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From the coliseum to the convention centre: a reflection on the current state of medical education conferences and conference-goers.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Blanchard, RD; Engle, DL; Howley, LD; Whicker, SA; Nagler, A
Published in: Medical education
December 2016

The advancement of knowledge and development of policy in the field of medical education require critical academic discourse among the most intelligent medical educators; and critical academic discourse requires coffee. In this essay, we reflect on the state of professional development conferences in the field of medical education and the rituals that surround their success. Having begun in ancient Greece, symposia were ripe with debauchery. Today, sedated by the light brown walls of hotel conference centres, symposia are more serious endeavours, engaging men and women in the sometimes turbulent waters of epistemological debate. The abstract submission process (summed up by: 'Yay! It was accepted for presentation' [Deep breath] 'Oh no…it was accepted for presentation'), the 'juggling act' of parent attendees, the acting prowess of abstract presenters and the unapologetic approach to buffet eating are all by-products of the collision of true intellects among medical education scholars. We hold these rituals in high regard and argue that they are required to advance the field of medical education. These rituals bind the walls supporting true progressive thought and innovative research, all fuelled by the glass of wine purchased with that one coveted drink ticket.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Medical education

DOI

EISSN

1365-2923

ISSN

0308-0110

Publication Date

December 2016

Volume

50

Issue

12

Start / End Page

1258 / 1261

Related Subject Headings

  • Posters as Topic
  • Medical Informatics
  • Humans
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Education, Medical
  • Congresses as Topic
  • Biomedical Research
  • 3904 Specialist studies in education
  • 3901 Curriculum and pedagogy
  • 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Blanchard, R. D., Engle, D. L., Howley, L. D., Whicker, S. A., & Nagler, A. (2016). From the coliseum to the convention centre: a reflection on the current state of medical education conferences and conference-goers. Medical Education, 50(12), 1258–1261. https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.13100
Blanchard, Rebecca D., Deborah L. Engle, Lisa D. Howley, Shari A. Whicker, and Alisa Nagler. “From the coliseum to the convention centre: a reflection on the current state of medical education conferences and conference-goers.Medical Education 50, no. 12 (December 2016): 1258–61. https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.13100.
Blanchard RD, Engle DL, Howley LD, Whicker SA, Nagler A. From the coliseum to the convention centre: a reflection on the current state of medical education conferences and conference-goers. Medical education. 2016 Dec;50(12):1258–61.
Blanchard, Rebecca D., et al. “From the coliseum to the convention centre: a reflection on the current state of medical education conferences and conference-goers.Medical Education, vol. 50, no. 12, Dec. 2016, pp. 1258–61. Epmc, doi:10.1111/medu.13100.
Blanchard RD, Engle DL, Howley LD, Whicker SA, Nagler A. From the coliseum to the convention centre: a reflection on the current state of medical education conferences and conference-goers. Medical education. 2016 Dec;50(12):1258–1261.
Journal cover image

Published In

Medical education

DOI

EISSN

1365-2923

ISSN

0308-0110

Publication Date

December 2016

Volume

50

Issue

12

Start / End Page

1258 / 1261

Related Subject Headings

  • Posters as Topic
  • Medical Informatics
  • Humans
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Education, Medical
  • Congresses as Topic
  • Biomedical Research
  • 3904 Specialist studies in education
  • 3901 Curriculum and pedagogy
  • 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences