The 2007 Annual Meeting in Chicago was a great success with over 2,100 attendees! The research presented at the plenary session ranged from clinical decision rule for pulmonary embolus to treatment of pediatric bronchiolitis to access to care issues. Over 500 abstracts were presented in the poster and oral paper session and each year the quality of the presentations continues to improve. This was the second year that we had a press room at the meeting, and as a result, several abstracts were featured by the media.

We were privileged to have the Deputy Director of NIH’s Center for Scientific Review, Dr. Cheryl Kitt, speak to SAEM attendees about the NIH and the grant review process. Other new didactic programming included The Knowledge Translation Paradigm; Communication and Negotiation Skills: The ED, The Hospital, and The Outside; Abstract Writing Workshop; and Academic Mentorship: Seeking Guidance as a Clinician-Educator. The Program Committee worked hard to ensure a mix of didactic sessions for researchers and educators in addition to planning more state-of-the-art sessions with a clinical focus.

The Annual Meeting offered an opportunity for friends and colleagues to catch up and for attendees to network and make new acquaintances. The opening reception and the Friday night blues reception provided a great venue for socializing and both were well attended. The first annual Fun Run was held with all proceeds donated to the SAEM Research Fund.

Thank you to Chair Deb Houry, MD, and the 2007 Program Committee, pictured below, for their time and dedication to make the meeting successful.