Electronic Winter 2022 | Issue 53
IPS 2022 Annual Meeting: The Return of In-Person Events
By: Jasleen Singh
After a long era of virtual meetings and events, the 2022 IPS Annual Meeting marked the return of in-person gatherings. This year the meeting was jam-packed with multiple events for members of all levels - including medical students to retired practitioners and everything in between!
The meeting was held on a crisp fall day in quite a scenic venue - Oakbrook Hyatt. Who would have known that after a couple of turns off of busy town roads, one would encounter an open and modern building with giant windows, surrounded by fall foliage and ponds with ducks floating by.
Options were provided for members to attend the full day or just a portion of it, to allow flexibility. Upon entering, members were able to pick up their badge, grab some IPS swag (who doesn't love brain shaped stress balls?) and drop off coats in the donation box by the welcome table. This year, IPS decided to also include a charity winter coat drive to benefit Street Samaritans, an organization who helps those experiencing homelessness in the Chicagoland area.
Those who arrived in the morning were able to enjoy a continental breakfast, mingle with other members, and check out the career fair. The career fair included multiple tables on malpractice insurance, different career opportunities, and of course, SWAG!
During the career fair, there was also a bonus educational session, targeted towards medical students, psychiatric trainees, and early career psychiatrists. The Interviewing and Contract Negotiations Panel featured Dr. Adrienne Adams, MD; Dr. Jordan Romero, MD; and Dr. Joseph C.F. Willuweit, JD. Dr. Adams started off the panel by sharing her expertise from her experience as a program director, giving tips on applications and interviewing for residency positions. Dr. Romero followed up with tips for applying and interviewing for jobs post-graduation. Closing the presentation was Dr. Willuweit's tips on contract negotiation and things to look out for when reviewing contracts.
The morning career fair and panel session were followed by networking lunches with mingling and interactive discussions. The networking lunch was an event proposed by the IPS ResidentFellow committee to enhance opportunities for IPS members to convene, and also allow a forum for those participating in the IPS Med Student Resident or Resident-Attending Mentorship programs to finally meet in person. Members ended up sitting together in an open room with large windows, basking in the sunlight and immersing themselves in conversation. The networking lunch flew by quickly, and before we knew it, it was time for the educational sessions to begin!
The theme of this year's meeting was Technology and Innovation in Psychiatry. After a brief welcome and opening statement by Dr. Abdi Tinwalla, MD, the current IPS President, there were four educational sessions on the following topics:
1. “Smartphone Apps and Psychiatry: Current Research and Making Sense of the Marketplace” (by John Torous, MD)
2. “Telepsychiatry Update" (by Thomas Wright, MD & Kelly Epperson, JD)
3. “Collaborative Care and Project Echo—Illinois Law Update and How it Works in Practice” (Panel with James MacKenzie, DO; Cynthia Thomas, MD; & Kari Wolf, MD)
4. “Alexa, launch Coach Lumen”: A Virtual Voice-based Coach for Depression and Anxiety – Hope or Hype?” (by Jun Ma, MD,PhD, FAHA, FABMR, FSBM)
After a day filled with learning and interactive discussions, attendees had another opportunity to network and mingle during the cocktail hour. This was followed by transition into a formal dining room to enjoy a meal and the evening portion of the meeting. After a brief business meeting, Speaker of the House Emanuel “Chris” Welch delivered a keynote speech. This was followed by a presentation on “Personalized Digital Treatment and its Current Use in Mental Health” by Aida Spahic-Mihajlovic, MD, MSci, FAPA. Subsequently, IPS awards were presented and delivered to recipients and followed by closing remarks by IPS President, Abdi Tinwalla, MD.
Overall, the IPS 2022 annual meeting marked a successful return to in-person gatherings and was a great day of education, networking, and fun!
A full album of photos from the annual meeting can be found on the IPS Facebook page.