Advancing knowledge and innovation is what ANESTHESIOLOGY 2024 is all about. A dedication to delivering top-notch educational opportunities grounds the event and animates the robust preparations underway to ensure its success. The ASA Committee on Annual Meeting Oversight (AMOC) and ASA staff want every attendee to leave the meeting more informed and with enhanced expertise. We are mindful that attendees have unique needs, different interests, and an array of learning styles. To meet these diverse priorities, learning opportunities at this year’s annual meeting will be rich and varied. To understand what that means and how attendees can take advantage of our extensive offerings, we spoke with Sheela Pai Cole, MD, FASE, FASA, former chair and current member of the Committee on Annual Meeting Oversight, about how plans are coming together.

Tell us about a little about the common learning formats attendees will discover at ANESTHESIOLOGY 2024, what topics attendees will hear about, and how information will be imparted.

There will be something for everyone, starting with lectures. This year’s didactic lecturers will be offered by top thought leaders from the specialty and beyond. Lectures will cover topics ranging from the opioid crisis to AI and the role our specialty played during the COVID-19 pandemic. Attendees will have many opportunities to listen to experts discuss the specialty’s most salient topics in these one-to-many settings, some of which will aim to refresh or reframe topics while others will introduce and explore novel topics. In addition, panel sessions will highlight the expertise and experiences of the various panelists. Panels are a great way for attendees to explore real-world scenarios and extend their understanding of clinical topics. And, of course, our always-popular workshops enable attendees to go beyond listening so they can practice on live models with the technology they have heard and read about in papers and lectures.

Can you talk more about that? What role do workshops play in the mix, and what should attendees expect from this year’s workshop offerings?

Hands-on workshops give attendees a chance to go beyond listening so they can see and touch new, innovative technologies, or refresh their knowledge on existing technology. Workshops are ticketed, and some of our repeat workshops are in high demand, such as the popular POCUS certification workshop, which takes attendees beyond simply learning, setting them up to demonstrate their ability, have their work reviewed, and obtain certification all at one stop. Other popular workshops include the anesthesia-centric life support workshop, the perioperative resuscitation and life support simulation, an alternative to ACLS certification. Regional block workshops always appeal to attendees who appreciate the opportunity to use technology to see nerves and vessels and learn tips and tricks from station experts so they can become more effective users of this ever-popular technology.

And when it comes to hands-on learning, the Exhibit Hall adds even more opportunities to the mix. Sponsors bring their new technological advances and their deep knowledge of various patient cohorts. While the popular Center Stage presentations don’t grant CME, they address important topics relating to practice, technology, leadership, and more.

Let’s talk about Problem-Based Learning Discussions (PBLDs). What is the benefit of participating in PBLDs and Interactive Tutorials?

PBLDs are highly effective bidirectional learning opportunities for attendees who want to focus on specific clinical case situations. These small-group learning opportunities, also ticketed, present cases and scenarios, then invite participation from attendees. Learners can see what happened in a real-world scenario and consider a range of clinical alternatives. Attendees will be drawn to hot-topic PBLDs, including those that address durable LVAD implantation and noncardiac surgery. Patients with these devices are presenting to many centers now, so these PBLDs are a good way to refresh your knowledge of mechanics and best practices regarding management of these patients. Several PBLDs focus on professional issues, such as anesthesiologists as second victims as well as physician well-being. With today’s workforce shortages, as well as the aging complex medical patient, dealing with adverse events is becoming de rigeur, hence having the skill set to mitigate burnout and promote well-being is paramount. Beyond these popular topics, every subspecialty has identified and curated hot-topic PBLDs, so there’s something for everyone.

What should prospective attendees know about the planning underway now and AMOC’s expectations of ANESTHESIOLOGY 2024? What do you hope attendees will get out of this year’s educational offerings?

We’re working to ensure the information attendees discover at this year’s meeting will be actionable so they can take it back to their practices and use it immediately. We have sessions designed to appeal to anesthesiologists at every stage of their career, in every subspecialty, and for all learning styles. And while many of the topics will be expected and familiar, we also have late-breaking abstracts, which means attendees will be exposed to new research and enjoy deep dives into evolving topics such as how to deal with the resurgence of cancer therapies or obesity drugs. So, attendees will have ample opportunities to gain or refresh their knowledge on cutting-edge practices and therapies. There will also be options for leadership training and prospects for career advancement, and to simply gain knowledge around adequate billing and reimbursement practices.

Above all, I want attendees to feel confident that there will be many learning opportunities and a range of ways to acquire skills, experiences, and a deeper understanding of the diverse, complex, and pertinent topics our specialty faces. It can be easy when we’re working in our own little bubbles to forget that our challenges are shared. Being in a community at the meeting is a validating reminder that we’re in this together. It is also, of course, an amazing way to bounce ideas off people, find new job opportunities, and just catch up with peers and old friends … while learning about all the specialty’s most important issues, from current practice standards, operational trends, billing and reimbursement, and leadership. We’re looking forward to learning together.