Get ready for a dynamic ACR Convergence 2023 Nov. 10–15, to be held in beautiful San Diego.
The ACR invites rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals to return to a busy, in-person annual meeting, with lots of new knowledge on tap.
The challenge of planning ACR Convergence over the past few years through the pandemic led meeting planners to re-examine what they want to deliver most to those attending the meeting in person or remotely, says Sharon Kolasinski, MD, ACR Annual Meeting Planning Committee chair and professor of clinical medicine in the Division of Rheumatology, Penn Musculoskeletal Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
Dr. Kolasinski
“We are balancing bringing back as many traditional favorite elements of the meeting as possible, but also trying out some new formats and options,” Dr. Kolasinski says.
“I’m excited for the ACR to host our members at ACR Convergence 2023 this November,” says Douglas White, MD, PhD, ACR president and chair of rheumatology with Gundersen Health System, Onalaska, Wis. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for those in the rheumatology field to connect, network and learn about the latest in rheumatology research in sunny San Diego.”
Dr. White
Dr. White says ACR Convergence 2022 in Philadelphia brought rheumatology professionals back together for the first time after two years of virtual meetings. “We want to provide a similar experience for our meeting participants again this year, with more sessions and opportunities to engage face to face.”
‘We’re now able to bring back the format & time frame that attendees are familiar with due to both the recovering hospitality industry & the more business-as-usual operations of research labs, academic programs & clinical operations.’ —Dr. Kolasinski
Highlights of what to expect at the meeting this year include:
An Expanded Meeting
ACR Convergence 2023 will take place over five days and include a final half-day of scientific sessions.
“We’re now able to bring back the format and time frame that attendees are familiar with due to both the recovering hospitality industry and the more business-as-usual operations of research labs, academic programs, and clinical operations,” Dr. Kolasinski says.
This means that attendees will have more sessions to choose from, but also more flexibility to attend on a schedule that works best for them, she explains.
Looking for More Abstracts
During the COVID-19 pandemic, more attention was paid to the global health crisis, for obvious reasons. Now, as the world returns to normal, the ACR wants to hear from those who are eager to share their research findings. Abstracts submitted in time for the meeting help address this need.
“We want to bring our worldwide community the best science, the latest in clinical care and the most innovative presentations possible,” Dr. Kolasinski says. “To do that, we need everyone to submit their work.”
Abstract submission for ACR Convergence 2023 opened on April 13. General abstract submissions are open until June 8. Submitting authors will find out in late August if their abstract was accepted.
Courtesy of the American College of Rheumatology
Late-breaking abstract submission will open on Sept. 5, with a deadline of Oct. 3. Accepted abstracts will be available to view before, during and after the meeting, and published in an online supplement to Arthritis & Rheumatology.
More about abstract submission guidelines for the meeting.
An In-Person Poster Hall
ACR Convergence 2023 brings the return of the in-person poster hall, which Dr. Kolasinski describes as “the heart of the meeting. Being able to take in so much new and innovative work, showcase our trainees and junior colleagues from around the world and then unexpectedly run into old friends along the way is what makes the poster hall so special,” she explains.
“The poster hall is something everyone missed in Philadelphia, and we made sure it was a top priority for this year’s meeting,” Dr. White says.
This year, pre-recorded audio presentations from the poster presenters will not be offered. Instead, all posters will be available for viewing on the meeting website and app just prior to the opening of the in-person meeting and throughout the meeting. They will also be available on the meeting website and app over the year following the meeting. Recorded poster tours will also be available after the meeting.
Dr. White describes the poster hall as a great way for participants to showcase their research and network, whether for attendees new to rheumatology or seasoned veterans.
Networking Lounges
For the first time, this year’s ACR Convergence will include five in-
person networking lounges. “These comfortable lounge spaces are the next generation, where attendees can discuss, debate and meet for coffee at their convenience throughout the day,
without preprogrammed content,” says Dr. Kolasinski.
Attendees in the networking lounges can choose one dedicated to the following interest areas: Business of Rheumatology, Basic Science, Education & Workforce, Interprofessional Team and Pediatrics.
Those planning ACR Convergence 2023 hope this new feature will enhance the experience of coming together in San Diego, Dr. Kolasinski says.
At Your Convenience
ACR Convergence 2023 aims to offer something for all interested rheumatology professionals, whether they are attending in person or can’t travel to the meeting.
Those coming in person will have the full meeting experience and the largest number of options for sessions, formats and venues, along with on-site networking possibilities, Dr. Kolasinski says.
However, given that not everyone will be able to attend in person, nearly all scientific sessions and abstract session recordings will be available on demand, so they can be viewed at a later time—and CME can also be claimed for viewing on demand.
For those not attending in person but are eager to hear some of the content, a curated selection of about 30 of the most popular scientific and abstract sessions will be live-streamed Saturday through Wednesday. Those sessions include the Review Course, the Basic and Clinical Research Conference, the Plenary sessions and Late-Breaking Abstracts. Live-streamed sessions will also include the Great Debate, Memorial Lectureships and special sessions on CAR-T cells, precision clinical trial design and more.
All attendees—whether in person or remote—will have on-demand access to session recordings during the year following the annual meeting.
“While it is not possible to have real-time access to all sessions, we have carefully chosen what we hope will be a very satisfying menu of offerings for our remote, worldwide audience to enjoy live as they occur,” Dr. Kolasinski says.
All attendees can access recorded versions of all sessions on demand within hours of their live presentation at the meeting through the meeting app and website.
Posters will be on the meeting app and website as well.
Interactive Programming
Along with expanded programming and new meeting features, ACR Convergence 2023 will feature some popular sessions attendees will recognize from previous meetings, including:
- The Knowledge Bowl, an interactive session modeled after Jeopardy! Teams include fellows and faculty members who compete by answering questions related to rheumatology.
- Thieves Market, interactive sessions where fascinating adult and pediatric clinical cases related to rheumatology are shared in short presentations. Session participants will have the opportunity to compare their diagnostic and management strategies to those of other rheumatologists.
- The Image Competition, which will showcase the finest images in rheumatology and offer an opportunity to contribute to the ACR Rheumatology Image Library. Images of characteristic or unusual manifestations of rheumatic disease serve as an invaluable tool for rheumatology professionals.
- Patient Perspectives, which invites patients affected by rheumatic disease along with a sponsoring organization, such as a nonprofit patient group to present their stories.
Find out more about these programs on the meeting website.
CME Available
Changes in the CME rules and practices led to a lower number of abstract sessions that could be offered for CME in the past, Dr. Kolasinski says. “We are working toward restoring as much CME credit as possible over the next few years. At ACR Convergence 2023, we are delighted that we will be able to provide CME credit for the Plenary Sessions once again,” she says.
Find out more about ACR Convergence 2023.
Vanessa Caceres is a medical writer in Bradenton, Fla.
