10 Reasons to Attend This Year’s Education Forum

To you, November might still seem a long ways off, but for PAEA staff, preparations for this year’s Education Forum in Washington, D.C., are well underway. Here are 10 reasons why you shouldn’t miss the only national conference in the country for PA educators:

1. Network – The Forum attracts hundreds of PA educators from all across the U.S. (and a few from other nations, too). Make connections both informally and in more structured settings, like the scheduled Table Talks — which bring together attendees with similar interests — and Retreats — informal discussions amongst those with the same job responsibilities.

2. Attend Education Sessions – There are more than 90 sessions scheduled for this year’s Forum. They are chosen by our Council Committee, comprised entirely of PA educators, who work hard to ensure there are sessions relevant to all experience levels and job titles. That includes education sessions on clinical placement, the effectiveness of online modules, flipping the classroom, and getting started in scholarly activity, just to name a few.

3. Climb Capitol Hill – Unique to this year’s Forum is Hill Day, our biggest advocacy event to date. We’ll be connecting hundreds of PA educators with their representatives in Congress to help get the word out about who PAs are and why they, and those educating them, are important. Be sure to sign up for this first-ever event, so you can let your legislators know what PA educators need to teach tomorrow’s health care providers.

4. Earn CME Credit – There’s arguably no easier way to earn CME credit than by attending education sessions at the Forum. You can earn more than 17 CME I credits between Wednesday and Saturday. Just attend the sessions that interest you, complete an evaluation for each session using the Forum’s mobile app, and then we’ll give your name to NCCPA. It’s really as simple as that!

5. Visit the Exhibitor Hall – More than 40 exhibitors will have booths at the Forum this year. This is a great way to learn about products and services that can make your job easier. Join us during Wednesday evening’s Exhibitor Reception for giveaways and complimentary hors d’oeuvres.

6. Celebrate the Award Recipients – For those of you who have attended the Awards Luncheon the last few years, you may have noticed that we’ve been amping up the celebration. The trend continues at this year’s luncheon, where we’ll recognize the 11 award recipients, who were selected from a competitive field of nominees. (Reminder: Register in advance for free admission.)

7. Volunteer for Project Access – Through this outreach initiative, we bring PA educators into urban high school and university classrooms where they make students aware of the PA profession and encourage them to consider a career in health care. Here’s an opportunity to share your story and help increase diversity within the PA profession.

8. Participate in Pando^TM Workshops – In conjunction with the Forum, we’re offering nine two- or three-day workshops — Basic Faculty Skills, Grant Writing, and Enhanced Clinical Coordinators among them. While certain workshops are also offered at different locations throughout the year, combining them with the Forum helps you avoid making an extra trip.

9. Hear from the Other “4 Orgs” – ARC-PA will present on the current status of PA program accreditation, NCCPA will discuss certification maintenance, and AAPA will give an overview of the future of state regulation.

10. Explore Washington, D.C.! – From the White House and the Lincoln Memorial, to the Hope Diamond and Wright Brothers airplane, there’s plenty to keep you busy when you venture beyond the conference room walls — and almost all of it is free! PAEA is headquartered here, and we’re excited to show you our hometown.

Ready to register? Visit the Forum website.