Emerging Pathogens, Gravitas, and Influencing — Oh My! Insights from APIC 2024

From June 3–5 ,2024, more than 2,000 infection preventionists gathered in San Antonio, Texas and another 1,500 joined virtually for the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) 2024 Annual Conference. APIC is a professional association for infection preventionists (IPs) with over 15,000 members. The conference's mission is to advance the science and practice of infection prevention and control.

From the moment I walked into the conference center, the energy was contagious (no pun intended). As someone that has been working in the healthcare field for over 14 years, my first thought was relief. The past four years have been rough on all of us, but for IPs, the pandemic brought unprecedented challenges across the board. I am happy to report that at this year’s conference, it was clear that we are ready to move past the struggles of yesterday and focus on the future of infection prevention. And our future is bright. So bright, in fact, that APIC announced a new 18-month training program, the APIC Leadership Institute, aimed at developing the next generation of IP leaders!

Hot topic: Emerging (and re-emerging) pathogens

The #APIC24 conference featured two insightful sessions addressing critical aspects of public health and infection prevention. The measles panel provided a comprehensive overview of current outbreaks and effective management strategies. Dr. Mini Kamboj, Chief Medical Epidemiologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, led a session alongside Sara Townsend, MS-HQS, CIC, FAPIC (Infection Prevention Manager at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) and Dr. Mazin Barry (Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases at the College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, and Consultant at Dallah Hospital). The experts discussed the urgency of measles control in light of recent outbreaks.In the context of emerging pathogen threats, another session led by our very own Infection Prevention Fellow, Doe Kley in partnership with Dr. Mariana C. Torres Portillo, Head of Infectious Disease Surveillance at BlueDot underscored the escalating challenges faced by IPs. With global travel, denser populations, and climate change facilitating disease spread, the session emphasized proactive measures to combat novel pathogens. It stressed the importance of understanding and implementing robust infection control strategies, including cleaning and disinfection, within healthcare settings.

Other sessions included updates on other pathogens of concern, including C. auris and MDROs. These sessions collectively equipped attendees with vital knowledge and tools necessary to address current and future infectious disease challenges effectively, ensuring informed and proactive responses within healthcare and public health sectors.

Keynote spotlight: Thriving, influencing, and showing up with gravitas!

While the education sessions kept us engaged, the Keynote speakers at APIC this year spoke to our hearts.  Focusing on inclusion, thriving, gravitas, resilience, and influencing — it was easy to walk out of the room (or if online, your desk area) with a new kick in your step. Here are three quick takeaways from each of the keynote speakers:

1. “Your words unlock your future. Take 30 seconds and write down what’s right about you.” — Simon T. Bailey, Beyond Engagement: Thriving in the Workplace
2. “Getting to an unbreakable belief in yourself starts with knowing what makes you uniquely you.” — Lisa Sun, Choosing Self-Confidence and author of the Book “Gravitas”
3. “It’s not about what you want to say. It is about what you want to say in a context to what they care about.” — Valerie Grubb, Influencing Without Authority

These themes seemed present throughout the 3-day conference in San Antonio. One session fittingly highlighted this idea with the impactful title: "Influence is Your Infection Prevention Superpower!"  There is no doubt that mastering authentic human connection is critical for achieving not only professional goals, but also in creating significant organizational changes that help to keep our patients, families, and communities safer.  I, for one, am beyond grateful to all those who contributed to make #APIC24 such a success this year.

See you all in Phoenix in 2025!