ASRM 2008 Annual Meeting 
Preliminary Program

Needs Assessment & Learning Objectives

Needs Assessment and Meeting Description
The theme of the 2008 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine is “Bridge to the Future of Reproductive Medicine”. The meeting is designed to address the educational needs of practitioners and scientists with an interest in staying abreast of advances within the fields of reproductive medicine and biology. The many varied and stimulating sessions should be of particular benefit for those with interests in the fields of reproductive endocrinology, male and female infertility, reproductive surgery, urology, menopause, contraception, pediatric and adolescent gynecology, mental health, andrology, embryology, and reproductive medical practice administration. A particular emphasis will be placed on the impact of advances within reproductive medicine upon society and general health care as a whole. The location of the meeting in the invigorating, multicultural city of San Francisco will only enhance each attendee’s ability to assess these advances from a variety of international perspectives. Sessions will allow for the sharing of information from international experts in their fields through a variety of modalities: plenary lectures, postgraduate courses, symposia, debates, oral and poster presentations, as well as less formal roundtable sessions. A premium will be placed on maximizing time for interaction among participants and presenters.

The 2008 Annual Meeting will inform participants about advances within the many aspects of reproductive medicine, biology and surgery with an ultimate goal of enhancing the quality of patient care and improving outcomes. A sample of the topics to be covered includes: the status of stem cell research, advances in outpatient uterine surgery, long-term health and societal implications of obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome, menopause, contraception, the role of thyroid dysfunction in reproductive outcomes, advances within the assisted reproductive technologies including new means of embryo assessment, ovarian stimulation, oocyte cryopreservation, and initiatives to decrease the incidence of multiple pregnancy while maintaining successful outcomes, as well as an evaluation of the interplay of surgical, medical and psychological care of the transgender adult and the pediatric patient with disorders of sexual development.

A series of special sessions of oral and poster presentations will inform participants about the results of recently completed basic science and clinical trials with relevance to both biologists and clinicians specializing in reproductive medicine. The 2008 ASRM Annual Meeting will stimulate open discussion and vigorous exchange of ideas in a vibrant multicultural atmosphere.

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Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of the 2008 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, participants should be able to:

1. Discuss the potential role of embryonic and adult stem cells in the investigation and cure of human disease states.

2. Implement appropriate therapeutic management for patients with polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, menopause, androgen deficiency, contraceptive needs, sexual identification disorders, male and female infertility, and desire for fertility preservation.

3. Discuss how the interplay among genomics, genetics, proteonomics, embryology, controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, and social policy may allow for optimization of embryo selection and minimization of the risks of multiple embryo transfer.

4. Counsel patients on the benefits and risks of implementing recent advances in the assisted reproductive technologies including oocyte cryopreservation, preimplantation genetic screening and diagnosis, and elective single embryo transfer.

5. Critically evaluate and summarize many of the ethical, legal, and cultural issues that confront the practice and research associated with reproductive medicine towards the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century and how solutions may vary among different health care models and societies.

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