ASCO update

So, you were at ASCO I assume? Because I can't imagine there were any more oncologists in this world than the tens of thousands who were at McCormick Place this weekend! (Of course I am kidding, but the overwhelming size and growth of ASCO's annual meeting always astounds me). ASCO makes the American Geriatrics Society meeting feel downright cozy.

In any case, I had a poster presentation and poster discussion on Friday at the Patient and Survivor Care session (oh, wait, I already told you that). It was awesome. No, wait, I meant to say IT WAS AWESOME. Previously, I would stand by my poster in a cavernously large room, with me and 10,000 of my closest friends, patiently waiting for someone—anyone—to come by and talk to me about my work. I have wondered in the past if I inadvertently had sprayed my poster with people repellant? Ho hum. This year it was so different. I was in a small room with only 20 other posters, and the people who came were informed in my area of work, and asked important, provoking questions. I made some good connections with people doing similar work, as well. I still get star struck when nationally recognized oncologists come by and compliment me on my work (They are celebrities to me. But, in full disclosure, I also consider local newscasters to be celebrities, so perhaps my bar is set too low). It was great, and renewed the fire in my belly to keep working on my research ... timely since I have four (FOUR!) grants going in this fall. Eeep.

In other related news, this is the first year that I purchased the Virtual Meeting access along with my meeting attendance. And, you know, I really like it. I have been able to watch sessions that occurred while I was at other meetings in person. And you can reference talks where you wanted to review the slides again. I am beginning to understand that there are many ways you can get the information from ASCO beyond attending the meeting, and that the larger and more important purpose of ASCO's annual meeting for me is for networking and research concept generation. The thing I still struggle with is being away from my family for five days so I can attend the meeting, but that is a topic for another blog post.