This section is designed to provide assistance in explaining the value of PAINWeek to your employer, to secure consent for your participation.
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The PAINWeek Advantage
Become an Educational Asset
Demonstrating Return on Investment
Sample Letter
PAINWeek 101
The PAINWeek Scholarship Program
When thinking about continuing education for pain management, do the math:
At PAINWeek, you can custom design a learning experience of up to 36.0 CE/CME credit hours from the most comprehensive pain education curriculum offered anywhere: in 2017, we presented over 120 hours of continuing education and informational programs across some 18 different course concentrations. PAINWeek now enjoys the collaborative support of 22 professional and patient advocacy groups, including the American Pain Society, the American Academy of Pain Medicine, and the Veterans Health Administration. This curriculum is further augmented by a full complement of satellite symposia, product theatres, interactive activities, and the PAINWeek exhibit hall.
Here are some specific considerations that can affirm the value of your participation in PAINWeek.
*Approximately 95% of the total PAINWeek curriculum is available in the Online Content Package. Online courses are not certified for credit.
Management decisions about resource allocation will often start with these 2 components:
Here are some commonly used tools for calculating and presenting the return on investment of your participation in PAINWeek.
EXPENSE ITEM | COMMENTS | COST ($) |
Registration | Click here to see the registration prices currently in effect for different attendance options | |
Lodging | Current room rates for PAINWeek attendees may be found here | |
Flight | Cost estimates to McCarran Airport (LAS) may be found on major travel sites | |
Transportation: LAS to The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas | Estimated cab fare $15-$20 | |
Transportation: return to LAS | Estimated cab fare $15-$20 | |
Mileage Reimbursement | If driving to Las Vegas | |
Other Conference Expenses | Online Content Package; meals; other discretionary costs |
Estimating return on investment
To be most persuasive in justifying your attendance, you should focus on the intersection between your/your organization’s knowledge requirements and the PAINWeek agenda opportunities. Refer to the conference agenda and design a personal curriculum that maximizes this intersection. If you are new to PAINWeek, the suggested PAINWeek 101 agenda may help.
Consider the categories in the following Benefits Worksheet, and adapt them to your organizational situation/needs:
Benefits to Your Organization | Opportunities at PAINWeek |
Professional Networking | PAINWeek provides many opportunities for networking and interaction with healthcare professionals from diverse specialties. Recognizing the multidisciplinary nature of good pain management, consider the value of this interaction |
Teambuilding (if attending with others in your organization) | Consider the value of PAINWeek as a forum for team interaction, learning, and growth |
Understanding of Current Treatment Modalities | Use your personal curriculum to demonstrate how PAINWeek will address this and the following benefit category |
Understanding of Current/Emerging Modalities and Trends | Use your personal curriculum to demonstrate how PAINWeek will address this and the following benefit category |
Vendors with New Tools/Technologies | Consider the value of the PAINWeek Exhibit Hall in introducing you/your team to new approaches in pain management |
By presenting these aggregated benefits against a solid estimate of expenses, you can provide your management with the assurance of demonstrated value—to you, and to the organization as a whole.
The following sample letter can be adapted and used to convey your presentation.
[date]
Dear [your supervisor's name]:
To help provide [your facility] and our patients with the most current professional knowledge and skills in pain management, I would like to attend the PAINWeek® 2018 National Conference. This conference provides up to 36.0 live credit hours plus scientific posters, satellite symposia, and postconference webinars that address all aspects of pain management. A program guide will be provided to all meeting registrants and can be shared after the event with my colleagues who did not attend the conference. The following are some of the sessions that would be of particular relevance:
[List sessions that will provide the greatest benefit to your facility.]
[In this paragraph list transportation costs, registration fee, meals, and the price per night of the hotel room.]
Attending the PAINWeek 2018 National Conference will enhance my knowledge and skills, which will enable me to provide better care for my patients. I hope to pass on much of what I learn to my colleagues, and my notes and copies of the speaker presentations will be available for reference. Thank for your consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
[your name]
First time at PAINWeek? We have a special offering just for you! Attend PAINWeek 101 and become familiar with everything you need to know to make the most of your PAINWeek experience. We’ll cover session selection (including a recommended agenda), conference logistics, exhibits and special events, CE/CME credit request procedures, and more!*
*This session is not certified for credit.
Click here to download the PAINWeek 101 guide.
PAINWeek would like to congratulate Dwayne Taylor on winning the PAINWeek 2017 Scholarship Program
Click here to read Dwayne's essay.
Apply for a scholarship to PAINWeek 2018
PAINWeek is the nation's largest pain conference for frontline clinicians with an interest in pain management. Convening at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on September 4-8, more than 2,200 physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, hospitalists, dentists, psychologists, and social workers are expected to attend. There will be 120+ hours of continuing medical education courses and master classes, special interest sessions, and satellite events.
PAINWeek will award 10 scholarships* that cover the cost of registration, and one grand prize winner will receive $1,000 to put towards the cost of conference travel and accommodations.
Scholarship applicants must be:
Scholarship applicants may not be:
Essay Requirements:
Scholarship recipients must agree to:
Deadline:
All essays must be received by midnight EST on Friday, June 29, 2018
Scholarship winners* will be selected by PAINWeek and notified via email and/or phone no later than July 27, 2018.
*Paid individuals who already registered for PAINWeek and subsequently designated as winners will have their full conference registration fees refunded. If you pre-paid for PAINWeek OnDemand, that fee is not included and will not be refunded should you win a scholarship.