Late next week, many of us will be gathering for the ACAAI 2021 Annual Meeting. Whether you are attending in New Orleans or taking part via our Livestream Program, the meeting promises to be an enriching educational experience.
I’m planning to attend in person in New Orleans and I feel good about attending. I’m excited to see many of my colleagues and friends! The College and the city of New Orleans are prioritizing health and safety. It is imperative that everyone follow the vaccine/test/masking requirements. There is still time to register for the meeting in New Orleans.
If you’re thinking about participating via our Livestream Program, you’ll be able to see live broadcasts of the main sessions taking place in the general session and even submit questions during the speaker Q&A. Don’t wait to register! The registration deadline for the Livestream Program is Nov. 1.
Whether you choose the in-person meeting or the Livestream Program, you’ll get information you can use right away in your practice. As a special bonus this year, all registrants will receive complimentary access to the on-demand meeting recordings – nearly 60 hours – that will be made available a few weeks after the meeting.
Planning the Annual Meeting is challenging every year but changing dynamics of the ongoing pandemic have made 2021 extra challenging. The Annual Meeting Program Committee, headed by Brian Kelly, MD, MA, FACAAI, has done an excellent job planning an outstanding educational experience. I commend the committee for staying nimble and meeting the needs of attendees both in New Orleans and those participating from their homes.
High quality work on important projects continues to be done via virtual committee meetings, and I thank committee chairs and members for making the College a priority. This year we’ve launched a new public website, kept up to date on vaccine guidelines, begun addressing racial disparities in health care, updated toolkits, and more – and the success of many of these lies with College committees. I thank you for rising to the challenge!
This is my last Insider column as College President. It has been an honor to serve the College membership as we continue to be the strongest organization for practicing allergists. We’ve taken great strides to lead the College to innovate, diversify and expand.
