How to make the most of your annual meeting

1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,860 Welcome to the Clinician Researcher podcast, where academic clinicians learn the skills 2 00:00:05,860 --> 00:00:11,260 to build their own research program, whether or not they have a mentor. 3 00:00:11,260 --> 00:00:17,340 As clinicians, we spend a decade or more as trainees learning to take care of patients. 4 00:00:17,340 --> 00:00:22,380 When we finally start our careers, we want to build research programs, but then we find 5 00:00:22,380 --> 00:00:27,780 that our years of clinical training did not adequately prepare us to lead our research 6 00:00:27,780 --> 00:00:29,200 program. 7 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:35,480 Through no fault of our own, we struggle to find mentors, and when we can't, we quit. 8 00:00:35,480 --> 00:00:40,580 However, clinicians hold the keys to the greatest research breakthroughs. 9 00:00:40,580 --> 00:00:46,200 For this reason, the Clinician Researcher podcast exists to give academic clinicians 10 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:51,800 the tools to build their own research program, whether or not they have a mentor. 11 00:00:51,800 --> 00:01:01,060 Now introducing your host, Toyosi Onwuemene. 12 00:01:01,060 --> 00:01:03,080 Welcome to the Clinician Researcher podcast. 13 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:07,580 I'm your host, Toyosi Onwuemene, and I'm super excited to be talking with you today, as I 14 00:01:07,580 --> 00:01:09,080 am always. 15 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:12,840 And today I'm talking about making the most of your annual meeting. 16 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:17,860 I remember my first annual meeting for the American Society of Hematology. 17 00:01:17,860 --> 00:01:23,680 I first attended as a fellow in either 2010 or 2011. 18 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:27,980 And I remember that the reason I wanted to go was because, wow, I was going to learn 19 00:01:27,980 --> 00:01:28,980 so much Hematology. 20 00:01:28,980 --> 00:01:30,340 It was going to be so awesome. 21 00:01:30,340 --> 00:01:32,340 I was so excited. 22 00:01:32,340 --> 00:01:35,180 And that first meeting was in Orlando, Florida. 23 00:01:35,180 --> 00:01:41,060 And I will tell you that things were not exactly as I expected them to be. 24 00:01:41,060 --> 00:01:44,020 So this was a meeting in Orlando in December. 25 00:01:44,020 --> 00:01:48,120 So I expected I was going to go to Orlando in December, and it was going to be super 26 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:50,200 warm and amazing. 27 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:52,240 And it was incredibly cold that year. 28 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:54,800 So there was no snow, but it might as well have been snowing. 29 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:55,800 It was that cold. 30 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:56,800 I was so disappointed. 31 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:02,060 And, OK, in retrospect, maybe it wasn't that cold, but I was just so unprepared for Orlando 32 00:02:02,060 --> 00:02:05,020 in December that I was so, so disappointed. 33 00:02:05,020 --> 00:02:07,060 So I was disappointed by the weather. 34 00:02:07,060 --> 00:02:11,800 And I was also disappointed by the meeting too, because, oh my goodness, it was huge. 35 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:12,800 It's so big. 36 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:16,340 There were so many people, and there were so many events happening simultaneously. 37 00:02:16,340 --> 00:02:19,780 It was like, well, which one am I going to go to? 38 00:02:19,780 --> 00:02:23,340 And I can't make all these sessions. 39 00:02:23,340 --> 00:02:24,780 It was overwhelming. 40 00:02:24,780 --> 00:02:25,780 It was overwhelming. 41 00:02:25,780 --> 00:02:31,480 And I don't know about you, but to be honest, I still find meetings kind of overwhelming. 42 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:36,420 Over time, I've been able to kind of curate my experience, but they are still big and 43 00:02:36,420 --> 00:02:37,420 overwhelming. 44 00:02:37,420 --> 00:02:41,180 You know, over time, I've been able to attend meetings that are much, much smaller than 45 00:02:41,180 --> 00:02:44,100 our animal meeting, the American Society of Hematology. 46 00:02:44,100 --> 00:02:45,100 It's a big meeting. 47 00:02:45,100 --> 00:02:49,420 It's got over 20,000 people and growing that attend the meetings every year. 48 00:02:49,420 --> 00:02:53,520 And so it's a big enough meeting now that there are only a couple of sites across the 49 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:55,740 country that we can have these meetings. 50 00:02:55,740 --> 00:02:59,340 And so it's a predictable group of four, actually five. 51 00:02:59,340 --> 00:03:06,080 The rotation is around, I think, five major convention sites. 52 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:07,500 And again, it's in December. 53 00:03:07,500 --> 00:03:12,980 So we stay away from the states in which snow could be a problem for flights and things 54 00:03:12,980 --> 00:03:13,980 like that. 55 00:03:13,980 --> 00:03:17,100 So anyway, the American Society of Hematology meeting is huge. 56 00:03:17,100 --> 00:03:18,500 It's happening in December. 57 00:03:18,500 --> 00:03:23,460 I'm excited to be going and to be moderating a session or two. 58 00:03:23,460 --> 00:03:27,860 And so I wanted to share some insights about how to make the most of your animal meeting 59 00:03:27,860 --> 00:03:33,740 and to not be overwhelmed because it can be pretty overwhelming. 60 00:03:33,740 --> 00:03:35,500 And so these are just my thoughts. 61 00:03:35,500 --> 00:03:38,020 I would be excited to hear about your thoughts. 62 00:03:38,020 --> 00:03:44,220 So definitely shoot me a voicemail through the podcast website or send me a DM so that 63 00:03:44,220 --> 00:03:47,360 I can get your insights as well. 64 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:51,780 So the first thing I want to share is that you should plan to go. 65 00:03:51,780 --> 00:03:57,060 I know that doesn't sound very innovative or original, but you really should plan to 66 00:03:57,060 --> 00:03:58,060 go. 67 00:03:58,060 --> 00:03:59,820 And I say that because you know what? 68 00:03:59,820 --> 00:04:03,700 There are so many meetings that we go to in academia. 69 00:04:03,700 --> 00:04:07,580 And absolutely, if you don't have three or four or five meetings that you're going to 70 00:04:07,580 --> 00:04:14,140 or that you could potentially go to during the year, then maybe you're not at an academic 71 00:04:14,140 --> 00:04:16,060 institution or maybe you are. 72 00:04:16,060 --> 00:04:19,260 But there are always meetings to go to. 73 00:04:19,260 --> 00:04:22,220 And so you could choose not to go. 74 00:04:22,220 --> 00:04:24,580 And there are many reasons to not go to meetings. 75 00:04:24,580 --> 00:04:28,140 But I think it's important to go to your annual meeting. 76 00:04:28,140 --> 00:04:31,860 And sometimes people will say, well, I'm not presenting, therefore I'm not going. 77 00:04:31,860 --> 00:04:35,140 And I would say that you should go even if you're not presenting. 78 00:04:35,140 --> 00:04:38,820 You should find a way to present something or find something to do there. 79 00:04:38,820 --> 00:04:42,820 But the most important thing at the annual meeting is not always the presentation that 80 00:04:42,820 --> 00:04:43,980 you're giving. 81 00:04:43,980 --> 00:04:48,580 So definitely present, but don't say that because you don't have anything to present, 82 00:04:48,580 --> 00:04:49,860 you're not going. 83 00:04:49,860 --> 00:04:52,380 So have a plan to go. 84 00:04:52,380 --> 00:04:57,240 And sometimes the reason it's important to have something that you're presenting before 85 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:01,900 you go is because sometimes you won't find funding or people are not going to support 86 00:05:01,900 --> 00:05:05,980 you to go if you're not presenting, especially when you're early career or maybe still in 87 00:05:05,980 --> 00:05:06,980 training. 88 00:05:06,980 --> 00:05:09,980 If you're presenting, then someone can say, OK, yeah, we're now going to release this 89 00:05:09,980 --> 00:05:14,340 pot of money so that you can go present this particularly abstract. 90 00:05:14,340 --> 00:05:18,780 So whatever it helps for you to do so that you can go, please do it. 91 00:05:18,780 --> 00:05:20,240 But really have a plan to go. 92 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:26,020 And as you grow in your career, as you have other sources of funding, perhaps maybe your 93 00:05:26,020 --> 00:05:31,420 annual faculty development fund, whatever that is, you should go anyway, even if you 94 00:05:31,420 --> 00:05:36,620 don't have something to present because meetings offer so much more to you than just an opportunity 95 00:05:36,620 --> 00:05:37,740 to present your research. 96 00:05:37,740 --> 00:05:40,020 So definitely plan to go. 97 00:05:40,020 --> 00:05:41,620 That's number one. 98 00:05:41,620 --> 00:05:43,980 Number two is have a plan. 99 00:05:43,980 --> 00:05:47,360 So plan to go and then have a plan for your meeting. 100 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:49,700 And by have a plan, what do I mean? 101 00:05:49,700 --> 00:05:54,460 There are so many opportunities at your annual meeting, even if it's a small meeting. 102 00:05:54,460 --> 00:05:58,780 And so I'm fortunate in that I am a hematologist. 103 00:05:58,780 --> 00:06:01,660 And so my major meeting is the American Society of Hematology. 104 00:06:01,660 --> 00:06:04,020 But I'm also an aphoresis doc. 105 00:06:04,020 --> 00:06:05,740 I do research in aphoresis. 106 00:06:05,740 --> 00:06:10,460 And so I attend the American Society for Aphoresis Animal Meeting. 107 00:06:10,460 --> 00:06:14,900 And the American Society for Aphoresis Animal Meeting is a great meeting compared to the 108 00:06:14,900 --> 00:06:16,340 American Society of Hematology. 109 00:06:16,340 --> 00:06:18,300 It's so much smaller. 110 00:06:18,300 --> 00:06:20,940 And there are concurrent sessions, but not too many. 111 00:06:20,940 --> 00:06:23,500 And so it's a really great mix. 112 00:06:23,500 --> 00:06:28,380 So definitely plan to go and then have a plan based on the kind of meeting you're going 113 00:06:28,380 --> 00:06:29,380 to be at. 114 00:06:29,380 --> 00:06:34,380 So perhaps you have a huge meeting like I have at the American Society of Hematology. 115 00:06:34,380 --> 00:06:38,460 And it's going to be so much going on and so many opportunities to meet with different 116 00:06:38,460 --> 00:06:43,180 reps or different reps of different industries, things like that. 117 00:06:43,180 --> 00:06:46,020 But definitely sit down and create a plan. 118 00:06:46,020 --> 00:06:47,020 Have a plan. 119 00:06:47,020 --> 00:06:49,480 What do you want to get out of your meeting? 120 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:53,140 And in your plan, think about, OK, if you're going to present a poster or you're presenting 121 00:06:53,140 --> 00:06:57,420 an oral abstract, well, you definitely want to make plans to be there at the right time. 122 00:06:57,420 --> 00:07:02,980 Make sure you know about all information related to being a speaker, how to make sure you're 123 00:07:02,980 --> 00:07:04,980 uploading your talk in due time. 124 00:07:04,980 --> 00:07:10,960 So have a plan for your speaking presentation, whatever other presentation you have. 125 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:16,700 But also have a plan for who you want to connect with at this meeting, who are old friends 126 00:07:16,700 --> 00:07:21,420 that you want to connect with, who are new friends that you need to meet, who are speakers 127 00:07:21,420 --> 00:07:25,580 that are particularly interesting that you want to connect with, who are new collaborators 128 00:07:25,580 --> 00:07:28,660 that you possibly might want to connect with. 129 00:07:28,660 --> 00:07:30,140 So have a plan. 130 00:07:30,140 --> 00:07:31,980 Have a plan for your meeting. 131 00:07:31,980 --> 00:07:37,440 You know, honestly, when I had young children at home below the age of five, sometimes my 132 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:39,360 plan was to go to the meeting and sleep. 133 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:42,780 And so all the events people were talking about that started at 8 p.m., 9 p.m. was like, 134 00:07:42,780 --> 00:07:43,780 I'm so sorry. 135 00:07:43,780 --> 00:07:45,620 I'm here to catch up on sleep. 136 00:07:45,620 --> 00:07:48,820 And so I'm going to do the rest of the meeting during the day, but this 9 p.m. event, I'm 137 00:07:48,820 --> 00:07:50,060 not going to be part of. 138 00:07:50,060 --> 00:07:51,060 And that's OK. 139 00:07:51,060 --> 00:07:52,060 I'm going to have a season of my life. 140 00:07:52,060 --> 00:07:53,980 And that was what I chose to do. 141 00:07:53,980 --> 00:07:59,700 And so having a plan allowed me not to on the spot trying to be making decisions about whether 142 00:07:59,700 --> 00:08:01,380 I attend a 9 p.m. event or not. 143 00:08:01,380 --> 00:08:05,740 I was just not going to do it because part of my plan was catching up on sleep. 144 00:08:05,740 --> 00:08:06,740 Yes. 145 00:08:06,740 --> 00:08:07,740 So just have a plan. 146 00:08:07,740 --> 00:08:09,540 And there's different seasons of your life. 147 00:08:09,540 --> 00:08:12,100 And sometimes you go to meetings to do different things. 148 00:08:12,100 --> 00:08:15,060 OK, so have a plan. 149 00:08:15,060 --> 00:08:19,340 Number three is create a schedule. 150 00:08:19,340 --> 00:08:23,060 And invariably for me, as we're coming up to our annual meeting, I'll get emails from 151 00:08:23,060 --> 00:08:27,540 people requesting times to meet and they'll say, oh, can I meet with you on Saturday at 152 00:08:27,540 --> 00:08:28,700 7 p.m.? 153 00:08:28,700 --> 00:08:32,380 And what's interesting is that there are always going to be things happening or happening 154 00:08:32,380 --> 00:08:33,380 at once. 155 00:08:33,380 --> 00:08:37,980 And I just I just recall that I scheduled something that's happening that's happening 156 00:08:37,980 --> 00:08:39,620 and coinciding with something else. 157 00:08:39,620 --> 00:08:42,380 So anyway, what I'm saying is that there are always events every night. 158 00:08:42,380 --> 00:08:43,380 Right. 159 00:08:43,380 --> 00:08:44,940 So our annual meeting is a 40 meeting. 160 00:08:44,940 --> 00:08:47,900 It's Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday. 161 00:08:47,900 --> 00:08:49,340 And it's four night meeting. 162 00:08:49,340 --> 00:08:54,460 And so there are always going to be events happening, especially during the weekend nights. 163 00:08:54,460 --> 00:08:57,540 And so when people are like, oh, can you meet with me on this day or can you meet with me 164 00:08:57,540 --> 00:08:58,540 on this day? 165 00:08:58,540 --> 00:09:00,180 I'm like, I haven't made my plan yet. 166 00:09:00,180 --> 00:09:01,260 I can't tell you yet. 167 00:09:01,260 --> 00:09:04,140 I have you know, I need to sit down and prioritize. 168 00:09:04,140 --> 00:09:08,140 But you definitely want to create a schedule because there will definitely be conflicts. 169 00:09:08,140 --> 00:09:12,580 There'll be different things that you have to choose one over another and it will be 170 00:09:12,580 --> 00:09:13,580 OK. 171 00:09:13,580 --> 00:09:16,380 And there'll be some days that you'll say, you know what, I'm just not going to do anything 172 00:09:16,380 --> 00:09:17,380 this evening. 173 00:09:17,380 --> 00:09:18,380 I'm OK, too. 174 00:09:18,380 --> 00:09:23,300 But definitely create a schedule so that you are in control of your annual meeting experience. 175 00:09:23,300 --> 00:09:28,580 Now, the biggest benefit of creating a schedule is your ability to decide not to go with the 176 00:09:28,580 --> 00:09:29,580 schedule. 177 00:09:29,580 --> 00:09:30,580 Right. 178 00:09:30,580 --> 00:09:34,180 So the planning is the key, not necessarily the actual plan. 179 00:09:34,180 --> 00:09:38,060 The fact that you work and figure out all the things that are most important to you 180 00:09:38,060 --> 00:09:43,940 is actually more relevant than the actual plan that you make because you have a schedule. 181 00:09:43,940 --> 00:09:47,700 You want you want to have you reserve the right to change your schedule if some other 182 00:09:47,700 --> 00:09:53,180 opportunity becomes more interesting that you are able to go on, they are able to take 183 00:09:53,180 --> 00:09:54,260 advantage of. 184 00:09:54,260 --> 00:09:58,260 So you definitely want to have a schedule, but you want to hold your schedule lightly. 185 00:09:58,260 --> 00:10:03,180 You want to be free to change things on the schedule if it makes sense for you. 186 00:10:03,180 --> 00:10:07,940 So definitely create a schedule knowing that you are the boss of the schedule and the schedule 187 00:10:07,940 --> 00:10:10,260 is not the boss of you. 188 00:10:10,260 --> 00:10:11,560 OK. 189 00:10:11,560 --> 00:10:13,980 Number four is that you should meet old friends. 190 00:10:13,980 --> 00:10:17,900 Oh, one of the most amazing things for me is to go to meetings and meet people that 191 00:10:17,900 --> 00:10:19,980 I have not seen in years. 192 00:10:19,980 --> 00:10:23,420 Even people I saw the last year, there's some people you don't talk to except at the 193 00:10:23,420 --> 00:10:24,420 annual meeting. 194 00:10:24,420 --> 00:10:28,700 And it is so awesome just to make those connections and to reconnect. 195 00:10:28,700 --> 00:10:32,820 And one of the things it's so I mean, it's just awesome to meet your friends no matter 196 00:10:32,820 --> 00:10:35,260 where where you find them. 197 00:10:35,260 --> 00:10:36,860 And especially at the annual meeting. 198 00:10:36,860 --> 00:10:40,900 But also it reminds you of how fast your network is. 199 00:10:40,900 --> 00:10:42,740 You have got a vast network. 200 00:10:42,740 --> 00:10:44,540 Can I just say it again? 201 00:10:44,540 --> 00:10:46,820 You've got a vast network. 202 00:10:46,820 --> 00:10:48,380 You went to medical school. 203 00:10:48,380 --> 00:10:52,380 If your medical school was and mine was not even a huge medical school, I had at least 204 00:10:52,380 --> 00:10:54,140 like 100 classmates. 205 00:10:54,140 --> 00:10:56,180 I think it was 100 classmates. 206 00:10:56,180 --> 00:11:00,140 But you know, you know, 100 people and you knew them well because you were in different 207 00:11:00,140 --> 00:11:01,140 small groups with them. 208 00:11:01,140 --> 00:11:03,380 You were in different big classes with them. 209 00:11:03,380 --> 00:11:05,060 You know, 100 people. 210 00:11:05,060 --> 00:11:06,900 And then you go to residency. 211 00:11:06,900 --> 00:11:08,620 And for me, I was an internist. 212 00:11:08,620 --> 00:11:13,100 I did an internal medicine residency that that was 40 people in my class. 213 00:11:13,100 --> 00:11:15,900 And that's not counting the class below and the class above. 214 00:11:15,900 --> 00:11:21,140 So if we had 40 each year of the three year residency, that's 120 people that I was connected 215 00:11:21,140 --> 00:11:23,500 with in some way, shape or form. 216 00:11:23,500 --> 00:11:26,580 Fellowship was a much smaller group, but it was still four of us per class. 217 00:11:26,580 --> 00:11:30,300 And that's 12 people that you really got to know over the course of your fellowship. 218 00:11:30,300 --> 00:11:35,660 And then that's not even counting the faculty you interacted with, the staff that you interacted 219 00:11:35,660 --> 00:11:36,660 with. 220 00:11:36,660 --> 00:11:38,980 It was a vast network. 221 00:11:38,980 --> 00:11:43,940 And meeting old friends reminds you of the vastness of your network and the amazingness 222 00:11:43,940 --> 00:11:44,940 of your network. 223 00:11:44,940 --> 00:11:48,980 So powerful, so important, so critical that you reconnect. 224 00:11:48,980 --> 00:11:53,620 And okay, you've had a couple of hundred people that you've met over the course of your training 225 00:11:53,620 --> 00:11:55,700 or your career. 226 00:11:55,700 --> 00:11:57,680 And it doesn't mean that you know all of them well. 227 00:11:57,680 --> 00:12:02,500 But even when you recognize someone just even like as someone you haven't connected with 228 00:12:02,500 --> 00:12:06,820 in a while, there's still a value in that connection, you know, especially when you 229 00:12:06,820 --> 00:12:10,340 meet at an annual meeting where there's so many people you don't know. 230 00:12:10,340 --> 00:12:14,780 The people you do know, you are able to connect with in a special way and it can help you 231 00:12:14,780 --> 00:12:17,400 rekindle old relationships. 232 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:22,100 It can help you establish new collaborations, definitely helps you catch up to people. 233 00:12:22,100 --> 00:12:26,340 And it is a really great way of just reconnecting with your network. 234 00:12:26,340 --> 00:12:30,420 Another thing it does, and that's number five, is it helps you make new friends. 235 00:12:30,420 --> 00:12:34,980 So you make new friends and you know there are different strategies for networking at 236 00:12:34,980 --> 00:12:35,980 meetings. 237 00:12:35,980 --> 00:12:39,220 My favorite strategy is just meet the friend of the friend. 238 00:12:39,220 --> 00:12:43,580 And so it's easier because it's already someone you know and have a connection with and they're 239 00:12:43,580 --> 00:12:46,900 with someone else that they'll point out, they'll turn around and say, well, have you 240 00:12:46,900 --> 00:12:47,900 met? 241 00:12:47,900 --> 00:12:50,060 And if they don't, then you'll say, oh, who's this with you? 242 00:12:50,060 --> 00:12:51,780 And they can introduce you. 243 00:12:51,780 --> 00:12:58,260 And that feels like a more organic and more laid back, chill and natural way to expand 244 00:12:58,260 --> 00:13:00,700 your network, the friend of a friend, right? 245 00:13:00,700 --> 00:13:07,180 It's the connection of a connection, which is so helpful to do and so much easier than 246 00:13:07,180 --> 00:13:12,260 the cold calling that you have to do when you go introduce yourself to someone and say, 247 00:13:12,260 --> 00:13:15,140 well, I am this person from this institution, right? 248 00:13:15,140 --> 00:13:20,060 You still do that at poster sessions where you meet presenters and you ask questions. 249 00:13:20,060 --> 00:13:24,460 But the connection is different when somebody you already know connects you to somebody 250 00:13:24,460 --> 00:13:25,460 else. 251 00:13:25,460 --> 00:13:30,660 There's already kind of an established, a shared bond, a shared commonality that you're 252 00:13:30,660 --> 00:13:36,660 able to exploit that allows you then to, every time you meet this new person again, trace 253 00:13:36,660 --> 00:13:39,500 the connection back to a common mutual friend. 254 00:13:39,500 --> 00:13:44,860 And so I love the opportunity to meet old friends, especially because it also gives 255 00:13:44,860 --> 00:13:48,940 me an opportunity to make new ones that are connected to these old friends. 256 00:13:48,940 --> 00:13:52,660 And so meetings are an opportunity to expand your network. 257 00:13:52,660 --> 00:13:58,140 And you can do it in a way that's organic, feels natural, even to the most introverted 258 00:13:58,140 --> 00:13:59,140 of introverts. 259 00:13:59,140 --> 00:14:01,340 So definitely make new friends. 260 00:14:01,340 --> 00:14:03,260 And that's number five. 261 00:14:03,260 --> 00:14:04,260 Number six. 262 00:14:04,260 --> 00:14:08,580 So I'm going to say up until now, I have not said anything about the actual meeting or 263 00:14:08,580 --> 00:14:09,580 learning anything. 264 00:14:09,580 --> 00:14:14,500 And I will tell you that I used to think that going to a meeting was about learning things. 265 00:14:14,500 --> 00:14:15,500 And it still is. 266 00:14:15,500 --> 00:14:18,300 I'm not taking away the learning aspect of it. 267 00:14:18,300 --> 00:14:22,860 But the connections actually may be more important than the learning of the new things. 268 00:14:22,860 --> 00:14:25,260 Because to be honest, you can learn new things at any time. 269 00:14:25,260 --> 00:14:30,940 But an actual in-person event, and yes, please opt for the in-person option if you can, those 270 00:14:30,940 --> 00:14:36,460 are just so much more electric and amazing. 271 00:14:36,460 --> 00:14:42,740 And so definitely, definitely exploit the opportunities to meet with people in person. 272 00:14:42,740 --> 00:14:55,540 But then think also about what opportunities the annual meeting brings as a place of innovative, 273 00:14:55,540 --> 00:15:02,660 cutting edge things that are evolving and that are changing in your field. 274 00:15:02,660 --> 00:15:08,020 And so flip through the abstract book from beginning to end and find things that are 275 00:15:08,020 --> 00:15:12,260 exciting and interesting and star them to go look at them. 276 00:15:12,260 --> 00:15:16,820 And it may be that you are able to attend the talk or you are able to go to the poster 277 00:15:16,820 --> 00:15:19,980 session and connect with the authors specifically. 278 00:15:19,980 --> 00:15:25,740 But even if you're not, flipping through the abstract book allows you to just get a good 279 00:15:25,740 --> 00:15:27,740 sense of everything. 280 00:15:27,740 --> 00:15:29,580 And maybe it's not an abstract book anymore. 281 00:15:29,580 --> 00:15:32,220 Maybe it's an online resource, whatever it is. 282 00:15:32,220 --> 00:15:37,380 Make sure you go through and just get a sense of what projects are being done, what is on 283 00:15:37,380 --> 00:15:41,500 the cutting edge of research in your field. 284 00:15:41,500 --> 00:15:45,940 But also it helps you think about strategies that other people are using. 285 00:15:45,940 --> 00:15:48,140 And you're thinking, oh, this is interesting. 286 00:15:48,140 --> 00:15:49,700 They did this in this rare disease. 287 00:15:49,700 --> 00:15:52,580 How can I apply it to my rare disease? 288 00:15:52,580 --> 00:15:56,420 And so it's also an opportunity to really think strategically about how people are doing 289 00:15:56,420 --> 00:15:57,420 their science. 290 00:15:57,420 --> 00:16:01,300 Now, you're not there to copy anybody's science, or at least I hope you're not. 291 00:16:01,300 --> 00:16:05,580 But it's really an opportunity to think creatively about your own work. 292 00:16:05,580 --> 00:16:11,860 Because again, a lot of innovation and originality is not really totally innovative. 293 00:16:11,860 --> 00:16:15,900 It's really applying something that's been applied elsewhere into a new field. 294 00:16:15,900 --> 00:16:20,780 And so that's one thing that as you review and see what work other people are doing, 295 00:16:20,780 --> 00:16:23,100 it helps you think about, okay, this is interesting. 296 00:16:23,100 --> 00:16:26,260 They did this kind of study in this area. 297 00:16:26,260 --> 00:16:29,180 How can I apply it to my area, my field of study? 298 00:16:29,180 --> 00:16:33,020 So definitely look through the abstract book because it helps you figure out what lectures 299 00:16:33,020 --> 00:16:36,860 you do want to attend, and it also helps you figure out, well, even if you don't attend 300 00:16:36,860 --> 00:16:41,620 the lectures, how can you kind of benefit from what people are already doing or what 301 00:16:41,620 --> 00:16:43,620 people have already presented? 302 00:16:43,620 --> 00:16:45,660 All right. 303 00:16:45,660 --> 00:16:50,140 Number seven is attend lectures strategically. 304 00:16:50,140 --> 00:16:54,540 When I first started attending meetings, I was trying to get to as many lectures as I 305 00:16:54,540 --> 00:16:55,540 could. 306 00:16:55,540 --> 00:16:58,540 And of course, I was frustrated because I didn't make it to most of them. 307 00:16:58,540 --> 00:17:01,440 And then I would be on my way to one meeting and I would run into somebody else who was 308 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:05,940 going elsewhere and I really wanted to hang with this person for at least a little bit. 309 00:17:05,940 --> 00:17:07,860 So I was like, okay, I'll ditch this lecture. 310 00:17:07,860 --> 00:17:10,700 So it was just, I didn't have a good plan. 311 00:17:10,700 --> 00:17:15,460 But I also recognized that there were more lectures to attend than I was going to have 312 00:17:15,460 --> 00:17:16,980 time to attend. 313 00:17:16,980 --> 00:17:19,900 And so you want to attend lectures strategically. 314 00:17:19,900 --> 00:17:26,260 You do want to make the most out of the CME, you know, the CME abundance that you're experiencing 315 00:17:26,260 --> 00:17:32,140 as part of being at the meeting, but you don't have to go to lectures from morning till night. 316 00:17:32,140 --> 00:17:35,140 Don't do that. 317 00:17:35,140 --> 00:17:37,100 Attend lectures strategically. 318 00:17:37,100 --> 00:17:42,140 Think about as you've gone through the abstract book, what are the lectures that you really, 319 00:17:42,140 --> 00:17:43,140 really want to be at? 320 00:17:43,140 --> 00:17:47,340 Or what are the education sessions that are really going to be most helpful to you? 321 00:17:47,340 --> 00:17:52,300 Or what are the abstract sessions that you really want to go and really sit and think 322 00:17:52,300 --> 00:17:57,460 or hear in detail what their methodology was, because these are some of those methodologies 323 00:17:57,460 --> 00:18:00,620 that you may be, you know, applying to your own research. 324 00:18:00,620 --> 00:18:02,140 So you want to be strategic. 325 00:18:02,140 --> 00:18:04,420 You don't want to go to just everything. 326 00:18:04,420 --> 00:18:08,980 And you don't want to skimp out on any, on any lectures at all. 327 00:18:08,980 --> 00:18:10,580 I've definitely done both extremes. 328 00:18:10,580 --> 00:18:12,440 I've tried to go to too many. 329 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:14,500 And then sometimes I haven't gone to enough. 330 00:18:14,500 --> 00:18:19,180 I remember one meeting at the end of it, I looked and I was like, wait a minute, what, 331 00:18:19,180 --> 00:18:22,260 which, which lectures can I claim CME credit for? 332 00:18:22,260 --> 00:18:26,140 And I recognized that I had barely gone to a single lecture that I could claim CME credit 333 00:18:26,140 --> 00:18:27,140 for. 334 00:18:27,140 --> 00:18:31,980 Because what's interesting is that while there are many lectures and many opportunities to 335 00:18:31,980 --> 00:18:36,740 listen to speakers present, not all of them will give you CME. 336 00:18:36,740 --> 00:18:37,980 And it's okay. 337 00:18:37,980 --> 00:18:41,700 I hope that the annual meeting is not your primary strategy for getting CME. 338 00:18:41,700 --> 00:18:45,140 Please make CME getting part of your weekly strategy. 339 00:18:45,140 --> 00:18:49,900 Go to your weekly conferences that are CME conferences and definitely just build that 340 00:18:49,900 --> 00:18:51,140 over time. 341 00:18:51,140 --> 00:18:55,300 If you need to catch up on CME, sure, your annual conference may be the way to do it. 342 00:18:55,300 --> 00:19:00,300 But for the most part, recognize that you're going to go to some lectures or some talks 343 00:19:00,300 --> 00:19:04,820 that are not CME and it's okay, because you're not there necessarily for the CME, which you 344 00:19:04,820 --> 00:19:09,660 can get in different places, but you're really there to gain some insight and maybe even 345 00:19:09,660 --> 00:19:11,260 speak to the speaker. 346 00:19:11,260 --> 00:19:13,380 And those are things that that are helpful. 347 00:19:13,380 --> 00:19:16,740 So you want to attend lectures, but you want to do it strategically. 348 00:19:16,740 --> 00:19:21,060 You don't necessarily want to make the whole meeting about attending lectures. 349 00:19:21,060 --> 00:19:22,060 All right. 350 00:19:22,060 --> 00:19:25,580 So those are seven ways to make the most of your annual meeting. 351 00:19:25,580 --> 00:19:29,980 I said number one is please have a plan to go figure out a way to make it there. 352 00:19:29,980 --> 00:19:33,860 Number two, have a plan for the meeting and decide what you really want to get out of 353 00:19:33,860 --> 00:19:34,860 the meeting. 354 00:19:34,860 --> 00:19:39,860 Number three, create a schedule, knowing that there will be conflicts and it will be okay. 355 00:19:39,860 --> 00:19:44,060 Before you want to meet old friends because it's so awesome to meet old friends and through 356 00:19:44,060 --> 00:19:47,660 your old friends you want to do number five, which is make new friends. 357 00:19:47,660 --> 00:19:51,300 Number six, you want to make sure you go through the abstract book so that you know what are 358 00:19:51,300 --> 00:19:54,580 the big things that are being presented this year. 359 00:19:54,580 --> 00:19:57,660 And you also want to attend lectures strategically. 360 00:19:57,660 --> 00:20:01,420 Now I'm just reminded that as part of attending lectures strategically, one advice I've been 361 00:20:01,420 --> 00:20:05,940 given in the past is to make sure to attend all the plenary talks. 362 00:20:05,940 --> 00:20:10,980 I have mixed feelings about that because as a hematologist I am not a malignant hematologist. 363 00:20:10,980 --> 00:20:15,340 In some years a lot of the talks are all focused on malignant hematology and sometimes I think 364 00:20:15,340 --> 00:20:18,580 I don't want to really go to a malignant hematology talk. 365 00:20:18,580 --> 00:20:22,580 So I haven't always felt like the plenary sessions are specifically tailored to me, 366 00:20:22,580 --> 00:20:24,300 but I think it's a good idea. 367 00:20:24,300 --> 00:20:28,980 You want to go to the talks that are kind of like considered the highest quality rate. 368 00:20:28,980 --> 00:20:34,500 The plenary session is like the best of the best of the talks that have been presented 369 00:20:34,500 --> 00:20:35,580 that year. 370 00:20:35,580 --> 00:20:41,580 And so even if the subject matter may not be that helpful to you, you also want to get 371 00:20:41,580 --> 00:20:45,820 a sense of what does it take to be a plenary abstract session and definitely attending 372 00:20:45,820 --> 00:20:48,380 one will give you a sense of that. 373 00:20:48,380 --> 00:20:49,380 All right. 374 00:20:49,380 --> 00:20:56,380 So that's all I got to share with you this episode, reminding you that we do have another 375 00:20:56,380 --> 00:21:04,260 webinar coming up on December 20th at noon and that is about what to do when you have 376 00:21:04,260 --> 00:21:05,780 no mentor. 377 00:21:05,780 --> 00:21:10,520 If this episode has been helpful to you, please definitely share with somebody else and leave 378 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:11,520 us a review. 379 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:15,500 Leave us a five star review please. 380 00:21:15,500 --> 00:21:21,820 Or ask us a question about like a topic that you would like addressed at your at our next 381 00:21:21,820 --> 00:21:23,300 in one of our future episodes. 382 00:21:23,300 --> 00:21:24,300 All right. 383 00:21:24,300 --> 00:21:25,780 It's been a pleasure talking with you today. 384 00:21:25,780 --> 00:21:28,100 I want to thank you so much for tuning in. 385 00:21:28,100 --> 00:21:38,780 I look forward to talking with you again the next time. 386 00:21:38,780 --> 00:21:44,100 Thanks for listening to this episode of the clinician researcher podcast where academic 387 00:21:44,100 --> 00:21:49,340 clinicians learn the skills to build their own research program, whether or not they 388 00:21:49,340 --> 00:21:50,920 have a mentor. 389 00:21:50,920 --> 00:21:57,020 If you found the information in this episode to be helpful, don't keep it all to yourself. 390 00:21:57,020 --> 00:21:58,780 Someone else needs to hear it. 391 00:21:58,780 --> 00:22:02,820 So take a minute right now and share it. 392 00:22:02,820 --> 00:22:08,300 As you share this episode, you become part of our mission to help launch a new generation 393 00:22:08,300 --> 00:22:28,340 of clinician researchers who make transformative discoveries that change the way we do healthcare.