This year, the ACEP21 Scientific Assembly was a hybrid conference, where attendees could choose between attending the conference live in Boston or attending virtually. This hybrid model made it possible for many students to attend the conference who may have otherwise been unable to due to school obligations or travel restrictions. The following excerpts were written by some of the virtual attendees, detailing their opinions on the conference as students.

“As a newly minted second-year medical student, I was itching to learn more about clinical medicine, specifically relating to the practice of emergency medicine. ACEP21 delivered on these hopes and provided so much more. From seeing the best and latest practices of burn management or traumatic eye injuries, to finding out how to develop a career niche in emergency medicine, I found that my eyes were opened wide and my brain turned into a sponge. I was surprised to find out that the sessions I found most impactful were the ones that were more complex and nuanced. I found that sessions like “Ethical Dilemmas and Tough Decisions in the ED’’ really forced me to think and gave me a much deeper understanding of what life is like in the ED. Similarly, I found that “Unlearning Implicit Bias” and “Emotional Intelligence and Mindful Listening” helped me understand how to be a more compassionate physician. It is one thing to know differentials and best practices, and another thing entirely to be empathetic. I hope to be both, and I am happy to say that ACEP21 delivered in providing me the tools necessary to be the best possible clinician. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to join this conference, and I can’t wait to return next year.”
-Katlyn Sullivan, MS-2 at FSU College of Medicine

“My favorite part of ACEP21 was the review of literature sessions and review of treatment sessions. Specifically, the session covering all of the pediatric emergency literature for the year was very helpful because the presenter narrowed what was significant and what could be ignored. Some of the articles covered I had remembered seeing the titles for but never had the time to go through them myself. Also, the session about STEMI and NSTEMI presentations was interesting because it covered more nuance and exposed me to developing terminology more than my cardiovascular block during MS1. Overall, I felt that ACEP21 helped me reconnect to the world of emergency medicine and sparked my excitement for the upcoming clinical years.”
-Hunter Paterson, MS-2 at FSU College of Medicine

“The road to medicine is long and can easily be forgotten in day-to-day life as a medical student. ACEP helped me re-spark my love and excitement for the medical field and for emergency medicine. This was the first conference I have attended in which I knew the names of many speakers. To hear about the latest advances in emergency medicine from some of my favorite podcasters and authors was a captivating experience. Furthermore, this was the first conference I have attended in which I could correlate many of the lecture topics to material covered in my medical school coursework. While the online platform provided challenges, ACEP was very receptive to feedback from virtual attendees and made changes during the week to enhance the at-home experience. I believe this reflected very positively on their desire to provide an optimal learning experience for attendees at home and I would not hesitate to attend this conference again in the future, online or in person.”
-Analise Dilorio, MS-2 at FSU College of Medicine

“My favorite part of the ACEP21 conference was that, although I was attending virtually, I nevertheless felt part of the larger ACEP community. The dialogue which occurred during the live sessions via chat facilitated a connection to the presenters and others at the conference. I enjoyed learning more about prehospital, emergency, and disaster medicine, as well as learning from the residents in the EMRA 20 in 6 Resident Lecture Competition. Some of the most rewarding sessions for me were those involving diversity, such as “Dx: Medical Racism – What’s the Treatment?” and the EMRA Diversity and Inclusion Committee Programming, as well as wellness, such as “Dead Tired: The Impact of Fatigue on Patient Safety & Physician Wellness” and “Tools for Combating Burnout: Using Mindfulness to Your Advantage Workshop.” Thanks to the interactive and engaging sessions, I did not leave the conference with Zoom fatigue as I have in many other virtual events, but rather was eager to watch the sessions I had missed! Each session I attended was interesting and unique. As a student, it was extremely beneficial to attend the sessions virtually, as it allowed me to plan which I would attend based on my class schedule. I am thrilled to see what next year’s ACEP conference has in store.”
-Cristina Sanchez, MS-2 at FSU College of Medicine

Overall, the consensus among students seems to be gratitude for having the opportunity to attend the conference and many seem excited to see what ACEP22 will bring! ■