It was an idea born on twitter. I was chatting with @GregSmithMD and said, "we need a BlogMed," or something like that.
Yes, I know there is Blog World Expo, and BlogHer, and Super Mega Blog Conference. Ok, I just made that last one up, but those conferences are huge and, well, maybe not for everyone. But, it seems to me that a blogging conference hosted by medical professionals might be different than a medical track at a blogging conference. Then again, my N is zero.
What would MedBlog look like?
1) No industry sponsorship. Drug dinners are so 1990. But hey, if Steve Jobs wants a booth I will let him have one.
2) Excellent content. Relevant, factual, and important to medicine with as little woo as possible.
3) Entertaining. I have organized a few conferences in my day and I know what is good and how much it sucks when a speaker bombs. If something blows, I will step in and talk about vibrators, lube, and the G-spot. I can talk about that anyway! I also throw a good party (I offer the picture of the duckie cupcakes as evidence of said party skills).
4) Inclusive. Medicine isn't just doctors. It also takes nurses, CRNAs, paramedics, pharmacists, psychologists, and, well, a lot of other people to give good medical care. I know, unfortunately my family has too much experience from the patient side. It also takes hospital CEOs, medical records folks, and a lot of other behind the scenes action to make it happen. If you care about medicine and about making it better, you are invited. If you are a trial lawyer, that does not include you. I'm sorry, in my humble opinion I do not think you make medicine better or safer. Remember, it was John Edwards who successfully argued that a woman in labor is not fit to make informed consent. Enough said.
5) Inexpensive. $800 bucks is a lot to spend to go to a conference, especially when you add in hotel and airfare. We might end up in a rec center, but it's about content, right? Anyway, this is wine country, there are better things to spend your money on than a swanky, over air conditioned conference room with seats that make your bum go numb. We can have numb bottoms and still have money left over (#justsayin').
6) What about CME and other continuing ed credits? Would be nice. Will need help from each field to organize their own credits. Not promising anything here.
7) When will this BlogMed fest be held? July 2011. I need a year to plan, and July 12th is Sir. William Osler's birthday. If anyone knows when Hippocrates was born, I am willing to listen.
What do you think? Will you come to BlogMed? What topics do you want? Who do you want to hear?
As ideas evolve, I will post them. No promises, this is still in the in vitro phase.
