2022 SGO Annual Meeting Wellness Recap | Gretchen Glaser, MD

Did anyone think that part of this Annual Meeting would include seeing Drs. Huh and Cohn chat with Dr. Yamada on the main stage – pants-less? I did NOT see that coming, and it was perfect! Once again, our SGO Program Committee wowed us with an Annual Meeting that was equal parts educational, thought-provoking, and fun.

Gretchen Glaser, MD

We learned new surgical techniques, developed our abilities to communicate with patients, and thought critically about many new concepts and ideas. Through it all, we also focused on the things that allow us to continue doing what we do so well, by expanding our skills in taking care of ourselves (including humor!).

As a kickoff to the broad availability of the SGO Wellness Curriculum on SGO ConnectEd, the Wellness Committee held sunrise sessions during which we provided a sneak peek of two of the ten fully developed, hour-long modules (Managing Priorities and Resiliency) and then held a joint session with the Palliative Care Committee on “Beating Burnout Through Better Patient Communication.” We learned so much from one another and headed home with new tips and tricks to try. The Wellness Curriculum modules were originally developed for gynecologic oncology fellows but are also a great resource for gynecologic oncology team members at all stages of their careers.

Simultaneous with the live streamed Wellness sessions were some awesome in person opportunities to get physical activity with our SGO friends leading the way, while in Phoenix, Arizona. We heard that Dr. Huh is quite the inspirational HIIT instructor, Dr. Ramondetta creates an awesome yoga flow, and Orange Theory is the perfect antidote to a busy Gyn Onc life. For me, some ideal combination of physical activity and introspection is what keeps me going, so this was a perfect pairing.

Maybe the most gratifying and impactful part of this meeting was the fact that so many of us got to meet in person, and that the hybrid/virtual portion was also so well integrated into the main meeting. One thing is for certain – we need one another, to advance the science, of course, but also to support one another and help one another become the best versions of ourselves. As we head into this next year, may we all continue to do that, virtually and in person. We look forward to seeing everyone again next year in Tampa!

Gretchen Glaser, MD, is a Gynecologic Oncologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and Vice Chair of the SGO Wellness Committee.