Day 3 of HIMSS12. In addition to several client meetings, this was the day of two big events that promised to be the most satisfying of the week from my perspective, and neither let me down. Additionally, two fantastic meals were included - bonus! I just wish I had read the sign on the minibar.
Client Disclosure: I've had the pleasure of working with the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) for the past four years, helping them to spread the word about their online Informatics programs. Although obtaining an advanced degree from UIC (or from other institutions with graduate - level Informatics curriculums) gives a candidate a definitive advantage, I frequently field questions from graduates about obtaining additional certifications, internships, etc. that will complement their degrees and help position them as even more desirable to potential employers. So, I've been working with UIC for the past several months to organize a panel discussion during HIMSS12 to address these and other questions. The title of the discussion was "Bridging the Gap Between Education and Employment," and featured a panel of professionals who we knew would be able to provide relevant, yet varied
approaches and responses to the questions asked. The panelists included David Kushan from HealthcareIS, Bonnie Siegel from Witt Kieffer, Karen Patena from UIC, Rachel Wixson from Cipe Consulting Group, Carter Groome from First Choice Professionals, and Mike Cohen from MRC Consulting Group. Although UIC could have easily thrown us into yet another conference room, they opted instead to host the discussion in the wine cellar of a lovely restaurant at the Venetian, providing not only a much-needed break from the main event, but a wonderful lunch, as well. I had the enviable task of moderating the event, and during the 90-minute discussion, we tackled questions ranging from, "What are the opportunities for those with advanced professional degrees and clinical experience, but only educational exposure to informatics?" to "What areas of Healthcare IT are the easiest to transition into, if coming from another industry?" to my personal favorite, "How can a job seeker best leverage Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to their advantage?" All-in-all I was very pleased with the outcome of the discussion - the attendees seemed to be pleased, as well, and I couldn't have asked for a better panel. (The session was videotaped, so if you are interested in the content, please let me know and I'll be happy to send you the link when it's up). The second big event of my day was one that I've come to look forward to every year - our annual Healthcare Informatics (HCI) Blogger dinner. Since many of us have been blogging here for HCI for several years now, it's very nice to be able to reconnect with our fellow bloggers and the HCI editorial team, and catch up on all the professional and personal events that have taken place since last year's dinner. I'm ashamed to admit that I completely forgot to take a photo at this year's dinner - I'm going to blame it on the generosity of the wine pour and the fact that Tim Tolan and I spent the evening scheming about how to make our HCI Career Center even better. Stay tuned for that!A few final
notes about the HIMSS conference ROI. It's expensive going to HIMSS, even if you are just going as an attendee and aren't footing the bill for an exhibit. As I found out this year, it's especially expensive if you absolutely HAVE TO have coffee while you are getting ready in the morning. Apparently my hotel (the Cosmopolitan - have you seen the lobby? Wow!) and many others have figured out that if they omit the coffeemakers in the rooms, most people who are at a conference (who don't want to be seen going down 47 floors in the elevator in their PJs) will likely pony up the $8 for the small pot of room service coffee, even when it ends up costing twice that once all the service fees are added in. It also can get expensive when the top of the minibar has motion sensors, so that if you happen to, out of curiosity, pick up that little box with the picture of a screw on it to see what that's all about, you will be instantly be the owner of the most expensive condoms, mints, and lube you've ever purchased. And the rest of it adds up quickly, too - food, tips, taxis, etc. However, all that being said, the HIMSS conference is still the very best return on your investment when it comes to networking in this industry - bar none. There is no better place to convene and connect with 36,000+ industry colleagues than at this annual extravaganza. So start saving for New Orleans! At least the beads are free. ;)
