What Happens in Vegas, Goes Home from Vegas…Education that is!
by Kenneth R. DeVault, MD, FACG
ACG President, 2015-2016
We are all looking forward to our Annual Scientific Meeting next month in Las Vegas. I am particularly excited about the named lectures that will be a highlight of our educational programs. It is one of the pleasures of being ACG’s President to invite the featured lectures and to share that honor in one instance with the Co-Editors-in-Chief of The American Journal of Gastroenterology.
I am grateful to the distinguished slate of speakers who will present this year’s special lectures on topics that I hope you will find relevant, meaningful and enlightening.
They include:
On Saturday, October 15 at 10:00 am, Dr. Nick Talley will present the David Sun Lecture, “Functional Disease of the Gastrointestinal Tract: Is There a Light at the End of the Tunnel?” This is an important topic for me, since we all see many of these patients and, until recently, have had a very limited therapeutic armamentarium. I am sure we will all learn a great deal from Nick.
On Monday, October 17 at 3:00 pm, Dr. Tram Tran will present The American Journal of Gastroenterology Lecture, “Hepatitis C: The Past, the Present, and the Future.” I appreciate greatly the Red Journal Co-Editors’ choice for this lecture. I am of the generation that remembers non-A, non-B hepatitis. The discovery of HCV and, more recently, our ability to cure this infection is remarkable.
On Tuesday, October 18 at 10:05 am, Dr. Ken Wang will present The J. Edward Berk Distinguished Lecture, “Endoscopy 2020: Preparing for the Future.” This topic is very important to me as well. Endoscopy is the cornerstone of our work as gastroenterologists. The clinical landscape for endoscopy is under mounting reimbursement and competitive pressure. I am eager to hear Ken Wang’s perspective on how best to advance endoscopic practice and meet the challenges of the future.
Later on that same day at 4:30 pm, Dr. David Fleischer will present The Emily Couric Memorial Lecture, “Why the Esophageal Health of a Masai Tribesman in Kenya Matters to GI Docs in the U.S.” The College is deeply appreciative of the endowment by the Virginia Gastroenterological Society to support this lecture. This is a topic close to my heart because, like David, I have also done endoscopy work in Kenya. In fact, I have been honored to follow David’s work in many parts of the world for many years. I can’t wait for this one!
Finally, on Wednesday, October 19 at 10:20 am, my close friend Dr. Phil Katz will present the David Y. Graham Lecture, “A View from the Other Side of the Bed: Lessons Learned.” It is a great ACG tradition each year to hold this lecture honoring one of our legendary leaders, Dr. Graham. This year we have the unique opportunity to hear Phil share his experience as a patient and provide insights that I believe will make all of us better physicians.
On Monday, October 17 at the Annual Meeting, I will hand leadership off to Dr. Carol Burke. I have tremendous confidence that she will continue to take the College forward into even greater things in the upcoming year!
See you in Vegas!
Ken