Travel Less, Learn More, Never Attend Alone! Adapting Minimally Invasive Surgery Meetings to Minimize the...

To propose a model of international meetings of minimally invasive gynecologic surgery to decrease the carbon footprint while preserving personal interactions and the financial stability of meetings and of medical societies.

International medical society meetings create a substantial carbon footprint, with 95% generated by air travel. Meetings may be organized virtually or in person, with distinct benefits and drawbacks of each format. In-person meetings encourage personal interactions, sensitive discussions, and social exchanges, which are important for learning and mental well-being.

A collaborative effort of international societies to organize annual scientific meetings at one main venue per continent and regional hubs where participants can come together in person. Presentations and session moderations will be possible at the main venues and distant hubs. Carbon footprint from air travel would decrease, whereas the scientific content would be improved by the collaboration between the societies. We theorize that local hubs, easier and less expensive to reach, will increase the number of participants who face economic, geopolitical, ecological, and familial barriers to travel. Regional and time differences would allow each society to preserve the specific characteristics and sessions of its conference. The preservation of one main venue on each continent will enable a gradual transition, allowing medical societies and corporate sponsors to take advantage of the enlarged audience, while measuring the desired outcomes and being able to adjust their management. Hub participants will be actively involved in reducing the burden of travel, transitioning to a preference of joining the main venue only every second or third year.

An economically sustainable approach toward low carbon footprint, scientifically improved, and more accessible meetings needs to be considered.