CHEST Annual Meeting attendees will find a natural match of subject and setting in Boston, one of the oldest and most historically significant cities in the United States.

CHEST 2024’s host city is home to world-renowned medical education programs at Boston University, Harvard University, and Tufts University, and several top-ranked major medical centers are located within the city’s limits, including Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Massachusetts General Hospital.

“The city is so central to the history and tradition of American medicine,” said Charles Corey Hardin, MD, PhD, Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, Pulmonary and Critical Care Physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, and a member of CHEST.

Important medical milestones originated in the city, including:

• The first use of anesthesia in 1846
• The development of infant formula in 1919
• The first successful cardiac surgery in 1938
• The culture of the polio virus in 1949, leading to the development of the polio vaccine
• The first successful organ transplant in 1954

Boston’s significance in American history goes back even further. It was founded in 1630 by a group of Puritan refugees from England and is considered the birthplace of the American Revolution. It was also the launching point for much of the country’s abolitionist efforts during the Civil War. Much of that history is easily accessible to this day.

“It’s a great place for visitors,” Dr. Hardin said. “Very walkable, with great historical sights, restaurants, and museums all easily accessible from the convention center.”

The Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile walking route through downtown Boston marked by a recognizable red brick “line” on the sidewalk, winds past several of the city’s best-known historical sites and attractions. While it’s easy (and free) to make your own way through the trail’s American history lessons, you can also take part in an educational tour with guides dressed in 18th-century styles. As a bonus, CHEST 2024 attendees who visit the landmarks earlier in their visit to Boston will be in for a treat during a Freedom Trail-themed session on landmark studies in pulmonary hypertension on Monday, October 7, at 11 am ET.

Sightseeing will be just one of the reasons to get outside and explore. Fall in Boston is widely considered one of the most beautiful times of the year.

“There will be a classic New England vibe provided by cooler temperatures, leaves changing color, and crews rowing on the Charles River,” Dr. Hardin said. “The city, with its many universities, just feels suited to October.”