#ACGME2026 for International Attendees: Bringing GME Professionals Together to Learn, Share, and Connect
Thousands of graduate medical education (GME) professionals from across the globe will once again gather for the largest event of its kind in the world: the 2026 ACGME Annual Educational Conference!
#ACGME2026, to be held February 19-21, 2026, in beautiful San Diego, California, is only five months away, so it is time to start planning!
Attending this conference is an opportunity to engage with peers from around the world, share knowledge and experiences, and learn and discuss issues of mutual importance. This multidirectional exchange of ideas is vital in building a truly global GME community for the future. Read a recap of last year’s conference from our associated organization, ACGME International (ACGME-I).
Explore how you can learn, share, and connect at the premier event for GME professionals in this overview, and start planning your trip to San Diego!
A Place for Learning
With well over a hundred unique and engaging educational sessions attended by thousands of GME specialists, there is no better place to learn about and discuss key issues affecting global GME than at #ACGME2026. The conference serves as the venue to engage with global peers on topics ranging from artificial intelligence in GME to supporting struggling leaders to global trends and how they intersect at a local level. There will also be focused educational sessions curated by staff members and leaders from ACGME Global Services and ACGME-I.
For international attendees interested in learning more about the value of accreditation, this conference is a perfect opportunity to see accreditation in action. Learn about the process, from the application to site visits, and see how accreditation has benefited other institutions, programs, faculty members, learners, and the public around the world. Attendees can meet with staff members from both ACGME Global Services and ACGME-I to discuss advisory services and/or accreditation opportunities respectively.
A Place for Sharing
The conference’s Call for Abstracts is currently open! Showcase your research or innovation by submitting an abstract to be considered for presentation. There is no better way to reach a large, captive audience of GME professionals, and to engage and interact with thousands of attendees looking for ideas. Many research collaborations have emerged from discussions that originated at poster presentations, leading to larger projects. Read more about the Call for Abstracts in this recent post.
The Call for Abstracts closes on Thursday, September 25 2025, so do not wait (click here to submit)!
A Place for Connecting
International attendees will have ample opportunity to interact and network at both formal and informal gatherings during the conference. Details on dedicated events, ranging from research-focused to social gatherings, will be announced soon.
The 2026 recipients of the ACGME International Awards, which will be announced in late September, will be celebrated at the annual Awards dinner alongside the 2026 ACGME awardees.
Start Planning Now
Although five months sounds like a long time, this is an opportune moment to begin planning your #ACGME2026 experience in earnest. We recognize that international travel can often be a major undertaking and requires advanced planning, from addressing visa matters to making the best connections to San Diego.
Check this page for more up-to-date information for international attendees.
San Diego is an exciting destination for visitors, sitting on some of the most beautiful real estate on the West Coast of the US along the Pacific Ocean, and has historically proven to be extremely popular with the GME community. Therefore, we urge you to register as soon as possible once registration opens (sign up to be notified when registration opens), and then to make your hotel arrangements expeditiously as the conference room block typically fills up quickly.
We look forward to seeing you in February at #ACGME2026! Visit the 2026 Annual Educational Conference website for the latest updates.