Organizing a virtual scientific conference: experiences from the Bethune Round Table 2021

Area of Science:

• Global Surgery
• Academic Conferences
• Virtual Event Management

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift to virtual platforms for academic meetings.
• The Canadian Network for International Surgery and McGill University's Centre for Global Surgery organized the Bethune Round Table (BRT) in 2021.
• The BRT is a significant event in the field of international surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the successes of the virtual Bethune Round Table (BRT) 2021 conference.
• To assess the feasibility and impact of a digital delivery model for academic surgical meetings.
• To inform the strategy for future Bethune Round Table conferences.

Main Methods:

• The Bethune Round Table (BRT) 2021 was conducted entirely on a virtual platform.
• Registrations and attendance were tracked, with 496 registrants and 300 attendees from 50 countries.
• Post-conference engagement with recorded sessions was monitored for one month.

Main Results:

• BRT 2021 achieved record-breaking attendance, marking the most trafficked conference in its 20-year history.
• Sustained engagement was observed, with attendees continuing to access recorded sessions one month post-event.
• The virtual format facilitated broad international participation in global surgery discussions.

Conclusions:

• The virtual format is a successful and effective mode for delivering major academic surgical conferences.
• The digital delivery model for the BRT conference demonstrated significant reach and sustained engagement.
• Future Bethune Round Table conferences will incorporate a digital delivery mode to maintain accessibility and participation.