Physician well-being is an important focus for the ACGME, and it has a high profile at the 2019 ACGME Annual Educational Conference. We hope you will come away ready to apply the ideas you learn to help your residents and fellows stay mentally, physically, and emotionally healthy as they progress through their program. It’s vital to take time for yourself as well, every day—even while you’re at the conference! Conference days are invigorating, but they can also be long and taxing, so be sure to maintain your personal well-being at the Annual Educational Conference by taking a mental break, stretching, exercising, and enjoying the outdoors. Here are some ideas for staying healthy while you’re there.
For a refreshing start to the day, join fellow attendees for an early morning walk or run. Just head to the lobby of the Rosen property where you are staying at 6:00 a.m. to meet up with other runners and walkers. Check the Conference Mobile App for great walking and running trails near you!
Yoga and meditation are wonderfully peaceful ways to clear your mind for the long day ahead. Conference yoga sessions start at 5:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday at the Rosen Shingle Creek, and both beginners and advanced enthusiasts alike are welcome!
Thursday afternoon at the Welcoming Poster Reception and Exhibitor Kick-off, take advantage of massage chairs in the Exhibit Hall. For those who will arrive or stay a day or two before or after the conference, there is a full-service spa on-site at the Rosen Shingle Creek, not to mention a fitness center, a swimming pool, and a golf course right on the grounds. And by the way, if you investigate, you might find that the Orlando area has one or two small tourist attractions worth taking in…
One of the healthiest activities available to anyone (and to everyone) is a good laugh. Coordinators attending the Thursday pre-conference Coordinator Forum can choose to attend an improv session focusing on active listening skills. Give yourself the opportunity to laugh—and to learn to communicate more effectively—with breakout session (BR20) “‘What Did You Say?’ Improv to Improve your Active Listening Skills.”
The theme of this year’s conference, Engaging Each Other: Rediscovering Meaning in Medicine, is not just a clever name. This is the heart of what this conference hopes to ignite in attendees: engaging and connecting with the Why in what you do professionally. A Conversation Board in the hub of the Exhibit Hall is a place to share your journey and write about what brought you to this career, experience, path. The Ribbon Wall will again give you a variety of self-identifiers to attach to your badge and connect with fellow attendees on a more personal level.
Social media is another way to connect with others. Follow @ACGME and the conference hashtag, #ACGME2019, on Twitter and join the conversation! Share what you’ve learned, connect with similar minds, see what was going on in another corner of the conference and reap the benefits of others’ experiences!
Lastly, keep in mind that while networking is a valuable way to make and enhance your professional contacts and move your career forward, it can also be a positive factor for your mental health. Talking with others about shared challenges and opportunities helps you cope with the stress and pressure you face as you work to accomplish your myriad individual, program, and institutional goals.
We hope that during the course of the 2019 ACGME Annual Educational Conference you will develop sound, practical methods of helping your residents and fellows, your patients, and your co-workers lead healthy lives. And when it comes to healthy living, we hope you will do your best to lead by example!