Meeting Information

Top Tips for an Ideal Annual Meeting Experience

The Society has prepared top attendee tips for getting the most of out of your Annual Meeting experience.

To Do Now

• Register for the Annual Meeting! What are you waiting for?
• Make your hotel reservation at the host hotel, Charleston Marriott.
• RSVP on Facebook and find out who among your friends will be there.
• If your company or one of your vendors would benefit from exhibiting during Annual Meeting, please contact Amy Willis at awillis@birthdefectsresearch.org.
• If you are interested in supporting the Annual Meeting through sponsorship or marketing opportunities, please contact Becca Isakower at bisakower@birthdefectsresearch.org.

Before You Arrive

• Print the agenda ahead of time or order a printed Program so you will have a place to keep your notes and write your name on your Program, so you don’t lose it.
• Print a copy of the DNTS and OTIS agendas, you will have two sampler tickets to attend sessions that are not part of the BDRP agenda.
• Read the Annual Meeting Agenda online before you arrive. You have a lot of choices to make!
• Read ahead—check out Annual Meeting speakers’ articles in PubMed and books before you hear them speak.
• Review the listing of exhibitors and make appointments in advance.
• Check out the handouts in advance online. We will not have printed handouts onsite, and it’s a great way to get a sneak peak of what a session will be like.
• Bring your business cards (note how you met someone and what you discussed on the back, so you can follow up after the meeting).
• Check-in as early as Friday afternoon to get your badge and materials and avoid lines in the morning.
• Make sure you pack your water bottle, comfortable shoes, and sweater. Conference days are long, you will walk a lot and meeting rooms can be chilly.

While at the Conference

• Introduce yourself to everyone you sit next to. It’s the easiest way to meet someone with a common interest.
• Check out the neighborhood on Google Maps. You can search for nearby restaurants and sites and even see pictures of the neighborhood.
• Plan ahead—make dinner reservations in advance.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions! This is your chance to get answers from experts.