Digestive Disease Week® 2018 was one for the books. Nearly 14,000 GI professionals gathered in Washington, D.C., for the world’s premier GI meeting. The four-day conference featured 4,110 posters, 981 presentations by invited speakers and 1,100 oral abstracts.
Even though the meeting has concluded, the education doesn’t end. Here are ways to catch up after the meeting:
- A comprehensive digital library of presentations is available at ddw.org/OnDemand. Access is free to DDW 2018 registrants. To access DDW On Demand online, visit watch.ondemand.org/ddwlogin and enter your badge number and the email address you used to register for DDW 2018. You will be prompted to create a password. On subsequent visits, go to watch.ondemand.org/ddw and enter your email and password.
- Browse blog.ddw.org to read news from the meeting, watch video interviews, listen to podcasts with thought leaders and catch up on the best social media posts.
- Watch for a survey in your email and share your opinions about DDW. Please be sure to complete the survey and help us make DDW even better.
As we wrap up the 2018 meeting, we’re already looking forward to DDW 2019, which will celebrate DDW as “The Global Leader for 50 Years.” The meeting will be held May 19-21 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA.
“DDW has been the world’s most important and best attended digestive disease meeting for the past 50 years,” said DDW Council Chair Grace H. Elta, MD, AGAF, FASGE, professor of medicine and director of the medical procedure unit at the University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor. “Thanks to our presenters and attendees, we fully expect this tradition to continue for the next 50 years.”
DDW began in 1969 with slightly more than 1,000 attendees. In 2017, the meeting welcomed more than 19,000 GI professionals, exhibitors and guests. DDW continues to grow in attendance, exhibitors and original lectures, making it the best place for attendees to hear about GI research and clinical updates.
Dr. Elta said San Diego is the perfect location to celebrate 50 years of GI excellence.
“San Diego feels like a breath of fresh air,” she said. “There’s a relaxing sensation in the convention center, maybe because it’s by the sea and everything is outdoors.”
She said she loves hosting DDW in San Diego, not only because the 70-degree weather seems to brighten attendees’ spirits, but because the convention center is a perfect fit for the meeting.
“It’s really well structured for us,” she said. “The rooms are the perfect size with plenty of space and you don’t have to walk long distances to get from one end of the building to the other.”
The convention center is very accessible by foot, with several amenities within walking distance. Across from the convention center is the lively Gaslamp Quarter, brimming with open-air restaurants, bars and shopping, and surrounded by hotels. The city is known for its cultural offerings that include theaters, art galleries, concert venues, museums and symphony halls.
San Diego also offers DDW attendees the chance to soak up some California sun without the crowded beaches. Explore Seaport Village, a 14-acre waterfront shopping, dining and entertainment complex overlooking San Diego Bay and just a short walk from the convention center.
The renowned San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park is home to more than 3,700 animals and features lush, naturalistic habitats. You can also catch a baseball game at Petco Park, also within walking distance from the convention center, and explore the USS Midway Museum.
Mark your calendars to celebrate 50 years of GI excellence and to network with the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery in beautiful San Diego. Watch for more information at www.ddw.org to explore the city in greater detail. See you in 2019.
