AHA Programming – The Early Career Voice

Attending AHA Scientific Sessions is one of the highlights of my year. I was looking forward to visiting Dallas and seeing old and new friends, along with presenting the research projects that I am excited about. Of course, it is difficult to replicate the in-person networking and interactions with friends, colleagues, and collaborators with virtual conferences, but there are many ways to try to improve your experience during AHA20. Dr. Elizabeth Knight (@TheKnightNurse) wrote a great blog about tips for attending virtual meetings.

With a conference the size of AHA20, it is important to find a way to stay engaged in order to maximize the benefits that you can receive from attending the meeting. Below are some suggestions to help you try to stay engaged throughout AHA20:

Follow the #AHA20 hashtag, @AHAMeetings, @AHAScience, @AHAResearch, the AHA20 Virtual CoPilots, and the AHA Social Media Ambassadors (you can find this list at @AHAMeetings and with the hashtag #AHAEarlyCareerBlogger) on Twitter.
Engage and discuss your experience at AHA20 with others. Tweet about the sessions that you are attending and the highlights of the findings. Tag your colleagues, mentors, #AHA20, @AHAMeetings, and some of the Social Media Ambassadors. Also, find some other people (e.g., colleagues in your lab or department) to have more in-depth talks about some of the exciting research you saw.
There is a plethora of great research and science presented during many on-demand sessions. Make a list of all of the programs you want to watch. You can use the AHA Scientific Sessions Online Program Planner (https://professional.heart.org/en/meetings/scientific-sessions/programming) or AHA Conferences mobile app (that can be downloaded through the Apple App Store or Google Play) to mark the sessions that you are interested in. Try to watch some of these sessions over Scientific Sessions and set aside some time the rest of the year to watch the other sessions that you are interested in. You can access the on-demand content until January 4, 2021.
Try to attend all of the live sessions that you are interested in, especially sessions in the FIT/Early Career Lounge and the Interactive Zoom Events. Here are some (but not a comprehensive list of) potential events that may be valuable for early career trainees:

On Friday 11/13:

Women and Leadership: Going from Good to Great (WPD.03) – Fri 11/13 from 10:30-11:30am CST
Racism in Medicine: What Medical Centers & Training Programs Can Do To Be Antiracist (FIT.01) – Fri 11/13 from 12-1pm CST
Prioritizing Self and Wellness During Cardiovascular Training (FIT.05) – Fri 11/13 from 5-5:50pm CST
CVSN (Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing) Research Mentoring Committee Mingle with the Mentors (WPD.05) – Fri 11/13 from 5-6pm CST
Imposter Syndrome – Our Stories (WPD.06) – Fri 11/13 from 5-6pm CST
Young Hearts Early Career Mentoring Roundtable Discussions (ECE.02) – Fri 11/13 from 6-7pm CST
Matching into Cardiology Fellowship: The Inside Scoop From Program Directors & AHA FITs (FIT.06) – Fri 11/13 from 6-7pm CST
Women in Cardiology Meet Up (WPD.07) – Fri 11/13 from 6-7pm CST

On Saturday 11/14:

Cardiovascular Imaging Early Career Roundtable (IM.EC.678) – Sat 11/14 from 5-6pm CST
My First Grant Funding Breakthrough – Tips and Tricks for Early Career Researchers (ECE.03) – Sat 11/14 from 5-5:50pm CST
Fireside Chat: What You Need to Know for a Career in Sports Cardiology (FIT.07) – Sat 11/14 from 5-5:50pm CST
Happy Hour with Distinguished Scientists (HQ.07) – Sat 11/14 from 5-6pm CST
ReSS Young Investigator Networking Event (ReSS.07)– Sat 11/14 from 5-7pm CST
Who’s the perfect mentee? (ECE.04) – Sat 11/14, 6-7pm CST
Fireside Chat: What You Need to Know for a Career in Heart Failure (FIT.08) – Sat 11/14 from 6-7pm CST

On Sunday 11/15:

Speed Mentoring: Meet the Experts in Pulmonary Vascular Disease (PH.EC.694) – Sun 11/15 from 10:30-11:30am CST
How I Did This: Lessons Learned in Developing a Career in Cardiometabolic Health (CM.EC.668) – Sun 11/15 from 12-1pm CST
Tips to Residency Interview Webinar (ECE.05) – Sun 11/15 from 5-5:50pm CST
PVD Council Virtual Networking Session (ECE.06) – Sun 11/15 from 6-7pm CST
Fireside Chat: What You Need to Know for a Career in Interventional (FIT.10) – Sun 11/15 from 6-7pm CST

On Monday 11/16:

Surviving and Thriving in the Early Career Lessons Learned? – Live Zoom Discussion (ECE.07) – Mon 11/16 from 5-5:50pm CST
Fireside Chat: What You Need to Know for a Career in Imaging (FIT.11) – Mon 11/16 from 5-5:50pm CST
Happy Hour with Distinguished Scientists (HQ.09) – Mon 11/16 from 5-6pm CST
Navigating Academic Paths for Women and Minorities Roundtable – ATVB Women’s Leadership Committee (WPD.09) – Mon 11/16 from 5-6pm CST
BCVS Early Career Social Networking (ECE.08) – Mon 11/16 from 6-7pm CST
Fireside Chat: What You Need to Know for a Career in Critical Care (FIT.12) – Mon 11/16 from 6-7pm CST

On Tuesday 11/17:

Developing a Career in Cardiovascular Omics (ECE.09) – Tue 11/17 from 5-5:50pm CST
Fireside Chat: What You Need to Know for a Career in Pediatric Cardiology (FIT.13) – Tue 11/17 from 5-5:50pm CST
Professional & Personal Self-Care (WPD.11) – Tue 11/17 from 5:30-6:30pm CST
ATVB Council Networking Session (ECE.10) – Tue 11/17 from 6-7pm CST
Fireside Chat: What You Need to Know for a Career in Preventive Cardiology(FIT.14) – Tue 11/17 from 6-7pm CST

Looking forward to connecting with you during AHA20!

“The views, opinions and positions expressed within this blog are those of the author(s) alone and do not represent those of the American Heart Association. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The copyright of this content belongs to the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with them. The Early Career Voice blog is not intended to provide medical advice or treatment. Only your healthcare provider can provide that. The American Heart Association recommends that you consult your healthcare provider regarding your personal health matters. If you think you are having a heart attack, stroke or another emergency, please call 911 immediately.”