By Dr. Matthew Benjamin
October brings us a month closer to the high point of the radiology year: the annual pilgrimage to McCormick Place in Chicago for the 86th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, Nov. 26 to Dec.1.
In case you first-year residents haven't heard, there are two major radiology conferences each year. The other, the American Roentgen Ray Society, meets in the spring at various locations, with the next two meetings in Seattle and Atlanta.
The RSNA conference, the larger of the two meetings, always falls the week after Thanksgiving and has been held at McCormick Place in Chicago for the last several years.
Those who are still uninitiated in the ways of RSNA should understand the importance of early planning. Given that more than 60,000 people attend each year, flights fill up quickly and hotel rooms sell out. The best way to get started is to visit the RSNA's Web site, where you can register for free. The RSNA negotiates rates with several hotels in Chicago, and you can reserve a room directly through the RSNA Web site. Often people share rooms.
Some like staying close to McCormick Place, but it's located several miles south of the Loop, where the city's best restaurants, shopping, and nightlife are found. But transportation is fairly easy wherever you stay. RSNA provides free shuttle buses to and from McCormick throughout the day to drop you off in front of your hotel, or one near it.
After reserving a hotel room and a flight, you should also sign up for the refresher courses. These are several lecture series that run through the week of the meeting (one per day) in various areas of radiology, such as MR, gastrointestinal, and pediatric radiology, as well as related subjects such as PACS and health policy. The lectures are good reviews of general radiology.
You don’t have to attend all of the lectures, and you can mix and match the ones you find most interesting. However, you need a ticket to get into the lectures, and many of the tickets are reserved before the start of the conference week. So it's worth taking the time to sign up for them now on the Web site.
Once you have these details in place, you’re ready for your assault on McCormick Place. I use the word "assault" because you just can't visit the RSNA conference. You must go with a plan of attack.
First, know the terrain. The McCormick Place complex is an amazing structure: large and impressive. There are three main buildings, the north and south buildings, and Lakeside Center. Each has innumerable lecture halls -- some of which are immense, some of which are huge, and some of which are just big.
The north and south buildings each house an enormous exhibit floor where radiology vendors display their new CT scanners, MR units, PACS software, and other products. You can also learn about various biopsy needles and catheters, order your own lead apron, and review and purchase books. There are so many displays that visiting all of them could actually occupy your whole week.
There are two other major competitors for your time: the scientific sessions, where study abstracts are presented, and the educational exhibits.
The scientific sessions run throughout the week in various disciplines in radiology. Although these can be extremely interesting, they are often too focused for the typical resident unless you have a specific research interest. The educational exhibits are typically posters that are on display all week in Lakeside Center. Many provide good overviews of particular subjects.
As you might imagine, it's easy to get lost in the radiology overload. Dr. Theresa McLoud, program director of the residency at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, recommends the film-reading panel (also called the image interpretation session), a highlight of the meeting that takes place on Sunday afternoon.
After you've spent your first day at McCormick Place and are totally mesmerized by the RSNA experience, you are ready to go out, have a little fun, and see the city of Chicago.
The RSNA organizes several events that are open to everyone -- including guests, if you care to bring your significant other to Chicago. Other events are held by various vendors, radiology groups, etc. Many of these require an invitation, but often if you know or meet the right people, this is not a problem. The RSNA is a great place to see old friends and make new connections. Despite the size of the meeting, it’s easy to keep in touch with people using the RSNA email system.
Finally, make sure you're well rested before you leave for Chicago. The RSNA may give you a week off from the daily grind of residency, but it's no vacation. However, if you plan right, stay focused, and seize your opportunities, it will be better than any vacation -- at least any vacation you can afford on a resident’s salary. It could be the highlight of your entire four years of radiology training.
About the author
Matthew Benjamin is a fourth year resident in radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
October 2, 2000
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