Factors Influencing Preferences for Plastic Surgery Conferences: A Conjoint Analysis

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Conferences
• Professional Development

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift to virtual conferences, raising questions about their effectiveness for networking and career advancement.
• Understanding surgeon preferences for conference attributes is crucial for designing effective and inclusive future events.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how plastic surgeons prioritize key aspects of conference conduct, including format, cost, networking, and equity initiatives.
• To identify surgeon preferences for virtual versus in-person versus hybrid conference formats.

Main Methods:

• A conjoint analysis survey was administered to active members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
• Respondents evaluated pairs of conference options with varying attributes to determine feature importance and utility coefficients.
• Demographic subgroup analyses were performed to identify variations in preferences.

Main Results:

• Cost of attendance (30.4%) and conference format (28.8%) were the most highly prioritized attributes.
• Equity initiatives (14.5%) and networking opportunities (9.5%) showed intermediate importance.
• Environmental impact was the least prioritized attribute (5.7%).

Conclusions:

• Plastic surgeons' conference preferences are significantly influenced by format and the inclusion of equity initiatives.
• Future conference planning should prioritize these factors to ensure inclusivity and success.
• There is a need to raise awareness regarding the environmental impact of scientific conferences among surgeons.