Beginning on Nov. 20, the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, buzzed with respiratory professionals as AARC hosted its 70th International Respiratory Congress. Attendees gathered not only for the continuing education sessions and research updates but also for the camaraderie and networking with colleagues and friends from around the world.
Day One: Kicking Off with Energy
Day one began with President Carl Hinkson’s welcome address, in which he encouraged attendees to take advantage of all that Congress offers. He showcased the Congress theme of Journey Together—Impact Forever with an inspiring video and looked back at the history of AARC and the highlights of the past year of his presidency.
Following Hinkson’s welcome, Keynote speaker and former Surgeon General, Jerome Adams, MD, MPH, delivered an inspiring talk on his career and past experiences with the social determinants of health. He encouraged the audience to see the opportunity for respiratory therapists to move from awareness to action and drive change for all patients needing healthcare. The Expo Hall opened shortly after with Dr. Adams heading to the AARC headquarters booth to greet attendees and discuss his speech and career. More than 160 exhibitors were available in the Expo Hall this year, displaying the latest technology and innovations. Podcasts and live streams were also recorded in the booth throughout Congress on topics from advocacy to clinical practice guidelines to student engagement. Recordings will be posted online in the coming weeks.
Throughout the rest of the day, attendees were able to learn about the latest research during Open Forum sessions on aerosol and oxygen therapy, pulmonary disease, and mechanical ventilation. Other Day 1 highlights included symposiums on New Horizons in Respiratory Therapy and Exploring the Depths: Qualitative Research in Respiratory Care, along with multiple other sessions, including Innovations in Tackling Second-hand Smoke During Home Visits, and 2025 CoARC Standards update. The day wrapped up with the recognition of the 2024 AARC and ARCF award winners, including the organization’s highest honor, the Jimmy A. Young Medallion, which was given to Russell Acevedo, MD for his long-time work and support in COPD research and quality improvement. See the complete list of award winners here. The evening ended with an amazing Latin-themed Welcome Party that had everyone dancing and laughing the night away with outstanding food and drinks.
Day Two Packed With Education
Day two was filled to the brim with more engaging lectures and networking opportunities, including Specialty Section meetings, and symposiums on Year in Review, Simulation, Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Inhaled Pulmonary Vasodilators, Hospital Education, Setting PEEP in Clinical Practice, APRT Now and in the Future, and Innovations in Teaching. Open Forum research presentation topics included pulmonary disease, neonatal/pediatrics, airway management, and more. The 40th Phil Kittredge Memorial Lecture also took place with Michael Lipnick, MD, discussing Pulse Oximetry Accuracy Facts and Fallacies.
Attendees also had the chance to attend the Annual Business meeting Thursday morning. They heard reports from AARC leaders, the ARCF, the Board of Medical Advisors, and the House of Delegates. Leaders reviewed old business and introduced new business. New officers and directors were also installed during the session, including AARC President Dana Evans, MHA, RRT, RRT-NPS, FACHE, FAARC, who outlined her vision for the organization in the upcoming year.
Day Three More Symposium and Networking
Day Three continued to build on all of the Congress energy with more Specialty Section meetings, and symposiums on Clinical Management of ARDS, New Professionals, Sound Insights: Ultrasound for Diaphragm and Lung Assessment, and Clinical Practice Guidelines. Open Forum presentations included topics on education and management. Another highlight of Congress is the annual flag folding ceremony, which took place Friday afternoon and honors military veterans, active duty personnel, and those we’ve lost. Following the ceremony, Hannah Wunsch, MD, MSc, presented the Robert M. Kacmarek Scientific Memorial Lecture. She discussed her interesting and insightful book The Autumn Ghost, which detailed the personal stories of the physicians and patients who were the genesis of intensive care monitoring during the polio epidemic in Copenhagen in 1952. The day concluded with an exciting finish to the Aerogen Sputum Bowl, with the winning team of Big Peep Energy, Nathalie Fino, David Pugh, and Marlee Newlin overcoming their competitors and hoisting the trophy of champions. Thanks to our sponsor, Aerogen, the winning team will also be receiving a trip to Ireland to visit their manufacturing site to learn more about how products are developed and built.
The Exhibit Hall closed on Friday, and the best exhibits of the meeting were honored with the following special awards:
In-Line
First Place – Bunnell, Inc.- Booth 813
Second Place – ICU Medical, Inc. – Booth 713
Third Place – Siemens Healthineers – Booth 1231
Island
First Place – Draeger, Inc. – Booth 1001
Second Place – Monaghan Medical – Booth 625
Third Place – Getinge – Booth 719
Day Four: The Final Sessions
As Congress wrapped up on Saturday, attendees were able to squeeze in a few more sessions, including the always popular Journal Symposium, which highlighted topics on AI, social media, beginning a journal club, and reviewing original research. President Evans and other agency presidents provided the annual Agency Update, noting the most important information affecting the profession. Evans and AARC Executive Director Dan Garrett then presented a closing session summarizing Congress 2024 highlights and achievements. The day concluded with the 12th Thomas L. Petty Memorial Lecture given by Ellen Becker, PhD, RRT, RPFT, AE-C, FAARC on Reconsidering Race and Ethnicity for Predicting Normal Lung Function.
AARC Congress 2024 would not have been possible without the generous support of our industry partners. We thank our 2024 AARC Corporate Partners, who help make events like the AARC Congress a reality. We look forward to seeing you at Congress 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona, December 6-9. Several pictures from Congress are also available in the online community, be sure to login and check them out!
Don’t Forget to Claim Your CRCE Credits
AARC Congress 2024 was approved for 19.93 CRCE; attendees may claim their credits here. The deadline to claim credit is January 24, 2025.
