The ACR is known worldwide for excellence in rheumatology education. But the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting, Nov. 8–13, will take it to the next level, with innovative session formats and more user-friendly, interactive approaches to learning, says ACR President Paula Marchetta, MD, MA, MBA.
“All hands will be on deck to support our members and pilot innovations in learning during this year’s Annual Meeting—our most important ACR activity,” says Dr. Marchetta. “The educational offerings of the ACR are considered the best. We have a strong reputation as the leader in rheumatology education, especially at our face-to-face meetings.”
The ACR and ARP have a talented corps of volunteers and professional staff who work months in advance to plan the content and format of each meeting. The official cycle begins in early January, when members of the Annual Meeting Planning Committee gather to review hundreds of symposia proposals and to discuss the latest rheumatology research and clinical issues. But planning truly begins when volunteers and staff review the attendee feedback from the previous year’s meeting, which helps them devise fresh, engaging approaches to rheumatology education.
“The needs of our learners continue to change and diversify. In response, we actively work to create educational options that meet our members’ specific needs at their level. We want to deliver education in the way they learn best,” says Dr. Marchetta.
An adage from the business world, “Think big. Start small. Scale quickly,” is one way to approach innovation. At the 2019 Annual Meeting, this philosophy means introducing more interactivity; slates of concise, focused talks on hot new topics that challenge attendees’ perspectives; and bold opportunities for hands-on learning with international experts in rheumatology, as well as neurology, dermatology and gastroenterology.
“In 2019, we are piloting a number of innovative approaches to enhance our attendees’ learning experience,” Dr. Marchetta says. “This amazing group of talented and dedicated individuals—our volunteers and staff—will implement some exciting new ways to deliver educational content this year. Their combined efforts will take our Annual Meeting to the next level. We are starting small, but scaling up quickly in 2020 and beyond based on attendee feedback.”
New in 2019
This year introduces In the Rheum, a slate of TED Talk-style sessions—short and precise in focus—featuring global rheumatology thought leaders. These leaders will deliver powerful talks on current, even controversial issues, such as how to manage opioid use for chronic pain during an addiction crisis. It’s a dynamic departure from the didactic, traditional lecture format or panel talk.