APMA News - May 2011 - (Page 62)

Young Voices By Andrea Cass, DPM Experience All The National Has to Offer We have all been there: excited to leave our current educational forum—whether it be a classroom, operating room, or private practice—for a few days in the lecture hall. Not because we need the CME credits, but because we want to be at the top of our profession, and we are excited to learn all that we possibly can and apply that knowledge to our current roles. And then it happens. The realization sets in that when we are not in the office, we are not making money. Suddenly taking two or three days off seems impossible. We find ourselves trying to scramble for those last-minute CMEs that are now required. There are many reasons why APMA’s Annual Scientific Meeting (The National) in Boston is going to be a great place to fulfill that CME requirement—and the reasons go well beyond the more than 25 CME credits available. 1. Surgical workshops: Hands-on surgical workshops are available before and during the meeting. These workshops are a great opportunity to gain firsthand experience in some of the latest and greatest foot and ankle surgical techniques. If you are a new practitioner like me, you may find that life has suddenly changed in a lot of ways. As you embark on your post-residency life, you may have weeks during which you are not in the operating room at all. Involve yourself in the cadaver workshops, which are a great way to expand your surgical knowledge, or brush up on techniques you have not performed in a while. 2. Surgical lecture tracks: Many people think The National is a nonsurgical meeting. On the contrary, it has a fantastic line-up of surgical lectures sponsored by the American Society of Podiatric Surgeons. This section of the meeting is on par with all of the other surgical meetings available in our profession. Even if you do not plan to expand your surgical skills, knowing current surgical trends can help you provide the best care for your patients. 3. Practice management: In the first few years of practice, there is a steep learning curve in the area of practice management. Most students are not taught much about this area in podiatric medical school and end up feeling lost once in practice. Whether you have started your own practice or joined a large group (or are planning to), the American Academy of Podiatric Practice Management has some great lecturers to give you advice on maximizing your practice. 4. Comprehensive diabetic foot care: Ulcers, infections, and neuropathy are a constantly (and quickly) growing focus of our specialty. As the diabetic population increases, so does the need for our knowledge. And the body of knowledge is 62 APMA News May 2011 5. 6. 7. 8. always changing. From antibiotics to wound care products to offloading devices, you must know what is available to help you provide the best patient care, or risk deleterious effects. The American College of Foot and Ankle Orthopedics and Medicine and APMA have organized some of the pioneers in this area to provide you with the most current information available to remain ahead of this everchanging wave. Sports medicine, imaging, dermatology, and biomechanics: I could go on and on about why knowledge in these areas is important. Most of us could use a refresher. In short, The National offers a number of informative lectures to choose from to expand your repertoire of podiatric wisdom. Vendors, vendors, vendors: We all know that an educational forum like The National could not take place without the support of the many companies that have supported podiatric medicine over the years. The exhibit hall, with hundreds of exhibitors, is your “one-stop shop” for the latest in products, services, and technologies available for the podiatric market. What better way to find out how to make your office the best and your patients the happiest! It’s Boston: There are so many things to do in Boston during the summer, whether your interest is culture, history, sports, or shopping. Whether you bring the kids for some family fun or want a romantic getaway with your significant other, Boston has it all. And who says you can’t enjoy some famous New England clam chowder in the middle of the summer? Finally, and most importantly: APMA. On many levels, every one of us is where we are today in our professional lives because of APMA, which has been helping our profession for 99 years! No other group has helped advance and advocate for podiatric medicine more than APMA. So many physicians and staff have dedicated an abundance of time from their personal and professional lives to serving and fulfilling APMA’s mission. Supporting The National is just one of many ways we can thank all of those involved in making podiatric medicine and surgery the great profession it is today. Hope to see you there! n Contact Dr. Cass at andicass@aol.com.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of APMA News - May 2011

APMA News - May 2011
President’s Message
Contents
APMA Educational Foundation Annual Giving Campaign
91st House of Delegates: Focused on the Future
Roth: To Convert or Not to Convert?
Surgical Workshops at The National Offer Hands-on Instruction
Annual Scientific Meeting Preliminary Program
Annual Scientific Meeting Registration Form
Annual Scientific Meeting Sponsors
PICA and Podiatric Medicine: Family Ties Run Deep
Attaining Parity in California
Affordable Care Act, One Year Later: Part One
Reimbursement
Members Who Know Media
Technofile
Young Voices
Small Business 101
In Short
APMA Out and About
Worthy of Note
APMAPAC Update
Affiliates Corner
Insurance Advisor
Development Update
New and Deceased Members
2011 Call for Awards Nominations
Classified Advertising
Dates to Remember
Advertising Index

APMA News - May 2011