CHEST 2022 Brought the Fun

By: Katlyn Campbell
November 15, 2022

The CHEST Annual Meeting is known for top-notch clinical education, but we’re also known for fun. From an exclusive concert during the Opening Reception to a keynote lecture on happiness, CHEST 2022 didn’t just help attendees learn—it helped them connect in a way that hasn’t been possible for the last 3 years.

At the Opening Session, Keynote Speaker, Neil Pasricha, highlighted the importance of maintaining your happiness in order to do great work and find success.

Attendee, Joanna Wieckowska, DO, said she learned to keep happiness in the forefront of her life and build the rest of her life around that need—rather than letting happiness be an afterthought.

“Sometimes I feel like, especially in medicine, that can be very hard because you essentially encompass medicine as your identity, but it should honestly be the other way around,” she said.

Following the keynote address, attendees took a stroll down Broadway to the Opening Reception at the Wild Horse Saloon, where rock band Sister Hazel was waiting to perform an exclusive concert, including their hit song, “All for You.”

“The reception was amazing,” said Victor Canella, DO. “I've never heard of a reception for a meeting being that fun.”

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The fun didn’t end there. Throughout the meeting, attendees could have fun learning through two escape rooms, live games, and the CHEST Challenge Championship. These interactive games gave learners a chance to unwind in between sessions while having fun with their peers.

“It's been said that learning and play are very similar,” said Bill Kelly, MD, FCCP, who hosted a live game, Peer Pressure, and served as MC of the CHEST Challenge Championship—among wearing many other hats. “Here at CHEST, we've strived to combine them both. Continuing medical education doesn't have to be, and shouldn't be, a dull, solo event. What I like the most is that you get all of that learning without realizing it because you're having fun.”

Besides games, CHEST 2022 also gave attendees the chance to visit the Wellness Zone to recharge, get a massage, or hear presentations on maintaining their well-being.

For Wanda Greene, BSN, the Wellness Zone allowed her to consider how to take better care of herself as a professional.

“It's so important because we take care of everybody else, and we neglect ourselves,” she said. “I think [self-care] is just as important as coming to the conference and attending all the different sessions.”

There’s even more in store for CHEST 2023—and while we can’t reveal all the details just yet, we know you won’t want to miss out. Sign up to receive updates on all things CHEST 2023, happening October 8-11, 2023, in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi.