Timothy Cheslock, DO, FACOEP-D
As I sit here and write this open letter to the membership, our Scientific Assembly is less than 4 weeks away. Our flagship CME event of the year is coming soon to Washington DC from August 11-15, and I look forward to gathering with colleagues and friends for a great event. Our CME planning committee has worked hard to put together an outstanding roster of speakers and our staff has been planning additional activities to make this both educational and fun! Washington DC is host to many opportunities for sightseeing as our nation’s capitol and also institutions such as the Smithsonian Museums making for a great trip not only for education but family fun as well.
As we approach our meeting this year I have been made aware that our current registration numbers are very low. This is surely in part due to the change from our typical October time frame. Unfortunately, due to previously negotiated contracts and conflicts with other meetings the date change was felt necessary to allow our members opportunity to come to Scientific Assembly unimpeded by other meeting conflicts and scheduling issues. Your participation in this meeting is vital to its success and the success of the organization. When we plan for these twice a year large events there is a lot at stake. We base our planning on historical attendance so that we can assure adequate accommodations for our members. Unfortunately, when we do not hit our targets for attendance the organization as a whole suffers. We are contracted for a large hotel block at our conference venue. When we miss our targets, the organization still has to pay for attrition as a result of low attendance. As it stands currently, the college will be dealt a devastating blow that will impact our activities going forward into the future unless you come through and attend the meeting.
ACOEP has always prided itself on being a close-knit family. I am calling on that family to come home and register for our meeting and attend the event! We are currently offering discounts on registration and various opportunities for single day attendance rates if you cannot attend the entire meeting. See the offers on page 21 to register for the in-person meeting, but more importantly reserve your hotel room at the host hotel. The hotel block has closed but your reservation can still be counted toward our contracted rooms. Now more than ever we need your support in order to keep our college a thriving and viable organization. Your presence and participation go a long way to making this happen. If you have been hesitating about coming or on the fence for whatever reason, I ask that you commit to the event and help us make it the best meeting ever!
Should you have questions or need additional information, please contact the office at info@acoep.org or click the links below for more information. I look forward to seeing you soon!