Virtual conferences come at the expense of lost networking opportunities
The lack of in-person radiological conferences has hindered networking opportunities for many in the field during the COVID era, according to new survey results published recently in European Radiology.
The 16-question survey garnered a total of 508 responses from 73 countries, the largest among them being from Italy and the United States. The survey sought to assess how professionals perceived the conversion from conferences being conducted in person to strictly virtual during the height of COVID restrictions in the summer of 2020.
“While the online format surely presented some advantages and was a necessary solution in a time of crisis, in-person congresses are primed for returning to prominence in the near future. The latter also present several distinct aspects, such as networking, that are not easy to replicate in a virtual setting,” corresponding author Gennaro D’Anna, of the Neuroimaging Unit, ASST Ovest Milanese in Legnano, Italy, and co-authors detailed.
In general, respondents were grateful for the opportunities to continue to stay up to date on the latest research and innovations, with 97% claiming they would like to attend virtual meetings again in the future. There were positive aspects highlighted following the survey—respondents enjoyed being able to re-watch sessions again at a later time, saving time and money on travel and being able to easily switch between sessions. But there were some caveats sited by the 80% who had participated in such virtual conferences during this time.
First, many respondents indicated that virtual attendance should have a lower price tag with significant fee reductions or offer an option that allows for at least partial in-person attendance. Other frequently cited drawbacks of virtual attendance were a lack of networking opportunities, no human contact, absence of Continuing Medical Education (CME) for all sessions, and network/connectivity issues.
Authors of the paper also noted the respondents’ desire for the inclusion of more educational sessions in virtual conferences, explaining that this could stem from a lack of interaction with presenters, which limits Q&A and discussions following presentations.
Looking toward the future, the survey did not reveal any clear direction of how the respondents preferred conferences to proceed. The answers were divided mostly evenly between virtual attendance, in-person attendance, and a combination of the two, which showed a slight edge with the participants.
Though the “hybrid” model presents organizational challenges, the authors conclude that this could become the new normal.
“It is highly likely that in the future it will be possible to attend such events not only in person but also digitally, making them also more accessible to a larger audience, potentially reducing geographical and economic barriers to participation.”
The detailed survey results can be viewed in European Radiology.
More on virtual conferences and education:
Key lessons from pandemic-era virtual education for med students
Virtual interview format may become new normal for radiology residency match season
Radiology faces ‘extraordinary opportunity’ as pioneer of modernizing medical education
References:
D’Anna, G., Ugga, L., Cuocolo, R. et al. Virtual conferences: results of an international survey on radiologist preferences and perspectives. Eur Radiol (2022).
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She joined Innovate Healthcare in 2021 and has since put her unique expertise to use in her editorial role with Health Imaging.