This year’s meeting is just packed!
First, I’m exciting to represent the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill! I left UCLA in June to join the faculty here at UNC, but haven’t been active very long because my husband and I welcomed a baby girl in August. She’s seven weeks old now, and it is very hard to be away. But, I do love Washington DC, and am grateful to multi-task while I’m here – seeing my brother and his wife (with a baby due very soon) as well as some lifelong friends.
On Saturday, my research partner Anahat Dhillon will give an oral presentation for our work surveying anesthesiologists in the United States about critical events and the psychological impact of caring for patients during such an event. On Sunday, I’ll be attending the American Society of Anesthesiologists Patient Safety Committee meeting. This is my first year as a member on this national committee (there is a rigorous nomination and approval process) and I’m very excited to be involved. Also, I’ll be teaching a SIM LIVE! workshop, intended as a preview for anesthesiologists who will be taking the new simulation component for Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology (MOCA). We’ll do some simulation drills, and touch on Crisis Resource Management and nontechnical skills. On Tuesday, I’ll present my Refresher Course Lecture “Cognitive Errors in Anesthesiology: Making Mistakes Though You ‘Know Better'” and my research team has three abstracts for poster presentation. Very busy!
I love the ASA meeting because there are always great social and networking events in addition to the educational sessions. I plan to make it to the UNC reception to meet new faces, as well as the MGH reception to reconnect with faculty who trained me, and the residents who were like to family to me. Then, I plan to hurry home to my baby, my toddler, and my husband (who is holding it all together for me)!