As the premiere educational event in the respiratory care profession, the AARC Congress offers respiratory therapists the chance to attend more than 200 lectures given by the top names in the field.
It also features an exhibit hall packed with all the major companies in the business, an Open Forum full of original research, and an array of additional activities (like the Respiratory Patient Advocacy Summit and Sputum Bowl) aimed at helping therapists connect with patients and peers alike.
But the meeting offers a lot of intangible benefits too, and those who attend always come home with more than they ever thought possible.
New opportunities found here
Karsten Roberts, MS, RRT-ACCS, an RRT II at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, was at the 2016 meeting in San Antonio and credits the experience with helping him decide where his career should take him in 2017.
“I made a huge change in my career in 2017 when I moved my family from San Francisco to Philadelphia,” Roberts said. “The networking opportunities at Congress helped me make crucial decisions about what job I wanted and at which hospital I ultimately wanted to work.”
2016 marked his first time presenting at the Congress as well, something he says has given him more confidence in speaking in public and helped him narrow his focus on the types of speaking engagements and research he most wants to participate in.
“It has given me the opportunity to lead others in my department and help them to begin developing lectures for our own hospital’s CEU offerings,” Roberts said.
The chance to serve
For Steve Sittig, RRT-NPS, FAARC at Sanford Medical Center in Sioux Falls, SD, the 2016 meeting was the culmination of a career-long professional dream. The former AARC Transport Section chair was sworn in as chair of the Neonatal-Pediatrics Section and as such took a seat on the AARC Board of Directors.
“This was a huge opportunity to serve the profession,” Sittig said.
The Congress also provided him with the opportunity to see cutting edge technology available in the field.
“I got to spend time in the exhibit hall to view latest equipment and be able to take samples and literature back to my institution,” Sittig said.
Congress has it all
The bottom line: no matter what is most important to you in the profession, you’ll find it at the AARC Congress.
Register for the 2017 Congress in Indianapolis today!
Email newsroom@aarc.org with questions or comments, we’d love to hear from you.
Heather Willden is the Director of Governance and Strategic Initiatives for the AARC where she works with state affiliates as the HOD liaison. She also manages DEI efforts and strategic initiatives. Connect with her about these topics by email, AARConnect or LinkedIn. When she's not working, you can find her podcasting with her husband, exploring new hiking trails, photographing, and spending time with her family.
