No one can deny that the lion’s share of scientific discourse is carried out within the pages of academic journals, buoyed by jargon and supported by multicolored, miniscule figures. But the more casual, freewheeling banter about still-preliminary data points, and how they may suggest some interesting direction, belongs in the realm of the scientific conferences.(...)
Conferences
The Organization of Student Representatives: A Student Government of Medical Education
Posted by | A Day in the LifeThe Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) is well known to premedical students. Founded in 1876, the AAMC — comprised of all 151 accredited U.S. medical schools and 17 Canadian medical schools — is a not-for-profit organization that coordinates medical school applications, the Medical College Admission Test and the Electronic Residency Application Service, which is(...)
Hopkins Medical Students Shape National Health Policy Through the AMA
Posted by | Events and HappeningsThe American Medical Association, or AMA, is the largest association of physicians and medical trainees in the United States. This organization has also established itself as one of the most powerful political lobbying groups in the country, ranking third in dollars spent for this purpose over the last 20 years. Additionally, the AMA has a(...)
Tips for Attending an International Conference
Posted by | A Day in the Life, Events and HappeningsIn January, my thesis adviser asked me if I wanted to attend the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology meeting in Amsterdam, which is scheduled for this June. To date, this is the easiest question my adviser has ever asked me, and my answer was a resounding “yes.” In most ways, a scientific conference is basically(...)
So You Want to Attend an Academic Conference…
Posted by | A Day in the LifeAcademic conferences are an integral part of a graduate student’s training. They are not only a window into the life of a professor but also help you to connect with colleagues across the globe. Even better, you get to spend time outside of the lab with your lab mates while still learning new things about(...)
Four Tips for Preparing for a Conference Presentation
Posted by | A Day in the LifePreviously, I outlined the initial stages of my personal preparations for a presentation at American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) 2015 conference. This was my first platform talk presentation and I was thrilled at the opportunity to share my research. At the same time, I was equally petrified at the prospect of speaking to a(...)
4 Conference Networking Tips for the Novice
Posted by | A Day in the LifeI finally watched last year’s action flick Pacific Rim, and its portrayal of research scientists —stereotypically socially inept — made me cringe. In reality, the Ph.D. students I know are friendly and socially astute. But we tend to think of these qualities as social perks instead of professional skills. In the academic idyll, we think(...)