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Dear ANA members: Greetings! I hope you have enjoyed a relaxing summer and are looking forward to the lovely fall season. I have many exciting updates to share as we prepare for this busy time of year. Educational Offerings The August episode of the ANA podcast, “ANA Investigates Potential Fabrication in AD Research Images,” is now available online. This exclusive episode explores an investigative report conducted by the journal Science accusing a much-cited publication in Alzheimer’s disease of fabricating scientific images. I encourage you to learn more about this very important topic. You can access all of the podcast episodes on the MyANA website and via Apple and Spotify. On August 23 we hosted the first in a series of ANA Global Neurology Workshops to foster collaborations and bidirectional learning with our international colleagues. During my tenure as President, we will focus on four countries in Sub-Saharan Africa: Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda and Zambia. I am pleased to report that the first workshop, which included representation from the WHO and consisted of a well-rounded mix of presentations and panels, was an astounding success! Our wonderful speakers provided compelling information on topics like academic neurology and training programs in Africa, successes and lessons learned and insights from the neurology trainee experience. The next Global Neurology Workshop will be held during the Interactive Lunch Workshops at ANA2022 on Monday, October 24 from 12-1 PM CDT. All ANA2022 attendees are invited to attend! Futures Program Earlier this year the Junior and Early Career Membership (JECM) committee launched the ANA Futures Program, a longitudinal career development program geared toward medical students and residents who are interested in careers in academic neurology. Under the guidance of leading academic neurologists, participants will gain exposure to various career development topics, culminating in an in-person meeting with ANA Board Members and leaders on October 22 in Chicago at the beginning of our Annual Meeting. I’m pleased to congratulate the program participants and wish them well as they embark on this exciting professional journey! Annual Meeting Updates I’d like to share a quick update about safety precautions that we are planning for this year’s Annual Meeting. As we return to in-person gatherings, our top priority is the health and safety of our attendees. As such, we have determined that based on the current conditions, masks will be required throughout the meeting. We will continue to closely monitor the local conditions and infection rates to make a final decision closer to the onset of the meeting. Please take a moment to review our Covid policy. Our closing plenary session, Advancing Neurologic Equity: Challenges and Paths Forward, will take place on Tuesday, October 25, 2022 from 12:45 PM – 2:30 PM CDT. This important session will outline the causes and consequences of neurologic disparities, featuring speakers who will share approaches to ameliorating disparities to advance more equitable, inclusive neurologic care. Symposium Chair Roy H. Hamilton, MD, MS, FANA, Professor of Neurology and Assistant Dean for Cultural Affairs and Diversity at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine notes that, “Social determinants of health may account for as much as half of the variance with respect to health outcomes and the burden of disease. There's no reason to suspect that that doesn't include neurologic disease. It's really incumbent on any neurologist who sees patients to be aware of these kinds of inequities since they have such an enormous impact.” I also want to highlight some of the Annual Meeting programs planned for Friday and Saturday, October 21 and 22. The Research Careers Reimagined (RCR) course, which is complimentary for all attendees but requires pre-registration, is a new offering for those in the early stages of their careers looking to advance their knowledge in academic neurology. There will be a Welcome Reception for RCR course registrants on Friday evening followed by the RCR course on Saturday from 8 AM - 4:30 PM CDT. The Opening Symposium will take place Saturday evening at 5:45 PM CDT and will explore the fascinating topic of “Brain Organoid Models of Neurological Disorders.” Be sure to refer to the meeting schedule when making your travel plans so you don’t miss any of the programs or events. The Early Bird deadline is less than one month away on Friday, September 16 so register soon for four unforgettable days of learning, sharing and collaborating! It is important that you renew your membership prior to registration for the meeting, as ANA members also receive a discount on the registration fee. We are looking forward to seeing you there.
Regards,
Frances E. Jensen, MD, FANA, FACP Arthur Knight Asbury, MD Professor of Neurology Chair of the Department of Neurology Co-Director Penn Medicine Translational Neuroscience Center Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania |
