Optional Workshops

ACUPUNCTURE WORKSHOP
Optional Pre Conference Offering: Thursday, May 1, 2025, 4:00-6:00PM
$100

Acupuncture is practiced widely in America and is part of the larger tradition of Chinese medical therapy. Clinical research has supported the incorporation of acupuncture into common pediatric practice. The National Institutes of Health recommends that the use of acupuncture results in satisfactory treatment for nausea/vomiting, post-surgery pain, addiction, stroke rehabilitation, headache, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma. Acupuncture can be integrated in pediatric perioperative care and pain practice. The workshop includes a didactic lecture about the history, theories, mechanisms, and laws/regulations related to the practice of pediatric acupuncture. We will provide background knowledge and foundation in acupuncture medicine and hands-on practice. In small group formats, we will identify major acupuncture points and teach acupuncture-related therapies, including moxibustion and cupping.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, the participants will be able to:

• Summarize the history of acupuncture and develop enhanced knowledge the practice of acupuncture.
• Recognize scientific evidence of acupuncture practice
• Describe acupuncture meridian and micro-system paradigms
• Incorporate acupuncture in pediatric perioperative anesthesia care and pain medicine
• Participate in hands-on demonstration of acupuncture and related techniques

Directors

Yuan-Chi Lin MD MPH
Director, Acupuncture Services; Senior Associate in Perioperative Anesthesia and Pain Medicine,
Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine,
Boston Children’s Hospital;
Associate Professor of Anaesthesia (Pediatrics),
Harvard Medical School

Cynthia S. Tung MD MPH
Senior Associate in Perioperative Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital
Assistant Professor of Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School


THRIVING IN DIFFICULT TIMES: COACHING FOR LIFE BALANCE AND WELLBEING WORKSHOP
Optional Pre-Conference Offering: Thursday, May 1, 2025, 4:00-6:00PM
$100

Pediatric anesthesiology is a demanding specialty, where high stakes and increasing demands on our time make it difficult to find balance and sustain well-being. This workshop offers a space for reflection and reconnection, guiding you to realign with your core values and clarify how they shape your work and personal life. Through examining the life cycle diagram, we’ll assess where we are, the gaps in our work-life boundaries, and what truly sustains us. Together, we'll develop practical strategies to reinforce these boundaries while preserving the passion that brought us to this field. By the end, you'll leave with a clearer path toward a balanced, meaningful career.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, the participants will be able to:

• Gain a clearer understanding of how their personal and professional goals align with their core values and purpose
• Gain insight into the current state of their work-life balance and identify actionable steps to reinforce it

Director

Bistra G. Vlassakova MD
Senior Associate in Perioperative Anesthesia, Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital
Assistant Professor of Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School