As the San Diego sun sets on ACC.15, I am excited to follow in the footsteps of my friend Patrick T. O’Gara, MD, MACC, and the many others who have come before me, to serve as ACC president.

It’s been an incredible last three days of innovation, networking and practice-shaping research – made all the more successful by the enthusiasm and participation of the more than 13,500 attendees from quite literally around the world.

Dr. O’Gara kicked off the meeting by imploring us to take advantage of the opportunity afforded by ACC.15 to expand our knowledge base, generate new insights and forge connections across ideas and shared goals. From what I witnessed, ACC.15 attendees rose to this challenge.

Late-Breaking Clinical Trials, such as PROMISE, PEGASUS-TIMI 54, OSLER, TOTAL, MATRIX and others, generated important discussions about cardiovascular care both in the halls of the San Diego Convention Center and in mainstream media.  Sessions making up the 11 clinical pathways, including the new Future of CV Medicine Track, allowed for more micro-level, interactive discussions about the challenges and opportunities associated with a specific topic, specialty or role on the cardiovascular care team. I was also impressed by the substantial increase in international society cross-over – 20 joint sessions in total!

Two constant themes throughout the meeting were engagement and innovation. On the engagement front, attendees spoke to me about how thrilled they were to partake in knowledge sharing and discussion. The runway-like stages contributed to an atmosphere of a two-way conversation rather than a classroom atmosphere. Innovation was everywhere, from enhancements to the ACC.15 App to the Sim Center learning destination on the Expo floor, where trainees and experienced professionals alike tested their procedural knowledge and received realistic feedback on their performance.

William Butler Yeats is often quoted as saying: “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” I believe a fire was lit in San Diego. The challenge for all of us is to keep this fire burning. We have made a commitment to give back to the communities where we live and work – and we are giving back lives. The College and its leadership are here for you each step of your journey. Use us. Take advantage of our tools and resources. Get involved in ACC committees, sections and councils, chapters and advocacy. Each of us separately is a spark, but together we are a fire!

See you in Chicago-land in 2016!

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