Reflections on virtual research conferences and PhD student socialization: The missing link of in-person human connectedness.

ABSTRACT

Attending nursing research conferences as a PhD student is part of the research socialization experience. Participating in our excellent and recent ENRS conference was exciting and made us itchy for next year's planned live conference. It also made us contemplate the value and differences in these conference formats. The purpose of this paper is to describe the benefits and challenges for PhD students attending the virtual research conference. We present the pros and cons experienced with the virtual format. We then discuss some of the contextual socialization experiences in-person conferences provide the PhD student. Strategies are presented for both the student and faculty to consider as opportunities to augment the conference research experience overall. Research conferences are invaluable tools for networking, learning, and contemplating ideas to ensure nurse scientists continue to create innovative studies in the future.