The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery and the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery will hold their annual meetings jointly in Phoenix in October, the groups announced.
The decision was driven largely by the faltering economy, but also by a desire to offer a new and innovative program to the membership of both societies, according to officers of both groups.
The decision to combine forces at one annual meeting was warmly embraced by board members and the membership.
The goal of the collaboration was primarily to make it less cost-prohibitive for dermatologists to network with each other and with manufacturers and other exhibitors, said Dr. Ranella Hirsch, ASCDAS past president.
“We wanted to deliver more—more attendees, more opinion leaders,” she said, adding that “from our point of view, it was a natural partnership between the best of each society.”
Traditionally, the two meetings are held about 6 weeks apart. Combining them reduces hurdles for dermatologists, who now won't have to shut down a practice twice in a short period, or have to choose between the two meetings, said Dr. Phil Werschler, ASCDAS president.
There is a large overlap between the ASDS and ASCDAS membership, he said. But the ASDS meeting has been more surgically oriented, while the ASCDAS meeting has placed more emphasis on aesthetic procedures, he said.
The ASDS is looking forward to offering some of the more basic courses that ASCDAS offers, Dr. Robert Weiss, ASDS president, said in an interview.
ASCDAS also brings cosmeceutical expertise that ASDS usually only touches on; ASDS will offer more content on skin cancer, and topics such as chemical peels and hair transplants that might not be part of the ASCDAS agenda, Dr. Weiss said.
The idea for a joint meeting may also have been spurred by the spirit of unity embodied by the 2008 presidential election, said Dr. Weiss.
The meeting will “show other specialties our unity and it's going to help propel dermatologic surgery,” he predicted.
Representatives from the two societies said that currently there is no plan to hold a joint meeting again in 2010.