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Big Ideas in the Big Easy: Innovation Through Education and Networking

By Meagan Lawrence

The National Cancer Registration Association’s 44th Annual Education Conference will be hosted in New Orleans from May 20–23. This buzzing city holds a multitude of attractions for visitors. One could attend the National World War II Museum or, for an experience closer to the city’s own history, visit the New Orleans Jazz Museum. To get a feel for the city’s culture, visit the French Quarter and get a plate of gumbo from one of the many restaurants around, then head to a café to try the classic dessert beignets, all without leaving the deep history of the French Quarter.

This year’s conference features several amazing attractions with the theme “Big Ideas in the Big Easy.” The keynote speaker is Vince Cataldo, MD, from Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group at the Mary Bird Perkins Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who will provide “An Overview of Immunotherapy in Cancer Treatment.” He will be sharing his experiences with immunotherapy and how they have helped him outline the implications of cancer in his patients and the impact on cancer registrars.

The sessions on Tuesday, May 22, will focus on various disease sites such as the breast, prostate, colon, and lung. Wednesday’s sessions will be split into tracts so attendees can enjoy offerings that hold particular interest. The options are hospital registry, central registry, cancer registry management, professional development, and informatics.

In addition to the keynote speaker and the available options on Tuesday and Wednesday, there are three workshops offered before, during, and after the conference. The first is the “CTR Exam Prep Workshop: Hands-On Strategies for the Open-Book Section,” a prep course for those about to take the CTR Exam, focusing on the open-book portion of the exam.

The next workshop, which is offered during the conference, is “Fundamentals of Abstracting.” Designed for new registrars, it focuses on “the concepts of quality of abstracting and data reporting practices.” Participating in a webinar and completing case studies before the workshop are required.

The final workshop, available after the conference, is “SEER Advanced topics for Registry Professionals.” This two-day workshop teaches registrars several new initiatives: The 2018 Solid Tumor Rules, Extent of Disease 2018, Summary Stage 2018, and 2018 Site Specific Data Items. Preregistration is required and each attendee must complete assigned cases before the workshop.

For more information and to register, visit www.ncra-usa.org/Conference/2018-Annual-Conference.

— Meagan Lawrence is an editorial intern at Great Valley Publishing Company.