by Mia McDonald, PA-C
I was fortunate to attend the AAPA 2019 Leadership and Advocacy Summit (LAS) in Alexandria, VA earlier this year thanks in part to the Lanny Parker Memorial Fund. Since 2004, the NCAPA Endowment’s Lanny Parker Memorial Fund has provided financial support for PA and PA students to attend events or initiatives that emphasize health care economics, advocacy, or leadership development.
The Leadership and Advocacy Summit (LAS) is an annual three-day conference focused on skill-building in the areas of federal and state advocacy, association management, and leadership training geared towards constituent organization leaders. The focal point of the first day was centered around federal advocacy and policy. In the morning, attendees were briefed on legislative issues pertaining to the PA profession, and the afternoon was spent in appointments with legislators and staff on Capitol Hill. This year, AAPA selected Medicare Part B, direct payment, and promoting access to diabetic shoes as the key issues to discuss with legislators. Currently, PAs are the only health professionals who are authorized to bill Medicare for services, but are unable to receive direct payment from Medicare Part B.
Over the next day and a half, a variety of break out and general sessions were offered on topics from comprehensive communication plans for constituent organizations to successful leadership strategies. I was fortunate to attend a session on building a PA leadership infrastructure with your employer that was led by NCAPA President-Elect Alisha DeTroye.
From the programming to the Capitol Hill visits, there are many ways to learn and grow by attending LAS as an early career PA. One of the most invaluable aspects of the conference is the ability to network and connect with other PA leaders from across the country. I’m extremely grateful for the Lanny Parker Memorial fund for helping to offset the cost of attending the event and aiding in my leadership growth and development.
Interested in applying for the Lanny Parker Memorial Fund? Read more about it here.
