My First AAM&R Annual Assemble was during 2020, otherwise known as the gas leak year. While the experience was comfortably viewed at the hospital and at home and provided me access to education from the elites within physiatry , there was something that it lacked. The answer remained elusive until this year.
This year was my first in person attendance to the AAPM&R Annual Assembly and spoiler alert : Yes it lived up to the Hype. Our excitement began with the acceptance of a case report (audio available here).
Puerto Rico is a 100 x 35-mile island that houses two PM&R Residency Programs: VA Caribbean Health and the University of Puerto Rico, each with three residency positions per year. Physiatrists who graduate from either program have a high probability of crossing paths during their careers. It was great to represent our island on the mainland while catching up with alums, current residents, and attendings from both programs.
Poster Presentation: Audio available here.
Here are a few of my take aways from my experience:
Aside from the conferences, you can participate in numerous hands on workshops, skills labs and Resident Boot Camps which allow small group learning. They break down complexed ideas into bite sized digestible pieces. I was able to participate in the Residents Boot Camp: Prosthetics and Orthotics Workshop (P&O). This workshop provided residents the opportunity to rotate amongst 6 tables, each with a qualified expert in various facets that make up P&O; upper and lower limb orthosis, suspensions, knee and ankle components and special conditions. I even got to try on a pair of prosthetic ankles (see below).
Phyzforums allows us access to communities within our specialty, despite being separated by location. I participated in two communities I followed online, the Adaptive Athlete and Amputee and Limb Loss Networks. It was good to meet others in person with the same interests and hear the trajectory of the community. The information provided will help me further involve myself this upcoming year.
We also had the opportunity to run the 5k around the harbor. Despite being at 6:30 am with 38-degree weather, the pitch-dark ambiance made for a memorable experience. Thankful for Foundations for PM&R for hosting and the obligatory completion picture. I can’t wait to participate again.
As a self-proclaimed “foodie.” I have to shout out to Rame Utsuke FTW. Hands down, pound for pound, the best Ramen Baltimore offers (unlike I ate there three times during the five-day trip).
Random Pics
TLDR:
- Start by becoming a member of AAPM&R, whether as a medical student (it’s free) or a Resident/ Fellow (discounted price), or as an Attending and attend the Annual Assembly
- Arrive Early and Stay Late
- Learn, Participate, Network, Catch up with current and past colleagues, Eat and Sight See.
- The AAPM&R Annual Assemble is one of the best opportunities to further your education, network with your peers, and practice skills and techniques under one roof. I gladly fanboy for this event and am not ashamed to admit that I am already planning to attend the next one.
See you in New Orleans on November 12-15th 2023 ! Stay tuned for more information and to register here.
Hope you learned something