Conference Highlights
No comments please on the title.............
The online conference I am attending is:
Autoimmune Encephalopathy Secondary to Infectious Disease
Yeah I know, the title was almost a deal breaker, but everyone is allowed to nerd out every once in awhile. Anyway 99% of us are nerds deep down. The other 1% just won't admit they are. Who else remembers the classic movie “Revenge of the Nerds”?
The medical conference is as most medical conferences are, very dry monotone presentations and usually fairly technical. The hosts all appear older than Fraudci and Biden as they have the most experience but they could liven up their presentations a bit more. Much of the conference was understandable but parts were over my head, just like optimal treatment of COVID is over the head of most of our government healthcare leaders. Oops, I was trying not to mention COVID or government. Oh well. No soup for me today.
I'll have to stick to meat and eggs instead for the #IMWChallenge .
To get the most out of an online conference there is actually a whole physical set up I need. While I have a spare room I use for when I have virtual office hours, for some reason I prefer sitting at my kitchen table for the conference. I think there is better light and I do not feel trapped in a room. I like learning but I still have nightmares of high school where I was usually so bored that I would be constantly staring at the clock waiting for the class to end so I could escape into the hallway, just to have 5 minutes to go to the next cell, umm, I mean classroom.
Tell me you didn't do the same thing in high school..... So at least my kitchen table provides a nicer more conducive place to try and learn.
Here was my set up:
Directly in front of me:
This conference presentations were online so I am sitting at home with my laptop computer directly in front of me. I often have the screen split with the presenter taking up just about 3/4 of the screen with another window open for either computer note taking or peeking at messages Tatiana sent from the IMW. Split screens work well for those of us with ADD.
To my Right:
A bluetooth speaker to amplify the sound as my laptop computer sound is not loud enough. I think the low volume is due to the conference host set up, not necessarily my computer. My wife thinks thinks I need to amplify the sound due to my ear canals being full of wax. In fact as proof my wife says I don't hear her when she speaks to me. I disagree. I keep telling her that I hear every word she says. I just don't listen to her..((drum roll))...
Ha Ha- I love my wife and this is just a joke so for those of you who know my wife, (relatives reading this included), don't try and get me in trouble as I probably have dirt on you too, and I am not afraid to use it.....
In front of the speaker on the right is my ice water mixed with some decaf iced tea to keep me awake. I don't need caffeine, just something cold to drink and it keeps me awake and alert. If it is a real boring presentation I pour the water over my head to wake myself up. No worries though as I usually have a bath towel resting over the back of my chair, just in case.
Also to my right is a paper notebook where I take notes. I use a pen that has four different color inks. My note taking is specific to pearls as well as most importantly when I hear of something that may be pertinent to an IMW members care. I mark those concerning IMW members in the notes in RED ink and circle it in the hopes it reminds me to look further into this pearl for their future care. So the answer is YES, I do actually use things I learned at conferences to improve patient care at the IMW.
To my Left:
I have an IPAD that has the presentation slides. I downloaded the slides to Dropbox prior to the presentations so I would have for the present and future.
Also to my left is my cell phone to handle any urgent issues that come up while watching the presentation.
The presentations, while some can be less than engaging or not relatable to my practice can still provide the following:
1- thought provoking of present IMW member issues- This is the best part of conferences
2- new treatment options- This is tied for the best part of conferences
3- learning opportunity - Yes I do actually learn something
4- ability to ask questions to researchers/presenters - this can be very helpful but as many of my questions are more mechanistic and functional, the researchers have trouble answering my questions. It can be fun to stump a presenter with a question, but I'd rather get an answer.
5- good slides to use later - I occasionally use portions of these slides for teaching in the office
6- Insomnia aid- After watching some of these presentations I slept pretty well last night. Who needs Melatonin??
Hopefully COVID will continue to decrease and become a mild endemic cold like virus. At that time I hope to be able to travel once again to conferences at nicer destinations than my kitchen table. Combining learning opportunities with some travel and exploration of places I have never visited make everything a whole lot nicer as well as provides more scenic pictures I can include in future posts.
Now for the best part.
Beware everyone.
You might be getting a message from me about something new to discuss about your care. If you do, remember to thank the online conference: Autoimmune Encephalopathy Secondary to Infectious Disease
#IMWChallenge Meals- My favorites so far
Meme of the day
As far as your description of the conference & your set up - it gave me a headache! I thought my teacher’s in-service presentations were sleep worthy!
Your messages, sense of humor, and delivery are just the best! Please write that book. You have so much information and knowledge to share and your honesty is refreshing.