The statement you are referring to is under the "4-day" Conference. Patients and others who select this option will attend the Patient Conference the first day (look at the Patient Agenda
http://www.iacfsme.org/Conferences/2014Conference/2014PatientAgenda/tabid/536/Default.aspx) and for the remaining 3 days, attend the research talks with everyone else (patients, clinicians, researchers, etc.).
For an idea of what research will be covered, look at March 21-23 on the Professional Conference:
http://www.iacfsme.org/Conferences/2014Conference/2014ProfessionalAgenda/tabid/535/Default.aspx.
This is just some of the research as much more research will be covered by posters in the poster exhibit area; there simply is not enough space/time for all researchers to give an oral presentation. So if you want to know cutting edge stuff and recognize that these sessions may be very technical, go for the 4-day session.
The Professional Conference on the first day March 20 is reserved primarily for physicians/ other healthcare providers/ researchers as there is limited seating/ space. Most of the topics covered in the Professional Conference are also covered in the Patient Conference but the Patient version will be less technically-oriented than the Professional. Many patients and their supporters want information but not at the technical level represented on this forum necessarily.