Cecelia Damask, DO, Lake Mary Ear, Nose, Throat & Allergy, Lake Mary, Florida, USA.
After the President’s Reception (above), which kicked off the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Annual Meeting on Saturday evening, came the Opening Ceremony (below) on Sunday morning. This featured the ceremonial presentation of the president’s medallion to Douglas D Backous, MD, who began his term as AAO-HNS/F president at the close of the meeting, and the presentation of the gavel to Kathleen L Yaremchuk, MD, MSA, for her year-long service as president. Speaking at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Dr Yaremchuk welcomed attendees and offered inspiring words, recognising the individual and collective contributions those in the room made to patient care. The John Conley Lecture on Medical Ethics was delivered by Professor Jennifer Grandis on ‘Building and Sustaining Careers: A Gender Equity Lens’.
With a renewed focus on our international members and attendees, Monday was declared International Day and featured several can’t-miss events, including the International General Session, International Advisory Board Meeting, and the return of the International Reception. New this year at the Annual Meeting was the CME ENThusiast Track featuring education sessions every hour. My favourite sessions were the Great Debates, returning for a third year. There were debates exploring important concepts in otolaryngology in general such as ‘Are We Over-Specialised?,’ ‘When Is Enough Training Enough?,’ and ‘Work After Work, Is That Really OK?’. There were also subspecialty debates including ‘To Drain or Not to Drain: Controversies in Pediatric Abscesses,’ and ‘ctDNA: Is it Ready for Prime Time?’ New this year were cross-subspecialty debates including ‘Mucous Wars’ with both rhinology and laryngology debating the topic.
The 16th Annual Academic Bowl was a Champions Tournament this year with four-top winning otolaryngology residency programmes returning to compete. The University of Puerto Rico programme (left) won the tournament. The Women in Otolaryngology (WIO) General Assembly featured Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Laura Veltz. The Otolaryngology Private Practice Section (OPPS) held roundtable discussions on key business challenges including topics such as ‘Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASC) Management Pearls’ and ‘Marketing and Reputation Management’. The Office Hours held during lunchtime were a huge hit, allowing attendees to ask experts in the field their burning questions.
The highlight of my meeting was a joyful reunion with three of my most cherished ENT colleagues, sharing a meal at a wonderful restaurant. Simple pleasures like this were missing during the pandemic. I always feel recharged and inspired after returning home from the meeting because of my interactions with colleagues from around the world. Who knew Nashville was such an exciting city with a rich heritage and culture? It was truly the ideal setting. The event venue itself was perfect – beautifully laid out with all the meeting rooms located close to one another with lots of natural light.
I look forward to reconnecting with everyone in Miami, Florida, for the AAO-HNSF 2024 Annual Meeting, which will be held 27 September-1 October 2024.
Report from the 85th Annual Otosclerosis Study Group Meeting here.
Above: featuring Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Laura Veltz, the Women in Otolaryngology (WIO) General Assembly celebrated and supported the women who have dedicated their lives to the advancement of the specialty, their colleagues, and their patients.
