20 Pages of Notes!

Yes, I took 20 pages of notes today, during sessions ranging in topics from tissue engineering to the impact of RA on relationships and sex. (Uh, Keith, we need to discuss "mutuality" when I get home -- study by AF-funded researcher Shelley Kasle, PhD, shows sharing thoughts and feelings is especially important to a woman's psychological and physical well being!)

I heard Dr. Rocky Tuan speak this morning about the fascinating work he and others are doing at the National Institutes of Health -- specifically the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). I've heard Dr. Tuan speak last year here in Washington, DC, at the 2005 Advocacy Summit. He explains extremely technical concepts so well and has a great sense of humor. I had the pleasure of interviewing him a few weeks ago on this very topic. Look for a feature article about his work and other work being done to develop cartilage regeneration techniques in an upcoming issue of Arthritis Today. The science behind it all is so cool, and it has the potential of relieving pain in so many people. Dr. Tuan ended his presentation this morning with a slide showing Bill Murray and other actors in the movie Ghostbusters. (If you know me, you know I'm not good at remembering actor's names, so my apologies for not being able to recall the other two. Feel free to add a comment if you know them!) Anyway, in that movie, Bill Murray's character says, "Stand back! I'm a scientist!" Dr. Tuan pointed out that for science, just like in Ghostbusters, you need a good team and the right tools (and of course, getting the right tools requires funding).

This afternoon I attended a presentation of data from the ACR Workforce Study (see photo of Drs. Chad Deal, Walter Barr and others preparing to speak just before the session started). This latest workforce study (they've done others - in 1990 and 1995) projects what life as a rheumatologist might be like in 2026. Will there be a lack of rheumatologists? Or will rheumatologists be in the same boat as other specialists? How will the projections released today affect you as a rheumatologist's patient? Watch for an article explaining the impact in a near-future issue.

The entire day here in the nation's capital has been dreary, rainy, chilly and windy. Not good for a walk around town, but I got plenty of steps in today just covering the floors in the convention center. I should have brought my pedometer! I'm pretty sure I've met the 10,000 step goal! Tomorrow should be nicer, and I'll be back at the convention center in 12 short hours. In the morning, there's a press conference on self-improvement topics. Come back to the blog -- I'll post more news and more photos.