Uscap 2010

[Pianoboe01]

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Everything is booked!! What hotel are you staying at?

 

[pathstudent]

Everything is booked!! What hotel are you staying at?

I am staying at the Marriott where it is being held for four nights.

I just checked and it still has rooms available for 209 a night. And even if 209 a night is out of your budget. How can Washington DC be booked?

 

[Pianoboe01]

When I check online and call, it says the Marriott is booked. Maybe I'm checking different dates than you are? And no, obviously not every hotel in D.C. is booked, but all the ones close by to the meeting are.

 

[GeoLeoX]

When I check online and call, it says the Marriott is booked. Maybe I'm checking different dates than you are? And no, obviously not every hotel in D.C. is booked, but all the ones close by to the meeting are.

The meeting is in a hotel that is easily accessible from the Metro Red Line - that opens up a lot of hotels, some outside of the district like Silver Spring or Bethesda. Bethesda is closer maybe 10-15 minute train ride, but it's only a 20-30 minute train ride from Silver Spring.

 

[smellycat]

Here is the map of the metro system in DC.
http://wmata.com/rail/maps/map.cfm

The conference is at a hotel just off of the Adams Morgan/Zoo metro stop. You could even check out downtown DC (just off Metro Center) for hotels. There should be plenty of options since it is off the red line. And just as the Geo said. You could check north of the conference for hotels (Bethesda/Friendship Heights).

 

[djmd]

When I check online and call, it says the Marriott is booked. Maybe I'm checking different dates than you are? And no, obviously not every hotel in D.C. is booked, but all the ones close by to the meeting are.

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/wasdt-washington-marriott-wardman-park/

If you go to marriots page and try to book it lists other marriot hotels, by distance from the Washington Marriott Wardman Park...

8 (which are all available) are 5 miles or less...
2 of which are 1 mile away


and GeoLeoX said it is on the Red line... so you can use the metro and there are lots of places to stay...

travel.yahoo.com allows you to searhc by distance from a "landmark" of which the "national zoological park" is less than a mile from the Marriot, and you can
sort by distance and view the results on a map...

 

[GeoLeoX]

If you are looking for places for less than $200, I recommend going north - Bethesda/Rockville. Don't go past Rockville, it's really too far (Gaithersburg/Germantown). If you are ok with $200+ then into the district (Adams-Morgan/Dupont Circle/Embassy Row) would be a good choice. There are some beautiful B&Bs on Embassy Row, which is a several block walk to the train and a very nice area to walk around. Even Georgetown if you are willing to walk the 1-1.5 mile walk to the Dupont Circle station.

 

[Pianoboe01]

I guess I'm just concerned about riding the subway alone at night, which is why I was optimally wanting a hotel close to the meeting. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[Freak]

Have you thought about Priceline? You can probably select the general area.

 

[GeoLeoX]

I guess I'm just concerned about riding the subway alone at night, which is why I was optimally wanting a hotel close to the meeting. Thanks for the suggestions!

The hotel is in a very safe place surrounded by other relatively safe places, but that is not a substitute for vigilance. I (male) would feel safe taking the Metro from Woodley Park (literally in front of the hotel) to Bethesda at night, but I am a city person.

There are always taxis.

 

[SLUsagar]

When I check online and call, it says the Marriott is booked. Maybe I'm checking different dates than you are? And no, obviously not every hotel in D.C. is booked, but all the ones close by to the meeting are.

The hotel is rather small to accommodate the size/group of USCAP (at least in terms of the convention center space, not sure about rooms). I've been told that it is unlikely a future USCAP will ever be held there, and that the only reason it is being held there is that it was already booked many years in advance (they are often booked this way) when the future growth potential of USCAP was not anticipated.

 

[GeoLeoX]

The hotel is rather small to accommodate the size/group of USCAP (at least in terms of the convention center space, not sure about rooms). I've been told that it is unlikely a future USCAP will ever be held there, and that the only reason it is being held there is that it was already booked many years in advance (they are often booked this way) when the future growth potential of USCAP was not anticipated.

This was bad planning from the get-go. This hotel is a land-locked old place with only one or two other hotels around. It's relatively small, the meeting areas are too small. I've gone to USCAP before several years ago and that size meeting then wouldn't have fit into this hotel. Did they expect negative growth?

 

[yaah]

This was bad planning from the get-go. This hotel is a land-locked old place with only one or two other hotels around. It's relatively small, the meeting areas are too small. I've gone to USCAP before several years ago and that size meeting then wouldn't have fit into this hotel. Did they expect negative growth?

I don't think they expected negative growth - it's more that they didn't expect the level of growth that has happened in the past 5 years or so. The places that they have gone they were able to expand. DC, not so much. It might mean fewer poster acceptances, which is unfortunate, especially because junior faculty have unfortunately begun to assume a greater role in being the first author in abstract submissions. And there are many more abstracts submitted from other countries than there used to be. Thus, residents will get squeezed out.

 

[2121115]

....especially because junior faculty have unfortunately begun to assume a greater role in being the first author in abstract submissions.

Why do you think this is the case?

 

[GeoLeoX]

I don't think they expected negative growth - it's more that they didn't expect the level of growth that has happened in the past 5 years or so. The places that they have gone they were able to expand. DC, not so much. It might mean fewer poster acceptances, which is unfortunate, especially because junior faculty have unfortunately begun to assume a greater role in being the first author in abstract submissions. And there are many more abstracts submitted from other countries than there used to be. Thus, residents will get squeezed out.

From my informal poll (n<10) there has been an unprecedented level of abstract rejection this year. This should keep potential USCAP members away, and lead to stagnancy/lack of junior growth. With three major professional organizations vying for membership (and only one that asks residents to pay membership dues - USCAP) USCAP should have planned better. The leading demographic for attrition from these societies is just the demographic that is impacted most by the poor planning.

Sorry for the hijack, I hope that the OP had her question answered.

 

[yaah]

From my informal poll (n<10) there has been an unprecedented level of abstract rejection this year. This should keep potential USCAP members away, and lead to stagnancy/lack of junior growth. With three major professional organizations vying for membership (and only one that asks residents to pay membership dues - USCAP) USCAP should have planned better. The leading demographic for attrition from these societies is just the demographic that is impacted most by the poor planning.

Sorry for the hijack, I hope that the OP had her question answered.

Abstract rejection has been growing over the past few years, in conjunction with abstract submission. Agree that this is unfortunate for this cycle. However, this year is probably an aberration and space will be back to increased next year and thereafter. Unfortunately that doesn't do this year's crop of submitters much good.

To answer the question in the previous post, I think it is because junior faculty often enter a job with multiple projects they carried over from fellowship or residency, or projects that continue to produce more abstracts. In addition, some junior faculty seem to not seek out significant resident input in their projects, unfortunately. They would prefer to be the first author themselves. The pressure on junior faculty to produce is growing. Some may think that they get more clout with their departmental leadership by publishing, rather than being seen as someone who the residents enjoy working with. That is unfortunate.

 

[2121115]

Abstract rejection has been growing over the past few years, in conjunction with abstract submission. Agree that this is unfortunate for this cycle. However, this year is probably an aberration and space will be back to increased next year and thereafter. Unfortunately that doesn't do this year's crop of submitters much good.

Interesting. One of the reasons that I submit to USCAP is because it is harder to get an abstract accepted there (as opposed to CAP, ASCP, etc). For that reason, I thought that it would just look better to be presenting at USCAP rather than the other competing organizations. I do really enjoy the CAP meeting though.

 

[SLUsagar]

Abstract rejection has been growing over the past few years, in conjunction with abstract submission. Agree that this is unfortunate for this cycle. However, this year is probably an aberration and space will be back to increased next year and thereafter. Unfortunately that doesn't do this year's crop of submitters much good.

Although the abstract rejection rate has increased, so has the # of submissions. I'm wondering if the acceptance rate is fairly constant overall. More importantly, this year b/c of the lack of space issue, they offered several "online only" submissions vs actually presenting at the meeting. These abstracts were albeit lower rated the ones that got formally accepted (presenters), but in any other year these online only abstracts would have been all lumped together with the presenters. Because of the space issue, the academic committee decided to still offer "online only" acceptance/submissions to not deter people from submitting in the future.

To answer the question in the previous post, I think it is because junior faculty often enter a job with multiple projects they carried over from fellowship or residency, or projects that continue to produce more abstracts. In addition, some junior faculty seem to not seek out significant resident input in their projects, unfortunately. They would prefer to be the first author themselves. The pressure on junior faculty to produce is growing. Some may think that they get more clout with their departmental leadership by publishing, rather than being seen as someone who the residents enjoy working with. That is unfortunate.

I do agree, but at least in terms of the authorship order, that's sort of how the academic world runs, at least on the West coast (perhaps elsewhere, can't comment on that). Junior folks (assistant profs) are expected to be 1st authors. As they progress up in the ranks to associate and eventually full prof, they are expected to take on senior authorship roles (i.e. no longer first author).

 

[SLUsagar]

Interesting. One of the reasons that I submit to USCAP is because it is harder to get an abstract accepted there (as opposed to CAP, ASCP, etc). For that reason, I thought that it would just look better to be presenting at USCAP rather than the other competing organizations. I do really enjoy the CAP meeting though.

I totally hear you man. Although "easier" to get accepted into, CAP/ASCP presenting is still fun. Although I must admit spending ALL that time on a poster only to have a few honky-tonk pathologists ask you some ******* question doesn't quite compare when a Mahul Amin-type happens to swing by your poster, spending even half a minute at it. Plus, CAP and ASCP really need to stop allowing case reports as posters. To me, this separates the children (CAP/ASCP) from the adults (UCSAP). Also, if the CAP/ASCP had formal platform sessions like USCAP, that would be great.

 

[yaah]

Although the abstract rejection rate has increased, so has the # of submissions. I'm wondering if the acceptance rate is fairly constant overall. More importantly, this year b/c of the lack of space issue, they offered several "online only" submissions vs actually presenting at the meeting. These abstracts were albeit lower rated the ones that got formally accepted (presenters), but in any other year these online only abstracts would have been all lumped together with the presenters. Because of the space issue, the academic committee decided to still offer "online only" acceptance/submissions to not deter people from submitting in the future.

I think the acceptance rate was fairly constant until this year, because the number of acceptances was also increased. The question of course is whether departments will pay for their residents to go to USCAP if their abstract was accepted only as an online acceptance.

I do agree, but at least in terms of the authorship order, that's sort of how the academic world runs, at least on the West coast (perhaps elsewhere, can't comment on that). Junior folks (assistant profs) are expected to be 1st authors. As they progress up in the ranks to associate and eventually full prof, they are expected to take on senior authorship roles (i.e. no longer first author).

Where I trained the assistant profs would often have their own projects where they would be the senior author. Maybe that's changing though.