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Thala-Us 2026
The Future of GME Recruitment, Together
Thala-Us is Thalamus’s annual user conference— an immersive, collaborative experience that brings the medical education community together to help build the future of GME recruitment.
What is Thala-Us?
Thala-Us is Thalamus’s annual user conference — an immersive, collaborative experience that brings the medical education community together to help build the future of GME recruitment.
Thala-Us 2026 invites attendees to step into the future — together — within the inspiring halls of the San Diego Natural History Museum. Known locally as The Nat, the museum is a place dedicated to research, discovery, and lifelong learning. For Thala-Us, it becomes the setting where the medical education community explores what’s next, in a place built for discovery.
Set among exhibits that span prehistoric worlds to modern biodiversity, the experience blends cutting-edge technology with human connection, practical learning, and a sense of wonder. Here, curiosity is not only welcome, it’s essential. The museum’s legacy of exploration and interpretation mirrors Thalamus’s own commitment to pushing boundaries, understanding complex systems, and reimagining how GME recruitment can work better for everyone.
More than a traditional conference, Thala-Us is personal and participatory. Attendees engage directly with speakers, collaborate with peers facing similar challenges, and explore Thalamus products through human-centered design, innovative sessions and real-world workflows. From hands-on product studios to peer-to-peer discussions, every moment is grounded in practical value and shared progress.
At Thala-Us, innovation isn’t something you’re shown — it’s something you’re part of. Together, we’re not just talking about the future of GME recruitment. We’re building it.
Who Should Attend Thala-Us
Learners
- Medical Students
- Residents & Fellows
Medical School (UME)
- Student Affairs Deans
- Medical School & Graduate Program Leadership
Data, Technology & Innovation
- Medical Education Technology Leaders
- GME Data & Analytics Professionals
- Institutional Reporting & Workforce Analysts
- Health System Informatics & Digital Transformation Leaders
GME Programs & Institutions
- Program Coordinators
- Program Directors
- GME Managers & Administrators
- Institutional Accreditation & Compliance Specialists
- Directors of Graduate Medical Education
- Designated Institutional Officials (DIOs)
Health Systems
- Chief Academic Officers (CAOs)
- Chief Medical Officers (CMOs)
- Hospital, Health System, and Academic Leadership Involved in GME
- Physician Workforce & Talent Strategy Leaders
Specialty Societies, Organizations, Advocacy and Workforce
- Specialty Society & National Organization Leaders
- Medical Education Policy & Advocacy Leaders
- Physician Recruitment & Workforce Planning Leaders
- Strategic Partners Supporting GME & Physician Development
Why Attend Thala-Us?
Experience the future of GME recruitment, firsthand
Go beyond slides and announcements to engage directly with the innovations shaping what’s next—from practical product enhancements to emerging approaches across data and AI/ML.
Collaborate with peers focused on improving transitions to residency and fellowship
Connect with program leaders, coordinators, learners, and institutional stakeholders to share insights, compare approaches, and learn from one another in an open, peer-driven environment.
Strengthen relationships across the medical education community
Build deeper, in-person connections with colleagues, partners, and the Thalamus team in a setting designed to foster innovation, trust, and collaboration.
Help shape what Thalamus builds next
Your voice matters. Thala-Us creates space for meaningful feedback, discussion, and co-creation that directly informs Thalamus’s product roadmap and future direction.
Step into an experience unlike any other GME conference
Set inside the San Diego Natural History Museum, Thala-Us blends technology, discovery, and community—offering an immersive experience that reflects Thalamus’s unique identity in and approach to the UME to GME transition, and beyond.
Featured Speakers
Thala-Us features leaders and innovators from across medical education, healthcare and technology who are shaping the future of GME recruitment.
Rather than traditional presentations, Thala-Us speakers engage in conversations, case studies, and collaborative sessions grounded in real-world experience. They share what’s working, what’s changing, and what’s next—offering practical insight, honest perspective, and opportunities for meaningful dialogue.
Together, our speakers don’t just present ideas—they help explore and build the future of GME, alongside the community they serve.
Jane Cooper
MBA
Director of Operations,
Westfield Medical College
Wade Warren
MPH
Designated Institutional Official,
UT Health McGovern Medical School
Jenny Wilson
MPH
Public Health Program Manager,
Riverdale School of Medicine
Jacob Jones
PHD
Associate Director,
Summit Ridge Medical School
Sponsors and Exhibitors
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The Setting: Built for Discovery
San Diego Natural History Museum · Balboa Park
Thala-Us 2026 takes place inside the San Diego Natural History Museum, known locally as The Nat—a landmark institution dedicated to research, discovery, and lifelong learning. Located in the heart of Balboa Park, The Nat is a place where complex systems are explored, stories unfold across time, and curiosity is central to the experience.
Surrounded by exhibits spanning prehistoric worlds to modern biodiversity, attendees will engage with the future of GME recruitment in a setting designed to inspire exploration and new ways of thinking. The museum’s mission—advancing understanding through science and education—mirrors Thalamus’s own commitment to innovation, insight, and building better systems for medical education.
For Thala-Us, The Nat becomes more than a backdrop. It becomes part of the experience: a space where technology, human connection, and discovery come together to reimagine what’s next for GME—together.
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Location
San Diego Natural History Museum
1788 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101
Balboa Park
Centrally located in San Diego
Easily accessible from downtown, airport, and major hotels
Rideshare and parking available throughout Balboa Park
Be Part of What’s Next
Thala-Us is an intentionally curated experience designed for connection, collaboration, and discovery. Space is limited to preserve the immersive nature of the event.
$349
Available through February 1, 2026
Our best rate for those ready to help shape what’s next.
Join leaders, learners, and innovators shaping the future of GME recruitment.
$499
Available through February 1, 2026
Full access to the Thala-Us experience, including all sessions, product studios, and community events.
Learner Registration Support
Thalamus is committed to making Thala-Us accessible to learners. A limited number of discounted registrations for medical students, residents, and fellows are available through a grant provided by http://Thalamus.org .
Learners interested in discounted registration can apply through a short request process during registration. Approved applicants will receive a unique registration link and pricing.
Your Home Base in San Diego
Thala-Us 2026 takes place in the heart of Balboa Park, just minutes from downtown San Diego, Gas Lamp district and the waterfront, and many of the hotels hosting attendees for the ACGME Annual Educational Conference later that week.
Many Thala-Us attendees will already be in town or planning to extend their stay. If you already have accommodations booked, you’re likely well-positioned. If not, we recommend selecting a hotel in downtown San Diego, Balboa Park, or nearby neighborhoods for easy access to the museum, dining, and evening events.
Learner Travel Support
Thalamus is committed to making Thala-Us accessible to learners. A limited number of discounted registrations for medical students, residents, and fellows are available through a grant provided by http://Thalamus.org .
Learners interested in discounted registration can apply through a short request process during registration. Approved applicants will receive a unique registration link and pricing.
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Thala-Us 2026 Agenda
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Registration & Breakfast (Sponsored by Thalamus)
11:00 AM - 11: 15 AM
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Tyler Reed
Strategic Partnership Manager
TyleNew Innovationsr Reed
Steve Reed
CEO
New Innovations
11:15 AM - 12:00 PM
Keynote
Stephen Trzeciak, MD, MPH
Chief of Medicine
Cooper University Health Care
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Thalamus Connect
Connect with fellow attendees and speakers. Coffee and light refreshments will be provided. Sponsored by Thalamus.
12:30 PM - 1:15 PM
Developing Effective Well-Being Approaches: Lessons from the Organizational Psychologists
HCA Healthcare has worked extensively with our team of organizational psychologists for the past eight years developing evidence-based system level well-being interventions, based on Job Demands-Resource Theory and Self-Determination Theory. Following a highly successful award-winning pilot program, we conducted...
Gregory Guldner
Vice President of Academic Affairs
HCA Healthcare Graduate Medical Education
01:15 PM
Supporting Program Administrators through Competency-based Professional Development
Program administrators are a critical part of the program leadership team and the GME community. To ensure the highest-quality educational programs, GME Offices must be responsible for the development of program administrators. This presentation will explore innovative mechanisms to provide professional...
Amy Day Rossa
Designated Institutional Official
Cedars-Sinai
01:15 PM
GME Finance, Post-Unionization
The presentation aims to explore the impact of unionization on Graduate Medical Education (GME) finance, focusing on the financial challenges and opportunities that arise post-unionization. It will address changes in contracts, wages, and benefits, and discuss the evolving role of government funding and institutional...
Gia Mac
Senior Director Graduate Medical Education
Ul Health
Mike Nichols
Senior Director Hospital Reimbursement
Ul Health
Sponsors & Exhibitors
Thala-Us brings together a highly engaged community of leaders, practitioners, and innovators shaping the future of medical education and GME recruitment. Sponsoring and/or exhibiting at Thala-Us is an opportunity to be part of a thoughtfully curated experience—one focused on meaningful connection, shared learning, and forward-looking collaboration.
Rather than a traditional exhibit hall, Thala-Us emphasizes intentional engagement. We work closely with sponsors and exhibitors to create experiences that align with the spirit of the conference and add real value for attendees. Whether that means contributing to a collaborative session, hosting a conversation, or showcasing innovation in a way that feels authentic and human, we’re open to creative and flexible approaches.
If your organization supports the GME community, physician workforce development, or the future of medical education—and you’re interested in participating in Thala-Us—we’d love to explore what partnership could look like.
To learn more about sponsorship or exhibiting opportunities, please contact us at: customercare@thalamusgme.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can I contact with additional questions?
If you have questions about registration, learner support, sponsorships, or logistics, please contact the Thalamus team at customercare@thalamusgme.com
What is Thala-Us?
Thala-Us is Thalamus’s annual user conference—an immersive, collaborative experience designed to bring the medical education community together to help build the future of GME recruitment.
Who should attend Thala-Us?
Thala-Us is designed for learners, educators, program and institutional leaders, data and technology professionals, and health system stakeholders involved in undergraduate and graduate medical education, physician recruitment, and workforce strategy.
When and where is Thala-Us 2026?
Thala-Us 2026 will take place on February 18, 2026, at the San Diego Natural History Museum in Balboa Park, San Diego, California.
Is this an in-person or virtual event?
Thala-Us is an in-person experience. The immersive nature of the conference—including hands-on product studios, peer collaboration, and use of the museum space—is central to the event design.
What can I expect from the agenda?
Rather than traditional lecture-style sessions, Thala-Us features:
- Interactive conversations and case studies
- Hands-on product studios and real-world workflows
- Peer-to-peer collaboration and discussion
- Opportunities to provide direct feedback that helps shape Thalamus’s future roadmap
Will Thalamus products be featured?
Yes. Attendees will have opportunities to engage directly with Thalamus products through human-centered design sessions, practical demonstrations, and applied workflows focused on real challenges in GME recruitment.
How much does registration cost?
- Early Access Registration: $349 (available through February 1, 2026)
- Standard Registration: $499 (available after February 1, 2026)
Registration includes access to all sessions, product studios, and community events.
Are discounts available for learners?
Yes. A limited number of discounted registrations for medical students, residents, and fellows are available through a grant provided by http://Thalamus.org .
Learners can apply for discounted registration during the registration process. Approved applicants will receive a unique registration link and pricing.
Is travel support available for learners?
Yes. A limited number of travel stipends for learners (medical students, residents, and fellows) will be available through http://Thalamus.org .
Learners interested in travel support can apply through a short request process. Approved applicants will receive additional details and guidance.
Do I need to stay at a specific hotel?
No. Many attendees will already have hotel accommodations related to the ACGME Annual Educational Conference later that week. If you already have a hotel booked, you are likely well-positioned.
If you need accommodations, we recommend staying in downtown San Diego, Balboa Park, or nearby neighborhoods for easy access to the museum and evening activities.
How do I get to the San Diego Natural History Museum?
The museum is located at:
1788 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101, in Balboa Park.
It is centrally located and easily accessible from downtown San Diego, the airport, and major hotels. Rideshare services and parking are available throughout Balboa Park.
Will food and beverages be provided?
Yes. Registration includes meals and refreshments throughout the day. Additional details will be shared with registered attendees.
Can I transfer my registration if I can’t attend?
Registration transfer and cancellation policies will be shared during the registration process and in confirmation emails.
How can my organization participate as a sponsor or exhibitor?
Organizations interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at Thala-Us can find more information in the Sponsors and Exhibitors section or contact the Thalamus team directly.
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