Pierre Kory, MPA, MD (center) instructs his fellow, Edwin Annon, MD (right), on appropriate techniques for ultrasonography as part of the Fellows Track Symposium. The two-day course, held on Friday and Saturday, focused on cutting-edge topics in respiratory medicine. Photo by Steve Schneider
More than 125 fellows from U.S. pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine training programs attended the launch of the 2011 ATS Fellows Track Symposium (FTS), which took place on Friday and Saturday at the Hyatt Regency Denver. Sponsored by the ATS, the course was supported by generous educational grants from Underwriting Supporters Genentech and Novartis. Additional educational support was provided by Dey Pharma LP, Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc., AstraZeneca LP and SonoSite, Inc.
The symposium, which was led by course director Deborah Shure, MD, a consultant reviewer for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, focused on the Society’s three pillars—pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine—and provided attendees with a comprehensive introduction to the ATS 2011 International Conference.
To ensure that each specialty received equal attention, the ATS selected a co-chair to represent each pillar. Carolyn Welsh, MD, oversaw the pulmonary portion; Neil MacIntyre, MD, directed the critical care track; and Barbara Phillips, MD, MPH, oversaw the sleep program. On Thursday, sessions aimed at orienting fellows to the ATS conference was followed by a dinner and a keynote address from Pierre Kory, MPA, MD, director of simulation training and assistant professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, on ultrasonography techniques and their use in critical care.
The program included 18 presentations on clinical issues related to the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of pulmonary, critical care and sleep disorders, including sepsis, COPD, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and obesity, sleep and breathing.
“The FTS Symposium is a great opportunity to get a quick overview of the important topics being presented at the ATS conference,” said Prema R. Menon, MD, third-year pulmonary/critical care fellow at the University of Vermont and one of the fellows who was selected to attend the 2011 ATS FTS.
This is especially important because the conference is so large and comprehensive that it can be overwhelming, she added. “The FTS helped to alleviate this by giving fellows like me a ‘preview’ of the conference program. The two-day course was not only educational, but it gives you a sense of confidence before you attend the ATS meeting.”
Symposium participants also had the opportunity to interact with faculty speakers and other leading experts in pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine in informal settings during meals and breaks, allowing fellows to ask questions about the lectures they attended, as well as to obtain guidance and advice. In addition, FTS faculty members will continue to be available for follow-up questions throughout the conference in the Center for Fellows and Junior Professionals, which is located in room 111-113 of the Colorado Convention Center.