All right.
I just want to welcome
everyone to our AOPT podcast, Hands Off,
Hands On.
And it's my pleasure to have
our conference chair, Derek Clewley,
with me today.
So we can talk about all
things conference and
hopefully give a preview to
our listeners about what
they might be excited to
see in person in Orlando or virtual,
because that is always an option as well.
So thank you, Derek,
for coming and joining us today.
Yeah, thank you for having me.
I'm excited.
Isn't it weird that conferences, well,
I guess I'm recording this
just a little over a month away,
which is absolutely insane
how fast the time is flying,
but always one of my
favorite times of the year
because obviously with the
changes of seasons and things like that,
but it's also conference
time and it's a chance for
us to get to meet and
reconvene and such with everybody.
So thanks for having me on the show.
I'm excited to talk a little
bit about the conference today.
Well, Derek,
you and I usually do this with
other speakers.
So it's like really weird
for us just to be you and I
kind of talking to each other.
So I'm really grateful for it.
So I do want you to go ahead
and tell our listeners
where conference is at this
year and give us a little
bit of a preview and maybe
about what you're excited for.
Yeah.
So conferences in Orlando, you know,
we're back in Orlando.
We were in Orlando in twenty nineteen,
which, you know, believe it or not,
was about six months before
the world changed or four
months before the world
changed with COVID.
So we do get the opportunity
to come back to Orlando.
It's a great conference city,
obviously one of the big.
conference cities.
And we're really excited to
be at the Rosen Shingle Resort.
It's a resort that does sit
kind of independently off-site,
but it is a beautiful spot.
If you get a chance to look at it,
if you go on the website for AOMT,
then you can certainly
explore some of the
the area that the conference
actually is in it's
wonderful I mean it's
amazing and you know and
it's not that it's away
from all the other things
you can certainly make it a
orlando type of a weekend
as well but it's also nice
because it is a little bit
away from everything and so
We're excited to be there.
We've been planning this for
a little while because it
was going to be our iFOMP post-city.
And so when you think about
planning an iFOMP conference,
you really want to showcase the
to the world what you're going to bring.
And unfortunately,
we didn't get the iFOMPT bid,
but that means that we were
able to still have our AOMT
conference at this facility,
which is really a world-class facility,
because that's really what
we were trying to do is
create that kind of an
experience and an international platform.
But we're going to do it
here with our US folks and
make it a big splash.
So I think that you asked,
what am I excited about?
I mean, obviously,
I'm excited about the location.
I think that's one of the
big things our conference
attendees look for is just
a way to sort of have their
nerdcation away from things
and sort of make sure that
it's in a spot that is fun and nice.
But I'm also excited because
I think this year we have a
really amazing lineup as well.
And I know that you'll
probably ask me some
questions about that lineup,
but I'm really excited
about who we're bringing in, you know,
two international speakers,
some interprofessional
presenters and so on.
And so I think this
conference has the
opportunity and the chance to be one that,
you know,
people will talk about for a long time.
So, you know, when I look at the website,
right,
so we have it looks like some
similar structures.
So those who've been to conference before
hopefully know that we do a
lot of our pre-conferences
early on Wednesday and some on Thursday.
Is there anything you want
to highlight about those
pre-conferences or anything
that our listeners should
know about on those pre-conference ideas?
Yeah, I mean,
the pre-cons are obviously a
great chance to get a
little bit more of your
typical continuing
education type education training.
So we do have a few pre-cons.
You know,
Jeremy Lewis is going to be doing
some of his pre-con work,
which is one of our keynote presenters.
And if you know anything
about Jeremy Lewis, or I should say,
if you know anything about the shoulder,
you probably have
encountered Jeremy Lewis's shoulder.
He certainly is one of, you know,
the heavy hitters in the
area of shoulder rehab.
So I think, you know,
obviously that's a super
exciting time to look ahead at.
You know,
we've got all kinds of different
pre-con activity.
You know,
we have things that are very hands-on,
which I think is one of the
things that makes pre-con
even better is when you get a
therapists by and large.
And so we want to put our hands on folks.
And so we do have conference
pre-con planning that
actually is very specific
to manual manipulative therapy.
And so we've got some big
con ed providers type
things that are going to be
presenting in those areas.
But we also have pre-con
that is also looking at
you know sort of other ways
that when we think about
manual therapy like even
just you know motivational
interviewing and other
sorts of skill sets and
such that comes into play
with the pre-cons and then
yeah like you said the
structure typically is is
by and large very similar
to what we have done in the
past it seems to work
really well we want to give our uh
you know, those early days,
those main stage presentations and such,
and everybody gets kind of
excited around those things.
And then during the weekend,
we go into our, you know,
more of our breakout
sessions where attendees
can sort of a la carte,
pick out what they want to
explore in terms of their
professional navigation and such.
Whatever it is that I think
that you are interested in,
I think you're definitely
going to find it within the weekend.
And if you want to make an
extended weekend, by all means,
the pre-con courses will
establish some of that activity.
Awesome.
And then, you know,
tell us a little bit more
about our traditional Friday.
So Fridays,
we typically have our keynotes
on the main stage and a
little bit and maybe to Saturday.
So I would love to know who
are some of the lineup.
I know you spoke to a little
bit about the distinguished, excuse me,
some of the international speakers,
but even distinguished
speakers that we have.
So can you give us a little
bit of more about that lineup?
Yeah, so we're really excited.
You know,
I talked a little bit earlier
about how we were looking to
potentially bringing in an
eye pump this year.
We actually have a bit of an
international flavor with regards to our
you know, keynote presenters.
Jeremy Lewis, who I already mentioned,
he is somebody I think that
a lot of people are going
to really enjoy hearing from.
I've had a chance to talk
with him in the past and, you know,
he's a really big supporter
of manual therapy.
He's a big supporter of kind
of what that can do for the
shoulder and such.
And if you look at his
training and sort of his legacy,
which got him to where he
is at now in terms of
shoulder research and
you'll see a lot of the
threads that a lot of
clinicians will see
familiar in terms of
training and including, you know,
training under manual therapists,
including, you know, some of the, the,
the big names and in manual therapy.
And I,
so I think a lot of people are going
to really enjoy seeing him
on the main stage.
You know, we've got,
Sarah Piva,
who is at the University of Pittsburgh.
She's actually, I was talking to her,
it was funny because she
has gone through fellowship training.
And when we told her that
you can still be a fellow,
so she was super excited
that she actually can
reestablish some of those
connections, but you know,
a lot of her work, uh,
most recently has been in
the area of me away, uh, and,
and pain management and
research in that area, in that topic,
but she's also
transitioning a little bit with, um,
going back into researching
some of the lumbar spine.
So I think that she's going
to integrate some of that.
Um,
certainly I think looking at how manual
therapy can kind of
interplay into that as part of her,
her work for sure.
And then we have Nathan Hutting, who is,
you know,
a very large name in manual
therapy across the globe, really.
I mean,
he is a very involved and engaged
individual with IPOMT.
He has been to AOMT before to present.
And he is always,
always well-liked and
well-received in the things
that he has been able to offer.
And to have him on the main
stage is going to be a lot of fun.
I think his approach and his
ability to present is
pretty fascinating in a
very engaging sort of a way.
And he'll present mostly on
neck-related issues as that
is part of his expertise,
I would imagine.
And then I think what we're
really excited about, you know,
we're getting Roger Chow to come here.
Roger was going to come last year.
And fortunately,
somebody as big as Roger Chow,
there's something that
comes up sometimes.
And so we didn't get to have
him here last year,
but we get him this year.
And if you know anything about,
especially in the early two
thousands about how, you know,
some of our biggest
supporters for physical
therapy and conservative
management for a lot of the
things that we see, um,
A lot of that goes back to
the work that Roger Chow
and his colleagues have done.
And so he's a medical physician,
but a big supporter of conservative care,
not just physical therapy,
but certainly physical
therapy as part of that,
especially when it comes to
chronic and persistent low back pain.
Roger Chow is fantastic and phenomenal.
I've actually had a chance
to listen to him present.
Oh, gosh, it was probably...
It's over ten years ago now,
probably twelve years ago.
He presented at a conference
that my former organization
brought in and he is amazing.
He is so fun to listen to, very engaging,
very powerful.
And then when you look at
the amount of work and the
amount of activity that he
has done in the area of
conservative management for low back pain,
it's impressive and it's
impressive that we're going to have him
On our main stage is one of
our distinguished lecturers.
And then what's really fun, I think,
about all of that is
probably the best part is the panel stuff,
right?
Where we bring them all in
together and we just have a
lot of fun with folks.
And I think the attendees
really like that because
then it makes people a
little bit more... They can
connect with them a little
bit better than just seeing
some of the things that they're doing.
They seem...
a lot more human, which they all are.
And I think that's part of
the fun is at the end of that,
we get to hang out with those folks.
That is awesome.
Well,
it sounds like a full lineup that our
attendees will benefit from
hearing top-notch people,
both in orthopedic and
orthopedic manual therapy,
which I think is, you know,
that's such the nice
platform that AOMT provides
is really the best of both
orthopedic and orthopedic manual therapy,
because again, that's our investment.
It's investment that the
organization puts into
conference to make sure
that we really do have a
great lineup of speakers to
hopefully keep our audience
going for a full year until
the next year when we get
to do it all over again.
You know what?
I think that you hit a
little bit of the nail on the head.
I struggle to think about
and maybe this is a little
bit controversial in some respects,
but I struggled to think
about like a conference out
there that actually when
obviously we say manual therapy.
And so we think about, you know,
the hands on, you know,
in this podcast is hands on
and hands off too.
And a lot of the things that
we do is hands off.
But if you're an orthopedic
physical therapist, even if you're not,
you know,
certified or have gone through
extensive training in
manual therapy or gun
fellowship and those kinds of things,
Maybe that's intimidating to
come to a conference like AOMT,
but honestly,
there is not a lot of
conferences out there that
I don't think they could
actually compete with in
regards to just very specific,
specialized orthopedic management,
whether that's manual
therapy or not manual therapy.
If you look at our breakout
sessions across the board,
There are many opportunities
that if you don't have
manual therapy experience,
or maybe that isn't what
you are most passionate about,
you will find activity in
there that is highly orthopedic related.
And our keynotes, you know,
obviously are going to, you know,
bring in components of how
manual therapy works.
But I think one of the
misnomers sometimes is that, oh gosh,
it's manual therapy,
but really it's orthopedic
manual therapy.
orthopedic management,
and obviously manual
therapy being a component of that.
But honestly,
I'd struggle to find another
conference that could even
come anywhere close to
competing with the amount
of orthopedic content that
we can provide and develop
clinicians with.
Well, and I was looking at the lineup,
Derek,
who we have in the lineup in terms
of even those breakout
sessions like you were talking about.
what a rich group that are
doing these breakout
sessions that you're not
only going to learn a ton
from the keynotes,
but even looking at some of
the key topic areas that
you have lined up and what
a great job the conference
committee and yourself has
done with this lineup this year.
But, you know,
a huge variety of both
in-person lecture as well
as hands-on sessions that I
think our attendees will
really benefit from.
You know,
and I'd love to hear a little bit
about the master clinician
session that you might have
lined up this year,
because every year it's a
highly attended event and
people tend to love it.
So tell us what's your plan this year?
Who do you, who did you ask?
Yes.
So we actually have Earl Petman coming in.
And Earl, actually,
I've got a little bit of a
personal anecdote with Earl.
When I graduated from PT
school and started as a
clinician some twenty plus years ago,
I went to my very first con ed course.
So I started work on a
Monday and then they said, oh, by the way,
there's a con ed course
that you can attend this
weekend with the organization I was in.
And it's a manual therapy course.
And it would be good for you
to do because you're just starting out,
yada, yada, yada.
I'm like, oh, please, I'm hungry,
feed me type thing.
And so I went to this Con Ed
course and it was Earl
Petman as the instructor.
And so my very first...
introduction into
post-professional education
was Earl Petman.
So to have him coming in
full circle is kind of a big deal.
Now,
I don't know if Earl actually
remembers me or not.
I'm sure that he doesn't.
And actually,
I took a few other courses
from him and really kind of
helped to spur my interest
in manual therapy.
I think I really became
passionate and I really
wanted to become focused within that.
And I think that he got me
excited about that,
just understanding the
you know his approaches and
his passions and excitement
about manual therapy was
infectious and it was
infectious for all of us
that were involved and and
I mean honestly when I look
back at my journey I think
that that was really part
of the biggest stimulation to that
So Earl has been around for a while.
So when we talk about master
clinicians and really talk
about clinicians, I mean,
he's truly that.
He's engaged in clinical
practice for so many years.
I don't know how many years it is,
but it's more than most
people are alive and practicing.
And so he brings a wealth of
information and knowledge.
activity to it.
And so with those master
clinician sessions,
those are hands-on sessions, right?
So those are where people
are getting an opportunity
and a chance to get their hands dirty,
if you will.
I believe, and don't hold me to this,
but I'm pretty sure that
he's going to be presenting
on cervical thoracic type disorders.
And so,
which I think is always nice to see,
we spend a lot of time on
the lumbar spine and low back.
I love seeing,
and I'm a little bit more in
connected with the neck and
so I love seeing that we're
getting a bit of neck
attention in this
conference but so I think
that he'll be presenting on
some hands-on techniques
with that yeah he asked us
he asked us like what do
you want me to do and we
said well we do whatever
you want to do but make it
hands-on and and make it um
something that is uh
that he's excited about.
So I think that a lot of
folks will get a chance to
work and see things maybe a
little bit differently,
maybe different
perspectives and approaches
to hands-on management of neck pain.
Well, and I was looking at your lineup,
even with that as an
incredible master clinician opportunity,
You have Adrian Lau, Louis Pentagura,
you have Mark Shepard,
you have Amy McDevitt,
you have Paul Minkin.
I mean, you guys have a host of people,
Carol Courtney, Catherine Palta.
I mean, you have just a list.
of really incredible people
throughout this breakout stuff.
So again, I guess just to say,
I don't think there's
anything you wouldn't walk away from.
Chad Cook's listed in this group.
It's an incredible lineup.
So well done for that.
Well done.
I want to transition and
talk a little bit about
networking because I don't
think there's any question
that they couldn't come to
conference and learn a ton.
But I do think some newbies
might be coming to
conference for the first
time and would love to know
a little bit about maybe some of those
networking opportunities.
All right.
So, Derek,
I want to hear more about the
networking opportunities at our AOMTs,
especially for our new listeners,
letting them know about
what kind of activities
that we have planned for
them to meet others and
socialize and just, again,
I always say sometimes it's
between the sessions or
after the sessions that
some of the great learning
actually also occurs.
No, one hundred percent.
Absolutely.
I want to go back, though,
and I'm going to answer that question,
but I want to also go back.
And, you know,
you mentioned all these big
names that are going to be presenting.
I think what's also exciting
and speaking of like you
just because you mentioned
the new folks coming in,
what I'm also excited about is the.
new presenters coming in and
presenting education sessions.
Nothing excites me more than to see,
you know,
some new energy and some new
blood coming into the,
especially like the
breakout sessions or what
other types of sessions.
And honestly,
like as the conference committee,
we're reviewing these
proposals and they are,
they are some really strong,
really good proposals.
So I think, you know,
we have a really nice
diversity of experienced speakers,
presenters seasoned
presenters who really know
kind of what to do and
present then we also have
this other part that is
this new crop new blood
that is also I think going
to do a really awesome job
of presenting you know
information that maybe is a
little bit different maybe
a little bit new and so if
you've been to conferences
before and you see some of
those names just you know
know that there's also some
some new ingredients in
this conference that I
think are going to make um
the cake rise a little differently.
So I love that you said that
because I see some of these
names and I'm like,
I looked at their bios
because you can look on the website.
Definitely some up and coming and very,
very strong clinician type.
So we're super excited to meet them, too.
That's going to be great.
Great point.
Thank you.
So to answer your question, though,
with regards to the
networking opportunities, you're right.
I mean, between the sessions when,
you know,
the session ends and the
hallways are busy,
you know, so much professional development,
I think occurs there that
we don't even really give it,
we don't even know how to measure, right?
We don't even know how to
unpack all of that, you know, where,
you know, people get to meet people and,
you know,
maybe their careers go into
different trajectories and
such because of,
the people that they are
engaging with or they
become interested in
something that maybe they
weren't interested in
before because they didn't
even know much about that
and maybe they find a
passion in the hallway you
know so I think those those
kinds of things are really
um fascinating to me I like
walking around conference
and just you know peering
in and just seeing people
having just those nice big
dialogues and discussions
and seeing you know somebody that
um I know in one space of my
life and and I know from
another space of my life
that somehow or another
they they connect I think
that happens so often and
we all have examples of
that so I think that like
you said those things that
happen between sessions are
really good but then we
also have you know really
intentional networking
opportunities where people
can come in and, you know,
meet and hang out and
discuss things and so on.
And that can be everything from, you know,
the sort of, well, our, you know,
final day and the big party
and all of that kind of thing.
But also we have
You know,
chances where if you want to get
out and go into Orlando a
little bit more in the evening,
we are going to have a sort
of like a pub crawl sort of
an event where people go out and,
you know,
sort of take off the ties and
have a little bit of fun and enjoy.
each other because we're all
alike a lot ways and so we
all enjoy getting to hang
out with our our colleagues
and our people who have
similar passions and you
know that and then we also
have a lot of opportunities
even within the the the
expo and the exhibit hall a lot of our
great times occur in there
when we network in that way.
And then in that exhibit
hall is typically also where we have like,
or in that space,
a lot of times we'll also
have our first timers
breakfast and some other
types of activities.
So just so much to do,
whether you're a season,
you've been coming to AOMT, you know,
for a number of times or you're
coming for your first time and you're like,
oh gosh,
I don't know what to do with this
conference.
I think that we've done such a great job.
And to bring that back, Megan,
you've done such a great
job at this when you were
conference chair.
And then before you,
the conference chair also did a great job,
but it was probably,
I remember going to my
first AOMT and it was a
good conference and there
was a lot of great material.
I don't know if we had the
same kind of like intention
about bringing people together,
especially some of the
newer clinicians or people
that didn't know each other very well.
And so I went into that conference going,
I went to the education sessions,
but I didn't know that, oh, the lectures,
you know, or the luncheon,
the awards luncheon, right?
I didn't know that was for everyone,
right?
And I was like, oh, wait,
I need to be there.
I got to attend this thing now.
And so there's just so many
things for folks to do.
Even if you're just coming by yourself,
you don't know a single
person at this conference,
you'll find a lane and
you're going to have a lot of fun at it.
There's also a five K event too.
If anybody wants to get up
super early in the morning
and run a five K there,
I think that's Saturday morning.
You're not leading it though, Derek,
right?
I think I'm running in it,
but I don't know if I'm going to leave.
Okay.
For all of our listeners, please note,
if you beat Derek,
I will find a ticket for
you for the business
meeting that will provide you a beverage.
And so, yeah,
I think we can inspire some speakers to,
or some listeners to have
the opportunity to give you
some run for your money on that,
that six K event.
So that puts a lot of
pressure on me to make sure
that we're not overfunding the,
those tickets.
If you're actually running faster, Derek.
That's all right.
So just in all sincerity,
that is a great event.
I know some people like to
have a little fitness in the morning.
And so that's a great way to do it.
So a five K race with Derek.
That's what I just heard you
say that that was going to be.
And, you know,
you spoke a little bit about
the networking events.
So there's an event on Friday night,
and then there's event Saturday night,
and then there's a lunch.
So all of these things are covered.
They don't have to pay for anything.
Is that kind of what you're
telling us with some of
these really cool
networking opportunities?
I'm really telling you that.
Isn't that crazy?
That's pretty great.
I think one of, you know, I love CSM.
I mean, I think, you know,
I love CSM for a very
different reason than I like AOMT.
And I know that many of us
who have gone to both conferences,
we describe those in very different ways.
CSN is very big.
It's energizing because of the size of it.
It's also very intimidating.
And I also know one of the
things that always frustrates me is like,
I don't know where to go
because there's just so much,
but then I also don't know, like, God,
I gotta go find some food somewhere.
Right.
And then like that becomes frustrating.
And what's nice about AOMP is that
It's you walk in the doors
and it's like white glove service.
Everything is taken care of
for you for the weekend.
Like you don't have to worry
about your meals.
You don't have to worry
about food so much.
You don't have to worry
about like what you're
going to be doing or
activities or which events
you should be at because you don't.
you go to one event because
that's where everybody goes
to is to that event and
then that allows for you to
kind of see people
throughout the entire time
and that I think really um
enables people to build
those connections very
differently than you do at
a larger sort of scaled
conference well I I think
you're spot on I think this
is just such a unique it's
such a unique conference
and and I think people may not know
But they don't know, right?
They don't know that this is
all inclusive in terms of the food pieces,
especially from continental
breakfast in the morning
that they had in several of
these areas with exhibitors,
and then by lunch,
either a box lunch or the full luncheon.
I mean,
just so many wonderful pieces that
had been really thoughtfully included.
And Derek,
you did a great job with the lineup.
And, you know,
I have to always give shout
out to the staff at AONT
because really without them,
this doesn't go, right?
So,
and they are definitely been so good
about receiving questions
from people and attendees.
And so I know that they have been
hopefully very helpful to you.
And I believe that members
love being able to reach out to them.
So as people have questions,
would you guide them to
maybe call the office or
reach out to the office?
Or what would be the best
way if they have questions
about maybe any of the
virtual options or any of
the onsite pieces?
Yeah, one hundred percent.
So call the office.
The contact information is
on the website there or, you know,
office at AOMP.org is maybe
the easiest for individuals
to reach out and connect.
And if they have questions, you know,
anything,
any kind of question that they might have,
I know they can address
those questions really well.
And so I do encourage people who are,
you know,
thinking about it,
maybe have some questions about that.
If they have some content
related questions, things like that,
I mean,
certainly they can reach out to me
as well.
Um,
and I know the office would be able to
get their contact information to me and I,
and I've fielded some of
those kinds of questions already before.
And so that's perfectly fine.
Um, and that perfectly expected as well.
That's awesome.
Awesome.
Well, Derek,
I want to be mindful of
everyone's time and I so
appreciate the opportunity
to just have some candid
conversation with you about
all things AMP conference and, uh,
hopefully a few listeners
who hadn't known about all
the different pieces and parts,
one about conference and
who you're bringing to the main stage,
hopefully learned a few things.
But again,
we always have to be
appreciative of the people
giving up so much time, energy,
and effort to do this work.
And
that certainly includes you
and the staff so thank you
so much for doing that work
on on the behalf of our
profession right really
advancing our knowledge
helps our patients and if
we really are doing that
work we have to be indebted
to the people who put the
work in to getting this
line up and getting the
conference ready to go so thank you for
Yeah, you're welcome.
And also, you know,
you mentioned it already to
the conference committee earlier.
They put in a lot of work as well.
And especially this year, you know,
just to kind of come back around to that,
we're gonna have a great
conference because we had a
very large number of submissions.
It was actually a lot of
work that the conference
committee went through to
work through and get, you know, sort of a
a conference that we felt
was going to be diverse
enough and experiences and
that kind of thing.
And so I really want to give
them props as well, as you know,
that they work really hard.
Absolutely.
I do.
Well, I do.
Again,
I look so forward to seeing you and
any of the listeners who
are going to join us in
Orlando for our conference.
I cannot wait to see people.
Such a lineup,
such a great energy that always comes.
Virtual options are
definitely available too.
And I thought that the, you know,
the lineup looked really
great and it highlighted on
the website at schedule at a glance,
some of the virtual pieces too.
So that way people could
kind of know what are they
seeing and what's the bang for the buck.
If they can't make it down,
we still welcome them in
that virtual sense too.
So, you know,
hopefully if people have
questions about virtual elements,
they certainly should reach out.
I know some people are,
am I really going to get
the quality and the amount for my money?
And the answer is, Derek,
what's your answer?
Oh, one hundred percent.
They will.
They will get actually all
of the look on the website.
You'll find that you'll see
a lot of the information.
You won't be able to go to
the pub crawl with us in Orlando,
but you're going to get
everything else as well, though.
Absolutely.
Well, Derek,
thank you so much for making time today.
I cannot wait to see you and
see our audience there.
Have a great rest of your day, guys.
Thank you.