NOVEMBER 2023 NEWSLETTER FEATURES
Leaving '23..
Moving Twenty Twenty FourWard
Tricks of the Trade - DPMs
Make the Pre-Meeting Promise
Credits Countdown
Get Your End-Of-Year CECH
Practice Partner Academy
End-of-Year Practice Builders
Practice Partner Pearls
The Beginning: Post-Op Square Toe
Tricks of the Trade - Vendors
Location Location Location
Tricks of the Trade - Planners
Heads Up!
Meeting Calendar
Next 90 Days
Let's Kick Some A** Next Year!
TWENTY TWENTY FOURWARD
While we don't want to race past the final weeks of 2023, we can't help but be excited for what's to come in January.

If you are attending or exhibiting at FPMA's Scientific Annual Meeting in January, we are pumped to participate another year with a dynamic DPM Industry Theater, as well as a second year of our Exhibitor Workshop!

Bottom line, SAM 2024 is an event you simply can't miss. The FPMA "brings it" every year.

Be there, or be square 😉
Sarah & Ann For Exhibitors...
EXPERIENCED EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP
Thursday in the Exhibit Hall at 3:00 at the Main Stage

Sarah & Ann For DPMs...
CHEERS TO KICKING A** IN TWENTY TWENTY FOURWARD
Friday in the Exhibit Hall at 12:15 | Obviously There will be Fun and Prizes
TRICKS OF THE TRADE
Quick Tips for DPMs

Make that Pre-Meeting Promise
ï»żï»żSarah Breymeier
Are you one of those people who is able to get up early in the morning before a work day and go to the gym??? Wow. I applaud you! I am 100% NOT that person - unless I promise someone I'll meet them at the gym. That commitment to another person locks me in.

What does this have to do with meetings? Well, it's a bit of a comparison about how you can ensure you don't just go through the motions at a meeting. By committing to others and scheduling meetings and/or appointments during a conference, could be a way to ensure you don't just wake up, go to your required lectures, eat dinner and go to bed.

No. There's more to meetings than that!

I truly HATE committing myself to schedules and/or appointments, but I know it's a necessity to ensure I don't fall into a trap of doing the bare minimum at a meeting. When we are face-to-face at conferences, it is essential to maximize the time by connecting with clients and business partners; or to network for new professional relationships.

I often reflect on the conferences I have attended over the last 12 years of meetings and I have been disappointed in myself when I get back to the home office and realize I didn't get as much out of it as I could have because I simply got lazy.

By scheduling one-on-one meetings, lunches, dinners, etc ahead of time, you put yourself in a position of commitment to another or several others that you will follow through; and so you do it.

Just like that early morning workout at the gym with your buddy (that you probably hate in the moment for dragging you out of your cozy slumber), you walk away feeling accomplished and knowing your future self will thank you.
CREDIT COUNTDOWN
End-of-Year CECH
Need some last minute credits? As always, we've got the 411 to keep you in the know about where to go...

FACE-TO-FACE
December 6 - December 9
Phoenix, Arizona | Up to 24 CECH Available

ONLINE RESOURCES

NOTE: Details regarding podiatry meetings listed may not be complete nor are they guaranteed accuracy. Please visit each meeting’s official website or contact each meeting’s organizer for official, complete details, available CECH and rates.
PRACTICE PARTNER ACADEMY
Helping You Choose Strategic Partners for Your Practice

2023 is coming to a close, but we have a few more practice building presentations from some of the industry's finest before we welcome the new year.

Register now for upcoming sessions...
Monday, December 4th at 8pm ET
OFFLOADING THE ACHILLES:
A Comparison of Heel Lifts, Walking Boots
and the AeroSpring Bracing System
ï»ż
Presented by Doug Richie, DPM, FACFAS
Join us with Dr. Richie and gain a stronger understanding of:

  • How simple heel lifts do not plantarflex the ankle

  • How walking boots inhibit healing of the Achilles

  • Protocols for using carbon AFOs to rehabilitate the injured Achilles
Monday, December 11th at 8pm ET
CLASS IV LASER REVIEW
Compare and Contrast Lasers for the
Lower Extremity & Other Modalities
ï»ż
Q&A Session with Class IV Laser Expert, David Zuckerman, DPM

Lasers in podiatry have been in existence for 20+ years; and now there are several options available to the DPM. So how do you choose? Dr. Zuckerman will review the progression of lasers for the lower extremity and discuss how they compare to other types of technology which treat same/similar conditions.
PRACTICE PARTNER PEARLS
DARCO's Lower Extremity Legacy &
ï»żThe Square-Toe Post-Op Medical Shoe
Darco International Inc. was founded in 1985 by Podiatrist, H. Darrel Darby. At the time Dr. Darby was frustrated by the antiquated surgical shoes on the market; his patients constantly complained that there was nothing comfortable to wear after surgery or when certain procedures were done. Dr. Darby set out to design and manufacture a modern-day post-op shoe that his patients could wear while they healed. From that, Darco was born.
In 2004, Darco introduced the first square toe medical surgical shoe. The product quickly became the most popular post op shoe on the market. Soon after, many of its post operative shoes took on that same square toe design. Currently, many companies have imitated the design, both in the US and throughout the world – truly a statement to Dr. Darby’s vision to improve patient footwear. Since that time, Darco has continued to design and launch innovative products to assist podiatrists and their patients.

Today, Dr. Darby’s son, H. Darrel Darby II is president of the company, entering into a new era of patient-friendly products that can be found in multiple medical segments. Not only is Darco dominate in the podiatric market, its products are used with regularity in O&P, orthopedics, wound care and physical therapy/rehab. The product line has expanded and now includes walking boots, plantar fasciitis night splints, ankle braces, compression garments and incredibly effective, off-the-shelf wound care and offloading products, such as our very popular Peg Assist Offloading Insole.

While Darco has expanded its reach and scope, podiatry will always remain our central focus and the community in which it takes the greatest pride in serving – holding true to Dr. Darby’s legacy.

The goal remains to provide podiatrists and their patients with high quality products that bring value to all concerned and more importantly, assist in the healing process. When choosing foot and ankle products for your office and the patients you serve, think of the company that has deep roots in podiatry and one that has been a proud supporter of the podiatric community for thirty-seven years.

For more information on our company and products, visit our web site at www.darcointernational.com

TRICKS OF THE TRADE
Quick Tips for Exhibitors

Location Location Location
ï»żï»żAnn Dosen
Four years into these newsletters, one would think we would have hit on this topic already, right?! Well, better late than never! Plus, so much has changed in the exhibiting space, that choosing the "right booth" now has different variables compared to years past.

Obviously, your budget will play a part in your booth selection. Once you’ve determined which booths you can afford, don’t just throw a dart and choose at random. Take some time to really think about the layout and try to visualize how an attendee will flow through.

I wrote a tip a while back about a booth that was located on a far-right wall, one that typically would be considered a “bad” location. However, because of the layout, attendees entering through the main entrance had a clear view of that booth right as they entered and the design of the booth grabbed their attention, resulting in traffic to a “bad” location. Bonus- it was the lowest booth rate!

Another strategy is to look closely at booths that are already reserved and the companies that are there. Are they typically busy? Do their products compliment yours? Maybe being close to one of your distributors is a good idea.

When in doubt, it's also never a bad idea to get a booth next to Ann & Sarah! 😉
90-DAY MEETING OUTLOOK
Click below to see industry events for upcoming months.
TRICKS OF THE TRADE
Quick Tips for Meeting Planners

A "Heads Up" Can Go A Long Way
Sarah Breymeier & Ann Dosen
A handful of our previous meeting planner tips has a central focus about competition and/or the perception of competition with other meetings.

Check this out:

With that in mind, it can really go a long way within the profession to give other meeting planners a heads up when it comes to scheduling your next event. We all know that most meetings run around the same timeframe each year, which is helpful, but here and there we see the meeting collision and someone ends up getting "miffed."

Last year we had a colleague alert us about an upcoming event so we could add it to our comprehensive calendar. Immediately we noticed that it was the same date as another meeting that we had just become aware of. Instead of holding this information "close to the chest," we said, "Hey; not sure if you have already started promoting this date, but if you haven't you may want to consider a different date because there is already an online event that is looking like it's going to be well-attended; we would hate to see you lose participation because DPMs would have to choose one or the other."

Result - the date was changed and both events went off with a solid amount of attendees and everyone wins.

So here's another quick reminder. Use our calendar and extend a professional courtesy when planning your meetings. Call your colleagues to give them a heads up. Submit your meetings to us so we can add them to our calendar and everyone stays informed.
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