I think that I have missed only one FLAA conference over the past 15 years so I have a good reference to how the 2016 conference compared to previous ones.
First, I liked the hotel. The Wyndham Grande has good amenities and is convenient to family fun locations in Orlando. I felt that attendance was up, vendors had interesting products to show, and courses were more informative about future trends in audiology.
I was inspired by all of the presenters who shared the industry’s perception of where the audiology profession is headed. For instance, Dr. Kyle Acker’s presentation on how the human ear will become a major input sensor for everything from health monitoring to interactive entertainment was something that could never be shared as well by online continuing education.
I learned a lot about the present status of hybrid cochlear implants and I am motivated to participate in that future development.
During one presentation Cynthia Moynihan, president of the Florida Hearing Loss Association of America, shared her impressions of how, as a person with severe hearing loss, she judges the competence of audiologists. I found her perceptions very interesting. She helped me take a closer look at how Gardner Audiology patients might perceive us from the time that they walk through the front door until they leave.
Dr. Jay Hall’s presentation on how to avoid medical errors is refreshingly different. He presents interesting and thought provoking examples of what not to do. Medical errors is a mandatory class for audiologists to renew their license. Dr. Hall, an expert on this topic, continues to make his personal presentations much more pertinent and interesting than any online course could do. Thank you Dr. Hall
The 2016 conference was one of the best ever. I will definitely see you at the next one. My gratitude to the Florida Academy of Audiology Board, Rachel Brooke, Executive Director, and all the volunteers who worked so hard to make it happen.
