At CHEST 2025, October 19 to 22 in Chicago, you’ll have your choice of 300+ educational sessions covering every aspect of clinical chest medicine. Learn more.
Chitra Lal, MD, FCCP
Chitra Lal, MD, FCCP
Clinicians who want to stay at the forefront of sleep medicine won’t want to miss the lineup at CHEST 2025, October 19 to 22, in Chicago.
The abundance of offerings includes scientific presentations, hands-on simulation sessions, problem-based learning sessions, and Master Classes for attendees at any stage in their careers.
“As somebody who’s been attending CHEST since I was a fellow, I am always really excited about what the next annual meeting will present,” said Chitra Lal, MD, FCCP, Sleep Medicine Curriculum Group Lead.
This year, CHEST 2025 brings a wealth of clinical knowledge and updates to an especially exciting sleep medicine curriculum.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists are a program hot topic, with two sessions devoted to the latest findings. Your Patient Wants a GLP-1 Agonist for OSA: What Next? and The Treatment of Obesity in Sleep Medicine in the Era of GLP-1 Agonists will feature expert panel discussions and didactic presentations exploring how and when patients might benefit from this therapy.
“Our patients often come in asking for us to prescribe GLP-1 agonists,” Dr. Lal said. “Guidance and opinions from our expert panelists will help sleep clinicians make decisions on which patients might be suitable and when these should be prescribed.”
Other presentations will showcase the latest developments in managing central sleep apnea and OSA. Implantable devices like hypoglossal nerve stimulators and phrenic nerve stimulators have become increasingly popular, Dr. Lal explained, and CHEST 2025 sessions will delve into how practitioners’ approaches to treatment continue to evolve. The core interactive session, Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation: The Best Thing Since CPAP?, will help attendees understand how to identify which patients are appropriate candidates and how to manage complications after implantation.
“Artificial intelligence is in everything now, and sleep medicine is not behind in that area,” said Dr. Lal. Sessions, including Harnessing AI in Sleep Medicine: A Practical Guide for Busy, Not-Too-Tech-Savvy Clinicians, offer tips on taking advantage of tools like virtual scribes, predictive analytics, and remote monitoring to help practices run more smoothly.
In the realm of sleep medicine, the program at CHEST 2025 is particularly robust, Dr. Lal stressed. The meeting offers not only essential “bread-and-butter” courses to keep attendees current on best practices but also the very latest in science and technology. “I would welcome and encourage everybody who has interest in pulmonology, critical care, and sleep medicine to come to the meeting,” she said.
Dr. Lal also emphasized that the opportunities for lifelong interpersonal connections remain unparalleled. “Friendships are made at CHEST—lifelong friendships with colleagues across the country. It’s an excellent opportunity for networking and career advancement, especially for our junior faculty and fellows-in-training. This is where you actually get to know people. Many people find their first jobs through CHEST, and the friendships with like-minded individuals can last a lifetime.”
“I love my colleagues, and it’s great to network with them and brainstorm on new developments in the world of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine,” Dr. Lal added. “I come to CHEST in person every year.”