Nearly all professional conferences have gone virtual, including the AAMC’s own annual meeting. (We hope you have made plans to join us for Learn Serve Lead: The Virtual Experience, Nov. 16-18). While online conferences offer many conveniences over in-person experiences, attendees need to take extra steps to make the most out of the learning and networking opportunities available in a virtual format:
- Clear your calendar. Protect the time as you would if you were attending an in-person conference: set your email autoreply, block off your calendar to other appointments, silence your cell phone to disruptions.
- Prioritize networking. Connect with other participants through an online community (like this one!) and in small group breakout sessions. Attend conference-sponsored online networking events. Reach out to other attendees you know, and introduce yourself to new people you meet who share interests in the same topic.
- Familiarize yourself with the technology and tools. Adjust your own computer, headset, browser settings for optimal performance. Learn the conference platform features you will need, such as chat and Q+A features.
- Don’t passively “watch” the sessions; strive to learn and retain the content. Be an active learner by taking notes and discussing what you’ve learned with others afterward. Connect with other attendees virtually or share something interesting with colleagues who aren’t able to attend the conference.
- Take breaks! Stand up, get a snack, move around, get some fresh air. Brain breaks are necessary for learning.
- Get the most out of the sessions live, in real-time, as they happen. Session playback features are a nice benefit, especially if you want to revisit content again. But note: many people who skip live events and tell themselves they will watch the recordings later do not, in fact, make time to do that.
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Chris Tucker
Senior Director, Learning Delivery
Association of American Medical Colleges
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