Events

Your Complete Guide to AAOS 2021

Enhatch Marketing

With in-person events being canceled or postponed for a year, the Enhatch team is SO excited to be attending the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Annual Meeting. This year’s conference will be in warm, and sunny California at the San Diego Convention Center.

AAOS 2021 kicks off on August 31 at 8 a.m. PT starting with continuing education classes. The exhibit hall opens up the following morning, where you can visit Enhatch’s booth and maybe get an early peek at the Intelligent Surgery Ecosystem. The week will continue through Friday, concluding at 1:30 p.m PT.

With thousands of attendees, this year’s annual meeting will be one for the books. But, with a busy exhibit hall, countless educational opportunities, and so many surgeons to network with, planning your visit can be overwhelming.

Enhatch has been attending AAOS since 2015 and we’ve learned tips and tricks for getting the most out of your conference experience. In this guide, you'll find the proposed agenda, plus the following information about AAOS 2021:

AAOS 2021 Dates
AAOS 2021 Location
AAOS 2021 Registration
AAOS 2021 Agenda
AAOS 2021 COVID Policies
AAOS 2021 Accommodation
AAOS 2021 Packing List
AAOS 2021 Parties
Enhatch's Networking Tips for AAOS 2021
Places to Eat Near the San Diego Convention Center
Things to Do in San Diego

AAOS 2021 Dates

AAOS 2021 will take place August 31 - Sept 3, 2021 in San Diego, California. The exhibit hall will be open from 9-5pm on Sept 1 & 2 and 9-1:30pm on Sept 3.

AAOS 2021 Registration

AAOS requires all attendees to register for the conference. While on-site registration is provided, we recommend registering in advance. This way, you can fully focus on the event upon arrival. When registering, note that there are different options based on profession.

Here is a cheat sheet for registration type:

Orthopedic Professionals- includes physicians, international medical attendees, U.S. allied health, U.S. orthopaedic practice staff, career center participants, residents/resident coordinators.

Allied-Health Professionals- Includes individuals such as researchers/PhD, scientists, CEO, COO, director level titles, legal counsel, purchasers, and marketers working in the field of orthopaedics.

First Time Attendees- You guessed it, this is for surgeons that haven’t attended AAOS before.

Industry, non-exhibitor Attendees- Anyone representing a company that is not exhibiting.

AAOS 2021 Agenda

AAOS is a dynamic event. The hundreds of classes, large exhibit hall, and countless parties make it tough when deciding how to navigate the event. Here's the full list of classes, workshops, and events to help make your planning easier. Events are also divided up by tracks including hip, knee, foot & ankle, hand & wrist, musculoskeletal oncology, pediatrics, shoulder & elbow, spine, trauma, and sports medicine. To help navigate the large exhibit hall, you can add booths to Your Show Planner in order to make your time exploring a lot easier. Be sure to add Enhatch to see what all the hype around the Intelligent Surgery Ecosystem is!

AAOS 2021 COVID Policies

Living in a pandemic means most conferences have new and strict health and safety guidelines. But remember, these rules are in place to keep all attendees safe and comfortable. AAOS 2021 will be following the Covid-19 best practices from the CDC. However here are a few things to really pay attention to:

It’s recommended that everyone attending wears a mask at all indoor public settings.
Everyone attending must show proof of vaccination or pass a COVID-19 test prior to attending.
Guests are encouraged to utilize hand sanitizer stations that will be placed throughout the venue.
All high touch areas will be sanitized daily.
Food and beverages at the event will be served in a contact-free way.

In addition, please be mindful of social distancing while attending this year’s event. For more heath and safety guidelines, click here.

AAOS 2021 Accommodation

Traveling to AAOS? Well, that means you need a place to stay! Here are a few hotel options that are close to the San Diego Convention Center:

AAOS 2021 Packing List

Conferences in 2021 are just a bit different than before the pandemic. Because of the health and safety guidelines, be sure you pack plenty of masks to wear at the conference. It is also a good idea to pack extra masks so you can switch if one mask starts to feel uncomfortable. Speaking of health and safety, while there are hand sanitizer stations placed around the conference, bring your own bottle to keep with you.

While most of the dress is business casual at this event, wear comfortable shoes. It will be easy to hit your step goal walking from class to class, going around the exhibit hall, and walking to dinner spots. Wearing practical shoes will help you be more comfortable so you can focus on networking and classes.

During the conference, you’ll want to take notes. Make sure all of your devices are charged and that you pack plenty of cords to recharge. When all else fails, bring a notebook and a pen. There will be a lot of swag from all the exhibitors so you may want to also pack a tote bag to help you carry everything around.

And last but not least, don't forget your business cards!

AAOS 2021 Parties

It’s not AAOS until you attend a party or happy hour! Here are parties worth checking out at this year’s academy meeting:

Wednesday, Sept 1

Cocktail Hour sponsored by JOEI. 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.; Fifth & Rose Bar at Hotel Pendry

Thursday, Sept 2

Cocktail Hour sponsored by JOEI. 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.; Fifth & Rose Bar at Hotel Pendry
IAOS 2021 Cocktail Reception, The Field, Authentic Irish Pub & Restaurant

Networking Tips for AAOS 2021

One of the best parts of attending a large conference? Meeting people and potential partners from across the globe. Here are tips for networking during a pandemic:

Build up your Digital Presence- Very few people have returned back to the office and are eager to make connections. Start making connections and setting up meetings on LinkedIn to get the most out of your experience.
Bring Value- everyone is excited to network and attend AAOS since it was canceled in 2020. Be sure that you bring value to conversations, whether it’s talking about a new product or problem solving with peers.
Make the most of the exhibition hall. There are so many vendors attending this year’s meeting, to get the best experience choose your top vendors to network with.

Enhatch is setting up socially distant networking spots inside our booth space. To set up a meeting with sales and learn about the Intelligent Surgery Ecosystem, click here.

Places to Eat Near the San Diego Convention Center

Your goal at AAOS should be to learn and network. But, it’s important to take breaks and grab a bite to eat or your favorite coffee. Or, kill two birds with one stone, and do your networking at a restaurant!

Breakfast Republic- Easy morning walk that is the perfect stop for breakfast, a latte, or a morning snack.

Lucky’s Lunch Counter- Open from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. this restaurant offers breakfast and lunch staples such as salads, sandwiches, and burritos.

EdgeWater Grill- This spot provides beautiful waterfront views for brunch, dinner, and happy hour.

Morton’s Steakhouse- If you are looking for a walkable, upscale dinner option while attending academy, look no further than Morton’s.

Things to Do in San Diego

If you're arriving early or extending your time in San Diego through the Labor Day weekend, San Diego has plenty of entertainment to offer.

San Diego Zoo- Probably the most well-known zoo in the United States, the San Diego Zoo is home to more than 3,500 endangered animals.
Balboa Park- This beautiful park is home to beautiful gardens, several museums, and stunning architecture.

Mission Beach- Catch some sun in sunny southern California! Get ready for long walks on the beach while being close to shops and restaurants.
Gaslamp Quarter- Near the Convention Center, the Gaslamp District is home to 16 miles of Victorian architecture buildings with restaurants, shops, museums, and nightlife.

See you at AAOS 2021

The Enhatch team is so excited to meet you at this year’s annual meeting! We have a few announcements that will be dropping during AAOS that we want to make sure you are in the loop. Sign up for our Intelligent Surgery newsletter for updates.