Since 2011, NNESAM has organized an annual meeting where the addiction treatment community can engage in continuing professional education, often utilizing expertise from our three member states, including nationally known experts. The site of the annual meeting historically rotated among the three states.
Then 2020 happened. We scrambled to organize a virtual conference.
We are pleased to report that NNESAM’s 2020 foray into virtual conferencing was successful by several measures. First of all, it went off without a hitch thanks excellent technical support and our unflappable speakers. Phew! The 7 speakers, all with regional connections, delivered diverse, high quality presentations- generally well-received. There were 62 registrations for the CME portion, our highest level of participation so far, many of whom have attended our conferences year after year. The NNESAM business meeting was also well attended. Although there were comments about missing being together, connections were rekindled during “open mike” times, zoom chat, and commitments to follow up by email after the conference.
Now what? More change, of course.
As NNESAM matures as an organization, there is a need for more input from and connection with the general membership. Online conferencing seemed to present an opportunity. In 2021 NNESAM will experiment with two half-day virtual conferences, each with CME and a NNESAM business meeting. One will be Saturday morning June 5th (blackfly season). The second is planned for Saturday morning December 4th. Members will be invited to attend the business meeting via email. Registration for the CME portion, open to members and nonmembers, will open soon. We’d love to have you join us.
– Judy Burk, M.D., NNESAM Treasurer