Whether it’s at the start of the winter blahs [much] later this year or in the thick of the dreariest parts of early 2013, let’s face it: All other aspects being equal, you’d rather go to a medical conference in a hot, sunny, culturally-fascinating, or otherwise-exotic locale.
Don’t worry: We’re not here to judge if you want to take a peek at the following (and rare on the Internet) list of medical conferences based firstly on location.
That said, keep a sharp lookout if you’re reading this in an office or hallway where your phone or tablet’s in plain sight, then enjoy our guide to medical conferences listed specifically for the desirability of their locations…It’ll be our little secret…
Mediterranean
Distance/travel time from U.S. mainland: 8-11 hoursAverage yearly temperature: 70 ºF (for southern Italy)
What’s the big deal?: Whether it’s Rome, Athens, Cairo, or Monaco, the history, the food, the shopping, the sights, and the warm dry weather when you most need it…need we say more?
Notable conferences/workshops for 2012/2013:Bonus: Being so many time zones away is a great excuse to take a vacation from the daily flow of work email
- 15th International Congress of Endocrinology, Florence, Italy, May 5-9, 2012
- 2nd International Multidisciplinary Forum on Palliative Care, Florence, Italy, Nov 22-25, 2012
- 11th International Congress on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease, Florence, Italy, March 6-10, 2013
- 4th World Congress on ADHD, Milan, Italy, June 6-9, 2013
- 9th World Congress of Cosmetic Dermatology, Athens, Greece, June 27-30, 2013
More Mediterranean medical conferences, meetings, and workshops
Caribbean
Average yearly temperature: 80 ºF
Distance/travel time from U.S. mainland: 3-5 hours
What’s the big deal?: Countless medical conferences taking place in exotic locales for the sake of taking place in exotic locales do so in this part of the world. And why not? From Aruba to the U.S. Virgin Islands, sand & surf are usually just steps away from sessions and workshops here.
Bonus: What happens in the Caribbean stays in the Caribbean (for the most part)
Notable conferences/workshops for 2012/2013:
- American Society for Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics 38th Annual Meeting, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Oct 8-12, 2012
- 30th Annual Fall Conference on Obstetrics, Atlantis Resort, Bahamas, Oct 10-13, 2012
- International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) 20th Annual Scientific Meeting, Paradise Island, Bahamas, Oct 17-21, 2012
- 12th Annual Caribbean Dermatology Symposium, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, Jan 15-19, 2013
More Caribbean medical conferences, meetings, and workshops
Florida
Average yearly temperature: 75 ºF
Distance/travel time from U.S. mainland: 1-5 hours
What’s the big deal?: Beaches, rockets, DisneyWorld, warm weather and some of the best entertainment, eats & shopping in America.
Bonus: Modern conference venues in this state are built to get you from your sessions then out to have fun with maximum efficiency.
Notable conferences/workshops for 2012/2013:
- 22nd Annual Mayo Clinic Hematology/Oncology Reviews, Amelia Island, Florida, August 9-11, 2012
- SMISS (Society of Minimally-Invasive Spine Surgery) 2012 Annual Meeting, Miami, Florida, Sept 21-23, 2012
- American Society of Head and Neck Radiology 46th Annual Meeting, Miami Beach, Florida, Oct 3-7, 2012
- 26th Annual North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference, Orlando, Florida, October 11-13, 2012
More Florida medical conferences, meetings, and workshops
Hawaii
Average yearly temperature: 75 ºF
Distance/travel time from U.S. mainland: 5-9 hours
What’s the big deal?: Beautiful surroundings and a laid-back culture make every other meeting minute spent here seem like a vacation.
Bonus: No U.S. Customs to go through on the way off the continent
Notable conferences/workshops for 2012/2013:
- Internal Medicine Update for Primary Care (Live CME Program Organized by Physicians without Commercial Support), Disney Hawaii Aulani Resort, Oahu, Hawaii, August 9, 2012 – August 11, 2012
- 28th Annual Fall Conference on Pediatric Emergencies, Maui, Hawaii, Oct 24-27, 2012
- Comprehensive Review of Musculoskeletal MRI, Maui, Hawaii, Nov 4-7, 2012
More Hawaiian medical conferences, meetings, and workshops
Cruises:
Average yearly temperature: 65-85 ºF for south Atlantic cruises
Distance/travel time from U.S. mainland: dependant on departure location
Bonus: As with conferences overseas, it is unrealistic for your workplace to ask you to keep in touch during a conference at sea ; )What’s the big deal?: Unlimited food (and drink, in some cases) entertainment, and the ability to travel to multiple sunny destinations in a self-contained conference facility are a big plus to look forward to. Also, who wouldn’t want to go to a conference that has its own water slide?
Notable conferences/workshops for 2012/2013:
- 10th Annual Emergency Medicine Conference Canary Island Cruise, Oct 27-Nov 3, 2012
- Infectious Disease Review Hawaiian Islands Cruise, Nov 10-17, 2012
- Family Medicine Alaskan Cruise, Aug 10-17, 2012
More medical workshop/symposia cruises:
Even MORE:
Full list of medical conferences and cruises in exotic locales:
http://www.mceconferences.com/medical-conferences.php
Another organization that specializes in medical conferences in exotic and/or sunny locales