The Value of In-Person Conferences for Anesthesiologists
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the healthcare field, including the way that all doctors, and specifically anesthesiologists, attend conferences. In the past, anesthesiologists would typically attend in-person conferences to learn about new research, network with colleagues, and improve their hands-on skills. However, the pandemic forced many conferences to be held virtually.
While there are some benefits to virtual conferences, there are also some important limitations. For example, virtual conferences can make it difficult to build relationships with colleagues and to learn new skills through workshops.
The Benefits of In-Person Conferences
There are many benefits to attending in-person conferences for anesthesiologists. These include:
Networking: In-person conferences provide an excellent opportunity to network with colleagues from around the world. This can be beneficial for both personal and professional reasons. For example, networking can help you to find a job, get involved in research, and stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the field. Often collaborations are built from these relationships, leading to joint inter-mural projects and publications.
Learning: In-person conferences offer a variety of educational sessions that can help you to learn about new research and improve your skills. These sessions are often led by experts in the field, and they provide a unique opportunity to ask questions and get feedback. This level of interactivity with experts in the field can be less engaging over virtual webinar style meetings. Some interactive online conferences can maintain some interactivity when Q&A sessions are held.
Professional development: In-person conferences can also help you to develop your professional skills. For example, you may have the opportunity to give a presentation or to participate in a workshop. These activities can help you to improve your public speaking skills, your research skills, and your leadership skills.
Socialization: In-person conferences can also be a lot of fun! They provide an opportunity to get away from the hospital and spend time with your colleagues in a relaxed setting. This can be a great way to de-stress and recharge, and it can also help to build camaraderie and a sense of community among anesthesiologists. I personally feel invigorated after conferences, ready to try new concepts and develop new protocols when I return to my home institution.
The Challenges of Virtual Conferences
Virtual conferences can lead to greater opportunity for wider audiences and involvement from people who normally can’t travel to in-person meetings. The advantage of putting on a meeting with smaller infrastructure and lower costs can make more meetings accessible without the extra costs of flights and hotels. In addition, virtual conferences can be viewed as more Green due to the environmental impact of travel, resort utilities, and food and beverage waste. However, virtual conferences have significant limitations :
Lack of interaction: One of the biggest challenges of virtual conferences is the lack of interaction. In a virtual setting, it can be difficult to build rapport with other attendees, and it can be hard to get the same level of one-on-one interaction that is possible in an in-person setting.
Technical difficulties: Virtual conferences can also be plagued by technical difficulties. This can be frustrating for attendees, and it can make it difficult to follow the presentations.
Lack of engagement: Virtual conferences can also be less engaging than in-person conferences. This is because it can be difficult to stay focused on a screen for an extended period of time. Often people do not abandon other work responsibilities as they try to “double-dip” while listening to a conference during work hours.
How to Overcome the Challenges of Virtual Conferences
There are a few things that you can do to overcome the challenges of virtual conferences. These tips include:
Get involved: One of the best ways to overcome the lack of interaction in virtual conferences is to get involved. This means participating in the chat, asking questions, and networking with other attendees. Breakout rooms for small group activities can help foster communication. Increasing the number and variety of presenters allows attendees to connect with speakers that may have something in common with themselves.
Be prepared: It is also important to be prepared for virtual conferences. This means having a good internet connection, a quiet place to work, and a comfortable chair. If attending an in-person conference requires being away from work, consider taking some time off work to attend a virtual conference with full attention as well.
Take breaks: Finally, it is important to take breaks during virtual conferences. This will help you to stay focused and engaged.
In conclusion, in-person conferences offer many benefits for anesthesiologists. However, virtual conferences can also be a valuable option. By understanding the challenges of virtual conferences and by following the tips above, you can make the most of your virtual conference experience or take full advantage of the extra dynamics of an in-person conference.
Note: A portion of this post was written by the Google Bard AI. The final version was a combination of the primary author’s own words, the AI text, and edits of the AI text. Graphic created by AI using MidJourney.