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Becky Bunn



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    YI01 - First Time Attendee Session (ID 107)

    • Event: WCLC 2019
    • Type: Young Investigator Session
    • Track: Young Investigators
    • Presentations: 1
    • Now Available
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      YI01.03 - Making the Most of WCLC: A Guide for First Time Attendees (Now Available) (ID 3692)

      07:00 - 08:30  |  Author(s): Becky Bunn

      • Abstract
      • Presentation
      • Slides

      Abstract

      Congratulations on making the decision to attend the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC)! This is the largest meeting in the world focused entirely on thoracic malignancies and is truly an international and multidisciplinary event. However, it is possible to get lost with so many concurrent sessions and in the sea of thousands of delegates. So having a game plan is critical. You will want to have a roadmap and plan for each day but also allow time for networking and to have some fun. With the virtual meeting available afterwards do not worry too much if you want to be in two places at once. You can be… “virtually.”

      Check out the “First Time WCLC Attendees” tab on the IASLC WCLC2019 conference website for great guidance from Dr. Anne-Marie Baird. To paraphrase her:

      #1 Prepare

      #2 Attend the Young Investigators Symposium

      #3 Check out the Posters

      #4 Network

      #5 Engage with Social Media.

      These are all outstanding suggestions! To help you prepare be sure to look at the program in advance and get a sense of the conference center layout. Each morning there is a Plenary session highlighting key topics with talks given by world leaders. These can be amazing! The top abstracts of the meeting will be presented in the Presidential symposium on Monday morning Sept 9. The conference app (available a week or so before the start of WCLC2019) is a great way to keep track of everything. With so many concurrent sessions it will be important to have the info at your fingertips.

      There is a daily press conference that you can attend or review in the press and media section of the WCLC website. Highlights of the day (HOD) will be presented Mon Sept 9 and Tues Sept 10 from 10:30-12 of the conference and also included in emails and on the website. Checkout the daily newspaper (WCLC Daily News) for more highlights. Also you may want to follow everything that is happening on social media!

      IASLC is active on: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram

      Important Hashtags for lung cancer #LungCancer, #CureMESO, #NSCLC, #SCLC, #CancerResearch, #Oncology, #clinicaltrials

      IASLC 2019 World Conference on Lung Cancer – Social Details:

       Official Conference Hashtag: #WCLC19

       Official Hashtag of Lung Cancer Social Media Community: #LCSM

      The IASLC operates a social media booth at each WCLC for new users to learn about social media, get a tip-sheet and take photos with special branded backdrop (which is really fun)!

      As you look at the program you will see there is a great mix of education sessions, workshops and new data presentations. You will likely want to attend a mix of all of these. The education sessions may be a focus since those will include global experts summarizing particular topics and future predictions. It can be a bit tricky to understand the significance of some of the new data without knowing the background and the education sessions will help with that knowledge. It is also great to go to some of the mini-orals (MA) and oral (O) sessions to hear the latest research, particularly in your areas of interest. The mini-orals can be tricky as each one goes by fast so be ready! Again, plan in advance.

      As Dr. Baird points out, the poster/networking sessions are really wonderful. A lot of critical data that might not be as “flashy” is buried in the posters and you are likely to learn a lot. Even more importantly you will have a chance to network and find out who around the world is focusing in the same areas where you have interests. There are 2 poster sessions each day. The poster sessions are particularly great because you actually get to interact with people. If you see someone you want to talk to at the poster session do not be intimidated if they happen to be a “name” you have read multiple times in key papers. Everyone is excited to meet eager people working to help fight lung cancer!

      The importance of networking cannot be over-emphasized. Getting to know the field and others who share your passion for fighting lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies can make a tremendous impact on your future academic career. Branch out and meet people in other disciplines and from other parts of the world. Having a common interest in fighting lung cancer can lead to some strong connections and it is incredibly fun to attend future conferences knowing that you will get to connect with friends you met at your first IASLC WCLC. Important collaborations can also be started including international efforts. If you are still in training this networking time is also critical to your future job hunting!

      Remember to have FUN! Sign up and attend the IASLC social events. These involve good food, great music and sometimes dancing and most importantly a real opportunity to network.

      Saturday – Opening Ceremony and Welcome Reception

      Monday - IASLC Foundation Road to Hope gala

      Tuesday - Closing Ceremony

      After running around at the conference there will be times you just want to sit and relax. Fortunately there is an IASLC membership lounge in the exhibit hall open during exhibit hours. All members are invited to use the space for meetings, to sit for a few minutes, and to learn more about the IASLC and its committees. More details can be found here: https://wclc2019.iaslc.org/networking_opportunities/

      Also, make some time before or after the conference to be a tourist in the local region. Most convention centers are fairly similar, but thinking about the last 3 IASLC WCLC conferences you can imagine how Yokohama, Toronto and Barcelona are all very different and fabulous places to explore.

      Enjoy your first IASLC WCLC and hopefully you will plan to make it an annual event!

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