The first activity of the meeting was an evening session created exclusively for fellows. A few dozen faculty mentors from across the nation were kind enough to precept roundtable sessions on a variety of topics that are relevant to fellows. This also provided a great chance to network with prominent names in our field. Afterward, there was a career fair and reception. With only months until fellowship is complete, meeting with prospective employers was an extremely valuable piece of this meeting. The reception also provided a venue to meet fellows from other programs in a social setting. It sounds like a broken record, but networking, networking and networking were the highlights of this evening.
The Annual Meeting provides too many sessions to count for bolstering rheumatology knowledge. With my first job and rheumatology boards coming within months, I have been motivated like never before to shore up holes in my knowledge. And the best part is, any sessions that I missed are available free online via SessionSelect.
The Workshops and Meet the Professor sessions are a great experience, with topics and skills being taught in small groups in an atmosphere where it is easy to ask questions. Given the great experience I had with these sessions, I will be certain to register for these at future meetings.
One of the most rewarding parts of attending this meeting was the social aspect. I was able to catch up with old friends and colleagues from other institutions in a way that would not be possible without this meeting taking place. The meeting also provides the chance to get to know colleagues from your own institution in a setting away from the workplace. Our division holds an annual dinner, which is always a ton of fun. Finally, the ACR Fellows Subcommittee holds an annual social event for fellows. This year’s location was in South Boston and was a blast—as it always is.
I have had wonderful experiences at ACR/ARHP Annual Meetings in the past, and the 2014 meeting in Boston was no different. I have learned to take better advantage of the strengths of the Annual Meeting. Things that must be done in person, such as networking, meetings and workshops now take precedence over other activities that can be done online at a later time. I had a great experience in Boston, and I am already looking forward to the 2015 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in San Francisco on Nov. 6–11.
