Resident Happenings at the Annual Meeting: Lots to Do in Six Days!

It’s hard to believe that another year has passed since last year’s annual meeting in San Francisco, but the New York meeting is just around the corner! For those of you who have never attended an annual meeting, it’s time to introduce yourself.

My first annual meeting was in New Orleans during my intern year. I still remember how excited I was to be participating in my first professional conference, and what a conference it was! Despite being a little overwhelmed by the sheer volume of lectures, meetings, and events to attend, I still managed to have the time of my life. I was amazed at the number of psychiatrists who gathered in one city at one time, all in the name of learning about the latest advances in our field and promoting our profession. Luckily, one of my mentors and attendings had prepared me for the incredible number of lectures from which to choose and had offered some guidance in navigating my way around the meeting.

In this column, I’d like to point out some of the activities that are planned solely for medical students, residents, and fellows and offer some suggestions on how to maximize your time and get the most out of New York.

If this is your first meeting, attending “How to Survive the Annual Meeting” on Sunday, May 2, at the Sheraton is a must! Resident leaders, including me, will offer pointers on what to see and do and how to budget your time. The “Meet the Experts: Sunny-Side Up” breakfast on Monday, May 3, at 7 a.m., also at the Sheraton, is a good time to meet and talk with some of the premiere educators and leaders in our field. This session also offers an opportunity to network with other residents who may share some of your interests.

That same day, the APA Assembly Committee of Members-in-Training (MITs) will hold the workshop “Career Choices in Psychiatry: Exploring Fellowship Training” at 9 a.m. in the Javits Center. This session will be very helpful for those of you trying to decide on doing a fellowship. This will be followed at the Hilton at noon by the forum “American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology Update: Requirements of the ABPN Examination.” This session, which will provide us with the latest changes and requirements for taking the boards, is an essential meeting for PGY-3s and PGY-4s who are quickly approaching boarding time.

On Monday evening, a reception for residents, fellows, and medical students will be held at the Sheraton and sponsored by New York residency programs.

On Tuesday, May 4, at 9 a.m., the APA Minority Fellows will present the workshop “The Ties that Bind: Considerations of Culture and Family in Mental Health Treatment” at the Javits Center. Several other workshops will be held that day as well on such topics as publishing and grant writing, launching a successful private practice, and careers in international mental health.

Finally, on Wednesday, May 5, the APA Committee of Residents and Fellows will present the workshop “Dollars: The Pharmaceutical Industry in Psychiatric Training. ” It will be held at 9 a.m. at the Marriott Marquis.

Several other lectures, workshops, and forums specifically designed for members-in-training and medical students are planned. Check the schedule for residents that you will receive at registration for specifics. Be sure to stop by the Exhibit Hall and see the latest titles from APPI (on Sunday morning members-in-training get a special 25 percent discount at the APPI bookstore), booths from the pharmaceutical industry, and exhibits by hospitals and computer software companies.

If I have left anyone out, I apologize, but there is simply so much going on during the meeting that it’s hard to remember it all!

A few other suggestions:

• Bring comfortable shoes! I left New Orleans with three blisters on my feet from all the walking. New York is BIG, and you’ll be doing a lot of hoofing.

• Dress is casual.

• Register early to save yourself from waiting in long lines.

• Use the schedules that you will get at registration and that appear in this issue of Psychiatric News to help plan out what you want to see and do.

• Check out the message boards to locate any long-lost colleagues or friends and to communicate with others easily.

• Try to pace yourself, and remember that it is impossible to do everything. For your first meeting, a good goal is two sessions a day. You can literally attend events from sunrise to way past sunset and never even see New York City. You have to save some time for sightseeing and social gatherings!

Most of all, remember to have fun! This is your time to celebrate your profession and to nurture current relationships with colleagues and to make new ones. See you in New York! ▪