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Travel Bursary Report, Junaid Zaman, ACC 2015 23 June 2015American College of Cardiology, The Conference The 64th Annual Scientific Session & Expo had a theme of ‘more learning less lecturing’ which it promoted by changing speaker room layouts, increased panel discussion of topics and also having a journal club format breakfast meeting in an outside auditorium – only possible in a venue with guaranteed sun like San Diego. All these measures helped break the usual format of large meetings where one can spend an entire day without seeing daylight! The meeting opened with a combination of talks that really set the patient at the center of the meeting – ACC President Patrick O’Gara discussed funding issues in the current climate and how these would hinder delivery of cutting edge findings to novel treatments. He was followed by a superb Dack lecture delivered by Dr Abraham Verghese, a non-cardiologist who reminded us of the emotional connotations of the term ‘heart’ with a lecture steeped in literary references and elegant anecdote to really inspire the audience to retain a patient centered focus as we discuss the latest advances in the science of the ‘heart’ over the next few days. As a fellow-in-training member, it was also inspiring to have an intimate Q&A with Dr Valentin Fuster, who spoke of his advice on how to maintain a work-life balance, be a successful clinician scientist and many other pearls of advice from one of the most accomplished cardiologists of his generation. From the two late breaking trials that immediately followed the opening lecture through to the last AF core curriculum session on Monday, there was a plethora of educational opportunities on offer for trainees to really advance their knowledge. Some select highlights were:
This year’s meeting had a dedicated track to innovation and this was highlighted in an excellent session on ‘Advances in Biotechnology and Translational Medicine’ debate on the role of academia and industry in fostering innovation. It was also exemplified by a superb state of the art update on bioresorbable scaffolds (BRS) with two giants in the field – Dr Gregg Stone and Dr Patrick Serruys, which showed how far we have come with this technology and what hurdles there are still to tackle. Moderated Poster Presentation The poster hall had small ‘theatres’ where attendees could listen to the moderated posters and also then dip in and out of the poster boards. My abstract was selected for the ‘Translating Arrhythmia Mechanisms to Therapy’ session that was chaired by Dr Peng Shen-Chen, current editor of Heart Rhythm Journal and Dr Siva Mulpuru of the Mayo Clinic. I presented from an ipad, focussing the audience’s attention on relevant area of the poster by zooming in on the screen, and moving the screen to each new area as I moved through the 10-minute presentation. It was my first time presenting in this format and took a bit of practice to not make the audience feel nauseous if you rushed from figure to figure too quickly! The talk was well received and there was a stimulating Q&A session after, with some researchers from groups with similar data reaching out to me throughout the rest of the meeting. Outside the Conference In addition to the programmed activities, ACC also provided the opportunity to meet with colleagues from all over the world, including current collaborators based in San Diego and the expo was a great place to meet with industry colleagues showcasing the latest technology available for patient care. Despite the great weather, a lot of the meetings I attended had to turn people away to spill-over auditoriums as they were full occupancy. I stayed in Coronado and really enjoyed the shuttle bus to the conference each morning that went over the Coronado Bay Bridge, offering great views of downtown San Diego and the waterfront. The meeting also coincided with St Patrick’s day, so there was a great atmosphere in the historic Gaslamp Quarter afterwards to enjoy. In summary, my first ACC attendance was a great way to obtain valuable feedback on research presented, update knowledge in and out of my area of EP and connect with peers and leaders in the field from all across the world – a truly productive weekend spent in beautiful San Diego. Next year’s meeting in Chicago (April 2-4 2016) is already in the diary. Sadly the outdoor breakfast journal club may not prove as popular…
Dr Junaid Zaman
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