What We Need Less (and More) of in Conferences — A 2026 Reset

Leslie Brizendine, HMCC, Senior Event Manager at Meeting Achievements;
Kristen Shepard, HMCC, CPACC, Director of Events at Meeting Achievements
Polly Grieger-Rossi, CMP-HC, CMM, HMCC, President at Meeting Achievements

We’re closing out the year, and if there’s one thing we’ve learned after planning conferences since before half our attendees had smartphones, it’s this: we can’t keep doing things because “that’s how we’ve always done it.”

That mindset is the quickest way to a boring conference and an uninspired audience. Here’s what Polly Grieger-Rossi, Kristen Shepard and Leslie Brizendine see from the trenches, and what they hope transforms in 2026.

1. Are there any conference practices you’re tired of seeing?

Polly: Oh yes. Let’s start with the elephant in the room: unprepared moderators. If you show up, read a bio, and call on a couple people in the crowd, that’s not moderating  that’s announcing. A great moderator is the conductor of the orchestra. They shape energy, draw out insights, and give the session rhythm.

Kristen: Moderators should be speaking with their session faculty in advance, reviewing slides, clarifying key messages, and coming in ready to facilitate with intention. This isn’t optional anymore, it's the difference between a “fine” session and a “wow” session.

Polly: And you know what? Panel moderation is a different skill entirely from audience Q&A moderation. We need to start training for that difference instead of pretending they’re interchangeable.

Next on my tired list: mono-disciplinary panels. If your audience includes APPs, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and behavioral health… but every speaker is a physician, we’re missing the plot. The patient experience is multidisciplinary. The education should be too.

 2. What do attendees want to see less of at conferences?

Leslie: Attendees are crystal clear on this one, as is our team: less didactic, more dynamic.

Polly: No more “sit still for 53 PowerPoint slides and we’ll reward you with 7 minutes of Q&A.” No thank you.

They also want less:

  • Content that ignores their experience levels

  • Panels where speakers talk at each other instead of with each other

  • Sessions that unintentionally punish introverts by requiring microphones, standing up, or public speaking to participate

And here’s a trend I see across events: Attendees want way less AI for the sake of AI. If it doesn’t help them diagnose faster, treat smarter, or work better, they don’t want it.

3. What’s something that used to work well but just doesn’t land anymore?

Polly: That classic “30 minutes lecture + 10 minutes Q&A” model had its moment… in 2005. Today’s audience wants:

  • Live thinking

  • Case-based examples

  • Debate

  • Discussion

  • The chance to apply concepts during the session

Leslie: We’re also seeing the decline of siloed breakout tracks. Separating clinicians by title or role doesn’t mirror real clinical practice  and learners are telling us it feels artificial.

Kristen: And let’s talk networking: Open-ballroom receptions with no structure just don’t work anymore. People want purpose guided prompts, case roundtables, small circles, something that sparks a real conversation beyond: “So, where are you based?”

4. Are there any “trendy” ideas that just aren’t cutting it?

Polly: Oh yes. Several.

  • Tech tools that add complexity but no real learning value

  • AI thrown in like parsley garnish, not substance

  • Shallow gamification points and badges no one cares about

  • “Motivational” sessions that don’t actually improve clinical practice

Kristen: Trendy for trend’s sake is the new boring. And if there's one thing we can't stand, it’s boring.

5. What do you hope to see more of at conferences in 2026?

(Now for the fun part the things that light us up as planners, an instructional designer, and your friendly neighborhood conference disruptors.)

Polly: Moderators who treat their role like it matters: Prepared moderators change the entire energy of a session. When they come ready with context, questions, and transitions, everyone wins.

Leslie: Case panels, debates, and real-world application: Cases bring the room to life. Debates give permission to disagree (constructively). And ARS? It’s not just polling; it’s inviting the audience into problem-solving.

Kristen: Multi-disciplinary everything: Panels, Q&A, discussions designed to reflect real care models, not outdated hierarchies.

Polly: Guided networking and purposeful breaks. People want connection, not (just) cocktails. And opportunities for introverts to contribute comfortably: quiet zones, digital Q&A, small-group options inclusion isn’t just demographic; it’s behavioral.

Smart, meaningful AI integrationements.com/ma-blog/the-ethics-of-ai-in-events-balancing-innovation-with-human-touch. Not hype. Not fear. Not buzzwords. Just simple, practical, everyday uses clinicians can deploy immediately.

Let’s Make 2026 the Year of “The Future Belongs to Conferences with Courage.

If it feels outdated, heavy, or disconnected from the way clinicians actually practice, it’s time to let it go. If it feels energizing, human-centered, authentic, and a little bit bold?

Lean in.

We don’t need perfect conferences.

We need conferences that take risks, and achieve small gains— over and over again.

Rachel Lewis