We hated missing the AOTA Conference last year- we missed talking to you, we missed meeting old friends and making new ones, we missed wandering through the poster sessions and learning something new, we missed meeting entrepreneurs displaying clever solutions for our patients, and we missed trying some chowder in Boston.

So when it was clear that an in-person conference was not going to send us to San Diego in 2021, we got busy getting ready to meet with you on AOTA’s virtual conference platform. While AOTA has a month of activities planned, we will be there during Kick Off Week starting April 6.

Here are some tips to make the virtual conference work for you:

• Take a trial run of the AOTA platform. Test your technology and skim the FAQs. Figure out the networking and chat features. Build your schedule of classes and sign up for some virtual fun.
• Commit to monotasking during the conference. A virtual event makes it so easy to multitask, so make a plan to give the conference the attention it deserves. Block your calendar. Alert your boss, coworkers and family. Plan to immerse yourself in learning new treatments and patient strategies – the best part of any conference!
• Plan to socialize. Coordinate attendance at sessions with a friend and then meet to share what you have learned. Have a virtual happy hour at the end of the day. Set up some appointments with vendors you enjoy every year.

We hope to see you at the Occupational Therapy Toolkit’s virtual booth! Stop by to say hi to author and illustrator, Cheryl Hall, and take advantage of our annual discount on the entire product line – book, ebook, and the Spanish version.