Cmar-con schedule for 2010

Cmar at Dragon*Con 2009, photo by Bruce Press

Although mired in what the local atmosphere contends is “deep winter,” the con(-vention? -ference? You decide!) season is already upon me, what with the Maryland ACP Scientific Meeting last week, and Farpoint ahead this weekend. The roundup of how my year is looking at this point is as follows:

• Farpoint – February 12-14, Timonium, MD – Yikes! This weekend! Must prepare, and dig out, and stuff! I’ll be working the science track, and generally enjoying myself at this smaller, more low-key gathering.

• Ravencon – April 9-11, Richmond, VA – Although relatively new as cons go, 5-year-old Ravencon continues to grow as a great regional weekend. The move this year to a better hotel (fare thee well, horrifying board-room meeting places) can only help matters. I’ll be doing the science track thing.

• Johncon – April 16-18, Baltimore, MD – It’s named after me. How could I not go? Well, sure, it’s primarily a gaming convention put on by the Johns Hopkins University sci-fi and anime clubs, and they asked me to be a science guest, but really, it’s named after me. ’nuff said.

• APDIM Spring Conference – April 26-28, Baltimore, MD – The Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine may sound like a vastly boring organization to the uninitiated, but it’s a vital resource to me in my role in helping to run the Johns Hopkins University/Sinai Hospital Program in Internal Medicine. In addition to scheming about ways to better train residents and plotting how to deal with increasing regulations on said training, I’ll be giving a couple of presentations to the Chief Resident’s conference, which takes place at the same time.

• Balticon 44 – May 28-31, Baltimore, MD – If you’ve been paying any attention to me over the last few years and don’t know Balticon, then for shame. The science and new media tracks will see my hand, and the awesome will be brought.

• ReConStruction (NASFic 2010) – August 5-8, Raleigh, NC – When Worldcon takes place outside of North America, that year a North American Science Fiction convention is birthed to sate the Worldcon-need for those unable to travel. It looks like I’ll be involved in the science guest here, in addition to the other festivities.

• Aussiecon 4 (Worldcon 2010) – September 2-6, Melbourne, Australia – The World Science Fiction Convention migrates to another continent this year, and Laura and I shall follow, both to attend and for an extended first trip to Australia. At this point, I won’t have any track involvement, which suits me just fine – it’s vacation, dammit.

• APDIM Fall Conference – October 14-17, San Antonio, TX – More of the same as the APDIM Spring Conference, except in an arguably more exciting locale than Baltimore.

• Philcon – November 19-21, Cherry Hill, NJ – This was a blast last year, and I intend to return again this time around, spouting off my physicianly wit in an official capacity if I can.

That’s… quite a full year, but there’s more that either haven’t made the cut or are only on “maybe” status. Due to saving up both rupees and leave time for Australia, I will sadly not be making the return trek to Origins. Both Dragon*Con and Con On The Cob (which I have long wanted to check out, but never have) are out due to direct conflicts, and my attendance at the big two Infectious Diseases conferences of the year, the ICAAC and IDSA meetings, is going to be dictated by energy and leave reserves as the time gets closer.

All that noted, it’s shaping up to be brilliantly fun and educational year on the con front. Won’t you join me?