One of my favorite things about being a member of AADE is attending educational presentations that help keep me up-to-date about diabetes. The first New York State CB-organized event I attended was a 2 ½ day long conference in Saratoga, NY. The knowledge I gained from the speakers, and the multiple CEUs were more than enough reasons to have attended. But the best part was meeting so many warm, caring, smart and knowledgeable CDEs from all over the state. In between the speakers and during meals we discussed the presentations and shared our own related experiences and perspectives. These conversations enhanced and expanded upon what we learned during the presentations.
I’m mentioning this so that anyone who has not already attended events coordinated by NYS or your LNG (local networking group) will consider doing so!
Whenever possible, LNGs help to organize non-CEU dinner presentations as well as CEU-provided events. The dinner presentations typically are sponsored and paid for by the vendor of a diabetes-related product. There is no charge for these dinners, and of course, no CEUs are provided, but they are a terrific way to learn about products that might benefit your patients. Occasionally there are CEU-provided dinners hosted by a company, so long as the presentation is completely objective. Other times LNGs themselves organize CEU-provided events for which you might be charged a nominal fee. Beyond just learning about the topic, attending any of these events is worthwhile. By chatting with the other attendees you might hear about an article you haven’t read, interesting protocols, different workplace environments, or potential job openings. And often you can bring a non-member colleague - which is also a terrific way to introduce someone to the benefits of AADE membership.
Sure, you can get CEUs or stay updated by reading an article in the comfort of your living room. But you won’t get the benefit of meeting other CDEs or of hearing their questions and perspectives. So RSVP and attend a presentation – you will leave with much more than you anticipated!