Welcome to the Annual Meeting Edition of “From the College.” This month, we take an in-depth look at the host city and specialized sessions aimed at helping you navigate the healthcare environment and foster a thriving practice.
Explore Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C. is a city rooted in history, yet ever changing. Only a handful of cities rival D.C.’s history and influence, which is why approximately 15 million people visit the nation’s capital each year. However, for Victoria Shanmugam, MBBS, an ACR Annual Meeting Planning Committee member, Washington, D.C. is home. Dr. Shanmugam moved to D.C. from London in 2003 and “has found it a great city in which to live, work, and raise a family,” she says.
Dr. Shanmugam, assistant professor of medicine in the division of rheumatology, immunology, and allergy at Georgetown University Hospital, loves all that the city offers. She attests that, “D.C. is a cosmopolitan city with something for everyone, from art lovers to sports fans to political junkies.”
Cultural Explosion
Although known as a political powerhouse, D.C. is a city populated with people from various cultural backgrounds. Dr. Shanmugam reminds us that, “while the population of the city doubles during the work day, it does not feel crowded. Pierre Charles L’Enfant envisioned an ‘American Paris’ when the city was planned, with light airy streets and low convenient buildings, and the city lives up to that even today.”
To take in the full history of all D.C. has to offer to its visitors, Dr. Shanmugam recommends renting a bike or Segway and taking a tour of the monuments and memorials, as well as the National Mall. In addition, she recommends tours of the Kennedy Center, Shakespeare Theatre, the White House, the Capitol, and the National Museum of the American Indian.
In addition to visiting the popular attractions, Dr. Shanmugam recommends some of D.C.’s many hidden gems that may only be known to the locals but should be on every meeting attendees’ “must do” list, such as the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden and Ice Rink and shopping in the Georgetown and Chevy Chase neighborhoods. Those who like a sweet treat should not miss Georgetown Cupcake.
Museum Lovers
Washington, D.C. is a mecca for art lovers. For all the art and museum enthusiasts, Dr. Shanmugam recommends visiting “the National Gallery of Art, the National Portrait Gallery, Hirshhorn Museum, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the National Building Museum—which is great for kids—as well as the National Museum of American History, where one can see the original Star Spangled Banner and Dorothy’s shoes from the Wizard of Oz.”