By Alexis Bhagat, MS, ACSM-CEP, and Tonja Bell, MS, CCRP, FAACVPR
With so many educational sessions and other activities on the table, navigating AACVPR’s 38th Annual Meeting might prove daunting to newcomers. Managing the decision-making process and conquering the learning curve are the keys to crowning the event a personal success … but where to start? Never fear, help is on the way!
In the interview below, Alexis Bhagat, MS, ACSM-CEP, who recently joined AACVPR and will attend the conference for the first time on September 13-15 in Milwaukee, poses some of the questions on her mind as the event approaches. In response, Tonja Bell, MS, CCRP, FAACVPR, leverages nearly 20 years of membership in AACVPR to dish out sound advice and insights for wringing the most value – and fun – out of the experience. Even members who have previously attended an Annual Meeting might pick up a tip or two. Check it out!
Alexis Bhagat, left, is a Clinical Exercise Physiologist with Kaiser Permanente Colorado in Denver. Tonja Bell, a Clinical Exercise Physiologist at Baptist Medical Center Nassau in Amelia Island, Florida, has been a member of AACVPR since 2004.
ALEXIS: Ok, let’s start with the pre-meeting workshops. Is it beneficial to attend them? What kind of education or resources do they provide?
TONJA: Different from the break-out sessions, workshops offer the benefit of an interactive opportunity and a deep-dive learning experience. There are usually multiple speakers from diverse professional backgrounds providing their knowledge, expertise and experience. A review and discussion of examples and how to identify opportunities for improvement are also provided. This year, there are three workshops available covering program certification, how to enhance your program and program data and quality.
Q: How do you strategically select and choose which education sessions to attend, since obviously you can’t attend them all?
A: My advice is to read through all the session descriptions, make a list of what you want to learn or what pokes your interest and consult with your co-workers on what your program needs. I’d also say to keep an open mind – there’s never a wrong choice! This year, you don’t really have to miss a single session. With the On-Demand Access Pass, you can watch recordings of all sessions a month after returning home from the conference.
Q: Do you recommend attending the poster and oral abstract presentations?
A: A big misconception people have is that research can only be completed at the large or academic institutions. The poster and oral abstract presentations show that no matter the program size, the clinical implementation and process improvement are the keys to a successful program. Sometimes the clinical aspect drives the process, and other times it is the process that fuels the clinical improvement. The poster and abstract presentations at the AACVPR Annual Meeting demonstrate the importance of data collection and review of the data: you cannot get to where you want to be if you don’t know where you are first.
Q: How does attending the AACVPR Annual Meeting support your work in cardiopulmonary rehabilitation?
A: You will leave the AACVPR Annual Meeting with access to new resources and opportunities in cardiac and pulmonary rehab including patient care, program process and management, research and leadership. The Meeting is a positive and motivational learning environment where attendees can’t wait to get back home and start using all they’ve learned.
Q: Please tell me more about the Vendor Symposium. How does it help you become more innovative in your specialty?
A: One of the best parts of the Meeting is the chance to interact live with the vendors and their products. You get to see how the product works, collect information on new products or upgrades and have the opportunity to “test-drive.” Also, it’s a great opportunity to meet your peers and learn how they implemented the products or services in their programs.
Q: What is the best part of attending the AACVPR Annual Meeting?
A: For me, the most exciting part is re-connecting face-to-face with friends and meeting new friends from all over the country. Don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with a vendor, speaker or someone you sit next to during a session. The AACVPR community is a friendly, intelligent group who also love to have fun.
Meeting other cardiopulmonary professionals allows you to see what opportunities are available. Be engaging and interact with others. It’s not just what you know, but also who you know and how to communicate and absorb information. Keep an open mind, for there are numerous doors available waiting for you to walk through.
Q: How can new members become more involved and get the most out of their experience during the Annual Meeting?
A: Three words: Don’t. Be. Shy! We’ve all been newbies at one point. Introduce yourself, ask questions, tell who you are. Visit the AACVPR booth to get information on getting more involved with the association. And most importantly, take what you’ve learned and develop a plan to implement the ideas into your program.
Q: What are must-bring items for the AACVPR Annual Meeting? Do I need to bring a pen and pad or laptop for taking notes?
A: Everyone learns differently. Attendees have access to speaker handouts in the mobile app and after the conference. My advice is to just watch and listen. Take a note here and there; but if you focus on writing everything down, you miss out on the experience. By adding the On-Demand Access Pass, you can revisit sessions to catch details you may have missed.
Tonja’s Takeaways for “Winning” the Annual Meeting:
- Remember: you only get out of the event what you put into it
- Be engaging and approachable
- Keep your eyes, ears and mind wide open
- Be a sponge – absorb everything
- Take what you’ve learned, heard, or seen … and find a way to apply it in your program