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Residency Summits 2019: You Shoulda Been There
Residency Summits 2019: You Shoulda Been There
This year, I had the pleasure to be invited to the PRESENT Podiatric Residency Summits East and Midwest, and they really were a pleasure. If you weren’t there, you missed out! Let me tell you what you missed, and why you should come next year.
First, my disclaimer: I’m a consultant for PRESENT e-Learning Systems. If you’re reading this, you probably know I’ve been writing the Practice Perfect editorials for some time, and I have a long-standing relationship with these excellent folks. With that in mind, you can take what I discuss with a grain of salt, but let me also say that I’m a residency program director, and I’m under no obligation to send my residents to the Summits, which I did (they went to the Summit Midwest in Chicago). I also think my argument speaks for itself, regardless of my relationship with PRESENT.
Now, let me explain – especially for the Residency Program Directors out there – why you and your residents should come to one of these conferences.
First and foremost, they are educational for everyone involved. These conferences are specifically constructed for residents with a full set of lectures, workshops, industry exposure, and networking opportunities. The speakers are some of the best in the country. Harold Schoenhaus, Michael Troiano, Christopher Bromley, Marie Williams, among many others. These are people that don’t just talk it, they walk it too. Residents could literally walk up to Dr Schoenhaus, one of the most experienced godfathers of our profession, and pick his brain about his massive surgical experience. What an opportunity!
The PRESENT Residency Education Summits are THE conferences designed specifically for the podiatric residency education community
Second, the conferences are virtually free. Yes, almost free. Should I say it again? Almost free. PRESENT pays for the conference fees, hotel rooms, workshops, and food. The only expense to the residents or programs is whatever it costs them to get to the conference site. “You get what you pay for,” you say? Not in this case. You get so much more than you pay for. Name for me a conference that pays for everything except travel. Can you get that at any other national conference? Not a chance.
Tell me what conference pays for their hotel rooms. What? You can’t think of any? Of course not. There aren’t any. Call me biased, but I challenge you to give me an example of another conference with not only free attendance itself, but that also pays for the hotel, provides some of the highest quality speakers in the country, and provides free food. Free food, big deal? So what? These aren’t boxed lunches or fast food like you get at some of our largest conferences. These are sit down meals with a full breakfast and lunch. Actual high-quality meals. Remember, this is all free. Through their partnership with the American Board of Podiatric Medicine, we had a delicious barbeque dinner one evening. Can you even imagine what this must cost PRESENT to put on? And to make it virtually free to residents? Who could turn this down?
PRESENT says they support residency education, and they put their money where their mouth is. What other podiatric conference can say that?
PRESENT has supported residency education since 2003 – for 16 years!
Third, residency program directors and faculty have the opportunity to participate in the Faculty Development Workshop run by Suhad Hadi, DPM, one of our country’s authorities on residency education. This is also free, by the way. For those of you in the residency education business, keep in mind you’re required by the CPME to have yearly education. Want to learn about leadership, learning styles, assessment methods, or ways to incorporate research into your program? Come to the Faculty Development Workshops at the PRESENT Residency Education Summits. These and so many other topics were covered.
Fourth, it’s entertaining. Your residents can take part in the Residency Rumble, the Jeopardy-style competition that pits the nations’ residents up against each other in a fun display of knowledge. And, if they win, they get up to $1,000 in prize money. Yes, they may actually leave having earned money! Where else can our residents compete in a fun atmosphere like this? Only at the PRESENT Residency Summits.
Why don’t our other conferences provide this type of experience for our young resident colleagues? Ask them. I have, and I never get a satisfying answer.
For those of you beyond residency, you may be wondering if this is for you. It absolutely is. You can earn CME credits and network with the large number of practicing podiatrists who attend the conference. Also, just as with any conference, industry sponsors are there to show you the newest technologies to incorporate into your practices. I found several new products that are going to improve my own podiatric practice. I even found some companies wanting to participate with education. You’ll never know all the opportunities you’ve missed unless you come.
Shoulda, woulda, coulda, but didn’t. If you weren’t there, you missed out! Don’t worry, though. There will be opportunities for you and your residents to enjoy this fabulous experience at next year's 2020 PRESENT Podiatric Residency Education Summits East (in Teaneck, New Jersey, Aug 14-16, 2020) and Midwest (in Chicago, Illinois, Sept 25-27, 2020). You may want to put it on your calendar now, to register a month or two before the events. I truly hope to see you there!
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