, having audited many of the current sessions, to review content, provide just-in-time feedback on how the Annual Meeting is functioning, and strategize about what our members need in the coming year. There are also thoughtful discussions with our Education leadership, including Education Coordinator Meredith Lind, MD, and Simulation Education Committee Chair, Katherine Kavanagh, MD. These collaborations help identify the education gaps that the AMPC will work to address at next year’s Annual Meeting.

At our Fall Retreat, the 63 members of the AMPC convene virtually to review the work of strategic teams and the input of focus groups conducted in the weeks since the Annual Meeting. We review survey and attendance data and learn what next year’s host city will offer in terms of convention center space and academic partners for simulation-supported education courses. We prepare for the Call for Science and advise Dr. Damask and the meetings team on how the committee can more efficiently review and assess the wonderful submissions coming our way.

Reviewing Call for Science Abstracts

Shortly after the new year, the Call for Science closes and the AMPC leaps into review mode. Each member reviews 200-400 abstracts and scores them using a well-established rubric. That is a lot of great content to review, but our commitment is that multiple experts review every submission for a comprehensive assessment. We then embark on our own version of March Madness: Throughout the month of March, we meet in subgroups representing all the subspecialty domains of otolaryngology, as well as universal interests such as Business of Medicine, Professional and Personal Development, and Care Equity, Quality and Safety. Our subgroup leaders guide us through the options for Expert Lectures, Panels, Great Debates, and Scientific Oral and Poster Presentations, and using the scores as a guide, we approve the content for the meeting. This is exciting and challenging work, as we strive to provide new content alongside established Annual Meeting favorites, all while ensuring that the education offerings are diverse and meet our members’ needs.

Having served as an AMPC member for almost six years, I have seen the Annual Meeting grow and innovate in so many ways. With the advent of simulation and technology-enhanced hands-on learning, it has been gratifying to see us embed these modalities in our curriculum. The AMPC has also taken the rapidly changing economics of healthcare to heart, leaning in on our Business of Medicine content to bring private practice and academic otolaryngologists together to debate and problem solve on many of the pressing challenges of current practice that affect us all. While the LA program is still being finalized as I write this, my personal strong recommendation is to prioritize some of the Business of Medicine content in your personal Annual Meeting schedule. You will not be disappointed, and we will be a stronger Academy if we all participate in these important discussions.

Please join me and the many members of the AMPC, past and present, at the AAO-HNSF 2026 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO in Los Angeles from October 17-20. Block the time on your calendar, plot your travel plans, and get ready for another incredible Annual Meeting!

Registration opens in June!