Internal Medicine Meeting 2022 goes hybrid

After serving as a member of the Internal Medicine Scientific Program Committee twice before, Ann R. Garment, MD, FACP, thought she knew what to expect as Chair in 2022.

“One of the things I really enjoyed was the camaraderie of sitting around a big conference room table at the ACP headquarters with these other experts in their field, and when I took on the role as Chair for this coming meeting, I was envisioning sitting at that big conference table,” she said. “But lo and behold, of course, nothing any of us expected these past two years happened the way we thought it would.”

During the two-year planning process for this year's meeting, Internal Medicine Meeting 2020 was canceled due to COVID-19, and Internal Medicine Meeting 2021 was held virtually. The committee followed suit, converting all of the planning for the 2022 meeting to virtual, “which sounds like a huge bummer but has turned out to be really still quite thrilling—that speaks to how exciting it is to be part of this process,” said Dr. Garment, who is a clinical associate professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health in New York City.

Another thrill is the opportunity for the College to come together in Chicago for the first in-person Internal Medicine Meeting since 2019 in Philadelphia. It will also be the first Internal Medicine Meeting held in the Windy City since 1990.

Internal Medicine Meeting 2022 runs from Thursday, April 28, through Saturday, April 30. On Thursday, the Opening Ceremony will feature a keynote from Quinn Capers, MD, dean for faculty diversity, vice chair for diversity and inclusion, and professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. CDT. A special Saturday plenary session from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. CDT will be presented by Mukta Panda, MD, MACP, assistant dean for well-being and medical student education and professor of medicine at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine Chattanooga, in conversation with Tammy L. Lin, MD, MPH, FACP, Governor for the ACP Southern California III Chapter. (Visit the meeting website for registration and more information.)

“We're back with more options for learning than ever, with over 200 clinical and practice-related sessions presented by expert faculty from across the country,” said David Disbrow, ACP's Director of Instructional Design and Events. “With a variety of topics pertinent to those who practice in an outpatient setting, inpatient setting, or in the various subspecialties, the meeting will have highly practical content for everyone throughout all three days of the program.”

This year, not every attendee will be on site. With the meeting's new hybrid format, those who choose to register virtually will have livestream access to more than 100 hours of sessions during the event (plus live, app-based Q&A and real-time polling), as well as access to the session recordings for 30 days after the event. Standard meeting registration will also include access to all recorded sessions for 30 days, and those who register for the premium package will receive a full year of access to the session recordings.

In terms of the program content, Dr. Garment said it will be interesting to see how presentations will be different this year in the context of COVID-19. “Whether it's treating substance use disorders, which is what I do, or if it's cardiac monitoring, or if it's looking at diabetes outcomes, I think we're going to see this thread of telemedicine throughout the conference that we didn't have before,” she said.

In addition, some new sessions this year include “Black Men's Health” and “Health for Persons Experiencing Homelessness,” noted Dr. Garment, who is also section chief of general internal and hospital medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue. “We have a ton of topics that really hone in on areas for advocacy and focusing on social justice,” she said.

One thing that's changed this year is the length of the sessions, which was adjusted to offer flexibility, Dr. Garment noted. For example, 90-minute sessions have been shortened to 60 minutes, which will allow people to attend more sessions and ensure more content for virtual attendees, she said.

Still, some features of the meeting will be in-person only. Precourses will be held in Chicago on Tuesday, April 26, and Wednesday, April 27. In addition to familiar topics like cardiology, advances in therapy, and diabetes, this year will feature several new point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) courses and a rapid board review.

Other activities available to in-person attendees include the Clinical Skills Center, where brand-new sessions this year will explore common foot problems and the dizzy patient. Ultrasound Alley in the Clinical Skills Center will offer hands-on experience in various ultrasound-guided procedures, as well as two new POCUS courses for beginners and for deep venous thrombosis diagnosis. Registration for these activities is limited to small numbers, and tickets can be purchased in advance.

Another live event will be a special theater performance of “Five Days to Friday,” which was developed by a group of physicians in collaboration with a team of professional theater artists and explores the topics of physician mental health and well-being. There will be two 75-minute showings at 11 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. CDT on Thursday.

ACP worked with The New Theater of Medicine to present an online, multimedia version of the performance in August 2021. “It was so well received that our leadership really wanted to bring that in at the meeting,” Mr. Disbrow said. “Especially given that it's live theater, I think it really will benefit from being in person.”

This year's meeting will also feature two live podcasts. The DEI Shift will discuss how to launch a successful diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative from 8 to 9 a.m. CDT on Thursday, and Bedside Rounds will dive into historical and ethical controversies surrounding the determination of death from 8 to 9 a.m. CDT on Saturday.

Another bonus for meeting attendees who travel to Chicago is the ability to take in the sights, added Dr. Garment. “It's going to be springtime, and it's a great central meeting location for our participants from across the country and around the world, so really looking forward to getting to reunite,” she said.

Dr. Garment recommended that attendees take a boat tour of the city's architectural landmarks during their free time, which she has done multiple times and plans on doing again. “It never gets old,” she said.