TECHNICIAN CORNER
A Newcomer’s Perspective on Expo 2020 By: Julie Lange, CPhT & Lori Foster, CPhT
During the 2020 Midwest Pharmacy Expo, I experienced a new Expo. I have been attending the event alone for years, but this year a technician friend of mine was able to attend with me. Because she had heard some of us talk about our previous experiences at Expo and decided to attend, I was given the opportunity to see Expo through the eyes of a newcomer. We split hotel expenses and splurged for both Friday and Saturday night at the Downtown Hilton. This worked out very nicely for attending the early-morning PTCB presentation and breakfast. We enjoyed the panelists, as well as the latest information on the advanced credentials PTCB is developing. When attendees started gathering for the keynote speaker, I noticed some friendly faces and found that she knew some of the same people. My friend confessed that having the “First Time Attendee” flag on her nametag helped her interact with strangers. Later, during lunch and the vendor fair, we collected freebies and visited with several vendors. We were excited to have the chance to speak with Ryan from PTCB in more detail. We had chosen to attend the same sessions that afternoon, and my friend commented how nice it was that the sessions started and ended as scheduled. We then had an early supper and rested up for Sunday. As always, the Sunday sessions were information-packed. As we were driving back, we talked over some of the things we had learned and experiences we had.
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| The Journal of the Iowa Pharmacy Association
“From my perspective, I think she realized there is a lot of networking and learning to be gained all in one place.” Back at work, we had another chance to discuss Expo. I assisted her in entering the attendance codes for CPE credit. She was successful and greatly appreciated having the opportunity to evaluate the speakers through the follow-up survey. Although she did not get to use the Attendify app, I enjoyed it. From my perspective, I think she realized there is a lot of networking and learning to be gained all in one place. After Expo, my friend also chose to join the association. I hope each of you reading this will encourage someone you know to accompany you next year. ■
