District Director - Katie Walsh Flanagan
Hello Fellow ATs!
I hope you are safe, dry and warm in this horrific weather the whole county has been enduring. We have lost of news this Eblast, and I hope you take a minute to review it
Annual Meeting In spite of many rumors, Yes! We ARE still intending to have it in-person in May in Charlotte, NC (See Scott’s post, below). The NC Governor will make his next ‘restriction’ announcement February 28th (so he says) which will likely reduce restrictions (depending on many factors). I expect in March will be better prepared to make any decisions about the possibility of switching to hybrid or virtual a meeting, but not likely before that.
National Athletic Training Month (NATM) is merely a week away! Please put up the poster in a public space at your worksite (it was included in your recent NATA News). Other ideas to support all ATs in March: Consider changing your signature line (phone, email, ipad) to promote the slogan that “Athletic Trainers: Essential to Health Care” and support NATM on your voice mail, social media and every day.
Volunteers needed! Every month I get emails asking how to volunteer in State or District positions – and EVERY time I ask members to read the monthly Blasts from MAATA and their states. Here are several amazing opportunities for consideration
MAATA Meeting Planner (oversees all aspects of the annual MAATA meeting)
MAATA Educational Programming Chair (oversees all aspects of the educational program of the annual MAATA meeting)
MAATA Social Media Person (is the public face of MAATA on social media (IG, FB, Twitter)
For ANY position listed here, please follow the rules on our Committee Website
Send all application material (see link above) to Jason Mitchell by Friday, March 12.
District Vice-President-Elect – Donita Valentine
Greetings!
While many of us throughout the district are experiencing chilling temperatures, snow, and ice, spring is just around the corner. Vaccination efforts worldwide offer hope of seeing one another face-to-face very soon! It is my sincere hope that we all remain safe and well to see the end of this pandemic.
In the coming weeks, many athletic trainers will be charged with returning to sports and many have already done so. Some will return to all their sports running concurrently while also contact tracing and COVID testing. I encourage you to remember to do something for yourself that helps you remain grounded, meditate, have a movie night with the family, or read a good book. Please continue to take care of YOU!
We are Essential to Healthcare; We are Built for this; We are Resilient; We are D3 Athletic Trainers!
MAATA News
Annual Meeting Planning Committee – Scott Cook
Registration opened Monday, February 1st, for the 2021 MAATA Annual Meeting and Clinical Symposium. Early registration is in place until Friday April 30th. After that, we will move to on-site registration with price increases. Be sure to register NOW!! The Annual Meeting and Clinical Symposium is scheduled for May 14-16 at the Charlotte Hilton University Place, in Charlotte, NC.
The MAATA continues to monitor the CoVid-19 Pandemic and is continuing to move ahead with planning for an in- person Annual Meeting. Due to members Pandemic concerns along with employment and personal commitments, the MAATA is also continuing to explore the possibility of a Hybrid meeting. This hybrid meeting would be a live event along with members also being able to attend virtually. The Educational Program and meeting registration can be accessed at d3symposium.org
Make plans to attend to socialize, network and gain hands on experience with our workshops and presentations. Category A and EBP CEUs will be offered. Also included are Pre and Post-Conference Workshops for additional fees. It is a reporting year!!
The Charlotte Hilton University Place is set in a lake front setting, with plenty of dining options, and the City of Charlotte offers an incredible amount of opportunities for families to explore. Make plans to attend!!
Educational Program Committee – Kim Pritchard
The schedule for the 2021 MAATA Annual Symposium is available online (http://bit.ly/MAATA2021). We have a variety of lectures and learning labs available, including both EBP and Category A CEUs. We are hoping to see you live and in-person in May!
Free-Communications – Jena Hansen-Honeycutt
DEADLINE FOR ABSTRACT SUBMISSION IS
Friday March 5th, 2021 at 5 PM (EST)
The MAATA is now accepting applications for the Free Communication section of the 2021 symposium. This is a great opportunity to advance the discovery, dissemination, and application of scientific knowledge in athletic training domains. We encourage all athletic trainers in District 3 to consider submitting an abstract for presentation at this year’s meeting. If accepted, you are eligible for 10 CEUs as first author or 5 CEUs second author (Category B). We accept abstracts on Critically Appraised Topics and Clinical Case Series, Basic Research, Qualitative Research, Survey Research, Meta-Analysis, and Clinical Case Report. Formatting Guidelines Here.
We have moved to online submissions, please submit HERE.
For specific submission guidelines, please visit the MAATA website at www.maata.org or contact the chair of the MAATA Free communications program jenahhoneycutt@gmail.com
Scholarship Committee – Adam Weyer
Less than two weeks to get those scholarship applications submitted. The deadline is March 1st. The committee knows that there are plenty of deserving students in our district, so, we want you to make our job difficult. You do this by encouraging your students to apply. Information and application instructions are available HERE. If you have any questions about how to apply, please contact me at aweyer@lander.edu. Thank you for spreading the word about our scholarships. I pray that you all stay safe.
Student Senate – Emily Hildebrand
Looking to support an AT in need? Check out the Senate’s Online Clothing Store. All proceeds will be used to purchase wish-list items for an AT from each state in the District who may be underfunded, lost items to previous natural disasters, or have had severe budget cuts that significantly impact their ability to provide best patient care.
In conjunction with the MAATA 2021 Symposium - Student Program, the call for athletic training student free communications is now open (at the time of submission, you are not yet certified but are enrolled in a professional athletic training program in District III). Abstracts for original research, case studies, and critically appraised topics are being accepted until March 20, 2021. Review all guidelines found HERE.
Elections Committee – Pat Aronson
CALL FOR CANDIDATES!
It is not too early to consider running for the District 3 Director's position. District 3 Director Dr. Katie Walsh Flanagan will continue as our Director until June 2022, but we will elect her replacement this fall. Once elected the candidate will shadow Director Flanagan, as well as the other officers in the District to learn more about the position until taking the Director's position in June 2022.
Qualifications for the Director's position can be found in the MAATA Constitution and By-Laws, which is located on our website. All Individuals interested in running for this leadership position will be asked to submit a cover letter outlining their qualifications; a copy of their current resume’/vitae including pertinent leadership and volunteer experience within their state, district, and national associations to Past District Director Patricia Aronson, PhD, ATC, HERE by July 1, 2020.
NATA Committees
Council on Practice Advancement – Andy Carter
NATA COPA Con 2021 Virtual Conference on Practice Advancement: AT Leadership and Value in Patient-Centered Care
Friday, March 26, 2021 2 – 6 p.m. CST & Saturday, March 27 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. CST
The NATA Council on Practice Advancement (COPA) is hosting its first-ever conference with a focus on physician practice, healthcare administration and occupational health. The goal of this conference is to shape attendees into better leaders in the clinic, hospital, and occupational health spaces, and provide them with strategies to better showcase their value to employers.
For more information, VISIT HERE where more details concerning the educational programming, price, CEU offerings, and registration will be announced in the following weeks.
Educational Advancement Committee – Lindsey Schroeder
The EAC will be hosting a virtual Education Research Forum utilizing the NATA’s Professional Development Center for content delivery. These sessions will be hosted synchronously and asynchronously. Topics include: starting your educational research agenda, tips for successfully transforming your manuscript into a publication, as well as overcoming barriers while conducting educational research. Keep an eye out for more details on the NATA social media platforms!
Ethnic Diversity Advisory Committee – Brittany Brown
Hello MAATA Members!
EDAC would like to introduce our new West Virginia state representative Jani Springer, MS, MEd, ATC. We are excited to welcome her to our committee and know that she will bring many ideas to this committee.
We hope to see you in Charlotte, North Carolina for our Annual Meeting in May. We are continuing to prepare for our panel discussion with our Student Senate. Be on the lookout for more information in our upcoming E-blasts.
EDAC is transitioning our mentorship database to the Mentor Match program which is on the Gather platform. If you were a mentor on EDAC’s Mentorship database, please register to be a mentor on Gather’s website.
Make sure you follow us on Instagram @nataedac and twitter @EDACNATA for more information on upcoming events.
NATA Foundation – Marty Baker
Fellow MAATA Colleagues, I would like to ask you two questions:
- When presented with a difficult clinical case, do you turn to the best available research?
- When developing policy, are the NATA Position Statements your source to make sure your patients get the best possible outcomes?
If you answered yes to either or both questions, I would like you to join me in becoming a member of The NATA Foundation’s Circle of Champions.
