The gathering of thought leaders, peers, and industry innovators that is set to take place at ANESTHESIOLOGY 2024 in Philadelphia will offer priceless opportunities to learn, share, educate, network, and innovate. The weekend of October 18-22 will be packed with chances to connect with experts and colleagues across subspecialties, career stages, regions, and even the globe. Wherever you stand on the spectrum of anesthesiology, and whoever you aim to connect (or reconnect) with, this year's annual meeting will serve up ample occasions to drive relationships forward.
Medical students and resident anesthesiologists will find mentors and forge new connections to help shape their careers in unexpected ways, all while celebrating with their cohorts from medical school and residency. Early-career anesthesiologists will enjoy the opportunities made available to them by our hard-working ASA committees and staff and find professional support after meeting up with their peers. Mid-career anesthesiologists will discover career-enhancing networking opportunities. And like their late-career counterparts, they will reap the benefits of networking with potential research and academic collaborators and enjoy catching up with contemporaries. Of course, our retirees will be on hand to share their knowledge and soak up inspiration from the next generation. If 2024 is anything like 2023, anesthesiologists will trek to Philadelphia from around the world. Last year's attendees came from all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., and 97 countries. The value of ANESTHESIOLOGY is truly global. Connections will be happening all the time, everywhere – in the lecture halls, on the Exhibit Hall floor, alongside the poster boards in poster sessions, at the coffee stand, at various receptions and gatherings, and in convention center hallways.
From Friday night to Tuesday afternoon, interacting with luminaries, friends, and educators will be an essential part of every agenda. Our medical students and trainees will kick off the weekend with the Friday evening Medical Student Reception, hosted at the Marriot. The Grand Opening Reception and Lunch will add extra excitement to the Exhibit Hall on Saturday. For medical students looking to forge new connections with residency programs, the Residency Programs Open House will also be held on Saturday. A Sunday Happy Hour, and Monday's Last Day Lunch, both hosted in the Exhibit Hall, will present more opportunities to wine, dine, and shine with friends new and old. Monday evening culminates with the always-popular President's Reception. The National Constitution Center will be a fascinating backdrop for an evening of entertainment, an open bar, hors d'oeuvres, and stimulating conversations. Tickets are still available on a first-come, first-served basis but are expected to sell out way in advance of the meeting.
Beyond the many organized networking opportunities on tap, the Exhibit Hall presents endless prospects to excavate and advance connections. There will be like-minded meetups and organic conversations in the Meet-Up Lounge; a consideration of top-of-mind issues and ASA initiatives in the ASA Resource Center; international society leaders and members socializing and sharing with other attendees in the International Pavilion; and a wealth of career and professional development information in the Career Center. And don't miss your chance for free professional headshots while in the Career Center! When it is time to stop and listen, attendees can relax and watch innovators and thought leaders share their knowledge on Center Stage, or take in an interview-style program, TopMedTalk, as it is streamed worldwide. For those with families, to make all this prized mingling easier, childcare will be offered again this year for children ranging from 6 weeks to 12 years.
Throughout the conference, small-group meetings – whether around a PBLD table discussing a challenging case or around an ASA committee table working on committee projects and statements – provide unprecedented opportunity to get to know your colleagues up close and in person, forming long-lasting professional camaraderie. State and regional caucus meetings, reference committee meetings, and the House of Delegates meetings provide many opportunities to meet different state and national leaders, where you can share your thoughts on ASA work, its future directions, and the statements and guidelines being discussed that shape our practice.
All this relationship-building and related festivities warrant appreciation. So, to show our love to the City of Brotherly Love, ASA has joined forces with SocialOffset to expand the reach of our philanthropy at the annual meeting. Through this collaboration, attendees can choose causes that align with their values and that give back to the Philadelphia community.
Bill Nye the Science Guy once said that “everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't.” It's a reminder that learning opportunities are all around us. That's especially true when the specialty convenes from across the globe, from all subspecialties, regions, and career stages. There will be experts and innovators to learn from, peers to share with, and lessons to glean from the many riveting conversations Philadelphia will host in late October. I, for one, cannot wait to see my old friends from around the country and the globe and make new ones in Philly. After attending every single ANESTHESIOLOGY annual meeting since 1997, I can tell you with confidence, if you join us, you won't regret it, I guarantee it! I look forward to seeing and meeting you all there! Learn more and make plans today at asahq.org/annualmeeting.
Basem B. Abdelmalak, MD, FASA, SAMBA-F, Third Vice Chair, ASA Committee on Annual Meeting Oversight, ASA Director from Ohio, and Professor of Anesthesiology, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio. X: @basemcc
Basem B. Abdelmalak, MD, FASA, SAMBA-F, Third Vice Chair, ASA Committee on Annual Meeting Oversight, ASA Director from Ohio, and Professor of Anesthesiology, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio. X: @basemcc
