Lifelong learning — A core Academy value
From the President
Dr. Kaufmann served as Academy president from March 2022 to March 2023.
By Mark Kaufmann, MD, FAAD, June 1, 2022
All the programs and initiatives that are undertaken by the AAD on behalf of its members, their patients, and the public are guided by its core values. One of our core values, "lifelong learning," is no better represented than at the AAD’s Annual Meeting. This year we held our first in-person meeting since 2019, and while the world is still not “back to normal,” I cannot reflect on this year’s event without feeling a great sense of pride in the accomplishments of our Academy and our specialty.
More than 15,000 people joined us in Boston to take in the Academy’s rich and varied offerings, including more than 7,500 medical personnel, more than 3,000 members, and more than 2,000 resident medical fellows — many of whom were experiencing their very first AAD Meeting.
Even for those of us who have attended countless AAD meetings, the Annual Meeting never ceases to amaze. This year, we had more than 1,000 expert speakers lined up to cover more than 300 sessions. Our councils, committees, and task forces met in-person — the first time in years for some of them! We had a thriving Exhibit Hall full of energy and innovation. And we caught up with friends and colleagues — many of whom we haven’t seen in years.
The Annual Meeting is really the Academy’s flagship educational offering, yet we have so much more to offer. When we couldn’t meet in person in 2020 and 2021, your Academy staff stepped up and launched its first-ever Virtual Meeting Experience (AAD VMX). Back by popular demand, last month, the Academy kicked off the latest iteration of AAD VMX, with more than 100 hours of on-demand sessions covering the scope of dermatology. Based on feedback from prior years, instead of a weekend-long event, we’re holding multiple one-hour Q&As with speakers every month through November, providing more flexibility for you and your practice.
Can’t get enough of the in-person meeting experience? This year, the Academy is also launching the AAD Innovation Academy — which will replace the Summer Academy Meeting. The meeting will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, on July 21-24, and will offer sessions designed to inspire innovation, build your business, and advance the way you practice.
2022 AAD Innovation Academy
Register for the AAD Innovation Academy at staging.aad.org/ia22.
Can’t make it to Canada, but need to fulfill your CME requirements? Your Academy just launched the new AAD Learning Center at learning.aad.org. Bookmark this page so you can get easy access to Question of the Week, JAAD quizzes, Dialogues in Dermatology, and other courses.
As I think back on the Annual Meeting in particular, and the AAD’s educational offerings in general, I can’t help but feel a great sense of pride in our specialty’s ability to be flexible and adapt with the changing times — all in the name of achieving our core value of lifelong learning. I hope you all continue to utilize the vast network of educational resources that the Academy has to offer, and I look forward to seeing you in Vancouver for the 2022 AAD Innovation Academy!
