What’s NEXT? A FOX Perspective On APTA’s NEXT

By Megan Valenzano, PT, DPT, GCS

Director of Documentation Review

With travel and registration costs coupled with a few days away, it can be hard to determine the value in attending a conference. Once you decide you want to go to one, trying to figure out which one to go to can be just as challenging.

With all of the options, those newer to the conference world may wonder if it’s even worth going to something like the American Physical Therapy Association’s NEXT conference.

I attended NEXT while still a PT student, and have continued to attend it as a part of my professional career. As NEXT has evolved, there are some things I have noticed about it compared to state, student, and national conference offerings that make it worth attending.

SIZE MATTERS

Everyone talks about Combined Sections Meeting.

CSM can be exciting for so many reasons: The programming usually starts at 6:30 a.m. and goes until 10 or 11 p.m. The sheer number of PTs in attendance can create an energy that is palpable for anyone in the conference center. However, it can also lead to missed educational sessions, interesting breakfasts and dinners that conflict with other opportunities, and difficulty making all of the professional connections you want to in an effort to build a professional network.

With NEXT being a smaller conference, the opportunities to really build a #PTfam are numerous. At CSM, topics are as diverse as the tens of thousands of PTs in attendance. While the National Student Conclave is certainly smaller, it focuses mainly on school-related topics. NEXT provides that balance of a diverse set of topics in a tighter setting.

The sessions feel a little bit more personal at NEXT. The exhibit hall feels more intimate, and it somehow seems easier to grab a cup of coffee with that mentor you’ve been searching for.

Not to mention, FOX will be at NEXT, so you can stop by our booth (#1301) to spend one-on-one time with our mentor services team to help connect you with FOX leadership. These are clinicians who want to help everyone figure out if FOX is the right path for them.

If you’re attending NEXT, you’re probably already interested in clinical excellence and professional growth. If you’re also looking to practice with autonomy and have some personal flexibility, FOX might be the right fit for you.

APTA’S RESOURCES

In an effort to make the conference easier to navigate, APTA has put together resources for those in different stages of their career. Their guide for early career professionals provides great insight into must-see events.

Important events they highlight, which I strongly recommend attending, are the Mary McMillan Lecture and the John H.P. Maley Lecture, both of which are unique to NEXT. These sessions provide an opportunity to hear what the leaders in our profession have to say about moving physical therapy forward.

Another personal favorite of mine is the fun time at the Oxford Debate. Here leaders in the organization take a comical look at a controversial topic with plenty of audience participation. It is not to be missed.

FOCUS ON QUALITY CARE

A common theme in sessions at the conference is the shift from quantity to quality. How we ensure, demonstrate, and promote our value is going to be key in ensuring physical therapy is at the table in healthcare reform. As our profession focuses on quality care, FOX is working to help advance this conversation.

One of the best ways we approach this is who we talk to at the conference. NEXT usually offers programming that addresses the question of quality in multiple ways. While the patient care track offers unique programming on the clinical component, the other tracks focus on different themes integral to quality. Interdisciplinary care, community involvement, and changing delivery models are areas where physical therapists can and should have an impact. Career Development and Leadership are some of the ways we affect change in these areas.

So don’t be afraid to attend a session that isn’t strictly clinical. Some of the best professional growth comes from exploring areas you hadn’t previously considered.

BEYOND COURSE PROGRAMMING  –  SOCIAL MEDIA

A growing trend at all of APTA’s conferences is a social media presence, and NEXT is no exception. I always make sure I follow the conference on Twitter just to see what other people are saying.

And sometimes you find out about a session or a meetup you don’t want to miss.

Don’t wait until you’re at the conference to start talking about going. @APTAnext is already gaining Twitter buzz as registrants finalize plans, book travel, and start prepping for the conference. So consider joining the conversation alongside of us, @FOXrehab.