The ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting is the largest rheumatology meeting in the world, with more than 100 countries represented. “Choosing among more than 400 included sessions, among others, while navigating the Washington, D.C., convention center may seem overwhelming,” says David M. Haag, executive director, ARHP. To help you get a handle on choosing the best sessions for your needs and finding your way around, a first-time attendee orientation session, which includes a continental breakfast, will be held on Sunday, Nov. 13, at 7:30 a.m.
At the session, William St.Clair, MD, immediate past president of the ACR, and Kamala Nola, PharmD, MS, immediate past president of the ARHP, will spend an hour walking you through the Annual Meeting—giving you an overview of pre-courses, sessions, tracks, abstracts, third-party events and what to expect in the exhibit hall. Your registration fee entitles you to attend at least 400 sessions on a first-come basis over the four-day meeting. Overflow rooms with video monitors are set up for some sessions. For an additional fee, you can attend intimate Meet the Professor sessions or Workshops with a maximum of 25 or 35 people, where you’ll get to hear about a very specific topic with a subject expert.
“The immediate past presidents will also enlighten you on how to navigate the meeting with the Session Tracker Plus and app and provide an overview of what’s in your registration packet materials, as well as make you aware of helpful resources such as the ACR’s Discovery Center and the technology center,” Mr. Haag says. The session concludes with a question-and-answer period.
If you’re a first-time attendee, you’re not alone. In 2015, more than 2,000 people attended the meeting for the first time. If you’ve attended meetings in the past, you’re still welcome to attend the orientation.
—Karen Appold
Washington, D.C.: Monuments, Museums & Much More
Annual Meeting attendees should have some downtime while in Washington, D.C., and the city is known for its iconic monuments, memorials and museums. In fact, 28.8 million people visited the National Mall this past year, while 27.4 million checked out the Smithsonian. “It’s a one-of-a-kind experience,” says Danielle Davis, director of communications, Destination DC. People come to take advantage of free admission to such places as the U.S. Capitol and Lincoln Memorial, as well as the Smithsonian, which features a collection of 18 museums—including the National Air and Space Museum, as well as galleries and the National Zoological Park.
