Ryan Fitzgerald, DPM PRESENT RI Associate Editor Hess Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Harrisonburg, Virginia

The Value of Conferences

With July upon us, we find ourselves solidly within the summer conference season.  There are many conferences to choose from in a variety of geographic locations.  Many state associates have a summer conference, and there are several national conferences that one can choose to attend as well, based upon individual interest and expense.  While there are numerous reasons to attend summer conferences – obtain requisite CME's, catch up with old friends and colleagues, participate in hands on workshops, and develop networking opportunities – one should not forget that the primary object of attending any conference is to learn a thing or two that has a practical, real world-application.

RESIDENCY CRISIS in PODIATRY – How Does This Affect You Personally?

Currently, there is a shortage of residency training programs to meet the required demands of our graduates. Interested and capable podiatrists in practice have many reasons to develop programs.  Above the altruistic reasons there are direct personal benefits in starting residency training programs which may be significant. The following short video presentation will give you valuable insight and information. VIEW the video below for a BRIEF PRESENTATION by Edwin Wolf, DPM SUMMARIZING the issue and where it currently stands Follow this link or click on the image above to launch the video above.

I know it may seem obvious, but there are things you actually learn at conferences, discrete nuggets of information that you can bring back to your practice and effectively utilize on Monday morning.  Some of these nuggets may be new to you — a new surgical technique, for example; others may come in a way to solidify the ideals behind those topics that could best be described as "soft learning concepts." These are the amorphous notions floating around in your head that you "sort of know" or have "sort of heard of."

As residents, you have a variety of options from which to choose regarding academic conferences.  Later this week, many of you will be attending the PRESENT Residency Education Summit East 2012, and I look forward to seeing you there.   There is an excellent line-up of lectures on a variety of surgical and non-surgical topics presented by many of the leaders of our growing profession.  9 hands-on workshops on Saturday will exposure residents to the latest in surgical and wound care technology.  The RoundTable Mentor Discussions on Friday night were the hit of the past two Summits, so they are being included again.  Residents will get matched up with colleagues from around the country, as well as a Residency Director or other experienced mentor, to have frank discussions on the next steps for their career.  The Summit of the Summit is the exciting Residency Rumble, in which you'll get to compete in a game show with residents from over 60 programs attending this year.  All in all, this conference promises to provide a great experience for the residents, directors and attendings lucky enough to attend.

But it doesn't have to be the Summit this week.  Consider attending the APMA National August 16-19 in Washington, or any one of many conferences taking place in the next few months.  It's just great to get out of the silo of your own residency program and take the pulse of the profession at a clinical conference.  You'll be very glad that you did !

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