London to Orlando—Insights from Across the Pond
In April 2023, fresh from a British Society for Rheumatology conference and clutching my poster tube (for the first time since the pandemic), I boarded a plane for a 10-hour flight from the U.K. to Orlando. Surrounded by families excited at the prospect of meeting Mickey Mouse, I took great joy in sharing my own excitement with intrigued passengers and flight attendants, who asked me about the contents of my poster tube and where I was heading. My answer: the Rheumatology Research Workshop.
Proposals, Posters & Presentations
When I saw the call for applications for this year’s Rheumatology Research Workshop, to be held May 16 and 17 in Denver, I found myself reflecting on my experience and the profound impact the 2023 program had on me. The workshop is run over two days by the ACR Early Career Investigators (ECI) Subcommittee. It is aimed at trainees of all levels, from medical students to junior faculty with an interest in a rheumatology research career. I applied after seeing an advertisement on social media and was thrilled to be offered a place.
From the start, it was clear that this was a more intimate meeting than any conference I had previously attended. There was ample opportunity over the two days to meet like-minded researchers at all stages of their rheumatology training and network with leaders in the field.
The opening sessions focused on the hidden curriculum, with an inspirational keynote talk from Vicki Ellingrod, PharmD, FCCP, FACNP, Dean and John Gideon Searle Professor of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy; professor of psychiatry, Medical School; and adjunct professor of psychology, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts; all at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Attendees then divided into two groups—students and residents, and advanced fellows and junior faculty—for one of my personal highlights of the program, the opportunity to review a brief grant proposal in small groups with faculty members. At the time, I was just a few months from commencing my PhD, so being able to discuss my project and receive feedback from peers and faculty was greatly appreciated. Listening to the array of research being conducted by fellows in the U.S. was highly insightful and afforded an excellent learning opportunity in itself.
Everyone subsequently reconvened for panel discussions on imposter syndrome and work-life balance, some of the best I had heard on these topics.