Beignet, done that!
AAD wraps its 2023 Annual Meeting in NOLA
The AAD can’t always predict the elements outdoors for its meetings. But the Academy effectively planned the AAD’s 2023 Annual Meeting, March 17-21, in New Orleans, with a most impressive indoor experience with more than 300 sessions (including more than 50 new titles), more than 290 speakers, and over 350 exhibitors within the ever-massive Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
The Academy’s unaudited attendance numbers show total attendance was approximately 17,373, with about 8,586 medical personnel. International medical personnel was about 2,827. More than 2,200 residents attended. For many residents, it was their first AAD Annual Meeting experience. In all, attendance surpassed AAD’s last visit to New Orleans in 2011.
Sunday plenary: Lectureships and leadership
The plenary session on Sunday, March 19, offered up an assortment of topics, issues, and education.
This year’s named lectures were John T. Schiller, PhD, who presented the Lila and Murray Gruber Memorial Cancer Research Award and Lectureship on single-dose HPV vaccines; Amy McMichael, MD, FAAD, who gave the John Kenney, Jr., MD, Lifetime Achievement Award and Lectureship about improving diversity in dermatology; Jane M. Grant-Kels, MD, FAAD, who gave the Clarence S. Livingood, MD, Award and Lectureship on the subject of ethics in dermatology; David J. Margolis, MD, PhD, FAAD, who gave the Marion B. Sulzberger, MD Memorial Award and Lectureship about overprescribing antibiotics; and Richard L. Gallo, MD, PhD, FAAD, who gave the Eugene J. Van Scott Award for Innovative Therapy of the Skin and Phillip Frost Leadership Lecture on the concept of repairing the injured skin microbiome.
Outgoing Academy President Mark D. Kaufmann, MD, FAAD, discussed his year in office and offered encouragements for the future. “I leave my role as president as I began it,” Dr. Kaufmann said, “remembering why I became a dermatologist. And remembering that we perform work that makes a tremendous difference in our patients’ lives.”
In his address, Dr. Kaufmann also talked about the successful efforts of Your Dermatologist Knows and encouraged greater involvement in AAD’s Camp Discovery. He urged members to refer a patient to Camp this summer to celebrate the program's 30th anniversary.
Mark D. Kaufmann, MD, FAAD
Incoming AAD President Terrence A. Cronin Jr., MD, FAAD, talked about the dramatic evolution of dermatology since the inception of the AAD in 1938. He used the platform as a call to action.
“We will not retreat or go it alone,” Dr. Cronin said. “There’s too much at stake — for our patients and for our specialty.”
Terrence A. Cronin Jr., MD, FAAD
Dr. Cronin said his goal over the next year is to “make sure that dermatologists around the country can continue to find the joy in seeing patients; can still make a difference to the many people and their families who are counting on us.”
More bang for your beignet (last beignet pun)
Other notable events that occurred during the 2023 AAD Annual Meeting included a DermWorld Happy Hour, Industry Non-CME (INC) Programs, Product Theaters, the President’s Gala, an AAD Career Networking Event, Resident Jeopardy, and a new social media challenge. Cause Marketing booths helped support AAD programs. The popular AAD Resource Center offered lots of assistance along with daily diversions and fun, augmented by popcorn, soft pretzels, beignets, games, giant hashtags, and hat giveaways, as well as a Your Dermatologist Knows Reception featuring our social media correspondents, DataDerm™ Drop-In Hours, and a St. Patrick’s Day Party.
If you’d like to see more of all of the above, head on over to our AAD Meeting Photo Gallery.
