In my 15+ years as an OT, I have been fortunate to attend many AOTA conferences, including South Beach, Charlotte, Tampa, San Diego, Philadelphia and Indianapolis. I can honestly say that AOTA 2014 in Baltimore ranked as one of the best. (And I’m not just saying that because of the crab cakes!)
AOTA President Dr. Virginia Stoffel announced during the opening ceremony that over 8,000 were in attendance, making this year’s conference one of the largest on record. But it was the Keynote Speakers, Staff Sergeant Travis Mills, Sergeant Monte Bernardo, & Corporal Tim Donley, that made this conference one I will never forget. Their personal stories of facing unimaginable losses and their journeys back to living a life full of hope, determination and purpose were truly inspiring. The role of Occupational Therapists was a vital part of their journeys, a reminder of the powerful impact we make in people’s lives.
This year was OccupationalTherapy.com’s second year exhibiting in the Expo Hall. We were overwhelmed by the positive feedback we received from therapists who have taken our courses, as well as the excitement from those who were learning about our $99 CEU Total Access membership for the first time. It’s always so much fun to meet therapists, students and faculty from across the country and experience the energy of so many OT professionals in one room!
We’d like to congratulate our alumni presenters, Lenore Frost, PhD, OTR/L, CHT and Rondalyn Whitney, PhD, OT/L, who were named to AOTA’s Roster of Fellows to recognize their significant contribution to continuing education and professional development. You can check out Dr. Frost’s course here and Dr. Whitney’s courses here.
Even though the AOTA conference has ended, we still have the rest of April to celebrate our profession and educate others on the important role occupational therapy plays in the lives of so many people. The AOTA website has great ideas for promoting OT month, so check it out!
Last but not least, I wanted to share my “selfie with Fred Sammons”! If you have an AOTA conference selfie to share, please post on our Facebook page or Twitter feed!
Your colleague,
Christa Tober, MS, OTR
Managing Editor, OccupationalTherapy.com
