Second virtual ACR Convergence remains first in rheumatology educational opportunities

For a second year, ACR Convergence will take place in a virtual format, but the 2021 meeting will again remain the world’s premier rheumatology education event.

ACR Convergence 2021 features more than 600 faculty and almost 2,000 accepted abstracts. Attendees can watch more than 220 oral presentations that feature live question-and-answer sessions. Swamy Venuturupalli, MD, Chair of the ACR Education Committee, said that the ACR Convergence 2021 education opportunities will build on the successes of last year while expanding attendee opportunities in important areas.

Among those areas are Community Hubs. The hubs, which enhance interaction and networking for colleagues with similar educational interests, were a popular addition to last year’s meeting, and ACR Convergence 2021 will have more hubs. Organizers for each hub have been selected based on their expertise and collegiality, Dr. Venuturupalli said, and will have great leeway in terms of creativity when it comes to how to engage on topics in their respective hubs.

“This is a deeply challenging time with COVID and all of us being isolated in our own bubbles,” he said. “This really gives everyone a nice opportunity to interact with their colleagues and discuss issues that we’ve been wanting to discuss with our peers.”

The complete list of Community Hubs and the schedule for each hub are available on the virtual meeting platform and in the online planner.

ACR Convergence organizers are also looking to expand the ACR’s reach and support all aspects of rheumatology through two special registration passes: Business of Rheumatology and Rehab. These All-Access Passes provide full access to the entire meeting, including dedicated Business of Rheumatology and Rehab sessions on Monday, Nov. 8, and Tuesday, Nov. 9. Business of Rheumatology is for non-physician practice managers and office administrators and was created in collaboration with the National Organization of Rheumatology Managers. Rehab is for occupational therapists, physical therapists, health educators, social workers, psychologists, and dietitians. See the ACR Convergence website and the online planner for more details and a full schedule of sessions.

“We recognize that rheumatology is a team sport,” Dr. Venuturupalli said. “We want to better support and strengthen rheumatology practices, including the office administration support team and rehab team members.”

Session topics this year include several sessions concerning COVID and post-COVID syndrome, Dr. Venuturupalli said, as rheumatologists will likely play an important role in the care of these patients. Other important topics include a session on skin findings for patients of color, a recognition that patients of color remain underrepresented in medical textbook images. Lupus will also be a big topic, with approvals for two new lupus nephritis drugs and a new approval for a lupus medication.

In addition to the oral presentations, virtual poster sessions will again be the heart and pulse of the meeting. Presenters will be at their posters at scheduled times to answer questions, but posters will also be available for viewing throughout the meeting and in the weeks after ACR Convergence 2021 ends.

Whether it’s posters or oral presentations, this year’s virtual meeting platform again will feature the robust question-and-answer and chat modules that generated high levels of engagement and excitement last year, Dr. Venuturupalli said.

“We have definitely upgraded the video quality and the ability to stream involving more people,” he said. “Overall, it will be a better viewing experience while keeping all of the networking and engagement aspects.”