Dear NERA members,
 
We know there is much uncertainty as we look ahead to summer and beyond, and frankly, nobody knows what the coming months will bring. We are, however, certain of one thing: we hope to engage with you in Trumbull, Connecticut, in October. At this time, we are making every effort to host an in-person NERA experience from October 14–16. However, it’s also quite possible that restrictions prevent us from meeting at Trumbull, so we are also actively considering alternative options for the Conference. While we cannot be sure what form the Conference will take, we are committed to planning and executing a meaningful experience for you all.
 
In the coming weeks, we will be releasing more information on confirmed speakers, sessions, and workshops on the NERA website. We recognize that many of you are likely juggling new schedules, unfamiliar remote work, data challenges, new project timelines, additional responsibilities of teaching children, and the mental and emotional space taken up by COVID-19. As such, we will be decreasing the requirements for this year’s proposal submissions. We hope that by only requiring 500-word abstracts, we will make the submission process easier. We will release the formal submission guidelines soon, as well as the call for volunteers to review submissions. 
 
Finally, as we have all said many times, NERA is its members. As the 2020 co-chairs, we are here to serve you and bring you a meaningful NERA experience. To understand the potential impacts to the Conference, we ask that you take a moment to give us your thoughts regarding NERA 2020. This will be incredibly helpful in understanding the various direct and indirect impacts to you, your ability/interest to travel, and the viability of an in-person meeting in October. To complete the survey, click here — it should take fewer than 3 minutes to complete. We hope you will share feedback with us as we continue to navigate conference planning.
 
We wish you well and sincerely hope you are staying healthy and sane during these trying times. We look forward to connecting with you and engaging for NERA 2020.
 
Sincerely,
 
NERA 2020 co-chairs

Madison  Holzman, Curriculum Associates                                   
Andrew Jones, American Board of Surgery                                       
Thai Ong, National Board of Medical Examiners                              
Jonathan Rubright, National Board of Medical Examiners