For five days this October, Chicago will be ophthalmology central, as tens of thousands of physicians from around the world join together for ophthalmology’s main event: AAO 2016. To help you get the most from this event, here’s a five-point guide to the essential things you should do now for a great meeting Oct. 15 to 18.
1. Register
Before you book travel or hotel, decide how much of the meeting you plan to attend. AAO 2016 kicks off at McCormick Place on Oct. 14 with eight Subspecialty Day meetings covering the latest in everything from cornea to uveitis. “Subspecialty Day is fantastic — it allows me to float around many different lectures,” said Academy YO Committee Chair Purnima S. Patel, MD. “I’m really looking forward to refreshing my oculoplastics and retina knowledge this year.”
The annual meeting proper continues from Oct. 15 to 18. Registration is now open — and it’s free for all Academy members. You register separately to attend Subspecialty Day, but members in training get a significant discount.
To avoid onsite lines, have badge and meeting materials for AAO 2016 mailed to you before the meeting. Register by Sept. 23 if you’re a U.S.-based attendee, by Aug. 26 if you’re traveling from outside the United States. Otherwise, you’ll need to pick up your badge and registration materials at the Registration area when you arrive.
2. Get Your All-Access Pass
Your AAO 2016 registration includes access to a number of events. However, you’ll also want to pick up the Academy Plus course pass for unlimited access to all of the Academy instruction courses and AAOE practice management courses. That way, you can try as many as you want without committing your time to just a few.
Members in training pay just $100 for the pass, a significant savings over the regular price.
3. Book a Room ... Early
The online hotel reservation system is now open. There are over 60 official Academy hotels for AAO 2016, but don’t delay. Rooms go fast at some of the more popular establishments — the Fairmont Chicago, Hyatt Regency Chicago and Hilton Chicago.
You can also book by phone through Expovision by calling 866.774.0487 (toll-free from the United States and Canada) or 703.770.3908.
Pro tip: You’ll find more rooms at hotels farther away from the convention center. They can also be more affordable. Don’t worry about walking the extra distance. The Academy provides shuttle bus service between all official Academy hotels and McCormick Place.
4. Plan Your Schedule
Now that all of the details are out of the way, you can focus on what you came for: the AAO 2016 program. To simplify things, you can peruse the more than 350 instruction courses and plan your schedule by using the online program search.
Here are two events that you absolutely do not want to miss:
- Opening Session: Be sure to check out the Jackson Memorial Lecture, “Hiding in Plain Sight: The Enigmatic Cornea and IOL Calculations,” given by Douglas D. Koch, MD, who has taught residents and fellows for almost 35 years.
- YO Program: This two-part interactive session covers everything from finding the right practice and growing as a surgeon to contract negotiation and work/life balance.
With all of these possibilities, don’t lose track of one of the most popular events: meeting up with colleagues. “Of course the annual meeting is all about exposure to other physician’s surgical experiences and learning how to plan your career,” said YO Info Editorial Board Member Jason D. Rupp, MD. “But it’s also a great chance to meet up with friends both new and old!”
5. Check Back for More AAO 2016 Coverage
This year’s theme is “Innovate,” and that’s exactly what you’ll learn how to do at ophthalmology’s must-attend event, said YO Committee member Chris O’Brien, MD, MBA. “Where else can you enjoy the excitement from all of ophthalmology in one place?”
“Whether it’s for advocacy, education or reuniting with colleagues,” added fellow YO Committee member Darby D. Miller, MD, MPH, “it’s the one meeting every year that you don’t want to miss!”
Be sure to visit www.aao.org/yo and YO Info over the next few months for more details about the YO Program, the Global YO Reception and all of the YO Lounge networking events.
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About the author: Mike Mott is a former assistant editor for EyeNet Magazine and contributing writer for YO Info.