ACR Convergence Showcases the Latest Advances in Rheumatology While Connecting Researchers and Clinicians

An engaging mix of new and returning programming is planned for ACR Convergence 2024 in Washington, D.C.

“ACR Convergence is unique because of the blend of high-quality science, updates on advances in clinical care, and networking opportunities to advance the field of rheumatology,” said Annual Meeting Planning Committee (AMPC) Chair Gregory C. Gardner, MD, MACP. “We take the role of a scientific meeting seriously. It is a unique gathering of colleagues from all over the world to share science and inspire the next generation of clinicians and researchers.”

Registration for this year’s meeting, which will take place Nov. 14–19 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, is open with two options for in-person attendance, both of which include on-demand access to scientific session recordings through Oct. 31, 2025.

“Attendees should expect to have access to the latest advances in science that will impact our understanding of and approach to treating rheumatic diseases,” Dr. Gardner said. “The meeting should appeal to both researchers and clinicians whose career focus is on the broad category of rheumatic disease. This would include physicians, PhDs, ARNPs, PAs, OTs/PTs, social workers, etc. We are also interested in providing networking at ACR Convergence to foster collaboration and connection to accelerate the forward movement of the field of rheumatology.”

In addition to a full slate of activities in the Networking Lounges, two rooms will be dedicated to “Active Learning Sessions,” where audience participation will be integral to the learning experience. These include From Idea to Impact: Transforming Educational Projects Into Scholarly Success on Nov. 16 and From Canvas to Clinic: How Visual Arts Enhance Rheumatology Education on Nov. 17, among others.

“I am interested in bringing more opportunities for active learning to ACR Convergence, the type of learning that fosters attendee reflection and helps incorporate new ideas and concepts into the clinic and laboratory,” said Dr. Gardner, emeritus professor in the Division of Rheumatology at the University of Washington. 

To this end, faculty this year will have the unique opportunity to receive guidance on current principles of teaching and learning to foster active learning in a large group setting and have a medical educator review their presentation and provide feedback if desired. This important effort is being led by Kirsten Koons, MD, Jay Mehta, MD, MS, and Andrew Vreede, MD, members of the AMPC Quality Improvement in Learning and Teaching (QuILT) group. 

“We anticipate that our effort to address teaching quality will make the sessions more impactful and improve information transfer at ACR Convergence,” Dr. Gardner said.  “I am very appreciative of the efforts of our QuILT group.”

Meet the Professor sessions will return to the program by popular demand after an absence of several years. These small group, interactive sessions with leaders in the field of rheumatology require additional registration and a fee, and attendance is capped at 25 participants each. More than three dozen sessions are available Nov. 16–18.

The Musculoskeletal Ultrasound (MSUS) Course also will return for the first time since 2019. Each of the two options, Basic/Intermediate Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Course and Advanced Rheumatologic (Multisystem) Ultrasound Course, will be offered over two days, Nov. 14–15, as advance programming. Additional registration and a fee are required to attend.

Meet the Editors events starting at 8 a.m. ET on Nov. 18 in the Interprofessional Networking Lounge will give attendees the opportunity to discuss the ins and outs of medical publishing with editors including Daniel H. Solomon, MD, MPH, editor of Arthritis & Rheumatology, Josef S. Smolen, MD, editor of Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, and Kelli D. Allen, PhD, editor of Arthritis Care & Research. 

Guideline sessions featuring updates on evidence-based diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to rheumatic diseases, including lupus nephritis, also highlight the program, along with emerging technology shaping healthcare.

“Every year the theme is the latest advances in the science and practice of rheumatology, but we will have several sessions exploring artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on our field,” Dr. Gardner said. “It is a hot topic beyond medicine, and I think there is still a lot of uncertainty regarding AI.”

AI-themed sessions include:

• Harnessing the Power of AI in Rheumatology Without Getting Burned on Nov. 16
• ARP Distinguished Lecture: AI in Rheumatology Practice – Unpacking the Toolkit on Nov. 17
• AI: The Next Breakthrough in Documentation for Rheumatology on Nov. 17
• Integrating AI into Rheumatology Education: A New Frontier for Trainees and Educators on Nov. 19

As part of the advance offerings, on Nov. 15 the Basic and Clinical Research Conference, this year focused on the cardiometabolic aspects of rheumatologic diseases, and the Review Course are high-interest sessions year after year. The Review Course will showcase developments in areas including calcinosis in connective tissue diseases, metabolic bone disease, sarcoidosis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, geriatric concerns, pain management, and oral ulcers.

The Global Rheumatology Summit and FIT Program on Nov. 14 and the Radiology Bootcamp on Nov. 15 round out the advance programming.

Additional attendee favorites include:

• Knowledge Bowl competition for rheumatology fellows on Nov. 16 and 17.
• Thieves Market interactive case-solving sessions, one each for pediatric and adult clinicians, on Nov. 17 and 18, respectively. Thieves Market posters will be on display Nov. 16–18.
• Great Debate sessions on Nov. 17. The pediatric-focused debate will address therapy for systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) lung disease, and the adult-focused debate will discuss mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD). There is also an all-new Workforce and Education debate, on Nov. 16, focused on whether the duration of rheumatology training should be competency-based.

Some of the scientific sessions will incorporate interactive software to poll attendees and facilitate interaction between the faculty and audience.

“While this technology has been used at ACR Convergence in the past, we will be experimenting with new software this year and hope to use it more broadly in the future if all goes well,” Dr. Gardner said.

However, the educational experience extends beyond the scientific sessions.

“The poster sessions are a must-attend activity overflowing with learning and networking,” Dr. Gardner said.

For more details on the scientific sessions and other activities at ACR Convergence 2024, view the Online Program or the Schedule at a Glance.

“I have been a rheumatologist for 35 years, and during my career, I have seen some profound changes in our understanding and treatment of rheumatic diseases. Many, if not all, of these amazing advances I first learned about were at the ACR annual meeting we now call ACR Convergence,” Dr. Gardner said. “The pace of the advances is quickening due to the efforts of our researchers, and I am excited to learn about the breakthroughs that will impact my patients in the near future.”