Digestive Disease Week® 2017 was one for the books. More than 14,000 GI professionals gathered in Chicago for the world’s premier GI meeting. The four-day conference featured 4,251 posters, 954 presentations by invited speakers and 1,080 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 from DDW 2017 is available at www.ddw.org/OnDemand. Access is free to meeting 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 2017. You will be prompted to create a password; you will not need your badge number after you are verified. On subsequent visits, go to watch.ondemand.org/ddw and enter your email and password.
- Visit blog.ddw.org to read news from the meeting, watch DDW TV interviews, listen to podcasts with thought leaders and catch up on the best social media posts.
- Check your email for a survey asking for your opinions about DDW and how we can continue to help you achieve your goals. Please be sure to participate and help us make DDW even better.
As we wrap up the 2017 meeting, we’re already looking forward to DDW 2018, which will be held June 2-5 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., a city rich in history.
“D.C. is one of our most popular cities,” said DDW Council Chair Grace H. Elta, MD, AGAF, FASGE, professor of medicine, associate chief for clinical programs and director of the medical procedure unit at the University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor. “It’s a popular city to visit because it’s filled with history and there are lots of things to do and see very close to the convention center. Springtime in Washington has great weather, too.”
It’s no coincidence that the DDW 2018 theme is “Monumental Developments in Science and Medicine.” Washington is a worldwide destination with cultural influences at every turn, from dining and architecture to sports, museums and neighborhoods, and of course, the nation’s historic monuments.
The National Mall extends from the U.S. Capitol Building to Lincoln Memorial, with more than a dozen sites to see along the two-mile green expanse. The steps of Lincoln Memorial offer an unparalleled view of the reflecting pool and Washington Monument, though the obelisk can be seen majestically towering above the city from almost anywhere.
Millions of people visit the mall each year to honor our nation’s veterans at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, World War II Memorial and Korean War Veterans Memorial. Walk a little to the northwest, and you’ll get a view of the White House from Pennsylvania Avenue.
Washington also offers DDW attendees the chance to see historic documents at renowned museums. The Declaration of Independence is tucked away in the National Archives Building and the Gutenberg Bible is among the more than 6,500 books in the Library of Congress. The only Leonardo da Vinci painting in North America can be found at the National Gallery of Art, and the National Air and Space Museum features the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world.
Washington also has a network of fascinating neighborhoods, from charming and colorful Georgetown to Foggy Bottom and its beautiful views of the Potomac River. Shoppers love Georgetown’s store-lined and cobblestone streets, while the city’s international character shines through in its Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle neighborhoods.
And that’ s not all. You can peer into the National Cathedral, visit the animals at Smithsonian’s National Zoo, trek through Rock Creek Park, hear live jazz at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts or stroll along Embassy Row.
For foodies, there’s eclectic dining in almost every neighborhood, representing the district’s “melting pot” of flavors. In fact, Bon Appetite named Washington its “Restaurant City of the Year” in 2016.
Washington is also a convenient city for international and national travel. So mark your calendar now and join us in 2018 for a monumental meeting in an illustrious city. To plan your visit, look for more information at www.ddw.org or go to www.washington.org to explore the city in more detail.
