The Voice of the Hematologist – Results of the 2006 ASH™ Annual Meeting Survey
Andrew Schafer, MD
Dr. Schafer is the President of ASH.
The extent of the extraordinary range of clinical and research interests encompassed by our Society was brought into clear focus with the results of the 2006 annual meeting survey. These results gave the ASH leadership the opportunity to hear the "voice" of ASH meeting attendees, which is invaluable in charting the future of the Society.
After the 2006 meeting, as in 2002, the Society conducted a survey to better understand who attendees are, their level of satisfaction with the meeting, potential areas of improvement, and the directions attendees would like to see the Society take in future meetings. Their responses offer some insight into the wide-ranging clinical and scientific interests of ASH members and reveal a dynamically shifting portrait of the Society as a whole.
One of the most striking results was the breadth of clinical and research interests expressed by meeting attendees. On the clinical side, leukemia, lymphoma, and myelodysplastic syndromes comprised the top three interests (51, 42, and 37 percent of respondents, respectively). However, no individual category claimed the interest of more than a bare majority of respondents, further underscoring the great variety of clinical hematology interests.
The majority of researchers (52 percent) likewise focused on various scientific aspects of hematologic malignancies. Again, however, the data show that no interest carried a clear majority, and hemostasis (19 percent), hematopoiesis (18 percent), and transplantation (17 percent) garnered the largest numbers. There is also emerging interest in health services and outcomes research related to hematology.
Meeting attendees hailed from diverse locations. While 61 percent came from the United States, the remaining 39 percent traveled from around the world to attend. Of the latter, the majority were from Europe, but many came from Asia, Canada, and elsewhere. In contrast, visitors from abroad made up only 27 percent of attendees in 2004. The growing number of international attendees reflects ASH’s increasing global impact, with over 90 countries worldwide represented by its membership.
In terms of the meeting itself, three out of four attendees had attended at least one meeting prior to 2006. In fact, most are meeting veterans with the average 2006 attendee participating in more than two prior annual meetings. The primary reason that most attended the 2006 meeting was for their own information/education (86 percent), although about two-thirds (65 percent) also cited the sense of community, with opportunities to interact with colleagues and make new contacts.
Interestingly, when asked about the balance between basic science and clinical sessions, over half of the respondents indicated that it was "just right"; 21 percent said they preferred more clinical sessions, and the same number (21 percent) preferred more science. Seventy-eight percent of respondents indicated that they are likely to attend the meeting again in 2007. Although the overall satisfaction of the meeting is high (91 percent), ASH is always striving to improve the meeting and to stay ahead of the latest advances in the science and practice of hematology. This attendee feedback is an essential step towards achieving that goal.
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2008 ASH™ Scholar Awards Deadline
The application process for the 2008 Scholar Awards has begun. The letter-of-intent deadline is May 3, and the application deadline is August 30. Applications are only available to those who successfully submit a letter of intent and are confirmed to be eligible.
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Letter-of-Intent Deadline Approaching for EHA-ASH™ International Fellowship Award
The American Society of Hematology and European Hematology Association's EHA-ASH International Fellowship Award will enable hematologists from North America and Europe to conduct research in another country. The intent of the program is to give both clinical and laboratory-based researchers an opportunity to establish new collaborations and experience research in a different environment. This program will benefit not only the individual participants, but also each host institution, with the ultimate goal of building stronger ties between the North American and European scientific communities.
A letter of intent must be submitted in English by September 4, 2007, in order to be eligible to submit a full award application by the October 12 deadline.
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ASH™ Mentor Awards Deadline is May 4
Mentorship, although known as one of the most important determinants of a successful career, often goes unrecognized. ASH honors this important aspect of career development with the ASH Mentor Awards. These awards are based on the training experiences and successes of the mentees, not the mentor’s personal career achievements. In 2006, the first ASH Mentor Awards were given to Samuel E. Lux IV, MD, for clinical investigation and to Deane F. Mosher, MD, for basic science.
May 4 is the deadline to nominate a mentor for these prestigious awards.
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Highlights of ASH™ DVDs
Did you miss the Highlights of ASH meeting in February? If you would like to see the presentations from the meeting and review the workbook, you can now purchase the Highlights of ASH DVD online. The DVD includes all nine sessions and four panel discussions, as well as the program and workbook.
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