Dear APS members,
This message is to provide some important updates for APS. Following the unprecedented cancellation of our 2020 annual meeting due to the coronavirus outbreak, we have been working to mitigate the financial impact of the cancellation and identify ways in which we can share some of the important and exciting scientific findings that we expected to see at the meeting in Long Beach.
We plan to publish all abstracts for submitted posters, papers, and symposia that were to be presented at the annual meeting in a forthcoming issue of Psychosomatic Medicine. A separate email with details on this will be sent to all scheduled presenters shortly.
Additionally, we will be collecting electronic versions of all accepted 2020 posters for display on a special section of our website. An email with instructions on how to submit the e-posters will be sent to all 2020 poster presenters shortly.
Also, please know that while we are all very disappointed that our 2020 annual meeting had to be canceled, plans are already underway for a 2021 meeting. The Program Committee, led by Dr. John Ruiz, has begun meeting regularly and we are delighted to announce that they are again planning a program highlighted by a health equity theme. Details about the meeting dates and location will be announced soon.
Finally, we want to remind members our membership survey that is currently underway and encourage all member to respond to this brief survey. This survey is designed to evaluate the current educational and professional development needs of APS members, and results will help us develop and prioritize activities and programming of the Professional Education Committee.
As we all grapple with the increasing challenges the coronavirus pandemic poses, and work to keep our families, friends, co-workers and communities safe, I want to express my and Council’s gratitude for the support and understanding expressed by so many of you in light of the 2020 meeting cancellation. It was a heartbreaking outcome, but be assured that APS has the financial resources as well as the grit, determination, creativity and innovation to survive this challenging set of circumstances.
Stay safe and be well.
Sue Everson-Rose, PhD, MPH
President, APS 2019/20