My Reflections on the Society of General Internal Medicine Regional Conference

As a medical doctor, it is important to stay up to date on the latest in research, quality, and policies that impact the practice of medicine and taking care of patients. It can be hard to sift through all the newsworthy articles, hundreds of emails, and take time to digest it all. Fortunately conferences provide a great way to get all of this, as well as connect with others practicing medicine.

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the Northwest Society for General Internal Medicine 2023 Regional Meeting in Seattle, Washington. This was our regions first in person meeting since 2020. Our meeting theme this year was "Meeting the Promise of Tomorrow Through Action Today." As the regional president, I gave opening remarks then let our meeting co-chairs take over. They did a phenomenal job working with our regional planning committee to put together the agenda. The conference day was a mix of activities, including inspiring and educational presentations, workshops, networking, posters on clinical cases, research and innovations, and a chance to reconnect with colleagues from across Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

Though I felt a little over involved speaking as president, giving an oral presentation on our research on breast cancer screening outreach among Veterans, and leading a workshop on Obesity Management for Primary Care Physicians, I did enjoy spending the day sharing our work. I decided for this post to include a summary of the day to give you a sense of what's important to a bunch of academic primary care doctors.

• General internists are on the front lines of healthcare, providing essential services to individuals and families in communities across our region. In our fast-paced, ever-changing world, it is important to take stock of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, and to come together to ensure that we meet the needs of our patients and each other, today and in the future.

• One critical issue that we addressed during this conference is diversity and equity in healthcare. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that healthcare is accessible and inclusive for all members of society, regardless of their race, gender, socioeconomic status, or other factors. Also, healthcare training and careers must be accessible and inclusive. Through discussions and sharing our experiences, we hope to gain a better understanding of how we can work together to create a more equitable healthcare system that meets the needs of all patients and healthcare providers.

• We heard from regional experts on the critical role of physicians as advocates, and explored ways to enhance our advocacy skills.

• We came together to discuss the importance of education and training of future doctors. As we look to the future, we must ensure that the next generation of general internists is well-prepared and well-equipped to provide high-quality care. This requires not only a strong academic foundation but also mitigating the epidemic of trainee burn out and providing opportunities for ongoing professional development, which I hope many will seek out through SGIM.

• We explored the latest research and innovations from across our region. The field of general medicine and its related subspecialties is constantly evolving, and it is important for us to stay up-to-date with the latest in medical research and quality improvement initiatives.

• Finally, the day served as a chance to reconnect with colleagues, learn, explore, and rediscover what drives each of us to practice internal medicine. By sharing ideas and collaborating, we can continue to improve patient outcomes, educational experiences, and career opportunities, and ensure that we are meeting the promise of tomorrow through action today.

And there you have it. A behind the scenes look at an academic conference for nerdy doctors. :)