Heeding attendee requests, RSNA plans to shorten future versions of its annual meeting

The Radiological Society of North America announced Friday (Nov. 15) that it’s shortening its popular Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting in response to attendee feedback.

Starting with the 2021 iteration, RSNA plans to discontinue any educational programming on the final Friday of the agenda, instead concluding at the end of the day Thursday. At exhibitors’ requests, the society is also shortening hours for its massive show floor—covering almost 450,000 square feet—from five days down to four.

Officials said the new format “reflects the fast-paced lifestyle of busy RSNA meeting attendees.”

 

“With a record 13,419 abstract submissions for RSNA 2019, the annual meeting planning committees are dedicated to ensuring that the new schedule will continue to deliver a high-quality annual meeting experience,” the society said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the 105th version of the Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting is set to kick off on Sunday, Dec. 1, in Chicago, running through Friday, Dec. 6. The program will include more than 400 educational courses and 2,500 scientific presentations, with 50,000 attendees in tow. This year’s theme is “Seeing Possibilities Together,” with noted physician and author Abraham Verghese kicking things off Sunday with his lecture "Finding the Caring in Care."

Marty Stempniak

Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic. 

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