Day one at AUCD

November 9, 2008

Day one at AUCD annual meeting!

My first day of the conference was packed with activities! I arrived before registration even began thanks to my early and uncomplicated flight from Columbus. At the National Training Director Council, I met trainee directors for LEND and UCEDD programs all over the United States. As part of the meeting, we shared ideas for facilitating networking amongst trainees. Imagine my excitement! There are some unique and interesting existing consortiums and collaborative efforts amongst trainees at LEND and UCEDD programs in the same states and/or region. One such effort is at UNC, Chapel Hill, where the LEND program collaborates with other “unidisciplinary” MCH funded programs on their campus. We all learned that MCH funds a variety of activities and trainees and faculty can find out what programs exist in their area by visiting MCH’s website. I gained some new ideas that will hopefully help me reach more trainees! You can contribute too by sending me your ideas for fostering relationships amongst trainees near and far!

I also sat in on a workshop on healthcare transitions from pediatric to adult systems of care. It was interesting to hear the challenges associated with transition of medical care and compare this to the transitions issues in the educational systems. (This comparison was not the topic of the session, but rather, a connection I made based on previous experience). I learned about a CDC disability and health initiative, free community clinics, and an institute for innovative transition. Talk about inspiration!

In the evening, a brief update on legislative issues throughout the past year was open to all conference attendees. The review was concise and informative and helped many attendees make sense of new legislation. I ended the evening with a walk downtown to a tapas bar with another trainee. There is certainly no shortage of dining options in DC, but I am still on a quest to find ice cream that can compare to J.P. Licks in Boston, MA.

I am looking forward to another full day tomorrow, particularly meeting more trainees tomorrow at the evening reception.

Remember to keep and eye on the facebook page during and after the conference for pictures and video from trainees!