Changing landscape of medical conferences: identifying the goals motivating virtual vs in-person participation

Objectives: This study was aimed at improving clarity regarding the goals underlying motivation for attendance at international meetings to accommodate evolving needs. Methods: We performed a case study of a large international medical conference by undertaking (a) semi-structured interviews with 13 multi-disciplinary stakeholders, which underwent thematic analysis, and (b) surveys of 1229 conference attendees, which underwent descriptive statistical analysis and directed content analysis. Results: Interviews suggested scientific updates and networking are priorities for in-person formats whereas flexibility and reduced travel are priorities for virtual formats. Surveys suggested motivations for attending both in-person and virtual conferences included: scientific updates (81.3% and 85.4%, respectively) and advancements in patient care (76.6%, 78.2%). Social interaction (e.g., to meet experts 80.6% and make/deepen professional connections 69.3%) was highly rated for in-person meetings, but not virtual meetings (51.0% and 30.8%, respectively). 58.9% of attendees prefer future meetings to be hybrid, including both in-person and virtual formats. Conclusions: We found a disconnect between attendees' preferences and recommendations currently put forward as socially responsible in terms of climate, equity and diversity. Meeting organisers may need to educate others about the value and costs involved in hybrid formats. When hybrid formats are possible, our data provide guidance on what to prioritize during in-person components and how to combine those with the benefits of global accessibility and flexibility enabled by virtual technology.