Over the years, the ACR/ARHP Annual Scientific Meeting has provided exceptional opportunities for all attendees, but it can be especially beneficial for rheumatology fellows, and this year’s annual meeting in Atlanta is no exception. The ACR Annual Meeting Planning Committee and the Fellows Subcommittee will facilitate several educational, mentoring, social, and networking programs specifically for the benefit of fellows.
The 2010 annual meeting will begin with a welcome session for fellows, offering an overview that will provide guidance on how to navigate the many sessions that are open during the week. It will highlight some sessions that are particularly valuable for fellows-in-training, including The Year in Review, various clinical review sessions, poster tours for fellows, and workshops that provide fundamental instruction in areas such as the joint exam, procedural skills, and interpreting ultrasound images.
The opening session will be followed by an interactive mentoring session where established faculty will meet with fellows in small group settings to discuss specific topics, such as applying for grants, balancing family and career, finding a good mentor, landing your first job after fellowship, making the most out of your fellowship training, picking a research topic, private practice, and starting your own lab. These mentoring sessions provide an enriching opportunity for fellows to interact with and learn from successful individuals who work in different areas within the field of rheumatology.
The annual meeting provides a stimulating environment that encourages fellow involvement. This year there will be several opportunities for fellows to share an interesting case or present an abstract. The Thieves’ Market is back by popular demand, and all meeting attendees, including fellows, were encouraged to submit a unique clinical case. The five most remarkable and challenging cases will be presented during the Tuesday afternoon session in Atlanta. The cases are open for discussion, and first and second place prizes will be awarded to the person who submitted the case. This year, for the first time, fellows were also eligible to submit their accepted abstracts to the Basic Research Conference or Clinical Research Conference for an opportunity to present their work at the meeting. If you miss these opportunities this year, look for them in 2011.
Networking opportunities are another aspect of the annual meeting that should not be overlooked by fellows. The Fellows Lounge provides an intimate space for fellows to network, check their e-mail, or just relax with a complimentary cup of coffee. In addition, informal interactive mentoring sessions will be held in the lounge for interested fellows.
These are just a few of the annual-meeting agenda items that will be especially beneficial for fellows at this year’s meeting. Follow the ACR on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ACRheum to stay up-to-date with news and information about the ACR and other opportunities for fellows at the annual meeting.
Dr. McMahan is a fellow at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and a member of the ACR Annual Meeting Planning Committee.
