Dive into timely rheumatology topics presented in fresh, interactive formats at the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting, Nov. 8–13, in Atlanta.
“An amazing team of people make the ACR/ARP Annual Meeting happen,” says Victoria Shanmugam, MD, FACR, FACP, director, Division of Rheumatology at the George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates, Washington, D.C., and chair of the Annual Meeting Planning Committee.
Volunteers and staff began planning the meeting content in January. “We review every proposal submitted through the Call for Proposals process. And every accepted session is peer reviewed to ensure we select the best speakers and focus on topical issues our audience wants to hear about,” she says.
Download & Discuss
In the Rheum is one of this year’s exciting innovations, a series of shorter talks by leading experts in rheumatology who “will address critical and controversial issues, including minimizing steroid exposure in the management of rheumatic diseases and managing opioids during the opioids crisis,” Dr. Shanmugam says. “We anticipate these sessions will give [attendees] something to think about as [they] return to [their] practices.”
What Can We Learn from Snakes & Bugs?
This year’s opening lecture will feature biolocomotion expert David L. Hu, PhD, BSME, associate professor of fluid mechanics at Georgia Institute of Technology in midtown Atlanta. Dr. Hu will share some of the discoveries revealed in his book, How to Walk on Water and Climb Up Walls.
Dr. Hu’s biolocomotion laboratory studies fundamental problems of hydrodynamics and elasticity that relate to problems in biology. He studies how all creatures move on any type of surface—even fluid and viscous surfaces. At the lab, researchers explore how frogs use their tongues to snare prey, how snakes slither up surfaces and how some insects support their body weight through tension on the water’s surface and then propel themselves with hydrophilic legs.
What can rheumatologists learn from crawling snakes and water dancing bugs? Quite a lot—so don’t miss this humorous, thought-provoking talk on Saturday evening, Nov. 9.
“Dr. Hu is a funny and engaging speaker, and his humorous take on the world of animal motion should provide an entertaining opening to the conference,” says Dr. Shanmugam.
Bust Your Burnout
Burnout is a growing concern for everyone in rheumatology. The 2019 Annual Meeting’s Recharge Me sessions will show attendees how to refresh their passion for their work.
“This year, we will expand our offerings focused on leadership, professional development and burnout. Leadership coach Sara Melita, an executive coaching consultant and senior advisor at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, D.C., has put together a series of sessions to help attendees refocus their priorities, think about goals and identify strategies to prevent burnout,” says Dr. Shanmugam. “These sessions should give attendees tools to put into use when they return to the office.”
