The APTAMA Annual Conference is a time of connection and community. It is also the perfect opportunity for students to learn more about the many ways their professional organization can support and inspire them. This intimate local conference helps you expand your network and immerse in a world of possibilities. It also primes and prepares you as a student for other larger national conferences like the APTA Combined Sections Meeting (CSM).

I’ve always enjoyed being a very “involved” person- from high school, to college, to grad school, I loved extracurriculars as much, if not more than school itself! So when I got settled into the real world, I soon started looking for other ways to be involved in the PT profession in addition to my day to day work with patients at the hospital.  Through discussions with colleagues and my boss regarding professional development and involvement, I decided I wanted to be more involved in APTA. But how? 

Join us for a day of thinking big and planning accordingly!!! You’re invited to join us in the APTAMA Strategic planning process Sept 7th at MCPHS in Worcester. This a great opportunity to meet the Board, share your thoughts, and help us plan our year.

Minutes will be available in the House of Delegates page in the Communities at communities.apta.org.

A place to build your network for professional and personal growth.

The Massachusetts Assembly of Representatives met May 21st for the Spring meeting.  The Assembly of Representatives is like the House or the Senate but specific to representing the interest of our Members.   Your representatives brought forward ideas they wanted to see turned into action and now we have two new initiatives:

The APTA Federal Advocacy Forum in Washington, D.C. was attended by over (285) physical therapists, assistants, and students from Sunday, March 31st through Tuesday, April 2nd. The key word for this forum was “new” with new priorities and a new Congress that needs to be well acquainted with physical therapy’s focus on patient centered care. The successful repeal of the Medicare cap after years of advocacy provides the organization opportunities to advocate for new legislative priorities.

I came to Boston in 2016 after graduating from Springfield College, knowing only a handful of people, anxious about boards and finally becoming a physical therapist. Once boards were behind me, I realized outside of my forty hours of work I had all this time and energy to put into being a better physical therapist.

I've been stuck on the idea of power-posing for this month's blog.

We are in a time of rapid growth in the number of resources, networking opportunities and continuing education courses available. New leaders are emerging within APTA of Massachusetts at an exponential pace bringing excitement and new ideas to the work we do.  Perhaps, my favorite day yet serving you as President happened this past September when the Board spent just over 5 hours diving into "why" we exist as a board and as an organization.

BEST DAY EVER!

We came to a singular statement that represents why we do what we do.

We inspire, engage and empower you to reach your potential.

It was a seven hour drive from Boston to Washington, DC. Fortunately I have made this drive several times to visit my family in the DC area, and with my dog as my co-pilot at my side I was ready to make the trek. As a second-year physical therapy student at the MGH Institute of Health Professions, I have continuously tried to expand my understanding of the profession both academically and professionally. For the past two years I had attended our local Massachusetts APTA Annual Conference where I received my first glimpse into the vast field of physical therapy. I’ll never forget the mixture of feelings from those events, the excitement and inspiration gained from learning about advancements in the field combined with the anxiety of realizing how far we still have to go, as well as how little I knew. As I made the drive, I reflected on these conferences, spurring excitement and slight anxiety about attending my first APTA Combined Sections Meeting (CSM).