You already know that the 2024 ACGME Annual Educational Conference will include outstanding educational and networking opportunities. And you’ve already heard us tout the conference as offering “so much more.” This post will share some of that “more” with you, with a brief highlight reel of events and activities that will give attendees opportunities to volunteer, relax, replenish – and even compete! More details and updates about these can be found on the Activities page on the conference website, but here’s a bit of a preview…
Conversational Badge Ribbons
Conversational ribbons will be available in the Registration area for attendees to add to their badges. Choose from a variety of identifiers that will be sure to help you strike up conversations and interact and engage with other attendees!
Evening Yoga and Meditation
Now a fixture of the Annual Educational Conference, beginner/intermediate yoga/meditation sessions will be offered on both Friday and Saturday evenings. Join other attendees outdoors to relax and stretch out after long days of learning (an indoor location is available if the weather doesn’t cooperate!) and enhance both your physical and mental well-being. Mats will be provided.
Pickleball!
Namaste not so much your style? Prefer winding down with something a bit faster paced? Team up or go solo for open court times and play pickleball during the conference! Time slots will be available throughout the conference, so be sure to pack your sneakers so you can get some fresh air and challenge your colleagues to a game! Paddles will be provided, and court sign-ups will become available when the Conference Mobile App is live closer to the event. Note this is a just-for-fun opportunity and not a tournament. No prizes will be awarded beyond your own satisfaction!
Prize Opportunities
While there’s no reward for winning a pickleball match, there are chances to win prizes through a few other avenues!
Wednesday Welcome Raffle
If you are scheduled to arrive in Orlando on Wednesday, March 6, make sure to check in and print your badge that evening so you can receive a raffle ticket for a prize drawing! Drawings will take place every 30 minutes between 5:00-7:00 p.m. for prize baskets, valued at $100.00, filled with goodies from small businesses in the Orlando area!
Golden Ticket Game
Take part in the Golden Ticket game in the #ACGME2024 Exhibit Hall! The game is all about creating connections with exhibitors and gives attendees the opportunity to win prizes! Exhibitors have a limited number of golden tickets to hand out to attendees they feel were engaged in product discussions. Once attendees earn a ticket, they’ll fill out the contact information on the back and place it in the raffle bin. Drawings will take place at the end of the day and winners will be announced on the Conference Mobile App.
Volunteer and Give Back
#ACGME2024 will feature a few opportunities to give back to the local Orlando community.
ACGME Gives Back with Second Harvest
The ACGME is excited to partner with Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida (SHFBCF), a non-profit organization that works to distribute food and grocery products to more than 625 local non-profit feeding partners throughout Central Florida. Through the help of food and financial donors, volunteers, and a caring, committed community, the food bank distributes 300,000 meals every day to a seven-county service area. Feeding neighbors facing hunger is only the beginning. By investing in job training programs, advocating for access to nutritious foods, and inspiring the community to get involved, SHFBCF is leaning into the root causes of hunger and helping its neighbors thrive. ACGME conference attendees will help put together a thousand meals on Thursday evening during the Marvin R. Dunn Welcoming Poster Reception and Exhibitor Kick-Off.
Volunteer Opportunity: ACGME Paving the Path to Medicine
The ACGME is pleased to be partnering with the Orlando Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System and University of Central Florida College of Medicine for a community-centered event at the Orlando VA on March 7, 2024 in conjunction with the 2024 ACGME Annual Educational Conference. In lieu of participating in a Full-Day Course, conference attendees can choose to volunteer to gain first-hand experience in a pathway program they can replicate at their own institution for a lasting impact on diversifying the physician workforce. In this program, entitled ACGME Paving the Path to Medicine: Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, local college students from communities underrepresented in medicine will learn about careers in medicine, chat with medical education faculty members, and participate in simulation activities. Volunteer shifts will be available from 7:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. and 12:30-5:00 p.m.
The ACGME is requesting interested conference attendees respond to an interest form by January 17, 2024. The ACGME will review interest and confirm involvement with participants. Completing the interest form does not guarantee participation.
Get Creative with the Zebra Youth Coloring Wall
Orlando’s Zebra Youth organization provides high quality, culturally appropriate programs designed to meet the unique needs of homeless and at-risk LGBTQIA+ youth, and also strives to meet the community’s needs for affordable youth housing, mental health services, proactive youth support, and community education. Attendees are invited to contribute to an interactive coloring display piece, available during all open Exhibit Hall hours throughout the conference. The completed artwork will be donated to the Zebra Youth Center after the conference!
Toast on the Terrace with ACGME Leadership
Immediately following the Closing Plenary on Saturday, March 9, join ACGME leaders and staff members, as well as colleagues for a Toast on the Terrace. Mingle and reflect on the conference, and celebrate the connections you made over the past three days. The event will include live music from a local performer!
Family Movie Night
For attendees bringing their families with them to Orlando, a family movie night will take place on Saturday, March 9 after the conclusion of the conference. We welcome families to join us for Disney’s The Little Mermaid, and a complimentary ice cream sundae bar! All children must be accompanied by a registered attendee/guardian at all times.
This is just a sampling of all that will be available at the 2024 ACGME Annual Educational conference. For more information about these and other fun and engaging opportunities, visit the conference website’s Activities page. And once it’s available, be sure to check the Conference Mobile App regularly for information about times, locations, and additional activities!
Conference registration is open! Register for the 2024 ACGME Annual Educational Conference on the conference website, and note that registration fees go up after Wednesday, December 20, 2023 – so don’t wait!