Technology
Episode 68: #ASRASPRING25 Meeting Preview
In Episode 68, host Raj Gupta previews the upcoming Azra Spring meeting in Orlando, Florida, celebrating its 50th anniversary. Joined by program committee members, they discuss exciting sessions, work...
Episode 68: #ASRASPRING25 Meeting Preview
Technology •
0:00 / 0:00
Interactive Transcript
spk_0
Hello! Welcome everybody. My name is Raj Gupta. I'm your host today. We are going to be talking to you about the upcoming Azra Spring meeting.
spk_0
This is going to be in Orlando, Florida. It's coming up in just a few weeks and we have so many exciting things to tell you about this meeting.
spk_0
That I brought a bunch of the program participants, a program committee chair, and the members of the program committee to tell you about this meeting.
spk_0
It's going to be a fantastic meeting. It's a special meeting for Azra and we'll talk about why it's special.
spk_0
And there's going to be fantastic content, people, experiences. I think you guys are going to love all of this.
spk_0
So without further ado, I want to bring everybody on to the panel. And so I'm going to include it. Everybody here.
spk_0
Here we go.
spk_0
Hey everybody, how are you?
spk_0
Very well. Thank you. Thanks for having us, Raj.
spk_0
So I'm going to start before we get into everybody's topics and talk a little bit about this meeting.
spk_0
Vishal, I just want to introduce you. Vishal, the program chair for this meeting. This is a three year effort.
spk_0
We put him through to get this meeting on the books and actually available for you guys. There's a lot of work that goes into this.
spk_0
And so Vishal, you want to just give a couple sentences about that experience and what you have as far as excitement for this coming meeting.
spk_0
I'm super, super excited about this meeting. It's a 50th anniversary meeting. And I had a huge honor for being the scientific program chair.
spk_0
But one of our key members of the planning committee, Dr. Hari Klaagra from Mayo Clinic Jacksonville has to start a liver transplant very soon.
spk_0
So and he has been instrumental in designing the focus section of our meeting.
spk_0
So I will let him jump in first and tell us why he's so excited about about this meeting.
spk_0
Yeah, Hari, you're always excited. You're dressed for surgery here. So we want to give you a minute to share all your excitement.
spk_0
Let's throw you up. Tell us a little bit about what this meeting is going to be.
spk_0
Thank you, Dr. Rajguptha and Vishal Opal. Scanned wait for the next two weeks for this meeting.
spk_0
This is a special meeting with the Golden Jubilee celebrations. The main thing is Vishal was telling I'm more, more keen and very enthusiastic about the focus part of this meeting.
spk_0
One of these highlights of this meeting is huge focus components involved into this one.
spk_0
We start off, we kick off the meeting with the focus session. We were talking about the GLP one, talking about the excess, which how to assess your fluids and focus for ACLS and focus for volume assessment.
spk_0
So starting an as-ra meeting with the focus is one of its kind. So I'm so delighted. Don't miss the opening ceremony and the opening focus session.
spk_0
Along that, other important things is every day morning workshops at o'clock, you are fasted, models are fasted, comment into gastric scanning.
spk_0
There's a take-off message. Don't miss it. This is the new focus everybody should learn. We had every day, along with regional we added gastric.
spk_0
So use these focus gastric scanning sessions every day in the morning. A couple of things we have a lot of PVLs, especially focus for ACLS, focus for volume assessment, focus focus and focus case based discussions.
spk_0
It's all about focus. Come to this, you don't miss your ultrasound and you will extend using your ultrasound just beyond needles. That's the message we want to give you. This is beyond beyond regional anesthesia.
spk_0
I can't wait. This is one of the best meetings you will ever ever see in the as-ra in the 50 years.
spk_0
The most important, another exciting part of the meeting which I want to particularly I'm interested is firing events pro-con debates.
spk_0
Those are all as great.
spk_0
Yes, those are great.
spk_0
We have one on Friday around 4.30. So we are talking is OPR free versus OPR non-free, which one is the best. And it's final versus GA, which we all know which keep fighting.
spk_0
These are the two pro-con debates on Friday evening and coming to the biggest pro-con debate on Saturday 4.30 is between the legends who have innovated ESPs, who have innovated New York sales, that will car market, that's Jinxin and Copens.
spk_0
Don't miss this debate.
spk_0
We recently released the as-ra guidelines on infectious complications and you see the fire of this debate as well.
spk_0
We use a tag-a-darm or we use a probe cover. Come on, listen to our experts. You can't miss this pro-con debates. Best people talking about this and everything.
spk_0
One other most important thing I want to tell again on a Saturday around 1.45 after the awards. We have a live demo session along regional and focus altogether.
spk_0
So don't miss this live scanning session to catch up again with all the experts. These are the most amazing sessions which I can't even afford to lose a minute in this meeting.
spk_0
That's great, Hari. I mean, those pro-con debates are always exciting and fun. I think people lean into the fun part of it and really challenge each other about their perspective and usually poke fun at the individual speaker too, which really makes it entertaining.
spk_0
And this one, the one that you're talking about with Dr. Carmichard, Copens and Jinxin, I mean, that is an international pro-con debate. It's about as far apart as you can get between Canada, Europe and the Southeast Asia.
spk_0
I mean, this is all across the world we're bringing this conversation. So that's going to be an exciting topic and I think very relevant to a lot of people's practice.
spk_0
As far as the pro-cover thing, I just wipe it on my shirt. Is that not good enough? I thought we were supposed to just wipe it on the shirt.
spk_0
Not at all. So we have a little bit better to do than that. Okay, we'll work on it. I'm waiting to see what you have to tell me.
spk_0
And I'll stop using alcohol swabs to clean the skin and I think we can do better than that.
spk_0
Better than that. This is only what I told was just a glimpse and maybe 20% of the program which I told you about.
spk_0
So please listen to the other speakers and Vishal to get the complete teaser of this meeting. Sorry I'm leaving early. Thank you all.
spk_0
Thank you so much for being here, Hari. I know you have got to go to an important surgery, but your enthusiasm and excitement for Point of Hair ultrasound is very evident and I think everybody shouldn't enjoy that as well at the meeting.
spk_0
Thank you, Hari. Thank you.
spk_0
All right, Vishal. Back to you. I'm going to take him off so we can chat and he can get busy with his surgeries.
spk_0
So Vishal, why don't you do a proper intro for this meeting because there is a hurry kind of hinted at it, which is the 50th anniversary. Why is that important?
spk_0
And let's talk about how that's impacting our community.
spk_0
Thanks, Raj. I have to say I cannot match the enthusiasm of Ritla.
spk_0
You could you could see him. You can hear him and you could also hear his major went off as soon as he stopped talking.
spk_0
Otherwise, I'm pretty sure you could have kept going on and on about the exciting meeting and although he mentioned focus, focus, focus all the time.
spk_0
But again, when he was talking, he talked about a lot of regional anesthesia topics as well. So it's a it's a perfect mix of regional anesthesia and and focus.
spk_0
And you already mentioned it's a 50th anniversary meeting. So it cannot get bigger. You know, it's been 50 years of regional anesthesia.
spk_0
And we are excited to celebrate our meeting theme is is safety efficacy and innovation and innovation, which includes artificial intelligence.
spk_0
We have amazing lineup of speakers. We have professor Anandra who will be telling us how artificial intelligence will be changing health care.
spk_0
So that's one lecture. I really feel everyone should attend. It's not worth missing. He is a total expert in artificial artificial intelligence in health care, not just regional anesthesia or anesthesia.
spk_0
And then the second part, which excites me a lot is it is the 50th anniversary. So we are going to have a Galaparti 50th anniversary party where and will have celebration events, which I am not.
spk_0
I'm going to keep it secret. You know, you have to attend those to to know what they are, but we have a lot of them, you know,
spk_0
Raju are a part of that committee as well. Maybe if you want to disclose some of those social events, I will let you, but I want to really keep it secret so that everyone comes comes to that party, which is happening on Saturday night.
spk_0
And not to forget that we are in Rosenschingel Creek Resort, which is a luxury resort. There is going to be amazing facilities, including pool fitness club, tennis courts and free shuttles to where else, but nothing but universal studios and the sea world and Disney.
spk_0
So after you're done with all the learning, there will be enough time to go and enjoy some of these world class facilities, Disney world, universal studios with your family.
spk_0
So please bring your families along and let them have fun as well, although you will be busy with the meeting because it's the meeting not worth missing.
spk_0
And the final thing I want to talk about is a program, which is, which we have put in as Raj said, three years into making it perfect, which matches, which is, which is modern topical.
spk_0
It's got range of topics, including best practice, top papers, and you name it and we talked about focus and debates as well.
spk_0
And then finally, I want to say that we heard you each time we had this feedback from participants that they want more interaction with faculty.
spk_0
So we this year we have more than 40 BBLD at very highly discounted rate and they're almost sold out.
spk_0
So if you have not registered for them, please pick up because in last week or so we added another five or 10 and because of the high demand for them.
spk_0
And also the workshops, we have more than 20 workshops and multiple interactive sessions.
spk_0
I think I should stop talking right now because I was talking about your excitement wasn't going to match Harries, but I think it's just coming out of you.
spk_0
I know you're excited about this meeting. We've talked many times about how much you're passionate about the content and everything that's been put together for this meeting.
spk_0
So I don't think you need to undermine your excitement. Your excitement is coming through quite clear.
spk_0
This meeting is, Michelle said it really well. I know the board and the program committee, we look through everybody's comments and say, okay, what is it that people want?
spk_0
What is it that people need? Those connections, those opportunities to network are so important, those ability to build relationships that span not just one meeting, but multiple years.
spk_0
So it really helps people in their career, helps people in their practice. Sarah, you want to talk a little bit about some of the opportunities to network at this meeting.
spk_0
So this is Sarah Amaral, Sarah is at Duke and she's also on the planning committee and Sarah, welcome. Thank you for joining us.
spk_0
Thank you, Raj. Thank you for inviting me. I had such a pleasure to be here.
spk_0
So yeah, I do obviously for those who don't know me, I'm part of this and I came from Brazil and I started all my career in these meetings in the social events.
spk_0
And that's why it was a special thing for me that I wanted to highlight because when I think back, really most of the game changing moments in my career that allow me to come here, they happened in the hallways between sessions, in the coffee breaks, but mainly in the social events.
spk_0
So these are spaces where, you know, it's just not online, it's not just online or social media or Zoom call, which are obviously great.
spk_0
But you do have the in-person feeling to it and real conversations happen and it's where, you know, a quick introduction can become into a mentor, a collaborator or even a job down the line.
spk_0
So that's why I'm personally so excited about social events in Azra.
spk_0
And I know Dr. Vishalapal does not want to talk much about the party that are denied that's a secret.
spk_0
But there are other moments, other social events throughout the meeting.
spk_0
And I don't know if Dr. Vishal would like to share a bit more about what is planned for Azra this year keeping Saturday night a secret.
spk_0
Yeah, as usual, we have a fun run which Raj was just showing you the photos off and that's something which a lot of people enjoy early morning if you can wake up.
spk_0
I struggled to wake up in the morning.
spk_0
We have we have evening receptions.
spk_0
You do get a t-shirt for that though.
spk_0
You get one of our t-shirts. See I'm wearing one right now. You get one of these t-shirts if you go to the fun run in the morning.
spk_0
Yeah. And we usually have the Thursday evening reception where we have drinks reception where we have fellow get together, meet and greet.
spk_0
All those kind of routine events but I do want to keep a lot of things on the Saturday night celebration which is going to be huge.
spk_0
Pretty secretive right now. You know, you have to come to know what is going to happen there.
spk_0
I'll give you the short version for Saturday. Saturday is going to be food, fun, music, dancing, a lot of great people.
spk_0
It's usually the thing that we leave the meeting going, ah, these are my people.
spk_0
These are my people. This is where I want to come back to.
spk_0
I know that when I finish just absorbing tons of content at these meetings, I'm sort of tired.
spk_0
I'm sort of overwhelmed with all the ideas that I have to take back to my institution.
spk_0
But that go to that Saturday at party and I just feel reinvigorated.
spk_0
I feel like, okay, these are the people that I can call on because I have this bond with them that's professional and personal.
spk_0
I can call on them for any number of things to help me as I'm going through those challenges for the next year.
spk_0
So show up at the Saturday meeting, show up to the other networking opportunities.
spk_0
That's how you build these relationships and bonds, solidify them, and then also allow you to kind of use these people as part of your network of learners and information, clinical practice, professionals, all kinds of research and academic professionals as well.
spk_0
For those of you who are in academic medicine, guess what? You have to get letters of recommendation.
spk_0
These networking opportunities are a great way to develop the relationships that allow you to get the letters of recommendations.
spk_0
I've written a lot of letters for people because of the relationships I've built through these networking opportunities.
spk_0
So the rest of the stuff, the specifics of the meeting, I do want to do a plug for, you know, there are certain institutions that we're promoting doing a whole table as a sponsorship for this 50th day.
spk_0
I know Vanderbilt is buying a table to kind of help support the organization, support the mission and to show our appreciation for everything that Asur does.
spk_0
So I hope some of the other big institutions out there getting their table.
spk_0
So we want to see that kind of representation at this organization, show how powerful region of anesthesia, acute pain is in this medical field.
spk_0
Ryan.
spk_0
You said something very beautiful, reflecting at the past and looking forward to future, something like that you said about the meeting.
spk_0
Can you repeat that? I can't remember exact words.
spk_0
Yeah, I mean, I think that the 50th anniversary is about, you know, it's a look back, right?
spk_0
So we had our 100th anniversary. It's a different type of anniversary a couple of years ago.
spk_0
So the 100th anniversary was talking about the very, very start of Asur, the first time around.
spk_0
And that was very much focused on a look back, look back of where we've come, how far we've come over that 100 years.
spk_0
The 50th anniversary is the modern Asur. So that was when it was reinitiated, restarted 50 years ago.
spk_0
And we're celebrating that 50 years. Again, the history of it, the importance of everything that's come to get us to the modern version of medicine, regional, acute pain, focus, all of these things that we're doing in perioperative medicine.
spk_0
But I think that this should be a turning point.
spk_0
We should also be looking forward as much as we're looking back.
spk_0
We should be looking forward to the next 50 years.
spk_0
Where are the next innovations? Where are the next relationships that we're going to build?
spk_0
How do we expand better patient care with the tools and skills that we have?
spk_0
Where does academics and research play a factor? What are we missing in our research? What do we need to go to?
spk_0
So I think that we should use this moment as sort of a turning point, a reflection back to appreciate everything that's come.
spk_0
But not a only reflection back. It should be a inspiration for the future as well.
spk_0
For our young professionals coming out of training and starting their careers, how do we inspire them for the next stage of the 50 years of Asur coming forward?
spk_0
We're not going anywhere. Let's make sure this organization is strong, vibrant, and full of content.
spk_0
So I think that's what we were talking about at the board meeting.
spk_0
We really want to look forward as well as back.
spk_0
Ryan is the future.
spk_0
So Ryan D'Souza is one of our really active enthusiastic members.
spk_0
Ryan does a wonderful thing. He brings a lot of chronic pain into our acute pain world.
spk_0
And so he gets to straddle a lot of these lines.
spk_0
He's also one of our younger professionals at Mayo Clinic.
spk_0
He's talking to people across organizations. He's talking to people on social media.
spk_0
He's reaching out to trying to figure out where the next stages of this organization are.
spk_0
Ryan, you want to talk a little bit about sort of how this meeting kind of sets us up for that future.
spk_0
Yeah, but thank you. Thank you, LotRudge.
spk_0
I would say, you know, I would like to echo what you just said about Asurus' future and kind of its past, the relevance past.
spk_0
I think Asurus, I consider Asur to be the premier Gold standard society.
spk_0
I think Asurus is very well positioned currently and moving forward.
spk_0
I think one of the biggest strength of Asurus is its collaboration with regional anesthesiologists and chronic pain.
spk_0
But also taking it the next step.
spk_0
If you look at a lot of the collaborations and efforts that have been conducted within Asurus,
spk_0
they include a lot of other specialties that are outside the scope of anesthesia.
spk_0
And so we're talking about physical medicine rehabilitation specialist.
spk_0
We're looking into neurosurgery.
spk_0
So I think that's what really sets Asurus apart from a lot of societies.
spk_0
It's its multidisciplinary collaboration.
spk_0
And then also across, you know, different types of occupations.
spk_0
So not only physicians, but looking into nurses and advanced practice providers and everything.
spk_0
So I think it's a very inclusive society.
spk_0
And so I think, you know, to answer your question directly, I think Asurus is very well positioned, kind of moving forward.
spk_0
And I think, you know, even though they have separate meetings and you know, spring devoted to acute and followed devoted to chronic.
spk_0
I'm very excited to be part of the acute pain meeting.
spk_0
And I've seen even when I attended the fall meeting, there was a lot of regional anesthesiology talks as there as well.
spk_0
And so I think that's a very, it's a big strength of Asurus, kind of moving forward.
spk_0
And again, just to kind of reiterate what you said that it's very well positioned for the future.
spk_0
One of the things Ryan that we had discussed over email was talking about the importance of guidelines.
spk_0
And one of the, Asura really leans into the importance of guidelines in medicine to provide the clinicians the tools to kind of practice the best care that we know how to.
spk_0
And then refreshing those periodically. You want to talk a little bit about the importance of guidelines?
spk_0
Yeah, absolutely.
spk_0
As you just stated, guidelines, especially those by creative experts, that's evidence based and non biased, I think, go a long way.
spk_0
I would say Asura has always been kind of the forefront of guidelines.
spk_0
We kind of live in an age right now. I can say, especially for chronic pain. Sometimes there's an excess of guidelines.
spk_0
But asking important questions where there are unmet needs or there are gaps in the evidence. I think are very crucial.
spk_0
And so I think Asur is in an excellent job, especially recently, you know, the first infection control guidelines were recently published.
spk_0
Anti-coagulation guidelines, the next iteration version was recently published.
spk_0
And one of the things that sets Asura apart in their conferences is they always kind of have these sessions devoted towards guidelines.
spk_0
And it's a great opportunity to meet the experts directly.
spk_0
Get to ask, you know, kind of pick their brains in terms of where the thought process occurred.
spk_0
And then, you know, hardly kind of alluded to this earlier, there's, you know, there's a little bit of debates between the infection control guidelines and stuff.
spk_0
So I'm looking forward to that, especially, get to pick the brains of the experts and kind of get a glimpse into it.
spk_0
But kind of going back to, you know, what I was saying earlier, there's an excess of guidelines.
spk_0
Sometimes I think Asur chooses the right guideline at the right time.
spk_0
And then also I think Asur has always been in the forefront of leading multi-society guidelines.
spk_0
So oftentimes Asur will involve other societies and, you know, that improves cross collaboration.
spk_0
And then, you know, helps deliver the message a little bit more strongly when it's kind of when it's kind of coherent and conducted together amongst all societies.
spk_0
Yeah, we have this pain collaborative that's really building upon that multi-society effort to make sure that when we send a message out to clinicians, they can have confidence that it's coming from a vast array of experts, not just one society that may have a vested interest in a perspective, but rather the whole gambit of the profession so that they can have confidence when they follow those guidelines.
spk_0
You mentioned something really important was the ongoing debate about guidelines.
spk_0
People think that guidelines are fixed entities. They're not. They're living documents, right? These are refreshed periodically because they are living documents.
spk_0
And they are debated. And the people that are writing those guidelines have to make a decision, have to make a statement as best as they are able to give people some path forward.
spk_0
But those evolve as new literature comes out, new science comes out, new debate occurs.
spk_0
The next iteration of those guidelines may adapt and accommodate for those new conversations.
spk_0
And I know personally the anti-coagulation guideline, which is on its fifth version for regionally anesthesia, has a lot of adaptations that have come from the debate from the between the fourth guideline and the fifth guideline.
spk_0
So that has taken that into account, along with a lot of new medications and other things that we're taking into account.
spk_0
A little side plug before I move on to the next topic here. For those of you who may have noticed, the Asura Coag zap disappeared from the app store.
spk_0
That was intentional because it had old information. We redesigned the entire app.
spk_0
There's a whole new code, a whole new app. I've been working on it for over a year now.
spk_0
In some iteration in the last few months, we've been kind of running on full steam trying to get it to work.
spk_0
There are some glitches that have slowed down the publication. We wanted to publish it at the same time that the new regionally anesthesia guidelines came out. It didn't happen.
spk_0
And so we're trying to get it out before this spring meeting. We're on the last, last literal, you know, two lines of code trying to make this work.
spk_0
But it incorporates all the new guidance from the regionally anesthesia fifth edition. Still has the second edition of the chronic pain interventional guidelines.
spk_0
A new look, a new feel, Android iOS compatible. I think you guys will appreciate the new version. Just look out for it. Share the message. There's a lot of people that use this.
spk_0
So that is coming out. Hopefully by the spring meeting, but we will be talking about the new guidelines at the spring meeting as well.
spk_0
The show before we kind of wrap this up, I want to make sure there's so many things we could talk about about the meeting. I do want to highlight. Is there or actually I was going to jump to Sarah first.
spk_0
I know there was one other topic. I want to talk to Sarah about the ask me anything workshops.
spk_0
You email me about this. So this is a new type and style of workshops. Sarah, you want to talk a little bit about what this is.
spk_0
What the thought process is behind it and why people should sign up because it's probably one of the most valuable workshops they could attend.
spk_0
Well, sure. First I completely agree. I think they may be overlooked because maybe people don't know what they are.
spk_0
But it's not every day that you get face to face with experts. Obviously you do have that in any workshop. Like it's in small groups. You do have a different kind of interaction.
spk_0
But this is different. This is not a workshop that you go. It's just need just chest or whatever, which is obviously great. But then you want to do them all and you can't choose.
spk_0
And this kind of workshop allows you to just go there and ask anything. So it's really on demand with the experts that write the articles, lead the research and speak on the big stage.
spk_0
You get to be on a very close environment like in any workshop, but you can ask them anything. Obviously original or focus related.
spk_0
But it's just such a unique opportunity that you can go and ask for something specific that you would like to learn.
spk_0
Or if you really want to learn two or three things that are completely not unrelated that you cannot learn on another workshop that is specific for something, you can go there and just ask whatever.
spk_0
And the other people are also asking random things. So it's such a variety of knowledge that you can achieve in a short period of time.
spk_0
So I think they are priceless. I think this is like a very hidden germ in the program that maybe people don't know about.
spk_0
And it's usually the kind one of my favorite kind of workshops. Just go there and ask whatever random things that I'm thinking and you get the opportunity to learn so much.
spk_0
So if you by any chance still have any free time on your calendar, these are really workshops that you can't miss. You can just go there and learn whatever you want to learn in that moment. And that's very unique.
spk_0
There's a lot of people that feel like there's like a little hurdle that they've tried something they've read about it. They actually went to a workshop.
spk_0
But there's one little hurdle that they can't figure out. There's one thing about a block or technique or you know that they've just been frustrated with it and it keeps them from kind of going full bore and using a technique in their practice.
spk_0
And a routine workshop sometimes doesn't give you the chance, the flexibility because you got five people trying to learn and scan the same thing.
spk_0
It doesn't help you with that unique problem that you have. So I encourage you to go to these because this is the opportunity you have one on not one on one, but in close relationship with these faculty to ask those unique questions.
spk_0
Here's the funny thing. There's a lot of people I've learned that are embarrassed to ask these questions. But what comes out when we do these sessions is everybody at the session had the same question.
spk_0
There's nobody wanted to ask it. And so the learning you get not only from your question, but what other people ask.
spk_0
Those are often the little things that nobody really puts into their slides. They know they don't put into a routine teaching, but that's the significant little piece of information you needed to get from here to there.
spk_0
I feel like I still have a couple of little hurdles when I'm doing gastric ultrasound. I've got like 90% of the technique right. But I feel like if I could just put a hurry in a corner and say, this is where I keep struggling.
spk_0
I would get it. I would have it and I would nail it every time. But it just feels like there's a little 5% or so. So these are the kinds of workshops that you should sign up for. And I really think we'll make a big difference for you.
spk_0
I have to agree that the the the the ASDAx part workshop is probably the my most favorite one. And also because the faculty which we actually allocate to these workshop are the faculties which are the best faculty which can teach you.
spk_0
Anything. So so those are the best faculty. And on top of that, we also I just wanted to make a point about a newer workshop. We have this year we added a workshop on transplant, regional anesthesia, the new block, newer blocks like you I block coming, which people want to learn.
spk_0
But in general, even the blocks which you do sometimes you go to these workshops and you learn slightly different way of doing it. Just as gackly what you were saying, you know, I will struggle with this part and and people tell you, oh, do it this way. And it works.
spk_0
And does work. So that those are priceless. You know, those tips you can get anywhere else.
spk_0
Yeah, I remember someone taught me years ago, I was struggling doing pop a till sciatic nerve blocks early in my career. And someone goes, oh, if you just tilt it five degrees this way.
spk_0
I was like, well, there's the nerve. It's there every time I just was tilting five degrees wrong. That's all it took. And again, it's not in the textbook exactly like that. It's not as always obvious.
spk_0
One other thing I did want to talk about Ryan, this is you're probably a great person to speak to about this is about the program directors meet and greet.
spk_0
One of the really important components of our organization is our residents and fellows. And and the interaction that the program directors have with our aspiring fellows is really important both on the regional side and the chronic pain side.
spk_0
We're in a world right now where a lot of people aren't going into fellowships, but I have a suspicion that's going to change very soon. And these fellowships are going to get really competitive again in the next year or two.
spk_0
So talk to me a little bit about what that opportunity is. Why it's so important and how people can get involved with it.
spk_0
Absolutely. Yeah. So to your point, the job market is always fluctuating. I agree with you. I think fellowships are definitely going to get competitive again.
spk_0
And more and more interests than be built on it. I would say the fellow program director meet and greet is probably my favorite event. And it kind of is very nostalgic because it dates all the way back to when I was a resident and I would kind of go in there and try to network and try to potentially increase my chances for fellowship.
spk_0
And it's a good way to kind of pick on some of the leaders in our field, some of their brains and try to see what they're looking for in applicants. But really again, going back to the common theme that all of us have made. Sarah's mentioned this. Vishal has mentioned this.
spk_0
And you mentioned this. That the theme of the meeting, you know, it's really one of the biggest goals is to network and kind of build those connections.
spk_0
And so that that again, I think it's a very good opportunity. It's very, it's supposed to be a social event and it's supposed to, you know, you can get all your questions addressed there in a more informal setting with some of the leaders in our field.
spk_0
And again, I mentioned kind of nostalgia dating back all the way to when I was a resident.
spk_0
So I don't know if Sarah also could kind of allude to that as well. But I would say it's it was definitely a very it's a very touching personal like moment to be able to participate in that.
spk_0
I'm glad that they have it both for regional and and chronic pain. And it's again, it's a very good event to attend.
spk_0
Yeah, and Sarah, go ahead.
spk_0
Sorry. Yeah, no, I was just going to agree with Ryan that it's all I made a weird position because I came from abroad. But again, my my entire US based career was made in these events, including the meeting grid from address and Diego, which was crucial for me.
spk_0
And it's just so worth it because you never know who you're going to meet. And sometimes you meet people that you've been talking with on social media or you have interviews with on zoom and you can actually meet them live.
spk_0
And it's it's just different, you know, online world is great. And obviously I I think that as a social media person, but there's nothing like face to face and really know and get to know everyone and make meaningful connections.
spk_0
And you make it's not just professional connections. You make friends and you just keep going to the meetings year after year and you get closer to people. And it's just it's just amazing. And it's definitely the best part, not just that not just that event, but all the social part of the conferences specifically as spring is just it's just the best part.
spk_0
The lectures are great, but the net's right energy.
spk_0
It's priceless. Yeah, it's high energy. I always say that it's like going back to summer camp, you know, you go back and see your friends at camp, you do some activities, you learn some new skills, but really you're so excited to see your friends again that keeps you and energize and reinvigorated for another year.
spk_0
Part of the reason I do this podcast is because I like talking to all of you guys. And so it gives me a chance to do it virtually, but then it's nothing quite like doing it in person.
spk_0
I do want to mention that, you know, we have a resident fellow committee actually within asra and so far up to this point, it's really been focused in the chronic pain world for the residents and fellows and chronic pain.
spk_0
But we're making an active push to make sure that the acute pain and regional residents and fellows are getting more involved in this committee.
spk_0
So you're going to see more presence and more opportunities for residents and fellows to join this committee be active in part.
spk_0
And I put a challenge out there to our regional and acute pain colleagues, trainees, the chronic pain guys are doing a great job with that committee.
spk_0
I mean, they are just having a blast. They're putting out content, they're energized, they're motivated people and I'm thoroughly impressed with the people that come out of that committee.
spk_0
I challenge our acute pain regional folks to do the same thing. We've got such a vibrant community. And I think that they don't even know that this opportunity exists to speak right to the board and tap into the resources this organization has.
spk_0
So this will be this meeting right now is going to be sort of the reinvigoration of the acute pain and regional resident and fellow committee.
spk_0
I want to see more of you guys get involved in that committee.
spk_0
Vishal, you know, we've been talking for about a half hour. I think we could probably talk for two hours about the meeting.
spk_0
I don't think we could talk for three days because that would be actually the whole meeting. But, but I want to give you a sort of a final word on what people should be excited about.
spk_0
About this meeting, what they should sign up for. And again, you know, all the wonderful things that you guys put together.
spk_0
That's that's a really hard question actually. There is so much in this meeting. You know, everything is worth signing up for.
spk_0
Starting from 50th anniversary celebration, the program, the workshops, VBLDs. And not to mention all these poster sessions and exhibition.
spk_0
Like we have one of the most enthusiastic response from the sponsor. So you'll see some of those most innovative newer techniques and equipment, which are being shown by some of the exhibitors there.
spk_0
So, and they are coming all the way so that you can experience their newer technology and will have lots and lots of poster session, where you can actually participate.
spk_0
We had a record number of submission and not to forget the flash mob, which always happens at the meetings. You know, we might have more than one this time.
spk_0
Yeah, I think that's becoming a little theme for our meetings now is the flash mob thing. But, you know, you mentioned something really important.
spk_0
Your theme for the meeting is safety, efficacy and innovation. The innovation parts are really important. This is always, innovation is always partnered with industry and academics.
spk_0
And we don't shy away from that relationship. You know, we obviously have our exhibit hall where people can see things. But we have posters that are done from our industry partners with academic collaboration.
spk_0
We present posters. We allow that to be presented. Some people think that as we're shy away from industry, we don't. We actually try to elevate the work that they're doing.
spk_0
If it's done in a scientific method, we don't really care that it's coming from industry or academics. And we actually are going to have a special session where our industry partners is a non-CME event.
spk_0
Our industry partners can actually tell you the story about their products, tell you the story about what the purpose of that innovation and that, that new product, that new technique, the new pharmaceutical, the new thing that they're bringing to market.
spk_0
Where that came from, what's purpose? When we did it at the fall meeting, that was a standing room only session. I mean, there was so many people at the fall meeting at this industry session that they were, we had to keep the doors open because people were sticking out into the hallways.
spk_0
So I encourage you to go pay attention to the details of the program. There's so many wonderful opportunities from lectures, workshops, PBLDs, posters, exhibit hall, innovation sessions, social events. Again, on and on and on. This is why it takes three years to plan this thing. There's so much packed into this meeting.
spk_0
But, shall I give you the final word and then we'll wrap up here.
spk_0
Oh, I guess the final word is he's going to get a phone.
spk_0
Oh, my God, he's falling.
spk_0
That's, that's, that's that, that is going to be the final word here pretty soon.
spk_0
I know she will be joining us as well. So as I said to you, the final word is just don't come alone, come with your families and let, make them a part of this, this 50th anniversary event.
spk_0
And let them enjoy the facilities as well. It's going to be something which you can remember as families, not just as individual, not just with the azura family, but your own family as well.
spk_0
Thank you so much. Vishal, Ryan, Sarah, Hari, who I know is deep into an operation right now.
spk_0
But I want to thank you guys all for coming and talking about this. For putting this meeting together, we're really excited about it.
spk_0
For those of you listening, come say hi to us. We're all going to be at the meeting. Find us in a hallway, find us in an exhibit hall, anywhere you want to come say hi to us. That, that makes our day.
spk_0
That's the part that we enjoy the most. So come say hi to us. Can't wait to see you at this meeting. Go to azura.com and here's the backslash. I'm going to show you one more time.
spk_0
azura.com slash r a p m to find all the details about the meeting. Can't wait to see you there. Share the hashtags.
spk_0
And with that, we will wrap up. Thank you guys. Thanks for being here.
spk_0
.