By Tatsuki Ebata, MD, PhD

The Annual Meeting of the Japanese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine (JARM) was held in November at Kobe International Convention Center, Kobe, Japan. Until October all medical congresses and meetings were held online. Because of the decreasing number of COVID-19 cases during summer in Japan, JARM had chosen a hybrid approach, meaning people could choose to attend in person or online. The speakers and moderators were asked to attend the meeting in person. As I was one of the speakers, I took the three-hour bullet train ride from Tokyo to the venue in Kobe.

I had not attended a live meeting since the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Hand Surgery (AAHS) held in Florida in January. Between February and October 2020 all medical meetings and congresses I attended were held virtually including the annual meeting of the Japanese Society for Surgery of the Hand (JSSH) and the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH).

When I gave my speech at JARM in Kobe, I was surprised to find that only about ten people were physically present in our room and they all seemed to be either speakers or moderators. After my speech, I moved to the main hall that could accommodate up to about three thousand people. When the speaker finished his speech, the applause scattered around the hall emanating from an audience of less than a hundred. Needless to say, most attendees had chosen to attend the meeting virtually. Indeed, I myself only stayed at the venue for half a day, returning to Tokyo to watch the sessions and lectures on my computer.

The benefits of virtual online meetings are plentiful. especially when they were provided on demand. Lectures and presentations can be watched at a time that suits the attendee, they can be paused or watched repeatedly if necessary, and some slides may be able to be screen-shot for future reference.

Likewise, considering economic factors, virtual meetings are more cost-effective and time-saving for attendees. Attendees do not need to pay and spend time for transportation and hotels. Virtual meetings are cost-effective for organizers too. Organizers are able to consider smaller, more inexpensive options when selecting a venue. And again the attending fee could be cheaper.

However, when I attended the AAHS annual meeting in January, the main hall was so packed with people that most seats were occupied and there were a lot of standees. It is always enjoyable to visit unfamiliar and fascinating cities or countries, eat local food, catch up with old friends and make new ones too.

Going forward, if all future medical meetings and congresses are held virtually, the personal connection we experience at live events may be lost. We may sacrifice the fun and opportunity to interact with attendees, presenters and friends for increased convenience and reduced costs.

Tatsuki Ebata, MD, PhD
Nagareyama Central Hospital, Nagareyama, Japan