Thread by @AmyPearsonMD

Hi everyone, as an annual meeting chair, I get asked a lot about how to get invited to speak at conferences. I learned a lot in the process, so here's a 🧵on tips for increasing your visibility at #academic conferences.

#academictwitter #medtwitter #meded #FOAMed @ASRA_Society

1/ Most important first step: be a member of that society and regularly attend and/or volunteer at the conferences. Make sure you vibe with them in addition to them vibing with you! It's the best way for folks to get to know what you're all about.

2/ Meet people, whether at conferences, on Twitter, or via collaborations. Let them see your expertise. Find a sponsor who has a connection to the society and share that you're interested in taking on more. If that sponsor is unsupportive or ghosts you, move on to the next one.

3/ Societies generally choose their conference faculty in 2 ways:
1: A member submits a session proposal and it is either accepted or rejected (typically you pay expenses) or
2: Faculty are chosen by a planning committee and may give several presentations (expenses often covered)

4/ If #conference faculty are chosen by proposal,
✴️Pay your dues/be an active member
✴️Make sure the topic is timely, unique, and appeals widely
✴️Include colleagues that are well-known and make sure your panel is diverse
✴️*Meet the deadlines*

5/If #conference faculty are chosen by invitation,
✴️Check if you can apply to be on the faculty list
✴️Find out who is leading the meeting for the following year (scientific programs are planned years in advance)
✴️See if a mutual connection can introduce you (include your CV!)

(Faculty application example from @ASRA_Society : asra.com/guidelines-art…)

6/ Be willing to do smaller courses and webinars! It's very common for faculty to start with smaller CME offerings, and their skills and reputation move them up towards a solid place in the main faculty group.

7/ Conference organizers are simple. And human. We want you to
- Be timely with deadlines
- Have a niche that is interesting to a lot of people but in which few have solid expertise
- Be focused on what your audience takes away
- Be willing to stretch yourself within your limits

8/ If you have to turn down an invitation to speak, it's OK! This is common & doesn't mean you're blackballed. Just avoid not replying at all or waiting until the last minute.

Just send your regrets, offer an alternative if possible, & reiterate your interest for future events.

9/ This should be obvious, but there is increasing scrutiny on the influence of industry on conference faculty. You will have to disclose all conflicts of interest. Not following #COI guidelines is a quick way to damage your credibility.

10/ Overall, have fun! It may take a few years to be invited as conference faculty, & even regular faculty aren't guaranteed yearly invitations. Keep developing your niche, try new things, and if it's not panning out with one society or sponsor, move on! You will find your tribe.

"People will tolerate how unpleasant you are if your work is good & you deliver it on time. People will forgive the lateness of your work if it is good & they like you. And you don't have to be as good as everyone else if you're on time & it's always a pleasure to hear from you"

⬆️ from the great @neilhimself

Thanks for reading. And if you want to learn about managing chronic pain, what are you waiting for?
asra.com/events-educati… #ASRAFall22

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