Taking Chances

For a couple of years now, I've been talking about wanting to develop continuing education workshops. I have loose sketches of ideas in various places, but little in the way of something cohesive. Early this year, I saw a call for proposals for the ASHA Connect conference. I attended this conference for the first time last year under its former moniker, the ASHA Healthcare and Business Institute, and found it be one of my favorite conferences I've attended to date. It's more intimate and less overwhelming than the large convention (which I also love, to be sure), and there's time to really get to know fellow attendees.

Having never submitted a proposal before, I was excited to learn the process and give it a try. I was also very nervous. In the past, I've found that quite often I'm great at visualizing things, but less great at making those things then happen. As a result, having a deadline for submission, as well as a template to help provide an outline, proved to be very helpful. Instead of just letting ideas buzz around my head as I often do, I had something that helped me make sense of the many ideas which have been bouncing around for so long.

I designed my proposal to be a two-hour presentation. One of my current goals is to develop and present day-long workshops, but having to think about a smaller scope was a helpful way to get more focused. I also wanted to be flexible, so when I submitted everything, I offered to have my proposal considered for other formats (in this case, a poster presentation). I did this for two reasons: (1) I thought additional perspectives would be beneficial, and (2) I wanted to have the opportunity to present, and have appreciated how posters offer immediate interaction and discussion.

In late February, I learned that my proposal had not been selected for a presentation. While no feedback is provided regarding what kinds of improvements can be made, I reviewed my proposal and found a few things I felt could improve it. I reworked it and submitted it for the ASHA Convention in November, so am excited to see where it goes.

Then, about two weeks ago, I got word that my proposal was selected as a poster for the ASHA Connect conference in July. I am looking forward to presenting my ideas at one of my favorite conferences, and even more than that, I am eager to see how it resonates with my colleagues there. I couldn't be more honored and excited to take this next step.

My poster will be about making the most of working with interpreters in clinical settings. I'm excited to be discussing two things so dear to me, and which are an everyday part of my work. If you're heading to the conference this summer, come say hello! I have a lot of work to do in the interim, but can't wait to get started.