What’s All the Big Hype about Attending AADE16?
By Tammi Boiko, MSN, RN, CDE, AADE16 Annual Meeting Chair
Tammi Boiko, MSN, RN, CDE
Each year, thousands of diabetes educators from around the country attend the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) Annual Meeting and Exhibition. We share the same goals: to learn about the newest and greatest in the world of diabetes through presentations and hands-on experience with products in the exhibit hall. In addition to our learning time, we meet up with friends from all over the US!
For many of us, conference is just a way of life. We look forward to traveling (yes, we do!), hugging our friends at the hotel check-in counters, locating the quickest route to the conference center from our individual hotels, and signing up for wonderful corporate sponsored events hosted each evening. Last year was a blast in New Orleans with great food, music and ‘Dancing with the Stars’…literally! Oh yeah, the CE’s as well!
At times, diabetes educators state they can obtain their required CE’s online or attend a local one-day conference, so why should they plan on attending a diabetes conference? More so, why should they attend an American Association of Diabetes Educator’s diabetes conference?
To start with, AADE is our professional organization whose focus is on us, the diabetes educators. AADE listens to our comments, reviews the current trends in diabetes care and treatment, and supports research in all aspects of diabetes. This information is passed along to AADE’s Annual Meeting Planning Committee (a multidisciplinary committee) who are involved in developing the agenda.
When over 100 educational offerings, each presentation is placed within one of six educational tracks, attendees can develop a unique conference outline addressing individual learning needs. Presentations are geared towards the novice in diabetes education to those in an advanced practice role. Without a doubt, excellent learning opportunities can be experienced in all six tracks!
AADE listens to our feedback regarding the cost of attending a multiple day conference, away from work, and in some cases, no budget for ‘education days’ offered from our employers. Changes were made! Like AADE15, we’ll continue to enjoy a spectacular 44% reduction in registration fees! Conference days have been changed to Friday through Monday for less impact on our work schedules. In addition, AADE worked with Delta, Southwest and United Airlines to offer discounts on airfare to San Diego.
Talk to your employer, describe the benefits of attending AADE16 in San Diego. Let them know you’ll bring back evidenced based-best practice guidelines to enhance the education and care for our patients we serve with diabetes.
Here’s one more reason for you to attend AADE16: to network and share with other ‘superstars’ in diabetes care from around the country. Experience the ‘AH-HA’ moments you can only experience in person.
I look forward to seeing everyone at AADE 2016 Annual Meeting in San Diego California, Friday August 12th – Monday August 15th and giving lots of hugs at the hotel check-in counter!
