2021 Fall CME Conference was a Success!

From September 16-17, the Fall CME Conference was held; because of the continued global pandemic, the conference was once again virtual. It is thanks to the hard work put in by the members of the CME Committee and the MAPA Staff that it was able to continue in the virtual forum with barely an interruption. We had 105 registrants for these sessions who were able to attend live or watch the recorded sessions later as their schedule allowed. There were 15 live sessions and 6 On-Demand sessions, put on by 23 speakers. One of these sessions included multiple PA students that contributed in the role of speaker, it was delightful seeing the experience and perspective of our future colleagues. For those that registered for the conference the sessions are still open to watch and re-watch until the end of the month.

Some of the earliest comments collected from the post conference surveys were:

• “I love the online option, please keep it available.”
• “Great conference but looking forward to in person soon”
• “I like the format with live and on demand courses to help fulfill CME hours”
• “I wasn’t sure I’d like doing the virtual conference, but it was nice to have the flexibility to do other things at home (laundry, exercise, etc.) whole still ‘attending’ the conference.”

One of the conference highlights was the inaugural DE&I (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Journal Club. Participants were invited to discuss microaggressions in healthcare settings. Both those that can be unconsciously seen from providers directed at patients and aggressions we have experienced coming from our patients. Small groups spoke on strategies to improve the healthcare experience to make it more inclusive for all involved.

A reminder that the conference’s chosen charity, Super Herber Bros., founded by our speaker Andrew Herber PA-C and his family, will remain open for donations until October 31. This charity’s goal is to educate, empower, support, and improve the lives of children with epilepsy, food allergies, and cancer, along with their families.

This was the first conference I was able to participate in as a committee member so thank you all for a great experience and I look forward on seeing everyone in-person at the Spring CME Conference.

Michelle Roof, MPH, PA-C

CME Committee Co-Chair

Michelle Roof MPH, PA-C currently works at the University of Minnesota, East Bank in the Trauma Service under the Critical Care Department. Prior to becoming a PA, she served in the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman for 10 years.