The ASRM 2024 Etiquette FAQ
How To Behave At The American Society For Reproductive Medicine
Q: Can I still call the conference the AFS?
A: Yes, but you only sound cool if you actually attended the conference back when it was called AFS.
artist: Diana Tain
Q: What is AFS?
A: Its what the old people still call the ASRM.
Q: I’m terrible with names–all of this socializing worries me. What should I do?
A: You’re in luck! There is a well-known name-forgetting blanket amnesty conferred upon all ASRM attendees attendees.
At least I hope there is.
Q: This is my first job and my first healthcare business conference. Like most people my age I’m constantly looking at my phone and I’m afraid it will make me look bad. Any advice?
A: You have nothing to worry about. You’ll fit right in.
Prefer the bear
Q: I’m young and self-conscious and don’t want to offend anyone. Any pointers?
A: Listen more than you talk. In the lobby of whichever Hyatt you find yourself, hold the elevator for no more than five seconds to allow someone to get in and never hold it to continue a conversation–the elevators are really slow and everyone else has somewhere to go.
When rushing past someone you know, a smile and nod works, but a grin and nod looks phony. When you bump into someone’s back on the sidewalk because you were checking email on your phone, quickly slip the phone in your pocket and walk briskly in front of the person as if it never happened.
If someone does the same thing to you, try to step on the back of their shoe and give the person what back in junior high we called a “flat tire.” Extra points if you get the sock.
Q: ASRM is my first really big meeting. What should I know that’s too obvious to ask?
A: Name badge strategies:
Needless to say, make sure your name faces outward.
If someone whose name you should know catches you glancing at their badge, it’s better to say, “Yeah, I thought you were still at the Brigham…” rather than “I’m sorry—what’s your name again?.”
It’s unsporting to refuse to have your barcode scanned.
Q: What's trendy this year?
A: This is ASRM, not Cannes.
Q: The exhibit hall at ASRM is gigantic! Any suggestions for navigating it?
A: I’m biased. My father worked trade shows. Think food and carpets.
If you eat something from the booth you have to let the people make eye contact and say hello. You do not have to listen to their sales pitch.
It is ok to use the wastepaper baskets behind the table curtains to throw away the wrapper from a peanut butter cup, but not for a half-filled cup of coffee.
If you step on the carpet to cut across the booth, a salesperson will approach you. You smile and say “good morning” or “good afternoon.” Ignoring eye contact is bad form. The booth people are stuck there all day. Be nice to them.
Q: How do I wander from one large presentation session to another without making a pain of myself?
A: No one expects riders on the downtown 1, 2 and 3 trains switching to the crosstown 7 to act like they’re at a tea party, but plan ahead.
If you plan to stay for the whole session, sit in the middle of the row. Session hoppers sit at the end or do a wall-lean.
Take photos of slides with your phone and not with a damned iPad.
Walking quickly with your head slightly bowed to indicate that you realize you are briefly blocking peoples’ view is preferable to saying “excuse me, sorry, excuse me, excuse me” over and over again.
Q: Is it OK to aggressively run in front of other people to get to the microphone to ask a question during oral sessions?
A: Stay in your seat. Sit on your hands. Don’t go near that microphone. Keep your mouth shut.
Don’t. Be. That. Person.
Q: Sorry, don’t know what got into me. What if I have a really good question and there is extra time, no one else wants to ask anything and I politely waited my turn. Any advice?
A: Stay in your seat. Sit on your hands…
Q: How about the poster sessions?
A: Two scenarios: poster sessions, and poster session/receptions with white wine in clear plastic cups.
For the first scenario, if there are more than four or five people jot down the presenter’s email address, take a reprint and send the question later. You’ll get a better answer when he/she is unrushed. If it’s just you, discuss as long as you like, but when someone else shows up set an internal timer for a minute or so, then revert to the email/reprint strategy.
For poster/reception/wine, follow the same rules, don’t drink more than one glass (a good life rule for cheap, free alcohol) and never leave your cup on the floor near the booth where someone can knock it over (I’ve seen it done more often than you can imagine).
(A historical note: back in the 1990s students, residents and postdocs actually used these sessions as “pickup” opportunities. I’m sure that doesn’t happen anymore…)
Q: Any last thoughts?
A: Spend a half hour with the nonprofits and patient advocacy groups on the exhibit floor saying something nice about how they traveled to Denver at their own expense to help people who they don’t know deal with diseases that we have not solved yet.
Enjoy. Relax. At ASRM you will never be the smartest person in the room, so the pressure’s off.
Great post!