The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
“For me, the conference is like that song about the holidays: it’s the most wonderful time of the year,” declared my mentor, Dr. Efren Manjarrez, over the phone a few weeks before the Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) Converge. I had heard remarkable things about the SHM conference and was so excited to participate as a first-time attendee and a conference grant recipient.
Even prior to the opening event, I could feel the magic of Converge. It began at 7:00 AM Friday morning. I was nibbling on my breakfast, when, to my disbelief, my friend from another state appeared from the escalator. Surprise reconnections continued throughout the weekend, such as attending a session with a college classmate and running into my prior chief resident.
The energy of the crowd was palpable at 8:00 AM Friday morning as Dr. Heather Nye sang a special version of “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music, complete with lyrics focused on hospital medicine and SHM Converge. Dr. Jerome Siy welcomed everyone and Dr. Nasim Afsar led us through the highs and lows of the pandemic during her keynote address. As Dr. Afsar illustrated the crucial role of hospitalists during the pandemic, I reflected on my time on COVID wards with a deeper appreciation for the importance of hospital medicine in times of global health crises.
I had the opportunity to present two posters on projects I am passionate about – improving resident leadership skills and overcoming length of stay challenges. As a first-time presenter in a national setting, I valued the collaborative environment as people sauntered up to learn more about my work. One passerby told me about similar length of stay initiatives she was working on at her home institution, and we swapped contact information for future collaboration.
The magic continued with a session led by one of my idols, a person whose voice often booms from my Prius’ speakers on my way to work, Dr. Tony Breu. In a room packed with admirers, Dr. Breu delivered the first “Things We Do for No Reason” (TWDFNR) presentation of the weekend. The master educator led us through multiple studies that supported stopping antiplatelet therapy in patients on anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation who have stable coronary artery disease. Reviewing the evidence in support of anticoagulant monotherapy with one of social media’s most effective medical educators only solidified my love for TWDFNR.
Meeting fellow medical students and residents as enthusiastic as I am about hospital medicine was something I expected, but having our voices truly heard during the Physicians In Training (PIT) special interest forum was a surprise. For an hour, residents from across the country brainstormed ways to promote the field of hospital medicine and support aspiring hospitalists. I cherished this unique, welcoming space that was created for us.
My conference experience would not have been the same without the guidance of my mentor, Dr. Manjarrez. On Friday evening during the poster reception, he introduced me to numerous leaders in the field of hospital medicine. More than helping me network, he became a host. He arranged meet-up times throughout the day, gave context regarding the plenary session speakers, and treated me and my co-residents to a Nashville barbeque dinner.
I ended my weekend by attending the Update in Hospital Medicine talk by Dr. Gaby Frank and Dr. Paul Grant. As I sat intensely focused on this rapid-fire review of recent literature, I marveled at how an hour-long talk could be so quirky, engaging, and full of applicable knowledge. Some pearls I took away include:
- Importance of alcohol counseling for atrial fibrillation
- The future of community-acquired pneumonia treatment: 3 days of antibiotics
- More evidence for conservative management of inpatient hypertension
- Midodrine for young healthy patients with recurrent vasovagal syncope
My mentor was spot on. SHMConverge is indeed the most wonderful time of the year for any hospitalist. I left Nashville feeling inspired to start new projects in collaboration with colleagues from other institutions, excited to share all the great pearls I learned with my wards team, and prouder than ever to start my career.
The author (second from left) and her mentor (first from left) and the authors colleagues in front of their poster they presented.
The author (center) and her co-residents standing outside one of the plenary sessions at SHM Converge.
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