Just over 30,000 hematologists and hematology-oriented investigators are expected to attend the 66th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting & Exposition in San Diego. Last year, 113 countries were presented by the ~32,000 individuals who attended the conference. Medical conferences provide opportunities to learn from seminal scholars, network, identify collaborators, and push the boundaries of what is known. ASH is no different: the schedule is jam-packed with scientific workshops, clinical dilemmas, interactive poster walks, wellness activities, and networking opportunities. ASH 2024 is five filled-to-the-brim days of any-and-all-things hematology. This year is my ASH debut and so I’ve asked friends and mentors alike for their advice. Here’s my take on how to make the most of ASH 2024.
Create a tentative schedule: The scope of ASH is vast because it caters to a heterogenous population: adult hematologists, pediatric hematologists, and hematology investigators. The conference app (iOS | Android) is the best way to sort through and create a personal conference schedule. No session will be of interest to all conference attendees. Unfortunately, it is almost guaranteed that there will be multiple concurrent sessions that catch your eye. Fear not, ASH programming is recorded. You can review the sessions that you were unable to make in real time. Think carefully about which sessions are most important for you to catch in person. These grounding questions could serve as a framework to determine conference priorities:
- What is your overarching goal for ASH? If your aim is to learn about scientific breakthroughs in the field, it’s important to prioritize basic & translational sessions. If you want to bolster your clinical acumen, the “How I Treat” series might be at the top of your list. If you hope to start conversations that could lead to collaboration, attend the oral abstract sessions for your niche. Make sure to ask a question during the Q&A so that others in your field learn your name. Take note of the abstracts by investigators in your field – a chat over a poster is a reasonable way to discuss shared ideas. Excitingly, ASH 2024 has a number of networking to support connections across identity groups (LGBTQIA+, DEI, and women in hematology). These events can make this mammoth of a conference feel more reasonable in scale. It’s equally as important to strengthen existing connections as it is to establish new ones at ASH; support the work of your friends and work colleagues who have presentations and posters at ASH.
- How do you best learn? I’ll admit that I process scientific data and clinical data at different rates. At other conferences, I’ve prioritized attending clinical presentations in person and watched scientific presentations in the hotel room (when able to hit pause/rewind). Think about what sessions you would enjoy in person.
- What are your competing obligations? Build your schedule with your other obligations in mind. It’s important to balance the conference with your experiences outside of the conference hall. Don’t miss the opportunity to catch up over brunch with friends.
Prioritize comfort: A medical conference is technically work but should not feel like the grind of your day-to-day. Allow yourself time to take coffee breaks and mentally recharge. You are not allowed to visit San Diego and not spend time outside of the conference hall. There is built in programming for wellness (including yoga and the ASH Foundation Run/Walk). I would be remiss to not mention that the conference hall is ginormous. Pro: it’s guaranteed that we will hit our step count at ASH 2024. Con: it’s not heels-friendly. Be kind to your future self and pack cute walking shoes for ASH 2024.
Make the conference social: Social media has made conferences even more exciting. Follow and contribute to the #ASH24 hashtag on X to interact and network with other conference attendees. Expect tweets about groundbreaking science, conference swag, and selfies.
As a trainee, I am incredibly excited that ASH has programming for us in mind. ASH-a-Palooza is the afternoon/evening of 12/6 and will be the start of my #ASH24 experience. My tentative schedule is ambitious. It features moments with friends from college, watching the sunrise on the beach, watching my friends give oral presentations, participating in DEI sessions, and enriching my knowledge regarding my clinical interests (hemoglobinopathies and transplant), my research interest (clonal hematopoiesis), and my passion (health equity). May this conference be an opportunity for us to grow as clinicians and scientists alike.
See you there.
Dr. Lapite is a Postdoctoral Clinical Fellow at Texas Children's Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine who has received an ASH Hematology Inclusion Pathway Fellow Award, and has received support to travel to ASH. Dr. Lapite has no financial interests or conflicts of interest to report.
Image by GoodStudio / Shutterstock
