Global dissemination of knowledge through virtual platforms: Reflections and recommendations from APSA/IPEG

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Medical Education
• Conference Management

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift from in-person to virtual academic conferences for organizations like the American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA) and the International Pediatric Endosurgery Group (IPEG).
• This transition aimed to mitigate virus transmission risks and travel limitations while maintaining educational continuity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the successful implementation of the 2020 virtual annual meetings of APSA and IPEG.
• To identify key lessons learned from these virtual conferences for future event planning.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of logistics, structure, and attendance data for both virtual meetings.
• Conducting informal interviews with key stakeholders.
• Analyzing presenter and participant numbers and collecting feedback through post-meeting attendee surveys.

Main Results:

• Both APSA and IPEG successfully transitioned to virtual formats, attracting high participation due to being free (720 for APSA, 834 for IPEG).
• While educational content was generally well-received, issues with timing and lack of Continuing Medical Education (CME) were noted; attendees expressed willingness to pay fees similar to in-person events.
• IPEG's compressed format with online material availability and a higher non-member ratio contrasted with APSA's extended content delivery; both societies incurred financial losses.

Conclusions:

• Virtual conferences offer increased participation but suffer from a lack of networking opportunities.
• Key takeaways include improving interactivity, refining technical logistics, and developing enduring online content.
• Hybrid conference models are anticipated to become more common, combining the benefits of virtual and in-person formats.