A few years ago the AAPA started covering the conference and hotel costs for second year students who were willing to pay their own way and present a poster. It is a good networking opportunity for the students who are on the verge of job hunting and the continuing education classes are good as well. However, even though as a profession we're not that large, the cost of all those students adds up and they've decided to change it this year. Each program will have 2 scholarships for students interested in going and their responsibilities while at the conference will be greater than previous years.
Unfortunately, the topics covered in the conferences presentations won't be announced until after the students have been selected. Without knowing if the presentations will be immediately applicable and factoring in the cost of the plane ticket to Miami and food expenses while there in addition to the work needed to put together a paper and presentation it is hard to know if it'll be a worth while experience. It is one thing when your employer is offsetting the cost and another thing when you're an unemployed student contemplating spending the equivalent of a month's rent to make the trip... And the outline for the student topics is due right around the same time as our final exams which makes everyone less inclined to sign up for an extra assignment.
So, not sure who, if anyone, from our program will want to go. Our program director presented the changes to us last week and then has given us some time to see if they would need to figure out a fair way to distribute the scholarships or if we could figure it out between us or we wouldn't end up using them at all.
Oh no! That sounds horrible. I was really excited about next years AAPA in NYC b/c that's where I'm from. I wonder how much it would be after distributing the funds to everyone and if everyone slept in the same room with sleeping bags hehehe.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I think you have a good chance of just getting one of the scholarships outright if you are interested in it. Right now it doesn't look like anyone in my year is going to be taking advantage of it since the paper submission deadline is just too close to our final exams. And going would be less fun without the rest of our classmates ;)
DeleteWe had a vote to send two of our classmates. I am hoping to relocate to the Northwest upon graduation, so perhaps I should have attended the San Deigo conference. I did not realize this until a week before the CA conference, and of coure, by then it was too late. Oh well, just bad timing this year!
ReplyDeleteOk, so from what I gather in your post above about the AAPA Travel Scholarship, they're only paying for lodging and registration costs? Is that the only expenses covered by the scholarship? If so, then airfare and food are the only expenses that fall upon the student, which are rather large expenses. (Correct me if I'm wrong)
ReplyDeleteIf that's the case, and you have to do a poster presentation as a result of being awarded the scholarship, then it's not worth it at all. I personally would not go through the extra work of having to put together a poster and possible presentation speech. Maybe if ALL expenses were covered by that scholarship (registration, airfare, food, and hotel lodging), then I'd consider the poster requirement. Otherwise, if I have enough of my own funds to shell out, then I'll go by myself. The networking aspect alone would be well worth it, and I wouldn't have to do a poster!
Oh, and let me make sure to add this into the mix for all to read: The AAPA should be awarding actual academic merit scholarships for outstanding applicants who have been accepted to P.A. programs. I think that type of scholarship should come first before a travel award. If I was on the executive board of the AAPA, that's one of the first things I'll try to put through.
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