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Gday all,
this thread comes about after seeing the costs for the upcoming Podiatry conference on the Gold Coast. Approximately $1500 for basically 3 and a half day conference plus dinner is a bit over the top i think, especially once you factor in approx $400 for accom, $300 or so for airfares if you didnt get the discount flights, then the loss of approx $1500 or so in income, and your up for an expensive week. Personally I love going to these conferences, even just for the fact you get to network with fellow Podiatrists and suppliers, but when you have got a young family, or a mortgage etc, I just cant justify it. The same happened with our NSW state conference last year, where it was actually cheaper to go if you were an allied health professional than if you were a Podiatrist!! Not sure on the other states, but I think we are missing out on some good information, simply on unaffordable fees, especially since the NSW continuing education system came in.
Is this just me, or are others finding similar? I find that it makes much more sense to go to courses such as the one Craig and Kevin ran last year, or the boot camps, which are more cost effective, plus you get completely relevant and usefull information. Its just disappointing that the event which should be the top of the food chain, so to speak, is out of reach for some.
Any thoughts?

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I agree that the national conference is expensive and it may be something for organisers to consider for the future.

However, there will be some value at the conference. One of the highlights, I expect, will be Chris Nester's presentation. I suspect getting speakers of his ilk is expensive.

To expand your topic - Continuing Education is expensive.

From my viewpoint, the Continuing Education scheme is a good way to stay up-to-date. However, I wonder if the initiative has just created another mini-industry (delivering education), and expense.

Many one-day, CE-accredited workshops are $380, plus travel expenses. That is too expensive.

Portal Education shows promise, particularly with the cheaper joining fee for NSW pods and scope/interest of topics. However, there are teething problems so I think it will improve. I suspect it is the way of the future, but I still like the tangible hands-on approach.

Darren

netizens

Continuing education for professionals is important and essential. Providing CPD is expensive and these costs are naturally passed onto participants. The opportunity for high profit return and income generation is naturally a factor and in the main programs and courses are becoming more expensive (rather than less). One incentive to all participants is the out of pocket expenses incurred are tax deductable. In the full knowledge of this organisers do tend to charge more.

Workshop based CDP arguably gives a better return for the buck than sit down conferences per se. As was once descibed in an old UK journal when reporting on the pinnacle of CPD at the time -the annual conference - 'healthy intercourse took place.' A dare say a great relief to all in attendance but it does kind of summarise the sum total benefit of conference attendance - a talk fest which is mostly enjoyable and for some informative.

In Australia as the emphasis swings away for the professional associations to provide and control the main source of CPD then the bigger conferences my begin to loose their allure particularly with other more practical means of continuing education become available. It would be the exception to the general trend if the use of cyber conferences and web based delivery was not taken up more by pods.

One criticism of the current crop of the high profile workshops available oft cited is the message does seem to be the same old same old with no real change in thinking being promulgated. When the information and techniques are fresh then it is worthwhile but then after not so good although to use the old quote could be applicable i.e. when podiatrists meet together in one place "healthy intercourse does take place.' However this may be rather an expensive exercise and clearly when comes to the learning dollar, consumer beware.


toeslayer

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If you compare it to the UK's equivalent it's very expensive - it's only 169 pounds for 2.5 days in the UK which even at the worst exchange rate it's only around $400!

Not been in Australia long and would have liked to have gone but the price has certainly put me off

I agree that it's quite expensive. The cost is the only thing that puts me off from going to the conference. My colleague is going to the Asia-Pacific international infection control conference which is for 3.5 days. The conference will be held at the Venetian Macao resort hotel which is a top class venue. Registration fee is US$350 which is about AUD$500. He has been to the same conference last 2 years and had lots of fun as well as being very informative.

It was cheaper for him last year when the AUD$ was stronger against the US$. I would go to the podiarty conference if the fee was around $500.

Is this thread mis-labeled? Should the OP change it to Podiatry Continuing Education rather than Post Grad Education since there is a clear difference between the two.

Thanks Darren for this kind words - PORTAL Education is always improving and we just premiered real time video streaming LIVE from DFCON - so now you can watch real time video/audio of the lecture/event as well as see the PowerPoint presentation in high definition, all in two separate windows, all in real time LIVE! Attendee's at DFCON definitely liked it! We will be doing the same thing for Limb Salvage Live from Washington later this year.

Last August (2008) PORTAL offered APodC the opportunity (at no cost to them) to broadcast the Gold Coast Conference Live around the world via our software. They could have taken up our offer and had cheap subscriptions from around the globe to subsidize the total cost and reduce it. They still haven't given us an answer regarding it...I am still wondering why???

Well this is a fantastic tool, I had a quick look @ the website, and this is a great portal for staying up to date with fantastic conferences. Only 1 problem - the site only provides access for UK, Australia and United States... What about the rest? Are there only real pods in UK, Australia, USA? Are they the only ones interested in such forms of further education? Or do we have to keep flying around the world to get some taste of what's going on in the international podiatric community?

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Ken Van Alsenoy
Artevelde hogeschool
dept. Podiatry
Ghent - Belgium

Changed it!

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CE has become more expensive now that it is compulsory. In Aus whe you compare the cost of pod conerences compared to elsewhere, WAY TO EXPENSIVE. The conferences are used as a fund raiser!?! We have to fund raise from other's not the same pods again and again.
This has been a common discussion for many years.
Cheers

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Heather J Bassett
137 Wheatsheaf Road
Glenroy 3046
Victoria
Australia

As mentioned our society conference here in the UK is very reasonable. However what has miffed me a bit is this years cost for the conference which is considered the best with regards to musculoskeletal medicine in the UK - The 'Biomechanics Summer School' run by Rx Labs. Outrageously priced at £425.00 ($890.00 AUS) for 2 days and once you add on travel and accomodation probably in a similar region of £700 ($1500 AUS).

Whilst I appreciate the costs for organising and running such an event I completely agree with lcp's original post - people who are incredibly keen for this knowledge and type of cpd can often be priced out of it. Surely its not acceptable?

Ian

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http://sites.google.com/site/scottis...onference/Home

90 pounds for the day for this one. Excellent venue, quality speakers and significant trade exhibition with access to SOCAP representatives including Janet MacInnes, Joanna Brown, Adam Thomas and, possibly, Ralph Graham. There will be a significant trade exhibition; more exhibitors have yet to be added to the website. The committee does not expect a profit. The hire of such a venue has been the costly part. Feedback from previous conferences has been a 'nice' venue is preferred. 'Nice' venues are costly.

Having said all that perhaps some of you would care to join us in lovely Aviemore for relaxation, socialising and learning - all in one weekend!

Sandra

Hi Kenva,

PORTAL Provides access to ALL health professionals around the world - currently it only tracks CME/CPE points for Australia, US and UK based Podiatrists/MD's/Nurses etc.... We are currently working on points tracking for other countries and professions.

Hope you do not mind me offerring some comment with my trade display person perspective. The people that support conferences through taking the booths in the trade display areas are also concerned about the rising costs assosciated with conferences for both the sponsors and the delegates. Trade sponsors go there to support the profession and also for "intercourse with customers" but there is an increasing tendency to question the cost effectiveness of conferences from a business point of view. This will be increasingly so if the costs to the delegates also become prohibitive and less people attend.
There is also feedback from customers that suggests that the trend to more academically focussed conferences makes them less attractive to more practical minded clinicians. People sometimes ask "will this theory and science improve my clinical results" and this is a valid question. I am wondering if the mix of presentations at this year's conference will appeal to the practical as well as academically inclined?
In any event, I am looking forward to the conference and meeting those who do attend.

Whilst I am going to the conference in QLD and looking forward to it, I do have several colleagues and friends who are not able to go or do not want to go solely because of financial reasons.

I believe it will be a beneficial experience and worth the money, I am really looking forward to some of the speakers, however the people I know not able to go have simply said I can not afford to take the time off, loss of income and spend that money just for registration and add on all the other expenses as lcp mentioned like accomm. 'entertainment' travel etc.
It may be tax deductable but you still have to spend that money out of your wage at the present time aside from all the other commitments so I can understand why this people have made this choice.


BK.

With regards to the Australasian Podiatry in the Gold Coast, I have still not seen a detailed prgramme of the Conference.

It is very expensive and why is the early bird fee cut off so early, in NZ we had not been given enough information for it to be an absolute must.

I have my holiday booked but it will be spent assessing gait on the sunny strip.

I aggree, a good money spinner. However, an annual opportunity to network, update and escape the office!
Cheaper ways are based on experience, reflective studies and outcomes of audit.
A recent 'experience and suggestion' box in the office waiting room proved very useful, from a service-user point of view. Customer knows best - sometimes!

I think that the conference fees are too high.
I also think that there are some people out there that are taking advantage of our "compulsory ed points" and offering courses that may not be worth the price tag.

As with private practice, it seems reasonable that those staging the conference make a profit.

Seems to me the real question is does it represent value for money.?

How do I best spend my time and money? What are my priorities?

Compulsary recertification/cpd in NZ and NSW was imposed by Government legislation, leaving the marketplace and practitioners to sort their cpd compliance out for themselves. I don't imagine that it will sort itself out overnight and i think we will continue to see new developments as the profession and others respond to the change .

Certainly for those of us looking for cpd points the conference content must be scrutinised for what it delivers. It may be that the days of the " conference event" are numbered

We may be a captive market but we are resourceful and we do have choices


Cheers

Greg

Thanks for your thoughts everyone, keep them coming. Would be interested to hear some comments from anyone who is maybe on one of the associations' boards to see if they think it is an important issue. Agree with what Paul and "Portal" offer, it does give more opportunity to learn more without sacrificing time off work, plus it gives those of us who work distances from major cities to have access to information which is normally only available to those closer.

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We are sending 5 podiatrists from my organisation (providing them with paid time and varying amounts of cost subsidy), and if you present (poster or paper) the price drops by a few hundred. And while the conference is expensive and there are now a number of other opportunities for CE, remember that it is fully tax deductible.

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Stephen Tucker
Eastern Health
Podiatry Manager

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I have always found that amusing - APodC make a profit off your work, then they make a profit off you paying to attend a conference where you are presenting your own work....hypocritical? I bet the invited speakers aren't made to pay for the privilege!

I also have an issue with the timing of the conference. Why do they choose to have it during the week? It makes it all the more expensive for those in private practice, as they have 3 days of lost revenue!

I guess hiring of the venues come into it here, but its a good point. Even if it ran from thursday until sunday, or saturday until tuesday, it would be much better/easier to rearrange working hours.

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