“Rheumatology is a big area, with a lot of things to talk about. So at this meeting, we try to have a few basic science talks, but most of the talks are very clinician oriented. We want people feeling like they are taking something back to really improve their practices,” says Dr. Cronstein.
Small on Purpose
Since its inception, the Winter Rheumatology Symposium has kept the number of attendees small to foster in-depth conversations, adds Dr. Cronstein. “Everybody who attends feels they can ask questions or make comments about the lectures. And you can meet up with the speakers on the slopes and ask them questions too. Everything is low key.” The several-hour gap between sessions encourages high attendance at the educational sessions, because there’s plenty of time to ski or relax, says Dr. Cronstein, whose laboratory work focuses on methotrexate and the mechanism of action of various drugs in rheumatic disease treatment. “Just the fact that you can sit on a ski lift with the speakers makes this meeting unique.”
Longtime annual attendees of the meeting say they simply enjoy its excellent content, relaxed format, and bucolic setting, says Philip Taylor, MD, a rheumatologist in Cape Girardeau, Mo.
“I have attended the Winter Rheumatology Symposium for some 25 years, because it is the best rheumatology meeting on the planet,” says Dr. Taylor. “The format of 23 one-hour, state-of-the-art lectures fits my needs perfectly as a busy practicing clinician. Another benefit is the opportunity to interact with the faculty who tend to spend all or most of the week at the meeting. Over the years, I have developed contacts with physicians who are experts in many areas of our specialty, and I often e-mail or phone them for advice. Of course, the wonderful winter mountain setting and skiing at Snowmass is another attraction.”
Susan Bernstein is a freelance medical journalist based in Atlanta.
