2024 International Annual Patient Conference
Where is the 2024 International Annual Patient Conference being held?
Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor Hotel
401 West Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201 US
443-573-8700
What information will I need to include in my registration?
Please refer to this sample of the registration form for all the information required to register.
How do I book my hotel room?
As soon as your event registration is confirmed, you will receive via email your confirmation details that also contain a link to the hotel booking site. We have negotiated a preferential single/double occupancy rate of $195 per night (plus taxes). These rates will be available until August 16, 2024, or until the conference guestroom block fills, whichever comes sooner.
Are there ADA rooms available at the conference hotel?
The hotel is holding all of the ADA rooms at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor Hotel exclusively for TMA attendees. In addition, TMA has reserved all of the ADA rooms at the Baltimore Marriott at Camden Yards (across the street from the conference hotel) for our attendees’ use. Please indicate your need for an ADA room during the registration process. Proceed with booking a regular room at the Hilton and then a member of the TMA team will contact you regarding your ADA room request. Once the ADA rooms are full at the Hilton, we will begin assigning rooms at the Marriott. There are a limited number of ADA rooms available.
Hilton Baltimore – 8 rooms with a roll-in shower; 13 rooms with an accessible bathtub
Baltimore Marriott – 5 rooms with a roll-in shower; 7 general ADA rooms with a bathtub
At this time, all the roll-in shower rooms at both the Hilton and the Marriott have been assigned to TMA conference attendees. We are keeping a waitlist and will alert you if one becomes available.
When is TMA’s conference? How does this compare to last year?
The 2024 conference dates are September 6-8. We continually review your feedback to improve TMA programs, especially the conference. Over the last few years, many attendees expressed concerns about the length and cost of a 4-day conference. Four to five nights in the conference hotel is expensive and exhausting. TMA is experimenting with a return to a 3-day conference in 2024. With Friday morning excursions and virtual conference sessions exclusively for registrants, educational and networking experiences are equivalent to those of the 2023 conference.
Are you interested in a social event with fellow attendees on Thursday evening, September 5? Do you have other suggestions to provide even more value from TMA’s conference? We’d love to hear from you (iapc@myositis.org) with your ideas for 2024, and your preferences for 2025.
What is the schedule for the conference?
View the schedule-at-a-glance and the speakers and sessions. Visit often to see the latest details – and plan to download the TMA conference app!
What meals are included with my conference registration?
The 2024 conference registration includes a Welcome Reception with light hors d’ oeuvres and a limited bar on Friday. Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings as well as light refreshments during break times are available. Lunch will be served on Saturday. There are multiple dining options at the hotel, and nearby in Baltimore.
Can you accommodate special dietary requirements?
Yes. Please be sure to let us know if you have any special dietary requirements by completing this information on the registration form. If you have further questions regarding special dietary requirements, please email iapc@myositis.org.
Does my conference registration include the Heroes in the Fight Awards Celebration (reception and dinner)?
No, the awards celebration on Saturday, September 7, which includes a networking reception and dinner, requires a separate ticket that can be purchased during your conference registration transaction or on its own. Register here.
What is the attire during the conference?
Smart casual. Meeting room temperatures and personal comfort ranges vary widely. Meeting rooms may seem cold, and you may want to dress in layers or bring a sweater or a jacket. We recommend that you wear comfortable walking shoes.
Can I bring a guest?
Absolutely! You will register them like any other conference attendee but select “Other” as the attendee type and type in “Guest”. The same conference fees will apply since guests may attend all meal functions and sessions with you. If your guest is not attending ANY conference functions, they may share the hotel room with you, and you don’t need to register them. But without a badge (which they would receive if registered), they may not attend any conference sessions, breaks, or meal functions with you.
Do I have to select the sessions I want to attend in advance?
No. You may indicate the types of sessions you are most interested in during registration. However, all conference sessions are first come, first served during the event itself. For safety, attendees are not able to block the aisles in a session room.
Can I pay via check?
Absolutely! You will need to email iapc@myositis.org to request a code that will permit you to register with check payment. After you complete the online registration, mail your check to TMA at 6950 Columbia Gateway Dr., Suite 370, Columbia, MD 21046. Checks must be received by August 30, 2024.
Can I pay a lower registration fee if I only attend one day of the conference?
No, the conference registration price is the same whether you attend one event or the entire conference.
Is there financial assistance to help me attend TMA’s International Annual Patient Conference?
Yes – thanks to our generous donors, we have a limited number of conference scholarships available. With a TMA scholarship, the registration cost is waived. Scholarship applications opened on May 6, and closed on June 10. Scholarship recipients will be notified by July 5. Learn more.
What is the refund policy?
Your registration to the 2024 International Annual Patient Conference is refundable less a $50 processing fee if you cancel by Friday, August 30, 2024. After this date, the registration becomes non-refundable. In order to cancel, please send an email to iapc@myositis.org. You may transfer your registration to another person with no fees by Friday, August 30, 2024. After August 30, 2024, there is a transfer fee of $25. Excursions will be refunded if you cancel by Friday, August 30, 2024. There will be no refund after August 30, 2024.
Can I volunteer on-site during TMA’s International Annual Patient Conference?
Absolutely! Volunteers are essential to the conference’s success. Only registered conference attendees may volunteer. Volunteer opportunities will include first-time conference buddies, session mic runners, marketers, and conference correspondents. Volunteer sign-up remains open, although assignments are underway!
Can I purchase recordings of sessions during TMA’s International Annual Patient Conference?
Yes! The virtual option includes five, live virtual sessions starting August 21 and thirty-plus recorded sessions available around October 15. Please note that recordings are only sold as a package (individual sessions are not available for purchase).
Recordings are expected to be available around October 15. Information about accessing them will be sent by email.
Other questions?
If your question wasn’t answered here, please contact the team at iapc@myositis.org.