Over the Top: Another Successful AAGL Congress

It’s difficult to offer one word to describe the AAGL 2023 Global Congress that took place in Nashville, TN from November 5-8, 2023. What I can offer are a myriad of observations that I felt which you may have experienced too, including: great camaraderie and fun, consistently engaging and riveting content, appreciation for how well organized it was, and that it overall exceeded my expectations. In addition, the convention center was aesthetically beautiful and Nashville, the home of country music, was the perfect backdrop for great food, music, and dancing.

Committee Involvement. This Congress was four days of pure “edutainment,” (education plus entertainment). The Scientific Program Committee (SPC) creatively included new topics and expanded the postgraduate program, but also kept successful past offerings like AAGL MED Talks. They did an excellent job of highlighting expert global surgeons who taught precise surgical techniques for our participants to emulate and learn.

A new event, the Foundation of the AAGL (FAAGL) Gala and Awards evening, was fun and filled with elegance and laughter. The event was proposed to help raise money for research and to acknowledge award winners for papers, abstracts, and video presentation, along with noteworthy leaders in MIGS. The FAAGL has almost reached their financial goal for 2023. It’s not too late to donate. 

I applaud the vision of our SPC Chair, Dr. Michel Canis, and the members of the SPC, our expert faculty, our President, Dr. Andy Sokol, our SIG groups, and the AAGL office. I also recognize our supporting vendors and our membership for their full participation. Together we achieved our one objective, to elevate women’s healthcare globally. 

Clinical Consensus. We certainly met and exceeded our goal of inclusivity this year with a wide diversity of speakers, including gender, and expanded our global reach. We also demonstrated the courage to have candid conversations about urgent and high priority topics. I appreciated the robust conversations we heard about hysterectomy, minimally invasive myomectomy, and medical management of common gyn conditions. With such thought-provoking content and engaged participation of our attendees, there were rich conversations and debates, in both clinical and research topics in minimally invasive gynecologic techniques echoed throughout the convention center.

Patient-Centered Approach. New contributions from our FMIG fellows and their faculty expanded our collaborative efforts. We realize that our patients are our partners and we have committed to partnerships with advocacy groups. One of the ways this was demonstrated this year was at the exceptional patient panel with key stakeholders in the topic of Endometriosis.  

Leaving Nashville was bittersweet. It was so great to see old friends and to make new ones as well. I found that watching our emerging leaders develop reassured me that the AAGL organization is in able hands.

This meeting, like its predecessors, leaves me wanting more. I look forward to seeing you in New Orleans next year.  Bring your passion, wisdom, Mardi Gras mask, and dancing shoes!